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At President Trump’s public urging, the Justice Department has brought criminal charges against some of his perceived political enemies. NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson explains that for those targeted, a prosecution can mean steep financial and emotional costs, even if they ultimately win in court. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org . Email us at considerthis@npr.org . This episode was produced by Connor Donevan ...
As a justice on the Supreme Court, Anthony Kennedy wrote some big opinions. He was appointed by President Reagan, and most often voted with conservatives. But his vote was often pivotal in controversial cases about hot-button issues like same-sex marriage and abortion, and in several key instances he voted with the court's liberals. In a new memoir, he opens up about his time on the court -- and he tells NPR's Nina Totenberg he is concerned about bitter partisanship today. For sponsor-free episo...
NPR's Andrew Limbong speaks with Moshe Lavi, the brother-in-law of Omri Miran, who has been held hostage by Hamas since October 7, 2023. Lavi explains the challenges ahead for Israelis and Palestinians in healing from the events of the past two years - and whether he thinks the peace brokered by President Trump is sustainable. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org. This episode was produced b...
A ceasefire is now in effect between Israel and Hamas, and the Israeli military has pulled back from certain positions in the Gaza Strip. In the coming days, a hostage and prisoner exchange is set to begin, and hundreds of humanitarian aid trucks are expected to be allowed into Gaza. It’s all part of President Trump’s 20-point peace plan – a plan that closely resembles the plan President Biden unveiled in the final days of his administration. Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security advisor, hel...
After two years of bloodshed, Israel and Hamas have agreed to phase one of a ceasefire deal. It’s a moment of hope — and some skepticism — amid a war that’s had an enormous toll. Where might this 20-point peace plan lead? You'll hear from NPR's Daniel Estrin, as well as some of the many people in Gaza and in Israel who’ve talked to our reporters over the last two years. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org . Email us at cons...
It's been a week since a federal shutdown ground work at numerous government agencies to a halt. There's no indication that an agreement could come soon, as Republicans and Democrats in congress trade continue blame. Meanwhile, federal workers are stuck in limbo, and its unclear when or if they'll be able to return to their jobs. NPR's Labor Correspondent Andrea Hsu and political reporter Stephen Fowler explain what's causing the impasse in congress and what's at stake for the federal employees ...
The clock is ticking for Chicago and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. President Trump has deployed the National Guard to the country’s third largest city, and he says they’ll begin operations no later than Wednesday. Pritzker, a democrat, and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson are fighting the administration’s efforts in the courts. Trump says Chicago and other cities need the National Guard on the streets. Illinois governor JB Pritzker says it’s an "invasion." What now? For sponsor-free episodes of Co...
Nearly a quarter century after the September 11th attacks, the Trump administration is using the language of terrorism to target a new enemy: Latin American drug cartels. The president says we’re in armed conflict with drug cartels. We talk to a Bush-era lawyer who says the powers of war are too extraordinary to use against crime. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org . Email us at considerthis@npr.org . This episode was prod...
As peace negotiations between Israel and Hamas made significant progress over the weekend, many in the region are expressing some cautious optimism about an end to the two-year war. NPR's Andrew Limbong speaks with James Elder, a UNICEF spokesman, about what he is seeing in Gaza now and the urgent need for food and medical supplies. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org . Email us at considerthis@npr.org . This episode was pr...
Federal workers across the United States are feeling the impact of the government shutdown. This comes after months of turmoil for federal workers as agencies have slashed their workforces as part of the Trump administration's large-scale government job cuts. NPR's Andrea Hsu talks to Andrew Limbong about her reporting on the federal workforce and the challenge of finding people willing to talk about their experiences. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Ap...
Eight years ago, Daniel Day-Lewis announced he was retired from acting. He offered no further comment. Retirement notwithstanding, the three-time winner of the Oscar for Best Actor stars in a new movie, out this week. He plays a man who long ago left the world he once knew – and then is contacted by a family member to come back. It was written with and directed by his son, Ronan Day-Lewis. Father and son speak about their new film, Anemone . For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This , sign up f...
The government shutdown is on. Already, it’s being felt across the country. National Parks are preparing to scale back or close. Furloughed federal workers are facing tough choices about how to pay the bills when they can’t count on their paychecks. Some people trying to access government services have found locked doors. Democratic and Republican lawmakers are at an impasse after dueling proposals on the senate floor failed Wednesday. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has vowed tha...
When President Trump came into office, he promised to fuel an economic boom with a magic bullet: tariffs. They're taxes added to a wide range of imports. And money is coming in, more than $30 billion a month so far. Eight months into Trump's second term, it’s unclear what the larger impact of these tariffs will have on the economy. Despite that, the president keeps promising to roll out new ones. NPR's Chief Economic Correspondent Scott Horsley explains. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider Thi...
NPR’s National Security Correspondent Greg Myre spent the summer reporting on the war in Ukraine. He saw the devastation of the conflict. But he also saw something else: the country leveraging its resources at home to meet the moment…including in Lviv where they’re racing to make as many of their own weapons as fast as they can. And at a hospital near the frontlines in central Ukraine where Ukraine's neurosurgeons are conducting state-of-the-art operations with cutting-edge technology. For spons...
The deadline for a government shutdown is quickly approaching. If Democrats and Republicans can't make a deal, the government will run out of money after Sept. 30. A government shutdown is always a political gamble. For Democrats, the stakes of this one are even higher. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org . Email us at considerthis@npr.org . This episode was produced by Connor Donevan and Alejandra Marquez Janse, with audio...
