The Excerpt
Episodes
SPECIAL | Is Trump's deployment of the National Guard about order or overreach?
16 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Since June of 2025, thousands of National Guard troops have been deployed to four US cities – Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Chicago and Memphis. And...
Voting Rights Act threatened in Supreme Court redistricting case
16 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY Supreme Court Correspondent Maureen Groppe discusses what's at stake in a major redistricting case.President Donald Trump says he's consider...
SPECIAL | Why Americans are making homegrown GLP-1s
15 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
High costs. Limited supply. No insurance coverage. All of these are motivating some patients to cook up unregulated “gray GLP-1” drugs at home. He...
Another Senate vote fails as the shutdown rolls on
15 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The federal government’s partial shutdown has reached its 15th day.President Donald Trump says Hamas will disarm or the U.S. will force them 'perhap...
A triumphant Trump basks in Mideast praise
14 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page puts President Donald Trump's role in recent Israel-Hamas peace proceedings in context.USA TODAY Congress...
All remaining living Israeli hostages released
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
All remaining living Israeli hostages have been released, while some 2,000 detained Palestinians are released. Plus, President Donald Trump speaks to ...
MrBeast is hugely successful on YouTube, but with ECU, not so much
12 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you spend any time on YouTube, and most of us do, then you’ve probably watched or at least heard of MrBeast. Last check, he had 444 million subsc...
One family, seven hostages, and the end of a two-year nightmare
11 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY National Correspondent Michael Collins tells us about one family's fight to bring hostage loved ones home.Gazans trek to their ruined homes,...
New York Attorney General Letitia James indicted
10 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial insti...
SPECIAL | Who should decide which books, if any, are banned?
09 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is banned books week. It’s a week that highlights how a few loud voices have shaped what kinds of books are pulled from school and library shel...
Hamas and Israel set to sign deal on ceasefire and hostage releases
09 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Donald Trump says Israel and Hamas have agreed to implement the first phase of a White House peace plan aimed at ending Israel's onslaught i...
SPECIAL | The politics of shutdown
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We’re nearly at the end of day eight of the government shutdown, the first time this has happened since 2018 when President Donald Trump was last in...
Trump says some furloughed federal workers ‘don’t deserve’ back pay
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY White House Correspondent Joey Garrison has some of the latest from the federal government shutdown, including the president's controversial...
National Guard troops in limbo as Trump battles courts over deployments
07 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY National Security & World Affairs Reporter Cybele Mayes-Osterman discusses the Trump administration's approach on deploying National Gua...
Judge blocks National Guard deployment to Portland, Oregon
06 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A federal judge temporarily blocks President Donald Trump from deploying 200 Oregon National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon.USA TODAY Supreme Court ...
Peace hangs in the balance as the second anniversary of 10-7 nears
05 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s been two years since the October 7th attacks on Israel. On that day in 2023, Hamas fighters killed 1,200 people and took hundreds hostage. In r...
Trump tells Israel to stop bombing Gaza after Hamas accepts portion of his peace plan
04 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Donald Trump is calling on Israel to stop its Gaza bombing campaign to secure the safe extraction of remaining hostages, after Hamas agreed ...
SPECIAL | Peanuts turns 75 and still speaks to the child in all of us
03 Oct 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...
Trump approval ratings historically low compared to other presidents
03 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Trump approval ratings historically low compared to other presidents, but have mostly plateaued in recent monthsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.co...
SPECIAL | Charlamagne tha God emerges as a political force
02 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Once known simply as a gossip guru, Charlamagne tha God – who reaches over 7 million monthly “Club” listeners – still gets "the tea.” USA TO...
Lawmakers point fingers as the reality of a shutdown sinks in
02 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY White House Correspondent Francesca Chambers takes a look at how the federal government shutdown is playing out politically, and gives us so...
SPECIAL | Jimmy Kimmel's right to free speech is not up for debate
01 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the wake of the controversy surrounding Jimmy Kimmel's week-long suspension from "Jimmy Kimmel Live," FCC Chairman Brendan Carr issued a not-so-vei...
A government shutdown begins. What's next?
01 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The federal government shut down at midnight. USA TODAY Senior National Political Correspondent Sarah D. Wire gives us a better sense of one of the ke...
Trump and Netanyahu agree to a peace plan
30 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Donald Trump said he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have reached a deal for peace in Gaza. But how do leaders in the enclave ...
FBI probing Michigan church shooting as 'targeted violence'
29 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An assailant killed at least four people at a Michigan church during Sunday service.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit Washington Mo...
With Comey's indictment, has the DOJ been weaponized?
