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Analysis

Monday

Am I a god?! Why "manifesting" your reality is easier than ever

Can you really manifest your own destiny? Getty Images hide caption

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It's Been a Minute

Am I a god?! Why "manifesting" your reality is easier than ever

America is a deeply spiritual nation. Over 70% of us say that we feel spiritual in some way. But – at the same time – we're getting less religious. So for people who are spiritual-but-not-religious – what's replacing organized religion? What do they believe – and where does that show up in their day-to-day lives? In Brittany's series called Losing My Religion, It's Been a Minute is going to find out.

Am I a god?! Why "manifesting" your reality is easier than ever

Listen · 20:32
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Friday

President Donald Trump, National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth listen to a question from a reporter during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on March 13.

President Donald Trump, National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth listen to a question from a reporter during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on March 13. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images hide caption

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Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Politics

Signal chat fallout, tariff tension — and 3 more takeaways from Trump's week

Here, five takeaways from a week when the Trump administration has had to deal with the Signal chat leak, announced new tariffs and made more deportations.

Wednesday

It's time to rewrite the "trauma plot"

It's time to rethink how we write our trauma narratives. Shendart/Getty Images hide caption

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It's Been a Minute

It's time to rewrite the "trauma plot"

There are a lot of big subjects that our culture has trouble talking about: wealth, death, addiction, religion. But one of the toughest has to be sexual assault and rape. For how common sexual violence is – it affects over half of women and almost one in three men – it can be extremely painful and even stigmatizing to discuss. But in Jamie Hood's new book Trauma Plot, which contextualizes rape in her own life and in our culture, Jamie looks for new ways to speak the "unspeakable." It tells her story in experimental fragments and finds a unique way to discuss one of the most common violences we face. Brittany sits down with Jamie to discuss Trauma Plot, the contours of rape narratives in our culture, and how we can move beyond them to tell stories about sexual violence in new ways.

It's time to rewrite the "trauma plot"

Listen · 21:05
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Tuesday

In this photo, a U.S. flag is on the left, and a Chinese flag is on the right. Both are attached to flagpoles, and they wave against a black night sky.

U.S. and Chinese flags wave at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, China, on Feb. 2, 2022. Kiichiro Sato/AP hide caption

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Kiichiro Sato/AP

World

A Chinese scholar shares some thoughts about what Trump is doing to the U.S.

President Trump's alienation of allies and his dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development are welcome news for China, a scholar in Beijing tells NPR.

A Chinese scholar has some thoughts about what Trump is doing to the U.S.

Listen · 7:00
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Monday

President Trump looks on during a cabinet meeting at the White House on Monday.

President Trump looks on during a cabinet meeting at the White House on Monday. Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

How Trump is picking his political battles as he tests the judicial branch

President Trump is banking on the public caring more about the politically popular things he is trying to do than how he is going about doing them in his fights with the judicial branch.

How Trump is using popular political issues to test the system of checks and balances

Listen · 4:37
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Why tech bros worship psychedelics (and think you should too)

Why are tech bros and CEOs so into psychedelics? John Moore/Getty Images hide caption

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It's Been a Minute

Why tech bros worship psychedelics (and think you should too)

America is a deeply spiritual nation. Over 70% of us say that we feel spiritual in some way. But – at the same time – we're getting less religious. So for people who are spiritual-but-not-religious – what's replacing organized religion? What do they believe – and where does that show up in their day-to-day lives? In our new series called Losing My Religion, It's Been a Minute is going to find out.

Why tech bros worship psychedelics (and think you should too)

Listen · 20:42
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Friday

The long history of Russia's broken promises to Ukraine

A demonstrator holds a sign that reads "Remember Budapest Memorandum 1994" during a protest outside the embassy of the United States of America in Warsaw, Poland earlier this month. NurPhoto/Getty hide caption

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Consider This from NPR

The long history of Russia's broken promises to Ukraine

Representatives from Russia and Ukraine will be in meetings to try to hammer out details of a ceasefire on Monday. But peace is still a long way off.