More than a hundred countries have committed to fresh plans to curb pollution, with one big holdout: the U.S. NPR's Andrew Limbong speaks with the EU Commissioner for Climate, Wopke Hoekstra, about how global leaders are moving forward on climate goals with the U.S. on the sidelines. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org . Email us at considerthis@npr.org . This episode was produced by Daniel Ofman. It was edited by Sarah Rob...
After 25 years at NPR and 10 years hosting All Things Considered and the last few years hosting Consider This, Ari Shapiro is moving on to his next adventure. We’re saying bye. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org . Email us at considerthis@npr.org . This episode was produced by Connor Donevan, Matt Ozug, Mia Venkat, Mallory Yu and Alejandra Marquez Janse. It was edited by Ashley Brown. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun...
A superhuman artificial intelligence so smart it can decide to get rid of slower-witted humans is a pretty terrifying concept. What was once strictly the stuff of science fiction is now closer than ever to being a reality. And if it does, some A-I researchers have gloomy predictions about humanity’s chances of survival. While the A-I boom continues and companies across the country are heavily investing in the technology, some researchers are begging humanity to pump the brakes. See pcm.adswizz.c...
The federal government’s approach to public health has changed more in the last eight months than it has in decades. Since President Trump returned to office, he and members of his administration have challenged the safety of the covid vaccine, the overall childhood vaccine schedule, and the causes of autism. This has upended public health guidance that doctors and patients have relied on for years. Jen Brull, the President of the American Academy of Family Physicians talks about how doctors and...
President Trump is promising to sweep homeless people off America’s streets. One controversial part of his plan could force thousands of people into institutions where they would be treated “long-term” for for addiction and mental illness. Critics say the policy raises big concerns about civil liberties and cost. But parts of this idea - known as “civil commitment” are gaining traction with some Democratic leaders. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple ...
The Trump administration is moving fast on a plan to create several holding centers around the country for people detained in a nationwide immigration crackdown. One facility in particular has been rife with problems. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org . Email us at considerthis@npr.org . This episode was produced by Jeffrey Pierre. With audio engineering by Hannah Gluvna. It was edited by John Ketchum and William Troop. O...
Governor Spencer Cox of Utah, who has been in the national headlines just about every day since Charlie Kirk's killing, has long wanted to bring community harmony to national politics. That outlook comes in part from his upbringing in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The governor was a critic of President Trump during Trump’s first term, but later endorsed him after the president survived an assassination attempt. Will Charlie Kirk’s killing change Cox’s approach? For sponsor-fre...
NPR's Don Gonyea reports from across the country, engaging with a wide range of people and in places as distinct and different as political rallies and automotive shops. Gonyea explains the importance of really listening, especially during this time of deep divides in America. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org . Email us at considerthis@npr.org . This episode was produced by Kira Wakeam. It was edited by Adam Raney. Our e...
A 30 second video clip shows a boat bobbing in the water. Then, a fireball and a huge plume of smoke. President Trump posted the footage on social media this week, saying he ordered the U-S military to attack what Trump called “narcoterrorists from Venezuela.” It’s at least the second time this month that President Trump has ordered this sort of a deadly strike on a boat that he claims carried illegal drugs. It's an example of the new ways Trump is deploying military force. The President has use...
President Trump has said for years that he wants Jimmy Kimmel off the air. Now, ABC and its parent company Disney have put the show on indefinite hiatus. One key player here is the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr. Today he applauded ABC’s decision, posting on X, “Broadcast TV stations have always been required by their licenses to operate in the public interest.” Kimmel’s cancellation reopens questions about free speech, the role of the FCC, and the relationship b...
The first day of President Trump’s historic trip to the UK was dominated by ceremony. A carriage procession around the grounds of Windsor Castle with the royal family. Inspection of the guards. Exhibits from the Royal Collection. A lavish banquet preceded by a joint US- UK military flypast. All the royal pomp and pageantry that might be expected for the first ever second state visit by an elected politician to a British monarch. But the sights and sounds beyond the castle were far different. Tho...
Robert Redford died early Tuesday morning, according to his publicist. He was 89 years old. Redford was a golden child of Hollywood, starring in dozens of movies. But he was never content just being an all-American matinee idol. He became an Oscar-winning director, founded the Sundance Institute and grew the Sundance Film Festival, and advocated for environmental causes before activism became a Hollywood cliche. Linda Holmes, host of NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast, and film critic Bob Mond...
This episode explores the immediate aftermath of Charlie Kirk's assassination, focusing on how his movement is attempting to continue without him, with Vice President J.D. Vance stepping in to host The Charlie Kirk Show. NPR correspondents analyze the administration's strategy to shape the narrative, assigning blame to the political left for violence while reflecting on Kirk's significant influence within the MAGA world and the challenge of finding a successor for his unique brand of conservative activism.
The Supreme Court has cleared the way for federal immigration enforcement agents in Los Angeles to use race and other profiling factors in deciding who to stop and potentially detain. NPR’s Scott Detrow and Jasmine Garsd discuss how the expansion of ICE operations around the country has changed the way people interact with law enforcement, and their community. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org . Email us at considerthis@n...
Sometimes the stories that help us understand the full impact of war are told through a child’s voice. And sometimes the most powerful stories of war are not just of destruction and rising death tolls, but also of humanity, optimism and hope. Reporter Ari Daniel visited a clinic and captured a moving scene between a doctor and his patient, a young girl from Gaza. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org . Email us at considerthi...