28 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Former FBI Director James Comey has now been indicted. Who might be next? Is the Trump administration now weaponizing the Department of Justice in ord...
Supreme Court won't make Trump spend billions in foreign aid approved by Congress
27 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Supreme Court Friday said President Donald Trump, for now, doesn’t have to spend billions in foreign aid approved by Congress.USA TODAY White Ho...
Former FBI Director James Comey indicted on charges sought by Trump Justice Department
26 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Former FBI Director James Comey has been indicted.USA TODAY National Correspondent Rick Jervis has the latest from Dallas after this week's shooting a...
SPECIAL | How Pac-Man ate his way into gaming history
25 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In 1980, the world of arcade games got a jolt that changed the gaming world forever. That’s when a round yellow fellow with a large set of chompers ...
1 detainee killed, 2 wounded in Dallas ICE facility shooting
25 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A shooter opened fire on a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Dallas on Wednesday, killing one detainee and critically wounding two ...
SPECIAL EPISODE | Commercial space travel is almost here
24 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Living, working, even vacationing off world is no longer a distant concept. We're approaching a time when humans aren't just visitors to outer space, ...
Jimmy Kimmel returns, says he never meant to 'make light of the murder' of Charlie Kirk
24 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jimmy Kimmel returned to late-night television Tuesday, where he addressed his show's suspension.USA TODAY White House Correspondent Joey Garrison tak...
Trump urges pregnant women to avoid Tylenol citing unproved autism link
23 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY Government Accountability Reporter Erin Mansfield breaks down the president's announcement linking autism to Tylenol.Jimmy Kimmel is returni...
Mourners celebrate Charlie Kirk
22 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Elected officials, faith leaders, Kirk's colleagues and his loved ones remembered the conservative activist at a service in Arizona Sunday.Top Democra...
Extremist Active Club network uses fitness to recruit its members
21 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
US-born extremism is on the rise and spreading beyond our borders. The US-based Active Club network is now taking root across the globe. Active Clubs ...
Senate votes against government funding bill, raising shutdown prospects
20 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY Congressional Reporter Zach Schermele has the latest from Capitol Hill where the possibility of a government shutdown looms.President Donald...
Trump suggests FCC should consider revoking TV licenses over negative coverage of him
19 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Donald Trump says negative coverage of him by television networks should be grounds for the Federal Communications Commission to revoke broa...
SPECIAL | Why losing trust in expertise threatens democracy
18 Sep 2025
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...
Fed announces quarter-point rate cut
18 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY Personal Finance Reporter Rachel Barber puts the Federal Reserve's latest rate cut in context.President Donald Trump will meet with British ...
SPECIAL | Could AI-generated art replace human creators?
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Generative AI is now widely used to make artwork, music and even film – valuable cultural contributions that used to be exclusively the province of ...
New revelations in Charlie Kirk murder case as suspect is charged
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
According to court documents, the 22-year-old had been planning the attack for a week.USA TODAY Government Accountability Reporter Erin Mansfield disc...
Israel launches ground assault in Gaza City
16 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz posted on X that "Gaza is burning."USA TODAY White House Reporter Zac Anderson has the latest after President Don...
Charlie Kirk remembered in DC vigil; Utah governor says suspect is not cooperating
15 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Utah Governor Spencer Cox gave some of the latest details on the Utah shooter during his appearances on Sunday news shows.USA TODAY Money Reporter Bai...
Charlie Kirk's assassination matters more than you think
14 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed while speaking before thousands at Utah Valley College. His death marks a new and unsettling ch...
White House mourns the death of Charlie Kirk
13 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY White House reporter Francesca Chambers discusses what Charlie Kirk’s death means in this moment for the White House. A U.S. Marine h...
Manhunt continues for Charlie Kirk shooter
12 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Authorities have released new video of the suspected shooter of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. In the aftermath of the shooting, USA TODAY C...
The 'dirtbag' who built Patagonia—and gave it away
11 Sep 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...
Conservative influencer Charlie Kirk fatally shot
11 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Conservative activist and Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk was fatally shot at Utah Valley University yesterday. Poland's military ...
Can sharks help predict hurricanes? Researchers are hoping so.
10 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Accurately forecasting hurricanes has improved over the past few decades with the use of satellites, NOAA’s airborne Hurricane Hunters and numerical...
MAHA report on childhood health is out
10 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY White House Correspondent Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy breaks down Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his MAHA Commission’s release&...
A House committee releases full Jeffrey Epstein “birthday book”
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A slew of documents about Jeffrey Epstein with purported messages from President Trump and President Bill Clinton have been released.USA TODAY Supreme...
What keeps Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett up at night?