The long history of Russia's broken promises to Ukraine

Listen · 10:50
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President Donald Trump gestures to U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts after his swearing-in ceremony in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 20.

President Donald Trump gestures to U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts after his swearing-in ceremony in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 20. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images hide caption

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Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Politics

Courts push back, wars heat up and 3 more takeaways from Trump's moves this week

Here are five takeaways from a week when President Trump moved ahead with deportations and sweeping changes to the federal government — and ran into obstacles in the courts.

Friday

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 11: U.S. President Donald Trump arrives alongside CEO of Cisco Systems Chuck Robbins (R) at the Business Roundtable's quarterly meeting at the Business Roundtable headquarters on March 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump addressed the group of CEO's as his recent tariff implementations have sparked uncertainty that have helped fuel a market sell-off. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

President Trump arrives at the Business Roundtable's quarterly meeting on March 11, to address a group of CEOs amid an ongoing market selloff sparked by his new tariffs. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images/Getty Images North America hide caption

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Andrew Harnik/Getty Images/Getty Images North America

Why CEOs are calm about tariffs in public — but 'very discouraged' in private

Business leaders are trying to engage in a delicate diplomacy with the White House — even as their companies brace for the impact of market volatility and tariffs.

Why CEOs are surprisingly optimistic about the U.S. economy

Listen · 3:23
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President Trump speaks to the press as he meets with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on Thursday.

President Trump speaks to the press as he meets with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on Thursday. Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

Politics

Trump says the U.S. is in a 'period of transition' — and more takeaways from this week

This week, President Trump continued to threaten tariffs as DOGE continued its cuts of the federal workforce. It was another consequential and news-packed week in Trump's presidency.

Thursday

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency building in Washington.

Duke Energy's Marshall Steam Station coal power plant operates near Mooresville, N.C. Tierney L. Cross/Getty Images hide caption

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Tierney L. Cross/Getty Images

From the Editor's Desk

EPA says it will roll back climate rules. That could prove complicated

Announcing big changes to environmental rules doesn't undo facts on the ground overnight. Instead, EPA's announcement is the first step in what is likely to be a lengthy process to remake the rules and policies it targeted.

Monday

Republicans say Medicaid is safe. But budget math says otherwise

US Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Republican of Louisiana, speaks during a press conference about the House Republican's budget on February 25, 2025. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

Consider This from NPR

Republicans say Medicaid is safe. But budget math says otherwise

House Republicans have to get their spending bill passed by Friday to avoid a government shutdown. They can likely afford to lose just one vote.

Republicans say Medicaid is safe. But budget math says otherwise

Listen · 11:34
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Friday

Marco Rubio pivots to America First diplomacy

U.S. President Donald Trump (C) and Vice President JD Vance, along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office at the White House on February 28, 2025. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images hide caption

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Consider This from NPR

Marco Rubio pivots to America First diplomacy

It's been a little more than a week since Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office.

Marco Rubio pivots to America First diplomacy

Listen · 9:45
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President Trump arrives for a joint session of Congress in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on March 4.

President Trump arrives for a joint session of Congress in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on March 4. Win McNamee/Bloomberg via Getty Images hide caption

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Win McNamee/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Politics

The short history of Trump's tariff chaos — and more that happened this week

It was a week that saw not only more twists in the tariffs saga but also Trump's big Hill address, the suspension of aid to Ukraine, more firings at agencies, and more. NPR keeps track, day by day.

Thursday

When it comes to the economy, it's all about uncertainty

A sign marking the international border between the United States and Canada is pictured at Peace Arch Historical State Park in Blaine, Washington. JASON REDMOND/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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JASON REDMOND/AFP via Getty Images

Consider This from NPR

When it comes to the economy, it's all about uncertainty

Like a lot of economists, Mark Zandi, with Moody's Analytics, thinks President Trump's across-the-board tariffs are a bad idea. Saying, "Tariffs, broad-based tariffs, are a real problem for the economy."

When it comes to the economy, it's all about uncertainty

Listen · 8:03
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