Trump's Terms

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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.

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Episodes

Jury orders Trump to pay E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million for defamation

For this episode of Trump's Trials , NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks to NPR's Andrea Bernstein . A jury has awarded writer E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million in a civil defamation suit against former President Donald Trump. In a previous defamation trial Trump was found to have sexually abused and defamed Carroll. The jury in that case awarded her $5 million. Topics include: - How jury came up with $83.3 million figure - Trump's reaction - What's next Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for new epi...

Jan 26, 2024•5 min

Trump takes the stand in defamation trial

For this episode of Trump's Trials , NPR's Juana Summers speaks to NPR's Andrea Bernstein . Former President Donald Trump was back in court on Thursday to testify in the second civil defamation damages trial brought by writer E. Jean Carroll. The jury in a separate civil trial last year awarded Carroll $5 million, finding Trump sexually abused and defamed her. Trump spoke briefly on the stand on Thursday, saying the allegations were false. Topics include: - Defense resting its case - Trump's tes...

Jan 25, 2024•5 min

An argument for the lead prosecutor in Trump's Georgia election case to step down

For this episode of Trump's Trials , host Scott Detrow speaks to lawyer and ethics expert Norman Eisen. We hear why Eisen is calling on special counsel Nathan Wade to resign from his post in the Georgia election interference case. Wade has come under fire for accusations of having an improper relationship with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who hired him to prosecute the case against Trump. Neither Willis nor Wade have made an official statement regarding the accusations. Topics in...

Jan 24, 2024•10 min

Trump's legal and political strategy seems to be working...for now

This week on Trump's Trials , host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson . This week's focus: Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has come under scrutiny after a codefendant in Trump's Georgia election case accused her, without evidence, of having an improper relationship with attorney Nathan Wade, whom she hired to prosecute the case. Wade is currently going through a divorce and documents from that proceeding show Wade bought airline...

Jan 20, 2024•17 min

A day after trouncing the competition in Iowa, Trump is back in court

For this episode of Trump's Trials , NPR's Juana Summers speaks to NPR's Andrea Bernstein . A day after winning the Iowa caucuses by nearly 30 points, former President Donald Trump appeared in a Manhattan courtroom to face a second defamation lawsuit brought by writer E. Jean Carroll. Last year, a jury found that Trump sexually abused Carroll in the 1990s and ordered Trump to pay her $5 million for defaming her in recent years. This second case centers around additional comments Trump made about...

Jan 16, 2024•5 min

Immune or not immune, that is the question

This week on Trump's Trials , host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by New York University law professor Melissa Murray . This week's focus: The DC Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments on former president Donald Trump's expansive view of presidential immunity. The three-judge panel seemed skeptical at times with the extensive scope of Trump's legal team argument — that the president could even order a political assassination and be immune from criminal prosecution so long ...

Jan 13, 2024•20 min

Trump goes all in on immunity

For this bonus episode of Trump's Trials , guest host Sacha Pfeiffer is joined by NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson . The DC Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments from federal prosecutors and former President Donald Trump's legal team on the question of whether Trump is immune from criminal prosecution for his actions on January 6th and attempts to overturn the 2020 election. Topics include: - Arguments over the scope of presidential immunity - Possible decision outcomes - Politic...

Jan 09, 2024•5 min

The January 6th insurrection lies at the center of Trump's legal battles

This week on Trump's Trials , host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by former Deputy Assistant Attorney General Harry Litman . This week's focus: The Supreme Court officially takes up former President Donald Trump's appeal over Colorado's decision to disqualify him from the ballot. We also talk about how politics has changed in the three years after the January 6th attack on the Capitol. And we dive into the central question surrounding the federal January 6th election interference...

Jan 06, 2024•17 min

Maine's Secretary of State 'welcomes' Supreme Court to clarify Trump's eligibility

For this bonus episode of Trump's Trials , host Scott Detrow is joined by Maine's Secretary of State Shenna Bellows . Last week Bellows ruled that former President Donald Trump's name should be removed from the Republican primary ballot in the state, under section three of the 14th Amendment. The Civil War era provision disqualifies anyone who has engaged in an insurrection against the U.S. Constitution from running for office. For now Trump remains on the ballot until a higher court weighs in. ...

