Domenico Montanaro Domenico Montanaro is a senior political editor/correspondent for the Washington Desk
Domenico Montanaro - 2015
Stories By

Domenico Montanaro

Kainaz Amaria/NPR
Domenico Montanaro - 2015
Kainaz Amaria/NPR

Domenico Montanaro

Senior Political Editor/Correspondent, Washington Desk

Domenico Montanaro is NPR's senior political editor/correspondent. Based in Washington, D.C., his work appears on air and online delivering analysis of the political climate in Washington and campaigns. He also helps edit political coverage.

Montanaro joined NPR in 2015 and oversaw coverage of the 2016 presidential campaign, including for broadcast and digital.

Before joining NPR, Montanaro served as political director and senior producer for politics and law at PBS NewsHour. There, he led domestic political and legal coverage, which included the 2014 midterm elections, the Supreme Court, and the unrest in Ferguson, Mo.

Prior to PBS NewsHour, Montanaro was deputy political editor at NBC News, where he covered two presidential elections and reported and edited for the network's political blog, "First Read." He has also worked at CBS News, ABC News, The Asbury Park Press in New Jersey, and taught high school English.

Montanaro earned a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Delaware and a master's degree in journalism from Columbia University.

A native of Queens, N.Y., Montanaro is a life-long Mets fan and college basketball junkie.

Story Archive

Thursday

Voters arrive at the 146-year-old Buck Creek School to vote on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in rural Perry, Kan. Charlie Riedel/Associated Press hide caption

toggle caption
Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

The Financial Pressures Weighing On Young Rural Voters

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-5576343/nx-s1-mx-5764156" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Wednesday

Military personnel in uniform, with the Texas National Guard patch on, are seen at the U.S. Army Reserve Center, in Elwood, Ill., a suburb of Chicago, on Oct. 7, 2025. Erin Hooley/Associated Press hide caption

toggle caption
Erin Hooley/Associated Press

Why Trump Says He Wants To Send The National Guard To Chicago And Portland

Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-5566069/nx-s1-mx-5752528" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Government shutdown enters its second week

Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-5564779/nx-s1-9483413" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Friday

Furloughs, firings and blame dominate a shutdown fight with no clear offramp

Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-5561033/nx-s1-9478638" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

A protester holds an American flag during a protest at Union Station, on Sept. 2, 2025, in Washington. Mariam Zuhaib/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Mariam Zuhaib/AP

Wednesday

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., left, listens as Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., holds a copy of the continuing appropriations bill as top Republicans in Congress hold a news conference on the government shutdown, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025. J. Scott Applewhite/AP hide caption

toggle caption
J. Scott Applewhite/AP


In a new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll, nearly 80 percent of respondents say the U.S. has gone too far in restricting free speech Rahul Mukherjee/NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Rahul Mukherjee/NPR

New poll finds more people would blame Republicans for government shutdown

Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-5558304/nx-s1-9474257" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Tuesday

In a new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll, respondents blame Republicans slightly more for a potential shutdown than Democrats. But nearly a third of people say the blame for a shutdown would be shared across both parties. Rahul Mukherjee/NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Rahul Mukherjee/NPR

Saturday

Is Comey's indictment part of the Trump administration's retribution plan?

Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-5554448/nx-s1-9469969" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Thursday

Extra Strength Tylenol is shown in Carmel, Ind., Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. Michael Conroy/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Michael Conroy/AP

Ignoring Scientific Evidence, Trump Blames Tylenol For Autism

Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-5553342/nx-s1-mx-5733883" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Wednesday

A man listens during a worship song before the start of a memorial for conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Sept. 21, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. Ross D. Franklin/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Ross D. Franklin/AP

Friday

Thursday

Demonstrators hold signs as they rally to protest the suspension of the "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" show outside the studio from where the show is broadcast in California on Sept. 18, 2025. Kimmel's late-night show was pulled from the air on September 17 hours after the U.S. government threatened to cancel broadcasting licenses because of comments the host made about the killing of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk. Chris Delmas/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Chris Delmas/AFP via Getty Images

Monday

Vance hosted Charlie Kirk's show Monday in episode that was part tribute, part outrage

Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-5542195/nx-s1-9452902" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Friday

A U.S. flag and a candle sit on a step during a candlelight vigil and prayer event for Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk on Sept. 10 in Seattle. Kirk was shot dead while speaking at Utah Valley University earlier in the day. David Ryder/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
David Ryder/Getty Images

Political Violence in America

Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-5537966/nx-s1-9450179" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Conservative activist Charlie Kirk speaks during a town hall on March 17, 2025, in Oconomowoc, Wis. Jeffrey Phelps/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Jeffrey Phelps/AP

Suspect In Charlie Kirk Shooting Arrested

Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-5539184/nx-s1-mx-5714823" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Thursday

Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk arrives to speak before then-Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally at Thomas & Mack Center, on Oct. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. Alex Brandon/Ap hide caption

toggle caption
Alex Brandon/Ap

How Charlie Kirk Shaped Conservative Politics

Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-5536607/nx-s1-mx-5712908" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Charlie Kirk is shown at the Republican National Convention in downtown Milwaukee, Wis., on July 17, 2024. Joel Angel Juarez/The Washington Post via Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Joel Angel Juarez/The Washington Post via Getty Images

A look at recent acts of political violence in the U.S.

Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-5537098/nx-s1-9447486" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Wednesday

This image from video provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via DVIDS shows manufacturing plant employees waiting to have their legs shackled at the Hyundai Motor Group's electric vehicle plant, on Sept. 4, 2025, in Ellabell, Ga. Associated Press/Corey Bullard/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement hide caption

toggle caption
Associated Press/Corey Bullard/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Friday

K-12 Education under President Trump

Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-5528891/nx-s1-9441046" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Students mix in a hallway as they change classes at Topeka High school on May 10, 2024, in Topeka, Kan. Charlie Riedel/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Charlie Riedel/AP

Wednesday

Efforts pick up in Congress to force vote on release of Jeffrey Epstein files

Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-5525879/nx-s1-9436858" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Friday