Slate News

Having already taken over Paramount, David Ellison was vying to add Warner Bros. Discovery to his portfolio. Are his dad’s politics behind his drive to run Hollywood or is there something else going on? Guest: Reeves Widemann , features writer at New York Magazine. Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate...

The evidence is mounting that ICE is not only unbothered by moral boundaries, but immigration and customs enforcement agents acting on behalf of President Trump believe they are not constrained by constitutional red lines, either. According to a super-secret internal memo flagged in a whistleblower complaint this week, the Fourth Amendment simply doesn’t apply to ICE. That sense of impunity is als...

This week: World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos is all over the news. Felix Salmon , Elizabeth Spiers , and Emily Peck , explain the moments that made headlines and why Davos feels so much more relevant this year. Then, Trump promised to address the affordability crisis at Davos but failed to say much. The hosts discuss what he did say, and how the ongoing crisis is being addressed overa...

The administration’s justification for their actions in Minneapolis owe a lot to the right-wing influencers—and they seem happy to keep this vicious cycle rolling onto California next.  Guest: Will Sommer, journalist for the Bulwark . Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today...

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss whether Trump’s lust for Greenland will break the world (or indeed, whether it already has), what this week’s arguments at the Supreme Court suggest about the future of Fed independence, and how FBI sources say the Bureau is being turned into a weapon of the president. For this week’s Slate Plus bonus episode, Emily, John, and David...

Donald Trump isn’t one for clear policy objectives, but one of his top priorities, apparently, is making Greenland part of the United States–even at the expense of alienating our allies. Guest: Joshua Keating, senior correspondent at Vox covering foreign policy.  Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite...

In this member-exclusive episode, co-hosts Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern discuss the Supreme Court’s fact-free foray into Trump v. Cook , a case that economists warn could crater the economy. President Donald Trump spent the first weeks of his second stint in the White House firing a lot of people from government agencies. For the most part, the High Court’s conservative justices let it sl...

The Supreme Court heard arguments over state-level bans on trans athletes competing in public schools last week. Though it’s hard to imagine the conservative-majority court calling the bans “discriminatory,” trans athletes and allies have reason to hope for a narrow ruling, rather than an expansion of the existing laws. Guest: Kate Sosin, LGBTQ+ reporter for The 19th. Want more What Next? Subscrib...

While the What Next team takes the holiday, enjoy this episode from our colleagues at Care and Feeding, featuring a familiar voice. What Next will be back with a new episode tomorrow. On this episode: Lucy Lopez, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen have been trying to stay on top of the news…but they’re getting bogged down and worried about it impacting their kids. Luckily What Next host Mary Harris’...

In this Money Talks: Joe Salama, Chief Compliance Officer at Coinbase and anti-money laundering expert, joins Felix Salmon to give us a rundown on the current state of money laundering around the world. They’ll get into the ongoing battle between criminals and AML to stay one step ahead of the other, why money laundry is thriving in China right now, and how the rise of cryptocurrency factors into...

Attorney General Keith Ellison is one of the few top Minnesota officials not being investigated by the DOJ… yet. We ask him why, talk about charges for Jonathan Ross, and ask what it’ll take to get ICE out of Minneapolis.  Guest: Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your f...

Doctors are already using artificial intelligence to take notes while with patients—but are large language models ready to consult?  Guest: Brittany Trang , health tech reporter for Stat News. Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free”...

President Trump REALLY wants to invoke the Insurrection Act. He’s fallen hard for this 200-year-old law that would allow him to deploy active duty military to enforce civilian law on American streets. On this week’s Amicus podcast, co-host Mark Joseph Stern is joined by Professor Steve Vladeck , a nationally recognized expert on the Supreme Court, federal courts, national security law, and militar...

Emily Bazelon talks with author Curtis Sittenfeld about her short story collection, “ Show Don't Tel l.” They discuss the recurring themes of the book from troubled marriages and middle age to the passage of time, and characters who are navigating moments of racial privilege and prejudice.  Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by na...

This week: Polymarket teamed up with the Golden Globes, displaying a live ticker for betters on the broadcast. Felix Salmon , Elizabeth Spiers , and Emily Peck , discuss the rising popularity of prediction markets and the potential consequences of having real world events–from award shows to geopolitical actions–be the basis for gambling payouts. Then, the Trump administration began an investigati...

She just wanted to report on an ICE recruiting session. She didn’t expect to get a job offer. Guest: Laura Jedeed , journalist who wrote “ You’ve Heard About Who ICE Is Recruiting. The Truth Is Far Worse. I’m the Proof ” for Slate. This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock exclusive episodes of What Next —you’ll also acces...

Where do you turn for vaccination advice for your kids—or yourself—when the government’s own recommendations can’t be trusted anymore? Guest: Dr. Lauren Hughes, board-certified pediatrician, science communicator, and author of “ The Public Hughesletter .” Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts....

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss why Trump is stepping up his attacks on Fed Chair Powell and how it could backfire, the increasingly inflammatory actions of ICE and the slim likelihood of justice for Renee Good in Minneapolis, and the Trump administration’s unsettling efforts to sow doubt about election integrity ahead of the midterms. For this week’s Slate Plus b...

The Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire went viral for telling clergy to have their affairs in order as they prepare to defend the most vulnerable, at a prayer vigil for Renee Good. He says, “I’ve said nothing new that I have not said in 35 years of ordained ministry.” Guest: Bishop A. Robert Hirschfeld ,10th Bishop in the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire serving since August 2012. Want more What N...

Rep. Adam Smith is the ranking member of the House committee that’s supposed to have oversight on the Department of Defense—yes, that’s what he still calls it. But from strikes on Venezuela to ICE surges in Minneapolis, “oversight” isn’t a key function of Congress these days. Guest:  Rep. Adam Smith, ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, representative from Washington’s Ninth...

Midterm elections are typically bad for the president’s party. Given how Trump’s second term is going, do the Democrats have a chance to do something historic? Guest:  David Faris , politics professor at Roosevelt University and a contributing writer for Slate.  Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favo...

Is Trump genuinely interested in expanding America’s borders or is this all just to further their mission of “looking tough online”? For the people surprised to suddenly find themselves on America’s bad side, does it matter?  Guest: Jonathan M. Katz , journalist and the author of Gangsters of Capitalism: Smedley Butler, the Marines, and the Making and Breaking of America’s Empire and author o...

To kick off the new year, users on X have been asking Grok to nudify people - and kids - at an astonishing rate. And X leadership is egging them on.  Guest: Jason Koebler, founder of 404 Media and host of the 404 Media Podcast Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Appl...

You saw it. We all saw it. We all saw what happened in Minneapolis when an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Good for the crime of being in her car. This week on Amicus, Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern attempt to digest this week’s horrific events and wonder if there is even a possibility of justice. Dahlia recommends “They Didn’t Even Need A Deepfake” by Slate’s Molly Olmstead. Later in the s...

This week: The Trump administration kidnapped the president of Venezuela. Felix Salmon , Elizabeth Spiers , Emily Peck , and guest Lizzie O'Leary , host of What Next: TBD , discuss Trump's rationale for the attack and the complex economics around Venezuelan oil that come with it. Then, Lizzie breaks down the unsettling trend of AI-generated nudes of real people, including many children, being crea...