Consider This from NPR

Nearly a quarter century after the September 11th attacks, the Trump administration is using the language of terrorism to target a new enemy: Latin American drug cartels.The president says we're in armed conflict with drug cartels.We talk to a Bush-era lawyer who says the powers of war are too extraordinary to use against crime.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 Connor Donevan. It was edited by Courtney Dorning. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

As peace negotiations between Israel and Hamas made significant progress over the weekend, many in the region are expressing some cautious optimism about an end to the two-year war. NPR's Andrew Limbong speaks with James Elder, a UNICEF spokesman, about what he is seeing in Gaza now and the urgent need for food and medical supplies. 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 Michael Levitt. It was edited by Sarah Robbins. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Federal workers across the United States are feeling the impact of the government shutdown. This comes after months of turmoil for federal workers as agencies have slashed their workforces as part of the Trump administration's large-scale government job cuts.NPR's Andrea Hsu talks to Andrew Limbong about her reporting on the federal workforce and the challenge of finding people willing to talk about their experiences. 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 Kira Wakeam and Avery Keatley. It was edited by Adam Raney. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Eight years ago, Daniel Day-Lewis announced he was retired from acting. He offered no further comment. Retirement notwithstanding, the three-time winner of the Oscar for Best Actor stars in a new movie, out this week. He plays a man who long ago left the world he once knew – and then is contacted by a family member to come back.It was written with and directed by his son, Ronan Day-Lewis.Father and son speak about their new film, Anemone.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 Kathryn Fink and Connor Donevan, with audio engineering by Jimmy Keeley. It was edited by Patrick Jarenwattananon. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The government shutdown is on. Already, it's being felt across the country.National Parks are preparing to scale back or close. Furloughed federal workers are facing tough choices about how to pay the bills when they can't count on their paychecks. Some people trying to access government services have found locked doors. Democratic and Republican lawmakers are at an impasse after dueling proposals on the senate floor failed Wednesday.House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has vowed that his party is in the shutdown fight to win it. He weighs in on Democrats' strategy and what he's hearing from his constituents.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 Kathryn Fink and Vincent Acovino, with audio engineering byTed Mebane.It was edited by Patrick Jarenwattananon and Sarah Handel.Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

When President Trump came into office, he promised to fuel an economic boom with a magic bullet: tariffs. They're taxes added to a wide range of imports. And money is coming in, more than $30 billion a month so far. Eight months into Trump's second term, it's unclear what the larger impact of these tariffs will have on the economy. Despite that, the president keeps promising to roll out new ones. NPR's Chief Economic Correspondent Scott Horsley explains.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 Erika Ryan, Kathryn Fink and Lauren Hodges. It was edited by Adam Raney, Courtney Dorning and Raphael Nam. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

NPR's National Security Correspondent Greg Myre spent the summer reporting on the war in Ukraine. He saw the devastation of the conflict. But he also saw something else: the country leveraging its resources at home to meet the moment…including in Lviv where they're racing to make as many of their own weapons as fast as they can.And at a hospital near the frontlines in central Ukraine where Ukraine's neurosurgeons are conducting state-of-the-art operations with cutting-edge technology.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 David West and Matt Ozug. It was edited by Andrew Sussman. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The deadline for a government shutdown is quickly approaching. If Democrats and Republicans can't make a deal, the government will run out of money after Sept. 30.A government shutdown is always a political gamble. For Democrats, the stakes of this one are even higher. 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 Connor Donevan and Alejandra Marquez Janse, with audio engineering by Jay Czyz. It was edited by Kelsey Snell, Courtney Dorning and Sarah Handel. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

More than a hundred countries have committed to fresh plans to curb pollution, with one big holdout: the U.S.NPR's Andrew Limbong speaks with the EU Commissioner for Climate, Wopke Hoekstra, about how global leaders are moving forward on climate goals with the U.S. on the sidelines.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 executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

After 25 years at NPR and 10 years hosting All Things Considered and the last few years hosting Consider This, Ari Shapiro is moving on to his next adventure.We're saying bye.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 Connor Donevan, Matt Ozug, Mia Venkat, Mallory Yu and Alejandra Marquez Janse.It was edited by Ashley Brown.Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

