The NPR Politics Podcast

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.

Data Difficulty: How DOGE Could Hurt The Census And More

The Trump administration team that calls itself the Department of Government Efficiency has gathered...

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How President Trump's Pardons Are Challenging Political Norms

The federal pardon power is one area where presidents have unchecked authority. President Trump is using...

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Explaining Trump's Fight With Big Law Firms

President Trump has issued executive orders targeting certain law firms, seeking to restrict their business...

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Tariff Twists; Diplomatic Deals; Mango Mania

President Trump's trade policies were dealt a blow this week as a court said he could use a 1977 emergency...

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How Trump Has Reshaped The Federal Workforce

During his 2016 presidential campaign, Donald Trump promised to "drain the swamp." Now that he's in...

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Why Medicaid Cuts Are In The GOP Tax Bill

Legislation working its way through Congress to codify President Trump's tax cuts would also make big...

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How The "BIg, Beautiful Bill" Would Change Immigration Policy

From allocating more money to build a wall on the U.S. border with Mexico, to changing provisions on...

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Connecting The Dots On DOGE

It's been six months since President Trump first announced the creation of the Department of Government...

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Another Turn In Trump's Economic Policy

President Trump announced plans to levy 50 percent tariffs on goods imported from the European Union,...

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Immigrants Without Legal Status May Lose Health Care In States

Democratic governors in California and Minnesota are proposing to roll back health insurance coverage...

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Accusations Of White Genocide Derail US-South Africa Meeting

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa visited the White House Wednesday ostensibly to talk about trade...

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Can Trump Get His Megabill Through Congress?

House Republicans are working to advance a massive bill that essentially wraps up all of President Trump's...

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Republicans Push For Legislation Limiting Ballot Initiatives

Ballot initiatives are one way for voters to get issues that matter to them enshrined in law, especially...

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Roundup: Trump visits the Middle East

President Trump took his first major trip abroad this week, visiting the Middle East and signing business...

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SCOTUS Hears Birthright Citizenship Case

On his first day in office, President Trump signed an executive order to prevent children born in the...

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Why Is Trump Involved In Crypto?

His face may not be on any currency issued by the federal government, but President Trump has lent his...

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How An American Pope May Influence American Politics

For the first time, the leader of the Catholic Church is from the United States. We discuss how Pope...

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Trump's Tariff Turnaround

After saying his tariff policies "will never change," President Trump announced he was reducing tariffs...

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Roundup: Immigration Policies; New Surgeon General Nominee

The Trump administration announced plans, currently on hold, to deport migrants to Libya, even if they...

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Why The U.S. Bombed Houthi Rebels In Yemen

Both Presidents Biden and Trump launched bombing campaigns against Houthi rebels in Yemen after the...

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How Trump Is Reshaping U.S.-Canada relations

President Donald Trump hosted Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the White House Tuesday. The meeting...

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How President Trump Is Reshaping The Justice Department

In her Senate confirmation hearing earlier this year, Attorney General Pam Bondi promised that the "weaponization"...

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Making Sense Of Cents: Setting The Federal Budget

President Trump has called for the government's spending to be wrapped into "one big, beautiful bill"...

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Roundup: Mike Waltz Is Out, Young Democrats Ask What's Next, And Can't Let It Go

Mike Waltz is out as President Trump's National Security Adviser, it's the first major departure for...

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