The Excerpt
Episodes
Kristi Noem DHS oversight hearing sparks tense debate
05 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
House Judiciary Committee oversight hearings are intended to hold federal agencies accountable. But the latest session involving Homeland Security Sec...
Crafting’s comeback and the science behind it
04 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Crafting is having a moment. From knitting and crochet to embroidery and quilting, more people — especially younger adults — are picking up hands-...
Trump signals weeks of fighting in war with Iran
03 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
With U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, followed by Tehran’s retaliation across the region, the U.S. is now engaged in open conflict with Iran. The q...
Trump’s shadow hangs over the start of primary season
02 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Primary season is here, and even though President Donald Trump isn’t on the ballot, his influence is shaping races across the country. Republican ca...
Epstein files fallout continues for rich and powerful
27 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
While the Clintons testified in closed-door Congressional hearings about what they know about convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the fallout for ...
Sexpionage and how foreign spies use intimacy to steal secrets
26 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Sex for secrets. In an age dominated by digital surveillance, human desire remains a vulnerability. Foreign intelligence agencies are still using inti...
Trump’s defiant message: US is ‘hottest country anywhere in the world’
25 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
After a tumultuous start to his second term, President Donald Trump is looking to reset the reigning narrative about his leadership with Americans. In...
In rare rebuke, SCOTUS overturned Trump’s tariffs. What happens now?
24 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Last week, the Supreme Court delivered a major ruling on presidential power — striking down a centerpiece of President Donald Trump’s economic age...
Future of wind and solar farms in Trump's America
23 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
America needs affordable energy, and that demand sits at the crossroads of creating economic stability while balancing environmental responsibility. G...
Civil Rights icon Jesse Jackson left an indelible mark on America
20 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Jesse Jackson spent decades as a public figure turning his moral convictions into public action. Jackson was a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient...
Gov. Wes Moore to Trump: “Please start doing your job!”
19 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Maryland Governor Wes Moore was taken aback when he learned that he wasn’t on President Donald Trump’s invite list for the White House’s annual ...
For nearly 20 years, the EPA has regulated greenhouse gases. No more.
18 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Last week, the Trump administration announced it was repealing a 2009 determination called the endangerment finding. That finding had been the basis b...
Trumps’s approval rating could be a problem for GOP in the midterms
17 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
As the critical midterms approach, we’re taking a look at how Trump’s numbers may be influencing voters. At stake: 435 House seats, 35 Senate seat...
Politics of renaming a presidential memorial
16 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The fight over renaming The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Perf...
Chocolate wasn’t always romantic. How did it became a symbol of love?
13 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Chocolate wasn’t always sweet — or romantic. Once a ceremonial drink and even a form of currency, cacao has a long history before becoming a Valen...
Attorney General Pam Bondi repeatedly clashes with Democrats
12 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Attorney General Pam Bondi clashed repeatedly with Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday in a fiery hearing. Among other heated topi...
Are prediction markets democratizing information or gamifying war?
11 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Who will be the Democratic presidential nominee in 2028? What will the price of gold be at the end of the week? Who will win the World Cup? All of the...
US-Russia nuclear treaty called START expired. Should we be worried?
10 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
For the first time in over half a century, there are no nuclear arms controls in place between the world’s two largest nuclear powers, the US and Ru...
Is the Trump administration eroding freedom of the press?
09 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
It started with the banning of the Associated Press from certain White House events over its refusal to use the term “Gulf of America” instead of ...
Was the FBI’s raid of Georgia’s Fulton County elections office legal?
06 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Two recent elections-related developments are playing out today that have some election officials concerned. The first relates to the FBI’s seizure ...
Brian Boitano, Christine Brennan on 2026 Winter Olympics and Team USA
05 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We are now just one day away from the roar of the opening ceremonies of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, Italy. Team USA is on the hunt ...
Illegal sports betting by minors puts their mental health at risk
04 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Since the Supreme Court widely legalized sports wagering in 2018 the nation’s appetite for bets has exploded. U.S. betters made over a billion dolla...
Bad Bunny dominates Grammys in lead up to Super Bowl Sunday
03 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The 2026 Grammys saw major wins for artists like Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar and Lady Gaga, and also served up an impressive number of live performances...
Are social media giants like YouTube liable for addiction?
02 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
A landmark trial asks whether social media giants like Instagram and YouTube knowingly designed addictive platforms, and if they can be held legally r...
A partial government shutdown looms
30 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis last Saturday, Democrats have taken a stand again...
Super Bowl LX sets up Patriots Seahawks rematch
29 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The NFL playoffs are now in the books. After a dramatic day of games last weekend, we now know the New England Patriots will face off against the Seat...
