The NPR Politics Podcast

The question is at the center of next week's impeachment trial in the Senate, which begins Tuesday. Donald Trump's defense team says you can't vote to remove a president who is already gone. House Impeachment managers are prepared to argue that an impeachment conviction ultimately means more than that. This episode: congressional correspondent Susan Davis, senior political editor and correspondent...

Liz Cheney is the third-ranking House Republican; she voted for President Trump's second impeachment. Marjorie Taylor Greene is a freshman lawmaker who pushes a range of wild conspiracies. Their Republican colleagues are struggling to decide whether to punish either of them. This episode: congressional correspondent Susan Davis, congressional reporter Claudia Grisales, and national political corre...

The former president's impeachment trial begins next Tuesday. His new attorneys say the Senate doesn't have the grounds to proceed now that he is out of office. And: President Biden has initiated a task force to reunite children and parents separated by Trump at the border. This episode: congressional reporter Susan Davis, congressional editor Deirdre Walsh, justice correspondent Ryan Lucas, and W...

Ten Republican senators are meeting with President Biden at the White House Monday to discuss their coronavirus relief proposal — which is just one-third the size of the president's plan. And Vice President Harris leaves a notable hole in the Senate roster: she was the only Black woman in the body. Organizers say that the Democratic party has long neglected investing in Black women candidates. Thi...

Republican strategists close to Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue's failed Senate campaigns tell WABE's Emma Hurt that former President Trump's interference made it hard to win January's runoff elections in Georgia. Now, Democrats are moving aggressively on President Biden's relief proposal and the GOP is feeling stung by life in the minority. Also: Gamestop? This episode: White House correspondent...

Republican Rob Portman of Ohio talks with NPR's Susan Davis about his retirement from the Senate, the Republican party after Trump, as well as the former president's impeachment trial. Portman says he thought President Biden's inaugural address struck the right tone, but the president's legislative strategy on his COVID-19 relief proposal has burned some goodwill with Republicans. Connect: Subscri...

President Biden will "pause" new federal land leases for oil and gas extraction "to the extent possible" — but how much of an impact will that have on greenhouse gas emissions? Also: the US government will order 200 million more doses of coronavirus vaccine. This episode: White House reporter Ayesha Rascoe, White House correspondent Scott Detrow, climate reporter Nate Rott, White House corresponde...

President Biden signed new executive actions today attempting to address racial inequity. For activists, these initiatives feel like they are lacking and do not tackle critical concerns like policing. The administration says this is just the beginning. This episode: White House correspondent Scott Detrow, White House reporter Ayesha Rascoe, and national justice correspondent Carrie Johnson. Connec...

Today the House will formally deliver an article of impeachment against former President Trump to the Senate, and the upper chamber has already begun to work out the parameters for the coming trial. Even though it may be for different reasons, Republicans and Democrats both want it to happen as fast as possible. Plus, President Biden continues signing an unprecedented number of executive orders, m...

President Biden has promised that 100 million doses of vaccines will be administered in his first 100 days — but some public health experts think the country can do much better. Gang of Eight, Gang of Six, Grand Compromise... the storerooms of Congress are littered with tried-and-failed drafts of comprehensive immigration reform proposals from the past four presidents. Now, it is President Biden's...

Vice President Kamala Harris can cast a tie-breaking vote in the Senate; that means that Democrats effectively hold a majority in the chamber. But the even split means that the body's top leadership needs to work out terms for how things like committee membership work. This episode: political reporter Juana Summers, congressional correspondent Susan Davis, and national political correspondent Mara...

In his inaugural address, he promised to keep all of his work as president in service of people rather than power. And Kamala Harris made history; she is the first Black person, Asian American, and woman to serve as Vice President of the United States. This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, White House correspondent Scott Detrow, and politic...

