Has interim D.C. U.S. Attorney Ed Martin violated lawyer ethics rules? And could the allegations against Martin impact his chances of Senate confirmation for the permanent role? In an excerpt from the Insider podcast, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance break down the allegations against Martin in Senate Democrats’ misconduct complaint submitted to the D.C. Bar. In the full episode, Preet and Joyce discuss: – How President Trump’s comments about Elon Musk’s role at DOGE might impact lawsuits challengi...
Mar 11, 2025•11 min•Transcript available on Metacast American democracy has never been a given—it has been tested, strained, and at times, nearly broken. Some of the greatest threats have come not from foreign adversaries but from within—from presidents who sought to expand their power beyond constitutional limits. In his new book, The Presidents and the People: Five Leaders Who Threatened Democracy and the Citizens Who Fought to Defend It, political theorist and constitutional scholar Corey Brettschneider explores these moments of crisis and resi...
Mar 10, 2025•1 hr•Transcript available on Metacast President Trump just delivered the longest address to Congress in recent history. What did we learn? Preet is joined by Yale history professor Joanne Freeman, columnist Frank Bruni, and political commentator Jonah Goldberg to discuss the actual state of our union. Plus, what exactly is the “unitary executive theory”? You can now watch this episode! Head to CAFE’s Youtube channel and subscribe. Show notes and a transcript of the episode are available on our website. Have a question for Preet? Ask...
Mar 06, 2025•1 hr 18 min•Transcript available on Metacast In an excerpt from the CAFE Insider podcast, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance break down the legal challenges to DOGE’s controversial initiatives. Should DOGE’s actions be suspended while litigation continues? And how have federal judges questioned Elon Musk’s official role in DOGE? In the full episode, Preet and Joyce discuss: – The resignation of New York’s top FBI official after he resisted President Trump’s effort to purge his office; – DOJ’s pushback against the interim D.C. U.S. Attorney’s re...
Mar 05, 2025•8 min•Transcript available on Metacast Did the Supreme Court lay the legal foundation for mass incarceration? CAFE Contributor & NYU criminal law professor Rachel Barkow joins Preet to discuss this very question which she explores in her new book, Justice Abandoned: How the Supreme Court Ignored the Constitution and Enabled Mass Incarceration. You can now watch portions of our episodes on YouTube! Head to CAFE’s Youtube channel and subscribe. Stay Tuned in Brief is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Please write to ...
Mar 03, 2025•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast Mimi Rocah is the former District Attorney for Westchester County, and Preet’s former colleague at the Southern District of New York. She made national news when she announced her run for DA in 2019, and sent shockwaves through the legal community when she decided not to seek re-election last year. She joins Preet to discuss her remarkable choice to step away, the political circumstances surrounding her decision, and why DA-ships across the country may be structurally unsound. Then, Preet discus...
Feb 27, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Transcript available on Metacast In an excerpt from the CAFE Insider podcast, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance break down President Donald Trump’s controversial appointment of conservative podcaster and former Fox News host Dan Bongino as Deputy Director of the FBI. In the full episode, Preet and Joyce discuss: – Trump’s nomination of Ed Martin, a former defense lawyer for January 6 defendants, as D.C. U.S. Attorney; and – DOGE initiatives causing uncertainty and confusion among federal employees, including an email requesting inf...
Feb 25, 2025•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast Three years after the start of the Russia-Ukraine war and one month into Donald Trump’s presidency, tensions between the two countries are escalating once again. President Trump recently spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the state of the war, notably excluding Ukraine from the conversation. Host of MSNBC’s “The Saturday/Sunday Show” Jonathan Capehart and The New Yorker staff writer Susan Glasser join Preet to discuss. You can now watch portions of our episodes! Head to CAFE’s You...
Feb 24, 2025•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast Michael Sandel is a professor of political philosophy at Harvard University. He’s also the author of several publications, including his latest, Equality: What It Means and Why It Matters. Sandel joins Preet to discuss what human nature can tell us about our government, how higher education can foster free expression, and dealing with moral disagreements in our politics. You can now watch this episode! Head to CAFE’s Youtube channel and subscribe. Show notes and a transcript of the episode are a...
Feb 20, 2025•1 hr 21 min•Transcript available on Metacast Is the Trump Justice Department establishing a precedent that those who promote the administration’s agenda can evade criminal accountability? In an excerpt from the CAFE Insider podcast, Joyce Vance and CAFE Contributor Elie Honig, former SDNY Assistant U.S. Attorney, break down the alleged quid pro quo between the Trump administration and NYC Mayor Eric Adams. In a recent letter, former interim SDNY U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon accused acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove of seeking dism...