Lawsuits raise new safety questions about GLP-1 drugs
28 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are everywhere — but thousands of users now allege the medications caused severe, life-altering injuries includi...
Alex Pretti's death at the hands of US border patrol enrages Americans
27 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Another American citizen has been shot and killed by US immigration officers in Minneapolis as protests against ICE and border patrol intensify across...
Trump backs off force in Greenland standoff. What changed?
26 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
After weeks of threats and escalating rhetoric, President Trump says he’s reached a framework with Denmark over Greenland — backing away from the ...
‘Sinners’ makes Oscar history with 16 nominations
23 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
2026 brought vampires, Shakespeare and ping pong to the big screen – all stories and performances riveting enough to put them in contention for Holl...
USA TODAY sits down with HHS Secretary RFK Jr. for an exclusive
22 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The healthcare system has been thrown into disarray since Robert F Kennedy Jr.’s appointment as Health and Human Services Secretary. He’s changed ...
How ‘crunchy mom’ vaccine skeptics joined RFK Jr.’s MAHA movement
21 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What started as organic food and holistic parenting has evolved into something far more political. USA TODAY's extremism reporter Will Carless investi...
Americans weigh in on Trump's first year
20 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
It’s been exactly one year since President Donald Trump took the oath of office and laid out his vision for America. As he begins the second year of...
Why “We Do Not Care” became a rallying cry for menopausal women
19 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The phrase “we do not care” may sound flippant—but for many women, it’s a form of freedom. Melani Sanders, founder of the We Do Not Care Club,...
Renee Good shooting galvanizes protests across the country
16 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
When 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on January 7th, Americans across the country took notice. The vi...
What’s really at stake in the battle for Warner Bros?
15 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
A brewing battle involving Netflix, Paramount and Warner Bros. has escalated from deal rumors into lawsuits, political pressure and a broader fight ov...
Supreme Court hears arguments in landmark transgender athletes’ cases.
14 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The Supreme Court heard arguments for two landmark transgender athlete cases on Tuesday – one based in West Virginia and one in Idaho - both of whic...
Trump has recently talked about military moves in Iran and Greenland.
13 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The reach of American might is rapidly spreading in real time. In the aftermath of recent US military action in Venezuela, the Trump administration is...
Stay or go? Venezuelan immigrants react to Maduro's capture
12 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
On January 3, 2026, US forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and flew him to New York to face drug charges. While his arrest has led to...
Trump's attempt to rewrite Jan 6 history leaves facts unchanged
09 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In an attempt to rewrite history, the White House published a new web page on January 6th, calling the people who charged the Capitol and assaulted Ca...
Will affordability remain out of reach in 2026?
08 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Regardless of where you sit on the political spectrum, 2025 was a year of economic uncertainty for many Americans. Shifting tariff policies, stubbornl...
Inside the push to modernize the US nuclear arsenal
07 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the worst-cast scenario no one wants to talk about: what happens if America's nuclear missile silos are attacked? The Minuteman III is a powerf...
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife are in US custody
06 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Early in the hours of Saturday morning, US forces descended on the Venezuelan capital of Caracas. Hours later, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and...
In 2026, Trump will face a myriad of political challenges
05 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
President Donald Trump enters 2026 facing mounting pressure on multiple fronts — rising health care costs for millions of Americans, a Supreme Court...
Why losing trust in expertise threatens democracy
02 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
From “follow the science” during COVID to universities accused of activism, the gap between experts and the public is widening. Roger Pielke Jr. e...
Cannabis drinks are surging in popularity
01 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
A new beverage has been showing up in bars and on store shelves: the cannabis cocktail, a hemp-derived drink that contains CBD and oftentimes THC as w...
A look ahead to the momentous decisions awaiting SCOTUS in 2026
31 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
2025 was a big year for the Supreme Court, as it repeatedly handed win after win to the Trump administration. Emergency Orders, also known as the shad...
America's fastest growing homeless population? Kids.
30 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
America’s housing affordability crisis has led to a sharp increase in homelessness. And, according to the latest count by the US Department of Housi...
What home means to people whose lives were reshaped by displacement
29 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Home isn’t just a structure. It’s memory, identity and belonging. USA TODAY National Columnist Suzette Hackney joins The Excerpt to discuss her ye...
At 28, Malala Yousafzai is finally finding her way
26 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
At 28, Malala Yousafzai’s life so far has been anything but ordinary. When she was just 15, she was shot by the Taliban on her way to school, target...
Peanuts turns 75 and still speaks to the child in all of us
25 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For 75 years, Charles Schultz’s Peanuts gang has reflected our humor and hope, as well as our struggle to navigate some of life’s everyday curveba...
