Podcast appearances and mentions of sean carter

When U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced the death of a detainee at a Texas detention camp this month, the agency initially gave no cause of death. A fellow detainee said he witnessed Geraldo Lunas Campos being choked to death by guards; ICE said “staff observed him in distress.” Seeking answers, Lunas Campos's family called El Paso County's Office of the Medical Examiner, and an employee told them that – subject to the result of a toxicology report – the office is likely to classify Lunas Campos's death as a homicide. Today on “Post Reports,” investigative reporter Douglas MacMillan tries to find out what really caused the death of a detainee – and takes us inside the black box of the largest detention camp in the United States. Today's show was produced by Emma Talkoff. It was edited by Ariel Plotnick, Dennis Funk and Martine Powers and mixed by Sean Carter.Thanks also to Juliet Eilperin. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Over the weekend, President Donald Trump sent an unusual text to the prime minister of Norway. The two leaders had been messaging about Greenland – specifically, Trump's threats to impose tariffs on European countries opposed to the United States taking over the autonomous Danish territory. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said in a statement that he had been trying to de-escalate the situation. President Trump responded by linking his insistence on taking over Greenland to his grievance over not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize – bestowed yearly by the Nobel Committee in Norway. Today on “Post Reports,” London bureau chief Steve Hendrix joins host Martine Powers with the latest on Trump's bid for Greenland, how it all comes back to his perceived Peace Prize snub, and how his obsession is starting to have a real impact on geopolitics. Today's show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy. It was edited by Dennis Funk and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

This week, the FBI raided the home of a Washington Post journalist, sparking First Amendment fears. At the same time, the Justice Department has opened an investigation into Fed Chair Jerome Powell, drawing concerns from bigwigs on Wall Street and questions as to how the administration treats its perceived political enemies. Colby speaks with Dan Merica, co-anchor of our politics newsletter The Early Brief, and Matt Viser, White House bureau chief, about President Donald Trump's playbook for intimidating his critics, the chilling effects of his administration's probes and why his coarse response to a heckling auto worker has drawn both criticism and praise.Today's show was produced by Thomas Lu and Josh Carroll. It was edited by Martine Powers and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here. And watch us on YouTube here.

For years, President Donald Trump has complained about Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome H. Powell. He's called him names, said he should be fired and has tried to pressure the Fed leader into lowering interest rates.Trump's feud against Powell escalated over the weekend, when Powell revealed that the Justice Department launched a criminal inquiry against him, alleging that Powell lied about the cost of renovations to the Federal Reserve buildings.Host Elahe Izadi speaks to banking reporter Andrew Ackerman about what this probe could mean for Powell, the Fed and whether Trump's consistent pressure on Powell could undermine America's central bank forever.Today's show was produced by Emma Talkoff. It was edited by Ariel Plotnick and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

The turmoil started in late December, when some Tehran merchants closed up shop to protest the free fall of Iran's currency. That initial outcry sparked a wave of protests across the country. Demonstrators demanded not just economic reform, but a total overhaul of Iran's government and an end to repression. Some called for the ouster of the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.Now the government has cracked down, and there are reports that hundreds of protesters have been killed. The country has been under a communications blackout since Thursday, making it nearly impossible to assess the extent of the bloodshed.Elahe Izadi speaks with Iran correspondent Yeganeh Torbati about how things boiled over - and what might be happening inside the country.Today's show was produced by Emma Talkoff with help from Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Ariel Plotnick and mixed by Sean Carter. You can learn more about Torbati's forthcoming book on Iran here. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Decades after a brazen art theft drove Merry White's father to despair, federal agents closed in on the missing work. For White, the search is personal.Read more:Merry White is the daughter of a Harvard professor who was close friends with painter Jackson Pollock. White's parents came to own several of the painter's artworks, and one hung over White's bed when she was a child. It was stolen in 1973, along with two other paintings by Pollock. The theft destroyed White's father's peace of mind, and left White with complicated feelings.On this weekend episode of “Post Reports,” art critic Sebastian Smee reconstructs the provenance and theft of these precious works of art. Audio production and original music by Bishop Sand, with help from Sean Carter.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

