The NPR Politics Podcast

Impeachment Then & Now: Trump Vs. Nixon & Clinton

10 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

As Congress walks down the path of impeachment The NPR Politics Podcast takes a step back and compares this moment to past impeachment proceedings. Th...

Trump Administration Says It Won't Comply With Impeachment Inquiry

09 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The White House will not participate in Congress' ongoing impeachment inquiry, stepping up a political and legal standoff between the executive and le...

White House Blocks Key Witness From Testifying In Impeachment Inquiry

08 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The Trump administration has blocked Gordon Sondland, President Trump's ambassador to the European Union, from testifying before Congress on Tuesday. ...

Abortion, Guns And LGBTQ Rights On The Docket For Supreme Court's New Term

07 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Separation of church and state, immigration and questions about impeachment could be on the table this term, which starts Monday and will almost surel...

Weekly Roundup: Friday, October 4

04 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Senior U.S. diplomats debated the propriety of a White House strategy aimed at pressuring Ukraine for political investigations in exchange for assista...

Trump Publicly Calls For China And Ukraine To Investigate Biden

03 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump now says China should investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter. The president's remarks Thursday are a signific...

Trump Calls Rep. Schiff 'Treasonous;' Bernie Sanders Undergoes Heart Procedure

02 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump is ramping up his rhetoric as he attacks Democratic Representative Adam Schiff who is helping lead the impeachment inquiry. Plus, Sena...

Presidential Candidates Begin Unveiling Third Quarter Fundraising Totals

01 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

After the deadline for third quarter fundraising numbers passed last night, the numbers are rolling in. Senator Bernie Sanders logged $25.3 million wh...

How Trump Plans To Fight Impeachment Push

30 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump's White House is struggling with how to respond to the ever-growing Ukraine scandal as the House Democrats' impeachment inquiry is set...

Announcing The NPR Politics Podcast Is Going Daily

30 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Starting today, the NPR Politics team will be in your ears each weekday afternoon to help you make sense of all the big political news coming out of W...

Poll: Americans Split on House Impeachment Inquiry But That Could Change

27 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Americans are split, 49%-46%, on whether they approve of Democrats' impeachment inquiry into President Trump, and independents at this point are not o...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, September 26 - Whistleblower Complaint Declassified

26 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In a complaint released by the House intelligence committee, a whistleblower cites White House officials who say they were ordered to veer from protoc...

White House Memorandum Shows Trump Asking Ukrainian President For 'A Favor'

26 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump told Ukraine's president that "a lot of people want to find out" about the activities of former Vice President Joe Biden's family in U...

Speaker Nancy Pelosi Announces Formal Impeachment Inquiry Into President Trump

25 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

After months of expressing caution about a push for impeachment, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi launched a formal impeachment inquiry into President Trump...

Trump And The Ukraine Call — What Happened And What's Next?

23 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In a fight to frame the political conflict, President Trump alleges former Vice President Joe Biden and his son are "corrupt." Opponents point to the ...

NPR Politics Live From Boulder: The Road To 2020

21 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This is a special episode, recorded in front of a live audience at the Boulder Theater in Boulder, Colorado on Friday, September 20th. The cast breaks...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, September 19

19 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Democrats unveiled a long-anticipated plan to lower the cost of prescription drugs as they pivot away from an unruly congressional hearing earlier in ...

Cokie Roberts, Pioneering Journalist Who Helped Shape NPR, Dies At 75

17 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Veteran journalist Cokie Roberts, who joined an upstart NPR in 1978 and left an indelible imprint on the growing network with her coverage of Washingt...

The 3rd Democratic Debate Takeaways

13 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Former Vice President Joe Biden, a focal point of attacks in the previous two debates, was more aggressive in Houston, while others like former Rep. B...

Weekly Roundup: Wednesday, September 11

11 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Republican Dan Bishop eked out a victory in a closely watched North Carolina special congressional election on Tuesday night. A new NPR/PBS NewsHour/M...

Trump Fires National Security Adviser John Bolton

10 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Bolton was Trump's third national security adviser and continued the pattern of departures by advisers who proved a bad fit for a White House led by t...

The 3rd Democratic Presidential Debate: What You Should Watch For

09 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

On Thursday night ten Democratic candidates will face off. It's the first time former Vice President Joe Biden will face Senators Bernie Sanders and E...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, September 5

05 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Congress prepares to return from their recess, and guns and spending are on the top of their minds. Plus, NPR deep dives on election security. This ep...

On The Trail With Joe Biden

03 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In an ongoing series, The NPR Politics Podcast is hitting the road and interviewing 2020 Democratic presidential candidates. In this episode, Asma Kha...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, August 29

29 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The Democratic debate stage has been cut in half for a one night showdown in September, with less moderate voices than in previous debates. Former FBI...

On The Trail With Beto O'Rourke

27 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In an ongoing series, The NPR Politics Podcast is hitting the road and interviewing 2020 Democratic presidential candidates. In this episode, Asma Kha...

Trump Says He's Willing To Meet Iran's, China's Leaders — But Next Steps Unclear

26 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

At the end of the G-7 gathering of global economic powers Trump said he believes Beijing "wants a deal very badly" to end its trade war with Washingt...

President Trump Lashes Out Over Trade War With China, Dow Plunges

24 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump announced higher tariffs on goods from China, hours after Beijing said it will slap tariffs on $75 billion of auto and other U.S. good...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, August 22

22 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump had lots to say about the economy this week. Two 2020 candidates drop out of the race and one of them decides to run for Senate. Plus,...

Poll: Americans, Including Republicans And Gun Owners, Broadly Support Red Flag Laws

21 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

People are hotly divided about many gun restrictions – but not on extreme risk protection orders, a new survey shows. But is there any traction in C...

On The Trail With Andrew Yang

20 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In an ongoing series, The NPR Politics Podcast is hitting the road and interviewing 2020 Democratic presidential candidates. In this episode, Tamara K...

At New Hampshire Rally, Trump Says 'You Have No Choice But To Vote For Me'

16 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump held a rally on Thursday in Manchester, New Hampshire. It was his first rally since the mass shootings earlier this month. The team di...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, August 15

15 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

As Beto O'Rourke recasts his campaign to more squarely focus on President Trump and Governor John Hickenlooper drops out of the race, questions arise ...

On The Trail With Elizabeth Warren

13 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In an ongoing series, The NPR Politics Podcast is hitting the road and interviewing 2020 Democratic presidential candidates. In this episode, Asma Kha...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, August 8

08 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump visited survivors of the shootings in Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas on Wednesday, to mixed reception. The team discusses what the pr...

'Hate Has No Place' In America, Trump Says After Deadly Shootings

05 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump responded to the deadly weekend shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio. He condemned white supremacy and called for the death pe...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, August 1

01 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The Senate on Thursday approved a two-year budget deal that set new spending levels and boosted the nation's borrowing authority. Plus, the Senate con...

The 2nd Democratic Debates: Night 2 Takeaways

01 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

CNN hosted the second Democratic presidential debates, which was split into two nights because the sheer number of candidates running. In the second n...

The 2nd Democratic Debates: Night 1 Takeaways

31 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

CNN hosted the second Democratic presidential debates, which was split into two nights because the sheer number of candidates running. In the first ni...

The 2nd Democratic Presidential Debates: What You Should Watch For

29 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

On Tuesday and Wednesday night twenty candidates will debate for the second time in the 2020 election. While they are all vying for the Democratic nom...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, July 25

25 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week Senator Cory Booker and former Vice President Joe Biden clashed over criminal justice reform. Plus, the Federal Trade Commission slapped a $...

Special Counsel Robert Mueller Testifies Before Congress

24 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Former special counsel Robert Mueller didn't want to appear in Wednesday's hearings, but lawmakers insisted that he tell his story in public to the Ho...

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg To NPR: "I Am Very Much Alive"

24 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg told NPR's Nina Totenberg in an interview that despite battling cancer for a third time earlier this year, s...

On The Trail With Julián Castro

23 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In an ongoing series, The NPR Politics Podcast is hitting the road and interviewing 2020 Democratic presidential candidates. This episode Scott Detrow...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, July 18

18 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump continued his attacks against four freshman Democratic congresswomen at a campaign rally in Greenville, N.C., on Wednesday, with the c...

President Trump Defends His Racist Tweets Attacking Democratic Congresswomen

16 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A day after a series of tweets using racist language to describe Democratic congresswomen, President Trump said the four members of Congress should ap...

On The Trail With Amy Klobuchar

15 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In an ongoing series, the NPR Politics Podcast is hitting the road and interviewing 2020 Democratic presidential candidates. In this episode, Tamara K...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, July 11

12 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump announced Thursday he would sign an executive order to obtain data about the U.S. citizenship and noncitizenship status of everyone li...

Labor Secretary Alex Acosta Defends His Handling Of Jeffrey Epstein Plea Deal

10 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Labor Secretary Alex Acosta defended a 2008 plea agreement he oversaw as a U.S. attorney in Florida in which multimillionaire and accused sex traffick...

On The Trail With Tulsi Gabbard

09 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In an ongoing series, The NPR Politics Podcast is hitting the road and interviewing 2020 Democratic presidential candidates. In this episode, Tamara K...

Weekly Roundup: Wednesday, July 3

03 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump's decision to deliver a speech from the Lincoln Memorial and add flyovers and tanks is prompting Democrats to say he's turning Fourth ...

On The Trail With Bernie Sanders

01 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In an ongoing series, the NPR Politics Podcast is hitting the road and interviewing 2020 Democratic presidential candidates. In this episode, Scott De...

The 1st Democratic Debates: Night 2 Takeaways

28 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

NBC hosted the first Democratic presidential debates, which was split into two nights because of the sheer number of candidates running. In the second...

Supreme Court Leaves Citizenship Question Blocked; Allows Partisan Gerrymandering

27 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump says he is looking into delaying the 2020 census, hours after the Supreme Court decided to keep a question about citizenship off the f...

The 1st Democratic Debates: Night 1 Takeaways

27 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

NBC hosted the first Democratic presidential debate, which was split into two nights because of the sheer number of candidates running. In the first n...

The 1st Democratic Presidential Debates: What You Should Watch For

24 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

On Wednesday and Thursday night twenty candidates will debate for the first time in the 2020 election. While they are all vying for the Democratic nom...

Trump Says U.S. Was 'Cocked And Loaded' Before He Called Off Strike On Iran

21 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump confirmed that he approved a strike on Iran on Thursday after it shot down a U.S. drone but called off the operation after the initial...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, June 20

20 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Former Vice President Joe Biden isn't backing down from his comments recalling the "civility" of his working relationships with two segregationist law...

President Trump Officially Launches His 2020 Reelection Bid

19 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump officially launched his 2020 reelection bid on Tuesday at a massive rally in Orlando, though much of the event picked up where his 201...

On The Trail With Steve Bullock

18 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In an ongoing series, The NPR Politics Podcast is hitting the road and interviewing 2020 Democratic presidential candidates. This episode Scott Detrow...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, June 13

13 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump says he might be open to taking information from a foreign government in a future election, calling it a part of politics. But the law...

On The Trail With Kamala Harris

12 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In an ongoing series, the NPR Politics Podcast is hitting the road and interviewing 2020 Democratic presidential candidates. In this episode, Scott De...

House Votes To Let Its Leaders Pursue Contempt Lawsuits In Trump Inquiries

11 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The House has authorized its committee leaders to pursue civil contempt cases to get information for their myriad investigations into President Trump....

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, June 6

06 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump is threatening to place tariffs on Mexico to try to stop the flow of migrants across the border, but Congressional Republicans questio...

How Did Mitch McConnell Become One Of The Most Powerful People In The World?

05 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Mitch McConnell has been described as "opaque," "drab," and even "dull." He is one of the least popular - and most polarizing - politicians in the cou...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, May 30

31 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump responded to special counsel Robert Mueller's statement and the team discusses the politics surrounding calls for impeachment proceedi...

Robert Mueller, Long Silent, Speaks — Then Says It Was His Final Word

29 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Mueller addressed reporters at the Justice Department in his first public statement since taking over the Russia investigation, ending two years of ne...

On The Trail With Kirsten Gillibrand

29 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In an ongoing series, The NPR Politics Podcast is hitting the road and interviewing 2020 Democratic presidential candidates. In this episode, Tamara K...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, May 23

23 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A growing number of states are passing laws banning abortion in the early stages of pregnancy. The team talks about the politics surrounding the issue...

Trump Scorches Democrats As Pelosi Broaches Prospect Of 'Impeachable Offense'

22 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Negotiations over a potential infrastructure program fizzled on Wednesday as a White House meeting between President Trump and Democrats escalated int...

On The Trail With Pete Buttigieg

21 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In an ongoing series the NPR Politics Podcast is hitting the road and interviewing 2020 Democratic presidential candidates. This episode Tamara Keith ...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, May 16

16 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump gave a speech where he unveiled an immigration plan that calls for a dramatic change to the legal immigration system in the United Sta...

On The Trail With Cory Booker

15 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In an ongoing series the NPR Politics Podcast is hitting the road and interviewing 2020 Democratic presidential candidates. This episode Scott Detrow ...

Everything You Need To Know About Polls

13 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Not all polls are created equal. The team breaks down what makes a good poll, how much they should be relied on and what they're saying right now abou...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, May 9

09 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The White House and Congress continue their standoff over whether or not members of the Trump administration will testify before committees. Plus, to ...

2020 Update: Trump Woos Big Donors He Spurned In 2016; Dems Address "Electability"

07 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The Trump 2020 campaign is making a new effort to bring in fundraising help from establishment Republicans who sat out 2016. Plus, while Joe Biden mak...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, May 2

02 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The Attorney General William did not show up to testify before the House on Thursday setting up a potential showdown over constitutional powers betwee...

Attorney General Barr Defends His Handling Of The Mueller Report To Congress

01 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

On Wednesday, Attorney General William Barr defended his handling of the final stages of the inquiry in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing that unde...

NPR Politics Live From Philadelphia: The Road To 2020

27 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This is a special episode, recorded in front of a live audience at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on Friday, April 26th. The cast he...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, April 25

25 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

After months of oscillating speculation former Vice President Joe Biden has announced that he will run for president in 2020. Plus, Democrats subpoena...

Supreme Court Appears To Lean Toward Allowing Census Citizenship Question

23 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The Supreme Court is weighing whether the Trump administration can include a citizenship question on the 2020 census. This episode: White House corres...

Democrats And Republicans Pivot After The Mueller Report

19 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A day after the release of the redacted Mueller report Democrats and Republicans are treating the findings as a "choose your own adventure" as they us...

Key Findings And Analysis From The Mueller Report

19 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The 448-page document, released after a nearly two-year-long inquiry, says Mueller's investigation did not establish that the Trump campaign "conspire...

2020 Opening Arguments: Andrew Yang, John Delaney, & Jay Inslee

16 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The NPR Politics Podcast analyzes exclusive interviews with the 2020 Democratic candidates. Entrepreneur Andrew Yang, former Congressman John Delaney,...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, April 11

11 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The Justice Department announced Thursday that it is charging Julian Assange, setting the stage for a historic legal showdown with the controversial f...

Trump Says He Wants To Go "Tougher" On Immigration; Shakes Up DHS Leadership

09 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen is leaving her post, President Trump announced as he continues to focus on restricting border crossing...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, April 4

04 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This episode: President Trump is backing down from his threat to shut down the U.S. Southern border .Trump had issued the warning in a bid to curtail ...

2020 Update: First Quarter Fundraising, What The Numbers Tell Us And What They Don't

03 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The first quarter for campaign fundraising ended March 31 and although campaigns aren't required to report their totals to the Federal Election Commis...

Woman Accuses Biden Of Unwanted Touching; He Didn't Intend To Be Inappropriate

01 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Former Vice President Joe Biden on Sunday responded to allegations that he acted inappropriately when he kissed the back of a former Nevada Democratic...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, March 28

28 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It's been four days since Attorney General Bill Barr delivered his summary of the special counsel's report to Congress. How are Democrats and Republic...

2020 Opening Arguments: Howard Schultz, Kirsten Gillibrand, & Tulsi Gabbard

27 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The NPR Politics Podcast analyzes exclusive interviews with the 2020 Democratic candidates. Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, Senator Kirsten Gilli...

Mueller Report Doesn't Find Russian Collusion, But Can't 'Exonerate' On Obstruction

25 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Special counsel Robert Mueller did not find evidence that President Trump's campaign conspired with Russia to influence the 2016 election, according t...

Robert Mueller Concludes The Russia Probe, Submits Report To The Attorney General

23 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Attorney General William Barr received a report on Friday by special counsel Robert Mueller about the findings from Mueller's investigation into the R...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, March 21

21 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Democratic presidential hopefuls are betting on bold ideas like abolishing the electoral college, but what would that actually mean? Plus, the candida...

2020 Opening Arguments: Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, & Amy Klobuchar

19 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In the second of two episodes The NPR Politics Podcast analyzes exclusive interviews with the 2020 Democratic candidates. Senators Bernie Sanders, Eli...

2020 Opening Arguments: Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, & Pete Buttigieg

18 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In the first of two episodes The NPR Politics Podcast analyzes exclusive interviews with the 2020 Democratic candidates. Senator Kamala Harris, Senato...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, March 14

14 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Beto O'Rourke announces that he will run for president. Plus, the Senate votes to block Trump's national emergency declaration that would give him the...

Manafort Sentenced To 3.5 More Years; Pelosi Says Impeachment Is "Just Not Worth It"

13 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Paul Manafort received a total sentence of about 7 and a half years in prison on Wednesday following the guilty plea in his Washington, D.C., conspira...

2020 Update: Biden Speaks As 2020 Decision Nears; Candidates Target Big Tech at SXSW

12 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Former Vice President Joe Biden addressed a friendly crowd of union firefighters as he appears on the verge of launching a campaign for the 2020 Democ...

NPR Politics Live From Atlanta: The Road To 2020

09 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This is a special episode, recorded in front of a live audience at the Buckhead Theatre in Atlanta on Friday, March 9th. The cast breaks down everythi...