CNN One Thing
Episodes
Trump Claims He's Winning. Are Americans Buying It?
21 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Donald Trump’s second term has been norm-busting and extraordinarily consequential, but cracks are starting to form in Trump’s base. ...
What Rob Reiner Meant to America
17 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The killing of Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner has shocked Hollywood and movie fans alike. What made his films timeless? And what does h...
States Want to Write The Rules of AI. Trump Won’t Let Them.
14 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that blocks states from enforcing their own regulations around artificial intelligence, arguing t...
What The Battle Over Warner Bros. Means for You
10 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Netflix has a deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery’s (CNN’s parent company) Hollywood assets. Paramount thinks they have a better offer for the enti...
Understanding Trump's Seismic Assault on Legal Immigration
07 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Green card holders. Refugees. Asylum seekers. Even naturalized citizens. Fear and confusion are gripping immigrants of all stripes across the country ...
Did US Forces Commit a War Crime in the Caribbean?
03 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are calling for investigations into reports that the Trump administration carried out second strike killing survi...
How Trump is Using the World Cup to Further His Goals
30 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The eyes of the international soccer world will be on North America next summer when the FIFA World Cup comes to the US, Mexico and Canada. President ...
Can Americans Afford This Holiday Season?
26 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If the thought of holiday shopping stresses you out, you’re not alone. Some of America’s top retailers also aren’t sure how to navigate economic...
Bubbles, Bailouts, and Trump: What AI Stock Fears Mean for You
23 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As fears of an artificial intelligence bubble mount, one company is being scrutinized above all the rest: Nvidia. As the AI chipmaker's valuation c...
How Seriously Should We Take Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Change of Heart?
19 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene is breaking with President Donald Trump and apologizing for “taking part in toxic politics,” after ...
Unpacking Trump’s Second Term Pardon Spree
16 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Donald Trump has pardoned more than 1,600 people who played significant roles in matters involving him personally across his two terms, incl...
'We Don’t Have the Guns. We Got Whistles’: How Chicagoans Are Resisting ICE
12 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Chicago remains on edge as immigration enforcement operations in recent weeks have sparked tense standoffs and legal questions over federal agent...
How a Holocaust Denier Sparked a MAGA Civil War
09 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ever since Tucker Carlson interviewed White nationalist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes, Republicans have been at odds over how to deal with wha...
Can Oz Pearlman 'Read' a Skeptical Reporter’s Mind?
05 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Oz Pearlman insists he reads people, not minds - and don't call him a magician. But as corporate titans, celebrities, and pro sports teams co...
Latinos Shifted Right in 2024. Has Trump 2.0 Scrambled Things?
02 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Donald Trump made big gains with Latino voters across the country last fall. But two key governors' races on Tuesday could tell us whethe...
The Shutdown is Already Hurting Americans. It’s About to Get Worse.
29 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Nearly 42 million Americans could lose critical food assistance this week because of the ongoing government shutdown. But it’s far from the only rea...
Why Job Hunting Feels Impossible Right Now
26 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Since the pandemic, the US economy has been resilient – but a weakening labor market and stubborn inflation have some experts concerned. We hear fro...
How Trump’s ‘Poop Plane’ Explains Our Political Moment
22 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Over the weekend, President Donald Trump shared an AI-generated video of himself wearing a crown and flying a fighter jet dumping what appears to be w...
Cartels, The CIA, and Trump’s True Intentions in Venezuela
19 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Donald Trump publicly admitted he has authorized he authorized the CIA to operate inside Venezuela to crack down on flows of illegal drugs a...
Trump Wants a Peace Prize. Is a Gaza Ceasefire Enough?
15 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Donald Trump hailed the “historic dawn of a new Middle East” after Hamas freed all living hostages from Gaza and Israel released Palest...
How the AI Boom Is Costing You More at Home
12 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As the appetite for artificial intelligence rises, so does the need for power-hungry data centers. While residents who live near them complain of the ...
What’s Really Going on with Protests in Chicago?
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Donald Trump’s move to deploy National Guard troops to Portland and Chicago has been met with outrage from locals and pushback from judges...
Bad Bunny Is Everywhere. Not Everyone Is Happy About It.
05 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The announcement that Puerto Rican rapper and singer Bad Bunny will headline the Super Bowl halftime show in February has angered some right-wing voi...
At Pete Hegseth’s Pentagon, Looking Tough Is the Mission
01 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth summoned US generals and admirals from around the world for an extraordinary meeting in Virginia on Tuesday, where h...
