Political News on Apple Podcasts

Jul 17

The reality of voting security in America

On Thursday, President Trump gave a primetime address in which he sowed doubts about the integrity of U.S. election. He tried to convince Americans that the election system was vulnerable to fraud, but offered no new evidence that details any fraudulent votes. Instead, he declassified intelligence documents that he says will demonstrate "shocking vulnerabilities in our election infrastructure." What's in these documents - and what do they tell us about how elections are run in the US? For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org. This episode was produced by Vincent Acovino, Kadin Mills and Karen Zamora, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane. Our director is Jonas Adams. NPR's Miles Parks contributed reporting to this episode. It was edited by Kelsey Snell, Ben Swasey, Christopher Intagliata and Tinbete Ermyas. Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy
Jul 18

Progressives take on the Rust Belt

First there was New York, then Colorado. But can a progressive candidate win in the Rust Belt? This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Shannon Mahoney, video edited by Christopher Snyder and Benjamin Stephen, and hosted by Astead Herndon. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) with Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed during the "Fighting Oligarchy" tour. Photo by Sarah Rice/Getty Images. You can also watch this episode on ⁠youtube.com/vox⁠. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: ⁠vox.com/members⁠. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jul 17

Does control of the Strait of Hormuz set a worldwide precedent?

The reasons given for the U.S. launching a war with Iran have shifted over time. But regardless of why the war started, the fighting between the U.S. and Iran is now largely over control of the Strait of Hormuz. Before the war, about a fifth of the world’s oil passed freely through the narrow international waterway. Now Iran controls the strait. We look at this threat to the freedom of navigation and whether it sets a a dangerous precedent for other waterways. This episode is Global Affairs Correspondent Jackie Northam’s last story for NPR, she is retiring. Jackie has covered world events for NPR for decades from nearly every continent and just about every global conflict. You can hear Jackie reflecting on her remarkable career this recent episode of the Consider This podcast. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy
Jul 17

Amending The Constitution For The 21st Century With Heather Cox Richardson

President Donald Trump is obsessed with the past. Last night, Trump gave a primetime address about his favorite subject: the 2020 election, which he did not win. But as we have just celebrated America’s 250th birthday, many of us are thinking a lot about the past – and what our history has to do with the future of our country. Heather Cox Richardson is a history professor at Boston College and the author of the Substack “Letters from an American.” We talked about America’s past, what historical moments remind her most of right now, and why – despite everything – she’s hopeful about the future. And in headlines, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin gives a White House briefing doubling down on Trump’s election claims, the US expands its attacks in what feels like the never-ending war against Iran, and federal officials have identified a source of the outbreak of the diarrhea-causing parasite cyclospora. Show Notes: Check out Heather's work – heathercoxrichardson.substack.com Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com
Jul 16

These swing voters shrug at Trump earning billions last year

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 and edited by Rachel Baye. 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 NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy
Jul 16

Vance vs. Rubio 2028

The Republican front-runners for the 2028 presidential nomination represent two competing visions for post-Trump conservatism. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Gabriel Dunatov, engineered by David Tatasciore and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Astead Herndon. President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House. Photo by Niall Carson/PA Images via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jul 16

The Election Deniers Are in Charge Now

Today’s episode is a dispatch from Georgia, where election skeptics run elections. Lately, the president has gone into an election frenzy, trying to spread the idea that elections are rife with fraud. He seems to be laying the groundwork for the argument that if Republicans lose the midterms, it can be only because someone cheated. The place to truly advance the idea that elections can’t be trusted, however, is in the states, where officials have authority over the building blocks of elections. We travel to Georgia, a once-red state quickly turning purple, where election skeptics are not just inside the building; they have taken over several floors, settled in, and put their feet up on the table, and now they are trying to change all of the locks. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you subscribe. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news to fascinating explorations of our world. Atlantic subscribers also get access to exclusive subscriber audio in Apple Podcasts. Subscribe today at TheAtlantic.com/Listener. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jul 15

Tulsi Gabbard's Guru

As Director of National Intelligence, Gabbard presided over the nation’s top intelligence agencies, including the CIA, the NSA, and the intelligence branch of the FBI. Her tenure was brief but embattled. In addition to advising the president on things like Iran’s nuclear capabilities, Gabbard regularly released tranches of declassified documents in reports with headlines like, “New Evidence Uncovers Obama-Directed Creation of False Intelligence Report Used to Launch Years-long Coup to Undermine President Trump and the American People.” But last month, a remarkable story from Washington Post reporter Jon Swaine brought us one step closer to understanding the enigma that is Tulsi Gabbard. His investigation, Tulsi Gabbard, her guru and the mysterious messages that helped shape her political career, helps explain why, for instance, Gabbard has shapeshifted over the years, from liberal Democrat to Bernie Sanders ally to Trump insider. Why she’s flip-flopped on same-sex marriage and war with Iran. As Swaine uncovered, Gabbard’s public persona may have been shaped and re-shaped, in part, by a mysterious guru and his followers. On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today (https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm). Follow our show on Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia@wnyc.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Jul 14

