Post Reports

There was little suspense after polls closed yesterday. Democrat Mikie Sherrill won the governor’s office in New Jersey, Abigail Spanberger easily defeated Republican Winsome Earle-Sears for the same office in Virginia, and Californians voted to redraw congressional maps to give Democrats an edge in next year’s midterm elections. In New York City, Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani was elected th...

These days, just about any food you could possibly imagine now has “added” protein. There’s protein popcorn, protein muffins and even protein water. But where did this obsession with protein begin? And how much should we really be eating on a daily basis? Host Colby Itkowitz speaks with Washington Post health columnist Anahad O’Connor about this latest nutrition craze and best practices for eating...

An estimated 42 million Americans use the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP – also known as food stamps – to feed themselves and their families. The program ran out of funding over the weekend amid the government shutdown.  While the Trump administration agreed to release enough funds to pay for half of November's SNAP benefits, many SNAP users are worried about what the rest...

On this weekend’s edition of The Optimist, reporter and self-proclaimed cynic Kyle Melnick goes on a journey with a dog. We’ll talk about what he learns, and the science of how dogs make us calmer, happier – and maybe even more trusting. If you want more optimistic content on the weekends, let us know at podcasts@washpost.com and maggie.penman@washpost.com – and check out our newsletter . Today’s...

President Donald Trump spent several days this week in Asia, dining with world leaders and hammering out the details of trade agreements. The visit culminated with a face-to-face meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. While both sides agreed to back off of their most aggressive trade positions, the visit was overshadowed by Trump’s directive that the United States would resume nuclear weapons tes...

Since we launched “Post Reports” almost seven years ago, our production team has had an inside joke every time we reach this time of year. We start calling the show “Ghost Reports,” in honor of Halloween. We look for the spookiest and most thematic stories happening around our newsroom.  Today, we’re bringing you just such an episode. It’s a personal ghost story from Washington Post reporter...

Casey Means faces lawmakers on Thursday, as they vet her nomination for the nation’s top medical post: the U.S. surgeon general. Means has been a prominent critic of the medical establishment. She could soon be put in a position to change it . Means, 38, resigned from her final year of medical residency to become a health products entrepreneur, a popular online personality with a best-selling book...

As consumers are doing more shopping online, and as President Donald Trump’s tariffs have been driving the price of goods up, many toy and mall brands have been struggling. But Build-a-Bear Workshop is thriving – the company’s stock has grown by nearly 1,200% over the past five years, outpacing growth by tech giants like Microsoft and Apple.  Host Elahe Izadi speaks with retail reporter Jacki...

Former presidents usually leave the big political battles to their successors. Up until this year, that was largely the case for former president Barack Obama. In his retirement from politics, he founded an award-winning production company, wrote a memoir, and worked to cultivate new political leaders through the Obama Foundation.  But a second Trump presidency has tested Obama and put him ba...

Today on “Post Reports,” Optimist reporter Maggie Penman shares the new science of aging, and a hopeful research finding that getting stronger and healthier in old age is possible for many of us – even after a health setback.  If you want to hear more stories like this, please let us know. You can reach the whole team at podcasts@washpost.com or email Maggie at maggie.penman@washpost.com . To...

This week, construction crews knocked down the East Wing of the White House to make way for the construction of a 90,000-square-foot ballroom. This demolition surprised many in D.C., as President Donald Trump had previously said his proposed addition would not significantly alter the existing structure. Host Colby Itkowitz speaks with White House reporter Dan Diamond and Dan Merica, the co-anchor...

One of the hottest events in San Francisco over the past couple of months was a lecture series by tech billionaire Peter Thiel – in which he preached about those he thinks are “legionnaires of the Antichrist.” Thiel has shared his Christian viewpoints publicly and is a longtime supporter of conservative politicians. But in these talks, he asserts that those who are pro-regulation are also against...

Can the Oklahoma City Thunder defend its championship? How will all the player injuries affect the dynamics in the Eastern Conference? And if fewer people are watching the games … how does the NBA grow?  “Post Reports” tackles the important questions at the heart of this year’s NBA season, which began Tuesday.  And we’re bringing in the experts: The Sports Moment writer Ava Wallace joins...

