Elon Musk has left the government building, but DOGE remains. The Washington Post ’s William Wan reports on what he learned speaking to federal-government employees who lost their jobs amid cuts. Some Republican senators have concerns about elements of the GOP megabill, such as what cuts to Medicaid could mean for election prospects in 2026. NBC’s Sahil Kapur breaks their objections down. David Armstrong with ProPublica speaks to In Conversation about how a life-saving pill’s eye-popping price t...
May 30, 2025•14 min
A court struck down the bulk of Trump’s tariffs, in a major setback to his economic agenda. Bloomberg has the latest. Harvard has its universitywide commencement today, as it’s facing more funding threats. Its president speaks out in an interview with NPR . Trump has recently issued a number of pardons . Reporting from the Wall Street Journal provides a look at how politics factored into those decisions. Plus, Elon Musk announced that he’s leaving government , Israel said it has killed the leade...
May 29, 2025•14 min
Trump’s family empire is dramatically expanding its wealth during his presidency. Bloomberg News ’s Max Abelson joins to discuss the deals that are powering this growth and the questions they spark. The controversial U.S.- and Israeli-backed aid effort got off to a tumultuous start. CBS reports. The Assad regime’s surveillance state relied on civilians to inform on their neighbors and colleagues. Now Syrians are reckoning with who among them quietly contributed to the tyranny. The Washington Pos...
May 28, 2025•14 min
Trump said in a social-media post that Putin has “gone absolutely CRAZY,” after Russia’s latest attack on Ukraine. Reuters reports . Police in New Orleans relied for years upon a live-facial-recognition program, an unprecedented surveillance method in the United States. The Washington Post ’s Doug MacMillan explains how it worked and the controversy around it. For some 2025 grads, commencement ceremonies have become a place to protest the war in Gaza. CNN and The Guardian have the story. Plus, a...
May 27, 2025•15 min
The Trump administration revoked Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students. Reuters breaks down the impact of the move. Trump held a behind-closed-doors gala for top investors of his cryptocurrency coin. Declan Harty from Politico discusses the ethical ramifications. It’s nearly five years since the murder of George Floyd. The Marshall Project ’s Jamiles Lartey joins to assess where police reform is in the country. Plus, the Supreme Court in a split decision blocked an effort...
May 23, 2025•15 min
Two staff members of the Israeli Embassy were shot and killed outside an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., last night. The man and woman — a couple — had been attending a reception for young diplomats. CBS has the latest. The FDA announced a change in its framework for approving new COVID vaccines for healthy individuals under 65. Usha Lee McFarling, a national science correspondent with Stat , discusses the impact of the move, while NPR reports on how some of the CDC’s mai...
May 22, 2025•15 min
A pregnant woman in Georgia is being kept alive as a hospital navigates the state’s abortion laws. The family is speaking out. The Guardian has the story. Kentucky is still grappling with the aftermath of intense tornadoes, as well as dealing with more storm systems. USA Today reports on how cuts to the National Weather Service have led to scrambles to cover important shifts. And PBS Newshour also highlights the impact of cuts on the service. New Oklahoma school standards include a requirement t...
May 21, 2025•15 min
Mark Chiusano writes for New York magazine about a mother who took her sons to a routine ICE check-in. They were scheduled for deportation and she hasn’t seen them since. House Republicans want to extend tax cuts and lower the deficit. The Wall Street Journal ’s Richard Rubin describes why doing both at the same time might be impossible. Are incidents involving air-traffic-controller communications happening more frequently? USA Today ’s Zach Wichter explains what might be causing them and how w...
May 20, 2025•15 min
Former President Joe Biden announced that he has prostate cancer. CNN has the latest news and reaction. Israel agreed to allow a basic amount of aid into Gaza, as it launches a new ground offensive. Meanwhile, the New Yorker ’s Ruth Margalit reports that fewer Israeli reservists are showing up for service, because they are exhausted and increasingly skeptical of the government’s claims for continuing the war. There are nearly half a million open manufacturing jobs right now. Greg Rosalsky with N...
May 19, 2025•14 min
A look at where things are on the GOP’s tax bill, and who stands to benefit and lose. Tax-policy reporter Richard Rubin with the Wall Street Journal has the details. After oral arguments, the Supreme Court appeared divided over how much power lower courts should have to issue nationwide injunctions. The Washington Post unpacks the issue. The Trump administration is rolling back some protections against forever chemicals. Mariah Blake tells Apple News In Conversation why there’s still optimism on...
May 16, 2025•15 min
A case before the Supreme Court about birthright citizenship could have larger ramifications for the limits of judicial power. Maureen Groppe with USA Today has the story. Trump says he’s getting a free luxury aircraft from Qatar’s royal family — but it's actually far from it. And the announcement has prompted political backlash from both sides of the aisle. The Washington Post ’s Hannah Knowles unpacks how a Pennsylvania manufacturing hub is responding to Trump’s tariff policy. Plus, highly ant...
May 15, 2025•14 min
The Trump administration is resettling white South Africans in the U.S. The Washington Post ’s Teo Armus has the story. With ceasefire talks set to begin, Netanyahu resolved to use “full force” in Gaza until Hamas is destroyed. Bloomberg News has more. The Wall Street Journal ’s Mark Maremont explains how a nationwide rise in gun ownerships and stand-your-ground laws contributed to an increase in self-defense insurance policies. Plus, a former girlfriend of Sean Combs gave evidence at his crimin...
May 14, 2025•15 min
President Trump is making the first extended foreign trip of his term in the Middle East. The Wall Street Journal ’s Eliot Brown discusses how parts of his personal business empire are also striking deals in the region. USA Today looks at opening statements in the criminal trial for Sean “Diddy” Combs, and the legal arguments expected from the defense and the prosecution. Using batteries for grid-scale energy storage will improve how Americans get their power. Vox ’s Umair Irfan tells us about t...
May 13, 2025•13 min
The U.S. and China reached an agreement to temporarily lower tariffs on each other’s products. After another radar outage affecting Newark airport, the secretary transportation warned that flight disruptions could spread to other U.S. airports. NBC News reports. Also, a roundup of recent immigration news, as the Trump administration welcomes a group of white South Africans to the U.S . Plus, Hamas is releasing its last living American hostage, Trump is planning to accept a $400 million jet from ...
May 12, 2025•14 min
It’s a busy month for college graduations. USA Today ’s Rachel Barber joins to discuss what graduates are looking for in the job market and how they’re feeling about it. Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected pope yesterday, becoming the first American leader of the Roman Catholic Church. Joshua McElwee, Vatican correspondent for Reuters , discusses the new Pope Leo XIV’s biography and positions. A decades-old Soviet-era spacecraft is set to crash-land on Earth any day now. ABC News has more. Eric ...
May 09, 2025•14 min
Fed Chair Jerome Powell held interest rates steady on Wednesday, and said the economic path ahead is unclear. The Washington Post reports on how economists are trying to sort through the warning signs they’re seeing. The Wall Street Journal ’s Drew Hinshaw joins to discuss a complicated problem the next pope will inherit: how to handle the Vatican’s messy finances. Yesterday Utah became the first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water. The Utah News Dispatch has more, while the Tallahass...
May 08, 2025•15 min
The Wall Street Journal ’s Andrew Tangel discusses a troubling recent communication loss for air-traffic controllers, and how it has served as a wake-up call. India struck sites in Pakistan, causing global concern. The Washington Post has more. Today the conclave to elect a new pope begins. NPR ’s Bill Chappell takes us inside the secretive process. Plus, the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration’s ban on transgender people in the military to take effect, Canada’s new prime minister met...
May 07, 2025•13 min
Aria Bendix, health reporter for NBC News , discusses the impact of cuts and changes at the Department of Health and Human Services. The Washington Post examines the overall impact on public health of Trump’s first 100 days in office. Gerry Shih , Jerusalem bureau chief for the Washington Post , joins to talk about Israel’s plans to occupy more of Gaza and fully control distribution of aid there. Trump has threatened massive tariffs on movies produced overseas. Meg James, senior entertainment-in...
May 06, 2025•15 min
The Trump administration wants a baby boom, but many of its policies are making it harder for American families to expand. Vox 's Rachel Cohen explains. The trial of Sean Combs, the music mogul known as Diddy, starts today. He faces federal charges including sex trafficking and racketeering. Charles Bethea, a staff writer with the New Yorker , spent several months profiling one of the lead attorneys defending him. Warren Buffet is stepping down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway as he warns of economi...
May 05, 2025•15 min
The Democratic Party is strategizing over how to respond to Trump. Perry Bacon Jr. with the Washington Post walks us through how that’s going. Mike Waltz is out as national-security adviser. ABC has the story. Generative AI is making nonconsensual deepfake porn incredibly easy to make and much more difficult to prevent and prosecute. Reporters Olivia Carville and Margi Murphy speak to In Conversation about the scale of the problem. Plus, a judge struck down Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act, ...