Dr. Eric Topol shares a new vision for living longer and better
24 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if the second half of life could be just as healthy, active, and fulfilling as the first? Drawing on the latest science, world-renowned cardiolog...
The 'dirtbag' who built Patagonia — and gave it away
23 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Patagonia is worth billions. But founder Yvon Chouinard never wanted the title of billionaire. From his days as a dirtbag climber to his reluctant rol...
How do you define American cuisine?
22 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What is American cuisine and who gets to define it? Is it barbecue or blueberry pie, hot dogs or lobster rolls, chili or gumbo? American food culture ...
In 2025, music fans got Bad Bunny, Taylor Swift – and AI.
19 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From Bad Bunny’s massive streaming numbers to Taylor Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl,” 2025 electrified music fans across the globe. There was...
Can Baltimore finally turn the corner on vacant homes?
18 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Baltimore has spent decades trying — and often failing — to solve one of its most stubborn problems: thousands of vacant homes hollowing out neigh...
Beloved director Rob Reiner leaves behind a legacy of iconic films
17 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Tributes to the beloved Hollywood director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele have poured in since their tragic deaths on Sunday sent shockwaves thro...
As ICE ramps up enforcement across the country we asked: Who are they?
16 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Masked ICE agents have become the face of President Donald Trump’s nationwide deportation campaign, as viral videos of violent arrests captivate aud...
In exclusive interview, Nancy Pelosi shares bullish outlook for House
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In 2007, she became the first woman to hold the position of Speaker of the House. She led Democrats in the House for two decades and was crucial in pa...
Which blockbuster movies defined 2025's year in film?
12 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
2025 showcased A-list movie stars, long-awaited finales and a K-Pop smash that no one saw coming. From “Sinners” to “Wicked: For Good,” “One...
The books we couldn’t stop reading in 2025
11 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From romantasy fever to dystopian deep dives, 2025 delivered a year of midnight book parties, big feelings, bold worlds and stories that became cultur...
Younger progressive Democrats will challenge older incumbents in 2026
10 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After losing all 3 branches of power in 2024, progressive Democrats are hungry for the opportunity to reshape the party along ideological, generationa...
RFK Jr. succeeds in changing hepatitis B recommendation
09 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Last Friday, Centers for Disease Control vaccine advisers changed the recommendation of a routine hepatitis B shot for all newborns, a change widely v...
Trump gets his peace prize at FIFA 2026 World Cup draw
08 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The much-anticipated draw for the 2026 World Cup took place at the Kennedy Center in DC on Friday. Did Team USA end up with a favorable grouping? ...
Now just plain Andrew. The former Prince’s fall from grace.
05 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As Prince Andrew loses his titles and royal privileges, new questions are rising about accountability, secrecy, and the future of the monarchy. Histor...
A US-backed peace plan to end Russia's war in Ukraine stalls
04 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A leaked Trump administration plan to end Russia’s war in Ukraine has triggered debate among U.S. allies and sharp pushback from Kyiv. As negotiatio...
US military strikes against Venezuelan vessels face legal and operational scrutiny
03 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There have been 21 U.S. military strikes against Venezuelan vessels since September, with a total of 83 casualties, all without Congressional approval...
Inside the dismantling of the Education Department
02 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Trump administration has begun carving up the Education Department, signing six new agreements that shift major K-12 and higher ed programs to oth...
DOGE is done. What did the agency accomplish?
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After less than a year, the Department of Government Efficiency, better known as DOGE, is done. The controversial cost-cutting initiative was initiall...
For Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, truth has always been a matter of trust
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Since its inception back in 2001, Wikipedia has become a trusted source for information. The online encyclopedia took hold despite initially being a p...
The enduring hope of Dr. Jane Goodall
27 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In 1960, 26-year-old Jane Goodall arrived with her mother at Gombe Stream Chimpanzee Reserve in western Tanzania. What followed was truly a story for ...
DOJ charges against James Comey and Letitia James dismissed
26 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On Monday, a judge ordered that charges against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, both targets of President...
Army investigates Fort Hood OBGYN accused of abusing patients
25 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A woman told USA TODAY that nearly a year ago she walked into the OBGYN's office in Fort Hood, an Army base in Texas, because she wasn't sure what t...
Politicians are fighting to redraw congressional maps across the country
24 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In states like Texas, California, Kansas and beyond, politicians are fighting to redraw congressional maps that could shape power in America for years...
Dick Cheney’s power, controversies and legacy
21 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Former Vice President Dick Cheney was remembered this week at a Washington memorial as a defining figure in modern Republican politics. USA TODAY Wash...
