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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.

Political wonks - get wonkier with The NPR Politics Podcast+. Your subscription supports the podcast and unlocks a sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/politics
The NPR Politics Podcast

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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.

Political wonks - get wonkier with The NPR Politics Podcast+. Your subscription supports the podcast and unlocks a sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/politics

Most Recent Episodes

Roundup: Congress, Cameos & Clapbacks

The U.S. Capitol Dome on October 24, 2023 in Washington, DC. Win McNamee/Getty Images hide caption

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Win McNamee/Getty Images

Roundup: Congress, Cameos & Clapbacks

Lawmakers are scrambling to get things done before the end of the year, but is there an appetite to fund more aid for Ukraine if Republicans' immigration priorities are not met? And, a look at the end of two long-running congressional sagas: the retirement of Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., drops his hold on military promotions.

Roundup: Congress, Cameos & Clapbacks

Listen · 29:24
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Merrick Garland's Had A Lot On His Plate

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks during a press conference at the U.S. Department of Justice on December 6, 2023 in Washington, DC. Samuel Corum/Getty Images hide caption

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Samuel Corum/Getty Images

Merrick Garland's Had A Lot On His Plate

The Department of Justice this week announced war crimes charges against four Russian soldiers for alleged torture of an American citizen in Ukraine, and the arrest of a former U.S. ambassador on charges of working for Cuban intelligence services. Both of these come after last week's arrest of a man allegedly plotting to kill an American citizen at the behest of a government official in India. We look at each of the cases.

Merrick Garland's Had A Lot On His Plate

Listen · 15:36
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Sparks Fly At Fourth Republican Primary Debate

Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy holds up a sign reading "Nikki = corrupt" referring to former Governor from South Carolina and UN ambassador Nikki Haley as he speaks during the fourth Republican presidential primary debate at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on December 6, 2023. Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

Sparks Fly At Fourth Republican Primary Debate

Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, Florida governor Ron DeSantis, former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley & businessman Vivek Ramaswamy attacked each other during the final Republican primary debate before the Iowa caucuses. Former president Donald Trump, who has refused to take part in any of the debates, remains the party's frontrunner.

Sparks Fly At Fourth Republican Primary Debate

Listen · 14:41
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Trump Plans A More Radical Second Term

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump leaves a commit to caucus campaign event at the Whiskey River bar on December 2, 2023 in Ankeny, Iowa. Scott Olson/Getty Images hide caption

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Scott Olson/Getty Images

Trump Plans A More Radical Second Term

The former president and his allies have made clear they don't want obstacles that stymied them in their first term to get in the way during a potential second term. Overhauls of the civil service, the judiciary & more are planned, among others.

Trump Plans A More Radical Second Term

Listen · 16:58
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Nikki Haley, Feminism & The Modern Republican Party

Republican presidential candidate former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley greets guests at the third annual MMM Tailgate celebration hosted by U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) on October 20, 2023 in Iowa City, Iowa. Scott Olson/Getty Images hide caption

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Scott Olson/Getty Images

Nikki Haley, Feminism & The Modern Republican Party

The former South Carolina governor and U.N. ambassador threads the needle while running for president: she says her gender is important to her candidacy, but she does not think it is the main reason why people should vote for her. How does this balance influence Republican politics today?

Nikki Haley, Feminism & The Modern Republican Party

Listen · 14:00
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The House Expels Santos, and A Clash of Two Governors

Rep. George Santos became the sixth person ever expelled from the House of Representatives Friday. And while Santos has been a political thorn in Republicans' side since his election, not everyone was comfortable kicking him out.

The House Expels Santos, and A Clash of Two Governors

Listen · 24:09
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President Biden Is Sharpening His Attacks On Former President Trump

For a while, President Biden was treating former President Trump a little like Lord Voldemort: He Who Must Not Be Named. But now, Biden is saying Trump's name a lot. With his approval rating hovering around 40 percent, Biden has been invoking his predecessor more often and more aggressively on the campaign trail.

President Biden Is Sharpening His Attacks On Former President Trump

Listen · 14:48
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The GOP Is Having An Identity Crisis Over America's Role in The World

From Israel, to Ukraine, to China, global crises and conflicts are dominating headlines. And there are key divides among Republican presidential candidates on how to respond to those crises and conflicts.

The GOP Is Having An Identity Crisis Over America's Role in The World

Listen · 15:17
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Trump Is Breaking All The Rules Of The Iowa Caucuses — And Still Winning

The Iowa caucuses are less than two months away, and former President Trump remains the clear frontrunner in state polls. But, challengers Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis have recently picked up key endorsements that could challenge Trump's hold on that state.

Trump Is Breaking All The Rules Of The Iowa Caucuses — And Still Winning

Listen · 15:19
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A Court Ruling Poses A New Threat To The Voting Rights Act's Protections

Last week, a federal appeals court ruled that private individuals and groups, like the ACLU or NAACP, can't sue under a key section of the Voting Rights Act. It's a decision that could reshape the political landscape, at a time when states across the country are already fighting over district lines.

A Court Ruling Poses A New Threat To The Voting Rights Act's Protections

Listen · 15:44
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