European foreign ministers are working to establish a path to diplomacy in Geneva. Lawmakers propose prohibiting masked agents . Plus, pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil has been released. And USA TODAY National Correspondent Trevor Hughes discusses how the Trump administration is doubling down on immigration enforcement. President Trump is calling for a special prosecutor to investigate his false 2020 election claims . Millions of Americans will feel a heat wave this weekend. Find out wher...
Jun 21, 2025•14 min
President Donald Trump will decide on the U.S. role in the Israel-Iran conflict within two weeks . USA TODAY White House Reporter Davis Winkie discusses how the Trump administration's National Guard immigration enforcement could divide states. Plus, a court lets Trump keep control of California's National Guard for now. The Los Angeles Dodgers say they denied federal agents access to Dodger Stadium parking lots. Trump signs an executive order delaying a ban on TikTok - again. USA TODAY National ...
Jun 20, 2025•14 min
Are high school graduates better off picking up a welding torch instead of a college textbook? As demand grows for skilled labor, more students—and their parents—are questioning whether the traditional college-for-all model still makes sense. Is it time to stop treating college as the default path? Steve Klein, a researcher at Education Northwest, talks to The Excerpt about the benefits and biases around trade careers , the reality of financial independence without a four-year degree, and how sc...
Jun 19, 2025•13 min
President Donald Trump is weighing U.S. actions amid Israel and Iran's ongoing strikes. Plus, MAGA infighting grows on the issue . And there are risks for Trump of 'regime change' in Iran: Just ask George W. Bush. USA TODAY Supreme Court Correspondent Maureen Groppe breaks down the high court's move to uphold Tennessee's ban on transgender minors using puberty blockers and hormone therapy . The Social Security crisis is coming a year earlier than we thought . Karen Read has been acquitted of mur...
Jun 19, 2025•14 min
There are an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. Every one of their stories is different and the broad strokes coverage you often hear can’t possibly touch on everyone’s reality. So Alix Dick and Antero Garcia decided to focus on the story of just one undocumented person - Alix herself. Their new book “The Cost of Being Undocumented: One Woman’s Reckoning with America’s Inhumane Math“ is on bookshelves now. Co-authors Alix Dick and Antero Garcia join The Excerpt to share the...
Jun 18, 2025•11 min
The Pentagon has shifted warplanes and an aircraft carrier to the Middle East. Plus, President Donald Trump threatens Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on social media. And Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Tucker Carlson urge Trump to stay out of Iran , exposing a MAGA rift. USA TODAY National Correspondent Will Carless discusses how as ‘lone actor’ attacks rise, Trump is dismantling the program aimed at spotting them . A poll finds the majority of Americans oppose Trump's tax bill . ...
Jun 18, 2025•13 min
USA TODAY White House Correspondent Francesca Chambers breaks down President Donald Trump's decision to abruptly leave the Group of Seven summit . Multiple lawmakers push to curb Trump's war powers on Iran . A federal prosecutor said Monday that the man accused of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers went to the homes of two other state officials the morning he launched a targeted " political assassination ." USA TODAY Government Accountability Reporter Erin Mansfield discusses the trickle-down effe...
Jun 17, 2025•12 min
We're putting the spotlight on dads today, asking readers to share about why it's so important to honor our fathers or paternal figures in our lives. Forum is a series from USA TODAY's Opinion team, dedicated to showcasing views from across the political spectrum on issues that Americans are starkly divided on. If you'd like to weigh in on a different topic, you can find more questions at usatoday.com/forum . And if your submission is selected for print, we might invite you to add your voice to ...
Jun 16, 2025•11 min
A suspect has been arrested in the fatal shooting of Minnesota lawmakers over the weekend. Iranian missiles struck Tel Aviv and Haifa before dawn on Monday. 'No Kings' organizers say protests drew large crowds . How large? Plus, Republican Sen. Rand Paul criticized the military parade backed by President Donald Trump. USA TODAY Money Reporter Bailey Schulz discusses what some economists are saying about the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. President Trump directs ICE to expand depor...
Jun 16, 2025•13 min
In the high-stakes world of cryptocurrency, cybercrime is no longer the only concern for investors. A rise in street crime tactics means that some wealthy crypto owners have fallen prey to physical attacks and coercion. You may have seen a recent headline regarding a crypto owner who was kidnapped and tortured in a Manhattan townhouse by criminals who were attempting to steal his bitcoin. These brazen physical attacks have come to be known as “wrench attacks.” How can crypto investors protect th...
