NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-03-2025 11PM EST

Episode Date: December 4, 2025

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I'm Rachel Martin. Apple Podcasts named my conversation with author Jason Reynolds on Wildcard, one of the top 10 podcast episodes of 2025. I am a crybaby of all crybabies. It is my favorite thing about myself. You can watch or listen to that wildcard conversation now on the NPR app or on YouTube at NPR Wildcard. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth jeopardized the safety of U.S. troops by using a messaging app to share information on U.S. airstrikes in Yemen. And Pyrr's Deirdre Walsh has more on the Pentagon Inspector General's findings. A classified IG report delivered to Capitol Hill found that Secretary Hegseth risked potential compromise of information that could have endangered the safety of U.S. personnel in the mission by using the messaging app signal. That's according to a source briefed on the report who was not authorized to speak publicly. If intercepted by a foreign adversary, it could have led to harm.

Hegeseth did not agree to an interview with investigators, but submitted written responses. He noted he has the authority to declassify material, but there was no indication he did before he shared it. An unredacted version of the report is expected to be released on Thursday. Deirdre Walsh, NPR News. NPR CEO Catherine Marr chairs the board of the Signal Foundation. The Somali American community in Minnesota is on edge amid an immigration sweep that targets them. Matt Seppik of Minnesota Public Radio has more. President Donald Trump this week called people of Somali descent, quote, garbage and said he doesn't want them in the United States.

Somali American leaders are urging community members to know and assert their constitutional rights if immigration authorities confront them. The Minnesota-Somali community numbers around eight. 80,000 and the vast majority are U.S. citizens. NPR's Metzepik reporting. Billionaire private astronaut Jerek Ixickman was back on Capitol Hill today for a second Senate hearing. President Trump initially picked him to head NASA but pulled the nomination shortly before confirmation. NPR's Nell Greenfield Boyce reports on his re-nomination. Jared Isaacman said he wouldn't speculate about why the president renominated him. One senator asked about donations to Trump's SuperPack, but Isaacman said it shouldn't be surprising that he supported

the Republican Party and that he donated far more to charitable causes. Pressed on his connections to SpaceX and Elon Musk, he said he was independent. In a world where everybody has a phone with a camera on it, there are no pictures of us at dinner, at a bar, on an airplane, or on a yacht because they don't exist. He stressed the urgency of returning Americans to the moon before arrival, China gets there. Nell Greenfield-Boyce, NPR News. Ukraine and the European Union are accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of wasting time and pretending to want peace.

Meanwhile, Putin is accusing European negotiators of sabotaging the U.S. led peace effort for Ukraine. U.S. envoy spent several hours with Russian negotiators at the Kremlin, but the talks ended early Wednesday without a deal. A senior advisor, Putin says the talks were constructive, but that more work is needed. This is NPR. President Trump has pardoned Congressman Henry Quayar and his wife Amelda of bribery, money laundering, and conspiracy charges. Trump claims, without evidence, that the Texas Democrat and his wife were being persecuted for criticizing Biden administration immigration policies. Trump has also pardoned former sports entertainment executive Timothy Lewecki of alleged trade violations.

The landmark law that created the current U.S. system for special education was signed into law. law 50 years ago. NPR Scori-Turner reports on the impact of the individuals with the Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, and concerns about its future. In 1970, public schools educated just one in five children with a disability. Ed Martin, now 94, helped write the law that changed that. There was one mother who told us a story about the school bus stopping at the foot of her driveway. And her daughter is standing in the window crying, saying, why can't I go with the other kids?

IDEA requires schools to provide accommodations for kids with disabilities. The Trump administration has made cuts at the Department of Education, including staff who oversee IDEA, saying it wants to end bureaucracy and empower states. But critics warn federal oversight is an important safeguard for families who depend on the landmark law. Corey Turner, NPR News. U.S. Futures are flat and after hours trading on Wall Street following Wednesday's gains. The Dow Jones Industrial rose 40. The NASDAQ added 40. This is NPR News. This message comes from Wise, the app for using money around the globe. When you manage your money with Wise, you'll always get the mid-market exchange rate with no hidden fees. Join millions of customers and visit Wise.com. T's and Cs apply.