Since Elon Musk took over Twitter - now X - in 2022, he’s increasingly used it to push his conservative views. A suit against a non-profit brand safety group of advertisers and an exclusive interview with former President Trump show that Elon was never interested in keeping Twitter as a town square, but rather, a soapbox for him to push his political agenda. Guest: Nitish Pahwa, associate writer for business and tech at Slate Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free lis...
Aug 16, 2024•28 min
MrBeast is known for videos that blend stunts and philanthropy, but his new team-up with Amazon and MGM is bringing some of his less savory aspects to light. Guest: Madison Malone Kircher, reporter covering internet culture for The New York Times Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slat...
Aug 15, 2024•29 min
Donald Trump’s presidential opponent has changed—can he? Should he? Guest: Tom Nichols, staff writer at the Atlantic and professor emeritus at the U.S. Naval College. Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Elen...
Aug 14, 2024•31 min
It was supposed to be the triumphant rollout of Boeing’s new, reusable space taxi. Now NASA’s trying to find some other way to get two astronauts home. Guest: Joey Roulette, space reporter at Reuters. Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you ...
Aug 13, 2024•27 min
A Republican-backed organization is spending millions to unseat progressive Democrats—and it’s succeeding. Guest: Alexander Sammon, Slate politics writer. Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, ...
Aug 12, 2024•26 min
The hype has slowed but electric vehicles aren’t going away—once the infrastructure is in place, they’ll go everywhere. Guests: Nitish Pahwa, associate writer for business and tech at Slate. Paula Gardner, business reporter for Bridge Michigan Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/...
Aug 11, 2024•30 min
Should the other Silicon Valley giants be worried following the Department of Justice’s decisive win against Google? Guest: Leah Nylen, antitrust reporter at Bloomberg Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Evan C...
Aug 09, 2024•27 min
How Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-Ting—two women boxers fighting in the gender category they were assigned at birth—became the targets of trans panic and subject to another round of “but is she woman enough?” at the Olympics. Guest: Rose Eveleth, reporter and host of the podcast Tested, from NPR and CBC. Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try F...
Aug 08, 2024•31 min
How Minnesota Governor Tim Walz slipped past VP-favorite Josh Shapiro and joined Kamala Harris on the Democratic ticket. Guest: Guest: David Faris, associate professor of political science at Roosevelt University and author of The Kids Are All Left and It’s Time to Fight Dirty. Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of ou...
Aug 07, 2024•30 min
Once one of the most politically confrontational artists in music, Ice Cube has become a surprising asset to Donald Trump. Guest: Joel Anderson, staff writer for Slate and the host of Seasons 3, 6, and 8 of Slow Burn. Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get acc...
Aug 06, 2024•31 min
The Trump campaign washed its hands of Project 2025. A second Trump term would almost certainly be guided by it. Guest: Sam Adler-Bell, host of the Know Your Enemy podcast. Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production b...
Aug 05, 2024•28 min
Earlier this month, AT&T was hit by the largest telecom hack ever. Not long after, Sydney Sweeney’s phone number was stolen by criminals, who used it to hack her social media and promote a memecoin. With how much sensitive data telecom companies have on us, why is their security so bad? And how can we protect ourselves? Guests: Joseph Cox, investigative reporter and cofounder of 404 media. Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next fam...
Aug 04, 2024•29 min
Courtesy of our colleagues at A Word, enjoy this a special interview with America's first Second Gentleman, Doug Emhoff. Many political spouses spend decades preparing for a White House run with their partners. But attorney Doug Emhoff had been married to then-Senator Kamala Harris for just five years when she first ran for the White House. Now, as the first Second Gentleman in history, he’s stepping into the spotlight, sprinting across the country for her whirlwind campaign. On today’s episode ...
Aug 02, 2024•31 min
The age when you need to start being screened for cancers may need to be updated, as rates among younger people are on the rise. New testing methods could make the process a lot easier than, say, a colonoscopy - but they’re not perfect. Guest: Dylan Scott, senior correspondent and editor for Vox. Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” ...
Aug 02, 2024•29 min
As the rumored ceasefire slips further out of headlines, the Gaza war is threatening to boil over into a multiple-front war for Israel—while internal conflicts escalate inside the country. Guest: Joshua Keating, senior correspondent covering foreign policy at Vox. His piece, "A very dangerous 24 hours in the Middle East," was published on Vox on July 31. Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podca...
Aug 01, 2024•29 min
American consumption of avocados has exploded in the last two decades but keeping up with demand is exacting a toll on the local environment—and on local communities—in the Mexican state where most of the avocados are grown. Guest: Alex Sammon, politics writer at Slate. Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show p...
