The NPR Politics Podcast - podcast cover

The NPR Politics Podcast

Every weekday, NPR's best political reporters are there to explain the big news coming out of Washington and the campaign trail. They don't just tell you what happened. They tell you why it matters. Every afternoon.

Political wonks - get wonkier with The NPR Politics Podcast+. Your subscription supports the podcast and unlocks a sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/politics
Last refreshed:
Download Metacast podcast app
Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more

Episodes

Year In Review: Trump's Immigration Policy

As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is taking a look back at the year that was in different political areas. Today, we look at how President Trump has reshaped immigration policy during his return to office, and what impacts those changes have had. This episode: political correspondent Ashley Lopez, immigration policy correspondent Ximena Bustillo, and White House correspondent Deepa Shivaram. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye. Our exec...

Dec 29, 202514 min

Year In Review: Trump's Foreign Policy

Editor's note: This episode originally aired on December 16, 2025. As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is taking a look back at the year that was in different political areas. Today, we explore what President Trump's administration has done in terms of foreign policy, and what might be expected in the coming year. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, and national security correspondent Greg Myre. This podcast was produce...

Dec 26, 202525 min

Year In Review: Trump’s Environmental Policy

As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is taking a look back at the year that was in different political areas. Today, we look at how America’s stance on environmental policy has shifted under the second Trump administration and what the potential impacts could be. This episode: voting correspondent Ashley Lopez, senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, climate correspondent Michael Copley, and automotive and energy correspondent Camila Domonoske. This podcast was produced by Casey ...

Dec 25, 202520 min

Year In Review: Trump, Gerrymandering & Redistricting

As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is taking a look back at the year that was in different political areas. Today, we explore how President Trump pushed Republican-led states to redraw congressional maps with the hope of getting more Republican members of the House of Representatives, and how that led to an escalation of partisan gerrymandering throughout the country. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, and voting correspondents Miles Parks & Ashley Lopez....

Dec 24, 202520 min

Year In Review: Trump's Economy

As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is taking a look back at the year that was in different political areas. Today, we look at President Trump's handling of the economy, including his tariff policy. This episode: political correspondent Sarah McCammon, White House correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, and chief economics correspondent Scott Horsley. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell & Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi. Listen to ev...

Dec 23, 202519 min

Year In Review: Congress' Successes & Failures

As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is taking a look back at the year that was in different political areas. Today, we look at what lawmakers were able to get done -- or not -- in 2025, and how that may influence their 2026 agenda. This episode: political correspondent Sarah McCammon, congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh, and senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell & Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye. Our executive producer ...

Dec 22, 202523 min

Roundup: Congress Skips Town Without ACA Vote, Trump Reclassifies Cannabis

It was another busy week in Washington. We discuss President Trump’s decision to reclassify cannabis as a schedule 3 drug, a revealing news story about the inner workings of the White House, and Congress’s decision to leave town without voting to extend expiring healthcare subsidies. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, congressional reporter Sam Gringlas, and White House correspondent Deepa Shivaram. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by...

Dec 19, 202520 min

Trump Uses Prime-Time Speech To Blame Biden, Immigrants For Economy Woes

President Trump used his prime-time speech Wednesday night to blame the country’s ongoing economic challenges on the Biden administration. We discuss what we learned from the speech and whether it is likely to sway Americans who don’t already support Trump. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, White House correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited...

Dec 18, 202518 min

Americans Give Trump Low Marks On The Economy In New Poll

Only 36% of Americans approve of President Trump’s handling of the economy in a new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll. We discuss what might be driving that discontent and how much Trump’s tariff policies are to blame. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, White House correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye. Our executive producer is Mutho...

Dec 17, 202521 min

Year In Review: Trump's Foreign Policy

As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is taking a look back at the year that was in different political areas. Today, we explore what President Trump's administration has done in terms of foreign policy, and what might be expected in the coming year. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, and national security correspondent Greg Myre. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye. Our ex...

