Today, Explained

Trump's been cutting trade deals left and right, saying they're the key to unlocking an era of economic prosperity. New data does not back him up. This episode was produced by Rebeca Ibarra, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/m...

PragerU’s AI slop is the Trump administration’s new favorite educational resource for a revisionist history. This episode was produced by Gabrielle Berbey, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Denise Guerra and Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcr...

The US is well behind much of the world in building passenger rail, especially high-speed trains. But we do have one major advantage. This episode was produced by Devan Schwartz, edited by Naureen Khan, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Patrick Boyd with help from Andrea Kristinsdottir and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. Photo by Robert Alexander/Getty Images.  If you have a question, give u...

A return to orality is frying our politics and our brains. This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by Jolie Myers and Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Denise Guerra, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. A caveman...

Emil Bove, the president's former lawyer, was just confirmed to the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. The only place to go from there is the Supreme Court — not that the president needs any help there. This episode was produced by Denise Guerra and Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Avishay Artsy and Gabrielle Berbey, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdott...

In a first-of-its-kind decision, an AI company wins a copyright infringement lawsuit brought by authors. It's part of a larger fight that is remaking the internet. This episode was made in partnership with Vox’s ⁠Future Perfect⁠ team. It was produced by Gabrielle Berbey, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Rebeca Ibarra, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Sean...

Israel says it will allow more food aid to reach starving Palestinians, but it’s going to be tough if the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation remains in the mix. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Jolie Myers, fact checked by Rebeca Ibarra and Amina Al-Sadi, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becomi...

The Epstein scandal won't go away, but that won't stop President Donald Trump from trying to pivot to "Russia Russia Russia." This episode was produced by Rebeca Ibarra, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Hady Mawajdeh and Denise Guerra, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/me...

From raising the tipped minimum wage to "no tax on tips," we look at the challenges of remaking tipped work. This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Patrick Boyd and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. Photo by Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images.  If you have a question, give us a call on 1-800-618-...

Everyone from Love Island’s Huda to Hunter Biden is screaming, crying, or throwing up for the cameras. The big emotions are real, but so are the downsides of having them in public. This episode was produced by Rebeca Ibarra and Devan Schwartz, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Miles Bryan, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Noel King. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by be...

President Trump wants to ramp up denaturalization — revoking citizenship from Americans who were born elsewhere. It’s a practice with a long and controversial history. This episode was produced by Denise Guerra, edited by Jolie Myers, fact checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a...

Over the last two years, crime rates have been plunging in cities across America. In Baltimore, gun crime is at the lowest it’s been in decades. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Jolie Myers, fact checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/membe...

From Stephen Colbert to Rupert Murdoch, powerful media figures are in President Trump’s crosshairs. And in many cases, Trump is getting his way. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Jolie Myers, fact checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/toda...

The Trump administration is dismantling — or quite literally burning up — both domestic and international food aid programs. The actions will likely usher in a new era of hunger. This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen and Gabrielle Berbey, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free...

Summer. Time for pools, BBQs, and the beach read. But why do we read "summer books"? This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Matthew Billy, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images.  Further Reading: Bad Witches by H.B. Akumiah and Constance Grady's newsletter from Vox. Further listeni...

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a bunch of pundits acting like Superman was ever anything but an immigrant and a humanitarian. This episode was produced by Rebeca Ibarra, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explaine...

Yes in My Backyard-ers are celebrating reforms to California's landmark environmental laws, which they say will bring much-needed housing. Nationwide, the revolution might finally be here. This episode was made in collaboration with Vox’s Future Perfect. It was produced by Devan Schwartz, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and hosted by Sean Ramesw...

You probably shouldn't expect to see the Epstein Files anytime soon. That's because the Department of Justice belongs to President Trump. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh and Denise Guerra, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Matthew Billy, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox....

Curtis Yarvin began as an anonymous blogger arguing esoteric ideas about how America would be better off as a monarchy. He’s now the Trump administration’s favorite philosopher. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Jolie Myers, fact checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Further reading: Curtis Yarvin's plot against America; Liberalism's enemi...

Elon Musk says he wants to launch a new political party. Voters consistently say they want more choices. But history is littered with failed third-party candidates. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy and Rebeca Ibarra, edited by Jolie Myers, fact checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Matthew Billy, and hosted by Noel King. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a...

More and more of us are interacting with chatbots. Can we have real relationships with AI, and can AI teach humans to be better people? This episode is a collaboration with Vox's Future Perfect team. It was produced by Denise Guerra, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Kim Slotterback, engineered by Patrick Boyd and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill.  Photo by Frank Rumpenhorst/picture alliance via...

We're revisiting an episode from earlier this year about how we were mostly able to get the acid rain problem under control...only to find ourselves with a plastic rain problem. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Victoria Chamberlin, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Listen to Today, Explained ad-fre...

The Trump administration is not happy with their deportation numbers. They're turning to more extreme strategies to hit 1 million by year's end. This episode was produced by Gabrielle Berbey, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Noel King. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/me...

After pressing pause on the steepest tariffs, the Trump Administration promised 90 tariff deals in 90 days. That deadline is nearly here but the deals are not. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Jolie Myers, fact checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox....

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told President Donald Trump he has nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize for his Middle East efforts. We hear what he's done to deserve it. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy and Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and Gabrielle Berbey, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noe...