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Consider This from NPR

The hosts of NPR's All Things Considered help you make sense of a major news story and what it means for you, in 15 minutes. New episodes six days a week, Sunday through Friday.

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Episodes

Was there an imminent threat from Iran? Senator calls for Trump to explain war goals

Senator Mark Warner tells NPR that the families of sailors in the conflict area that he has met with "have no idea why their sons and daughters are being put in harm's way." Warner says that the president should appear before Congress and ask for a declaration of war. 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 Henry Larson. It was edited by Patrick Jarenwattananon a...

Mar 02, 202610 min

Iranian supreme leader killed in airstrike, Trump says

Following US and Israeli airstrikes, President Trump declared Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei dead, prompting widespread Iranian retaliation across the Middle East. Reporters detail the targeted operation against senior Iranian officials and discuss the complex issue of succession. Trump's subsequent call for the Iranian people to "take over your government" marks a significant shift, while the conflict's regional repercussions, including the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, signal extraordinary and unpredictable events.

Feb 28, 202612 min

Why is MAHA mad at Trump?

President Trump issued an executive order to increase domestic production of glyphosate, commonly used as a weedkiller. It’s the active ingredient in the weedkiller, Roundup. That order immediately ignited an uproar in the Make America Healthy Again movement. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his supporters have long believed glyphosate is a health risk. But now, Kennedy says he supports Trump’s order. Helena Bottemiller Evich, founder and editor-in-chief of the Food Fix newsletter, cal...

Feb 27, 202611 min

Why Tim Kaine is pursuing a war powers resolution — again

With the U.S. military amassing in the Middle East ahead of possible strikes in Iran, a Democratic lawmaker explains his effort to limit the president. The U.S. Constitution empowers Congress, not the president, to declare war. That hasn’t stopped plenty of presidents from commanding military combat. It didn’t stop President Trump from ordering airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear sites last year — and building up the U.S. military in the Middle East while he mulls further action this year. So far in th...

Feb 26, 20269 min

How prison staffing shortages are driving away mental health staff

Correctional officers are leaving their jobs at federal prisons. And when these prisons are understaffed – psychologists and other staff are asked to act as guards. Recent reporting from The Marshall Project says it’s pushing mental health professionals out of prisons. 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 Jason Fuller and Karen Zamora, with audio engineering b...

Feb 25, 20268 min

Gavin Newsom says the Democratic party “must fight fire with fire”

Gavin Newsom is in his final year as governor of California. He’s also widely considered a potential presidential candidate for 2028—a possibility he has not ruled out—and he sees himself as a leader of Democratic opposition to President Donald Trump, often mocking his brash style on social media. The governor sat down with NPR for an interview ahead of the release of his new memoir, Young Man in a Hurry . He talks about his early life as a kid in the San Francisco Bay Area, his strategy of simu...

Feb 24, 202611 min

How long until AI takes your job?

AI CEOs talk a lot about the enormous potential of AI to cure diseases, generate enormous wealth and solve some of humanity’s most vexing problems. But they are surprisingly direct in talking about the potential downsides. A big one that we’re suddenly hearing a lot more about is what it could mean for our jobs. We'll unpack whether and how much you should be worried.For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org . Email us at conside...

Feb 23, 202610 min

With the fight to preserve voting rights, Jesse Jackson's message still resonates

As congress debates voter ID laws, and the Supreme Court reconsiders provisions of the Voting Rights Act, Senator Raphael Warnock talks about where the movement Reverend Jesse Jackson helped build goes from here. 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 Kai McNamee. It was edited by John Ketchum and Jeanette Woods. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun. See pcm.ads...

Feb 22, 20269 min

Why did NPR build an archive of January 6th documents?

NPR investigative reporter Tom Dreisbach talks about how and why he led an ambitious team effort to preserve a comprehensive record of the events of January 6th, 2021. 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 Linah Mohammad and Daniel Ofman. It was edited by Sarah Robbins. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collecti...

Feb 21, 202610 min

What the Supreme Court’s tariff decision means for small businesses

Nearly a year ago, Trump announced his “Liberation Day” tariffs, slapping high import taxes on goods from countries around the world. The sweeping tariffs hurt the New York-based wine importer VOS Selections, one of several plaintiffs that challenged the Trump administration in court, arguing the president lacked the ability to impose the tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Today, the Supreme Court agreed, ruling that many of President Trump’s tariffs are unconstitutio...

Feb 20, 20269 min

Ex-Prince Andrew is arrested. What now?

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor turns 66 today. He’s also been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. For the first time in four centuries a member of the royal family has been arrested. What could this mean for the former Prince and the women and girls abused by Epstein and his associates? 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 Mia Venkat. It was edit...

Feb 19, 20268 min

Who gets to decide when the President sues his own government?

Of all the ways President Trump has pushed the bounds of executive power one stands out to lawyers and watchdogs. He wants the government he leads to pay him billions of dollars. Trump has filed multiple claims arguing he’s been hurt by Justice Department investigations and the leak of his tax returns years ago. What does that mean to be on both sides of these legal claims? For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org . Email us at ...

Feb 18, 202610 min

How the Rev. Jesse Jackson transformed American politics

The Rev. Jesse Jackson died this week at the age of 84. The civil rights leader, minister, and protege of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. helped shape the modern Democratic Party. Abby Phillip is an anchor at CNN and the author of A Dream Deferred: Jesse Jackson and the Fight for Black Political Power . She says Jackson’s impact on politics can be traced back to his 1984 and 1988 failed presidential bids. The top of this episode features additional reporting from NPR's Cheryl Corley. This episod...

Feb 17, 202610 min

Transgender troops speak up as they're forced out

President Trump banned transgender people from the military during his first term. But at the time, service members could continue with their service if they had received an official diagnosis of gender dysphoria. Citing military excellence and readiness, the second Trump administration is now forcibly removing nearly all remaining openly transgender troops – identifying them by their previous diagnoses of gender dysphoria. In their parting messages, they and their allies say it’s only hurting, ...

Feb 16, 202611 min

What should the future of federal immigration enforcement look like?

As lawmakers, and people around the country, grapple with what federal immigration enforcement should look like, Janet Napolitano, former DHS Secretary under President Obama, talks about the future - and the past - of ICE. 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 Henry Larson and Kai McNamee. It was edited by Sarah Robbins. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun. Se...

Feb 15, 20268 min

A dangerous nuclear moment

In 1963, President John F. Kennedy kicked off a decades-long effort to reduce the risk of nuclear war, when he signed the Limited Test Ban Treaty. Subsequent presidents forged new agreements, but now that global order to safeguard and reduce nuclear arms is deteriorating. This month the last bilateral nuclear treaty between Russia and the United States expired. Meanwhile, President Trump is pushing the international order to a breaking point, and European leaders are speculating about a new path...

Feb 13, 20269 min

Finding common ground as another funding deadline looms

Congress is approaching yet another Friday funding deadline. So how can the parties find any common ground before DHS runs out of money? NPR's Scott Detrow speaks with Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Democratic Congressman Tom Suozzi of New York about a path forward. 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 Jason Fuller and Elena Burne...

Feb 12, 20269 min

A 'bittersweet' milestone: a million meals per day in Gaza

The people of Gaza have faced the threat of hunger since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas. But after a ceasefire agreement finally came in October last year, aid organizations were able to scale up their deliveries of desperately needed food aid. World Central Kitchen is one of the major organizations fighting hunger in Gaza. This week, it announced a milestone: It is now serving one million meals in Gaza every day. NPR’s Ailsa Chang speaks with the organization’s founder, celebrity...

Feb 11, 20268 min

How Pam Bondi has reshaped the Justice Department

Attorney General Pam Bondi is set to testify before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, where she’s likely to face questions about the Epstein Files, the Minnesota immigration crackdown and the attempt to prosecute several of President Trump’s perceived political enemies. NPR’s Ailsa Chang talks with Pulitzer-Prize-winning investigative journalist Carol Leonnig about how Bondi has reshaped the Department of Justice, and what she’s expecting to hear in Wednesday’s testimony. For sponsor-f...

Feb 10, 202611 min

How the Epstein files are upending U.K. politics

The latest disclosure from the U.S. Department of Justice’s investigation of Jeffrey Epstein is threatening the U.K. ruling government. New documents have led Peter Mandelson, a former ambassador to the U.S., to resign from Britain’s House of Lords and from the Labour Party. The fallout has already claimed two key staff members close to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and some in his own party are calling for him to step down too. Edward Luce, chief U.S. commentator for the Financial Times, helps e...

Feb 09, 202610 min

What does it mean when the president urges Republicans to "nationalize the voting"?

The power to regulate federal elections rests with states and Congress, according to the Constitution. Yet President Trump repeatedly questioned the integrity of election systems, despite no evidence of widespread voter fraud, and in recent days has urged Republicans to take over voting operations in a number of states. Wendy Weiser, the vice president for democracy at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law School, a think tank and voting rights advocacy group, examines the administration’s a...

Feb 08, 20269 min

Covering the ICE surge in Minneapolis

Reporting on the ICE surge in Minneapolis See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Feb 07, 202610 min

The sound of dad

NPR's Bob Mondello and the search for a voice lost to time. Each day on this podcast we bring you the context behind the headlines. Headlines about President Trump or foreign policy or what's playing out on America's streets. This story is smaller. More personal. About one person’s search for a voice he thought he’d never hear again. But it moved us. And we wanted to share it. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org . Email us ...

Feb 06, 20269 min

Will new limits on gender-related surgeries change anything?

The Trump administration is celebrating an American Society of Plastic Surgeons recommendation to delay gender-related surgeries, which are rare. So how much is changing? The American Society of Plastic Surgeons declared this week that it recommends surgeons delay gender-related surgeries until a patient is at least 19 years old. The Trump administration called the move "another victory for biological truth in the Trump administration,” and said the group "has set the scientific and medical stan...

Feb 05, 20268 min

AI chatbots upended their lives. Then they turned to each other

Some people who say AI chatbots upended their lives and the lives of their loved ones, are now turning to each other for support. Around the world, people are talking to AI chatbots, and these chats can sometimes lead to unhealthy emotional attachments or even breaks with reality. OpenAI, which makes ChatGPT, is facing several lawsuits alleging the chatbot contributed to mental health crises and even multiple suicides. An OpenAI spokesperson told NPR that they are “continuing to improve” ChatGPT...

Feb 04, 20269 min

President Trump’s Kennedy Center plans are unclear, so far

President Trump wants to close the Kennedy Center for two years. He says a massive renovation is coming. But so far, there are few details about what that renovation will look like, physically, and what it will mean to the nation’s performing arts center and its patrons. David Graham has been sifting through the clues, and he talks with NPR about what is known, and what could be lost in the upheaval. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at ...

Feb 03, 20268 min

The DOJ released the final Epstein files. Where do the survivors go from here?

The Justice Department says their review into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is done, with the release of millions of documents and thousands of images and videos last Friday. Annie Farmer is one of many people who testified in court about Epstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell. She says they sexually abused her when she was 16 years old. She's also been a leading voice in calling on the DOJ to release all records related to Epstein. The release included pictures of nude women, or possibly girls...

Feb 02, 202610 min

Faith leaders in Memphis support Afghan refugees, and each other

Stephen Cook, the senior pastor of Second Baptist Church in Memphis, has become friends with Latif Salar, the leader of the Christ Community Afghan Church - and since the Trump administration halted asylum processing for all immigrants from Afghanistan last Fall, the two have been working closely together to support members of Salar's congregation who fear deportation. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at consid...

Feb 01, 202612 min

Gov. Tim Walz is skeptical about Trump’s plan to de-escalate immigration crackdown

Tensions remain high in Minnesota. Despite the Trump administration signaling a willingness to de-escalate tensions in the state earlier this week, Minnesota’s governor is now skeptical. “I know who I'm dealing with. I know that they're not going to keep their word,” Walz told NPR. Walz, a Democrat, sat down with All Things Considered host Juana Summers on Friday following weeks of protests, and the deadly shootings of Renee Macklin Good and Alex Pretti. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider Thi...

Jan 30, 202612 min

Sen. Ron Johnson blames state and local leaders for Alex Pretti’s killing

The civilian killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Macklin Good by federal immigration agents have launched a larger debate in Washington about funding for the Department of Homeland Security. Senate Democrats want to carve off DHS money from the broader spending package to keep the government open, and they want new limits on immigration agents, like a prohibition on masks and a requirement that officers carry ID. Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin says he blames the actions of state and loca...

Jan 30, 20267 min
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