Slate News

In this political moment where hostility towards immigrants and outsiders is openly espoused, one of our own colleagues has released a book about growing up as a Muslim-American in the post-9/11 era—and raising his own kids now. Guest: Aymann Ismail , Slate staff writer and author of “ Becoming Baba: Fatherhood, Faith, and Finding Meaning in America .” This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to i...

The MAGA world has been waiting for Jeffrey Epstein’s client list to be released since the first Trump administration. But with those like Kash Patel and Dan Bongino, who stoked interest in the list literally in power, the administration is now saying that no such list exists. For some MAGA fans, this is finally a bridge too far.  Guest: Anna Merlan , senior reporter at Mother Jones. Want more Wha...

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the epic MAGA meltdown over the DOJ’s “there’s nothing to see here” Epstein files memo, how the Supreme Court is using the “shadow docket” to bolster Trump’s efforts to dismantle the federal government, and whether rescission will kill NPR and PBS.  For this week’s Slate Plus bonus episode, Emily, John, and David discuss what they a...

For years, Donald Trump was often the only Western leader with anything nice to say about Vladimir Putin. But with Russia and Ukraine still fighting six months into his term, their friendship is on the rocks. Are we seeing a temporary spat – or a real policy shift?  Guest:  Michael McFaul , U.S. ambassador to Russia 2012-2014, author of the upcoming book “ Autocrats vs. Democrats: China, Russia, A...

His client, Nyo Myint, is a refugee from Myanmar who was deported by the Trump administration—first to Djibouti, then to South Sudan—along with seven other men. His lawyer is now reaching out to the United Nations to intervene. Guest: Jonathan Ryan, San Antonio-based immigration attorney and author of the Firewall Substack . Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening...

Why the Democrats’ electoral strategy of “hire consultants to tell you which positions poll well enough to take” has run its course—and where they should look to start rebuilding. Guest: Ben Mathis-Lilley , Slate senior writer and author of “ How Strategist Brain Took Over the Democratic Party”. Cited in this episode:  The Hollow Parties: The Many Pasts and Disordered Present of American Party Pol...

This week, the Senate Judiciary Committee prepares to vote on Emil Bove, who has been promoted from Trump’s personal lawyer to his current nominee for a lifelong appointment to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. In any other administration, Bove would be a real outlier. But here? He’s par for a very strange course.  Guest: Jay Willis , editor-in-chief of Balls and Strikes. Want more What Next? Su...

He started using ChatGPT to help with spreadsheets. But their relationship took a turn, and before long it was telling him he could leap off a 19-story building and fly. Guest: Kashmir Hill , features writer at the New York Times. 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...

In this episode of Amicus, Dahlia Lithwick sits down with Senator Sheldon Whitehouse to dissect the most recent Supreme Court term and its implications. They explore Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson's emerging role and influence, the patterns of bias within the court that she’s calling out, and the broader systemic issues facing the judiciary. Their conversation also delves into the “worst possible n...

This week: Trump's supersized “One Big Beautiful Bill” is now one big BS act. Felix Salmon , Emily Peck and Elizabeth Spiers the economic ramifications of congress passing the controversial megabill. Then, Trump’s trade war continues to shock and confuse. The hosts discuss the logic, or lack thereof, of his latest tariff proposals. And finally, buried in the big ol’ spending bill is something call...

The Supreme Court wraps up a momentous term. Dahlia Lithwick, Mark Joseph Stern and guests break down the cases and the controversies, explaining what it means for you, and for American democracy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s a record-breaking year for America: we’ve now had the most reported cases of measles since the disease was declared “eradicated” in 2000.  How did public health backslide so hard that it undid decades of progress—and is there any hope we can get back on track?  Guest: Dylan Scott, senior health correspondent at Vox. Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening...

This week, David Plotz and guest hosts Mike Pesca and Susan Glasser discuss what to make of Elon Musk’s quixotic attempt to start a third political party in America, how Trump’s conflation of national interest with self-interest creates an incoherent foreign policy, and the tedious but impactful “summer rerun season” of Trump’s tariff folly.  Here are this week’s chatters: Mike: ABC7 New York: Tra...

In the wake of #MeToo, Hollywood productions began hiring “intimacy coordinators,” people who work to ensure sex scenes are safe and comfortable for performers. How are they working out so far?  Guest: Jennifer Wilson , staff writer at the New Yorker. Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts....

After one of the deadliest floods in American history in central Texas, people are looking at cuts to the National Weather Service and FEMA’s absence contributing to the devastation. But one looming problem is much, much bigger. Guest:  Jeff Goodell, writer covering climate change, author of The Heat Will Kill You First: Life and Death on a Scorched Planet and The Water Will Come: Rising Seas, Sin...

A federal force—often defying local governance—coming to take people away without due process has happened before. What lessons can be drawn from parallels between a law that led to the Civil War and what’s happening today with Trump’s hardline immigration enforcement? Guest: Jamelle Bouie , columnist at the New York Times Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to...

In this Money Talks: Elizabeth Spiers is joined by journalist Brian Goldstone to discuss his book There is No Place for Us on the rising homelessness crisis and how a huge swath of the US population can be working and still lack stable housing. They’ll dive into the misconceptions around who makes up the homeless population, the many ways people like the subjects of Brian’s book were put into prec...

Built in just eight days, Donald Trump and Kristi Noem toured “Alligator Alcatraz,” a migrant detention facility built on a disused airstrip in the Florida Everglades. Even before Trump touched down in South Florida, branded merchandise was being sold. Soon after he headed back to Washington, the first detainees were brought in. Guest:  Sommer Brugal , Miami reporter for Axios . Want more What Nex...

As the One Big Beautiful Bill bounced around Congress, one provision—the 10-year moratorium on states making laws to regulate artificial intelligence—fell out. But AI-fans don’t need to worry, there’s still plenty of industry support in the bill.  Guest: Will Oremus , technology news analysis writer for the Washington Post. Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listeni...

Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern answer your questions about threats to federal judges, how far religious opt-outs can go in public schools in light of  Mahmoud v. Taylor , and whether or not the rule of law in America is, in fact, cooked.  This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock weekly bonus episodes of Amicus—you’...

This week: The US stock market has reached a new all time high.  Felix Salmon , Emily Peck and Elizabeth Spiers are joined once again by investments expert Barry Ritholtz who talked us through the market turmoil of Trump’s tariff spree back in April . Barry helps the hosts break down the behavior of the markets right now, examine the historical context of record breaking highs, and theorize why th...

Is anyone having fun on the internet anymore? Let’s all go touch grass. Guest: Scaachi Koul , Slate senior writer and author of “ It’s Time to Log Off.” 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 access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe...

This episode was originally published on April 27, 2025.  The Trump administration has already begun cutting the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which includes the U.S. National Weather Service. What’s the advantage to understanding the weather less? Guest: Daniel Swain , weather and climate scientist with the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources. Want more W...

This week, David Plotz and guest hosts Will Saletan and Catherine Rampell discuss what the Senate’s regressive budget bill will do to the health of America, whether there is space left for non-Trump conservatives in American politics, and how Paramount’s settlement of Trump’s meritless lawsuit signifies the fall of another guardrail against an authoritarian president. Here are this week’s chatters...

Trump wants his “One Big Beautiful Bill” passed by July 4. But the bill is so large and expensive—with deep tax cuts only partially offset by huge cuts to Medicaid and SNAP—there’s something in there for almost every member of Congress to hate. Guest: David Dayen , executive editor of the American Prospect. Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What...