Jun 15, 2025•14 min
Iran has launched waves of missiles at Israel in response to recent airstrikes. USA TODAY White House Correspondent Bart Jansen has the latest on Kilmar Abrego Garcia's legal situation . The Army marks its 250th anniversary Saturday with a parade and festival . Most Americans think the military parade is 'not a good use' of money . A judge blocks the State Department's planned mass layoffs. President Donald Trump reports more than $600 million in income . USA TODAY Sports Reporter Tom Schad tell...
Jun 14, 2025•14 min
Israel has launched strikes against Iran targeting its nuclear program. An appeals court blocks the ruling directing President Donald Trump to return control of the National Guard to California. USA TODAY Pentagon Correspondent Tom Vanden Brook discusses what he learned in an exclusive talk with Army Secretary Dan Driscoll about Saturday's $40 million military parade . 15,000 foreigners sign up to pay $5 million for U.S. residency and a path to citizenship. Plus, the Department of Homeland Secur...
Jun 13, 2025•12 min
It’s been a busy few months in the world of federal pardons. It started on day one of the Trump administration with more than 1500 people pardoned for their roles in the January 6th Capital riot. And the pardons just keep coming. The past few weeks we’ve seen a spate of controversial clemency grants, including a couple of reality TV stars who were found guilty of defrauding community banks out of tens of millions of dollars, a former nursing home executive whose mother recently attended a 1-mill...
Jun 12, 2025•14 min
USA TODAY White House Correspondent Bart Jansen tells us how three Democratic governors today will push back against federal immigration enforcement actions during a House hearing. President Donald Trump and Chinese officials announced they have agreed to a framework for a trade deal . USA TODAY Senior National Political Correspondent Sarah D. Wire explains what to expect during "No Kings" Day protests this weekend. They'll be held the same day as President Trump's military parade . Harvey Weins...
Jun 12, 2025•13 min
The story of the American alligator is one of survival. From 1967 to 1987, they were officially listed as an endangered species. But the wetlands of Louisiana, Florida’s Everglades National Park and many other southern habitats are now teeming with roughly five million alligators. And their story continues to evolve. Recent studies suggest alligators shape how carbon is stored in soil. Could alligators be an unexpected ally in the fight against climate change? Christopher Murray, Associate Profe...
Jun 11, 2025•14 min
USA TODAY National Correspondent Trevor Hughes joins us again from Los Angeles as protests also spread to other cities. USA TODAY Pentagon Correspondent Tom Vanden Brook discusses President Donald Trump's push for 20,000 troops to help his immigration crackdown . Trump says he's restoring the names of military bases that honored Confederate soldiers . Water from the faucets of at least 42 million Americans is contaminated with unacceptable levels of “forever chemicals." Let us know what you thin...
Jun 11, 2025•12 min
700 Marines have been deployed to Los Angeles . But California has sued the Trump administration to block deployment of the National Guard and the Marines. Plus, USA TODAY National Correspondent Trevor Hughes reports from on the ground in Southern California. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has fired all of a committee that advises the federal government on vaccine safety. USA TODAY White House Correspondent Joey Garrison discusses what's next for DOGE after the departure of Elon Musk and...
Jun 10, 2025•13 min
Under President Donald Trump's second administration, LGBTQ+ rights are back in the spotlight as he issues executive orders banning transgender military servicemembers and rescinding funding from educational institutions that allow trans athletes to compete in sports. So far in 2025, more than 500 bills targeting the LGBTQ+ community have been introduced across America. As Pride Month 2025 gets underway across the country (albeit with fewer corporate sponsors ), we asked what pride means to you ...
Jun 09, 2025•12 min
Tensions escalated in Los Angeles late Sunday between law enforcement and protesters as California National Guard troops arrived . USA TODAY National Immigration and Border Reporter Lauren Villagran takes a look at Trump's 'invasion' claims . Proud Boys who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 sue the government for $100 million . USA TODAY White House Correspondent Bart Jansen discusses disputes among Republicans about parts of Trump's major tax bill. Cole Escola makes nonbinary history at the Tony Aw...
Jun 09, 2025•14 min
John Arthur’s vows to Jim Obergefell came during a unique wedding ceremony that changed the course of American history. It was 2013 and at the time, Arthur was dying of ALS. Due to the generosity of friends and family the couple were able to exchange vows from within a medical plane parked in Maryland, where gay marriage was legal. Obergefell and Arthur’s fight to get their marriage recognized by their home state of Ohio went all the way to the Supreme Court, ultimately paving the way for nation...