Jan 01, 2024•8 min

The Supreme Court takes a pass

This week on Trump's Trials , host Scott Detrow is joined by NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson . This week's focus: The Supreme Court and presidential immunity. The court decided they would not take up Special Counsel Jack Smith's request to fast-track arguments on whether former President Donald Trump is immune from prosecution for alleged crimes committed while in office. Instead, the case will continue to make its way through the appeals process, further delaying the trial start date. ...

Dec 23, 2023•13 min

Jack Smith's big gamble

This week on Trump's Trials , host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by former Deputy Assistant Attorney General Harry Litman . This week's focus: the January 6th federal election interference case. Prosecutor, Special Counsel Jack Smith, made an unusual move, and sidestepped the appeals court and went straight to the Supreme Court to answer a fundamental question at the heart of the case:. Can presidents be criminally prosecuted for crimes they are allegedly committed while in offi...

Dec 16, 2023•18 min

Should the Jan 6 trial be televised? Trump and many journalists say yes

This week on Trump's Trials , host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson . We focus on the January 6th federal election interference case led by special counsel Jack Smith. The case is scheduled to go to trial in March in Washington, D.C., and it might be coming to a TV near you. Yes, Trump and some media outlets are requesting cameras in the courtroom. We'll talk about how likely that is, how it could impact the case and the campaign, plus so...

Dec 09, 2023•18 min

Trump's trials are about to collide with the political calendar

This week on Trump's Trials , guest host Miles Parks and Domenico Montanaro look at how one judge, Aileen Cannon, could be slow-walking the federal classified documents case in Florida. Delays in that case could impact the three other criminal trials Trump is facing — and put legal and political calendars ahead of the 2024 race on a collision course. Plus an update from the Georgia election case and the gag order from the New York civil fraud case. Our guest is NYU law professor Melissa Murray ....

Dec 02, 2023•18 min

Why gag orders against Trump haven't stopped his attacks

This week, Scott Detrow and NPR political editor/correspondent Domenico Montanaro discuss gag orders in multiple cases against President Donald Trump and his attempts to weaponize them politically. Plus an update in the New York Civil trial and a Colorado case you might've missed. They're joined by NPR justice correspondent Carrie Johnson . Topics include: - Gag orders in the federal election case and the New York civil fraud trial - The legal and political challenges of implementing gag orders ...

Nov 25, 2023•17 min

'The boss is not going to leave under any circumstances'

This week, Scott Detrow and NPR political editor/correspondent Domenico Montanaro discuss leaked confidential videos of two former Trump lawyers and what those videos could mean for the Georgia election interference case. Plus a new development in the January 6 case. Their guest is NYU's Melissa Murray . Topics include: -The potential consequences of leaked videos in court — and the court of public opinion -Trump lawyer Sidney Powell admitting she 'didn't know much' about election fraud. -Why it...

Nov 18, 2023•15 min

Why lawyers say 'never write anything down'

On this inaugural episode of Trump's Trials , host Scott Detrow and NPR political editor/correspondent Domenico Montanaro break down this week's testimony from former President Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka in the New York civil fraud case brought against the Trump Organization. This week's guest is NYU's Melissa Murray . Topics include: -Arguments in the New York case so far -Whether Donald Trump actually cares if he loses -Why Trump sounded a lot different on the witness stand this week...

Nov 11, 2023•14 min

Welcome to Trump's Trials

NPR's Scott Detrow hosts a weekly discussion about the latest courtroom drama, testimony, and legal maneuvering in the criminal and civil cases facing former President Donald Trump — and what it all means for American democracy — with analysis from NPR political editor/correspondent Domenico Montanaro . Sign up for sponsor-free episodes and support NPR's political journalism at plus.npr.org . Email the show at [email protected] Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adch...

Nov 08, 2023•1 min

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