Advertising in this fall's midterms is increasing, and so too is the money being spent to get those ads on the air. We look at how the parties are raising & spending money for their candidates, and what the impacts could be.This episode: voting correspondents Miles Parks & Ashley Lopez, and senior political correspondent Tamara Keith.This podcast was produced and… Open episode →
The NPR Politics Podcast
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Every weekday, NPR's best political reporters are there to explain the big news coming out of Washington and the campaign trail. They don't just tell you what happened. They tell you why it matters. Every afternoon. Support public media by joining NPR+ at plus.npr.org.…
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President Trump heads to the United Nations General Assembly this week as the organization welcomes world leaders to discuss their work. We preview what he will discuss, as well as what is on the agenda for a state visit from China's president, Xi Jinping, later this week.This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, and White House correspondents Emily Feng & Franco… Open episode →
Some Republican candidates are using inflammatory and anti-Muslim rhetoric in their campaign ads and public statements. We look at what they're saying, and why they're saying it.Then, a free speech controversy made its way to the music world. After making pro-Palestinian statements during recent concerts, rapper Macklemore was removed from shows opening for Ed Sheeran. We explain what's going on.And,… Open episode →
Ever wondered how we pick some of the key races we watch during elections? Here's your chance. In this special edition of The NPR Politics Podcast, which was recorded before a live virtual audience, our reporters break down some of the elections and issues they'll be paying especially close attention to this November, and why they stand out.This episode: senior… Open episode →
Evangelists say AI saves time and increases productivity. Doomsayers argue AI will destroy humanity. While the truth may be somewhere in between, lawmakers and businesses are figuring out how to put the toothpaste back in the tube & find ways to regulate the burgeoning industry. We take a look at the risks, and what Congress can do.This episode: senior political… Open episode →
Voters tell us they're frustrated with the economy, that costs are too high, and that neither Democrats nor Republicans seem able to solve their problems. We listen to swing voters in Michigan to understand how their worries could impact that state's Senate race.This episode: senior political correspondent Tamara Keith, congressional reporter Sam Gringlas, and senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson.This… Open episode →
Like other Republican-led states, Missouri heeded President Trump's call to redraw congressional maps to try and create new, safe seats for Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives. Those efforts, though, are on hold due to court orders and efforts by citizens to put the maps up for a vote in a referendum this November. We explain what's going on.This… Open episode →
September 11th presented a new kind of national security threat, so a new national security architecture was built to confront it. Has it worked? Are we safer? This special episode from Sources & Methods, the national security podcast from NPR, host Mary Louise Kelly and former top intelligence officials discuss what happened behind closed doors on 9/11, and how the events… Open episode →
We reflect on how U.S. domestic and foreign policy have changed since, and continue to be influenced by, the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, justice correspondent Ryan Lucas, and national security correspondent Greg Myre.This podcast was produced and edited by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Support public media with NPR+… Open episode →
The activist is credited for increasing support of conservative causes among young voters, but nobody has had a similar influence since Kirk was killed last year. Who may pick up the mantle, and will these voters continue to support conservatives?Plus, a discussion of President Trump's latest pitch to voters: a $5,000 check if Republicans maintain control of Congress after the… Open episode →
After campaigning on a platform to curtail illegal immigration to the United States, President Trump has shifted federal immigration policy to severely limit all forms of immigration. We look at what's happened, and what the impacts have been.This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, immigration policy correspondent Ximena Bustillo, and White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez.This podcast was produced and edited by… Open episode →
Republicans are trying to win back skeptical voters by holding a midterm convention in Dallas this week. What will they do there, will the rally work, and how are their plans different than from what Democrats are planning?This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, senior political correspondent Tamara Keith, and senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson.This podcast was produced and edited… Open episode →
The U.S. military is now in the oil business and once again targeting what it says are "narco terrorist" drug boats. What is the Trump administration trying to achieve in the Western Hemisphere?In this episode of NPR's national security podcast Sources & Methods, guest host Scott Detrow, national security correspondent Greg Myre and international reporter John Otis break down how… Open episode →
Sen. Jon Ossoff is the only incumbent Democratic senator running in a state Donald Trump won in 2024. Abdul El-Sayed is running to try and hold on to Democrats' Senate seat. We compare and contrast their campaigns as both Republicans and Democrats try to win these competitive races.This episode: senior political correspondent Tamara Keith, congressional reporter Sam Gringlas, and senior… Open episode →
Democratic socialists have done well in some Democratic Party primaries ahead of November's midterm elections. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who each call themselves democratic socialists, have won elected office. But what are the tenets of democratic socialism, and have these candidates — and the Democratic Socialists of America — succeeded in their aims… Open episode →