Lindsey Graham and the transformation of the GOP

Lindsey Graham, the U.S. Republican Senator from South Carolina, died on Sunday at 71. Before Donald Trump won the Republican nomination in 2016, Graham was a high-profile critic of the future president, calling him “hateful,” a “kook,” and a “race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot.” But over time, Graham became a key ally, championing Trump through his many controversies. Will Saletan of the Bulwark sees Graham’s trajectory as emblematic of the Republican party’s transformation under Trump. He joins Jayme Poisson to discuss the conspiracy theories swirling around Graham’s death and his political legacy. For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts
Jul 13

The War Trump Can't Control

Though President Trump has said he would not enter any “forever wars,” America seems to find itself headed toward one. With the latest cease-fire “over,” is there a way out of the conflict with Iran? Host Adam Harris is joined by Tom Nichols and Nancy Youssef, who cover the military and diplomacy for The Atlantic, to discuss the conflict that is beginning to feel more like a permanent condition. --- Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you subscribe. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news to fascinating explorations of our world. Atlantic subscribers also get access to exclusive subscriber audio in Apple Podcasts. Subscribe today at theAtlantic.com/listener. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jul 13

A New Middle East Is Emerging From the Iran War

The last few days have brought a flurry of developments in the Iran war. As armed hostilities between the US and Iran resumed over the weekend, news broke that US Senator Lindsey Graham had died. Graham was a staunch supporter of Israel and of the war in Iran. And on Monday, President Trump declared US control over the Strait of Hormuz and demanded a 20% reimbursement rate for all cargo that moves through the waterway. It’s not clear when the war with Iran will end. But when it does, the balance of power in the Middle East will look very different than it did before Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Peter Martin joins host David Gura to discuss the new alliances, revised trade routes and expanded battlefields that are reshaping the Middle East. We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer. Hosted by David Gura; Produced by Laura Newcombe; Reported by Peter Martin; Edited by Nicole Beemsterboer. Fact-checking by Victor Swezey; Engineering by Alex Suguira. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 13

Carney’s mission to turn Europe away from the U.S.

It’s no secret that Prime Minister Mark Carney thinks Canada should reduce its dependence on the U.S. It’s a message he delivered on the world stage in Davos. But new reporting from the Wall Street Journal illustrates how Carney has been making this pitch to European leaders behind the scenes, and how he’s become a central figure in the attempts to reimagine the West’s alliances. Today on Front Burner, journalists Joe Parkinson and Drew Hinshaw on their reporting, gleaned from conversations with heads of government, ministers, top aides, as well as detailed notes of private meetings and classified intelligence assessments. For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts
Jul 10

The FCC’s Pressure Campaign to Reshape Broadcast TV

ABC has enlisted the help of its audience to defend The View and Jimmy Kimmel against attacks from the Federal Communications Commission. On this week’s On the Media, hear about the MAGA movement trying to shift television to the right. Plus, the legal theory that the FCC is using to put pressure on the networks. [01:00] Host Brooke Gladstone speaks with Jim Rutenberg, writer-at-large for the New York Times, about how Trump’s FCC is reviving a nearly century-old rule to crack down on late-night talk shows. Rutenberg explains why MAGA’s embrace of the FCC’s regulatory powers to go after “liberal bias” in the media signals a shift within the Republican party. [26:47] Brooke sits down with Daniel Suhr, the president of a legal advocacy group called the Center for American Rights and the architect behind the legal theory that the FCC is using to put pressure on TV networks. They discuss his goal to make network TV look more like the AM radio band. Further reading: “How a Century-Old Rule Is Scrambling Late-Night TV,” by Jim Rutenberg “The MAGA Plan to Take Over TV Is Just Beginning,” by Jim Rutenberg “The FCC’s Public Notice on ‘Bona Fide News,’” by Daniel Suhr “The end of an agency,” by Daniel Suhr “Straight Talk on FCC 'Jawboning'” by Daniel Suhr On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today (https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm). Follow our show on Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia@wnyc.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Jul 9

Trump is Protesting His Own Party

Maine Democrat Graham Platner’s withdrawal from his US Senate race is ratcheting up an already intense run-up to the US midterm elections. And yet, across the political spectrum, lawmakers in Washington agree that they need to deliver — quickly — on promises of affordability. With broad bipartisan support, they passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, billed as allowing more Americans to achieve the dream of home ownership. But the bill’s fate has been thrown into doubt by President Trump, who surprised lawmakers by declining to sign it. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg housing policy reporter Katy O’Donnell and Megan Scully, who leads Bloomberg’s Congressional coverage, join Sarah Holder to discuss what’s in the housing bill, how Trump could still steer its fate and what his intervention could mean for Republicans in the midterms. Read more: Would Congress’ New Housing Bill Lower Home Prices? Trump, GOP Clash After President Scraps Housing Bill Signing We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer. Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Reported by Katy O’Donnell and Megan Scully; Edited by Jeffrey Grocott. Fact-checking by David Fox and Victor Swezy; Engineering by Alex Sugiura. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 10

Is a long-term peace with Iran possible?

The coffin of Ali Khamenei, Iran’s former supreme leader, killed by Israel in February, has been on a procession tour this week of holy sites in Iraq and Iran. Huge crowds gathered wherever it went, the coffin was passed over a sea of hands, and three of Khamenei’s sons wept over the coffin in Tehran. Meanwhile, the US and Iran have launched new strikes throughout the week. The peace between the US and Iran is fragile, at best. At worst, it could be over. We speak to Parham Ghobadi, from the BBC’s Persian Service. (Photo: Burial of Iran's late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Mashhad. Credit: Alkis Konstantinidis/Reuters) Producers: Cat Farnsworth and Aron Keller Sound engineer: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China Collins
Jul 10

Mark Carney’s Saudi Arabia reboot

Mark Carney met with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman in Saudi Arabia this week, aiming to strengthen ties and build up our economic relationship in areas like AI and critical minerals. It’s been 26 years since a Canadian Prime Minister visited the country, despite the fact that they’re a major trading partner. The relationship had come with friction over things like Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen, human rights abuses, and political repression. Canadian-Saudi relations hit an all-time low during Justin Trudeau's tenure, and Dennis Horak was expelled from his post as Canada’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia in 2018. Now, almost eight years later, he’s applauding this move by the current government to renew the relationship. Horak joins us to talk about how relations soured, and why he thinks we’re headed back in the right direction. For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts
Jul 9

Israel expands its control of Gaza

The Gaza strip has been split in half ever since the U.S.-brokered ceasefire went into effect in October, 2025. Israel’s military occupies the east and 2 million Palestinians are squeezed into the remaining half along Gaza’s western coast. But in recent months, despite the ceasefire, Israeli forces have been expanding their area of control, pushing deeper into Gaza. They now control at least 65% of the territory. We go to Gaza to understand Israel’s expanding line of control. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy
Jul 5

What does a more European NATO mean for America’s national security?

An historic and dramatic shift is underway for NATO. As it tries to adapt to increasingly complex global threats and as the U.S. changes its priorities, there’s a push to create a more European NATO. David M. Cattler of the Center for European Policy Analysis talks about what to expect at this week's NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org. This episode was produced by Daniel Ofman. It was edited by Sarah Robbins. Our director is Michael Levitt. Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy
Jul 2

American History as Rorschach Test

The Florida Department of Education recently announced an alternative to the Advanced Placement history course that it described in a press release as “free from ideological bias or indoctrination.” For its new curriculum, Florida recommends one textbook: Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story, by Wilfred McClay. As American patriotism plummets, McClay partly blames history class, which he thinks isn’t teaching students a “love of country.” Ahead of July 4 and America’s 250th, Hanna talks with McClay about whether teaching should background or foreground the sins of a country—and what might be lost or gained. --- Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you subscribe. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news to fascinating explorations of our world. Atlantic subscribers also get access to exclusive subscriber audio in Apple Podcasts. Subscribe today at TheAtlantic.com/Listener. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jul 2

Canada’s massive military buildup: Part 1

Mark Carney ran for office promising to spend a whole lot more on the Canadian military. Since being elected, he’s poured billions of dollars into defence, and plans to roughly triple Canada’s defence expenditures in the next ten years. He’s also proposing to grow Canada’s defence industry revenues by 240%. Today, in part one of our two part documentary, senior producer Imogen Birchard heads to Canada’s biggest defence and security trade show in Ottawa to hear what those in the defence industry – and those protesting outside – think about the plan. For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts

Political News

The reality of voting security in America

Progressives take on the Rust Belt

Does control of the Strait of Hormuz set a worldwide precedent?

Amending The Constitution For The 21st Century With Heather Cox Richardson

These swing voters shrug at Trump earning billions last year

Vance vs. Rubio 2028

The Election Deniers Are in Charge Now

Tulsi Gabbard's Guru

Lindsey Graham and the transformation of the GOP

The War Trump Can't Control

A New Middle East Is Emerging From the Iran War

Carney’s mission to turn Europe away from the U.S.

The FCC’s Pressure Campaign to Reshape Broadcast TV

Trump is Protesting His Own Party

Is a long-term peace with Iran possible?

Mark Carney’s Saudi Arabia reboot

Israel expands its control of Gaza

What does a more European NATO mean for America’s national security?

American History as Rorschach Test

Canada’s massive military buildup: Part 1