The NPR Politics Podcast

President Trump Mocks Ford; FBI Investigates Accusations Against Kavanaugh

03 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump is adding fresh animosity to the already tense debate over Brett Kavanaugh with new comments mocking sexual misconduct allegations aga...

The Lasting Political Impact of The Ford-Kavanaugh Hearings

29 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

With less than six weeks until the midterm elections, how will Kavanaugh's nomination process — with multiple allegations of sexual assault, an emot...

Kavanaugh & His Accuser Blasey Ford Testify About Sexual Misconduct Allegations

28 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Judge Brett Kavanaugh was defiant and visibly angry as he testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday afternoon, rebutting earlier emo...

Senate Committee Reviews New Allegations Against Kavanaugh; Trump Defends His Nominee

27 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Senate Judiciary Committee is reviewing a statement from a third woman who has come forward with sexual misconduct allegations against Supreme Cou...

Kavanaugh Again Accused of Sexual Misconduct; Rosenstein Remains Deputy AG For Now

24 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

**This episode contains explicit details about alleged sexual misconduct and may not be suitable for all listeners** Deborah Ramirez has accused Supre...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, September 20

21 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

After days of back and forth over the terms of a hearing, attorneys for Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who accused Supreme Court nominee Judge Bret...

Trump Escalates Trade War With China; China Retaliates

18 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Hours after President Trump announced tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods, China responded with its own levies on $60 billion worth of U.S. produ...

Allegations Against Kavanaugh Cause Political Turmoil, Echoes of Anita Hill

18 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The woman who accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault revealed her identity Sunday in an interview with The Washington Post.Ch...

Manafort Pleads Guilty & Kavanaugh Is Accused of Sexual Misconduct

14 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort pleaded guilty on Friday and agreed to cooperate with special counsel Robert Mueller in his investigation...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, September 13

13 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump denied the death toll of nearly 3,000 from hurricanes Maria and Irma, which swept across Puerto Rico a year ago, in a series of tweets...

NPR Poll: Midwest Abandons Trump, Democrats Chances Balloon Ahead of Midterms

12 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In a troubling sign for Republicans less than two months before November's elections, Democrats' advantage on the question of which party Americans ar...

Obama Takes On Trump In First Midterm Campaign Speech

07 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In his first major political speech in the U.S. since leaving office, former President Barack Obama argued that Americans must rebuke President Trump ...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, September 6

06 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The White House has denounced a scathing op-ed column about the president in the New York Times that is allegedly written by a senior official in the ...

Kavanaugh Hearing Day 2: SCOTUS Nominee Defends Dissents On Abortion, Gun Control

06 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh is presenting himself as an open-minded judge who is guided by the law but not indifferent to the effects of his...

Midterm Update: Ayanna Pressley's Upset Victory Shows Power Of Women Of Color

05 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In a surprise defeat that reflects a changing Democratic Party, Boston City Council member Ayanna Pressley has defeated 10-term Democratic Rep. Mike C...

Kavanaugh Confirmation Hearings Day One; New Book Details A Chaotic White House

05 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh opened on a contentious note Tuesday, with Senate Democrats raising noisy object...

John McCain Honored By Obama, Bush, & Others At Washington Funeral

01 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, family and former political rivals saluted the late Sen. John McCain on Saturday as a loving father, a fierce but forgiving political brawler...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, August 30

30 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump's White House Counsel Don McGahn may be leaving his post, but his goal of tilting the court for conservatives is nearly accomplished. ...

WH Counsel Don McGahn To Resign; Plus, FL's Governor's Race Is 2018's Bernie v. Trump

29 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

White House counsel Don McGahn is resigning this autumn after a tumultuous stretch as President Trump's in-house lawyer. Plus, after a surprise upset ...

Midterm Update: Arizona, Florida, & Oklahoma Hold Primary Elections

27 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

On Tuesday Arizona and Florida hold some of the year's most anticipated primaries. The fight for Senate in both states will test how much candidates s...

Sen. John McCain, Former Presidential Nominee And Prisoner Of War, Dies At 81

26 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Arizona senator and former Republican presidential nominee John McCain died Saturday at the age of 81. We remember his life and legacy and look at how...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, August 23

23 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump has called his former campaign chairman who was found guilty in court a "brave man." Meanwhile he is distancing himself from his forme...

Trump's Attorney Michael Cohen Pleads Guilty & Paul Manafort Found Guilty By Jury

22 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Michael Cohen, President Trump's former personal lawyer and fixer, has pleaded guilty to eight counts in federal court. The counts related to campaig...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, August 16

16 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump revokes a former CIA director's security clearance and threatens to do the same to other national security professionals. The White Ho...

Midterm Update: First Transgender Gubernatorial Nominee & #MeToo Enters A New Era

15 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Tuesday's elections in four states — Wisconsin, Minnesota, Connecticut and Vermont — produced some noteworthy results. It was a big night for Demo...

Omarosa Manigault Newman Secretly Records The President; Plus Tuesday's Primaries

13 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

One day after she was fired from her post at the White House, Omarosa Manigault Newman secretly recorded a conversation with President Trump. Plus, fo...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, August 9

09 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump's lawyers are negotiating an interview with the special counsel. Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort's right hand man testi...

Midterm Update: Tuesday's Primaries Raise Questions About Trump's Influence

08 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

There were lots of takeaways from Tuesday's election & primaries, from whether Republicans should stand with President Trump or whether an endorsement...

What to Watch For In Tuesday's Elections

06 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Tuesday's primaries in Washington, Michigan, Kansas and Missouri will shape several high-profile general election contests. Plus, a look inside the sp...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, August 2

02 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Paul Manafort, President Trump's former campaign chairman, is in court, and his trial is wrapping up faster than predicted. And while the courtroom is...

Facebook Removes Accounts Involved In Deceptive Political Influence Campaign

31 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Facebook announced Tuesday afternoon that it has removed 32 Facebook and Instagram accounts or pages involved in a political influence campaign with l...

Former Trump Campaign Chairman Paul Manafort Goes To Trial

30 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Former Trump Campaign Chairman Paul Manafort's trial begins Tuesday. It is the first case by Robert Mueller's special counsel to go before a jury and ...

Hundreds Of Families Still Separated As Reunification Deadline Passes

27 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

A court-imposed deadline that required the Trump administration to reunite separated children with their parents has passed, but there are still many ...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, July 26

26 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump struck a deal with the European Commission President to not impose further tariffs on the EU after Trump had sparked fears of a trade ...

Cohen Leaks Secret Recording Of Trump & New NPR Poll After Trump-Putin Summit

25 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Cohen released a tape of himself seeming to talk with then-candidate Trump about payments to a former Playboy model who alleges she had an affair with...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, July 19

19 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The White House spent the week walking back and clarifying statements made by the president at his summit with Russia's president Vladimir Putin. Cong...

Trump Walks Back Comments At Putin Summit & DOJ Charges Russian Operative

17 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

One day after his controversial news conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Trump tried to walk back his comments where he appear...

President Trump Sides With Putin At Historic Summit

16 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Trump himself declared his summit meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki a success, in what he called the "proud tradition of bold ...

Justice Department Charges Russian Cyberspies With Attack On 2016 Election

13 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Justice Department charged 12 Russian intelligence officers with offenses related to Russia's hacking of the Democratic National Committee's email...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, July 12

12 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Reversing the harsh criticisms he has leveled at NATO, President Trump says the alliance is very strong. Embattled FBI Agent Peter Strzok clashed with...

Trump Names Brett Kavanaugh For Supreme Court

10 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump announced his choice to nominate Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court to fill the vacancy left by retiring Justice Anthony Kenned...

EPA Chief Scott Pruitt Resigns Amid Scandals

05 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump tweeted this afternoon that he accepted the resignation of Scott Pruitt as head of the Environmental Protection Agency. Pruitt was one...

Weekly Roundup: Tuesday, July 3

03 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump announced that he has met with at least four candidates to fill Justice Kennedy's seat on the Supreme Court. Some liberals are embraci...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, June 28

28 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump has announced that he will hold a summit with Russia's Vladimir Putin, and as Supreme Court's Justice Kennedy heads into retirement, T...

The Supreme Court's Swing Voter Justice Anthony Kennedy Retires

27 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement today, setting the stage for an epic political battle over his replacement. This episod...

Midterm Update: 28-year-old Latina Defeats Establishment Democrat In Primary Upset

27 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In a stunning primary upset, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — a young socialist activist, woman of color and political newcomer — has unseated leading H...

Analysis: The Impact Of The Supreme Court's Decision To Uphold Trump's Travel Ban

26 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In a 5-4 ruling that gave broad leeway to presidential authority, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld President Trump's travel ban that barred nearly all tr...

The Supreme Court Rules On Racial Gerrymander & Tuesday's Primaries

25 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The U.S. Supreme Court said that Texas' legislative and congressional maps are not a racial gerrymander, tiptoeing around another major political ruli...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, June 21

21 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Congress struggles to commit to immigration legislation, while the First Lady heads to the U.S.-Mexico border to visit children who have been separate...

Trump Signs Order To End Family Separations

20 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday to end his controversial policy that has resulted in thousands of family separations and brough...

The Trump Administration's Family Separation Border Policy Explained

18 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Trump administration spent the weekend and Monday defending its "zero tolerance" border policy, which has separated children and parents who cross...

Fact Check: Trump's Freewheeling Friday

15 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump began Friday by giving a wide-ranging interview to Fox News, and then he answered questions for a pool of reporters. In both he covere...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, June 14

14 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

A Justice Department watchdog on Thursday criticized former FBI Director James Comey for violating long-standing department guidelines and mishandling...

Midterm Update: Tuesday's Primaries Underscore That The GOP Is Trump's Party Now

13 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Results from Tuesday's primaries underscored one major theme – it's Donald Trump's Republican Party now. An establishment candidate in South Carolin...

At A Historic Summit, President Trump Praises Kim's Commitment To Denuclearize

12 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Following a historic summit in Singapore, President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a broad statement Tuesday that calls for a "firm ...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, June 7

07 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump prepares for a summit with North Korea's Kim Jong Un while heading to Canada to defend his trade tactics to the G-7 allies. Republican...

Midterm Update: "Super Tuesday" Primaries Results

06 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Democrats are feeling a little better about taking back the House after they advanced candidates in the key races in California. At the same time, it ...

NPR Politics Live From Charlotte: The Midterms Showdown

02 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This is a special episode, recorded in front of a live audience at the McGlohon Theater at Spirit Square in Charlotte on Friday, June 1st. The cast br...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, May 31

31 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is meeting with a top North Korean delegate to prepare for a potential summit, but do the two countries agree on what i...

The Supreme Court Rejects Planned Parenthood Case & President Trump Threatens New Tariffs On China

29 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Supreme Court rejected an appeal of a restrictive abortion law in Arkansas, which could force all but one facility that performs abortions in the ...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, May 24

24 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump has called off a highly anticipated summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and he held two meetings with justice and intelligenc...

Midterm Update: First Black Woman Nominated For Governor & Other Tuesday Primaries Takeaways

23 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It was a big night Tuesday for Democratic women again, from Georgia to Kentucky to Texas. It was also a big night for change on the Democratic side, e...

Trump Demands Review Of Russia Investigation Surveillance Tactics & Tuesday's Primaries

21 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump says that he will order an investigation into whether the FBI and the Department of Justice "infiltrated or surveilled" his campaign "...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, May 17

17 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

As Republicans break off from their party leaders, an immigration vote edges closer to the House floor. Democrats get a rare win on the Senate floor. ...

Senate Releases More Details on Trump Jr. And Russian Lawyer Meeting & Tuesday's Primaries Takeaways

16 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Senate Judiciary Committee released more than 2,500 pages related to an investigation of a meeting between top Trump aides and a delegation of Rus...

One Year Of Robert Mueller As Special Counsel

15 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Thursday marks one year since Robert Mueller was appointed special counsel to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. We t...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, May 10

10 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump tweeted out the details of his upcoming meeting with Kim Jong Un. The announcement came hours after three Americans being held in Nort...

Midterm Update: May 8th Primaries Takeaways

09 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It's still too soon for big conclusions, but yesterday's primaries in Ohio, West Virginia, Indiana, and North Carolina broke with some trends and firm...

President Trump Says The U.S. "Will Withdraw" From The Iran Nuclear Deal

09 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump announced that he has decided to exit a multinational agreement in which Iran agreed to limit its production of nuclear weapons materi...

Midterm Update: May 8th Primaries Look Ahead

07 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Ohio, West Virginia, and Indiana hold primaries on Tuesday. We take a deep dive into the key races that will decide who goes on the ballot this fall i...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, May 3

03 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The new head of President Trump's legal team, Rudy Giuliani, said on national television that the president reimbursed a lawyer for payments to an adu...

Comedian Responds To Criticism After Controversial Remarks At The White House Correspondents' Dinner

30 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump's absence was the least controversial part of this year's White House Correspondents' dinner. Instead it was the crude jokes made by t...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, April 26

27 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump's embattled nominee Ronny Jackson withdrew his name to serve as the head of the VA. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved a bill wit...

Supreme Court Appears Ready To Side With Trump On Travel Ban

25 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Supreme Court heard arguments today in the case of Trump v. Hawaii, better known as the travel ban case. Also the latest with DACA. This episode: ...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, April 19

20 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The latest on Michael Cohen, a public spat between UN ambassador Nikki Haley and the White House, and diplomacy in the Trump administration. This epis...

Comey Tells NPR The FBI 'Would Be Worse Today' If Not For His Actions

17 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In an interview with NPR, fired FBI Director James Comey defended his controversial decisions during the 2016 campaign. This episode: host/political r...

President Trump Announces Air Strikes On Syria

14 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump announced the United States has joined with France and the UK to launch military strikes in Syria in response to last week's suspected...

More On Mueller, Zuckerberg And Landscape For 2018 Elections

13 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

There may be movement on legislation to protect special counsel Robert Mueller and his investigation into the Trump campaign. Also in this episode, th...

Paul Ryan Will Not Seek Re-Election

11 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

House Speaker Paul Ryan will retire in January, at the end of a tenure that saw the failure of an Obamacare repeal and the passage of tax cuts — as ...

Zuckerberg Faces Congress And FBI Raids Properties of Trump Lawyer

11 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg faced 44 senators in a hearing on Capitol Hill, the first of two such hearings this week. The FBI raided the residence an...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, April 5

05 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

After days of railing against "weak" immigration laws and border security, President Trump is deploying National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico borde...

Trump Turns Focus Back To Immigration; Citizenship Question On Census Ignites Controversy

03 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump said Tuesday that he's considering sending the military to guard parts of the U.S.-Mexico border, because of what he calls "weak" immi...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, March 29

29 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Russia announced Thursday that it's expelling 60 U.S. diplomats, just a few days after the Trump administration expelled the same number of Russian di...

McMaster Out As National Security Adviser, Bolton In

23 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

There's been another big shake up on President Trump's team. H.R. McMaster is out as National Security Adviser, and former UN Ambassador John Bolton i...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, March 22

22 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Cambridge Analytica is at the center of a growing controversy over how it obtained the private data of millions of Facebook users, and how it may have...

McCabe Fired, Trump Escalates Attacks On Mueller

19 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Over the last few days, President Trump has escalated his attacks on special counsel Robert Mueller, the FBI and the Department of Justice. His person...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, March 15

15 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Trump administration announced new sanctions against Russia on Wednesday over its meddling in the 2016 election. Democrat Conor Lamb appears to ha...

Democrat Apparent Winner In Pennsylvania Special Election

14 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Tuesday night was a big one for Democrats. In a southwestern Pennsylvania district that Trump won by 20 points in 2016, voters appear to have elected ...

Trump Fires Tillerson, Taps Pompeo As Secretary Of State

13 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

After months of on-again, off-again speculation, President Trump announced on Twitter Tuesday morning that he had fired Secretary of State Rex Tillers...

Democrats Hoping For Upset In Pennsylvania Special Election

12 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

A special election in Pennsylvania on Tuesday is garnering an unusual amount of national attention. It's for a House seat in PA-18, a deeply Republica...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, March 8

08 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump announced tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, despite strong objections from fellow Republicans. Economic adviser Gary Cohn became...

Takeaways From Texas, As Midterms Kick Off

07 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The first primary votes of 2018 are in, in Texas. Democrats had a strong showing, turning out over a million voters. But Republicans still outnumbered...

Primary Season Kicks Off With Texas

05 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Primary season officially gets under way this week. Texas is first up, on Tuesday. For the first time in years, Democrats are fielding candidates in e...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, March 1

02 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Guns are still dominating the conversation in Washington, though Congress has come and gone this week without taking any real steps to pass legislatio...

Big Week At Supreme Court On Immigration, First Amendment

28 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It's a big week at the Supreme Court. On Monday, the justices declined to hear the Trump administration's appeal of a federal court ruling that blocke...

NPR Politics Live From Cleveland

24 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This is a special episode, recorded in front of a live audience at the Ohio Theatre at Playhouse Square in Cleveland on Friday, February 23. This epis...

Parkland Students Bring Gun Debate Front And Center

23 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Exactly a week after 17 of their teachers and classmates were shot and killed, students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida...

Grand Jury Indicts Russians Linked To Interference In 2016 Election

16 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

A federal grand jury has indicted 13 Russians and three Russian entities in connection with the attack on the 2016 presidential election. This episode...

Weekly Roundup: Thursday, February 15

16 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

A familiar scene, and familiar words from lawmakers, after 17 people were killed Wednesday at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florid...

Mixed Messages In Trump's Response To Abuse Allegations

13 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

By many accounts, the White House is still in turmoil after the resignation last week of a top aide over domestic abuse allegations. Over the weekend,...