Post Reports
Episodes
Goodbye from "Post Reports"
06 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Just over seven years ago, we launched this daily news podcast from The Washington Post.Our goal was to bring you inside our newsroom, sharing our rep...
A surprise Kennedy Center makeover
03 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In his second term, President Donald Trump has gone on a mission to reinvent the Kennedy Center, the beloved performing arts venue in Washington, D.C....
A teddy bear, an ice skate: What remains from last year's deadly D.C. plane crash
02 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In late January of last year, an American Eagle flight and a U.S. Army helicopter collided above the Potomac River, killing everyone aboard both aircr...
Jason Rezaian, Iran and the costs of press freedom
31 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Ten years ago this month, Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian was freed from Iran’s Evin prison. He and his wife, Yeganeh, had been arrested at...
Is Minneapolis a turning point in Trump's presidency?
30 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Since the killing of Renée Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minnesota, President Donald Trump and his administration are feeling the pressur...
The quest to ‘destructively scan’ all the world’s books
29 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In early 2024, executives at artificial intelligence start-up Anthropic ramped up an ambitious project they sought to keep quiet. It was code-named Pr...
Why smaller houses can make us happier
28 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Houses in the United States keep getting bigger, but the people in bigger houses aren’t necessarily happier. Bigger homes often come with higher cos...
How Kristi Noem transformed immigration enforcement
27 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
After both Renée Good and Alex Pretti were shot and killed by Department of Homeland Security officers in Minneapolis this month, the story from the ...
After Alex Pretti's killing, a battle of narratives
26 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The killing of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti on Saturday morning marks a dramatic escalation of what was already a very tense moment for Minneapol...
Why going outside is good for you, even when it's freezing
24 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Today on the show, we explore the science behind why going outside is so good for us, even when it’s freezing.If you’re interested in learning mor...
Trump’s Greenland ‘deal,’ and Democrats’ midterm math
23 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
President Donald Trump made headlines with two speeches this week. First came his sprawling, stream-of-consciousness address in the White House briefi...
The Iranian director who risked his freedom to make his Oscar-nominated film
22 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Iranian director Jafar Panahi has been making social cinema since the 1990s. His work follows everyday Iranians and their struggles against societal f...
A mysterious death inside ICE's largest detention center
21 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
When U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced the death of a detainee at a Texas detention camp this month, the agency initially gave no cau...
How Trump’s Nobel obsession is upending geopolitics
20 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Over the weekend, President Donald Trump sent an unusual text to the prime minister of Norway. The two leaders had been messaging about Greenland...
How to make – and keep – friends
19 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Friendship is vital for our health and happiness, but we don’t always prioritize it. The Optimist’s Maggie Penman goes on a journey to make new fr...
How to live a good life
17 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
At a time of year when many of us are reflecting on our lives and setting goals, we look at the research into what makes for a good life – and share...
Trump’s intimidation playbook and a presidential middle finger
16 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This week, the FBI raided the home of a Washington Post journalist, sparking First Amendment fears. At the same time, the Justice Department has opene...
The FBI raid on our reporter's home
15 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Early Wednesday, FBI agents raided the home of a Washington Post reporter as part of an investigation of a government contractor accused of illegally ...
Why Fed Chair Jerome Powell isn't backing down
14 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
For years, President Donald Trump has complained about Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome H. Powell. He’s called him names, said he should be fired ...
Are ICE officers doing what they’re trained to do?
13 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Conflicting narratives of Renée Good’s killing in Minneapolis have quickly emerged – federal officials claim the ICE officer who shot her was act...
Will these Iran protests bring the government down?
12 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The turmoil started in late December, when some Tehran merchants closed up shop to protest the free fall of Iran’s currency. That initial outcr...
The hunt for a stolen Jackson Pollock painting
10 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Decades after a brazen art theft drove Merry White’s father to despair, federal agents closed in on the missing work. For White, the search is perso...
Minneapolis ICE shooting, Tim Walz and 'America First' after Venezuela
09 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This week, the shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Minneapolis has drawn new scrutiny of Pres...
The trick to making New Year’s resolutions stick
08 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Go to sleep earlier. Read more books. Eat better. Exercise. Changing our behavior is hard, but what if some simple – and dare we say fun – tr...
How a mystery gambler scored big on Maduro’s ouster
07 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Just hours before U.S. aircraft surged into Caracas as part of an operation to capture Nicolás Maduro, an anonymous person placed a final online bet ...
