Post Reports

Demonstrators turned out in Los Angeles to oppose ICE raids. Trump called in the National Guard. Read more: Over the weekend, President Donald Trump ordered 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles to intervene in protests over federal immigration sweeps. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) called the move “unconstitutional” and on Monday sued the administration. “Let me be clear: There is no invas...

When President Donald Trump took office in January, 2.4 million people worked for the federal government. It was America’s largest employer.  Four months later, Trump — and Elon Musk’s U.S. DOGE Service — have hacked off chunks of government in the name of efficiency, with tactics rarely seen in public or private industry: Some federal workers have found themselves fired, rehired, then let go...

As the government has built its case against Sean “Diddy” Combs over the past few weeks, they have called witnesses to build out the story around an incident that many are familiar with –  the violent 2016 encounter at the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles. A video of it was first released by CNN last year, and depicts Combs dragging and kicking his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in a hot...

Today on the podcast, host Colby Itkowitz speaks with two veteran political reporters: co-anchor of the Early Brief newsletter Dan Merica and national breaking news reporter Patrick Svitek.  They talk about the public split between Elon Musk and President Donald Trump – and other news out of the White House, including a new travel ban. Plus, Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst doubles down on a flippant com...

This year’s NBA Finals will see the Oklahoma City Thunder take on the Indiana Pacers. The Thunder are led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, a trio of up-and-coming stars. Meanwhile the Pacers and Tyrese Haliburton feature a potent offense and a deep bench. Both teams have rabid fan bases, craving an end to a championship drought.  Guest host Ava Wallace is joined b...

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the earliest official D.C. Pride event. D.C. is also hosting WorldPride, one of the largest international celebrations of LGBTQ+ communities in the world. But some LGBTQ+ people say it doesn't feel like a time for celebration. Amid mounting political and cultural attacks, a rise in hate crimes and slashing of health care, some fear the rollback of hard-won r...

On the eve of negotiations in Istanbul between Russia and Ukraine, the Ukrainian military struck targets hundreds of miles inside Russian territory. Small drones, smuggled into Russia over many months, carried out the attacks. This show of force – one of the biggest Ukrainian attacks since the war started three years ago – boosted morale within Ukraine. But the path to a ceasefire remains murky. H...

Today we’re going to listen to a conversation between our colleague Lizza Dwoskin and her friend Aisha Bowe, an aerospace engineer who was on the all-female Blue Origin flight that went to space in April. It’s about navigating what happens when a dream comes true — and then sparks public outrage. Blue Origin, the space company, is owned by Jeff Bezos. He also owns The Washington Post and is the co...

The government is about halfway through calling its witnesses in the racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking case against music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs. This week, Style reporter Anne Branigin gives an update on the big takeaways from the trial this week, including testimony from several of Combs’s former employees who claim he assaulted them . Combs has pleaded not guilty and has denied wron...

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s skepticism of vaccines and mainstream medicine is making waves in the agency he oversees.  Host Colby Itkowitz talks with The Post’s national health reporter Lena Sun and health and science accountability reporter Lauren Weber about how Kennedy’s recent vaccine announcement and his “Make America Healthy Again” movement are shaping health policy for all Americans. ...

Last week, the Department of Homeland Security issued an order barring Harvard from enrolling foreign students , claiming that Harvard had created an unsafe environment by allowing “anti-American, pro-terrorist agitators” to assault students on campus. The order said that students enrolled at Harvard must transfer schools or lose their legal status. A federal judge has blocked the effort for now ,...

Arizona, New Hampshire, Louisiana and Wyoming have all passed laws requiring voters to prove they are citizens. Texas has been considering one. But critics are raising alarm bells that such laws could make it harder for eligible citizens to vote – in particular, women who have changed their names after marriage or divorce. Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Maggie Penman...

Summer is the perfect time to dive into a new book, and the Post’s Book World section has compiled recommendations for every type of reader.  Today, Book World editors Jacob Brogan and John Williams talk to host Elahe Izadi about the new releases and old titles they suggest digging into this summer.  Here’s the list of books mentioned in today’s episode:  “ The Death and Life of Aug...