A superhuman artificial intelligence so smart it can decide to get rid of slower-witted humans is a pretty terrifying concept.What was once strictly the stuff of science fiction is now closer than ever to being a reality.And if it does, some A-I researchers have gloomy predictions about humanity's chances of survival.While the A-I boom continues and companies across the country are heavily investing in the technology, some researchers are begging humanity to pump the brakes.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The federal government's approach to public health has changed more in the last eight months than it has in decades.  Since President Trump returned to office, he and members of his administration have challenged the safety of the covid vaccine, the overall childhood vaccine schedule, and the causes of autism.This has upended public health guidance that doctors and patients have relied on for years. Jen Brull, the President of the American Academy of Family Physicians talks about how doctors and patients are navigating this moment.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 Elena Burnett, Brianna Scott, and Megan Lim, with audio engineering by Hannah Gluvna.It was edited by Courtney Dorning.Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

President Trump is promising to sweep homeless people off America's streets. One controversial part of his plan could force thousands of people into institutions where they would be treated “long-term” for for addiction and mental illness. Critics say the policy raises big concerns about civil liberties and cost. But parts of this idea - known as “civil commitment” are gaining traction with some Democratic leaders.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 Connor Donevan and Erika Ryan, with audio engineering by Simon-Laslo Janssen. It was edited by Andrea de Leon and Courtney Dorning.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The Trump administration is moving fast on a plan to create several holding centers around the country for people detained in a nationwide immigration crackdown. One facility in particular has been rife with problems.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 Jeffrey Pierre. With audio engineering by Hannah Gluvna. It was edited by John Ketchum and William Troop. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Governor Spencer Cox of Utah, who has been in the national headlines just about every day since Charlie Kirk's killing, has long wanted to bring community harmony to national politics. That outlook comes in part from his upbringing in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.The governor was a critic of President Trump during Trump's first term, but later endorsed him after the president survived an assassination attempt. Will Charlie Kirk's killing change Cox's approach?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 Avery Keatley, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane. It was edited by Ahmad Damen and Sarah Robbins. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

NPR's Don Gonyea reports from across the country, engaging with a wide range of people and in places as distinct and different as political rallies and automotive shops. Gonyea explains the importance of really listening, especially during this time of deep divides in America. 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 Kira Wakeam. It was edited by Adam Raney. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

A 30 second video clip shows a boat bobbing in the water.Then, a fireball and a huge plume of smoke.President Trump posted the footage on social media this week, saying he ordered the U-S military to attack what Trump called “narcoterrorists from Venezuela.”It's at least the second time this month that President Trump has ordered this sort of a deadly strike on a boat that he claims carried illegal drugs. It's an example of the new ways Trump is deploying military force.  The President has used the National Guard in American cities. Do the strikes on Venezuelan vessels signal a new way of using the military abroad, and is it legal? Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

President Trump has said for years that he wants Jimmy Kimmel off the air. Now, ABC and its parent company Disney have put the show on indefinite hiatus. One key player here is the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr. Today he applauded ABC's decision, posting on X, “Broadcast TV stations have always been required by their licenses to operate in the public interest.”Kimmel's cancellation reopens questions about free speech, the role of the FCC, and the relationship between the commission and the White House.NPR political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro and former FCC chairman Tom Wheeler shed some light on those questions. 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 Alejandra Marquez Janse and Marc Rivers, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane and Tiffany Vera Castro.It was edited by Megan Pratz and Sarah Handel.Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The first day of President Trump's historic trip to the UK was dominated by ceremony.A carriage procession around the grounds of Windsor Castle with the royal family.Inspection of the guards.Exhibits from the Royal Collection.A lavish banquet preceded by a joint US- UK military flypast. All the royal pomp and pageantry that might be expected for the first ever second state visit by an elected politician to a British monarch.But the sights and sounds beyond the castle were far different.Thousands of protestors filled London's streets with chants, signs and Trump baby blimps. Protestors told us they were demonstrating over what's happening in the United States over what's happening in Gaza and over Trump's relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.The U.K.'s response to Trump is like America's: dividedComing up, opposing perspectives on President Trump's visit to the United Kingdom.This episode was produced by Kathryn Fink and Beth Timmins in London and by Tyler Bartlam and Elena Burnett in Washington. It was edited by Courtney Dorning, Nick Spicer, Roberta Rampton and Nadia Lancy.Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Robert Redford died early Tuesday morning, according to his publicist. He was 89 years old.Redford was a golden child of Hollywood, starring in dozens of movies. But he was never content just being an all-American matinee idol.He became an Oscar-winning director, founded the Sundance Institute and grew the Sundance Film Festival, and advocated for environmental causes before activism became a Hollywood cliche.Linda Holmes, host of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast, and film critic Bob Mondello look back on Robert Redford's work and legacy.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 Mallory Yu and Connor Donevan, with audio engineering by Jay Cyzs and Ted Mebane. It was edited by Clare Lombardo and Sarah Handel. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

