Trump's Terms - podcast cover

Trump's Terms

Host Scott Detrow curates NPR's reporting, analysis and updates on the 47th President, focusing on actions and policies that challenge precedent and upend political norms, raising questions about what a President can do — and whether his efforts will benefit the voters who returned him to power.

Support NPR's reporting by subscribing to Trump's Terms+ and unlock sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.

Episodes

Trump Begins Presidency In Delicate Position, Poll Finds

As Donald Trump prepares to once again assume the office of the presidency, a new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll finds that, despite his claims of an "unprecedented and powerful mandate," Trump may have to be careful about how far he decides to go with what he wants to do. Support NPR and hear every episode sponsor-free with NPR+. Sign up at plus.npr.org . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...

Jan 15, 20255 min

Special counsel Jack Smith says evidence against Trump was enough to convict him

The Department of Justice's long-awaited election interference report against Donald Trump, released early Tuesday, said the evidence against the president-elect would have led to his conviction at trial — if not for his election victory that led to charges being dropped. NPR's Carrie Johnson reports. Support NPR and hear every episode sponsor-free with NPR+. Sign up at plus.npr.org . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...

Jan 14, 20255 min

Trump's national security team will start their Senate confirmation hearings

President-elect Trump's picks for his national security team will soon start confirmation hearings, after his remarks about buying Greenland, taking over the Panama Canal and making Canada a state. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Jan 13, 20255 min

After Trump's criminal sentence, 'a new era of American history'

This episode: Scott Detrow talks about the legal and political implications of Donald Trump's sentence in the New York hush money case with NPR senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro and University of Baltimore Law Professor Kim Wehle. Plus: what we could learn from special counsel Jack Smith's report that may soon be released in the wake of his resignation from the justice department. Support NPR and hear every episode sponsor-free with NPR+. Sign up at plus.npr.org . Lear...

Jan 12, 20259 min

Trump Is Sentenced In Hush Money Case

President-elect Donald Trump received on an unconditional discharge for his criminal conviction in New York on Friday, meaning he will not face fines, prison, or any other penalties. The former and future president appeared virtually in a Manhattan courtroom on Friday for his sentencing on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to conceal a payment to an adult film star. Support NPR and hear every episode sponsor-free with NPR+. Sign up at plus.npr.org . Learn more about sponsor message...

Jan 10, 20255 min

Big tech gets ready for Trump's return

Trump has tapped Silicon Valley insiders to lead AI policy. There's talk of a "Manhattan Project" for military AI. Advocates are worried the risks and misuse of the technology will grow under Trump. And, Meta's Mark Zuckerberg announced the end of fact-checking on his social media platforms. Industry watchers say it's another sign Silicon Valley is trying to get in President-elect Trump's good graces. Support NPR and hear every episode sponsor-free with NPR+. Sign up at plus.npr.org . Learn more...

Jan 08, 20259 min

Four years after the Capitol riot, its meaning and legacy are still debated

Trump has promised to pardon many who were involved in the violence of Jan 6. Experts on authoritarianism and extremism say that promise adds to the debate over how the day will be remembered. NPR's Juana Summers speaks to Odette Yousef. Support NPR and hear every episode sponsor-free with NPR+. Sign up at plus.npr.org . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...

Jan 07, 20256 min

How Trump can end the war in Ukraine, according to a former ambassador

NPR's Andrew Limbong speaks with Michael McFaul, former U.S. Ambassador to Russia, about his recent piece in Foreign Affairs, "How Trump Can End the War in Ukraine." Support NPR and hear every episode sponsor-free with NPR+. Sign up at plus.npr.org . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...

Jan 03, 20257 min

Democrats worry Trump may chip away at Biden's progress on clean energy

NPR's A Martínez has a conversation about the present and future of green energy in the U.S. with outgoing Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm. Support NPR and hear every episode sponsor-free with NPR+. Sign up at plus.npr.org . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...

Jan 02, 20256 min

Immigrants with Temporary Protected Status fear deportation as Trump returns

With President-elect Donald Trump returning to the White House next month, some are worried their protected status could soon end. Trump has vowed a massive deportation campaign and sharp immigration restrictions, including slashing the TPS program, as he tried to do during his first term at the White House. Support NPR and hear every episode sponsor-free with NPR+. Sign up at plus.npr.org . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...

Dec 24, 20245 min

What the spending fight portends for the next Congress and the Trump administration

The federal government remains open for business. That's because Congress managed to avoid a government shutdown on Friday that would have hit families right before the holidays. NPR's Barbara Sprunt reports. Support NPR and hear every episode sponsor-free with NPR+. Sign up at plus.npr.org . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...