You had questions about the upcoming midterm elections, and other political topics. In this podcast, we try our best to answer some of them.This episode: senior political correspondent Tamara Keith, political correspondent Ashley Lopez, and senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson.This podcast was produced and edited by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Support public media with… Open episode →
The federal debt is up to $40 trillion and counting. The budget deficit is increasing, too. What does that mean for American taxpayers? We explain.This episode: senior political correspondent Tamara Keith, congressional reporter Eric McDaniel, and chief economics correspondent Scott Horsley.This podcast was produced and edited by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Support public media with… Open episode →
President Trump routinely sows doubt in the credibility of elections in the United States — especially if he, or his allies, lose those votes. But with voting in this fall's midterms starting in just a few weeks, the president wants to change the ways Americans vote. We explore the risks to election integrity in these midterms and talk about how… Open episode →
President Trump has long railed against voting by mail, falsely claiming it is rampant with fraud. He signed an executive order earlier this year seeking to severely restrict the practice. The order is being challenged in courts, and with many developments in the case this week, we look at the status of vote-by-mail in the United States.This episode: voting correspondents… Open episode →
Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., beat back a close challenge from Rep. Ralph Norman to win her GOP Senate primary runoff. We look at the race, and how MAGA, Inc., a super PAC affiliated with President Trump, spent big to get her over the finish line.Then, a look at the Social Security trust fund. The mechanism funding Social Security is running… Open episode →
After President Trump announced new tariffs on some Canadian goods, Canada's prime minister, Mark Carney, said his country would match them "dollar for dollar." We look at what's behind the escalation, and the economic & political impacts it will have on the U.S. economy.This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, White House correspondent Emily Feng, and chief economics correspondent Scott Horsley.This… Open episode →
The federal government claims more than 250,000 noncitizens are on voter rolls in four U.S. states. Officials in those states, though, expressed doubts about the accuracy of those claims and the federal government has not publicly explained how it came to those conclusions. We look into the claims, and why state election officials are worried about what the government alleges.This episode:… Open episode →
U.S. foreign policy has teased a 'pivot to Asia' for more than a decade, but as the war with Iran continues, attention is shifting elsewhere. But, Trump's threats to curtail long-running military exercises with South Korea, and the movement of a carrier formation from Asia to the Middle East, may have lasting impacts on the nation's diplomatic & military efforts.Then,… Open episode →
Recent data from the FBI show violent crime has dropped over the last few years. President Trump is taking credit for the decline, but the reasons for the fall are a lot more complicated. We explain why.This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, justice correspondent Ryan Lucas, and senior political correspondent Tamara Keith.This podcast was produced and edited by Casey Morell… Open episode →
Democratic voters in many races faced choices between moderate and progressive candidates, while Republicans picked between those President Trump backed and those he didn't. We look at some of the races & what their results show ahead of November's midterms.This episode: senior political correspondent Tamara Keith, and voting correspondents Miles Parks & Ashley Lopez.This podcast was produced and edited by… Open episode →
While it may not be the swing state it once was, the candidates and outcomes in Florida's primary elections provide some clues as to where U.S. politics are going in the future. We look at some of the key races and their impacts.This episode: senior political correspondent Tamara Keith, and voting correspondents Miles Parks & Ashley Lopez.This podcast was produced… Open episode →
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt leaves the post at the end of August. We look back at her tenure, why the job still has importance in the age of social media, and how the role of press secretary has changed.This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, senior political correspondent Tamara Keith, and senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson.This podcast was… Open episode →
When President Trump left the NATO summit in Turkey last month, he covertly switched planes because the government had received reports of an Iranian threat on Trump’s life. We discuss the significance of the president’s maneuver, which left the traveling White House press corps out of the loop. And we discuss how the pro-Israel group AIPAC’s increased spending on elections… Open episode →
This year's primary contests have given Democratic voters a chance to choose between left-wing and moderate candidates and there seems to be a divide emerging within the party. Or is there? We discuss what the primary results tell us about the Democratic Party's future. This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, political correspondent Ashley Lopez, and senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson.This… Open episode →
Voting wrapped up in several states’ primaries on Tuesday, and the results were a mixed bag. We discuss takeaways from primaries in Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Carolina and Connecticut.This episode: White House correspondent Deepa Shivaram, senior political correspondent Tamara Keith, and Minnesota Public Radio host Clay Masters.This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye.Our executive… Open episode →