Jul 31, 2024•29 min
How physical and emotional abuse from coaches still persists in American gymnastics. Guest: Molly Henseley Clancy, sports writer for the Washington Post. Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, P...
Jul 30, 2024•30 min
Calling Kamala Harris a “DEI hire” is both sexist and racist, and despite the GOP leadership’s pleading, it has quickly emerged as a favored line of attack from the right. Guest: Dr. Brittney Cooper, professor of gender studies and Africana studies at Rutgers University Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show p...
Jul 29, 2024•30 min
How France changed its own laws to have the safest, most pervasively surveilled Olympics ever—and why some are worried the new security system will stay in place long after the games end. Guests: Anne Toomey McKenna, professor, author, and expert in electronic surveillance. Henry Grabar, covering the Olympics in Paris for Slate. Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple...
Jul 28, 2024•32 min
For years, Silicon Valley has felt like a liberal enclave.. This election, a handful of powerful voices like Elon Musk and Peter Thiel are expressing support for the Trump-Vance ticket. Is this a shift in ideologies in Silicon Valley, or just a few of the loudest voices? Guest: Nitish Pahwa, associate writer for business and tech at Slate. Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe tod...
Jul 26, 2024•27 min
Before announcing his exit, Joe Biden expressed interest in reforming the Supreme Court. But, in the spirit of re-balancing the three branches of government, isn’t that a job for Congress? Guest: Stephen Vladeck, professor at the Georgetown University Law Center and an expert on the federal courts and constitutional law. Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podc...
Jul 25, 2024•28 min
Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned after the catastrophic security breakdown during a Trump rally in Butler, Penn. But the assassination attempt was only the latest Secret Service disaster, and the agency’s problems won’t be solved by a simple change in leadership. Guest: Abdallah Fayyad, policy correspondent at Vox. Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on...
Jul 24, 2024•27 min
And just like that, it’s (almost definitely) Kamala. Her rise has fueled a whole species of internet memes—but the questions about her platform are serious. Guest: Scaachi Koul, Slate senior writer Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you lis...
Jul 23, 2024•31 min
Just over three weeks ago, Joe Biden was heading to the stage to debate Donald Trump. Now, he’s out. Guest: David Faris, Slate contributor, associate professor of political science at Roosevelt University and author of It’s Time to Fight Dirty: How Democrats Can Build a Lasting Majority in American Politics. Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by click...
Jul 22, 2024•31 min
In the hours after the assassination attempt on Donald Trump, conspiracy theories started circulating all over social media, often amplified by powerful voices on both sides of the aisle. It shows a complete breakdown of trust in institutions during a critical election. Guest: Drew Harwell, technology reporter at the Washington Post. Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on ...
Jul 21, 2024•27 min
The biggest companies in the world are now tech companies, which is why the biggest antitrust, anti-monopoly fights in recent memory are centered around Silicon Valley. Guest: Jonathan Kanter, Assistant Attorney General, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. S...
Jul 19, 2024•36 min
With the presidential ticket set and the platform announced, the GOP of 2024 isn’t defined by fiscal conservatism and fighting to end abortion—although those issues are holding on, further down on the list. So what are Republicans fighting for now? Guest: Paul Farrow, county executive for Waukesha County, delegate at the RNC, former chair of the Wisconsin GOP. Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate...
Jul 18, 2024•33 min
A perennial presidential battleground state, Wisconsin became a warning—or blueprint—for how one party can subvert democracy and keep power without winning more votes. Does the Badger State hold any lessons about how to walk back a gerrymandered, minority rule? Guest: Ari Berman, Mother Jones’ national voting rights correspondent and author of “Minority Rule: The Right-Wing Attack on the Will of the People―and the Fight to Resist It.” Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-fre...
Jul 17, 2024•34 min
J.D. Vance, the Yale Law School graduate once hailed by the media as a white working class-whisperer, has been selected as Donald Trump’s running mate. But not too long ago, he was one of the former president’s critics. The former-Marine and San Francisco venture capitalist won over Trump with the hardline, America-first policies he championed in the Senate—and some serious groveling. Guest: Jim Newell, Slate’s senior politics writer Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free...
Jul 16, 2024•28 min
Former president Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt Saturday during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. While the gunman has been identified, law enforcement have not offered a potential motivation for the attack. The incident comes at a time of heightened political violence, when more Americans think such acts are justifiable. Guests: Isaac Arnsdorf, national political reporter for The Washington Post, and David Graham, staff writer at The Atlantic. Want more What Next? Subscribe to S...
Jul 15, 2024•33 min
