The NPR Politics Podcast

There is a month left before the final vote is cast in the 2022 midterm elections. Can Republicans succeed in taking full control of Congress? We break down the Senate races to watch, with a particular emphasis on the challengers trying to unseat Democrats in purple states. This episode: White House correspondent Asma Khalid, congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh, and senior political editor a...

The Family Roe is journalist Joshua Prager's sweeping look at the life of Norma McCorvey — better known as Jane Roe — and America's long fight over abortion access. NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben interviews the author for the latest installment of the NPR Politics Podcast book club. Learn more about upcoming live shows of The NPR Politics Podcast at nprpresents.org . Support the show and unlock sponsor...

The high court, which now includes Biden nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson, will hear cases that will determine the future of affirmative action, voting rights and election integrity. And the president announced that he will pardon people convicted of simple marijuana possession under federal law and D.C. statute. That will impact far fewer of people compared to the number convicted on state charges,...

Stock markets have had a tough year and inflation has remained stubborn, but the value of the U.S. dollar is strong compared to other currencies and the job market is robust. Here's how to understand the messy politics of the current economic moment. This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, economics correspondent David Gura, and national political correspondent Mara Liasson. Learn mo...

President Biden sees large-scale capital investment by the U.S. government as the way to revive the anemic American manufacturing industry. The CHIPS and Science Act, which domestic boosts semiconductor manufacturing, even managed to attract Republican support. But who will benefit from its tens of billions in subsidies? This episode: political correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, political correspo...

Democrats see Wisconsin as their best chance to unseat an incumbent Republican senator. But Sen. Ron Johnson has managed to close the gap with Democratic challenger Mandela Barnes by linking him to rising crime in ads aimed at suburban voters. This episode: political reporter Deepa Shivaram, political correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, and WUWM reporter Chuck Quirmbach. Learn more about upcoming l...

In a remarkable reversal, the U.S. Department of Education has quietly changed its guidance around who qualifies for President Biden's sweeping student debt relief plan. People who took out Perkins loans and Federal Family Education Loans, the mainstay of the federal student loan program until 2010, may no longer be eligible for forgiveness. This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, se...

The scope of Hurricane Ian's damage remains to be seen, but millions were left without power and much of Florida's west coast saw devastating floods. Florida's governor, Ron DeSantis, and President Biden are coordinating disaster response. And as pandemic-era programs expire, as many as one-in-ten Americans face food insecurity. This week, the White House held a summit to explore solutions — it he...

As Brazilians head to the polls to vote for president, they're being deluged by a wave of falsehoods that echo Donald Trump's claims of a stolen election. Are there lessons to be learned ahead of future elections in the U.S.? This episode: political correspondent Susan Davis, correspondent Shannon Bond, and voting reporter Miles Parks. Learn more about upcoming live shows of The NPR Politics Podca...

Jury selection has begun in the trail of five members or associates of the far-right group over their alleged role in the Jan. 6th riot at the U.S. Capitol. The charges are the most serious that the Justice Department has pursued in conjunction with the attack. This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, justice correspondent Ryan Lucas, and congressional correspondent Claudia Grisales....

The ninth and final scheduled meeting of the House committee investigating the January 6th, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol will occur in the coming weeks. In this special episode from July, we revisit the revelation of the committee's first eight sessions. This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, national justice correspondent Carrie Johnson, congressional correspondent Claudia Grisa...

European utilities, which used to purchase lots of natural gas from Russia, are buying from the United States instead. That has driven power costs higher at home — and could become politically relevant as the U.S. heads into the colder months. This episode: political correspondent Susan Davis, editor Arezou Rezvani and national political correspondent Mara Liasson. Learn more about upcoming live s...

Puerto Rico has — five years after Hurricane Maria killed thousands — again been hit by a devastating storm. Trump was broadly criticized for a mismanaged response; will President Biden prove more capable? And House Republicans have unveiled the policy program they'll push should they retake the chamber, as is expected. The Commitment To America program is rooted in culture war issues and is accom...

A panel of judges from the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals allowed the Justice Department to resume reviewing classified documents seized at Mar-a-Lago without the supervision of a special master. Meanwhile, New York state attorney general Letitia James announced the filing of a $250 million civil suit against Trump and some of his children, alleging fraudulent business practices. This episode:...

President Biden's annual remarks before the United Nations General Assembly were designed to rally people at home and abroad to continue their support for the Ukrainian people. He also doubled-down on U.S. competition with China. This episode: voting reporter Miles Parks, White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, and diplomatic correspondent Michele Kelemen. Learn more about upcoming live shows of...

President Biden told 60 Minutes that the pandemic is basically over. Hundreds of Americans are still dying every day, but most Americans are essentially living their lives as they were before the pandemic started. So how are public health experts reacting to the president's remarks? And what's the president's messaging goal? This episode: political correspondent Susan Davis, science correspondent...

Though both parties have agreed for decades that the U.S. immigration system is in dire need of reform, the optics of border-crossing migrants have become a red-meat campaign tactic for Republicans, precluding the possibility of compromise legislation. Recent moves by the governors of Florida and Texas have put the issue back in the spotlight. This episode: White House correspondent Asma Khalid, i...

Abortion access and inflation are the top issues driving the midterms, but they're motivating very different sets of voters. And an under-discussed force driving the midterms? The long shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic. This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, White House correspondent Asma Khalid, political correspondent Susan Davis, political correspondent Ashley Lopez, and senior pol...

Cody Keenan talks to NPR's Tamara Keith about writing for Barack Obama, the impact of Donald Trump's rhetoric and whether a president needs to be a compelling speaker to be an effective leader. He's the author of a new book, Grace: President Obama and Ten Days in the Battle for America . This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith. Learn more about upcoming live shows of The NPR Politics...

Republican J.D. Vance and Democrat Tim Ryan are contesting Ohio's open Senate seat. Social issues including abortion are top-of-mind and the race is surprisingly tight in a state that has trended increasingly red. This episode: political correspondent Susan Davis, political correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, and congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh. Learn more about upcoming live shows of The...

Rates of political violence, armed protest, hate crime and white supremacist activity all became more prevalent during the Trump administration. Can a campaign by a broadly unpopular Democratic president turn the tide? Is there another option? This episode: political correspondent Susan Davis, White House correspondent Asma Khalid, and White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez. Learn more about upc...

Donald Trump's legal team and the Justice Department disagree over who should review the documents, what that review should entail and who should foot the bill. The saga is far from over. This episode: political correspondent Susan Davis, political reporter Deepa Shivaram, and national political correspondent Mara Liasson. Learn more about upcoming live shows of The NPR Politics Podcast at nprpres...

With their base energized after the Supreme Court struck down national abortion access protections, Democrats are pushing to vote on a marriage bill ahead of midterm elections. And in Colorado, can this Republican Senate candidate — who recognizes Joe Biden's election win and believes in limited access to abortion — unseat a Democratic incumbent? This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keit...

Veterans' groups, students and attorneys are mobilizing to work at polling sites as health and political concerns have strained staffing in localities across the country. And a voter fraud crackdown in Florida has exposed the complicated state of voting rights in the state. This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, voting correspondent Hansi Lo Wang, and politics reporter Ashley Lopez....

Donald Trump's GOP critics have begun to suggest that Republicans should nominate a fresh face, someone eligible for reelection after 2024. It's the kind of pragmatist argument that doesn't usually sway voters — but it does hint that party strategists are worried that Trump's poor standing with independent voters would against cost them the presidency. This episode: political correspondent Susan D...