Marco Rubio, the Viceroy of Venezuela
06 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has held many titles during Donald Trump’s presidency. He may have just acquired his most challenging one yet: vicero...
With Maduro gone, what's Venezuela's future?
05 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
After U.S. forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Saturday, President Donald Trump declared: “American dominance in the Western Hem...
How to get stronger as you age
03 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Today we share one of our favorite episodes, from Optimist reporter Maggie Penman about the new science of aging, and a hopeful research finding that ...
How to be a ‘super ager’
02 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we revisit one of our favorite episodes from this past year, about super agers: people who continue to thrive into their 80s and 90s. One of th...
Meet the man who invites 1,000 people to his house every month
31 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Once a month for 15 years, David Weiner has hosted a jazz party, inviting everyone he knows and many people he’s never met over to his D.C. rowhouse...
Is finding "flow" the key to happiness?
30 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In one of our favorite episodes of the year, a group of self-proclaimed “old ladies” dive for garbage — and unexpectedly find joy. This is ...
Want to live longer? Try fartleks.
29 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Fartlek is a Swedish term for “speed play.” This informal version of interval training is simple, effective and dare we say … enjoyable? And not...
How much do dogs reduce our stress?
27 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we revisit one of our favorite episodes from the past year: about the science of how dogs make us calmer, happier — and maybe even more trust...
This school banned phones. Remarkable things happened.
26 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The cafeteria at Ballard High School during lunch is a loud place. Students are talking and laughing, playing card games and going out to the courtyar...
The kids keeping go-go music alive
24 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Schools and community programs in Washington, D.C., are teaching students to play go-go music to help extend the legacy of the official music of the D...
Stressed about the holidays? Carolyn Hax has advice.
23 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Carolyn Hax has been an advice columnist for The Washington Post for over 25 years. So, she’s seen, heard and read it all. There’s no family drama...
Wait, is weed legal now?
22 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In an executive order last week, President Donald Trump ordered federal agencies to reclassify marijuana as a less-dangerous substance. The drug...
I want to give back! How do I afford it?
20 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Donating money can induce anxiety if you’re not sure how to afford it or feel pressured into doing so by the people around you. “Try This” ...
Why MAGA faithful are growing frustrated with Trump
19 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The week started with a Truth Social post from President Donald Trump about the death of Hollywood director Rob Reiner that drew backlash from within ...
How a gay hockey romance became a global phenomenon
18 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“Heated Rivalry,” a TV adaption of Rachel Reid’s gay romance novel, has taken social media feeds and group chats by storm. Thanks to a deal with...
Is this the American oligarchy?
17 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Investigative reporter Beth Reinhard first noticed it in January, when President Donald Trump’s second inauguration celebration got moved indoors be...
Rob Reiner’s death and legacy
16 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Rob Reiner is the director of classics that include “The Princess Bride,” “When Harry Met Sally” and “This is Spinal Tap.” His wife Michel...
The making of Trump’s presidential library
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Historically, presidential libraries have been used as research hubs to house documents and artifacts from a president’s time in the White House. Th...
Deep Reads: His wife was dying, his federal job crumbling. It tested his faith — in God and Trump.
13 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the spring, Edward Brandon Becham was caring for his dying wife. He was also among hundreds of thousands of federal workers weighing whether to aba...
Trump calls affordability a "hoax"; Democrats take note
12 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the first year of his second term, President Donald Trump has focused his attention on foreign policy and made numerous trips abroad – with an ey...
The biggest shift yet in U.S. vaccine policy
11 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The U.S. is in the midst of its biggest overhaul yet to childhood vaccinations, and it is already impacting how families are thinking about immunizing...
The battle for Warner Bros.
10 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The historic movie and television company now known as Warner Bros. Discovery is in high demand. Last week, Netflix announced it would buy some of the...
Should Germany ban its far-right party?
09 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
To many Americans, the idea of banning a party that has support from a significant portion of voters might seem undemocratic. But Germany, guided by i...
Get ready for Trump’s World Cup
08 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The 2026 World Cup is being held in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Before the tournament selection took place Friday in Washington D.C., FIFA P...
How to be an altruist with 'Try This'
06 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What’s really going on inside the brain of an altruist? Why do altruists care so much more for a stranger who needs help? Why are they so willing to...