When preventable infections turn deadly behind bars
20 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A USA TODAY exclusive investigation found thousands of in-custody deaths that could have been easily prevented. USA TODAY Investigative Data Reporter ...
Can sports survive prop betting?
19 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Before a Supreme Court ruling in 2018 opened the flood gates to legalized sports betting across the country, the proposition bet or prop bet – picki...
Why are young voters drawn to Mamdani?
18 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If the meteoric rise of New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani illustrates one thing, it’s this: affordability, or a lack thereof, has energized y...
Will the remaining Epstein files ever see the light of day?
17 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Epstein files are back in the news, with fresh speculation about how deep President Donald Trump’s involvement goes. A new trove of 20,000 pages...
Teens are turning to AI for connection, with dangerous results
14 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Teenagers are increasingly using AI chatbots for friendship, emotional support, and even romance. When 14-year-old Soul Setzer III formed an intense b...
What drives us to carry out acts of kindness for total strangers?
13 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In honor of World Kindness Day — we’ve partnered with the Humankind team at USA TODAY for a deeper exploration on the topic of compassion. What dr...
The government shutdown caused a lot of pain for Americans
12 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Nobody seems to have gotten everything they wanted out of the longest shutdown in U.S. history. Not the Democrats. Not the Republicans. And definitely...
Golden parachutes for failed college football coaches become the norm
11 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
College football season this year is…. different. How so, you ask? It’s not just the breakout success of Indiana’s Hoosiers and the crushing dis...
Migrants are heading south now, not north
10 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After record highs in 2024, border crossings have collapsed. ICE raids, deportations and new asylum limits are now driving a wave of reverse migration...
How an unlikely alliance saved the U.S. fishing industry
07 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It wasn’t so long ago that America’s fisheries were in a state of collapse, with cratering fish stocks and well-meaning but impractical government...
Are Trump's tariffs legal? The Supreme Court hears arguments
06 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
By imposing sweeping tariffs on foreign imports, President Donald Trump has turned US trade policy on its head. The question now before the Supreme Co...
Democrats escape the political wilderness with Mamdani win
05 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the Nov. 4 election not only makes him the leader of the Big Apple; It also turns him, for better or worse, into one of ...
How SNAP became a political pawn in the government shutdown
04 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — or SNAP — feeds 42 million Americans. But during the ongoing government shutdown, it’s been caug...
Thoughts on America's 250th birthday
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On July 4th 2026, America will celebrate its 250th birthday. The United States is the world’s oldest and still-evolving experiment in democracy. Fro...
Love gore and horror, the dark and scary? There’s a scientific reason why.
31 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
True crime, horror movies, even haunted houses — psychologist Coltan Scrivner says they all tap into a survival instinct. He explains how morbid cur...
At 28, Malala Yousafzai is finally finding her way
30 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
At 28, Malala Yousafzai’s life so far has been anything but ordinary. When she was just 15, she was shot by the Taliban on her way to school, target...
Government shutdown enters week five with no end in sight
29 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It has been 29 days since the federal government entered a shutdown, now just a week away from this becoming the longest government shutdown in US his...
Is the AI boom fueling the next stock market bubble?
28 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The stock market is surging again, led by a handful of tech giants betting big on artificial intelligence. But is this genuine growth or déjà vu fro...
The NBA is reeling from an explosive gambling scandal
27 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What do you get when you mix the NBA with the Italian mafia and then add in some poker? Perhaps one of the most explosive gambling scandals the sports...
Adult sleepaway camp and the high cost of feeling like a kid again
24 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Who doesn’t like a weekend getaway? A nice hotel room, spa treatments, room service, sure – but a cabin with strangers? Adult sleepaway camps are ...
Will changes to the H-1B visa program preserve jobs for Americans?
23 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The H-1B visa program — a key pipeline for skilled foreign workers in tech — has recently been upended by President Donald Trump. A recent executi...
Why do US students continue to fall behind in reading and math?
22 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
America’s high school seniors are falling behind. The decline in math and reading scores is more than a statistic. It’s a warning sign about our f...
WNBA hits a new peak, but money is still a sticking point
21 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As the contract deadline of October 31st approaches, negotiations are at a standstill, and players and fans alike are contemplating the very real poss...
California Prop 50 voting underway. Will the decision neutralize Texas redistricting?
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
California voters are already casting ballots in what is likely the most important contest of 2025, one that will play a substantial role in deciding ...
John Bolton indicted
17 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY Justice Department Correspondent Aysha Bagchi breaks down the indictment of Trump critic and ex-National Security Adviser John Bolton in a d...