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
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are running out of time to reach an agreement over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which includes Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. We discuss the state of negotiations, plus how calls to “abolish ICE” are playing out in congressional races. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, congressional reporter Sam Gringlas, political correspondent Ashley Lopez, and political reporter Elena Moore. This p...
Nearly two-thirds of Americans say Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s actions have gone too far, according to a new NPR/PBS News/Marist Poll. We discuss what else the poll tells us about public perception of President Trump, including on the economy and foreign policy. 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 ...
The Justice Department says it has released all of the relevant documents from its investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. We discuss what we have learned from the millions of pages of documents and whether Republicans or Democrats got what they were hoping for from the release. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, political reporter Stephen Fowler, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro. This podcast was produced by Casey More...
President Trump suggested during an appearance on the Dan Bongino Show that Republicans should “take over the voting” in at least 15 states and “nationalize” elections. We unpack what to make of these comments and how they fit into a bigger picture of Trump’s repeated efforts to interfere with states’ administration of elections. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, voting correspondent Miles Parks, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro. This po...
President Trump has nominated Kevin Warsh to replace Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell when Powell’s term ends in May. We discuss Trump’s efforts to undermine the independence of the Federal Reserve and how that may impede Warsh’s confirmation vote. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, and chief economics correspondent Scott Horsley. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye. Our executi...
After immigration officials killed two people in Minneapolis this month, congressional Democrats demanded funding for immigration action be separated from other government funding. That's leading to a potential, partial, government shutdown. We unpack the latest from Capitol Hill. Then, why did the FBI raid Fulton County, Ga.'s election center this week, and what does it have to do with President Trump's continued false claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen? And, we bid a fond fa...
Alex Pretti was carrying a permitted gun when he had a confrontation with federal agents who ultimately shot and killed him. While the Trump administration pointed to his gun as a reason for agents to fear for their safety, pro-gun groups argued Pretti had a right to carry. We discuss the rhetoric around guns and how marginalized communities in Minneapolis have been increasingly turning toward gun ownership. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, domestic extremism correspo...
An initial internal review into federal immigration officers’ fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis last weekend contradicts the description of the incident by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. We discuss President Trump’s shifting messages on immigration policy and how his administration’s efforts to restrict legal immigration pathways are changing the political environment. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, immigration policy correspondent Ximena Bustil...
Congress may be headed toward a partial government shutdown. After a federal immigration officer fatally shot Alex Pretti last weekend in Minneapolis, Senate Democrats say they won’t vote to fund the Department of Homeland Security without changes to how the federal government enforces immigration laws. We discuss what Democrats want, what Republicans are offering, and the political risks of another government shutdown. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, congressional r...
The fatal shooting by federal immigration officers of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, a U.S. citizen and an intensive care unit nurse at the VA, escalated tensions surrounding the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement surge in Minneapolis and prompted bipartisan calls for investigation. We discuss whether the incident could mark a turning point for the president. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, Minnesota Public Radio host Clay Masters, and senior political editor a...
It was another busy week in politics. We discuss former special counsel Jack Smith’s appearance before the House Judiciary Committee — the first time he testified publicly about his investigations into President Trump — and Trump’s announcement of a new “framework” related to Greenland. This episode: political correspondent Ashley Lopez, justice correspondent Carrie Johnson, White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro. This podcast w...
NPR reporters observed focus groups of 14 swing voters from Pennsylvania. We discuss why these voters, who backed President Trump in the 2024 election, feel frustrated with Trump and why they say the latest immigration enforcement tactics have gone too far. This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, political correspondent Ashley Lopez, and senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye. Our executive...
The president continued his fight to acquire the Danish self-governing territory of Greenland during a speech billed as an address related to domestic affordability issues. We explain what happened. Then, members of Congress met with Danish and Greenlandic officials in Copenhagen last week to discuss the increased tensions with the U.S. We talk about how the meetings went, and what Danes are thinking about it all. This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, White House correspondent Danielle...
One year ago today, Donald Trump was sworn into office as the 47th president, having already served as the 45th. We look at some of what he has done in this first year back in the White House. This episode: political correspondent Ashley Lopez, senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, and senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson. This podcast was produced and edited by Casey Morell & Bria Suggs. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi. Listen to every episode of the NPR Po...
From the NPR podcast Consider This : The Department of Justice is once again at the center of the news. At least five federal lawmakers say they have been contacted for questioning from federal prosecutors. So has the chairman of the Federal Reserve. And in Minnesota, career federal prosecutors resigned after being asked to investigate not the shooting that killed Renee Macklin Good, but her widow’s potential ties to activist groups. NPR senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montana...