Hegseth defends boat strike; Putin rejects Trump peace plan
05 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In September, the U.S. military began striking boats suspected of drug smuggling in the Caribbean. Since then, questions about the legality of these s...
Strangers showed us their Notes app. Here's what we learned.
04 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The note-taking applications on our phones are often where we go to jot down a quick reminder, a draft of a text message or a packing list. These simp...
The rise of Border Patrol in US cities
03 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection usually police the frontier. But since the summer, the Trump administration has deployed these agents, ...
What happens to asylum after the attack on the National Guard
03 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Two days after the shooting of two National Guard members in the nation’s capital by a suspect who is an Afghan national, the Trump administration a...
Pete Hegseth said to kill everybody, officials say
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When the U.S. first struck a suspected drug-smuggling boat off the Trinidad coast on Sept. 2, two survivors were left clinging to the wreckage. In ord...
How to launch a second act in life, with comedian Zarna Garg
29 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From starting a tomato sauce company to launching matchmaking services, Zarna Garg’s entrepreneurial spirit has always been on display. But when dau...
How a former politics columnist is finding awe
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Feeling a sense of awe can make us feel less stressed, less lonely and more connected to each other. It’s good for our bodies and our minds. So how ...
Bacon: The best-kept secret in Washington
26 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Shane Harris first tasted “Vangie’s bacon” 11 years ago, and he hasn’t stopped thinking about it since. Today on the show, Shane goes on a que...
Parents want to cut kids' screen time. Can it work?
25 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Children are attached to their screens. But research has suggested that social media and excessive screen use can lead to physical and mental health p...
You can avoid overspending on the holidays. Here’s how.
24 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the most wonderful time of the year and, if you’re not careful, it could be the most expensive. The day after Thanksgiving has historically b...
Could you give up your smartphone for a month?
22 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A group in D.C. ditched their smartphones for a month. Washington Post reporter Brittany Shammas joined them. Here’s what she learned.If you want to...
Trump’s pivot on the Epstein files and his polling plunge
21 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After months of buildup, Congress voted to release the Epstein files on Tuesday. President Donald Trump signed the bill into law. But language in that...
The death of the penny
20 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The last five pennies were minted in Philadelphia last week. Over the 232 years of its existence, the penny became culturally significant through musi...
Why the U.S. won't quit Saudi Arabia
19 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week, President Donald Trump rolled out the red carpet for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. At a grand White House dinner, an investment s...
Is the gambling explosion ruining sports?
18 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Last month the FBI arrested Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier for their involvement in two separate...
The conservative group courting young Black voters
18 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When the conservative organization Blexit announced it was going to visit HBCU campuses this fall, it received backlash from students, administrators ...
How to make – and keep – friends
15 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Friendship is vital for our health and happiness, but we don’t always prioritize it. The Optimist’s Maggie Penman goes on a journey to make new fr...
Trump's renewed Epstein problems, plus takeaways from the shutdown
14 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The House Oversight Committee released a tranche of emails from the estate of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein that give us more information about ...
What's behind Trump's moves in Latin America?
13 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For months, the relationship between the United States and Latin America has been fraught. President Donald Trump has targeted enemies in the region a...
From al-Qaeda to the White House
12 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s an improbable path, from al-Qaeda to the West Wing. The U.S. had once designated Ahmed al-Sharaa a terrorist. He fought U.S. forces in Iraq and...
Kathryn Bigelow on ‘A House of Dynamite’ and the nuclear ‘elephant in the room’
11 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Kathryn Bigelow has been thinking about the threat of nuclear war ever since she was a kid. “I come from the era of duck and cover,” she says, “...
Why some Democrats defected to end the shutdown
10 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After weeks of holding out, a small group of Senate Democrats voted with Republicans over the weekend to start the process of reopening the government...
How far can a sense of purpose take us?
08 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jordie Poncy was about to start a job counseling cancer patients when he learned he had cancer himself. Three years later, his health is stable — an...
She couldn't win as a Democrat. Will running as a Republican work?
07 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Kate Barr ran for state Senate in North Carolina’s 37th District as a Democrat last year, expecting to lose. She even branded her campaign with the ...
How some veterans exploit the VA disability system
06 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This year, taxpayers will spend about $193 billion to compensate almost 7 million disabled veterans. Some of the conditions prevent veterans from work...
How Democrats swept Tuesday’s key elections
05 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There was little suspense after polls closed yesterday. Democrat Mikie Sherrill won the governor’s office in New Jersey, Abigail Spanberger easily d...
