NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-02-2025 4PM EST

Episode Date: December 2, 2025

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Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. Defense Secretary Pete Hegeseth says he did not see two survivors on an alleged drug boat struck in the Caribbean. But NPR's Frank Ordonez reports, Hegset says the Admiral made the correct decision to sink the boat. Speaking at a White House cabinet meeting, the Defense Secretary said that he had authorized Admiral Frank Bradley to execute the operation, but that he himself was not in the room when the second strike occurred. I watched that first strike lot. As you can imagine, at the Department of War, we got a lot of things to do. So I didn't stick around for the hour and two hours, whatever, where all the sensitive

site exploitation digitally occurs. So I moved on to my next meeting. The original attack killed nine people on the boat, leaving two survivors, who, according to the Washington Post, were clinging to the boat. Hegseth said he learned later of the additional strike, killing the survivors. an act that critics say in a time of war would constitute a war crime. Franco, Ordojans, NPR News, the White House. An NPR investigation finds a Florida-based company is hitting disabled military veterans with big bills,

sometimes for $10,000 or $20,000. So even though the VA has warned the practice is likely illegal and the service should be free under federal law. More from NPR's Chris Arnold. NPR spoke to 11 former employees of Trajector medical, and heard from 60 veterans who used their service. Some vets say the company promised to help them file disability claims but then didn't do much for them.

They were upset that they had to then do much of the work themselves and Trajectors still charged them hefty bills. Eric Jensen is a former Navy diver. I'm embarrassed to say, I ended up paying $12,000. The VA has said that charging vets money this way is likely illegal. Trajector Medical said its mission is to help vets and that it follows the law. Meanwhile, many vets said that they should have the right to hire a company to help them. Some in Congress want to sharpen up the rules and impose price caps.

Chris Arnold and PR News. And early winter storm that caused hundreds of crashes and left one driver dead in Missouri is sweeping into the northeast. NPR's Tovia Smith reports parts of New England are expecting up to 10 inches of snow. Heavy snow bands may dump at least six inches in large swaths of New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine. And another storm may hit later this week. National Weather Service meteorologist John Palmer says winds will pick up as temperatures drop today, making driving dangerous. But he says the season's first storm is not unusual.

It's just kind of the way of life. You know, I've had winter storms happen over Thanksgiving when years passed. This is really not out of the ordinary, but nonetheless still an impactful commute tonight for our area. Locals should be thankful, Palmer says, that the affected commute is this week rather than over the holiday travel. Rush. Tovia Smith, NPR News. It's NPR. U.S.S. Envoy, Steve Whitkoff, and Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law have been meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin for several hours about a peace plan with Ukraine. Kiev and its European allies have raised concerns about Russia's demands. Putin accuses

Ukraine's allies of undermining the process. Returning from his first papal trip abroad, Pope Leo spoke about how he felt the moment he realized he was going to become the first American Pope. Here's NPR's Ruth Sherlock. Pope Leo opened up when speaking with journalists on the papal plane returning from his first foreign trip to Lebanon and Turkey. He remembered the moment during the conclave when he realized he would be chosen to lead the Catholic Church. I said, here we go, Lord, you're in charge, and you lead the way.

The Chicago-born Pope seemed pleased to let journalists get to know him a little, Even in difficult times in life, he elaborated, while living in Peru during years of terrorism, for example, his spiritual approach has been, he said, to, quote, allow the Lord to lead. Ruth Sherlock, MPR News, Rome. Tech billionaire Michael Dell and his wife, Susan Dell, are pledging more than $6 billion to encourage U.S. families to claim Trump accounts. The gift is designed to support a portion of the president's tax and spending bill that involves new investment accounts for kids. The Dell's gift would use the Trump account's infrastructure to give $250 to qualify children under the age of 10. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has closed up 185 points to end the day at 47,474. It's NPR.