With the assasination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, there's a great deal of speculation about who will fill his seat, literally and metaphorically.Vice President JD Vance hosted the Charlie Kirk Show on Monday. He talked with a variety of Trump administration heavyweights and conservative media figures, including White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and political commentator Tucker Carlson. The guests reflected on their personal and professional relationships with Kirk, and his many contributions to the second Trump presidency.NPR Senior Political Editor and Correspondent Domenico Montanaro and NPR Media Correspondent David Folkenflik share what they learned from the show about how Charlie Kirk's legacy is being shaped in real time. 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 Connor Donevan and Kira Wakeam, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane. It was edited by Megan Pratz, Emily Kopp and Sarah Handel. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The Supreme Court has cleared the way for federal immigration enforcement agents in Los Angeles to use race and other profiling factors in deciding who to stop and potentially detain. NPR's Scott Detrow and Jasmine Garsd discuss how the expansion of ICE operations around the country has changed the way people interact with law enforcement, and their community. 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 Erika Ryan and Avery Keatley.It was edited by Adam Raney and Sarah Robbins.Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Sometimes the stories that help us understand the full impact of war are told through a child's voice.And sometimes the most powerful stories of war are not just of destruction and rising death tolls, but also of humanity, optimism and hope.Reporter Ari Daniel visited a clinic and captured a moving scene between a doctor and his patient, a young girl from Gaza. 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 Michael Levitt. It was edited by Sarah Robbins and Rebecca Davis. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

HIV has been in retreat around the world. Fewer people are dying of the disease.New infections are decreasing. More HIV positive people have access to life saving medicine.Those trend lines have been moving in the right direction for decades. And US investment is one big reason.The Trump Administration dismantled foreign assistance through USAID, it continued PEPFAR — the President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief — but much of the work is either no longer happening or happening at a very reduced capacity.For decades, the United States led global efforts to end HIV/AIDS. That's no longer happening. Where will the trend lines go from here? 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 Jeffrey Pierre. You also heard reporting in this episode from NPR's Gabrielle Emanuel from Zambia.It was edited by Courtney Dorning and Rebecca Davis.Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