How to get enough protein — without going overboard
04 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
These days, just about any food you could possibly imagine now has “added” protein. There’s protein popcorn, protein muffins and even protein wa...
Stretching a food budget, when SNAP's uncertain
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An estimated 42 million Americans use the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP – also known as food stamps – to feed themselves and ...
How much do dogs reduce our stress?
01 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this weekend’s edition of The Optimist, reporter and self-proclaimed cynic Kyle Melnick goes on a journey with a dog. We’ll talk about what he ...
Trump's tariff truce, nuclear test orders, SNAP pain
31 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Donald Trump spent several days this week in Asia, dining with world leaders and hammering out the details of trade agreements. The visit cu...
Ghost Reports: They buried Mrs. Kyle twice
30 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Since we launched “Post Reports” almost seven years ago, our production team has had an inside joke every time we reach this time of year. We star...
Casey Means: A MAHA leader, and the next surgeon general?
29 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Casey Means faces lawmakers on Thursday, as they vet her nomination for the nation’s top medical post: the U.S. surgeon general. Means has been a pr...
Why Build-a-Bear Workshop is outpacing big tech
28 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As consumers are doing more shopping online, and as President Donald Trump’s tariffs have been driving the price of goods up, many toy and mall bran...
What’s Obama been up to?
27 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Former presidents usually leave the big political battles to their successors. Up until this year, that was largely the case for former president Bara...
How to get stronger as you age
25 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today on “Post Reports,” Optimist reporter Maggie Penman shares the new science of aging, and a hopeful research finding that getting stronger and...
Trump demolishes White House East Wing; Nazi controversies hit both parties
24 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week, construction crews knocked down the East Wing of the White House to make way for the construction of a 90,000-square-foot ballroom. This de...
Inside billionaire Peter Thiel’s private ‘Antichrist’ lectures
23 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
One of the hottest events in San Francisco over the past couple of months was a lecture series by tech billionaire Peter Thiel – in which he preache...
The NBA season just started. Is anyone watching?
22 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Can the Oklahoma City Thunder defend its championship? How will all the player injuries affect the dynamics in the Eastern Conference? And if fewer pe...
How thieves pulled off the Louvre jewel heist in minutes
21 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On Sunday, the Louvre museum in Paris was burgled in broad daylight. Thieves in disguises entered through the windows and used a glass cutter to...
Could Trump's boat strikes turn into war?
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Since September, the United States has taken credit for at least seven attacks against boats in the Caribbean, killing dozens of people. The Trump adm...
Can you choose to be happy?
18 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Are you happy? How would you answer that question if a stranger with a camera asked?Five years ago, filmmaker Atdhe Trepca quit his job and drove acro...
Top GOP leader on shutdown: ‘This could go on for quite some time’
17 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As the federal government shutdown stretches on, Republicans and Democrats are still far apart on a path to reopening. One major sticking point is the...
Dinner with The Post’s food critic
16 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For over a quarter-century, Tom Sietsema has eaten at and reviewed thousands of restaurants. Now, he’s hanging up his fork and knife. Today, we dip ...
Trump is trying to use the shutdown to lay off workers
15 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As the federal government shutdown stretches into its third week, its effects are starting to ripple across the country. National parks are closed, fl...
Inside Silicon Valley’s push to breed super-babies
14 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A crop of Silicon Valley startups offers the hope of eradicating disease by testing embryos for genetic abnormalities and the potential for future ill...
Will peace in Gaza hold?
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On Monday, Israelis celebrated the return of all 20 living hostages still held by Hamas. Palestinians welcomed back hundreds of prisoners and detainee...
How to save an animal shelter: “If you care about something just do it”
11 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The municipal animal shelter in Huntington, West Virginia, was euthanizing 50 to 75 percent of the animals that came in because they didn’t have the...
Shutdown cracks, Jay Jones’s texts, Trump’s Gaza deal
10 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Senate remains far apart on resolving the ongoing government shutdown. But the battle for public opinion on who’s to blame has shifted. Republic...
Bad Bunny, the Super Bowl and a MAGA meltdown
09 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Puerto Rican music superstar Bad Bunny is having a phenomenal year. His seventh album, “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” came out in January and spent wee...
The National Guard arrives in Chicago
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Tensions have been escalating in Chicago since the Trump administration began a widespread immigration enforcement operation across the city in early ...