On with Kara Swisher

4.2 (2.5K)
NEWS COMMENTARY
UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

It's on. Twice a week, award-winning journalist Kara Swisher gets to the heart of the story through no-holds-barred interviews with power players across business, tech, media, politics and beyond. So why do her guests show up? “Smart people,” says Kara, “like difficult questions.” Mondays and Thursdays from New York Magazine and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

1D AGO

MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace on Iran & the Limits of Trump’s Power

As President Trump considers striking Iran, Kara talks to Nicolle Wallace — host of MSNBC’S Deadline: White House and the new podcast The Best People. They unpack President Trump’s mixed messaging on Iran and his growing credibility gap with the American public, the political calculus behind his domestic shows of force, and the disturbing rise of political violence in America. Plus, a look back at the 2008 presidential campaign and a candid conversation about how journalists can remain relevant in a rapidly shifting media landscape. Please note: This conversation was recorded on the morning of Tuesday, June 17th, before Senator Mike Lee deleted his heinous posts on X about the assassinations in Minnesota, and before President Trump demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender” on Truth Social. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on Instagram, TikTok, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

57 min
4D AGO

Young Democrats vs. the Gerontocracy

“Democrats in disarray” is more than just a trope — after last year’s disastrous elections, Democrats are openly fretting about how to pull the party out of its crisis. Kara speaks to a panel of millennial leaders about how to rejuvenate it; what role the generational divide plays in policy and agenda setting; and what Democrats need to do to win back younger voters (and older ones, too). Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) was first elected to Congress in 2022. He is the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and he’s currently part of the “Fighting Oligarchy Tour” with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). Amanda Litman is a co-founder of Run for Something, an organization that helps young, diverse progressives run for down-ballot races. Since its founding in 2017, Run for Something has helped elect nearly 1,500 candidates in 49 states and the District of Columbia – including more than 250 candidates in 2024, 18 of whom flipped their seats from red to blue. Litman’s new book, “When We’re in Charge: The Next Generation’s Guide to Leadership” was just published. Rep. Sarah McBride (D-DE) was elected to the House last year, and she is the first openly transgender elected member of Congress. She is also member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, a former Delaware state senator, and a Run For Something alum. Her campaign and first few months in office (which included being banned from using the women’s bathroom in the Capitol) is the subject of a new documentary “State of Firsts,” which just played at the Tribeca Film Festival and DC/DOX. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on Instagram, TikTok and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

1h 3m
JUN 12

Never Ever Getting Back Together? The Trump/Elon Breakup

After reportedly speaking to President Trump on the phone, Elon Musk took to Twitter, on Wednesday, to say he regrets “some” of his tweets about President Trump — but that doesn’t mean all is forgiven. As the dust settles on last week’s cross-platform showdown, the long-term consequences from the breakup of the world’s richest man and its most powerful one are just beginning to emerge. So, Kara gathered a panel of four expert guests to unpack how the feud ignited, who holds the most leverage, why a ceasefire took place, if it’ll last, and what it all means for the future of tech, politics and power. Henry Blodget is the co-founder and former CEO of and editor-in-chief of Business Insider. Before that, he was a tech analyst on Walls Stree. You can find him on Substack at Regenerator. Kirsten Grind is an investigative business reporter at The New York Times, the author of two books, and the winner of more than a dozen national awards. Kristen Soltis Anderson is a pollster, contributing Opinion writer for The New York Times, author, and co-founder of Echelon Insights. Rick Wilson is a former Republican political strategist and ad-make. He is a co-founder of the Lincoln Project and you can find him on Substack or listen to his podcast The Enemies List. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on Instagram, TikTok, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

57 min
JUN 9

NPR CEO Katherine Maher on GOP Attacks, Editorial Criticisms & Digital Evolution

For the past five decades, every Republican president except Gerald Ford has tried to cut funding for public media. But NPR and PBS have never dealt with a moment like this, where the Trump administration is attacking them from every possible angle. A recent executive order demanded the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (or CPB) and executive agencies halt all funding for NPR and PBS; the FCC is investigating their corporate underwriting; and this week, the House is expected to take up a rescissions package that would claw back federal funding for the CPB. Katherine Maher, the CEO of NPR, is fighting back. On May 27th, NPR and three Colorado member stations filed a suit challenging the president’s executive order. (PBS followed suit a few days later.) Suing the president is, obviously, an uncomfortable position for a media organization which has to cover him. But according to Maher, NPR is doing its patriotic duty to defend the First Amendment. Kara and Maher discuss the potential effects the defunding would have on NPR, its member stations, and the communities that it serves; criticisms aimed at NPR and Maher, from both conservatives, on one hand, and some journalists, on the other; and her approach to innovation at NPR. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on Instagram, TikTok, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