Jun 08, 2025•15 min
Kilmar Abrego Garcia has been returned to the U.S. He now faces human trafficking charges. USA TODAY White House Correspondent Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy discusses some of the concerns from LGBTQ+ advocates this Pride Month over Trump administration actions . The Supreme Court blocks the disclosure of DOGE operations . Plus, the court lets DOGE access Social Security data . USA TODAY White House Correspondent Francesca Chambers talks about new Trump executive orders centered on flying cars and h...
Jun 07, 2025•12 min
USA TODAY Domestic Security Correspondent Josh Meyer has the latest on the feud between Elon Musk and President Donald Trump . Plus, Josh takes a look at how the feud might end . Here's what you need to know about this week's travel ban . The Department of Homeland Security is ending its Quiet Skies surveillance program. The Supreme Court sides with a straight woman in a 'reverse discrimination' case. USA TODAY National Correspondent Elizabeth Weise tells us about invasive Asian needle ants. Let...
Jun 06, 2025•13 min
The 2025 NATO summit will be held in The Hague later this month. Among the topics of discussion will be defense spending, strengthening the alliance, support for Ukraine and bolstering defense capabilities. With the summit fast approaching, how might European powers fill the leadership and aid vacuum left by the U.S. as the Trump administration's appetite for foreign conflict dissipates? Max Boot, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, joins The Excerpt to talk through all the issues...
Jun 05, 2025•16 min
USA TODAY Senior Congress Reporter Riley Beggin has the latest after Elon Musk launched an attack on President Donald Trump's sweeping tax and policy bill . A new analysis finds nearly 11 million Americans would lose insurance under Trump's tax bill. Trump bans travel from twelve nations. The Education Department says Columbia University fails to meet accreditation standards . Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed retaliation against Ukraine during a call Wednesday . USA TODAY Nation...
Jun 05, 2025•13 min
With AI tools like ChatGPT becoming ubiquitous on college campuses, students and educators alike are navigating a rapidly shifting academic landscape. Beth McMurtrie, a senior writer at The Chronicle of Higher Education, joins The Excerpt to talk about how students are using AI—from brainstorming and revising to outright cheating—and the ethical dilemmas that follow. Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode Transcript available here See Pri...
Jun 04, 2025•15 min
The wife and five children of the 45-year-old suspect in the assault on pro-Jewish demonstrators in Colorado are facing deportation. President Trump is moving forward with tariff hikes on aluminum and steel. USA TODAY Education Reporter Zach Schermele tells us what Harvard alumni are doing to support the university after recent federal funding cuts. What an Instagram video could tell authorities about an escaped New Orleans inmate. USA TODAY Youth Mental Health Reporting Fellow Rachel Hale talks...
Jun 04, 2025•14 min
A 45-year-old suspect has been charged with a federal hate crime in the attack on a Colorado pro-Israel protest. Russia and Ukraine hold peace talks after Ukraine's recent drone strikes . USA TODAY Supreme Court Correspondent Maureen Groppe takes a look at the high court's move to take up a challenge to a grace period for mail-in ballots . A new study has found a link between chronic cannabis use and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease . USA TODAY National Immigration and Border Reporter...
Jun 03, 2025•12 min
People from across the country weighed in on the impact Indiana Fever's point guard Caitlin Clark is having on the WNBA and women's sports in general. Forum is a series from USA TODAY's Opinion team that is dedicated to showcasing views from across the political spectrum on issues that Americans are starkly divided on. If you'd like to weigh in on a different topic, you can find more questions at usatoday.com/forum . And if your submission is selected for print, we might invite you to add your v...
Jun 02, 2025•9 min
The FBI is investigating the attack in Colorado as an act of terrorism. USA TODAY Senior Congress Reporter Riley Beggin discusses some potential changes to President Donald Trump's tax bill in the Senate. Some parents are ' unschooling ' their kids. What does that mean? USA TODAY National Correspondent Trevor Hughes talks through concerns about an emerging surveillance state . Steve Carell told students their prom expenses were paid after wildfires. Ronnie Li reports in this month's segment of K...
Jun 02, 2025•15 min
One of President Donald Trump’s focuses during his second term is his desire to reshape the arts in America. In February, he announced that he would serve as board chair of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and dismissed half of its board members. In their place are Trump loyalists like White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Second Lady Usha Vance, among others. More broadly, Trump has targeted what he calls “woke” content. He has moved to cancel...
Jun 01, 2025•16 min