For many young conservatives, Charlie Kirk was more than just another political activist or online personality.He was the face of their movement -- a glimpse at how life for their generation could look by embracing a more hard-right, MAGA worldview. Charlie Kirk's followers are in shock and grief over his assassination.As they try to make sense of his killing, many are also asking what's next for the movement he started.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 Kai McNamee and Mia Venkat. It was edited by John Ketchum and Courtney Dorning. .Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The 9/11 terrorism case has been in legal limbo for more than a decade and many doubt the case will ever make it to take to trial. That's partly because the defendants were tortured in secret CIA prisons, so there are ongoing legal fights over what evidence is admissible. Meanwhile, the accused men are at the U.S. military prison in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and thousands of 9/11 family members wait for a resolution.NPR's Sacha Pfeiffer speaks with two young people whose fathers died in the World Trade Center attacks, as they debate whether the 9/11 defendants should get plea deals.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 Monika Evstatieva and Michael Levitt, with audio engineering by Becky Brown. It was edited by Barrie Hardymon and Courtney Dorning. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Six years after his death in prison, sex offender Jeffrey Epstein continues to dominate the news.A House committee has released a suggestive note sent to Epstein for his 50th birthday that is signed "Donald J. Trump." The White House continues to deny now President Trump wrote or signed it.Separately, a New York Times investigation tracked Epstein's relationship to the country's leading bank, JPMorgan Chase. It concludes that the bank enabled his sex crimes, even as evidence against him piled up.Times reporter Matt Goldstein explains.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 Kathryn Fink and Connor Donevan, with audio engineering by J. Czys and Ted Mebane. It was edited by Patrick Jarenwattananon. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Chris Hugues has what he calls an interesting job.He's an assistant operator at a wastewater treatment plant in Cavendish, Vermont.On a recent August afternoon he gave NPR's Jenna McLaughlin a tour of the plant.Hughes loves his work, in all its technical, mathematical, chemical, and yes, dirty, glory.  But lately, Hughes has had to worry about a new hazard: cyberattacks.  The threat of someone cutting water off for Americans is real.Chinese hackers recently spent nearly a year inside a Massachusetts utility company that provides power and water. And last October, hackers targeted American Water, the largest wastewater utility company in the country.Water is an appealing target for hackers. People like Chris Hughes are working to make sure a cyber-attack doesn't stop the flow. 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 Alejandra Marquez Janse.It was edited by Courtney Dorning and Andrew Sussman.Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Over the weekend, President Trump posted an AI-generated image of himself as a character from the war film “Apocalypse Now” and, in that same post, seemingly threatened “WAR” in Chicago; later, the president indicated that sending in troops would be to clean up cities, not to go to war. But weeks of talk of sending federal troops into Chicago has set the city on edge.NPR's Scott Detrow speaks with Dr. Robert Pape, a professor of political science at the University of Chicago who has studied political violence for 30 years, and who worries his city could be a powder keg.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 Henry Larson and Avery Keatley. It was edited by Sarah Handel. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

President Trump has vowed to abolish the Department of Education. He's pressured schools to end DEI initiatives and protections for transgender students. He's rescinded guidelines that barred immigration enforcement at schools. So what could Trump's policies mean for kids in public schools? We get answers from NPR education correspondent Cory Turner and NPR senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro. 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 features reporting by Frank Langfitt. It was produced by Tyler Bartlam and Connor Donevan, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane and Hannah Gluvna. It was edited by William Troop, Nicole Cohen, and Kelsey Snell. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced a scathing line of questioning from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers in the Senate on Thursday.Kennedy is a vaccine skeptic and is using his position as Secretary of Health and Human Services to radically change vaccine policy. In recent weeks, there have been a number of public health officials who have resigned or been fired, creating chaos at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health agencies. Federal employees are also speaking out, including more than 1,000 former and current HHS employees who penned a letter urging Kennedy to resign. Now, some states are taking vaccine policy into their own handsFor 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 Kathryn Fink, Marc Rivers, and Manuela Lopez Restrepo, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane.It was edited by Jonaki Mehta, Diane Webber, and Scott Hensley.Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The one thing certain about the COVID vaccine right now is that everything about it is changing.The Food and Drug Administration recently approved the next round of COVID-19 vaccines for the fall season, but it's significantly changed just WHO can get it.That move comes amidst a broader effort by the Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to change policy and guidance around many vaccines. At this point — we're guessing you have lots of questions about vaccination in general, but especially around COVID shots.That's why we asked our NPR listeners to submit their questions about the FDA's new COVID vaccine guidance.UCSF infectious disease doctor Dr. Peter Chin-Hong answers your questions. 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 Brianna Scott. It was edited by Courtney Dorning.Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

“Chief diversity officer” was once Corporate America's hottest job. Now corporate America has retreated from DEI and slashed thousands of jobs. So where does that leave the people who've built careers around that work? Hear the story of one veteran executive who's been job-hunting for more than a year.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 Kathryn Fink and Christine Arrasmith.It was edited by Courtney Dorning and Rafael Nam.Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

