NPR News: 11-18-2025 4PM EST
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Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. The House of Representatives has voted to force the Justice Department to release its files on the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The vote was nearly unanimous with just one Republican voting no. Here's NPR's Sam Greenglass.
What recent developments occurred regarding Jeffrey Epstein's case?
For weeks, President Trump and Republican House leadership fought a vote on the files. But once a bipartisan petition got enough signatures to force the issue, Trump reversed. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene was among the Republicans pushing the disclosure, saying the victims, some of whom were watching in the chamber, deserve transparency.
This was a fight that we should have never had to wage. It should have been the easiest thing for every single member of Congress. It should have been the easiest thing for the Speaker of the House. It should have been the easiest thing for the President of the United States.
The legislation must now pass the Senate. If it does, Trump says he will sign it. Sam Greenglass, NPR News, Washington.
President Trump's extending a lavish welcome to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The allies are working on major deals from defense to artificial intelligence. The U.S. is selling F-35 aircraft to Saudi Arabia. In the Oval Office today, Prince Mohammed said Saudi Arabia would increase its investment in the U.S. from $600 billion to nearly a trillion. This afternoon, Trump was asked about his family's dealings with Saudi Arabia and whether he's concerned about conflicts of interest.
I have nothing to do with the family business. I have left, and I've devoted 100% of my energy. What my family does is fine. They do business all over. They've done very little with Saudi Arabia, actually. I'm sure they could do a lot.
Today's visit is the Crown Prince's first since the 2018 killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. U.S. intelligence concluded the Saudi leader approved the hit. The kingdom denies that. Prince Mohammed was asked about it today.
About the journalist, it's really painful to hear, you know, anyone that's been losing his life for, you know, no real purpose or not in a legal way. And it's been painful for us in Saudi Arabia. We've did all the right steps of... investigation, et cetera, in Saudi Arabia.
President Trump scolded the ABC News journalist who raised Khashoggi's murder. He was also asked about waiting for a House vote to have the Justice Department release all files related to Jeffrey Epstein. Instead of ordering the release himself, Trump, who maintains he had no ties to Epstein's crimes and is being unfairly targeted, promptly scolded the reporter, calling her a terrible person. Then he questioned whether ABC News should lose its license. A federal court has blocked Texas from using the congressional map that Republican lawmakers passed this summer at the urging of President Trump. The map would give the GOP an edge in winning five more seats in the U.S. House. The Dow has closed down nearly 500 points.
This is NPR News. The Trump administration unveiled its most extensive plans yet to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. NPR's Corey Turner has details.
The department says it has signed six agreements with other federal agencies to essentially outsource the work of the education department. For example, work normally done by the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education will be moving to the Department of Labor, as will the work of the Office of Post-Secondary Education. Other work will shift to the State Department, Interior, and HHS. Staff will also be moving, with just a few Education Department leaders remaining behind to provide oversight. The Trump administration says this is all part of its plan to return education to the states. Critics say these offices were placed at the Education Department by Congress, and only Congress can move them.
Corey Turner, NPR News.
A judge has approved a settlement of thousands of opioid-related lawsuits against Purdue Pharma, maker of OxyContin. Under the agreement, members of the Sackler family who own the company will contribute up to $7 billion over time and give up ownership.
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