How Trump’s Immigration Agenda Could Spark a US Brain Drain
28 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Trump administration’s surprise announcement that it will boost H-1B visa application fees to $100,000 has caused widespread fear and confusion ...
Are You a Bad Mom for Taking Tylenol?
24 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Major medical groups are speaking out against claims made by President Donald Trump linking Tylenol use to autism. So where should pregnant people and...
Disney Caves to Trump’s FCC. What Does it Mean for the Rest of Us?
21 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Disney’s decision to yank ABC host Jimmy Kimmel off the air following FCC pressure has outraged fans, performers and Democratic politicians. Will ot...
Is Kash Patel’s Bro-Coded FBI Dropping the Ball?
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the days since the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, FBI Director Kash Patel has been scrutinized for a series of missteps some believe...
Charlie Kirk Was Killed. Now What?
14 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The apparent assassination of Charlie Kirk has both sides of the aisle calling on Americans to ‘lower the temperature’ of political rhetoric. But ...
Can Mass Deportations and ‘Made in America’ Coexist?
10 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A massive immigration enforcement operation at a Hyundai manufacturing plant in Georgia is being described as one of the most extensive immigration ra...
Deployed and Dejected: The National Guard in DC
07 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As President Donald Trump threatens to send National Guard troops into other cities to fight crime, troops from at least six GOP-led states continue t...
Can You Trust the CDC?
03 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What’s next for the CDC after its director was fired? Have politics fully infiltrated public health? And where should Americans turn for reliable he...
Devastated by Katrina, Rescued by Music
31 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
20 years after the levees broke, New Orleans continues to feel the impacts from Hurricane Katrina. We hear from three generations of Katrina survivors...
Why Trump’s Attempt to Reshape the Fed Could Backfire
27 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Donald Trump continues to insist that his aggressive tariff policies will not raise prices for consumers. But little by little, customers ar...
Might at the Museum: Trump Targets the Smithsonian
24 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Critics say President Donald Trump’s attacks on the Smithsonian museum system amount to an attempt to whitewash American history. A historian tells ...
He Used to Lead ICE. He Doesn’t Love What He’s Seeing.
20 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Recent incidents involving aggressive ICE tactics have outraged critics of President Donald Trump’s deportation agenda. We hear from a former ICE of...
What Trump’s DC Takeover is Really About
17 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As President Donald Trump’s takeover of Washington, DC law enforcement continues, some critics are questioning just how much safer it will make the ...
Will a Trump Meeting Help Putin Take More of Ukraine?
13 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Donald Trump is set to meet Russian president Vladimir Putin on Friday in Alaska for a high-stakes meeting about the war in Ukraine. But wil...
How Vaccine Opt-Outs Could Put Classrooms at Risk
10 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As schools start to reopen across the country, new CDC data shows that a record share of US kindergartners missed required vaccinations last school ye...
Trump Thinks the Jobs Numbers are Rigged. Here’s the Reality.
06 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Donald Trump’s firing of the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics has some economic experts on edge just as new tariffs are abou...
Why Trump’s EPA Wants to Ditch Its Most Powerful Pollution Tool
03 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Climate scientists are sounding the alarm after the Trump administration proposed to repeal a landmark finding that human-caused climate change enda...
Is the Hunger Crisis in Gaza a Tipping Point in the War?
30 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Israel has taken some steps to relax restrictions on aid into Gaza in recent days amid a steady stream of horrific images of starving and emaciated P...
Psychedelics in the Trump Era: From Counterculture...to Conservative?
27 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Former Texas governor and US Energy Secretary Rick Perry is not someone you’d think would be advocating for controversial psychedelic therapies to t...
MAGA Is Hungry for More Epstein Info. Will Trump Feed Them?
23 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
While President Donald Trump seems eager to move on from convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the loudest MAGA voices don’t seem to be. But will ...
Psychedelics in the Trump Era: A Veteran’s Road to Recovery
20 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other Trump officials seem open to embracing psychedelics as treatment for serious conditions trauma, depressi...
AI & Antisemitism: Can They Be Separated?
16 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Note: This episode contains descriptions of offensive language. Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI was forced to issue an apology afte...
Scammers Are in Their ‘FraudGPT’ Era
13 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A recent diplomatic cable revealed that someone has been using artificial intelligence to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a bid to gain ...
Should We Rethink Extreme Weather Warnings?
09 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the days since the catastrophic flooding in central Texas, some have been asking: could more have been done to warn residents? We examine what we k...
Inside a Rush to Relocate from Trump’s America
06 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
More Americans are starting to follow through with threats to leave the country in President Trump’s second term. We hear about what went into one f...
