The Excerpt

Opposition to Big Tech is creating a rare point of agreement across the political divide . USA TODAY National Reporter Christopher Cann explains why communities are resisting massive data centers, AI-powered surveillance, Flock cameras and the rapid spread of artificial intelligence. Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com .  Episode transcript...

Being White House press secretary means long days, constant travel and being available almost around the clock. For parents of young children, those demands can come with a high cost. Karoline Leavitt is leaving the role months after having her second child, saying she wants more time with her family. But she isn't the first. USA TODAY Government Accountability Reporter Erin Mansfield found that s...

The end of Temporary Protected Status for many Haitian immigrants has transformed Miami's Little Haiti . Businesses are quieter and churches are emptier, while many families weigh impossible choices. USA TODAY National Correspondent Chris Kenning joins The Excerpt after reporting from the heart of the community to explore the economic and human toll of losing deportation protections. Let us know w...

Democrats sharply criticized President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act. But many are now championing one of its biggest health care investments: a $50 billion Rural Health… . Why the change? And can the funding make a meaningful difference as millions of Americans confront rising healthcare costs? USA TODAY White House Correspondent Joey Garrison joins The Excerpt to explain what the pro...

We’re now six months into the US-Israeli War in Iran , a war with seemingly no end in sight. It’s cost American taxpayers tens of billions of dollars and the lives of 18 servicemen. Does President Donald Trump have an exit strategy? USA TODAY Bureau Chief Susan Page breaks down where we are at the half year mark. Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.c...

Dolly Parton was more than a country music legend . She was a songwriter, storyteller, philanthropist and cultural force whose work helped people feel seen. From timeless songs like "Coat of Many Colors," "Jolene" and "I Will Always Love You" to her commitment to childhood literacy and disaster relief, her influence reached far beyond entertainment. USA TODAY National Music Reporter Melissa Ruggie...

For months, sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln remained at sea as their expected return home was pushed further and further back . Their families watched graduations, weddings and other milestones pass without them, while hearing accounts of supply shortages, broken facilities and difficult conditions aboard the carrier. Now, as the Lincoln finally begins its return, USA TODAY Investigative Re...

At Camp Simcha in New York’s Catskill Mountains, children with cancer, chronic illnesses and complex disabilities receive round-the-clock medical care while swimming, climbing, making friends and gaining independence . USA TODAY Youth Mental Health Reporter Rachel Hale explains how the camp gives kids experiences that can otherwise feel out of reach — and offers their parents a rare break from ful...

For years, Republicans have had a lock on those who base their vote on their religious preferences and values, something that has only grown with the rise of the evangelical right, but this year an unusually high number of Democratic candidates in red states are sharing their faith in an effort to connect with voters in the midterm elections. Will it work? USA TODAY Senior National Politics Report...

Picture this: A software engineer logs onto Zoom for a coding interview. No interviewer ever shows up. Another job seeker has sent out roughly 5,000 applications to no avail. And then there are the jobs that may not really be available at all — listings for positions companies may have paused, plan to fill internally, or are simply using to build a future talent pool. All of this has many peo...

Content creator wasn't a career path most colleges considered a generation ago. Today, it's one of the fastest growing ambitions among young people. Arizona State University is responding with a new Bachelor of Arts in content creation, designed to teach students everything from storytelling and audience trust to navigating AI and ever-changing algorithms. Senior Associate Dean and Professor of Pr...

Nearly six months into the war with Iran, Republicans are growing increasingly anxious about what the conflict could mean for the midterms . Rising gas prices and broader affordability concerns are putting pressure on GOP candidates, while divisions over the war are exposing tensions within President Donald Trump’s own political coalition. USA TODAY White House Correspondent Zac Anderson joins The...

Despite a major setback earlier this year when the Supreme Court ruled against his use of emergency authority in enacting tariffs back in April 2025 on what he called “Liberation Day,” President Donald Trump continues to find ways to levy import taxes on friends and foes alike. That includes a whopping 50% levy aimed at Canada which, if negotiations fail, will go into effect on August 19th. Meanwh...