08 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA Today Supreme Court Correspondent Maureen Groppe shares highlights from an exclusive interview with the Supreme Court justice.Hundreds of South Ko...
The CDC is in crisis
07 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For Robert F Kennedy Jr, it was never going to be a smooth road as Secretary of Health and Human Services given the controversy surrounding his well-d...
A disappointing new jobs report reveals a slowdown in U.S. hiring
06 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY Money Reporter Bailey Schulz breaks down the latest disappointing jobs report. President Donald Trump says Americans should take vaccin...
RFK Jr. says he doesn't know how many Americans died from COVID as he's grilled at hearing
05 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was grilled during an explosive hearing Thursday.USA TODAY National Correspondent Chris Kenn...
SPECIAL | Ultrapotent nitazenes present a new front in the opioid battle
04 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Picture this, a powerful synthetic opioid that quietly morphs into one of the nation’s most lethal drug crises. A drug that can be slipped undetecte...
Epstein victims speak as pressure grows to release files
04 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY Domestic Security Correspondent Josh Meyer takes a look at Wednesday comments from Epstein victims, as they push for the release of more rec...
SPECIAL | New series “Extremely Normal” tackles the "manosphere"
03 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
America’s young men are lost. At least, that’s what they’re telling us online. From feeling disconnected in school, relationships, and even purp...
US appeals court rejects Trump's use of Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans
03 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An appeals court has rejected President Donald Trump's use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans.Military strikes killed 11 on an alleged 'dr...
What is Congress focused on now that it's back in session?
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY's Zachary Schermele takes a look at some of the major looming issues as lawmakers return from an August recess.China's President Xi Jinping ...
Federal judge halts deportation of unaccompanied Guatemalan children
01 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A judge Sunday issued a restraining order blocking the Trump administration from deporting 10 unaccompanied migrant Guatemalan children.President Dona...
Twenty years after Katrina, New Orleans' Preservation Hall is thriving
31 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Twenty years after Hurricane Katrina decimated New Orleans, the landmark musical venue of Preservation Hall is once again the center of the city's liv...
Most Trump tariffs are illegal, appeals court rules
30 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A divided U.S. appeals court ruled Friday that most of President Donald Trump's tariffs are illegal.USA TODAY's Zach Schermele discusses the conversat...
Families remember children slain, wounded in Minnesota shooting
29 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Families remembered 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski the day after this week's Minneapolis shooting.USA TODAY Washington Burea...
SPECIAL | Takeaways from USA TODAY’s exclusive sit-down with Vice President JD Vance
28 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The vice president sat down with USA TODAY White House Correspondent Francesca Chambers to share his thoughts on issues both controversial (the firing...
Vance says Trump doesn't want long-term occupation of American cities
28 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Vice President JD Vance sat down with USA TODAY for an exclusive interview Wednesday.Two children were killed in a Minneapolis church shooting.USA TOD...
SPECIAL | What science says about what makes something cool
27 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is coolness just a vibe—or something deeper? A new global study spanning 12 countries finds surprising common traits that define who we see as cool....
Trump said he fired a Fed governor. What's next?
27 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY White House Correspondent Bart Jansen puts President Donald Trump's announced firing of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook in context, and e...
Judge temporarily blocks Kilmar Abrego Garcia's deportation
26 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A judge Monday temporarily blocked Kilmar Abrego Garcia's deportation.USA TODAY White House Correspondent Bart Jansen breaks down President Donald Tru...
Army base used for WWII Japanese internment will be nation's largest ICE detention center
25 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY National Immigration Reporter Lauren Villagran takes a look at some of the history behind Fort Bliss, amid efforts to detain migrants there....
The hidden crisis of Black land loss in the wake of slavery
24 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Black Americans have lost millions of acres of land due to systemic failures and legal loopholes. Saul Blair’s story is one of heartbreak, resilienc...
Ghislaine Maxwell tells DOJ she never saw Trump behave inappropriately
23 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jeffrey Epstein's imprisoned former girlfriend and associate Ghislaine Maxwell absolved President Donald Trump of wrongdoing.USA TODAY White House Rep...
GOP on verge of big Texas win, but redistricting battles are only starting
22 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY Chief Political Correspondent Phillip M. Bailey takes a closer look at redistricting battles, and how the conversation is shifting to Califo...
SPECIAL | US in a tight squeeze as water demands soar
21 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The US water supply is struggling under the combined pressures of drought, aging infrastructure, thirsty AI data centers, and over extraction. The nee...
Texas Republicans approve Trump-backed congressional map
21 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Texas Republicans have passed a new state congressional map intended to flip five Democratic-held U.S. House seats up for grabs in the 2026 elections....