What Trump's Megabill Could Mean for Your Bills
02 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax and spending package nears a final vote in Congress, many Americans just want to know how the bill would im...
His Case Legalized Gay Marriage. Now He Wants to Make Sure it Sticks.
29 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
10 years ago, the US Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, changing the lives of millions of American...
Trump Wants the Israel-Iran Ceasefire to Stick. It May Not Be Up to Him.
25 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Note: This episode contains strong language. The Middle East remains on edge after President Donald Trump brokered a fragile ceasefire between Israel...
Cuomo on the Cusp of a Comeback in NYC
22 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo was praised by Democrats in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic for his strong and steady leadership. A lit...
The Civilian Cost of Israel and Iran’s Conflict
18 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As Israel and Iran strike each other, civilians are caught in the middle. We hear about how people in both countries are coping and get an explainer o...
‘It's Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell 2.0.’: Trump’s Trans Service Member Ban
15 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Transgender troops have begun separating from the military under a Pentagon policy dismissing service members who have a diagnosis, history or exhibit...
Public Safety and Politics Collide in LA
11 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After President Trump deployed thousands of National Guard troops and hundreds of Marines to California to stop immigration enforcement protests in Lo...
How Trump’s Coal Cuts Are Hitting His Diehards
08 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Donald Trump wants coal to be king again – but what about the people who have risked everything to extract it? A CNN investigation has r...
A GOP Trump Critic Wants Others to Speak Out. Will They Listen?
04 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A post-Trump GOP Is years away, but some are already planning. In a conversation recorded live at the Cascade PBS Ideas Festival, we hear from one of ...
Under RFK Jr.’s HHS, Who Decides the Facts?
01 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s announcement that the Covid-19 vaccine will no longer be recommended for healthy chil...
Congress Makes the Case for Crypto
28 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Donald Trump’s embrace of the cryptocurrency industry has boosted the value of multiple digital assets, while raising thorny conflict of i...
‘Total Disaster’: Why Some Fear Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful’ Bill
25 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The House passed President Donald Trump’s sweeping domestic policy bill on Thursday, despite divisions within the GOP. We break down what’s in it ...
How Trump Clouded America’s Weather Forecasting
21 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As hurricane season approaches, the National Weather Service is grappling with a DOGE-fueled staffing shortage that has left some local offices unable...
What to Expect When You’re Expecting More Tariffs
18 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The US and China have agreed to drastically walk back their trade war – for now. But will consumers feel the pain anyway? The co-founder of a baby p...
Trump, a Newborn, and Her Parents' Birthright Fight
14 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments Thursday in a case involving President Donald Trump’s birthright citizenship order. We examine how t...
Air Traffic, Out of Control?
11 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Department of Transportation announced it will build a “brand new air traffic control system” by 2029. It follows more than a week of massive...
Conclave Watch: The Book That 'Pope Pilled’ The Internet
09 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Interest in the 2024 Oscar-winning film “Conclave” skyrocketed as Cardinals gathered in Rome this week and elected Pope Leo XIV. We talk with the ...
Conclave Watch: An American Pope
08 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We have a pope – and he’s an American! Cardinal Robert Prevost has been selected as the next pope, the first American pontiff in history. He wil...
Conclave Watch: We Have a Nope
08 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Spoiler alert: we don't have a new pope – yet. While we wait, we get an update from St. Peter’s Square as the conclave begins and dig into the pol...
A Beginner’s Guide to the Papal Conclave
07 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Catholic cardinals in Rome are preparing to pick a new leader following the death of Pope Francis. We break down what to expect from the private ritua...
Why It’s So Easy to Fall for Conspiracy Theories
04 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Conspiracy theories are not new. They’re as old as time itself. But if you feel like they’re everywhere right now, you’re not alone. So, what do...
Americans Are Souring on Trump. Does He Care?
30 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
New CNN polling shows historically low approval ratings for President Donald Trump as he moves past his 100th day in office. We hear from a first-time...
Is Horse Racing on Its Last Legs?
27 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ahead of this year’s Kentucky Derby, horse racing critics are asking familiar questions about animal safety and care in an industry fueled by gambli...
Why Trump is Sticking with Hegseth (For Now)
23 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is under fire following revelations that he shared detailed military plans on a second Signal group chat. It comes amid...
Remembering Pope Francis
21 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A look back on the life, papacy and legacy of Pope Francis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
They Got Into Dream Schools. Trump Got Involved. Now What?
20 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Harvard University is refusing to make key policy changes requested by the Trump administration, kicking off a funding fight with students and researc...
