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The US has enormous deposits of critical minerals like lithium right here at home. So why are we looking at mining the ocean floor and asteroids? This episode was made in partnership with Vox's Future Perfect team. It was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. A lithium recovery demonstration plant at the Salton Sea. Photo by Darco Productions. Help us plan for the future of Today, Explained by filling out a brief survey: voxmedia.com/survey. Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The race to control critical mineral deposits has become a major driver of US foreign policy -- and is redrawing global alliances. This episode was made in partnership with Vox's Future Perfect team. It was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Mining for chromite at the Mughulkhil mine in Logar Province, Afghanistan. Photo by MARCUS YAM / LOS ANGELES TIMES). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Writer Ross Barkan says young men's voices have vanished from literary fiction. Economist Joel Waldfogel offers a reality check from the world of publishing. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. A reader by the book wall at the 2025 Turin Book Fair. Photo by Stefano Guidi/Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Combat roles have been open to women for a decade, but President Donald Trump's Pentagon still questions whether women can be lethal. Army veteran Emelie Vanasse says the debate over women's battlefield fitness is long settled. This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin with help from Denise Guerra, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd and hosted by Noel King. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Army veteran Emilie Vanass outside Army Ranger School at Camp Rogers in Fort Benning, GA. Image courtesy Emilie Vanass. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
North Korea has been sending young, tech-savvy operatives to pose as ordinary American job seekers. Tech reporter Bobbie Johnson investigates the scam. This episode was produced by Gabrielle Berbey, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Further reading: North Korea stole your job by Bobbie Johnson. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Photo of North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un by Contributor/Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
All that time staring at ourselves on Zoom has led to a rise in procedures like “baby botox.” The Atlantic's Yasmin Tayag explains the lure and Dr. Michelle Hure injects some caution. This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Image credit Visoot Uthairam/Getty. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
President Donald Trump has declared an unprecedented number of national emergencies. He's used them to wage a trade war, deport people, and speed up oil drilling. And more could be coming. This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn and Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. President Donald Trump during an executive order signing in the Oval Office. Photo by Samuel Corum/Sipa/Bloomberg via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The first American pope's pro-immigrant views have put him publicly at odds with Vice President JD Vance. How Pope Leo XIV's ancient Catholic order collides with the beliefs of a growing group of converts like Vance. This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn and Avishay Artsy, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and Gabrielle Berbey, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King and Sean Rameswaram. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Photo by Francesco Sforza - Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Shortages are on the way. President Trump says children must live with fewer dolls and the rest of us have to adapt, too. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Realistic silicone dolls on display during the World Doll Day show in CA. Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Candace Owens has found a new audience with her breakdown of the Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively saga. Her latest cause? Exonerating Harvey Weinstein. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy and Gabrielle Berbey, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Further reading: The culture warriors who say Harvey Weinstein is innocent by Constance Grady, Candace Owens Has Gone Mainstream by E.J. Dickson. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Candace Owens hosting a taping of her show. Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Preparing for the end of the world is a multibillion-dollar business. People are stockpiling weapons, buying luxury bunkers, and even building flammable moats...but prepping is also an American tradition. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Jolie Myers, fact checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Noel King. Further reading: Be Prepared: Doomsday Prepping in the United States by Robert E. Kirsch and Emily Ray, Everything Must Go: The Stories We Tell about the End of the World by Dorian LynskeyListen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. A member of the post-apocalyptic "Wasteland Warriors" group celebrating to metal music. Photo by Axel Heimken/picture alliance via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Love on the Spectrum stars James B. Jones and Dani Bowman say the HHS secretary's planned autism studies are making things worse for people with autism. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy and Gabrielle Berbey, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Noel King. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Photo of "Love on the Spectrum" castmember Dani Bowman by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Workers at a Mack truck plant in Pennsylvania hoped tariffs would help protect their jobs. Now they are facing layoffs — and corporate is citing tariffs as the reason. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Dan Hand has worked at Mack Truck's Lehigh Valley plant for nearly three decades. Photo by Miles Bryan for Vox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Vox's Andrew Prokop says retribution was one of the major themes of the first 100 days of Trump's second term. John Bolton, who had his security detail yanked, explains why he's not worried about fascism. This episode was produced by Devan Schwartz and Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and Gabrielle Berbey, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram and Noel King. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Government websites have erased references to American heroes like Harriet Tubman and Jackie Robinson in order to comply with Trump's anti-DEI push. But America is no stranger to revisionist history. This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Noel King. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Jackie Robinson, who integrated Major League Baseball in 1947, posing in his batting stance. Photo credit Bettmann/Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Iran allegedly plotted to assassinate President Donald Trump late last year. But that's not stopping the Trump administration from trying to strike a nuclear deal with Iran. This episode was produced by Gabrielle Berbey and Travis Larchuk, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members Further reading: Revenge by Alex Isenstadt. Newspaper front pages at a kiosk in Tehran as talks with the US begin. Photo by ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
China has spent years preparing for this trade war — and for a world no longer dominated by the US. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members A store at a Beijing shopping mall displaying its advertising banner. AP Photo/Andy Wong. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
President Trump fired the head of the NSA — not because of a cyber attack, but because conservative activist Laura Loomer said so. How did she become so influential? This episode was produced by Gabrielle Berber and Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact checked by Amanda Lewellyn, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members Far-right activist Laura Loomer. Photo by Jacob M. Langston for The Washington Post via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
President Donald Trump's tariffs are meant to return America to a throwback economy — and culture. An economist who advises the White House makes the case for why looking to the past is the best plan for the future. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Amanda Lewellyn, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Noel King. Further reading: The powerful force behind Trump's tariffs. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members President Trump during his “Make America Wealthy Again” trade announcement event last week. Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Project Esther offers a blueprint for casting some campus protesters as part of a “Hamas Support Network,” making it easier to detain and deport them. Critics say the plan doesn't fight antisemitism — and could make it worse. This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Further reading: Project Esther: A National Strategy to Combat Antisemitism. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members An exterior view of The Heritage Foundation building. Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
It's unclear what Trump's latest tariffs liberate us from. Tariffs can be good policy when done right, but this latest round is scrambling America's alliances and economy. This episode was produced by Devan Schwartz and Gabrielle Berbey, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and Amanda Lewellyn, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members President Donald Trump after signing executive orders imposing tariffs during the “Make America Wealthy Again” event in the White House Rose Garden. Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The pro-natalism movement argues that people need to have more babies. Some want to prevent economic implosion, others want to protect traditional family values. And some of the loudest voices in the movement are now in the White House. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Jolie Myers and Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Noel King. Further reading: The movement desperately trying to get people to have more babies. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast This episode was made in partnership with Vox's Future Perfect team. Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk holding one of his children on his shoulders. Photo by Riccardo De Luca/Anadolu via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The US is deporting alleged members of the gang Trén de Aragua and paying El Salvador to house them in a mega-prison. But we don't know if the deportees are actually gang members at all. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy and Amanda Lewellyn, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Further reading: Inside El Salvador's notorious CECOT mega-prison. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members More than 250 suspected gang members deported from the U.S. arriving in El Salvador's mega-prison. Photo by El Salvador Presidency / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
This isn't the first time we've tried to go America First. The last time helped blow up the economy and our relationships with our allies. This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and Travis Larchuk, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members Canadian and American flags flying on the Canadian side of the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ontario. Photo by GEOFF ROBINS/AFP via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Fed up with consumerism, Mia Westrap went a whole year without buying unnecessary stuff. She went viral, and so did her goal. Now, the Buy Nothing movement is fighting back against mindless consumption by doing...nothing. This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Matt Billy, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members A crush of shoppers on Oxford Street in London. Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Policy in the second Trump administration is being driven by a small group of thinkers from the online right. We talk to one of them about how he got DEI dismantled. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan with help from Carla Javier, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Further reading: The deeply online origins of MAGA 2.0 by Andrew Prokop. The Origins of Woke by Richard Hanania. Richard Hanania, Rising Right-Wing Star, Wrote For White Supremacist Sites Under Pseudonym. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members Photo courtesy of Richard Hanania. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Trump administration has fallen short of its promise to deport millions. The White House now seems focused on attention-grabbing arrests, including that of a Palestinian activist and leader of the Columbia student protests. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy and Gabrielle Berbey, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and Amanda Lewellyn, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members Mahmoud Khalil, who was a student negotiator in the pro-Palestinian protest encampments on the Columbia University campus last year. AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Protests against Tesla embody the outrage against Elon Musk's DOGE-e behavior. But Musk doesn't seem to care. And given his position in the federal government, he may not have to. This episode was produced by Devan Schwartz, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members A burned Tesla Cybertruck being inspected after four Cybertrucks were set on fire at a storage lot Sunday night. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Added protein really seems to be in all the food lately. Reporter Chris Gayomali says to thank environmental regulations, GLP-1s, and Arnold Schwarzenegger for our modern protein boom. This episode was produced by Gabrielle Berbey, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Matthew Billy, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members Protein bars on display at a CVS pharmacy in Queens, New York. Photo by Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Journalist Max Read explains how a bunch of Silicon Valley computer scientists spun into a cult accused of killings. This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn with help from Travis Larchuk, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members A mugshot of Jack 'Ziz' Lasota, leader of the Zizians, after her arrest in connection with the killing of a Border Patrol Officer in Vermont in January. Image courtesy of the Allegany, MD County Sheriff's Office. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sam Rodriguez is on active duty in the US Navy. They are also trans. Now, the Trump administration wants to remove them from the US military. This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members Photo courtesy of Navy Petty Officer Sam Rodriguez. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
First, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and President Donald Trump struck up an unlikely friendship. Then, the Trump administration ordered prosecutors to sidestep DOJ norms and drop corruption charges against Adams so that he could focus on cracking down on immigration. This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn and Devan Schwartz, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members New York City Mayor Eric Adams as he arrived for a court hearing earlier this month. Photo by Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Boomers are the wealthiest generation ever. And they're funneling trillions to their adult children for down payments, school tuition, even monthly allowances. The Great Wealth Transfer is upon us. This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin and Devan Schwartz, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members Image of candy hearts by Erica Thostesen/Shutterstock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Russell Vought is the architect and legal scholar behind the Trump administration's attempt to reshape the federal government. Simon Rabinovitch, US economics editor for the Economist, explains how he got all that power. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members President Trump's Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Russell Vought, at his Senate confirmation hearing last month. Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sephora revolutionized high-end beauty and turned tiny brands into household names. Now, comes the reckoning. Fast Company's Liz Segran on whether Sephora is too powerful. This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members Facade of Sephora store in Concord, California. Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
President Trump is offering to resettle white South Africans in the US, and his white South African bestie may have something to do with it. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy and Travis Larchuk, edited by Miranda Kennedy and Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members Tech billionaire Elon Musk in the Oval Office of the White House. Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Trump administration has begun detaining migrants at Guantanamo Bay. For more than 40 years, the US has sent immigrants to Gitmo, explains Jeffrey Kahn of UC Davis, who interviewed asylum-seekers there. This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and Amanda Lewellyn, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members A 1992 image of a refugee camp at the U.S. Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay where Haitians were detained. Photo by © Steve Starr/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is at war. Again. Sixty-five years of mismanagement began with a CIA assassination plot that condemned millions of Congolese to unending conflict. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and Miles Bryan, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members Rebel soldiers with a group called M23 who have taken control of the Congolese city of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Photo by MICHEL LUNANGA/AFP via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The first battles have now been fought in the new North American trade war. President Donald Trump came out on top. Companies that make things across multiple borders are still holding their collective breath. This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin and Miles Bryan, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and Peter Balonon-Rosen, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members The Canadian, Mexican and Chinese flags displayed. Multiple exposure illustration photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The emergence of DeepSeek — a Chinese AI model that was developed for a fraction of the cost of leading Western ones, but seems to perform on par with them — caused chaos in the markets and electrified the tech industry. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan and Victoria Chamberlin with help from Amanda Lewellyn, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Rob Byers, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members The DeepSeek logo on a phone in front of a flag of China. Photo illustration by Anthony Kwan/Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Kennedy adviser Calley Means explains why so many Americans are suspicious of food and pharma companies, and what the HHS secretary nominee plans to do about it if he's confirmed. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and Avishay Artsy, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Rob Byers, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump's nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, testifies during his Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing. Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Donald Trump says he wants Greenland for America. Greenlandic government minister Naaja Nathanielsen says the country's not for sale but it's open for business. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members An aircraft allegedly carrying Donald Trump Jr. after it arrived in Nuuk, Greenland earlier this month. Photo by EMIL STACH/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
RFK Jr. is the latest in a long line of reformers who have tried to clean up school lunch. The history of those attempts illustrates how hard it is to change the American food system. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members Healthy cafeteria food options at IDEA Public Charter School in northeast Washington, DC. Photo by Miles Bryan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The New Yorker's Susan B. Glasser says Donald Trump's second inauguration is very different from his first. Vox's Ian Millhiser explains how the Supreme Court's ruling on presidential immunity has changed executive power. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh and Avishay Artsy, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram and Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members Salesmen on Independence Ave in Washington, DC hawking Confederate flags and flags celebrating the 47th president, Donald J. Trump, on his Inauguration Day 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Many millennials are pushing back against traditional parenting styles used by their boomer parents. We explore the confusion and chaos in today's parenting with a mom and her mom. This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members James Austin Johnson as a gentle parenting father during an "Airport Parade" sketch on SNL. Photo by Will Heath/NBC via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Americans were told “diet and exercise” was the key to better health, but lifestyle changes were never that life changing. Medication is. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members Semaglutide (GLP-1) weight-loss drug Wegovy, made by pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk -- designed to treat type 2 diabetes, but widely known for their effect on weight loss. Photo by James Manning/PA Images via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Two Amazon influencers are in a legal battle over whether or not one has appropriated the other's aesthetic. The Verge's Mia Sato breaks down the claims, and legal intellectual property expert Alexandra Roberts tells us what the lawsuit could mean for the future of content creation. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Rob Byers, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members Sydney Nicole Gifford and her mother, Laura, film a video promoting autumn decor from Amazon. Photo by Liam James Doyle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
MAGA is fighting over immigration. Vox's Andrew Prokop tells us what happened, and the Wall Street Journal's Tim Higgins explains why it isn't the first time Elon Musk has split the party — and won't be the last. This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Rob Byers, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Co-Chair of the new Department of Government Efficiency, arrives on Capitol Hill. Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
January 6 is always a big day in the DC jail where many alleged insurrectionists are awaiting trial and sentencing. It's even bigger this year, with "Patriot Wing" inmates preparing for a promised pardon from incoming President Trump. This episode was produced by Haleema Shah and Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Rob Byers, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members A right-wing demonstration in support of protestors arrested during the January 6 insurrection of the U.S. Capitol. Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The world's richest man is developing a company town outside Austin, Texas. Like the industrialists who came before him, Elon Musk may learn it's hard to create (and sustain) a utopia. This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members An aerial view of Elon Musk's Snailbrook community in Bastrop County, Texas. Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices