The NPR Politics Podcast

Money, Democracy, China: Understand the US-Taiwan Alliance

05 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In the landmark bipartisan foreign aid package that passed earlier this year, there was money for two allies in ongoing military conflicts: Israel and...

Biden Will Temporarily Bar Most Asylum Seekers At US Border

04 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Following several record-high months for migrants crossings at the U.S. southern border last year, President Biden is taking executive action to swift...

Not Mad, Just Disappointed: Hear From Unenthused Voters

03 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A huge portion of the American public doesn't like its choices this presidential cycle. So what will those voters do when they get to the ballot box? ...

Weekly Roundup: Democracy and the Courts

31 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Donald Trump, convicted yesterday of 34 felonies, held an event this morning where he continued his attacks on the judge who oversaw his case and the ...

Donald Trump Guilty On All Counts In New York Criminal Trial

31 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Former President Donald Trump has been found guilty of falsifying business records to influence the 2016 election, a historic verdict as Trump, the pr...

Democrats Haven't Won North Carolina Since 2008. Can Biden?

29 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

North Carolina is a purple state with a Democratic governor and a closely-divided, Republican-controlled statehouse. But Democrats have struggled to w...

Does Biden Have A "Red Line" On His Support For Israel?

28 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

President Biden's steadfast commitment to Israel in the wake of the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas hasn't changed, even as the civilian death toll tops 35,000...

Encore: NPR's Electoral College Map Analysis

27 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The 2024 presidential race will come down to two key regions: the industrial Midwest and the Sun Belt, The number of white voters without a college de...

Weekly Roundup: Border Crossings Have Dramatically Declined

24 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Trump's trial enters its final stage next week as lawyers make their closing arguments and the case is expected to head to the jury. And immigration r...

Nikki Haley Has Backed Trump. Will Her Voters?

23 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and South Carolina governor continued to receive protest votes in the Republican presidential primary...

Talking To The Wisconsinites Who Haven't Made Up Their Minds

22 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The state is vital in both candidates' path clearing the 270 electoral vote threshold necessary to win the presidency. Wisconsin went once for Donald ...

Trump Could Win Georgia As Biden Coalition Fractures

21 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The diverse coalition of voters that delivered Georgia for President Biden in 2020 might not hold together in 2024. Many young and Black voters wanted...

Trump Wants To Do What Reagan Couldn't: Win Minnesota

20 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The last time a Republican presidential nominee won the state of Minnesota was 1972, but lagging enthusiasm for President Biden and a strong 2016 perf...

Roundup: Yes, Biden And Trump Are Going To Debate

17 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Michael Cohen, a former Donald Trump attorney and central witness for the prosecution, testified against the former president in court this week. His ...

Fearing Legal Risks, Fla. Voter Registration Groups Scale Back

16 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Florida recently increased criminal penalties for mistakes and possible fraud by groups who work to register voters. The move has led many of the grou...

Hear Trump Explain His Vision For A Second Presidential Term

15 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Mass deportations, expanded presidential power and a civil service that emphasizes loyalty to the chief executive: here are the things Donald Trump ho...

Jobs, Climate, China: Biden Unveils Robust New EV Tariffs

14 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

President Biden announced new tariffs on electric vehicles, semiconductors and other products to punish China for what he describes as unfair trade pr...

Americans Say The Economy's Bad, But Spend Like It's Good

13 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What does that distinction mean for Democrats' political fortunes come November? Will the 2024 look more like the 2022 midterm elections, where voters...

Weekly Roundup: Jail Time For Trump Over Gag Order Violations?

10 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Donald Trump remains on trial in New York state court over alleged hush money payments. This week, Trump was warned by the judge to stop violating his...

Biden Threatens To Halt Weapons Shipments To Israel

09 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In an interview with CNN, President Biden said he would block further U.S. shipments of weapons to Israel if it launched a ground invasion of Rafah as...

Mike Johnson Keeps His Job — For Now

09 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene filed a motion Wednesday afternoon to remove Speaker of the House Mike Johnson from his job. It failed by a ...

The Fight To Fire The House Speaker — Again

08 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Some members of the House Republican conference are mad at Speaker of the House Mike Johnson for a variety of reasons. But do they have the votes to k...

What's Driving People To — Or Away From — The Polls?

07 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

With 26 weeks to go until Election Day, voters' opinions on the major candidates are forming. We explore the different — and similar — issues moti...

Who Wants To Be Trump's VP?

06 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As the presumptive Republican nominee for president, Donald Trump faces a lot of big decisions — perhaps none more so than who his running mate will...