The DNC is doubling down on South Carolina as the first state in its presidential primary calendar , a decision that could reshape the race for the 2028 Democratic nomination. USA TODAY White House Correspondent Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy joins The Excerpt to explain why party leaders are sticking with South Carolina, which candidates stand to benefit most, and what early buzz around candidates li...

A Wyoming coal town facing an uncertain future has become the testing ground for a novel nuclear power plant backed by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett . Supporters view the high-tech project as an essential economic lifeline, while critics have voiced deep concerns over safety and nuclear waste storage. USA TODAY National Correspondent Trevor Hughes visited Kemmerer, Wyoming, to explore whether this...

When Vermont’s Sterling College shut down, it brought into focus a growing crisis for higher education in rural America. With hundreds of small private colleges facing severe financial pressure, what happens to the students and communities left behind? Investigative journalist Jon Marcus from The Hechinger Report joins The Excerpt for a look at the impacts and what families must look for prior to...

"Looksmaxxing" has exploded online as young men pursue physical perfection – from chiseled jawlines to extreme body alterations. But from "softmaxxing" skincare to risky DIY fillers and extreme bone alteration, when does self-improvement cross the line into dangerous self-harm? USA TODAY Senior Wellness Reporter Charles Trepany joins The Excerpt for a look at how social media algorithms, physique...

With less than 90 days before the midterms, the Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to let it move forward with an untested system that would give the U.S. Postal Service a new role in determining who receives a mail-in ballot. The administration says the changes would strengthen election security, while states and election officials warn that introducing new procedures after preparat...

The wildfires burning in Spokane, Washington are a wake-up call to many, especially in the western United States. Recent deadly fires in Paradise, Marshall, Lahaina and Los Angeles share the same message for residents living in or close to risky fire-prone areas: If you want to live here, you’re going to have to accept the fire risks. But is it worth it? USA TODAY National Reporter Dinah Voyles-Pu...

Before the crowdfunding giant Kickstarter hired a 33-year-old CEO in the fall of 2022, revenue had been falling…. as much as 20 percent earlier that year. Since then, the company – where folks fund projects by creatives – has bounced back in a big way. Last year was Kickstarter’s best year on record. So how did a young, Black corporate executive do it? Kickstarter CEO Everette Taylor joins The Exc...

In a nail-biter Democratic senate primary in Michigan, progressive insurgent Abdul El-Sayed defeated establishment candidate Representative Haley Stevens , a four-term centrist congresswoman, in what could signal a further sign of change to the party’s direction. While there were four other state primaries on Tuesday night, the Michigan senate race has been seen as pivotal to the Democrats’ bid to...

The Colorado River supplies water to one in 10 Americans and supports farms that produce about 15% of the nation’s food. After the seven states that rely on it failed to agree on how to share a shrinking water supply, the federal government released a 10-year framework that could bring much deeper cuts to Arizona, California and Nevada . Arizona could bear the steepest reductions because of its lo...

We’ve seen some Republican lawmakers break with President Donald Trump on key votes, foreign policy and economic strategy. But do these isolated disputes point to a true political split or just standard policy debates? USA TODAY Congressional Correspondent Zach Schermele joins The Excerpt to break down the internal power dynamics and explore what could be early signs of a post-Trump GOP.  Let...

The Trump administration has changed how some asylum applications are handled , allowing certain cases to be sent directly to immigration court without first going through an interview with a trained asylum officer. The administration says the policy could help reduce a backlog of roughly 1.4 million pending cases and address abuse of the asylum system. Immigration attorneys and legal experts warn...

At more 5,500 miles, the U.S.-Canada border is the longest international border in the world. As a new bridge opens between Detroit and Canada amid rising trade tensions, USA TODAY National Correspondent Trevor Hughes embeds with Canadian Mounties to reveal what life, security and dangerous crossings look like along on our northern border . Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an...