More women than men have voted in every election in Maine in the last decade, and women are a key reason Republican Sen. Susan Collins won reelection six years ago. We discuss how Collins and Democrat Troy Jackson are trying to win the support of women voters in that state’s Senate race, plus what Tuesday’s primaries could reveal about the… Open episode →
President Trump has said repeatedly, publicly and privately, that he doesn't want to be compared in the history books to former President Herbert Hoover, who led the country during the economic collapse of the Great Depression. We discuss how Trump's concerns about his legacy shape the president’s actions, from the war in Iran to construction projects in Washington, D.C.This episode:… Open episode →
It was another busy week in the world of politics. We discuss a Senate committee's vote to hold Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress, Todd Blanche's newly cleared path toward confirmation as attorney general, and how Republicans are handling misconduct allegations against two House members. This episode: senior political correspondent Tamara Keith, political reporter Elena Moore, Supreme Court and justice correspondent… Open episode →
President Trump has taken a particular interest in Paramount's plan to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery for $111 billion. We discuss why the president is backing the deal — which is on hold after a group of Democratic attorneys general challenged it in court — and how the president's relationship with the press is influencing the deal. This episode: senior political correspondent… Open episode →
Progressive Abdul El-Sayed narrowly defeated Congresswoman Haley Stevens to win the Democratic nomination for Michigan's open Senate seat. We discuss how the results could shape November's general election, plus results from several other races across Michigan, Missouri and Washington state. This episode: senior political correspondent Tamara Keith, political correspondent Ashley Lopez, and Michigan Public Radio Network reporter Colin Jackson.This podcast was… Open episode →
The president's party typically loses seats in a midterm election, and President Trump's low favorability ratings aren't helping Republicans as November nears. We discuss how Republican candidates are pitching themselves to voters and what structural advantages could improve their odds. This episode: senior political correspondent Tamara Keith, congressional reporter Eric McDaniel, and political reporter Saige Miller.This podcast was produced by Casey… Open episode →
The economy is growing very slowly, and wages aren't keeping up with inflation, which is keeping gas and grocery prices high. We discuss how politicians are navigating the sluggish economy on the campaign trail and how President Trump is making Republicans' case harder. This episode: senior political correspondent Tamara Keith, political correspondent Ashley Lopez, and chief economics correspondent Scott Horsley.This podcast… Open episode →
Some Senate Republicans are refusing to approve President Trump's attorney general pick unless the Trump administration commits in writing to certain guarantees related to the president's settlement with the IRS. We discuss that fight, plus why the Patriot missile defense system matters so much to Ukraine. This episode: senior political correspondent Tamara Keith, justice correspondent Ryan Lucas, national security correspondent Greg… Open episode →
This podcast was taped at 1:15 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday, July 30, 2026.State Assemblywoman Francesca Hong leads in the polls over Milwaukee County executive David Crowley. Hong's progressive views and membership in the Democratic Socialists of America has won her fans on the Democratic Party's left, but others in the party fear she couldn't win a general election. We… Open episode →
Overwhelming majorities of voters think that corruption is a problem, according to research from the Brennan Center for Justice. Democrats plan on making allegations of corruption a key part of their midterm strategies, but will that succeed in getting voters' support?This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, congressional reporter Eric McDaniel, and senior political correspondent Mara Liasson.This podcast was produced and… Open episode →
The Democratic Party's progressive and moderate wings are squaring off in Michigan as voters decide who the party's nominee for an open Senate seat will be. We look at the race and why it is reflective of broader debates in the party about policy, politics and more.This episode: voting correspondents Miles Parks & Ashley Lopez, and congressional reporter Sam Gringlas.This… Open episode →
Maine Democrats selected Troy Jackson, a former gubernatorial candidate and president of the Maine Senate, to replace Graham Platner on November's ballot. While Jackson shares many of Platner's political views, can he bring Platner's supporters along and unseat longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins?This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, political reporter Elena Moore, and Maine Public state house correspondent Kevin Miller.This… Open episode →
House Republicans had a busy week before heading out for an August recess. We discuss what measures they passed, how those items fit into President Trump's agenda and how that agenda is making life difficult for some Republicans on the midterm campaign trail.This episode: senior political correspondent Tamara Keith, congressional correspondent Claudia Grisales, and White House correspondent Deepa Shivaram.This podcast was… Open episode →
Campaigns across the country are leaning into immigration issues, spurred in part by recent fatal shootings by federal immigration officers in Maine and Texas. We discuss how politicians on both sides of the aisle are using the issue and why Republicans in particular see immigration enforcement as a winning message.This episode: senior political correspondent Tamara Keith, immigration policy correspondent Ximena… Open episode →
President Trump attended the dignified transfer on Wednesday of four U.S. soldiers killed in the Iran war. We discuss how the latest casualties affect the politics of the war, and how Congress took Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s request for billions more in funding for the war. This episode: senior political correspondent Tamara Keith, national security correspondent Quil Lawrence, and White House… Open episode →