So many movies are made about the beginning of a relationship. That first spark of attraction. That first kiss. The new dark comedy “The Roses” is about the other end – when it's all falling apart. Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman star as Theo and Ivy, a couple who was once very much in love. Two children and a transatlantic move later, they're now struggling to save their marriage.No one thinks it's going to work – including their therapist.Cumberbatch and Colman sit down with host Mary Louise Kelly to discuss how they leveraged their real-life friendship to play two people who love to hate each other.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 holiday episode was produced by Kira Wakeam and Kathryn Fink. It was edited by Courtney Dorning. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The Trump Administration has made significant changes to the departments in charge of public health. So what does that mean for the health of average Americans and to the future of public health research?NPR's Scott Detrow speaks with Dr. Craig Spencer, an emergency medicine physician who also teaches public health policy at Brown University. 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 Tyler Bartlam. It was edited by John Ketchum. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans twenty years ago this week, leaving a trail of destruction across the city and the Gulf Coast. NPR journalists were on the ground covering the developing story of what became the costliest storm in U.S. history. NPR's Greg Allen reflects on covering the catastrophe and digs into the archives to remember the feel of the city after the storm.For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or atplus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.This episode was produced by Kai McNamee, Daniel Ofman and Tyler Bartlam. It was edited by Adam Raney and Eric McDaniel. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Before he entered politics, most Americans knew Donald Trump as an entertainer. As the host of the hit show “The Apprentice” he was catapulted to a new level of fame. That persona has carried over to Trump's political life as he embraces his role as entertainer-in-chief. In this term, unlike the first, Trump has taken aim at cultural institutions. He initiated a takeover of the Kennedy Center, has declared that Smithsonian exhibits must submit to White House scrutiny, and he's successfully sued – and won settlements from – multiple broadcasting giants.Throughout Trump's second term, he's dramatically expanded the authority of the executive branch. Now, he's using his power to reshape American culture. 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 Kai McNamee.It was edited by Courtney Dorning and Justine Kenin.Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The war in Gaza is approaching the 2 year mark. As it does, Israel continues to launch new attacks on a territory that is already in ruins. And the humanitarian situation for Gaza's Palestinian residents continues to worsen.A team of NPR reporters has been focusing on one question: how did we get here? 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 Mia Venkat and Daniel Ofman.It was edited by Andrew Sussman, Courtney Dorning and William Troop.Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

What happens when the federal government owns part of a company? That's one of MANY questions about federal policy right now, as the Trump Administration aggressively pushes for stakes — and oversight — of major private companies.This week, the White House announced it was taking a ten percent stake in the struggling technology giant Intel.Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick says the administration is considering similar moves with other companies tied to the defense industry, too. Trump looks ready to turn the U.S. into a corporate stockholder. Should the government be in the business of … business?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 Connor Donevan and Henry Larson. It was edited by John Ketchum. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

For over two weeks, members of the National Guard have been walking the streets of Washington, D.C. -- alongside federal law enforcement and local police.President Trump has said there is a “crime emergency” in the nation's capital -- and has openly hinted at taking similar actions in other Democratic-led cities like Chicago, New York and Baltimore.But while the president has unique authorities over the District of Columbia, federalizing the National Guard in U.S. states will require a higher legal standard.Georgetown University law professor Steve Vladeck breaks it down. 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 Brianna Scott. It was edited by Patrick Jarenwattananon. It features additional reporting by Frank Langfitt. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The Trump administration is deploying a new strategy to speed up deportations. Government lawyers are asking immigration judges to dismiss on-going cases. Then, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents arrest people as soon as they step out of the courtroom. The process is often chaotic. And for immigrants without legal status, it's also very risky. NPR immigration policy reporter Ximena Bustillo went to an immigration court in New York City to see how that process unfolds – and found herself experiencing some of the chaos firsthand.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 Sarah Ventre, Avery Keatley and Connor Donevan, with audio engineering by Jimmy Keeley. It was edited by Anna Yukhananov and William Troop. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

OpenAI founder Sam Altman floated the idea of an AI bubble, an MIT report found that 95% of generative AI pilots at companies are failing and tech stocks took a dip.With the AI sector is expected to become a trillion dollar industry within the next decade, what impact might slowing progress have on the economy? NPR's Scott Detrow speaks with Cal Newport, a contributing writer for the New Yorker, and a computer science professor at Georgetown, about the limitations of the AI revolution. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or atplus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.This episode was produced by Elena Burnett. It was edited by John Ketchum and Eric McDaniel. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy