The NPR Politics Podcast

President Joe Biden's primary policy initiatives, his trillion-dollar infrastructure and economic plans, face their first test in the Senate this week. And does a federal court ruling limiting the Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, increase the urgency around immigration in Congress? This episode: White House correspondent Scott Detrow, congressional reporter Susan Davi...

Elizabeth Hinton's book America On Fire explores how aggressive policing sparked thousands of incidents of mass violence in Black communities across the United States beginning in the 1960s. NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben talks to the author about how the government's typical response to these "rebellions" — more policing — is both escalatory and inadequate. Connect: Subscribe to the NPR Politics Podca...

Voting rights activists feel that they have done the work of energizing and organizing voters to care about the issue. Now, they want President Biden to step up the pressure on Congress from the bully pulpit. And Hunter Biden's art sales will be anonymous, which the White House is calling an ethics win. Good governance experts aren't buying it. This episode: White House correspondent Scott Detrow,...

In his April address to Congress, President Joe Biden said he hoped to prove that democracy and the federal government were still capable of delivering for the American people. This week, Senate Democrats unveiled Biden's chief effort to meet that promise: a $3.5 trillion dollar plan that would — among other things — dramatically expand access to child and health care, as well as overhaul the ener...

Faced with food and fuel shortages, Cubans have begun unprecedented protests against the country's communist government. President Biden's response could help boost Democratic support among Florida's many Cuban American voters. The party has lost a number of key elections in the state, thanks in large part to lackluster support among conservative expatriates who hope to see Democrats take a harder...

Take our survey: npr.org/podcastsurvey Vice President Harris talked to NPR's Asma Khalid about the administration's path forward on their voting rights agenda given the major roadblock in the Senate: some Democrats in the chamber are unwilling to change the filibuster, a rules quirk that forces a sixty-to-forty majority to pass most legislation. And many Democrats from the Texas statehouse have co...

Take our survey: npr.org/podcastsurvey Domestic travel is surging as the country reopens, but there is still an international-sized hole in the bottom lines of some U.S. tourism businesses. Would-be foreign visitors are mostly barred from coming stateside as coronavirus travel bans persist — and there have been few concrete answers from the Biden administration on when that will change. And vaccin...

President Biden gave a defensive speech Thursday updating the American public on his plan for withdrawal from Afghanistan. He said that the United States accomplished its mission in Afghanistan, though his administration acknowledged earlier in the day that the two-decade war "has not been won militarily" and that there are ongoing risks to the safety and prosperity of Afghans. Domestically, the W...

Former president Donald Trump filed a lawsuit this week claiming that his rights are violated by social media bans, claims legal experts say are spurious. But there has long been a push for big tech regulation in Washington, and it appears that the wheels are starting to turn. This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, congressional editor Deirdre Walsh, and technology correspondent Sha...

Though crime rates remain well-below historic highs, assaults and murders have spiked since the pandemic began. Democrats in New York picked ex-cop Eric Adams as their mayoral nominee; he's likely to win. Biden traveled to Chicago to talk gun violence with the city's mayor Lori Lightfoot. This episode: White House correspondent Asma Khalid, national justice correspondent Carrie Johnson, and WNYC r...

More than five hundred people have been charged in what is on track to be one of the largest criminal investigations in the country's history. Now, a House committee is charged with an impossible task: establishing a widely-accepted set of facts about what happened on January 6th. This episode; White House correspondent Tamara Keith, congressional correspondent Kelsey Snell, and justice correspond...

By 2040, 70% of Americans could be represented by just 30 Senators. And twice in the last two decades, a Republican president has lost the popular vote but won the White House. America's government was built to protect the rights of political minorities, but some critics say the system has become too unfair. What does this mean for the future of U.S. politics? This episode: White House corresponde...