The next presidential election is more than two years away, but it's not too early to start discussing likely contenders. We do an NFL-style draft of the candidates who may lead the Republican field in 2028. If you missed our Democratic candidate draft, you can catch that here.This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, political correspondent Ashley Lopez, and senior political… Open episode →
Tuesday is Primary Day in Arizona. We discuss the Republicans hoping to unseat Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs in November and the competitive primaries for an open Phoenix-area House seat.This episode: senior political correspondent Tamara Keith, political correspondent Ashley Lopez, and KJZZ correspondent Wayne Schutsky.This podcast was produced by Bria Suggs and edited by Rachel Baye.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen… Open episode →
In the summer of 2020, sixteen-year-old Antonio Mays Jr. traveled a thousand miles to join the racial justice movement of his generation in the wake of George Floyd's killing. Antonio arrived in Seattle during the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest, known as CHOP. Less than a week later, he was shot and killed there. The case remains unsolved.In this eight-part series,… Open episode →
In a national address Thursday night, President Trump said he has new evidence of fraud in the American election system. We discuss whether facts back up Trump's claims and what to make of Trump devoting a primetime address to this topic now. This episode: political correspondent Ashley Lopez, voting correspondent Miles Parks, and senior national political correspondent Tamara Keith.This podcast was… Open episode →
NPR reporters observed focus groups of 12 Pennsylvania voters who backed former President Biden in 2020 and President Trump in 2024. We discuss their cynicism about politicians and the Iran war, and what they think about democratic socialism.This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, political correspondent Ashley Lopez, and senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson.This podcast was produced by Bria Suggs… Open episode →
President Trump has been pushing a new warning lately: communism is coming. He’s referring to candidates aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America who have won Democratic primaries in deep blue House districts in Colorado and New York and are on the ballot in a few other states. We discuss similarities between these left-leaning candidates and Trump, and whether Trump’s… Open episode →
The next presidential election is more than two years away, but it’s not too early to start discussing likely contenders. We do an NFL-style draft of the candidates who may lead the Democratic field in 2028.This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, political correspondent Ashley Lopez, and senior political correspondent Tamara Keith.This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs,… Open episode →
Longtime South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham died suddenly over the weekend at age 71. We discuss how Graham helped President Trump reshape the federal judiciary and achieve priorities such as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, while also serving as one of the last remaining Republican defense hawks.This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, congressional reporter Eric McDaniel, and White… Open episode →
It was another busy week in politics. We discuss Kentucky Republican Mitch McConnell’s extended absence from the Senate and the latest news in the Michigan Senate primary. Plus, when does a sex scandal cross a line and make a politician too controversial for voters?This episode: senior political correspondent Tamara Keith, congressional reporter Sam Gringlas, congressional correspondent Barbara Sprunt and senior… Open episode →
Democrat Graham Platner has announced that he is dropping out of the race to represent Maine in the U.S. Senate, following new allegations — which Platner denies — that he raped a woman he once dated. We discuss how the Democratic Party ended up with such a controversial nominee and what comes next in the race for this Senate seat… Open episode →
While attending a NATO summit in Turkey, President Trump said the ceasefire in Iran is over. We discuss what comes next for the conflict and why the United States hasn’t won a war in at least 25 years.This episode: senior political correspondent Tamara Keith, national security correspondent Greg Myre, and senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson.This podcast was produced by… Open episode →
The U.S. Supreme Court term that ended last week greatly expanded power not just for President Trump but for future presidents, too. It also gave Republicans an advantage in this year’s midterm election. We discuss the biggest cases and look ahead to cases the court plans to hear in the fall.This episode: political correspondent Ashley Lopez, Supreme Court and justice… Open episode →
President Trump called FIFA President Gianni Infantino to ask for a review of the red card and one-game suspension given to U.S. men’s national team star striker Folarin Balogun. Now Balogun can play in Monday’s game against Belgium. We discuss the politics behind FIFA’s unusual decision and how much of a role Trump played.This episode: senior political correspondent Tamara Keith,… Open episode →
We mark the nation's birthday in the only way we know how.This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, senior political correspondent Tamara Keith, and All Things Considered host Scott Detrow.This podcast was produced and edited by Casey Morell.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the… Open episode →
This weekend, the United States marks its 250th birthday, and what Congress intended to be a nonpartisan, patriotic celebration has instead become — like seemingly everything else — partisan. We discuss how the event became fraught with politics and a new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll showing that American pride is also deeply divided along partisan lines. Plus, a special Thursday edition… Open episode →