Roundup: What To Impart To Your Kids? Depends On Your Party

03 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll highlights values differences between Democrats and Republicans, as well as a shift in President Biden's coalition ...

Federal Judges Aren't Subject To Workplace Harassment Laws

02 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

NPR found that dozens of federal judges failed to disclose privately-funded travel to exclusive, often partisan events in exotic locales. And employee...

How House Republicans Are Responding To Campus Protests

01 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson visited Columbia University with fellow members of the House Republican conference and met with students who said th...

Can Arizona GOP Prevent Dem Surge By Allowing Some Abortions?

30 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A handful of Arizona Republicans are expected to join with Democratic lawmakers in order to repeal the state's near-total abortion ban. The move is an...

Tick-Tock, TikTok: What Makes It A National Security Threat

29 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

After a series of classified national security briefings, Congress passed a law that will ban TikTok if it is not sold by its Chinese parent company. ...

Weekly Roundup: Hush Money, Pocket Money

26 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The first week of testimony in Donald Trump's criminal trial in New York centered on David Packer, the tabloid mogul who says he helped quash stories ...

Absolute Immunity?

25 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Months after Special Counsel Jack Smith first asked the Supreme Court to weigh in on Donald Trump's claim of absolute immunity from criminal prosecuti...

Donald Trump Won Montana By Double-Digits. Can Its Democratic Senator Keep His Seat?

24 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sen. Jon Tester is an experienced political strategist and capable campaigner whose reputation as a working farmer has helped him to defy the odds as ...

Tejano Votes And A Competitive Texas Congressional Race

23 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Texas's 15th Congressional District is held by Rep. Monica De La Cruz, a Republican. Her Democratic challenger is Michelle Vallejo. Organizers from bo...

Sneak Peek: NPR's Electoral College Map Analysis

22 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The 2024 presidential race will come down to two key regions: the industrial Midwest and the Sun Belt, The number of white voters without a college de...

Weekly Roundup: Congressional Bipartisanship, Trump Jury

19 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Foreign aid legislation is advancing to a vote in the House thanks to Democratic support, as a third Republican signs on to the effort to oust Speaker...

Biden Is Dramatically Out-Advertising Donald Trump. So Far.

18 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Biden campaign and allied groups are aggressively advertising to win over persuadable voters. Trump and his affiliates are almost nowhere to be fo...

Will Mike Johnson Survive His Own Israel, Ukraine Aid Pitch?

17 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Speaker Mike Johnson has split apart the foreign military aid package sent over by the Senate into separate bills, focused on Ukraine, Israel and Taiw...

Was Jan. 6 An Obstruction Of Congress? SCOTUS Will Decide

16 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

More than 300 defendants have been charged with obstructing or attempting to obstruct an official congressional proceeding in connection to the Jan. 6...

Donald Trump's First Criminal Trial Begins In New York

15 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Trump faces 34 felony counts alleging that he falsified New York business records in order to conceal damaging information to influence the 2016 presi...

Weekly Roundup: Biden Actions On Guns, Student Loans

12 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Biden administration unveiled new, targeted student debt forgiveness and new regulations on gun sales this week. The maneuvers appear targeted to ...

Understanding The County That Went For Obama, Trump, And Biden

11 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Erie, Pa., supported Barack Obama in the 2008 and 2012 elections, Donald Trump in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020. What makes the county such a reliable be...

The Alabama Election At The Heart Of The Voting Rights Fight

10 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We go deep on Alabama's second congressional district ahead of a primary runoff there next week. The Supreme Court forced the state to redraw its cong...

What To Know About Trump's Abortion Policy

09 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The presumptive Republican presidential nominee said Monday that abortion access was a state issue and that he supports access in the case of rape, in...

Congress Is Back And As Messy As Ever

08 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Congress is headed back to Washington. With funding deadlines in the review mirror, they are turning their attention to foreign military aid. But Repu...

Roundup: Biden Calls Bibi; New Poll

05 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In a call Thursday to Israel's prime minister, President Biden told Benjamin Netanyahu the U.S. needed to see more humanitarian aid flowing into Gaza ...

The Latino & Asian American Voter Registration Gap

04 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In a pivotal election year, U.S. democracy continues to face a persistent challenge among the country's electorate — gaps in voter registration rate...

How Israel's War In Gaza Impacts Congressional Races

03 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza enters its sixth month, Democratic members of Congress who are part of "the Squad" and have criticized Israel's act...

How Florida's Abortion Vote May Impact The Presidential Race

02 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In a pair of decisions Monday, Florida's supreme court ruled the state's six-week abortion ban could go into effect in May, and that voters would have...

U.S. Investigations Into War Crimes Can Get Complicated

01 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Justice Department launched a team in December 2023 to look into allegations of war crimes committed during Russia's war in Ukraine. The team isn'...

Roundup: Insurrection Act; Campaign Spending

29 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A bipartisan group of legal experts is sounding an alarm about presidential power this election season. They're pushing Congress to update a 150 year ...

SCOTUS Hears Abortion Pill Arguments

28 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Supreme Court heard a case this week about mifepristone, a drug used in medication abortions. Anti-abortion plaintiffs are suing the Food & Drug A...

The Complicated Relationship Between Biden And Bibi

27 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As the United States tries to seek a resolution to Israel's war in Gaza, we look at the complicated and strained relationship between the White House ...

Latest In Trump's N.Y. Civil Fraud Case

26 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Former President Trump got a brief reprieve in his New York civil case, as the amount he owes to secure a $454 million bond has been temporarily reduc...

Step Inside A Trump Rally

25 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The presidential campaign is heating up, and candidates are hitting the road to convince people to vote for them. Today, we take a look inside a Donal...

Weekly Roundup: Johnson Ouster Threat, Biden's New App

22 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The House of Representatives reached a deal on government funding, but Speaker Mike Johnson again had to rely on Democratic votes to pass the bill. No...

Texas Immigration Law SB4: Here's The Latest

21 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Texas has a controversial immigration law that, if implemented, would empower local law enforcement to enforce federal immigration law. It's a reminde...

Good News: Voting Is, Mostly, Getting Easier. Here's How.

20 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

New data shows that voting in America has gotten easier over the past two decades. More voters have the ability to cast a ballot before Election Day, ...

AZ, OH Primaries: Independents Stranded, MAGA Senate Test

19 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Is reform coming to Arizona's presidential preference election, which blocks independent voters from participating? And Donald Trump and Ohio's govern...

What Kamala Harris, 59, Brings To The Reelection Effort

18 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Vice President Harris was known as a middling campaigner during the 2020 presidential primary, but she's since come into her own as a capable messenge...

She Can Stay. But He's Gotta Go!

15 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Fani Willis, Fulton County District Attorney, can continue to lead the prosecution against former President Donald Trump. A Georgia judge ruled Willis...

Is Time Ticking For TikTok?

14 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Congress is giving the popular Chinese social media app TikTok an ultimatum—find an American buyer or face a nationwide ban in the United States. Wi...

Will Voters See RFK Jr. On The Ballot?

13 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There is a movement to get third-party and independent presidential candidates on the ballot this year as many Americans have expressed frustration ab...

No Fans Of Hur On The Hill

12 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Republicans and Democrats expressed dissatisfaction with special counsel Robert Hur's report about President Biden's handling of classified documents ...

Handpicking The RNC

11 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Republican National Committee voted in a new chair and co-chair on Friday — including a member of the Trump family and a man who questions that ...

Let The General Election Begin!

08 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

President Biden and former President Donald Trump are almost certain to be in a rematch in the general race, but the primaries are still underway. Bot...

Biden's Impassioned State Of The Union Speech

08 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

President Biden delivered a fiery State Of The Union Thursday night addressing immigration, aid for Ukraine and shrinkflation among other topics. But ...

Nikki Haley Suspends Her Bid For The Presidency

06 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

After a tough night with only one win on Super Tuesday, Nikki Haley announced Wednesday that she is suspending her Republican presidential campaign. W...

Trump Dominates GOP Primaries, Again!

06 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There were no surprises this Super Tuesday as both President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump won big in the day's primary voting contests....

Trump To Appear On All Primary Ballots

04 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Colorado could not disqualify former President Donald Trump from its ballot. The opinion came the day before Super T...

Borders, Bills & Burgers

01 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's roundup, we look at the dueling visits to the U.S.-Mexico border taken by President Biden and former president Trump, the continued gla...

Is Trump Immune From Prosecution? SCOTUS Will Decide

29 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Supreme Court announced it will hear a case related to special counsel Jack Smith's prosecution of former president Donald Trump related to Trump'...

Michigan Votes; McConnell Vacates

28 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

President Biden won the Michigan Democratic presidential primary Tuesday by a wide margin, despite a push by those upset by his administration's polic...

States Tell SCOTUS That Social Media Censors Conservatives

27 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The United States Supreme Court is weighing in on a case legal experts say is the biggest test of free speech this country has seen in decades. The qu...

Biden's 'Uncommitted' Problem in Michigan

26 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The president's most significant opposition in Michigan's Tuesday primary is not another candidate — it's a grassroots movement to vote 'uncommitted...

