Chapter 1: What recent statements did Senator Mark Kelly make regarding military orders?
Live from NPR News, I'm Janine Herbst. The Pentagon is looking into remarks made by Arizona Democratic Senator Mark Kelly last week, where he and five other Democratic lawmakers with military or intelligence backgrounds released a video saying that U.S. troops must not follow illegal orders. President Trump responded on social media that this was, quote, seditious behavior punishable by death.
NPR's Quill Lawrence has more.
Judges have been ruling that some of the Trump administration's deployment of National Guard troops against the will of state governors is illegal. But there's also the ongoing lethal strikes against boats allegedly carrying drugs to the U.S. And that's another case where legal scholars and some European allies have said that they don't think these killings are legal.
So this is six Democratic veteran lawmakers who are reiterating what troops and especially officers learn is that you don't have to follow illegal orders and that, importantly, just following orders is not a defense for doing something illegal.
Chapter 2: What legal challenges is the White House facing with the Comey and James cases?
And Pierce Quill Lawrence. The White House is planning to appeal after a federal judge threw out cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. It's a major blow to the administration's attempts to prosecute two of its prominent critics. And here's Danielle Kurtzleben reports.
The judge ruled that Trump had not legally appointed Lindsey Halligan to the role of acting U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. Halligan secured the indictments against Comey and James in that role. White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt today addressed the judge's decision.
The Department of Justice will be appealing very soon, and it is our position that Lindsay Halligan is extremely qualified for this position, but more importantly, was legally appointed to it.
Comey was indicted in September with charges of obstructing justice and making a false statement to the Senate.
Chapter 3: What changes have been made to the U.S.-backed peace plan for Ukraine?
James was indicted on charges of bank fraud and false statements to a financial institution. Both have pleaded not guilty. Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR News.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on social media that the original U.S.-backed 28-point peace plan viewed as favoring Russia is no more. And here's Eleanor Beardsley reports.
The original plan drawn up by Russia and the U.S. crossed nearly every one of the red lines set down by Ukraine and Europe. German Chancellor Friedrich Maers told President Trump the entire European continent was at stake in the negotiations. Zelensky wrote on Telegram that after difficult work, many of the right elements have been taken into account in the new framework.
He said he would discuss the most sensitive issues with President Trump.
Chapter 4: How is social media platform X addressing influencer authenticity?
Zelensky's statement seems consistent with reports that issues such as Ukraine ceding its occupied territories and agreeing to forego NATO membership ā have been set aside for direct talks between Zelensky and Trump. Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Kiev.
You're listening to NPR News from Washington. A new feature on the social media platform X shows many influencers are not located where they claim to be. As NPR's Jeff Brumfield reports, that's raising questions about their identities.
The new feature was rolled out late last week. It allows users on X to see where different accounts are based, and not all is what it seems. One account calling itself American was based in Pakistan. Other accounts pushing politically divisive content were in Nigeria and Bangladesh.
Chapter 5: What impact did Viola Fletcher have on the legacy of the Tulsa Race Massacre?
Darren Linville is at Clemson University. He says many of these accounts are stirring up political tensions for likes, follows, and ultimately cash.
In most of these cases, it's most likely just influencers who are trying to make a buck.
X appears to have suspended several accounts linked to such efforts. For his part, Linville welcomes the newfound transparency, which is increasingly rare to see online. Jeff Brumfield, NPR News.
Viola Fletcher, the oldest survivor of the Tulsa Race Massacre, has died. She was 111 years old. As a child in 1921, she saw her affluent black neighborhood set on fire by white citizens, one of the most violent acts of racial violence in American history. More than 1,000 homes were destroyed, along with most of the black-owned businesses, and there's still no consensus on the death toll.
Chapter 6: What are the ongoing discussions surrounding reparations for the Tulsa Race Massacre victims?
That neighborhood, home to around 10,000 people, was known as the Black Wall Street. A century later, she testified before Congress on the attack and her wish for reparations. I'm Janine Herbst, and you're listening to NPR News from Washington.