1 hr
JUN 5

“Mountainhead” Writer/Director Jesse Armstrong on Tech Bros, Murdoch and AI

From media moguls to tech billionaires, Oscar-nominated and Emmy award-winning writer, producer and director Jesse Armstrong knows how to tap into the psyche of the rich and powerful. In the “Succession” creator’s new HBO movie, “Mountainhead,” a tech-bro poker weekend turns into a life-or-death battle over who will control the future — in both business and the real world. From their isolated lair in Utah, four millionaire/billionaire friends (played by Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman, Cory Michael Smith, and Ramy Youssef) watch as deepfakes created on one of their platforms lead to massacres, assassinations, and government takeovers around the world. This sparks the friends’ imperialistic fantasies and some unfriendly inter-group competition. Kara talks to writer-director Jesse Armstrong about the real-world inspirations for these characters, how tech founders think about their own role in society, and whether the tech oligarchy has replaced legacy media giants like Rupert Murdoch. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on Instagram, TikTok, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

57 min
JUN 2

The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg on the Long-Term Consequences of Trump 2.0

Jeffrey Goldberg has been a thorn in President Donald Trump’s side since the real-estate developer–turned reality-show host first ran for office in 2016. Back then — ten months before he took over as editor-in-chief of The Atlantic — Goldberg wrote a piece headlined “A Brief Exercise Meant to Illuminate the Prejudices of Donald Trump.” The magazine has continued its unsparing criticism of Trump ever since, and Goldberg’s recent Signalgate story was just the latest in a series of blockbuster scoops that have nominally embarrassed the president. On Friday, Goldberg sat down with Kara for an on-stage interview at the WBUR Festival in Boston. They discussed Trump’s corruption, the unserious people staffing his administration (as well as with the very serious Russell Vought, a Project 2025 architect who heads the OMB), the Democratic Party’s travails, and the state of the news media. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on Instagram, TikTok, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

56 min
MAY 29

The Revenge Presidency with Maggie Haberman

As the One Big Beautiful Bill Act lumbers through Congress, President Trump lobs threats at Russian President Vladimir Putin on Truth Social, and the administration continues its war against Harvard, we’re bringing back New York Times reporter and de facto Trump chronicler Maggie Haberman to weigh in on the president’s state of mind. Kara and Maggie talk about the startling scale of disinformation coming out of the White House, Trump’s ambivalent relationship to Supreme Court rulings and democratic norms, and his ever-widening campaign of retribution against institutions and individuals, (including pop stars like Maggie’s favorite, Bruce Springsteen). They also revisit Haberman’s prescient analysis from earlier this year that Stephen Miller is wielding immense power within the administration and discuss whether Elon’s power is shrinking or he’s simply slipping out of public view. This episode was taped on the afternoon of Tuesday, May 27th, before Elon Musk spoke out against the omnibus bill and Russia proposed to hold peace talks with Ukraine. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on Instagram, TikTok, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

1h 2m
MAY 26

Can Smaller Startups Compete in the AI Race?

Last year, AI and machine learning startups raked in about half of all VC funding in North America. And so far this year, AI is still leading the pack. But a huge chunk of the money in the Q1 — $40 billion — went to one player: OpenAI. So is there still room for smaller, more focused startups in the AI gold rush? Or will it be a case of “winner takes all?” In this live conversation at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center's inaugural Discovery Series, Kara speaks with Gary Rivlin, author of “AI Valley: Microsoft, Google and the Trillion-Dollar Race to Cash In on Artificial Intelligence,” and Christy Wyskiel, senior advisor to the president of Johns Hopkins University for innovation and entrepreneurship and the executive director of Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures. The three discuss the impact of government cuts on AI research, how small AI startups can compete with the tech giants, and how AI could revolutionize health care. This interview was recorded on April 28, 2025. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on Instagram, TikTok, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

42 min

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TRAILER

Coming Soon: On with Kara Swisher

It’s on. Kara Swisher is back, getting to the heart of what makes powerful people tick… by asking the questions that make them squirm. New episodes drop every Monday and Thursday starting September 26. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

09/03/2022

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3 min

4.2

out of 5

2,538 Ratings

Ukraine

Jun 9

CF1234568890

Something I have not heard since start of Russian invasion is how Ukraine gave up their nuclear weapons on promises of sovereignty and protection, would like to hear your take on that aspect
Young Democrats vs The Gerontocracy

3d ago

xnr2

I listened to this episode and I want to thank your guests for giving me a little bit of hope. If the grampas and grammas in Congress would just step aside. They so obviously are NOT up to this fight and if they won’t move aside the loss of our Democracy is on them. I am 75 years old and I want these young Democrats to take charge and fire up the country.
Late to the Game

6d ago

SanAnton Rose

Love her interviews. Wish I had jumped on Kara band wagon years ago. Hope she buys The Wash Post
Quite good…

May 1

blackfrog

…once you get past the regular man bashing. Guests are always interesting and Kara’s questions are always insightful.

It's on. Twice a week, award-winning journalist Kara Swisher gets to the heart of the story through no-holds-barred interviews with power players across business, tech, media, politics and beyond. So why do her guests show up? “Smart people,” says Kara, “like difficult questions.” Mondays and Thursdays from New York Magazine and the Vox Media Podcast Network.