Feb 18, 2025•10 min•Transcript available on Metacast Does human nature push us towards democracy or autocracy? Renowned political scientist Francis Fukuyama, author of The End of History and The Last Man, joins Preet to discuss attacks on the civil service, the crisis of trust in America, and where history is now headed. Then, Preet answers questions about the iconic “Princess Bride,” his transition from the U.S. Attorneys Office to the Senate Judiciary Committee, and whether we’re in the midst of a constitutional crisis. You can now watch this ep...
Feb 13, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Transcript available on Metacast How are federal judges reining in President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency? In an excerpt from the CAFE Insider podcast, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance break down the legal challenges to DOGE’s initiatives. In the full episode, Preet and Joyce discuss: – The Trump White House policy loosening guidelines that limited communications with DOJ prosecutors about specific cases; and – The memos issued by Attorney General Pam Bondi outlining DOJ’s priorities, as set by President Donald Trum...
Feb 11, 2025•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast Being online seems worse than it used to. Can we solve that? Preet speaks with The Atlantic’s Charlie Warzel, who writes about technology, media, and politics. They discuss legacy media, MAGA-era disinformation, and how the internet helps us justify our own beliefs. You can now watch portions of this episode! Head to CAFE’s Youtube channel and subscribe. Stay Tuned in Brief is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Please write to us with your thoughts and questions at letters@cafe...
Feb 10, 2025•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast Reid Hoffman is the co-founder of LinkedIn and a leading voice in AI innovation. He’s out with a new book, Superagency: What Could Possibly Go Right with Our AI Future? Hoffman joins Preet to discuss how he thinks AI can help us be more human, why DeepSeek had Silicon Valley in a frenzy, and Hoffman’s latest venture: using AI to cure cancer. Plus, Preet breaks down why over a dozen FBI agents are suing the Trump administration, how to be a public servant in the Trump era, and why going to law sc...
Feb 06, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Transcript available on Metacast Is President Donald Trump asking FBI staff to prove their loyalty to him and not the Constitution? In an excerpt from the CAFE Insider podcast, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance break down Trump’s retaliation tactics against federal law enforcement officials for investigating and prosecuting crimes related to January 6. In the full episode, Preet and Joyce discuss Trump’s purge of DOJ prosecutors and FBI leadership. They also break down: – Trump’s attempt to downsize the federal workforce by offerin...
Feb 04, 2025•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast DEI, Colombia, deportations, Greenland, inflation — it doesn’t end. The Washington Post’s Catherine Rampell and The Atlantic’s Mark Leibovich join Preet to break down what’s actually happening two weeks into Trump’s second presidency. You can now watch portions of this episode! Head to CAFE’s Youtube channel and subscribe. Stay Tuned in Brief is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Please write to us with your thoughts and questions at letters@cafe.com, or leave a voicemail at 66...
Feb 03, 2025•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast Has academia lost its way? Professor and historian Niall Ferguson joins Preet to talk about the danger of ideological orthodoxy in universities, the state of free speech in America, and the rise of illiberalism. Plus, why he started his own school. Then, Preet answers questions about president Trump’s mental acuity, the staying power of Trump’s EOs, and how to battle hopelessness. You can now watch this episode! Head to CAFE’s Youtube channel and subscribe. Show notes and a transcript of the epi...
Jan 30, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Transcript available on Metacast Could DOJ bring criminal charges against state and local officials who refuse to enforce President Trump’s immigration policies? In an excerpt from the CAFE Insider podcast, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance break down a memo written by acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove directing DOJ attorneys to investigate, and potentially prosecute, officials in sanctuary cities. In the full episode, Preet and Joyce discuss: – President Donald Trump’s decision to fire more than a dozen inspectors general; ...
Jan 29, 2025•13 min•Transcript available on Metacast President Trump’s first week in office has come and gone. And what does he have to show for it? ABC News chief Washington correspondent, Jonathan Karl, and senior writer at The New York Times, David Leonhardt, join me to discuss immigration, the radical center, and the enduring power of public opinion. You can now watch portions of this episode! Head to CAFE’s Youtube channel and subscribe. Stay Tuned in Brief is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Please write to us with your t...
Jan 27, 2025•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast Donald Trump is back in the White House — and it’s off to a hot start. For a special inauguration week panel, Preet is joined by historian Heather Cox Richardson, NYT politics reporter Astead Herndon, and tech journalist Kara Swisher. They discuss fractures within the MAGA party, opportunities for Democratic revival, the return of oligarchy, and the possibility of a class revolution. You can now watch this episode! Head to CAFE’s Youtube channel and subscribe. Show notes and a transcript of the ...
