The NPR Politics Podcast

Today, we're sharing another episode from NPR's newest podcast,  Sources & Methods . Each Thursday, host Mary Louise Kelly breaks down the week's biggest national security news with NPR's team of reporters covering the military, State Department, and spy agencies. NPR correspondents stationed around the world also join the conversation.  This episode: Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman and internat...

President Trump pledged to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education, but his administration is also using the department’s Office for Civil Rights to pressure local school districts to adhere to Trump’s political views. We discuss these tactics and how they fit into a broader culture war.  This episode: politics correspondent Sarah McCammon, education correspondent Cory Turner, and senior politi...

A federal appeals court ruled this week that the Trump administration may not use the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan immigrants without going through normal legal processes. We discuss the implications of that ruling and of the administration’s use of military lawyers as temporary immigration judges.  This episode: politics correspondent Sarah McCammon, immigration policy reporter Ximena B...

After nearly a month of federal law enforcement and military personnel patrolling the streets of Washington, D.C., President Trump says the District is a “crime-free zone.” We discuss what’s really going on in the city, as well as the pressures on the majority Democratic city’s Democratic mayor. This episode: politics correspondent Sarah McCammon, national justice correspondent Ryan Lucas, and WAM...

Congress members have returned to Washington, as have partisan fights over Jeffrey Epstein and a possible government shutdown. We discuss what to expect on Capitol Hill, as well as why more young Republicans aren’t running for Congress.  This episode: political correspondent Sarah McCammon, congressional correspondent Claudia Grisales, and political reporter Elena Moore.  This podcast was produced...

Today, we're excited to share an episode from NPR's newest podcast, Sources & Methods . Each Thursday, host Mary Louise Kelly breaks down the week's biggest national security news with NPR's team of reporters covering the military, State Department, and spy agencies. NPR correspondents stationed around the world also join the conversation.  This episode: Moscow bureau chief Charles Maynes and nati...

President Trump has made unprecedented moves to influence American culture, from taking broadcast corporations to court to his efforts to control the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Smithsonian Institution. We discuss what could be motivating these efforts and what impact they’re having on arts and culture. This episode: White House correspondent Deepa Shivaram, critic-at-large Eric...

Most Republican members of Congress are shying away from holding town hall meetings, but Missouri Republican Mark Alford is bucking that trend. We discuss what goes on at Alford’s events and why more Republicans aren’t holding big events in their districts. This episode: White House correspondent Deepa Shivaram, Congress correspondent Barbara Sprunt and politics correspondent Ashley Lopez.  This p...

Many Latinos who voted for President Trump in the last election say they are disappointed or even regret voting for him, according to recent polling. We discuss what’s behind the dissatisfaction and what it could mean for next year’s midterm elections.  This episode: White House correspondent Deepa Shivaram, politics correspondent Ashley Lopez and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico...

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident who entered the United States illegally as a teen, was detained again by Immigration and Customs Enforcement at a mandatory check-in in Baltimore on Monday. We discuss the latest developments in the case and what it says about the Trump administration’s immigration strategy.  This episode: White House correspondent Deepa Shivaram, immigration correspondent...

The United States is taking in roughly $30 billion a month in tariffs that cover a wide range of products. We discuss whether those tariffs have made their way into prices consumers pay, and how other policies by the Trump administration may be affecting the economy. This episode: White House correspondent Deepa Shivaram, chief economics correspondent Scott Horsley and senior political editor and...

President Trump called on Texas Republicans to redraw their state's congressional maps to favor Republican candidates. In response, California voters will get a chance to approve a plan to redraw their state's maps to favor Democratic candidates. We look at how partisan gerrymandering has become more politically accepted — and expedient. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith,...

As a candidate, Donald Trump campaigned on carrying out the largest mass deportation in U.S. history. As president, he's used immigration policy as a backdrop for other shows of force. We explore how he uses immigration as a political issue. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, political reporter Elena Moore, and immigration policy reporter Ximena Bustillo. This podcast was...

The president also called for changing how ballots are tallied in elections. We unpack the president's claims, and discuss how presidential power is limited when it comes to election administration.  This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, and voting correspondents Ashley Lopez & Miles Parks.  This podcast was produced and edited by Casey Morell & Bria Suggs. Our executive pro...

On the heels of meeting Russian president Vladimir Putin in Alaska, President Trump invited various European leaders & Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to the White House to discuss plans to end Russia's war in Ukraine. We discuss what happened. This episode: White House correspondent Deepa Shivaram, national security correspondent Greg Myre, and senior White House correspondent Tamara Ke...

President Trump has ordered Washington, D.C.'s National Guard to patrol the capital's streets, and members from other states' Guards are joining them. We look at why the Guard is in D.C., what it is doing, and whether its presence points to future uses of the military in U.S. cities. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman, and national corres...

In a hastily arranged summit in Alaska, President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met to discuss Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine. Although Trump has said there would be consequences for Russia if the war continues, he also said no deal had been met to hasten the war's conclusion. This episode: political correspondent Sarah McCammon, national security correspondent Greg Myre, and senior...

President Trump is scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday to discuss the war in Ukraine. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will not be present. We discuss what to expect from the historic meeting. This episode: political correspondent Sarah McCammon, Berlin correspondent Rob Schmitz, and national security correspondent Greg Myre. This podcast was...

Democratic lawmakers have been spending Congress’ August recess talking about the Medicaid cuts in President Trump's newly passed tax and spending bill. We discuss whether their messaging strategy is likely to translate to votes in next year’s midterm elections, and how their tactics compare with those of Republicans. This episode: political correspondent Sarah McCammon, political correspondent Ba...

In the days after disastrous floods tore through Texas Hill Country last month, tens of thousands of calls to a federal aid hotline went unanswered, after FEMA failed to fund the call center. We discuss how the Trump administration’s government restructuring plans led to this problem and what it could mean for future disasters. This episode: political correspondent Sarah McCammon, politics corresp...

President Trump announced plans Monday to exercise more federal control over Washington, D.C., including by taking control of the city’s police department and sending in National Guard troops. We discuss the reasons behind Trump’s actions and whether he has the authority to take them. This episode: political correspondent Sarah McCammon, correspondent Brian Mann, and senior White House corresponde...

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., cancelled $500 million in mRNA vaccine development contracts this week. We discuss how the move follows a trend of actions by the Trump administration that ignore the advice of subject-matter experts. This episode: political correspondent Ashley Lopez, health policy correspondent Selena Simmons-Duffin, and senior political editor and correspondent Dome...

Immigration and Customs Enforcement is turning to retired federal workers as it tries to rapidly boost its ranks. We discuss the reasons behind the agency's hiring spree and the challenges it faces in its efforts. This episode: political correspondent Ashley Lopez, immigration policy correspondent Ximena Bustillo, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro. This podcast was p...

If Texas Republicans go through with their plan to redraw the state's congressional districts to give Republicans five more U.S. House seats, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, says he'll push through new districts in his state that benefit Democrats. We discuss the growing redistricting arms race and why, at least for California, it's not that simple. This episode: political correspondent...

During the 2024 campaign, then-candidate Donald Trump went on several podcasts in the so-called "manosphere," in an effort to reach new voters. Now that he's back in office, he may be losing the support of some of those shows' hosts. We discuss the manosphere's past political influence and whether it's likely to shape future elections. This episode: political correspondent Ashley Lopez, politics r...