There's another fight on Capitol Hill as lawmakers work to get four more spending bills passed before the end of the month. We talk about what's at stake and how both parties are navigating the high cost of health care. Then, a look at how the Trump administration is using social media content to sway public opinion & influence governance, and what our panelists can't stop thinking about this week. This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, congressional reporter Sam Gringlas, White Hou...
Between pledging support for protesters in Iran, calling once again for the U.S. annexation of Greenland, and meeting with Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, it's been a busy week for President Trump on the global stage. We look at why the White House wants to be involved in so many geopolitical issues despite the president's campaign pledges to be less invested in global affairs, and what outcomes the Trump administration wants in each location. This episode: voting corresponden...
In the days since an immigration enforcement officer killed Renee Macklin Good in Minneapolis, the Trump administration has doubled down, in terms of both tactics and rhetoric. We discuss how ICE training contributed to the agency's actions in Minnesota and the political reaction to the shooting. This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, immigration policy correspondent Ximena Bustillo, and White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, ...
President Trump is giving a speech about the economy Tuesday in Detroit after weeks of drifting away from the subject. We discuss how the White House is responding to voters’ concerns about stubbornly high prices and Trump’s growing pressure campaign against the Federal Reserve. This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, White House correspondent Deepa Shivaram, and chief economics correspondent Scott Horsley. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Ba...
The Republican Party’s approach to world affairs has shifted from attempting to spread democratic values during the George W. Bush administration to “America First” in President Trump’s first term and now to something else entirely. We discuss what to make of Trump’s foreign policy agenda. This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, White House correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, and senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs...
This week, a fatal shooting by an immigration enforcement officer in Minneapolis inflamed tensions. Meanwhile in Washington, congressional Republicans bucked President Trump and their party leaders. We discuss what to make of it all. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, congressional correspondent Claudia Grisales, Minnesota Public Radio host Clay Masters, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria ...
President Trump says he plans to control revenue from the sale of up to 50 million barrels of Venezuela's oil. We discuss Trump’s short- and long-term goals for Venezuelan oil, and how feasible they are. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, and business correspondent Camila Domonoske. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi. Listen to every episo...
The Supreme Court is expected to rule this year on major issues ranging from President Trump’s tariff policies to birthright citizenship and the Voting Rights Act. We discuss some of the cases and how they could change the political landscape. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, justice correspondent Carrie Johnson, and senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye. Our executive ...
Five years ago, a mob attacked the United States Capitol as lawmakers were working to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election. NPR's investigations team has been cataloging and maintaining an archive of documents, videos & court testimony related to the insurrection. We take a look at the aftermath of the events, including how President Trump and his allies are trying to rewrite the history of what happened. Listen to NPR's investigation into what happened on Jan. 6, 2021 . Thi...
President Trump campaigned on promises to put “America First,” and to oppose regime change and nation building. We discuss whether those promises align with the United States’ military actions in Venezuela over the weekend. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye. Our execut...
President Trump announced the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in a surprise military operation, "Absolute Resolve," with plans for the U.S. to govern Venezuela until a transition occurs. Maduro faces serious drug trafficking and narco-terrorism charges, raising questions about the legal authority for the intervention and sparking bipartisan congressional debate over executive power and the future of U.S. foreign policy in the region.
On the night of his inauguration, President Trump signed an executive order that froze almost all international assistance. What followed was the termination of billions of dollars in aid programs — and the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development. Now, the future of U.S. foreign assistance looks very different. Our friends at Consider This from NPR take a look. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage you...
Happy New Year! In this special episode, the Politics Podcast team is inviting you into our office to hear from reporters as they reflect on the year we’ve had, and look forward to the year in politics ahead. This episode: political correspondent Ashley Lopez, congressional correspondent Barbara Sprunt, White House correspondents Danielle Kurtzleben and Franco Ordoñez, justice correspondent Ryan Lucas, and political reporter Elena Moore. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, ...
We look back on some of the highlights from 2025 we can't stop thinking about, politics or otherwise. This episode: voting correspondents Miles Parks & Ashley Lopez, White House correspondent Deepa Shivaram, political reporter Elena Moore, senior political editor & correspondent Domenico Montanaro, senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, and political correspondent Sarah McCammon. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye. Our executive pr...
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 Project 2025, a document published by the Heritage Foundation to outline policy objectives in a Republican administration taking office in 2025, has influenced the Trump administration's approach to governance. This episode: political correspondent Ashley Lopez, White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico...
