Trump warships; Venezuela; Heritage Foundation : NPR
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Today’s best stories
President Trump announced yesterday that the U.S. Navy will spend billions of taxpayer dollars per ship to build a new class of warships. named after him. The news conference, in which he spoke about the project, came days after a Trump-led board voted to put his name on the Kennedy Center.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio listens as President Trump announces the U.S. Navy’s new Golden Fleet initiative, unveiling a new class of warships, at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, December 22, 2025.
Andrew Canalero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
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Andrew Canalero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
- 🎧 The president said his administration would start by building two of these new battleships.which he believes will have nuclear missile capability, says NPR’s Quil Lawrence First. He said production would increase to produce more of these ships. The president did not provide a specific timetable for any of the productions. At yesterday’s press conference, Trump explained how US forces were pursuing a third huge oil tanker. The administration’s actions toward the tankers remain uncharted territory, and the president did not focus on those details during his speech, Lawrence said.
A federal judge has ruled that the expulsions of more than 100 Venezuelans to El Salvador were illegal. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ruled that the government violated due process and determined that the men were entitled to a hearing. Earlier this year, the United States deported numerous men to a prison in El Salvador after Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act. Boasberg’s decision comes as new CBS News chief Bari Weiss blocked the network from airing interviews with former inmates on 60 minutes during the weekend.
- 🎧 Boasberg ordered the administration to return the men to the United States or conduct regular hearings abroad.although it’s unclear how the government would facilitate that, says NPR’s Ximena Bustillo. Although the government will likely appeal the ruling, lawyers for the Venezuelans say the ruling makes clear that the government cannot send people to a brutal foreign prison without due process. The men are back in Venezuela after four months in Salvadoran prison. They reported to NPR and other media outlets about the poor diet, unsanitary conditions and sexual abuse they suffered while incarcerated.
More than a dozen staff members are leaving the Heritage Foundation, the influential conservative think tank behind Project 2025. The former aides join a group founded by former Vice President Mike Pence. This marks a division within the Republican Party as it struggles to determine who should represent the political movement and what it should stand for.
- 🎧 Pence’s Advancing American Freedom organization is a relatively small organization.but he’s working to expand into a broader leadership role, says NPR’s Sarah McCammon. The group’s president, Tim Chapman, says he is working to define the future of conservatism and hopes to build support for traditional concepts, such as free trade and a less isolationist foreign policy. Meanwhile, Heritage Foundation remains an important and influential organization.
Life advice
Socializing can make you uncomfortable, but avoiding awkwardness can hurt your ability to have fun and connect during the holiday season. Psychologists Ali Mattu and Fallon Goodman shared their advice with Life kit on how to improve your chatter game and practice social courage. So, before you give up on your community potluck or office party, check out this comic featuring their advice.
- 💬 Start establishing a daily routine of low-stakes socializing, such as talking to a cashier, classmate, or co-worker.
- 💬 Try setting small goals, like talking to just one person or asking two questions. You can also create an escape plan and give yourself an exit strategy to leave if you really need one.
- 💬 Put your phone away. Staring at our screens can be a safety behavior that prevents us from communicating with others.
To learn more about how to manage your social anxiety, listen to this episode of NPR Life kit. Subscribe to THE Life kit newsletter for expert advice on love, money, relationships and more.
Image exhibition
Rafael López / Roaring Brook Press
After his mother’s death, Kevin Maillard asked himself: “Where did she go?” He wrote about his confusion in his new children’s book, And they continue their marchillustrated by Rafael López. The book follows a little boy whose grandmother has died. The child then wonders where someone goes when they walk. Maybe they are in the garden watering herbs or going to the market to buy melons. The story begins with muted illustrations in neutral colors. Then, as the little boy begins to remember his grandmother, the colors become brighter and more vivid. Discover how the illustrations in the book use color to tell a story. You can also listen to Maillard and López discuss the creative decisions they made or read the transcript here.
3 things to know before you leave
Dr. Tyler Jorgensen puts “A Charlie Brown Christmas” on a record player at Dell Seton Medical Center in Austin, Texas. He uses vinyl records as a form of music therapy for palliative care patients.
Lorianne Willett/KUT News
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Lorianne Willett/KUT News
- The ATX-VINyL program brings music to the bedside of patients facing difficult diagnoses and treatments. The Texas doctor who designed the program says listening to vinyl music helps ease difficult times for families.
- Kansas lawmakers approved a major tax incentive package yesterday, helping the Kansas City Chiefs build a new $3 billion domed stadium in the state and move the team from Missouri. (via KCUR)
- Trump recently embraced Kei cars, tiny vehicles popular in Asia that remain rare in the United States. Kei car enthusiasts are delighted with the approval, but they doubt much will change, as the vehicles do not meet specific US safety requirements.
This newsletter was published by Suzanne Nuyen.