This week, the shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Minneapolis has drawn new scrutiny of President Donald Trump's aggressive immigration enforcement push, and reactions have become something of a political Rorschach test. Meanwhile, Democrats such as Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. Mark Kelly (Arizona) are facing new challenges as they navigate attacks from Republican leaders. And the Trump administration continues to project defiance in the aftermath of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's removal.“This is just one expression of raw American power after another,” says White House reporter Michael Birnbaum on this week's “Post Reports” politics roundtable.Michael spoke with host Colby Itkowitz and Dan Merica, co-anchor of the Early Brief newsletter, to unpack a jam-packed week of political news. Today's show was produced by Thomas Lu and Josh Carroll. It was edited by Martine Powers with help from Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here. And watch us on YouTube here.

Just hours before U.S. aircraft surged into Caracas as part of an operation to capture Nicolás Maduro, an anonymous person placed a final online bet that the Venezuelan president would soon be ousted. The mystery gambler netted more than $400,000 on that long-shot bet – raising questions about whether they had inside knowledge of the operation. The payout has drawn attention to the growing world of prediction markets, online bets on real-world scenarios that some critics warn could have unintended negative effects. Today, Martine Powers talks with banking reporter Andrew Ackerman about the loosely regulated prediction market industry and what we know about the mystery gambler who won big on the Maduro ouster.Today's show was produced by Emma Talkoff. It was edited by Ariel Plotnick with help from Dennis Funk and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

After U.S. forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Saturday, President Donald Trump declared: “American dominance in the Western Hemisphere will never be questioned again.”The world is still digesting the consequences of the intervention, which the Trump administration has characterized as a law enforcement mission against Maduro rather than a military operation in a foreign country. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been charged with narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy and machine gun possession.White House reporter Michael Birnbaum joins host Martine Powers to explain the political ramifications of Maduro's arrest, the next steps of the Trump administration and the reactions of Venezuelans. We also hear from Ana Vanessa Herrero, The Post's reporter in Caracas. Today's show was produced by Emma Talkoff, with help from Rennie Svirnovskiy and Reena Flores. It was edited by Ariel Plotnick and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

You can read today's edition of The 7 newsletter here. While The 7 podcast takes a break today, we wanted to share this episode from The Optimist. It's all about if it's possible to choose happiness.Are you happy? How would you answer that question if a stranger with a camera asked?Five years ago, filmmaker Atdhe Trepca quit his job and drove across the country with a camera, asking hundreds of people that question.His videos reach millions on TikTok and Instagram, and now he's made a documentary.Today, Optimist reporter Maggie Penman shares what Trepca has learned – and the research that backs up his observations.If you want to hear more stories like this, please let us know. You can reach the whole team at podcasts@washpost.com or email Maggie at maggie.penman@washpost.com.Today's episode was reported and produced by Maggie Penman, with help from Ted Muldoon, Emma Talkoff, Reena Flores, and Sean Carter, who also mixed the show. It was edited by Allison Klein. The Optimist has a newsletter! Subscribe here.And, subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Schools and community programs in Washington, D.C., are teaching students to play go-go music to help extend the legacy of the official music of the District.Producer Sabby Robinson spoke with enterprise reporter Marissa Lang about the history that these students are keeping alive and the impact the programs are having. Today's show was produced by Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Maggie Penman and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

In an executive order last week, President Donald Trump ordered federal agencies to reclassify marijuana as a less-dangerous substance. The drug is currently considered Schedule I, which is the most tightly controlled tier of illegal substances. Trump's order would direct the Justice Department to move marijuana into Schedule III, a less-restricted class of drugs. Host Martine Powers speaks with health reporter David Ovalle about what this move means for consumers, scientists and business owners. Today's show was produced by Emma Talkoff. It was edited by Ariel Plotnick and mixed by Sean Carter. Thanks to Christopher Rowland.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