The US-El Salvador Deportation Deal, Explained
16 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Donald Trump and El Salvador's president Nayib Bukele have both made clear in recent days that the Maryland man who was mistakenly deported ...
Inside Trump’s ‘Dangerous’ Health Research Cuts
13 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Researchers and study participants across the country are grappling with the abrupt cancellation of hundreds of research grants directed by the Trump ...
How Trump’s Tariff Trade War Could Hit You
09 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As President Donald Trump plows ahead with his plan to impose massive tariffs on America’s trading partners, fear and uncertainty have taken hold fr...
The Hidden Costs of Trump’s National Parks Cuts
06 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As DOGE-led cuts continue to rock the federal government, we hear from National Parks employees about what’s at stake for visitors and wildlife, as ...
This Group Has a ‘Deportation List.’ Is the Government Reading It?
02 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As federal agents detain a growing number of international college students, some are wondering: where are they getting these names? We hear about pro...
Why Musk Is Pouring Millions into Wisconsin
30 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Elon Musk and other outside groups have poured millions of dollars into advertising and organizing ahead of Wisconsin’s Supreme Court election on Tu...
Trump’s DEI Data Purge
26 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As datasets and web pages across the federal government disappear to comply with President Donald Trump’s executive orders, a coalition of concerned...
Tesla in Trouble
23 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Since Inauguration Day, Tesla has seen its stock price drop amid declining consumer interest and occasionally violent protests pushing back against C...
If a Judge Says It, Do You Have to Do It?
19 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Trump White House is denying it defied a judge’s order to halt deportation flights by using a wartime power to speed up removals. A former feder...
Can You Be Deported for What You Say?
16 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A Trump administration effort to deport prominent Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil has sparked fear on college campuses across the country that oth...
Why Government Cuts Are About to Ramp Up
12 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ahead of a March 13 deadline for federal agencies to submit reductions in force plans, one agency in particular has drawn the attention of Elon Musk a...
Will ‘Don’t Give Up’ Cut It for Democrats?
09 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Democrats continue to struggle with being an effective opposition party in a Washington under full Republican control. Ahead of a looming government s...
In MAGA Country, Musk Has Free Rein (For Now)
05 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As President Donald Trump reshapes international relations and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency continues to gut the federal workforc...
Measles was Considered Eliminated. But It’s Spreading in Texas.
02 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As a measles outbreak continues to grow in West Texas, questions are mounting over the quality of federal response, as Health and Human Services secre...
Boycotts, DEI, and Trump 2.0 Resistance
26 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Some progressive groups are calling for an ‘economic blackout’ on Friday, urging Americans not to purchase anything from major retailers in protes...
‘This Shouldn’t Be Their Reality’: Trump’s Immigration Crackdown
23 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As the Trump administration works to carry out its mass deportation operation, undocumented immigrants without criminal records fear being caught up i...
What Elon Musk Sees in Germany’s Far-Right
19 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As US and Russian officials meet about the war in Ukraine - without Ukraine - European leaders are feeling similarly sidelined. Meanwhile, Germany’s...
Bird Flu Isn’t Trump’s Fault. But It’s His Problem.
16 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you’ve been to the grocery store recently, you know egg prices are through the roof (if you can even find any). We explore how a growing avian fl...
When Trump and Musk Meet Checks and Balances
12 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As many of President Donald Trump’s sweeping executive actions get challenged in court, some on the right are suggesting his presidential power coul...
The Real-Life Impact of DOGE’s Cuts
09 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Many aid programs around the world have been paralyzed in the wake of the Trump administration’s 90-day pause on foreign aid. We hear how an Elon Mu...
Musk and Trump Take a Wrecking Ball to DC
05 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Some federal employees are on edge as Elon Musk continues his work on behalf of President Donald Trump to overhaul the federal government in unprecede...
More Planes, Fewer Air Traffic Controllers: Recipe for Disaster?
02 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the days since the deadly midair collision outside Washington DC, questions are being asked about what could have contributed to the tragedy. We he...
Trump’s ‘America First’ Agenda Meets China’s AI Advancement
29 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Wall Steet, Washington, and Silicon Valley are scrambling after a little-known Chinese startup claimed its artificial intelligence model can operate l...
The Movement Behind Trump’s DEI Takedown
26 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Employees in federal diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility offices have been placed on paid leave amid of flurry of actions from the new Trum...
Trump Floods the Zone. Here’s What Matters.
22 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Donald Trump issued a slew of executive actions after taking office for the second time on Monday. We examine which ones are having an immed...