Dec 23, 20245 min

Do election victories really give presidents a 'mandate'?

Presidents throughout history have claimed elections gave them mandates that justify their policy plans, but that's not quite the case. NPR's Domenico Montanaro reports. Then, Tom Homan has vowed to end the CBP One program. Now migrants seeking asylum are making their way to the Mexican border towns as they frantically try to get a coveted spot through the app. NPR's Sergio Martínez-Beltrán reports from Ciudad Juarez. Support NPR and hear every episode sponsor-free with NPR+. Sign up at plus.npr...

Dec 20, 202410 min

How the GOP went from promoting free trade to backing Trump's proposed tariffs

As he prepares to take office again, President-elect Trump has threatened a wide range of tariffs. It's an about-face in the Republican Party, which once was known for boosting free trade. NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben has the story. Support NPR and hear every episode sponsor-free with NPR+. Sign up at plus.npr.org . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...

Dec 19, 20246 min

How Democrats & the tech industry are approaching Trump differently

The first time Donald Trump was elected president, blue state Democrats asserted themselves as the frontline of the resistance. Now, they say they're making an intentional decision to stay calm. Then, the tech industry is courting President-elect Donald Trump. SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son pledged a $100 billion investment in the U.S. over the next four years at an event at Mar-a-Lago. Support NPR and hear every episode sponsor-free with NPR+. Sign up at plus.npr.org . Learn more about sponsor mess...

Dec 17, 20249 min

This former Trump official doesn't want a pardon from President Biden

NPR's Scott Detrow talks with legal analyst Sarah Isgur about her recent New York Times op-ed titled "I Don't Want a Pardon from Biden. None of us should." Support NPR and hear every episode sponsor-free with NPR+. Sign up at plus.npr.org . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...

Dec 16, 20247 min

Colorado Democratic Gov. Jared Polis pushes back on some Trump ideas

NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to Gov. Jared Polis about his thoughts on the incoming Trump administration, and the power of pardons. Support NPR and hear every episode sponsor-free with NPR+. Sign up at plus.npr.org . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Dec 12, 20246 min

How Kash Patel has used children's books & podcasts to promote conspiracy theories

Kash Patel, Trump's pick to head the FBI, has parlayed his time serving in various national security roles in the first Trump administration to building a brand promoting pro-Trump conspiracy theories and selling merchandise. NPR's Lisa Hagen reports. Support NPR and hear every episode sponsor-free with NPR+. Sign up at plus.npr.org . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...

Dec 10, 20246 min

Who is Pete Hegseth, Trump's pick for Secretary of Defense

Trump's Trials is now Trump's Terms . Each episode, host Scott Detrow curates NPR coverage of the incoming Trump administration. NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with New Yorker writer Jane Mayer about her latest article on Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth. Support NPR and hear every episode sponsor-free with NPR+. Sign up at plus.npr.org . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...

Dec 05, 20249 min

Inside RFK Jr.'s nonprofit's legal battles over vaccines and public health

Trump's Trials is now Trump's Terms . Each episode, host Scott Detrow curates NPR coverage of the incoming Trump administration. Children's Health Defense is an anti-vaccination nonprofit chaired by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. In recent years, the nonprofit has filed dozens of lawsuits, many challenging vaccines and public health mandates. NPR's Shannon Bond reports. Support NPR and hear every episode sponsor-free with NPR+. Sign up at plus.npr.org . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastch...

Dec 04, 20246 min

Former FBI lawyer says Trump's plan to shake up FBI leadership is unprecedented

Trump's Trials is now Trump's Terms . Each episode, host Scott Detrow curates NPR coverage of the incoming Trump administration. All Things Considered host Mary Louise Kelly talks with Andrew Weissmann, a top lawyer at the FBI from 2011-2013, about President-elect Trump's plan to replace FBI director Christopher Wray with an ally, Kash Patel. Support NPR and hear every episode sponsor-free with NPR+. Sign up at plus.npr.org . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices...

Dec 03, 20247 min

Trump says he intends to nominate loyalist Kash Patel to serve as FBI director

Trump's Trials is now Trump's Terms . Each episode, host Scott Detrow curates NPR coverage of the incoming Trump administration. President-elect Donald Trump announced over the weekend that he would be replacing FBI director Chris Wray with Kash Patel, a longtime ally. Patel has made controversial statements about the agency. A Martinez speaks to NPR's Carrie Johnson. Support NPR and hear every episode sponsor-free with NPR+. Sign up at plus.npr.org . Learn more about sponsor message choices: po...