Whose House? Trump's House.

25 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Former President Donald Trump won the South Carolina Republican primary race in former governor Nikki Haley's own backyard. Trump won about 60 percent...

The Battle For The Base

23 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The South Carolina Republican primary is tomorrow. Former President Donald Trump is favored to win, but the contest will test how much appetite remain...

U.S.-Israel Relations And The 2024 Election

22 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Israel-Hamas war has been raging for more than four months. The U.S. blocked another U.N. cease-fire resolution this week and $14 billion dollars ...

Senate Races To Watch This Year

21 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

All eyes are on the presidential primaries, but there are a few key Senate races to watch this year too. West Virginia, Maryland, and Arizona — to n...

"I Feel No Need To Kiss The Ring"

20 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley delivered a rousing speech to supporters in South Carolina today, vowing to stay in the race for the state'...

Let The Veepstakes Begin

19 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There isn't a Republican presidential nominee yet, but for most Republicans, it's former president Donald Trump. But, who will he pick as his running ...

ICYMI: Politics News From The Week

16 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, former President Donald Trump got a court date for his first criminal trial, lawmakers take another swing at Ukraine aid and we look at swa...

Can Harris Assuage European Allies' Fears In Munich?

15 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Vice President Kamala Harris is in Germany this week for the Munich Security Conference. Harris is tasked with reassuring European allies the U.S. rem...

N.Y. Dems Flip House Seat

14 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Former congressman Tom Suozzi won his House seat back in a special election Tuesday. The office was left vacant by disgraced Republican congressman Ge...

Foreign Policy Has Entered The Chat

13 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The South Carolina Republican primary is less than two weeks away, and both candidates are talking foreign policy. Nikki Haley, the former UN Ambassad...

Who's In Charge Here?

12 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is at odds with his colleagues about what the party's priorities are. And confidence in Speaker Mike Johnson is...

Biden Fights Back

09 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

President Biden is fed up. He shared choice words with reporters after being criticized for his age and mental acuity. Earlier in the day the special ...

Biden Won't Face Charges For Keeping Classified Documents

09 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Justice Department will not charge President Biden for willfully holding onto and disclosing classified materials after leaving the Obama Administ...

Will Trump Be On The Ballot? SCOTUS Weighs In

08 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Supreme Court heard arguments today about whether or not Colorado can keep former President Donald Trump off the ballot for his actions on January...

Immigration Legislation Is A No Go

07 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Senators released a new bipartisan immigration deal on Sunday. The agreement fell apart within days after Senate Republicans turned against it in a sh...

No Blanket Immunity For Trump

06 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Three judge panel rules former President Donald Trump does not enjoy broad immunity from federal prosecution including for his actions on January 6th....

Biden Won South Carolina Primary. Does It Matter?

05 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

President Joe Biden ran away with the democratic presidential nomination in South Carolina. Biden won a resounding 96 percent of the vote. We discuss ...

The Taylor Swift Super Bowl Conspiracy Theory

02 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This NFL season, popstar Taylor Swift has been a mainstay at the Kansas City Chiefs games cheering on her boyfriend Travis Kelce. Now far-right Donald...

Why Nevada Has A Primary AND A Caucus Next Week

01 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Republican voters in Iowa have two presidential nominating contests next week, a primary on Tuesday and a caucus on Thursday. We explain why. This epi...

Is Impeachment The Answer?

31 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

House Republicans in disagreement with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas's handling of the southern border want to impeach him. The move ...

It Takes Big Bucks To Run A Campaign

30 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Campaign spending increases each election cycle; this year, almost $16 billion will be spent on races across the country. Who is the money coming from...

Border Deal: Action Item Or Campaign Fodder?

29 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The border is a hot topic for politicians on both sides of the aisle — and now, on the campaign trail. After months of negotiations, a bipartisan gr...

Alleged Improper Relationship Could Thwart Trump Ga. Trial

26 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Former President Donald Trump's co-defendant in the election interference criminal case in Georgia is requesting the removal of the Fulton County dist...

Let The Veepstakes Begin

25 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There isn't a Republican presidential nominee yet, but for most Republicans, it's former president Donald Trump. But, who will he pick as his running ...

Biden Talks Reproductive Rights

24 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

For decades, President Biden has shied away from talking about reproductive rights, but in this election cycle it's a centerpiece of the Democratic Pa...

Trump Wins New Hampshire, Haley Vows To Stay In

24 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

New Hampshire voters cast their ballots in the state's Republican primary in favor of former president Donald Trump. Former U.N. ambassador & South Ca...