Chief Justice John Roberts used to be seen as a solid conservative, but as the center of conservative politics moved to the right so did the justices appointed after him. Now with a 6-3 conservative super majority on the court, what role does the chief justice play? This episode: Congressional correspondent Susan Davis, legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg, and special guest Tom Goldstein. C...

President Biden did not meet his goal of 70% of Americans having one shot of the vaccine by July 4th, and some hot spots are flaring up in red states with a new variant looming. But there are signs across the nation that the country has radically curbed the spread of the virus. Plus economists are now predicting an ever quicker recovery for the economy. This episode: Congressional correspondent Su...

Former President Donald Trump's family business and its longtime chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, have been criminally charged by the Manhattan district attorney's office in a case involving alleged tax-related crimes. The former president was not charged, but it's his name on the business. How could this impact him? This episode: Congressional correspondent Susan Davis, justice corresp...

In a 6-3 decision the Supreme Court upheld the state of Arizona's restrictive voting laws that some argued targeted black and brown voters. Plus, the court ruled in favor of rich donors seeking anonymity when donating to nonprofits, which could mean a lot for campaign contributors. This episode: Congressional correspondent Susan Davis, national justice correspondent Carrie Johnson, and senior poli...

The Pew Research Center just released the most comprehensive analysis of the demographic breakdown of voters in 2020. We dig into the data and look at what it means for the both parties moving forward. This episode: Congressional correspondent Susan Davis, political reporter Danielle Kurtzleben, and White House correspondent Asma Khalid. Connect: Subscribe to the NPR Politics Podcast here . Email...

The U.S. Supreme Court declined Monday to wade into a major controversy over the use of bathrooms by transgender students, delivering at least a temporary victory to the trans community. But legislation across the country point to a mounting court battle in the future. Plus, the Biden administration faces criticism from climate activists. This episode: Congressional correspondent Susan Davis, poli...

President Biden walked back an earlier threat that he would not sign the newly announced bipartisan infrastructure deal if it did not come to his desk with a second bill full of progressive priorities. Plus, former President Trump held his first post-presidency rally to drum up support for a congressional candidate. This episode: Congressional correspondent Susan Davis, White House correspondent T...

Forty years ago this month, the CDC reported on patients with HIV/AIDS in the United States for the very first time. In the years since, LGBTQIA+ Americans have been fighting for treatment and recognition of a disease that was was understudied, under-reported, and deeply stigmatized. In this episode Sam Sanders talks with activists about how they got the media and the government to pay attention t...

The Department of Justice announced it is suing the state of Georgia over a restrictive voting law. The move comes as the Biden administration seeks ways to combat Republican efforts to limit ballot access. Plus, Vice President Kamala Harris visits the U.S.-Mexico border after mounting criticism for not going there sooner. This episode: White House correspondent Asma Khalid, Justice correspondent...

Standing next to Democratic and Republican Senators, President Biden declared, "we have a deal." The group had agreed to a framework for a large infrastructure package. But the path forward could mean far more partisan deal making before any roads or bridges are built. This episode: White House correspondent Asma Khalid, White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, and congressional correspondent Kel...

The Supreme Court sided with a student who was penalized after cussing out her school on Snapchat. Advocates of free speech are calling it a big win for students. Listen to our earlier breakdown of the case. Plus, violent crime is on the rise throughout the country, and the Biden administration has unveiled its plan to combat the problem. This episode: White House correspondent Asma Khalid, White...

Today Democrats' massive elections overhaul bill is all but set to stall out in the Senate, but the party's wish-list was never expected to gain Republican support. That's because the two parties are only getting further apart on how conduct free and fair elections. This episode: White House correspondent Asma Khalid, Congressional correspondent Susan Davis, and national political correspondent Ma...

The Supreme Court unanimously sided with college athletes in their challenge to NCAA compensation rules. The court's ruling was narrow, but Justice Brett Kavanaugh seemed open to going further saying, "the NCAA's business model would be flatly illegal in almost any other industry in America." This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, national justice correspondent Carrie Johnson, and s...