Dec 02, 20245 min

The man who helped roll back abortion rights now wants to 'crush liberal dominance'

Trump's Trials is now Trump's Terms . Each episode, host Scott Detrow curates NPR coverage of the incoming Trump administration. Leonard Leo was a key architect of the conservative supermajority on the Supreme Court that rolled back the federal right to an abortion. Now, he anticipates to exert more conservative influence on the judiciary under a second Trump presidency. NPR's Steve Inskeep spoke to Leonard Leo and NPR's Carrie Johnson. Support NPR and hear every episode sponsor-free with NPR+. ...

Nov 27, 202412 min

Trump plans to use presidential power to control spending

Trump's Trials is now Trump's Terms . Each episode, host Scott Detrow curates NPR coverage of the incoming Trump administration. President-elect Trump wants to roll back spending that Congress has already approved. But a 1974 law may stand in his way. NPR's Franco Ordoñez reports. Support NPR and hear every episode sponsor-free with NPR+. Sign up at plus.npr.org . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...

Nov 26, 20245 min

Hedge fund manager Scott Bessent is Trump's pick for treasury secretary

Trump's Trials is now Trump's Terms . Each episode, host Scott Detrow curates NPR coverage of the incoming Trump administration. This episode: President-elect Trump plans to nominate hedge fund manager Scott Bessent to serve as Treasury Secretary. He'll be tasked with moving big parts of the incoming president's agenda, including tax cuts and tariffs. NPR's Scott Horsley speaks with All Things Considered host Ailsa Chang. Support NPR and hear every episode sponsor-free with NPR+. Sign up at plus...

Nov 25, 20245 min

President-elect Trump picks Pam Bondi as nominee for attorney general

Trump's Trials is now Trump's Terms . Each episode, host Scott Detrow curates NPR coverage of the incoming Trump administration. This episode: President-elect Trump has named Pam Bondi, formerly Florida's top prosecutor, as his new nominee for attorney general. The selection comes after former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew. NPR's Ryan Lucas speaks to Morning Edition host A Martinez. Support NPR and hear every episode sponsor-free with NPR+. Sign up at plus.npr.org . Learn more about sponsor m...

Nov 22, 20245 min

Matt Gaetz, Trump's pick for attorney general, withdraws

Trump's Trials is now Trump's Terms . Each episode, host Scott Detrow curates NPR coverage of the incoming Trump administration. This episode: despite what he called "excellent meetings with Senators," former congressman Matt Gaetz said Thursday he is withdrawing from consideration to lead the Department of Justice. NPR's Susan Davis speaks to Here & Now host Scott Tong. Support NPR and hear every episode sponsor-free with NPR+. Sign up at plus.npr.org . Learn more about sponsor message choices:...

Nov 21, 20247 min

Sexual misconduct and drug allegations against Trump's pick for attorney general

Trump's Trials is now Trump's Terms . Each episode, host Scott Detrow curates NPR coverage of the incoming Trump administration. This episode: attorney representing two women who testified before a House committee is revealing what his clients said about Matt Gaetz, the former congressman and Donald Trump's pick to lead the Department of Justice. NPR's Juana Summers speaks to NPR justice correspondent Ryan Lucas about the allegations. Support NPR and hear every episode sponsor-free with NPR+. Si...

Nov 21, 20245 min

What Trump's pick for chief of staff reveals about women who work for him

Trump's Trials is now Trump's Terms . Each episode, host Scott Detrow curates NPR coverage of the incoming Trump administration. This episode: Trump campaign manager Susie Wiles will be the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff. Annie Karni of the New York Times tells NPR's Steve Inskeep what her selection reveals about women in Trump's inner circle — and why they sometimes fare better than men. Support NPR and hear every episode sponsor-free with NPR+. Sign up at plus.npr.org . Lea...

Nov 20, 20246 min

What would massive cuts to the federal government look like?

Trump's Trials is now Trump's Terms . Each episode, host Scott Detrow curates NPR coverage of the incoming Trump administration. This episode: what would it mean to cut trillions of dollars from the federal budget — and is it even possible? NPR's Michel Martin speaks to Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a think tank that supports cutting federal spending and lowering the national debt. Support NPR and hear every episode sponsor-free with NPR+. Sign up ...

Nov 20, 20246 min

Introducing Trump's Terms

Host Scott Detrow curates NPR's reporting, analysis and updates on the 47th President, focusing on actions and policies that challenge precedent and upend political norms, raising questions about what a President can do — and whether his efforts will benefit the voters who returned him to power. Every episode of Trump's Terms is available sponsor-free, for NPR+ supporters. Learn more and sign up at plus.npr.org . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy ...

Nov 20, 202456 sec