The NPR Politics Podcast

Weekly Roundup: March 5th

05 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Despite a strong jobs report last month, the economy is still really struggling. That means there's a lot of energy behind Democrats' COVID relief pac...

The Supreme Court Is Expected To Make It Harder For People To Vote

04 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Supreme Court seems poised to uphold voting restrictions in Arizona, setting the stage for Republican legislatures to try to make it more difficul...

There Will Be Enough Vaccine Doses For Every US Adult By May, Biden Says

03 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

President Biden announced yesterday an accelerated vaccination timeline in the United States, but some states are already moving to fully reopen—a m...

FBI Head Says Domestic Extremists Are Top Threat To US

02 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

FBI Director Christopher Wray defended his department saying it warned law enforcement ahead of the insurrection at the capitol. He also emphasized t...

Trump Is The Past, Present, And Future Of The Republican Party

01 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The former president's speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference is confirmation that Donald Trump won't go quietly into retirement—loy...

Weekly Roundup: February 26th

26 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

President Biden hasn't reinstated family separation policies, but his choice to keep migrant children in a shelter facility has drawn criticism from a...

How Young Activists Are Working With America's Oldest President

25 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Many young progressive groups were openly hostile to Joe Biden's primary campaign, but they rallied to support him once he secured the nomination. Now...

How Much Credit, Blame Does Biden Deserve For The State Of The Pandemic?

24 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Vaccination rates are trending up and deaths are trending down since President Biden took office—but another hundred thousand Americans have died si...

Ousted Capitol Security Heads Face Questions About Attack

23 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Under questioning from senators about the attack on the Capitol, the law enforcement officials who oversaw the building's security were quick to lay b...

Merrick Garland On Glidepath To Confirmation As Biden AG

22 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In his confirmation hearing to serve as Attorney General, Merrick Garland emphasized loyalty to the people of the United States over fealty to the pre...

Weekly Roundup: February 19th

19 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Millions of Texans have been without power or potable water for days following unusually harsh winter weather. The Republican governor blamed the outa...

Biden Wants To Re-Open Schools, But How Much Can He Really Do About It?

18 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

President Biden has made reopening schools a benchmark for how his administration is handling the pandemic. It is a politically tricky goal, since tho...

Trump Puts McConnell On Blast

17 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In a statement former President Donald Trump called Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell a "dour, sullen, and unsmiling political hack" and said Rep...

What Is In The Next Covid Relief Bill

16 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

House Democrats are putting the finishing touches on their Covid-19 relief package. It is expected to include everything from direct payments to a $15...

Seven Republicans Voted To Convict Trump. Where Does The GOP Go From Here?

15 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Seven Republican senators voted to convict former President Donald Trump of inciting an insurrection, making this impeachment the most bipartisan in h...

Donald Trump Acquitted In Second Impeachment Trial

14 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

All fifty members of the Democratic caucus and seven Republicans said Donald Trump is guilty of inciting an insurrection at the Capitol — that's ten...

Is Trump's Whataboutism Defense Enough Cover For GOP Acquittal?

13 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In a combative but brief showing, former president Trump's defense team highlighted past uses of fight metaphors by Democratic politicians to suggest ...

Democrats Tell Senators A Conviction Could Prevent Future Violence

12 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The House impeachment managers concluded their case against Donald Trump by characterizing a Senate conviction as a way to prevent of future violence ...

Democrats Ground Case Against Trump In Jarring Insurrection Videos

11 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Democratic impeachment managers played a series of graphic videos demonstrating just how close senators came to encountering violent extremists in...

56 Votes Is Enough To Continue Trump's Trial—But Short Of What's Needed To Convict

10 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Six Republicans voted with Democrats that it is constitutional to try a former president in the Senate after he or she has left office. But it would t...

What To Know About Trump's Second Impeachment Trial

08 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The impeachment trial gets underway tomorrow. A new brief suggests that Trump's lawyers will defend him on both process and substance. And a vote to c...

Weekly Roundup: February 5th

05 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In his first major foreign policy address since assuming office, President Biden promised that the country would once again be a reliable ally to its ...

Is Impeachment About More Than Removal? Depends Who You Ask

04 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The question is at the center of next week's impeachment trial in the Senate, which begins Tuesday. Donald Trump's defense team says you can't vote to...

GOP Weighs Who To Punish: Conspiracy Theorist And/Or Impeachment Supporter

03 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Liz Cheney is the third-ranking House Republican; she voted for President Trump's second impeachment. Marjorie Taylor Greene is a freshman lawmaker wh...

Trump Is Charged With Inciting An Insurrection—What's His Defense?

02 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The former president's impeachment trial begins next Tuesday. His new attorneys say the Senate doesn't have the grounds to proceed now that he is out ...

Should President Biden Strike A COVID Compromise?

