The NPR Politics Podcast

The president continued his fight to acquire the Danish self-governing territory of Greenland during a speech billed as an address related to domestic affordability issues. We explain what happened. Then, members of Congress met with Danish and Greenlandic officials in Copenhagen last week to discuss the increased tensions with the U.S. We talk about how the meetings went, and what Danes are think...

One year ago today, Donald Trump was sworn into office as the 47th president, having already served as the 45th. We look at some of what he has done in this first year back in the White House. This episode: political correspondent Ashley Lopez, senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, and senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson. This podcast was produced and edited by Casey More...

From the NPR podcast Consider This : The Department of Justice is once again at the center of the news. At least five federal lawmakers say they have been contacted for questioning from federal prosecutors. So has the chairman of the Federal Reserve. And in Minnesota, career federal prosecutors resigned after being asked to investigate not the shooting that killed Renee Macklin Good, but her widow...

There's another fight on Capitol Hill as lawmakers work to get four more spending bills passed before the end of the month. We talk about what's at stake and how both parties are navigating the high cost of health care. Then, a look at how the Trump administration is using social media content to sway public opinion & influence governance, and what our panelists can't stop thinking about this week...

Between pledging support for protesters in Iran, calling once again for the U.S. annexation of Greenland, and meeting with Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, it's been a busy week for President Trump on the global stage. We look at why the White House wants to be involved in so many geopolitical issues despite the president's campaign pledges to be less invested in global affairs,...

In the days since an immigration enforcement officer killed Renee Macklin Good in Minneapolis, the Trump administration has doubled down, in terms of both tactics and rhetoric. We discuss how ICE training contributed to the agency's actions in Minnesota and the political reaction to the shooting.  This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, immigration policy correspondent Ximena Bustillo, and...

President Trump is giving a speech about the economy Tuesday in Detroit after weeks of drifting away from the subject. We discuss how the White House is responding to voters’ concerns about stubbornly high prices and Trump’s growing pressure campaign against the Federal Reserve.  This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, White House correspondent Deepa Shivaram, and chief economics correspon...

The Republican Party’s approach to world affairs has shifted from attempting to spread democratic values during the George W. Bush administration to “America First” in President Trump’s first term and now to something else entirely. We discuss what to make of Trump’s foreign policy agenda.  This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, White House correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, and senior na...

This week, a fatal shooting by an immigration enforcement officer in Minneapolis inflamed tensions. Meanwhile in Washington, congressional Republicans bucked President Trump and their party leaders. We discuss what to make of it all. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, congressional correspondent Claudia Grisales, Minnesota Public Radio host Clay Masters, and senior politi...

President Trump says he plans to control revenue from the sale of up to 50 million barrels of  Venezuela's oil. We discuss Trump’s short- and long-term goals for Venezuelan oil, and how feasible they are. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, and business correspondent Camila Domonoske. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and B...

The Supreme Court is expected to rule this year on major issues ranging from President Trump’s tariff policies to birthright citizenship and the Voting Rights Act. We discuss some of the cases and how they could change the political landscape. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, justice correspondent Carrie Johnson, and senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson....

Five years ago, a mob attacked the United States Capitol as lawmakers were working to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election.  NPR's investigations team has been cataloging and maintaining an archive of documents, videos & court testimony related to the insurrection. We take a look at the aftermath of the events, including how President Trump and his allies are trying to rewrite the...

President Trump campaigned on promises to put “America First,” and to oppose regime change and nation building. We discuss whether those promises align with the United States’ military actions in Venezuela over the weekend. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montan...

Overnight, the U.S. military launched strikes on Venezuela and captured its president, Nicolás Maduro. We discuss President Trump's announcement that the United States will run Venezuela’s government "until such time as a proper transition can take place," as well as the criminal charges Maduro faces in New York.  This episode: political correspondent Sarah McCammon, White House correspondent Fran...

On the night of his inauguration, President Trump signed an executive order that froze almost all international assistance. What followed was the termination of billions of dollars in aid programs — and the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development. Now, the future of U.S. foreign assistance looks very different. Our friends at Consider This from NPR  take a look. See pcm.adswiz...

Happy New Year! In this special episode, the Politics Podcast team is inviting you into our office to hear from reporters as they reflect on the year we’ve had, and look forward to the year in politics ahead. This episode: political correspondent Ashley Lopez, congressional correspondent Barbara Sprunt, White House correspondents Danielle Kurtzleben and Franco Ordoñez, justice correspondent Ryan L...

We look back on some of the highlights from 2025 we can't stop thinking about, politics or otherwise. This episode: voting correspondents Miles Parks & Ashley Lopez, White House correspondent Deepa Shivaram, political reporter Elena Moore, senior political editor & correspondent Domenico Montanaro, senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, and political correspondent Sarah McCammon. This podc...

As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is taking a look back at the year that was in different political areas. Today, we look at how Project 2025, a document published by the Heritage Foundation to outline policy objectives in a Republican administration taking office in 2025, has influenced the Trump administration's approach to governance. This episode: political correspondent Ashley Lop...

As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is taking a look back at the year that was in different political areas. Today, we look at how President Trump has reshaped immigration policy during his return to office, and what impacts those changes have had. This episode: political correspondent Ashley Lopez, immigration policy correspondent Ximena Bustillo, and White House correspondent Deepa Shi...

Editor's note: This episode originally aired on December 16, 2025. As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is taking a look back at the year that was in different political areas. Today, we explore what President Trump's administration has done in terms of foreign policy, and what might be expected in the coming year. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, White House c...

As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is taking a look back at the year that was in different political areas. Today, we look at how America’s stance on environmental policy has shifted under the second Trump administration and what the potential impacts could be. This episode: voting correspondent Ashley Lopez, senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, climate correspondent Michael C...

As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is taking a look back at the year that was in different political areas. Today, we explore how President Trump pushed Republican-led states to redraw congressional maps with the hope of getting more Republican members of the House of Representatives, and how that led to an escalation of partisan gerrymandering throughout the country. This episode: seni...

As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is taking a look back at the year that was in different political areas. Today, we look at President Trump's handling of the economy, including his tariff policy. This episode: political correspondent Sarah McCammon, White House correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, and chief economics correspondent Scott Horsley. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell...

As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is taking a look back at the year that was in different political areas. Today, we look at what lawmakers were able to get done -- or not -- in 2025, and how that may influence their 2026 agenda. This episode: political correspondent Sarah McCammon, congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh, and senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith. This podca...

It was another busy week in Washington. We discuss President Trump’s decision to reclassify cannabis as a schedule 3 drug, a revealing news story about the inner workings of the White House, and Congress’s decision to leave town without voting to extend expiring healthcare subsidies. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, congressional reporter Sam Gringlas, and White House c...