SPECIAL | How to spot a con artist
20 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan Walton thought he was being helpful to a neighbor. But his good nature was taken advantage of, and he was ultimately scammed out of nearly $1...
37 former intel officials stripped of their security clearances
20 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced Tuesday that President Donald Trump had directed her office to revoke security clearances fr...
Trump calls Putin to arrange meeting with Zelenskyy
19 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY White House Correspondent Francesca Chambers breaks down Monday's meeting between President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zele...
European leaders to join Zelenskyy in Washington
18 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders will meet with President Donald Trump in Washington Monday. Plus, details of the Alaska s...
How do you define American cuisine?
17 Aug 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 ...
Trump leaves Alaska with 'no deal' after Putin meeting
16 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY White House Correspondent Francesca Chambers recaps President Donald Trump's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.The Dis...
Why is Alaska the 'most strategic place' for Trump-Putin meeting?
15 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY National Correspondent Trevor Hughes takes a look at some of the reasons a meeting in Alaska makes sense for President Donald Trump and Russ...
SPECIAL | From electric grids to powering gadgets, sodium-ion batteries hold promise
14 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From laptops to electric cars, lithium-ion batteries are in so many of the products we use every day. It’s hard to imagine there’s an alternative....
Why Democrats have limited power to fight Republican redistricting
14 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY Government Accountability Reporter Erin Mansfield takes a closer look at redistricting fights playing out across the country.Ukrainian Presi...
SPECIAL | 'Freakosystems' reveal nature's strange new balance and its risks
13 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Across the planet, the actions of humans are creating novel ecosystems which, according to the BBC, have been dubbed ‘freakosystems’ by the daught...
National Guard troops arrive in DC
13 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Members of the Washington, D.C., National Guard have reported for duty across the nation's capital under President Donald Trump's orders to fight crim...
Trump orders National Guard into Washington and takes over DC police
12 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY Pentagon Correspondent Tom Vanden Brook takes a closer look at President Donald Trump's moves this week surrounding the National Guard and p...
Israel strike kills journalists in Gaza
11 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Israel's military says it targeted and killed Al Jazeera journalist Anas Al Sharif.USA TODAY Health and Wellness Reporter Adrianna Rodriguez discusses...
PhD student finds lost city in Mexico jungle by accident
10 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Valeriana is an ancient, lost city in Southern Mexico hidden under jungle canopy for centuries, recently discovered via a Google search. How did that ...
Trump and Putin will meet in Alaska next week to discuss Ukraine war
09 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are scheduled to meet next week in Alaska to discuss an end to Russia's war on Ukraine.Pre...
Israel's security cabinet approves plan to take control of Gaza City
08 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Israel's security cabinet has approved a plan to take control of Gaza City. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said earlier this week that Isra...
SPECIAL | Love, marriage and disability
07 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Squirmy and Grubs are not your typical YouTube stars. One is them is able-bodied. The other is not. How they navigate the challenges that dichotomy pr...
Trump doubles India's tariffs to 50% as penalty for importing Russian oil
07 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
New tariffs take effect on Thursday after a new tariff announcement from President Donald Trump penalizing India for importing Russian oil. Plus, Appl...
SPECIAL | How do you love a forest? Ethan Tapper has thoughts.
06 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
With climate change, the threat of wildfires, and human encroachment among other things, our trees and forests are in desperate need of guardians. Fro...
House Republicans subpoena Clintons, DOJ and FBI officials in Epstein probe
06 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY Domestic Security Correspondent Josh Meyer breaks down subpoenas issued by Republicans on the House Oversight Committee in their Jeffrey Eps...
Texas Gov. Abbott threatens legal action for absent Dems amid redistricting battle
05 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is threatening more than 50 Democrats with legal action and removal from the state legislature after lawmakers fled the state a...
Hamas says it will allow hostage aid if Israel halts airstrikes, opens permanent humanitarian corridors
04 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hamas says it will coordinate with the Red Cross to deliver aid to hostages it holds in Gaza, if Israel meets certain conditions.USA TODAY Consumer He...
Escape rooms to theme parks: immersive entertainment is booming
03 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Forget passive viewing. Audiences today want to step inside the story. From Super Nintendo World to Stranger Things pop-ups, immersive entertainment i...
Trump fires head of labor statistics bureau after weak jobs report
02 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
USA TODAY White House Correspondent Joey Garrison discusses President Donald Trump's move to fire the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics following...
Trump signs order for sweeping new tariffs on countries across the world
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
President Donald Trump has signed an order for sweeping new tariffs.Israeli troops again fire on Gazans waiting for aid, as U.S. special envoy Steve W...