01 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Ten Republican senators are meeting with President Biden at the White House Monday to discuss their coronavirus relief proposal — which is just one-...

Weekly Roundup: January 29th

29 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Republican strategists close to Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue's failed Senate campaigns tell WABE's Emma Hurt that former President Trump's interfer...

Interview: Tired Of Gridlock, GOP Sen. Rob Portman Won't Seek Reelection

28 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Republican Rob Portman of Ohio talks with NPR's Susan Davis about his retirement from the Senate, the Republican party after Trump, as well as the for...

Do Biden's Climate Executive Orders Have Teeth?

27 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

President Biden will "pause" new federal land leases for oil and gas extraction "to the extent possible" — but how much of an impact will that have ...

Biden Rolls Out Limited Racial Equity Actions, Says More To Come

26 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

President Biden signed new executive actions today attempting to address racial inequity. For activists, these initiatives feel like they are lacking ...

What We Know About The Senate Impeachment Trial

25 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today the House will formally deliver an article of impeachment against former President Trump to the Senate, and the upper chamber has already begun ...

Weekly Roundup: January 22nd

22 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

President Biden has promised that 100 million doses of vaccines will be administered in his first 100 days — but some public health experts think th...

The Fifty-Fifty Senate Is Going To Be A Little Bit Weird

21 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Vice President Kamala Harris can cast a tie-breaking vote in the Senate; that means that Democrats effectively hold a majority in the chamber. But the...

Joseph Biden Sworn In As 46th President Of The United States

20 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In his inaugural address, he promised to keep all of his work as president in service of people rather than power. And Kamala Harris made history; she...

The US Senate Has A Lot To Do

19 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Senate is back in Washington today. The lawmakers will need to consider President-elect Biden's cabinet nominees, weigh his coronavirus relief pro...

What We Know About The Inauguration And Joe Biden's First Day

18 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

President-elect Joe Biden's inaugural plans have been reshaped by COVID-19 and concerns over security after the insurrection at the Capitol. Biden is ...

What Were We Thinking? : Carlos Lozada On The Trump Era

16 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

For our inaugural NPR Politics Book Club pick, NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben talks to Carlos Lozada about his book What Were We Thinking: A Brief Intellec...

Interview: Kamala Harris on Capitol Riot, Stimulus Package

15 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris talks to NPR's Scott Detrow about how she felt after the attack on the Capitol and the administration's new $1.9 tr...

Can Another $1.9 Trillion Rescue The Economy?

15 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The pandemic is taking an immense toll on the nation: some 4000 Americans die each day. And, in December, another 140 thousand people lost their jobs....

Donald Trump Impeached On Charge Of Inciting Insurrection

14 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Ten Republicans crossed the aisle to support the impeachment. Next, a Senate trial — one that won't take place until after President-elect Joe Biden...

Trump's Second Impeachment Will Be Bipartisan

13 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In a nearly party-line vote, the House encouraged Mike Pence and the presidential cabinet to sideline the president via the 25th amendment. Pence said...

Rioters Are Facing Consequences—Will Any Politicians?

12 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Justice Department says hundreds will be prosecuted in connection with the Capitol siege. Republican lawmakers like Sens. Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz...

Trump Is Likely To Be Impeached Again

11 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Vice President Mike Pence the top cabinet officials are unlikely to remove President Trump from power via the 25th amendment. That means House Democra...

Weekly Roundup: January 8th

08 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Donald Trump could be the first president in American history to be impeached twice. Federal authorities have begun arresting those involved in stormi...

13 Days Before The End Of His Term, Talk Of Removing Trump From Office

07 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Amid resignations and condemnation from Trump's Republican allies, top Democrats have said that he should be removed from office by impeachment or thr...

After Siege, 127 Republicans Back Failed Effort To Block Certification Of Biden's Win

07 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Members of the U.S. House and Senate on Wednesday voted to reject objections to President-elect Joe Biden's election victory in the state of Arizona. ...

Pro-Trump Extremists Storm US Capitol, Delay Election Certification

07 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Supporters of President Trump laid siege to the US Capitol today, occupying the building as lawmakers there began the process of certifying President-...

Dems Win At Least One GA Senate Seat. The Other Is Still Too Close To Call.

06 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Raphael Warnock defeated Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler, according to the AP, inching the Senate closer to a Democratic majority. In the race that wou...

Georgia's Runoff Ends. Doomed Electoral College Certification Fight Begins.

05 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Voters cast the final ballots in Georgia's Senate runoff elections Tuesday, ending the state's two months at the center of the political universe.Now,...

Republicans Are Divided Over Trump's Effort To Overturn Election Loss

04 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In a bid to stay in power despite losing the presidential election, President Donald Trump called Georgia's Secretary of State Saturday and pushed him...

Weekly Roundup: January 1st

01 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A new Congress will be sworn in on Sunday—the Democrats have a slimmer majority and Republicans have elected slightly more women. And Trump's educat...

What Will The Courts Look Like Under Joe Biden?

31 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump reshaped the federal judiciary and made three lifetime appointments to the Supreme Court. How will that legacy play out under a Joe Bi...

Exclusive Interview: Jake Sullivan, Biden's National Security Adviser

30 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jake Sullivan is the president-elect's top national security adviser. He told NPR's Scott Detrow that he is worried that a lack of communication from ...

What Will Climate And Health Policy Look Like Under Joe Biden?

29 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Joe Biden's climate policy will look a lot different to that of President Trump's... and President Obama's. And, on top of responding to the pandemic,...

Republicans Flout Trump On COVID And Tech

28 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

After bemoaning elements of a COVID relief deal that his administration helped to negotiate, President Trump ended up signing it anyway. The delay cou...

What Will Justice And Foreign Policy Look Like Under Joe Biden?

25 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump's most radical departures from precedent were arguably his handling of the Justice Department and foreign policy. Joe Biden said he wo...

What Will Tech Policy Look Like Under Joe Biden?

24 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Tech giants are the subject of censorship scrutiny, anti-monopoly lawsuits, and international trade tension. President-elect Joe Biden will have a lot...

Christmas Chaos: President Throws Relief Into Doubt

23 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump raised last-minute objections, imperiling direct payments and other aid to millions of Americans. He also issued a new round of pardon...

Dominion Makes Voting Machines. Its Employees Have Been Forced Into Hiding.

22 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump's baseless electoral fraud conspiracies have frenzied his supporters, some of whom have made violent threats against Americans who wor...

5,593 Pages: Congress Strikes Spending/COVID Deal

21 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

From direct payments for American households to mass transit, the Congressional relief package contains money for individuals and institutions affecte...

Weekly Roundup: December 18th

18 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

A major hack of federal government computer systems appears to be state-sponsored espionage. And we talk through Joe Biden's latest cabinet picks.This...

New Peril Of Local Office? Death Threats.

17 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We talk through the apparent details of a pending COVID relief deal. And, local officials across the country are being rattled by threats of violence....

Why People Don't Vote

16 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

For the eighty million Americans who didn't vote in November, government can feel distant. Non-voters tend to believe that things will go on just as t...

38 Days After Results Became Clear, Mitch McConnell Congratulates Biden

15 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Joe Biden's victory in the presidential race became clear on Nov. 7th, 2020, the day the contest was called by the Associated Press. On Tuesday, thirt...

Joe Biden Is Fed Up With Trump's Election Conspiracies

15 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

On the day electors around the country voted to confirm his victory, President-elect Joe Biden expressed his frustration, in a primetime speech, with ...

Electoral College Convenes; COVID Vaccine Administered

14 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The electoral college votes today around the country. After Biden is officially elected, the results head to Congress where they will be finalized. An...

Weekly Roundup: December 11th

11 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The electoral college will cast ballots Monday, officially selecting Joe Biden as the president-elect. Trump and Republicans continue to attempt to ov...

Where Congress Stands On Coronavirus Relief Negotiations

10 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

With over 800,000 new unemployment claims filed last week and the previous coronavirus relief programs set to expire at the end of the month, congress...

Most Americans Believe The Election Results—Some Don't.

09 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

A new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll shows that just one quarter of Republicans believe the election was legitimate; ot was. And: could old-school pork ...

Democrats Are Skeptical Of Biden's Pentagon Pick

08 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Civil rights and advocacy groups have been lobbying Joe Biden over his cabinet picks; Biden has promised to have the most diverse cabinet in history. ...

Here's Who Will Lead Biden's COVID Response

07 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Joe Biden has named his picks for top health posts as the nation faces a post-Thanksgiving pandemic surge. And Rudy Giuliani has tested positive for t...

Weekly Roundup: December 4th

04 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Georgia's January 5th runoff elections will determine control of the Senate. That's brought 2024 contenders — including Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, a...

Don't Expect Donald Trump To Retire

03 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Donald Trump still has more than a month left in his presidency. That's plenty of time left for pardons and planning for the future: three sources tel...

Relief Will End If Congress Can't Pass A Deal

02 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Millions of Americans rely on various relief measures to stay afloat during the pandemic, much of which is set to expire at the end of the year if Con...

Despite Conspiracy And Insinuation, The Electoral System Worked—This Time.

01 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Local officials continue to certify results despite political pressure from President Trump and his allies, who are seeking to subvert the electoral s...

Biden Picks Women And People Of Color For His Economics And Communications Teams

30 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

With the American economy on uneven footing as coronavirus cases surge nationwide, President-elect Joe Biden formally announced top members of his inc...

Weekly Roundup: November 27th

27 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This Black Friday we're bringing you a greatest hits of NPR podcasts. Many other shows have been looking at specific policy options on the table for J...

NPR's Throughline: The Shadows of the Constitution

26 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this special episode NPR's Throughline explore the constitution with Heidi Schreck and her play, What the Constitution Means to Me. They discover w...

What Happens When Neither Party Gets To Celebrate The Election?

25 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Like two teams that meet in the seventh game of a World Series, both the Democratic and Republican parties bought Champagne for election night. But in...

Trump Relents, Paving Way For Biden Transition To Formally Begin

24 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump is still not conceding that he lost the election, but he's getting closer. On Monday the president tweeted that he had directed the Ge...

Biden Taps Historic Nominees As He Begins To Fill His Cabinet

23 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

President-elect Joe Biden has begun to make his selections for key roles in his cabinet. He announced his picks for secretary of state and the ambassa...

Weekly Roundup: November 20th

20 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Trump is sitting down with the leaders of the Michigan legislature ahead of the state canvassing board meeting on Monday, where the election results a...

Joe Biden Won The Election—But He's Still Left Waiting In The Wings.

19 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As President Trump refuses to concede the election Joe Biden won, Biden warns that that lack of cooperation on the transition could lead to even more ...

Trump Doesn't Have To Win In Court To Erode Trust In Voting

18 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump has found little success in court, though he has continued to sew disinformation online and last night fired a top cybersecurity offic...

Democrats Riled By House Losses

17 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Democrats are regrouping after they saw their House majority shrink on election day. Their slim majority could heighten the stakes of the party's prog...

Obama Is Troubled More GOP Leaders Won't Acknowledge Biden's Win

16 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The NPR Politics team talks through big moments from NPR's sit-down with former president Barack Obama.Read the full interview here.This episode: corr...

As Coronavirus Again Breaks Records, Dem Relief Bill Hopes Hinge On Georgia

13 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Coronavirus is surging ahead of the holidays and a much-awaited relief bill is no closer to passage than it was months ago. Joe Biden hopes for an agg...

Why Did Republicans Rack Up Wins Despite Trump's Loss?

12 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Republicans gained seats in the House of Representatives and could very well hold onto the Senate. That's despite Joe Biden's broad presidential win. ...

Joe Biden Projects Calm As Trump And GOP Allies Spread Disinformation

11 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

President-elect Joe Biden is attempting to lower the temperature on transition uncertainty and Donald Trump and his Republican allies continue to spre...

Supreme Court Hears Affordable Care Act Case; AG Breaks With DOJ Precedent

10 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

With Obamacare once again on the chopping block at the U.S. Supreme Court, comments from the justices appeared to suggest Tuesday that a majority is i...

Pfizer Releases Promising Vaccine News; Biden Announces COVID Taskforce

09 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As coronavirus cases again surge in the United States, Joe Biden has announced his own response taskforce. And Pfizer announced promising news about i...

After Election Victory, Joe Biden Addresses Nation

08 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris addressed the nation after clinching the election.FOLLOW OUR COVERAGEThis episode: co...

Joe Biden Elected President : AP

07 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

A call in Pennsylvania gave Joe Biden the necessary electoral votes to secure the presidency, says the Associated Press.READ OUR COVERAGEThis episode:...

Yeah, They're Still Counting. No, There's Nothing Suspect About That.

07 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Election workers are still diligently counting votes. Joe Biden has a narrow edge of counted votes so far in Georgia and Pennsylvania, while Donald Tr...

Biden Needs Arizona And Any Other State To Win The Presidency

05 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

If the Associated Press call for Biden in Arizona is correct, Joe Biden needs just one more state to top 270 electoral votes; Donald Trump would need ...

Biden Looks Strong After Wisconsin Win, But Both Candidates Still Have A Path

04 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Joe Biden has won Wisconsin. The races in Nevada, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and North Carolina have yet to be called. Counting continues as the...

Be Patient: Vote Counting Continues, Key States Remain Outstanding

04 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As election officials predicted, high numbers of mail-in ballots and state processing restrictions have drawn out the vote counting process. Florida a...

Here's What We'll Be Watching For On Election Night

02 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Voting ends tomorrow. It could take time to know results. We talk about what we're watching for, how we'll report who won, and the moments that stood ...

Pandemic, Economy, Character: Hear How The Candidates Make Their Case

01 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It has been a long campaign, but the messages have stayed consistent. Hear how the candidates pitch themselves to voters.This episode: campaign corres...

On The Ground In Arizona, Florida, Pennsylvania And Wisconsin

30 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Reporters share their reporting from key states ahead of election day in this special podcast episode.This episode: campaign correspondent Asma Khalid...