Dec 16, 202525 min

Donald Trump Is Sports-Fan-In-Chief

President Trump has built a brand as the sports-fan-in-chief, attending roughly a dozen major sporting events so far this year. We discuss how professional men’s sports align with Trump’s political brand. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi....

Dec 15, 202520 min

Roundup: Indiana Rejects Redistricting, Trump Bashes Immigrants In Pennsylvania

It’s been a busy week in the political world. We discuss the Indiana state Senate's rejection of President Trump's push to redraw the state’s congressional districts, President Trump's speech on the economy in Pennsylvania in which he denigrated immigrants, and the United States' seizure of an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela. This episode: political correspondent Sarah McCammon, senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro....

Dec 12, 202530 min

Health Insurance Subsidies Expire This Month But Congress Can't Agree On A Fix

The enhanced subsidies 22 million Americans use to help pay for health insurance are set to expire at the end of this month, and when they do, many Americans will see their insurance premiums balloon. We discuss Democrats' and Republicans' competing proposals to address rising healthcare costs and whether Congress is likely to come to an agreement before — or after — the looming deadline. This episode: political correspondent Sarah McCammon, congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh, and health ...

Dec 11, 202519 min

Supreme Court Considers Vastly Expanding The President’s Powers

The Supreme Court is considering whether President Trump should be able to fire the head of the Federal Trade Commission and other independent agencies without cause. We discuss why Congress created these independent agencies in the first place and the broader impact of the court eroding the 90-year-old precedent that protects them from presidential politics. This episode: political correspondent Sarah McCammon, labor and workplace correspondent Andrea Hsu, and senior national political correspo...

Dec 10, 202513 min

Trump Offers Farmers $12-Billion Bailout To Offset Pain From Trade War

President Trump has announced a $12-billion bailout plan for farmers, designed to offset the impacts they have felt from a trade war with China. We discuss how this program fits into Trump’s broader economic policy agenda, and whether it detracts from his message that tariffs will be a boon for the country’s economy.This episode: national political correspondent Sarah McCammon, White House correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, and senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson. This podcast w...

Dec 09, 202518 min

Trump Administration Urges 'Remigration,' Borrowing White Nationalist Language

The Trump administration has refocused some of its immigration policy on a push to get immigrants to "remigrate," or leave the country voluntarily. We discuss the administration's language and policy and examine its links to white nationalism. This episode: political correspondent Sarah McCammon, immigration policy correspondent Ximena Bustillo, and domestic extremism correspondent Odette Yousef. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye. Our executive p...

Dec 08, 202517 min

What's the 'biggest' thing on our political radar for next year?

This normally would be a bonus episode just for NPR Politics Podcast+ listeners. With this being the season of giving, we're sharing this one with everyone! To hear more bonus content like this, regular episodes sponsor-free, and support the work of NPR, sign up for NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics. It's the latest installment of our series, "Political Mosts," where we answer a superlative-type question about covering politics and our careers in journalism. Today, Sarah McCammon (n...

Dec 07, 202516 min

Roundup: Supreme Court OKs Texas Redistricting, Trump Dismisses 'Affordability'

It was another busy week in the political world. We discuss the Supreme Court’s approval of Texas' redrawn congressional map, Democrats' performance in a Tennessee special election, and President Trump's dismissal of worries about "affordability" as a "con job." This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, political correspondent Ashley Lopez, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by ...

Dec 05, 202523 min

Elections Officials Prep For Possible Federal Interference In The Midterms

State and local elections officials across the country are preparing for a variety of ways the Trump administration could interfere with the 2026 midterm elections. We discuss the risks and what tactics the president and his allies have suggested. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, voting correspondent Miles Parks, and senior political correspondent and editor Domenico Montanaro. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye. Our ex...

Dec 04, 202517 min

Are The Strikes On Venezuelan Boats ‘War’ – And Do The Rules Of War Apply?

New questions have emerged surrounding the United States’ military strikes on an alleged Venezuelan drug boat in early September. We discuss what we know and why the White House appears to be distancing itself from the decision to order multiple strikes on the same boat. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, and national security correspondent Greg Myre. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel...