May 02, 2025•14 min
Kamala Harris delivered her first speech since leaving the White House. The Washington Post has the details. Trump wants to use tariffs to boost U.S. manufacturing. The Wall Street Journal ’s Jon Emont describes what happened when Nike tried to move part of its manufacturing to North America. Plus, the Journal reports on how the trade war is putting pressure on China’s economy. Republicans need to agree to pass Trump’s budget bill. Will they? NBC ’s Sahil Kapur weighs in. Plus, what we know abou...
May 01, 2025•15 min
A look at the first 100 days of DOGE. Wired ’s Makena Kelly has the details. Israel has prevented almost all aid from reaching Gaza for close to two months. This week, the International Court of Justice began to weigh in. The Washington Post reports. Reuters also finds that community kitchens in Gaza may close due to dwindling supplies. The Trump administration’s deportations and detainments have left families shattered. Time looks at some of the more prominent cases. Plus, Trump scales back aut...
Apr 30, 2025•15 min
Reuters speaks to voters about their views on Trump’s second term so far. The Wall Street Journal ’s Nick Timiraos discusses the state of the economy and how businesses are coping with turbulence. This week the Supreme Court hears oral arguments in a case expected to have considerable implications on both education and the separation of church and state. USA Today ’s Maureen Groppe has the details. Plus, Canada’s Liberal party won national elections, why lawyers are departing the DOJ’s civil-rig...
Apr 29, 2025•14 min
CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten joins to discuss recent polling and why Trump’s honeymoon period didn’t last long. NPR reports that 114 immigrants were arrested in a raid at a Colorado nightclub on Sunday. Meanwhile, a judge in Milwaukee was arrested for allegedly helping a man evade immigration authorities at a courthouse. Toronto Star columnist Althia Raj breaks down what’s at stake as Canadians head to the polls for federal elections today. Plus, an SUV rammed into crowds at a Filipino her...
Apr 28, 2025•15 min
In a recent pulse-check on the health of our democracy by Bright Line Watch , hundreds of scholars warned that the U.S. is heading swiftly toward authoritarianism. Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a professor of history at New York University who specializes in the subject, explains how we got here. Plus, setbacks for Trump in court, pregnant people in states with abortion bans are almost twice as likely to die during pregnancy or soon after giving birth, and the hidden costs of being polite to a chatbot. Today’...
Apr 25, 2025•15 min
Travel to the United States is a multibillion-dollar industry. The Washington Post examines how and why it is decreasing. Pope Francis kept up a routine of near daily calls to a church in Gaza throughout the Israel-Hamas war. The Wall Street Journal has more. And CNN details what to expect at his funeral. The Athletic ’s Mike Vorkunov joins to discuss an investigation into a sprawling sports-gambling scheme. Plus, peace talks between Russia and Ukraine are at a standstill , big-box CEOs raise co...
Apr 24, 2025•15 min
The Wall Street Journal ’s personal tech columnist Nicole Nguyen shares why it might be a good idea to delete certain personal data about yourself online. Amid the Trump administration’s crackdown on free speech and initiatives aimed at bolstering diversity, teachers are worried they might run afoul of new, vague rules around discussions of inclusivity. NPR has the story. The value of the dollar is in question as a result of Trump’s trade war. The Washington Post ’s David Lynch has the details. ...
Apr 23, 2025•14 min
A number of agencies, like the Federal Reserve, operate independently from the party ruling Washington. The Wall Street Journal ’s Greg Ip explains how a Supreme Court case could challenge that precedent. NPR ’s Jasmine Garsd explains why some immigrant and mixed-status families are considering self-deportation. Bloomberg ’s Josh Sisco joins to discuss a major antitrust case against Google. Plus, the Supreme Court weighs in on certain books in schools, the dollar falls to a three-year low, and h...
Apr 22, 2025•15 min
Pope Francis , who attempted to modernize the Vatican, has died. He was 88 years old. We remember his legacy with Reuters correspondent Joshua McElwee. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly discussed sensitive military plans with his wife, brother, and personal lawyer over the app Signal. The Wall Street Journal reports that it’s the latest news in what’s been a chaotic time at the Pentagon. The Supreme Court over the weekend issued a rare overnight ruling barring the Trump administration fr...
Apr 21, 2025•16 min
Vera Bergengruen, national-security reporter at the Wall Street Journal, joins to discuss Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, his plans for his country, and his relationship with Trump. Bergengruen profiled Bukele for Time last year. Plus, the U.S. may abandon its support to Ukraine , Luigi Mangione was indicted on federal charges, a gunman killed two people on the campus of Florida State University , the latest from Gaza, and things other than eggs you can dye this Easter. Today’s episode was ho...
Apr 18, 2025•15 min
