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As the appetite for artificial intelligence rises, so does the need for power-hungry data centers. While residents who live near them complain of the noise and pollution, data suggests they could spike utility bills far and wide. We hear from an electricity law expert on why regulators are thinking of reforms – but will it be too late?  Guest: Elizabeth Martorana & Ari Peksoe, Director, Harvard La...

President Donald Trump’s move to deploy National Guard troops to Portland and Chicago has been met with outrage from locals and pushback from judges. We hear what’s really happening on the ground in Chicago and why community leaders say the ingredients for dangerous escalation are already in place. Guests: Rev. Dr. Michael Woolf, Senior Minister, Lake Street Church of Evanston & Omar Jimenez, CNN...

The announcement that Puerto Rican rapper and singer Bad Bunny will headline the Super Bowl halftime show in February has angered some right-wing voices due to his LGTBQ advocacy and criticism of the Trump administration’s immigration policies. It comes amid another SNL appearance and an upcoming world tour that will skip the continental US. We explore why he is so beloved in Puerto Rico and how t...

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth summoned US generals and admirals from around the world for an extraordinary meeting in Virginia on Tuesday, where he railed against ‘woke’ policies and stressed the need for stricter physical fitness standards. But what kind of ‘warriors’ does he actually want in uniform? Guest: Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton, US Army (Ret.)  ---  Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  S...

The Trump administration’s surprise announcement that it will boost H-1B visa application fees to $100,000 has caused widespread fear and confusion among foreign workers. The proposed changes are also sparking concerns for American businesses that won’t be able to foot the bill. Is American innovation at risk? Guest: Aizada Marat, Alma CEO ---  Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Showrunner:...

Major medical groups are speaking out against claims made by President Donald Trump linking Tylenol use to autism. So where should pregnant people and parents of autistic children turn for guidance? We hear why a search for answers could lead vulnerable parents to blame themselves.  Guests: Meg Tirrell, CNN Medical Correspondent & Shannon Rosa, senior editor of Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism --...

Disney’s decision to yank ABC host Jimmy Kimmel off the air following FCC pressure has outraged fans, performers and Democratic politicians. Will other prominent anti-Trump voices be next? We hear from someone who used to be in charge of the FCC who says the regulator is going overboard.  Guest: Tom Wheeler, former FCC Chairman  ---  Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Showrunner: Felicia Pat...

In the days since the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, FBI Director Kash Patel has been scrutinized for a series of missteps some believe hindered the investigation. However, experts say a series of other shakeups at the agency could have an even greater impact on US law enforcement going forward. Will President Trump stick with him? Guest: Evan Perez, CNN Senior Justice Correspondent...

The apparent assassination of Charlie Kirk has both sides of the aisle calling on Americans to ‘lower the temperature’ of political rhetoric. But we’ve been here before – is there actually any chance that happens? We hear why Kirk was so effective in motivating young conservatives and look at what could happen next.  Guest: Alex Stone & Lilliana Mason, SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins Professo...

A massive immigration enforcement operation at a Hyundai manufacturing plant in Georgia is being described as one of the most extensive immigration raids in recent US history. But the incident has ensnared South Korea, a key US ally, which is learning a lesson that doing business with the Trump administration is much more complicated than expanding investment. Guests: Charles Kuck, founding partne...

As President Donald Trump threatens to send National Guard troops into other cities to fight crime, troops from at least six GOP-led states continue to patrol Washington, DC. We hear why the unorthodox mission is weighing on some guard members and their families back home.  Guest: Isabelle Khurshudyan, CNN Senior Enterprise Reporter/Writer  ---  Host: David Rind  Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin  Edit...

What’s next for the CDC after its director was fired? Have politics fully infiltrated public health? And where should Americans turn for reliable health guidance? We turn to someone who used to run the agency for answers. Guest: Dr. Richard Besser, former acting CDC director Have something you think we should know? Call us at 202-240-2895.  ---  Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Showrunner:...