Jan 23, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Transcript available on Metacast How is President Trump already using executive orders to advance his policy goals in his brief time in office? Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance discuss in an excerpt from the CAFE Insider podcast. In the full episode, Preet and Joyce discuss: – Trump’s executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship; – Trump’s pardons for all January 6 defendants and commutations for members of extremists groups convicted of seditious conspiracy; and – President Biden’s preemptive pardons granted to his fa...
Jan 22, 2025•12 min•Transcript available on Metacast It’s the day of Donald Trump’s second inauguration. There’s uncertainty and fear for some, and excitement and anticipation for others. Over the weekend, Preet joined Ryan Knutson on the Wall Street Journal’s podcast The Journal alongside Ben Shapiro, one of the leading voices in conservative media. The goal of the conversation was to have hosts from different sides of the political spectrum discuss how podcasts impact politics. Stay Tuned in Brief is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast N...
Jan 20, 2025•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast What are the biggest risks of the year? Political scientist Ian Bremmer joins Preet to discuss the failures of globalism, Trump’s consolidation of power, and the return to the law of the jungle. Plus, what to make of Trump’s grand ideas to acquire Greenland and the Panama Canal. Then, Preet answers questions about Judge Cannon, a potential Rudy Giuliani pardon, and special counsel David Weiss’s final report on Hunter Biden. For show notes and a transcript of the episode head to: https://cafe.com...
Jan 16, 2025•1 hr 17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Attorney General Merrick Garland has just released special counsel Jack Smith’s report on his investigation into January 6 and Donald Trump’s attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election. What did we learn? And why was it released now? Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance discuss in an excerpt from the CAFE Insider podcast. In the full episode, Preet and Joyce further discuss the report, including Smith’s notable cover letter, the evidence Smith outlines in the case against Trump, and Trump’s r...
Jan 14, 2025•10 min•Transcript available on Metacast Can we truly defeat terrorism or does the ideology always endure? Philip Mudd, a former CIA and FBI official, has spent his career working on counterterrorism efforts. He talks about the public perception of terrorism and the oversimplification of motives by the media, the distinction between eliminating a terror group’s leadership and combating its ideology, and extremism in the US military. Plus, how experts like him analyze attacks in real-time. Stay Tuned in Brief is presented by CAFE and th...
Jan 13, 2025•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast Why do so many see rioters as patriots? Has apathy become a bigger threat than violence? The lead investigator in the House Select Committee to investigate the January 6th attack on the Capitol, Tim Heaphy, joins Preet to discuss the evolving narrative around the insurrection, the push for pardons, and how distrust in government has eroded faith in public institutions. Heaphy is out with a new book, Harbingers: What January 6 and Charlottesville Reveal About Rising Threats to American Democracy,...
Jan 09, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Transcript available on Metacast Why did Judge Aileen Cannon prohibit the release of special counsel Jack Smith’s report about his investigations into President-elect Donald Trump? Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance break down Cannon’s order and Trump’s request for the report to not be made public. In the full episode, Preet and Joyce discuss: – Trump’s upcoming sentencing for his Manhattan conviction, and the judge’s recent order revealing he will not sentence Trump to prison time; – The terror attack in New Orleans, where a man dr...
Jan 07, 2025•10 min•Transcript available on Metacast President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to bring sweeping changes to immigration policy – mass deportations, revoking birthright citizenship and asylum protections, and more – and has suggested he will deploy the military to carry out his plans. Lee Gelernt, Deputy Director of the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project, litigated several high-profile immigration cases during the first Trump administration. Gelernt joins Joyce Vance to discuss the potential legal fallout when Trump retakes the White Hous...
Jan 06, 2025•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast The CAFE team is taking a break from our usual programming this week to share another show we think you might like. It’s a show called “The Gray Area,” hosted by Sean Illing, that explores issues across culture, technology, politics, and the world of ideas, all through a philosophical lens. In the episode we’re about to share, Sean Illing and his guest, historian Edward Watts, discuss how America today feels a lot like ancient Rome…right before its empire collapsed. We hope you enjoy their conve...
Dec 26, 2024•50 min•Transcript available on Metacast What does it take to be happy? Dr. Laurie Santos is the Chandrika and Ranjan Tandon Professor of Psychology and Head of Silliman College at Yale University, where she teaches “Psychology and the Good Life.” She’s also host of the podcast, “The Happiness Lab.” Dr. Santos joins Preet to discuss: The definition of happiness and how to maximize it The parenting paradox How job crafting can bring purpose to any career Self-care vs caring for others Practicing gratitude The health effects of lonelines...
Dec 19, 2024•1 hr 17 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