The week started with a Truth Social post from President Donald Trump about the death of Hollywood director Rob Reiner that drew backlash from within his own party. Then, a high-profile Vanity Fair profile of White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles revealed her disparaging assessments of the president's Cabinet. And it's unclear if the fast-paced, campaign-style remarks from the White House achieved Trump's goal of reconnecting with voters on the economy.So how is the White House dealing with these divisions on the right? Host Colby Itkowitz sits down with Dan Merica, co-anchor of the Early Brief newsletter, and White House reporter Natalie Allison to recap it all.Today's show was produced by Charla Freeland and Josh Carroll. It was edited by Reena Flores with help from Martine Powers and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here. And watch us on YouTube here.

Investigative reporter Beth Reinhard first noticed it in January, when President Donald Trump's second inauguration celebration got moved indoors because of freezing temperatures. Thousands of ticketed spectators were left to stand out in the cold, but at least 17 billionaires, collectively worth more than $1 trillion, claimed coveted seats in the Capitol Rotunda — a historic concentration of wealth that seemed to herald a new class of American oligarchs, there to celebrate the inauguration of the 47th president.In the months since that cold January day, Reinhard and her colleagues discovered that spending on elections by the richest 100 Americans crossed the $1 billion threshold for the first time, and that $1 out of every $13 spent in last year's election was donated by a handful of the wealthiest Americans. Today on “Post Reports,” Reinhard speaks with host Colby Itkowitz about how billionaires have driven up campaign costs and, as a result, how they may be reshaping American democracy. Today's show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy. It was edited by Elana Gordon and mixed by Sean Carter. Thanks to Patrick Caldwell.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Historically, presidential libraries have been used as research hubs to house documents and artifacts from a president's time in the White House. They're also a living monument to a president's legacy. Less than a year into President Donald Trump's second term, planning for his presidential library is underway, with $50 million already raised from undisclosed donors.Co-host Colby Itkowitz speaks with national political investigative reporter Michael Kranish about how presidential libraries and museums are usually created and why Trump's private fundraising foundation could allow history to be misrepresented at his future library.Today's show was produced by Thomas Lu and mixed by Sean Carter. It was edited by Ariel Plotnick. Thanks to Dan Eggen.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

In the first year of his second term, President Donald Trump has focused his attention on foreign policy and made numerous trips abroad – with an eye toward the Nobel Peace Prize. But as he discusses peace deals with foreign leaders, his ratings domestically have fallen. Critics say that he isn't doing enough to ease American's economic concerns. So, this week, Trump returned his attention stateside and kicked off his affordability tour in Pennsylvania, while simultaneously branding “affordability” as a democratic “hoax.”Today on the politics roundtable, we discuss why Trump's tour signals the administration's concerns about the politics of affordability, and how some Democrats could use this as a way to gain an edge during the 2026 midterms. Host Colby Itkowitz speaks with Dan Merica, the co-anchor of our politics newsletter, The Early Brief, and White House Bureau Chief Matt Viser. Today's episode was produced by Josh Carroll and Thomas Lu. It was mixed by Sean Carter. It was edited by Reena Flores. Thanks also to our Politics editors. Subscribe to The Washington Post here. Watch this episode on YouTube here.

The historic movie and television company now known as Warner Bros. Discovery is in high demand. Last week, Netflix announced it would buy some of the company's most valuable media portfolio for $83 billion. But Paramount Skydance then launched a hostile bid to buy Warner Bros. Discovery mere days later.Host Martine Powers speaks with media reporter Scott Nover about why these major media companies want Warner Bros., what a deal could mean for how we watch TV and movies, and how President Donald Trump could become involved in the negotiations.Today's show was produced by Emma Talkoff. It was edited by Ariel Plotnick and mixed by Sean Carter. Thanks to James Graff.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