The Senate is back in Washington today. The lawmakers will need to consider President-elect Biden's cabinet nominees, weigh his coronavirus relief proposal, and consider President Trump's impeachment. This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, congressional reporter Claudia Grisales, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro. Connect: Subscribe to the NPR Politics...

President-elect Joe Biden's inaugural plans have been reshaped by COVID-19 and concerns over security after the insurrection at the Capitol. Biden is slated to enact a diverse array of policies by way of executive action on his first day as president. This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, White House reporter Rascoe, and national justice correspondent Carrie Johnson. Connect: Subsc...

For our inaugural NPR Politics Book Club pick, NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben talks to Carlos Lozada about his book What Were We Thinking: A Brief Intellectual History of the Trump Era . Want to join the discussion for our next book? Head to n.pr/politicsgroup . Connect: Subscribe to the NPR Politics Podcast here . Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.org . Join the NPR Politics Podcast Facebook Group . L...

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris talks to NPR's Scott Detrow about how she felt after the attack on the Capitol and the administration's new $1.9 trillion relief package proposal. This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith and White House correspondent Scott Detrow. Connect: Subscribe to the NPR Politics Podcast here . Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.org . Join the NPR Politics Podca...

The pandemic is taking an immense toll on the nation: some 4000 Americans die each day. And, in December, another 140 thousand people lost their jobs. President-elect Joe Biden unveiled a pricy relief package meant to take on those outsized crises, suggesting the price of doing nothing is even greater than the cost of the legislation. This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, White Hou...

Ten Republicans crossed the aisle to support the impeachment. Next, a Senate trial — one that won't take place until after President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in. This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, congressional correspondent Kelsey Snell, and senior political editor and correspondent Ron Elving. Connect: Subscribe to the NPR Politics Pod...

In a nearly party-line vote, the House encouraged Mike Pence and the presidential cabinet to sideline the president via the 25th amendment. Pence said no. Now, the House will move to impeach Trump over "incitement of insurrection" in what is expected to be a bipartisan vote. The Senate may be warming to the idea of removal. This episode: political reporter Danielle Kurtzleben, congressional corres...

The Justice Department says hundreds will be prosecuted in connection with the Capitol siege. Republican lawmakers like Sens. Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz are also dealing with fallout from their support of President Trump's election fraud conspiracy. This episode: political reporter Danielle Kurtzleben, White House correspondent Tamara Keith, and congressional correspondent Susan Davis. Connect: Subs...

Vice President Mike Pence the top cabinet officials are unlikely to remove President Trump from power via the 25th amendment. That means House Democrats will move ahead with a second impeachment as soon as Wednesday. This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, congressional correspondent Kelsey Snell, and national political correspondent Mara Liasson. Connect: Subscribe to the NPR Politi...

Donald Trump could be the first president in American history to be impeached twice. Federal authorities have begun arresting those involved in storming the Capitol. And President-elect Joe Biden's promise to reunite the country takes on a new significance in light of the siege. This episode: political correspondent Scott Detrow, White House correspondent Tamara Keith, White House reporter Ayesha...

Amid resignations and condemnation from Trump's Republican allies, top Democrats have said that he should be removed from office by impeachment or through the 25th amendment. This episode: political correspondent Scott Detrow, congressional correspondent Kelsey Snell, and White House reporter Ayesha Rascoe. Connect: Subscribe to the NPR Politics Podcast here . Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.org...

Members of the U.S. House and Senate on Wednesday voted to reject objections to President-elect Joe Biden's election victory in the state of Arizona. Debate continues and there could be further objections, though Biden's win is very likely to be certified in the coming hours. This episode: political correspondent Scott Detrow and congressional correspondent Susan Davis. Connect: Subscribe to the N...

Supporters of President Trump laid siege to the US Capitol today, occupying the building as lawmakers there began the process of certifying President-elect Joe Biden's victory. Before the insurrection disrupted their work, more than fifty Republican lawmakers were also attempting to block the transition of power — by objecting to the certification of Electoral College votes. It is unclear if they...