George Floyd’s murder sparked massive protests for racial justice around the country. There were calls for police reforms, reparations and closing the racial wealth gap. But five years later, it seems like the pendulum has swung back the other way. President Donald Trump is dismantling diversity and inclusion initiatives. And just this week, the Justice Department announced it was abandoning effor...

Federal prosecutors called a slew of witnesses this week to bolster their racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking case against Sean “Diddy” Combs. Many of them corroborated incidents that Combs’s ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura described in her testimony last week – but others added details that pushed against her narrative that he was controlling and coerced her into sex acts. And musician Kid C...

President Donald Trump has had a busy week. The House passed a legislative package containing much of his agenda early Thursday morning after Trump met with factions of the House GOP earlier this week. Congressional reporter Marianna Sotomayor walks through how overnight negotiations led to the bill’s passage. And Colby Itkowitz talks with The Post’s White House bureau chief Matt Viser and White H...

House Republicans are trying to push President Donald Trump’s massive tax and immigration bill across the finish line this week, hoping to conquer internal divisions and tee up a vote that would send the bill to the Senate. One of the areas targeted for major cuts is Medicaid, which insures more than 80 million people in the United States. To root out what they say is waste, fraud and abuse in the...

Just days before his inauguration, President Donald Trump launched his own meme coin, a novelty cryptocurrency. Since then, the Trump Organization has made millions of dollars off its sale and has invited the top investors to a private dinner, set to happen later this week. Technology reporter Drew Harwell talks to Post Reports co-host Colby Itkowitz about how Trump got involved in cryptocurrency...

Before she decided to sue the Trump administration, Emily Ley’s image wasn’t political. She makes high-end planners and has a new cookbook with easy recipes for busy parents. But she manufactures her planners in China and says Trump’s tariffs make her business model untenable.  “One minute I was talking about how to make an easy pot roast, and the next minute we’re talking about an internatio...

The world can seem like a really scary place right now. Many of us look around and see wars, climate change, economic uncertainty and a lot of overwhelming things we can’t control. So today we’re going to share a conversation about fear. Elahe Izadi spoke to Tara Brach, a therapist with a PhD in clinical psychology who has also spent years studying Buddhism and mindfulness. She teaches meditation,...

The first week of testimony in the trial of music producer Sean “Diddy” Combs began with several witnesses , including the highly anticipated Casandra “Cassie” Ventura. Ventura is a central witness in the government’s case against Combs – she filed a civil lawsuit against him detailing allegations of violence and sex trafficking in 2023 that led to dozens of other lawsuits being filed.  Today...

There are plenty of ethical and security questions surrounding the Trump administration’s plan to accept a gift of an airplane from Qatar.  Senior political reporter Aaron Blake talks with White House reporters Cleve R. Wootson Jr. and Natalie Allison about the proposal, and what it says about Trump’s evolving foreign policy in the Middle East. Also, how the temporary trade deal between the U...

Norman Wong didn’t know his family’s history for most of his life. Now, the 75-year-old retired carpenter is fighting to save birthright citizenship and his great-grandfather’s legacy. His great-grandfather was Wong Kim Ark, a cook born to Chinese immigrants in San Francisco in 1870. After visiting family in China, Wong Kim Ark was denied reentry into the United States. The ensuing court battle ma...

The idea of a car that drives itself might feel futuristic. But for an increasing number of Americans, that future is already here. Waymo and other companies have announced plans to expand in cities across the U.S. And the Trump administration has signaled that it wants to pave the way for autonomous vehicle companies to expand. Last month, it loosened rules around driverless cars. Martine Powers...

Following direct talks between the U.S. and Hamas officials, Edan Alexander was freed Monday after more than 19 months in captivity in Gaza. He is the last living U.S. hostage in Gaza.  The Israel-Hamas conflict has already exacted a devastating toll. More than 52,000 people in Gaza have died, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Fifty-eight people who were seized by Hamas remain in Gaza, 2...