To many Americans, the idea of banning a party that has support from a significant portion of voters might seem undemocratic. But Germany, guided by its determination to avoid a repeat of Nazism, included a provision in its post-World War II constitution to allow banning parties that aim to subvert the constitutional order.Now, as Germany's far-right party – Alternative for Germany (AfD) – surges in popularity, the country is in a heated debate over whether to ban it. “Post Reports” producer and reporter Emma Talkoff speaks with host Colby Itkowitz about how Germany is wrestling with the question of how to fight political extremism.Today's show was produced by Emma Talkoff. It was edited by Ariel Plotnick and mixed by Sean Carter. Thanks to Aaron Weiner and David Herszenhorn. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

The 2026 World Cup is being held in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Before the tournament selection took place Friday in Washington D.C., FIFA President Gianni Infantino presented President Donald Trump with an inaugural Peace Prize from soccer's global governing body. Celebrities from the worlds of sports and entertainment were also included in the programming lineup. On today's episode of “Post Reports” host Ava Wallace is joined by Washington Post sports journalists Thomas Floyd and Rick Maese. They break down what happened at last week's World Cup draw and how it will shape the tournament this coming summer.Then, why some human rights groups are raising questions about the relationship between President Trump and FIFA.Today's episode was produced by Lucas Trevor with help from Josh Carroll. It was mixed by Sean Carter. It was edited by Thomas Lu and Reena Flores. Thanks to Sarah Laramier and Joe Tone.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

In September, the U.S. military began striking boats suspected of drug smuggling in the Caribbean. Since then, questions about the legality of these strikes have swirled. Last week, The Post reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave a spoken order to kill everyone before a Sept. 2 attack, according to officials. The commander of the mission later made the decision to strike two survivors of the attack who had been clinging to the wreckage. Today on the politics roundtable, we'll discuss the fallout, and why both Republicans and Democrats are increasing their scrutiny of Hegseth's leadership at the Department of Defense.And, after brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in October, President Trump hoped to do the same for Russia and Ukraine. But his efforts have fallen short.Host Colby Itkowitz speaks with Matthew Choi, the co-anchor of our politics newsletter, The Early Brief, and White House reporter Michael Birnbaum. Today's episode was produced by Laura Benshoff, Josh Carroll, and Thomas Lu. It was mixed by Sean Carter. It was edited by Reena Flores. Thanks also to our politics editors. Subscribe to The Washington Post here. Watch this episode on YouTube here.

Agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection usually police the frontier. But since the summer, the Trump administration has deployed these agents, along with Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel, to Democratic-led cities, often with combustive results. Leading these urban operations is Gregory Bovino, who has become the face of the aggressive crackdown.Host Elahe Izadi speaks with immigration reporter Marianne LeVine about the deep reporting she and other Post reporters did in Chicago, what they uncovered about who is being arrested, and what Operation Midway Blitz can tell us about this new era of immigration enforcement.Today's show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Elana Gordon with help from Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter. Thanks to national correspondent Arelis Hernández and immigration editor Christine Armario. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

When the U.S. first struck a suspected drug-smuggling boat off the Trinidad coast on Sept. 2, two survivors were left clinging to the wreckage. In order to comply with the commands he'd been given by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the Special Operations commander ordered a second strike, according to two people familiar with the matter. It killed the two survivors.Host Colby Itkowitz speaks with national security reporter Alex Horton about what this new information reveals about the Trump administration's campaign against suspected drug smugglers.Today's show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy with help from Sabby Robinson and Reena Flores. It was edited by Ariel Plotnick and mixed by Sean Carter. Thanks to Ben Pauker.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Feeling a sense of awe can make us feel less stressed, less lonely and more connected to each other. It's good for our bodies and our minds. So how do we feel more of it? Today's show was produced by Joshua Carroll, Rennie Svirnovskiy and Ted Muldoon. It was edited by Allison Klein and Ariel Plotnick and mixed by Sean Carter.Subscribe to The Optimist's newsletter here and subscribe to The Washington Post here.