Dec 03, 202517 min

Trump Announces More Restrictions On Legal Immigration After DC Shooting

The Trump administration has announced more restrictions on the country’s refugee and asylum programs after a shooting of two National Guard members last week in Washington, D.C., allegedly by an Afghan immigrant. How do these changes advance Trump’s immigration policy agenda and his vision of what it means to be an American? This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, immigration policy correspondent Ximena Bustillo, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montan...

Dec 02, 202517 min

Trump’s Quest For Political Retribution Is Impeding The Justice Department

President Trump has vowed to seek retribution from his perceived political enemies and to reward his political allies. We discuss how that focus is playing out at the Justice Department, where career prosecutors and other civil servants are no longer calling the shots. How does this partisan shift affect major court cases, from redistricting in Texas to James Comey’s prosecution? This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, justice correspondent Carrie Johnson, and senior nationa...

Dec 01, 202516 min

What it takes to make a Tiny Desk Concert

NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts, first launched on a whim in 2008, attract millions of viewers. In this episode of Consider This from NPR , we hear from two members of the NPR music team on what they love about producing and sharing Tiny Desk performances with the world. 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...

Nov 28, 202511 min

How To Avoid Talking About Politics This Thanksgiving

In a recent NPR/PBS News/Marist poll, Republicans and Democrats described people in the other political party as "closed-minded" and "dishonest" when talking about politics. That doesn't bode well for upcoming holiday gatherings. We discuss how to navigate Thanksgiving meals while avoiding arguments about politics. This episode: political correspondent Ashley Lopez, political reporter Elena Moore, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro. This podcast was produced by Case...

Nov 26, 202516 min

What Does It Mean To Be A Republican Or A Democrat In The Trump Era?

The lines between what the Republican and Democratic parties believe have blurred since President Trump first became candidate Trump in 2015. We discuss how the parties — and their supporters — have shifted, and where they go from here. This episode: political correspondent Ashley Lopez, congressional correspondent Barbara Sprunt, and senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and edited by Rachel Baye. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi. Liste...

Nov 25, 202521 min

Trump Administration Pushes Russia-Friendly Plan To End War In Ukraine

The Trump administration is attempting to push through a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia that many have criticized as heavily favoring Russia. We discuss the proposal and the chances for a lasting peace. This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, and national security correspondent Greg Myre. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and edited by Rachel Baye. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi. Listen to every episode of the NPR P...

Nov 24, 202518 min

New Poll Results Show Democrats With An Edge, Topping Off Tough Week For Trump

From a rare political turn-about on the Epstein files, to a judicial slap-back on his redistricting plan in Texas, President Trump had a tough week. Is his grip on the Republican Party starting to break? Plus, a new poll shows Democrats with a big advantage going into the midterms. This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bri...

Nov 21, 202522 min

U.S. Had Better-Than-Expected Job Growth In September

The September jobs report, released belatedly on Thursday, shows the United States added 119,000 jobs, beating expectations, but the unemployment rate went up. We discuss what the data tells us about the economy and how the Trump administration is responding to the news. This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, White House correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, and chief economics correspondent Scott Horsley. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye....

Nov 20, 202518 min

Hundreds Of Immigrants Arrested In Chicago Lack Criminal Records

A look at more than 600 immigrants arrested since the Trump administration began amped up immigration enforcement efforts in Chicago finds almost none have convictions. We discuss what enforcement tactics looked like on the ground and what to expect as enforcement ramps up in Charlotte, North Carolina. This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, immigration correspondent Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, and senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson. This podcast was produced by Casey More...

Nov 19, 202517 min

Trump Says He Won’t 'Rule Out' Sending Troops To Venezuela

President Trump says he won’t “rule out” sending troops to Venezuela, and over the weekend, the world’s largest aircraft carrier arrived in the Caribbean Sea. We discuss why the United States has amassed such a large military presence in the region, and what reasons the Trump administration might have for targeting Venezuela specifically. This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, and Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman. This podcast was produced by C...

Nov 18, 202513 min
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android