On Sunday,  the Louvre museum in Paris was burgled in broad daylight. Thieves in disguises entered through the windows and used a glass cutter to access thousands of precious diamonds and gems. The thieves are still at large. Across France, authorities and citizens alike are both outraged and captivated by the robbery. The incident has ignited questions about security and accountability at th...

Since September, the United States has taken credit for at least seven attacks against boats in the Caribbean, killing dozens of people. The Trump administration claims they were carrying deadly drugs into the U.S. from Venezuela and could be treated as though they’re enemy troops.  Officials, however, have not publicly disclosed any evidence to verify President Donald Trump's claims. Then la...

Are you happy? How would you answer that question if a stranger with a camera asked? Five years ago, filmmaker Atdhe Trepca quit his job and drove across the country with a camera, asking hundreds of people that question. His videos reach millions on TikTok and Instagram, and now he’s made a documentary. Today, Optimist reporter Maggie Penman shares what Trepca has learned – and the research that...

As the federal government shutdown stretches on, Republicans and Democrats are still far apart on a path to reopening. One major sticking point is the Democrats’ demand to include renewed health care subsidies for ACA marketplace enrollees as a part of any vote to end the shutdown. Host Colby Itkowitz sits with Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia) to ask about how Republicans view that dema...

For over a quarter-century, Tom Sietsema has eaten at and reviewed thousands of restaurants. Now, he’s hanging up his fork and knife. Today, we dip into our archives and bring you a delightful night out at a restaurant with The Post’s longtime beloved food critic. He talks about his love for the theater of dining out, and why he cares so much about guiding readers toward truly delicious food. Toda...

As the federal government shutdown stretches into its third week, its effects are starting to ripple across the country. National parks are closed, flights are delayed, and this week, some federal workers will miss their first paychecks.  For some of those workers, things are even more stressful: President Donald Trump is making good on his threat to use the shutdown to shutter government pro...

A crop of Silicon Valley startups offers the hope of eradicating disease by testing embryos for genetic abnormalities and the potential for future illness. But those tests come with a high price tag and ethical questions about the use of predictive technology to decide who gets born – or not. Host Elahe Ezadi speaks with Silicon Valley correspondent Elizabeth Dwoskin about the cutting-edge science...

On Monday, Israelis celebrated the return of all 20 living hostages still held by Hamas. Palestinians welcomed back hundreds of prisoners and detainees held in Israel. For the first time in months, humanitarian aid began to surge into war-torn Gaza. The swap was part of the first phase of a ceasefire agreement that President Donald Trump brokered between Israel and Hamas – a step he touted as the...

The municipal animal shelter in Huntington, West Virginia, was euthanizing 50 to 75 percent of the animals that came in because they didn’t have the funding or space to care for them. Enter Courtney Proctor Cross. She was named director of the shelter in August 2018, and through hard work and fundraising she transformed the shelter into a place of hope.  This episode was produced by Ted Muldo...

The Senate remains far apart on resolving the ongoing government shutdown. But the battle for public opinion on who’s to blame has shifted. Republicans appear split on whether to negotiate on health-care costs, as Democrats are demanding. And polling shows voters blame the GOP just as much as Democrats, if not more, for failing to fund the government. Plus, what Attorney General Pam Bondi’s combat...

Puerto Rican music superstar Bad Bunny is having a phenomenal year. His seventh album, “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” came out in January and spent weeks at the top of the charts. He sold out a musical residency in Puerto Rico. And now, he’s set to headline one of the biggest stages for a musical artist: the Super Bowl halftime show. But that performance has ignited a political firestorm on the right. MA...

Tensions have been escalating in Chicago since the Trump administration began a widespread immigration enforcement operation across the city in early September. Officers have ransacked homes and detained children during raids. Local and state officials have loudly denounced the move and are pushing back against the effort, while residents have banded together to keep neighbors safe. But over the w...