You can read today's edition of The 7 newsletter here. While The 7 podcast takes a break today, we wanted to share this Post Reports episode from earlier this month. It's about the movie, “A House of Dynamite,” a new thriller on Netflix about nuclear war. Kathryn Bigelow has been thinking about the threat of nuclear war ever since she was a kid. “I come from the era of duck and cover,” she says, “where when I was very little, we had to hide under the desk in the event of an atomic bomb blast.”Over the last 40 years, she's been directing tightly-paced thrillers such as “The Hurt Locker” (which won her the Academy Award for best director) and “Zero Dark Thirty.” Her latest film, “A House of Dynamite,” takes on a question that has been on her mind for decades: What would happen if the U.S. were targeted by a nuclear missile? The film, which is out on Netflix, has struck a nerve with audiences, becoming the streamer's most-watched movie in the world and igniting conversation about the accuracy of its depiction of the U.S. missile defense system. Today on Post Reports, Elahe Izadi speaks with Kathryn Bigelow and with the film's screenwriter, Noah Oppenheim, about why they chose to make this film in this moment, and about how they responded when they saw news that the U.S. could restart nuclear testing for the first time in decades. Today's show was produced by Peter Bresnan and Josh Carroll, with help from Emma Talkoff. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here. And watch us on YouTube here.

It's the most wonderful time of the year and, if you're not careful, it could be the most expensive. The day after Thanksgiving has historically been the official start of the holiday shopping season, but we've been seeing Black Friday deals advertised earlier each year.Moreover, Americans are increasingly concerned about the rising costs of food, housing and health care. Throw in the longest government shutdown in U.S. history and recession-level layoffs in the private sector and money might be tight for many households this holiday season.Personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary joins host Colby Itkowitz and explains how you can avoid overspending on gifts and holiday celebrations. Singletary gives us permission to scale back for the holidays and prioritize togetherness over consumerism.Today's show was produced by Charla Freeland. It was edited by Reena Flores and Ted Muldoon and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

After months of buildup, Congress voted to release the Epstein files on Tuesday. President Donald Trump signed the bill into law. But language in that legislation leaves wiggle room for the Justice Department to hold back some of the files, and questions remain about how much transparency the measure secures.Host Colby Itkowitz speaks with Justice Department reporter Jeremy Roebuck and Dan Merica, co-anchor of The Washington Post's flagship politics newsletter, The Early Brief. They talk about this latest step in the Epstein saga and also unpack some recent setbacks facing the second Trump administration. And they answer a question from an Early Brief reader about gerrymandering in Texas.Today's show was produced by Laura Benshoff and Josh Carroll. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter. Thanks to Alec Dent and David Lauter.Subscribe to The Washington Post here. Watch this episode on YouTube here.

This week, President Donald Trump rolled out the red carpet for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. At a grand White House dinner, an investment summit at the Kennedy Center and a sit-down in the Oval Office, the leaders appeared to be in lockstep.It was a stark contrast to 2018, when the U.S. intelligence community concluded that Mohammed had approved the killing and dismemberment of Washington Post contributing columnist Jamal Khashoggi. Lawmakers condemned the crown prince and withdrew support for Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen. Today, Elahe Izadi speaks to White House correspondent Michael Birnbaum about how the crown prince was welcomed back into the fold — and why the U.S. refuses to cut ties with Saudi Arabia. Today's show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy with help from Emma Talkoff. It was edited by Ariel Plotnick and mixed by Sean Carter. Thanks to Annah Aschbrenner.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Ever felt like you couldn't believe in God because you still have questions? In this episode, we sit down with Sean Carter from our Minooka Campus to hear his story of coming to faith by discovering that God isn't intimidated by our questions — He meets us in them. Whether you're searching, skeptical, or just curious about faith, this conversation is an open invitation to explore what belief can look like when you don't have it all figured out.Find out more about The Village https://www.thevillagechristianchurch.com FOLLOW US Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thevillagechristianchurch Instagram https://www.instagram.com/villagechristianchurch/

When the conservative organization Blexit announced it was going to visit HBCU campuses this fall, it received backlash from students, administrators and alumni. But when it made a stop at Howard University – during the university's celebratory homecoming weekend – the reception felt mixed.Host Colby Itkowitz speaks with Features reporter Samantha Chery about Blexit's strategy and how people reacted to its visit to Howard. