The NPR Politics Podcast
Episodes
In Fight With 'Chuck And Nancy,' Trump Says He'd Be 'Proud' To Shut Down Government
11 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In a testy and dramatic Oval Office exchange with Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Chuck Schumer, President Trump made clear he would be "proud" to shut dow...
White House Chief Of Staff John Kelly Is Out; Trump Searches For Replacement
10 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
President Trump's chief of staff John Kelly will leave the White House at the end of the year. The administration's search for the new chief of staff ...
Feds Recommend Cohen Be Imprisoned; Special Counsel Says It Can Prove Manafort Lied
08 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
**CORRECTION: In a previous version of this podcast we said that "the Special Counsel says it can prove Paul Manafort lied about contacts between Russ...
Weekly Roundup: Thursday, December 6
06 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
As world leaders meet to discuss how to combat climate change, two major reports on the environment paint a dire picture for the future. Meanwhile, Re...
Special Counsel Says Flynn Is Cooperating; The State Funeral For George H.W. Bush
05 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The feds say former national security adviser Michael Flynn has provided "substantial" aid in the Russia investigation and beyond. Plus, former Presid...
House Republicans Hacked + Voter Fraud Allegations In North Carolina
05 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The National Republican Congressional Committee says it was hacked during the 2018 midterms. What happened and is it anything like the 2016 hack of th...
Trump Leaves G-20 With China Trade Truce, Plans To Cancel NAFTA Ahead Of New Pact
03 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
President Trump left the Group of 20 summit with an agreement not to raise tariffs on Chinese goods in the next 90 days. The deal amounts to a cease-f...
Former President George H.W. Bush Dies At 94
01 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The patriarch of a political dynasty, George H.W. Bush was the last World War II vet to serve in the Oval Office. His son George W. called him "one of...
Weekly Roundup: Thursday, November 29
30 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Donald Trump's former longtime lawyer Michael Cohen admitted on Thursday that he and others working for Trump negotiated with important Russians over ...
House Democrats Nominate Pelosi For Speaker; Republicans Win Final Senate Seat
28 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
House Democrats nominated Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to serve as the next speaker of the House. If approved by the full House, Pelosi would again wi...
Trump Defends Use Of Tear Gas At The Border; Mississippi Senate Heads To A Runoff
26 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The U.S. briefly closed border entries in Tijuana and used tear gas on the protesters after several migrants began approaching the border fence. The p...
Pelosi's Democratic Challengers Go Public; Trump Says He Answered Mueller's Questions
20 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Eleven House Democrats and five incoming freshmen have signed a letter promising to vote against Pelosi in Democrats' internal caucus leadership vote ...
Election Update + Turkey Traditions
19 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
An update on where things stand in Georgia and Florida plus why President Trump is planning some rallies in Mississippi. And of course, Domenico Monta...
Weekly Roundup: Thursday, November 15
16 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A recount is under way in Florida, rebel Democrats claim they can defeat Nancy Pelosi in a speaker vote, a bipartisanship effort at criminal justice r...
Congress Returns With A Long To-Do List
12 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Congress is returning to Washington this week for an end of year session that's likely going to bring a good bit of drama. The team discusses the impe...
Election Night Hasn't Ended Just Yet
09 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Election season hasn't actually ended yet as a recount becomes likely in Florida, where a vicious legal battle is brewing. Votes are also still being ...
Weekly Roundup: Thursday, November 8
08 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Jeff Sessions has been forced out of his job as Attorney General. Will his replacement undermine the Russia investigation? Also - a deep dive into sta...
After Election Night, Trump Lashes Out; Pelosi Offers An Olive Branch
07 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In back to back press conferences, President Trump and Nancy Pelosi both talked about what bipartisanship could look like for a split Congress. Yet th...
Democrats Win Control Of The House; Republicans Expand Senate Majority
07 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In what was considered a referendum on Donald Trump's presidency, Congress splits control between Democrats and Republicans. The win-win marks a shift...
Midterm Update: Republicans & Democrats Make Their Final Pitches To Voters
05 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In the final hours before the midterm elections Republicans point to the economy and stir up fears of immigration, while Democrats focus on the same m...
Weekly Roundup: Thursday, November 1
01 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
President Trump signaled in a speech at the White House that he wants to make changes to the asylum policy, but offers no concrete plan. Plus, a new N...
Midterm Update: What You Should Pay Attention To On Election Night
31 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
This is your guide to what to pay attention to as the results roll in on Tuesday. The NPR Politics team walks through what races they will be watching...
Midterm Update: Trump Pivots To Immigration; Where The Parties Put Their Money
30 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
With a week left till the midterm elections President Trump is focusing on hardline immigration policies that helped him win in 2016. And Republicans ...
Feds Charge Man With Mailing Improvised Bombs To President Trump's Critics
26 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The Justice Department has charged Cesar Sayoc, 56, in connection with a wave of improvised explosive devices sent to political critics of President T...
New NPR Poll Shows Trump is Key Factor in Midterms
26 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
According to a new survey from NPR/PBS Newshour/Marist Poll, more than two-thirds of registered voters say their impression of President Trump will fa...
Weekly Roundup: Thursday, October 25
25 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The list of prominent people, eight and counting, who were sent suspicious packages reads like a Trump enemies list, but at a rally yesterday Trump to...
Apparent 'Pipe Bombs' Mailed To Clinton, Obama And CNN
24 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
At least six suspicious packages containing what the FBI called potentially destructive devices have been sent since Monday to several leading Democra...
Midterm Update: Voter Suppression In Georgia; Trump Stumps For Former Rival In TX
23 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Half a million voters were purged from the voter roll by the Republican candidate for governor in Georgia. How are voter purges influencing elections ...
U.S. Government Charges Russian With Interference In The 2018 Midterm Elections
19 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Elena Khusyaynova, a Russian citizen, has been charged by the U.S. government with one count of conspiring to defraud the United States. Prosecutors s...
Weekly Roundup: Thursday, October 18
18 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Senator Elizabeth Warren and President Trump reignite their fight over her ancestry weeks before the midterms. Plus, the races across the country are ...
A Saudi Journalist Disappears in Turkey And Sets Off A Diplomatic Crisis
16 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Jamal Khashoggi, a prominent Saudi journalist and critic of Saudi policy, walked into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey two weeks ago and disapp...
Weekly Roundup: Thursday, October 11
11 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
President Trump warned at his rally in Pennsylvania on Wednesday night that if his party loses in November's midterm elections, the "radical Democrat ...
Nikki Haley Resigns As U.N. Ambassador; Kavanaugh Debuts On The Supreme Court
09 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Nikki Haley is resigning as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and will leave the Trump administration at the end of the year. Plus, the Supre...
Kavanaugh Has The Votes To Be Confirmed To The Supreme Court
06 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court cleared a key procedural hurdle in the Senate on Friday, and his confirmation now seems all but cert...
Weekly Roundup: Thursday, October 4
04 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Key Republican senators who have been withholding judgment on the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court amid allegations of sexual assaul...
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...