20 years after the levees broke, New Orleans continues to feel the impacts from Hurricane Katrina. We hear from three generations of Katrina survivors about how music has helped the city recover and move forward.  Guests: Michael White, Keith Frazier, Jaron “Bear” Williams  ---  Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastcho...

President Donald Trump continues to insist that his aggressive tariff policies will not raise prices for consumers. But little by little, customers are starting to see the opposite. We hear about the phenomenon called ‘sneakflation’ (and why it may not actually be so sneaky) and how Trump’s attempt to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook could impact the entire economy. Guest: Justin Wolfers, U...

Critics say President Donald Trump’s attacks on the Smithsonian museum system amount to an attempt to whitewash American history. A historian tells us why the administration's claims about ‘overemphasizing’ slavery do a disservice to all Americans. Guest: Leah Wright Rigueur, political historian & associate professor, Johns Hopkins University ---  Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Senior Pr...

Recent incidents involving aggressive ICE tactics have outraged critics of President Donald Trump’s deportation agenda. We hear from a former ICE official about whether its reputation as a lawless agency is warranted – and what it could mean for future recruiting efforts.  Guest: John Sandweg, former acting ICE director Have a question about the news? Have a story you think we should cover? Call u...

As President Donald Trump’s takeover of Washington, DC law enforcement continues, some critics are questioning just how much safer it will make the streets – and whether the tactics will soon be replicated in other cities. We hear from an expert who believes there may be other motivations behind Trump’s unprecedented actions in the capital.  Guest: Trevor Gardner, Professor of Law, Washington Univ...

President Donald Trump is set to meet Russian president Vladimir Putin on Friday in Alaska for a high-stakes meeting about the war in Ukraine. But will the country Russia invaded have any say into how it ends? A Russia expert explains how Putin’s time in the KGB has prepared him for this moment and why he will likely consider the meeting a success before it even begins.  Guest: Jill Dougherty, for...

As schools start to reopen across the country, new CDC data shows that a record share of US kindergartners missed required vaccinations last school year. It comes as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. continues to downplay vaccine efficacy and slash funding for research and development. We hear from a county health administrator in Texas who is concerned an ongoing measles o...

President Donald Trump’s firing of the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics has some economic experts on edge just as new tariffs are about to take effect. We examine how Trump’s attempts to control official narratives are out of an authoritarian playbook and look at its potential impact on all Americans.  Guest: Phil Mattingly, CNN Chief Domestic Correspondent & Anchor  Have a question...

Climate scientists are sounding the alarm after the Trump administration proposed to repeal a landmark finding that human-caused climate change endangers human health and safety, which has been the basis for several federal rules limiting greenhouse gas pollution. We hear from a former EPA administrator who is worried the move could end up empowering bad actors in the business world.  Guest: Chris...

Israel has taken some steps to relax restrictions on aid into Gaza in recent days amid a steady stream of horrific images of starving and emaciated Palestinians emerging from the besieged enclave. We hear from the leader of one aid group who believes much more needs to be done – and why only one man can help make it happen. Guest: Arwa Damon, president/founder of International Network for Aid, Rel...

Former Texas governor and US Energy Secretary Rick Perry is not someone you’d think would be advocating for controversial psychedelic therapies to treat mental illness and PTSD. Yet he is one of a growing number of prominent Republican voices stepping forward to push for more research. In part two of our series, we trace why the politics of psychedelics have shifted over the decades, and whether H...

While President Donald Trump seems eager to move on from convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the loudest MAGA voices don’t seem to be. But will the backlash actually hurt Trump’s presidency? We dig into just how much anger there actually is amongst Republicans and why there is a growing bipartisan push for transparency in Congress.  Guest: Aaron Blake, CNN Senior Reporter Have a question about...

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other Trump officials seem open to embracing psychedelics as treatment for serious conditions trauma, depression and drug addiction. The shift has excited advocates, but some experts worry the hype could be getting ahead of science and safety. In part one of a two-part series, we hear from someone who says a powerful hallucinogen helped kick her drug habit....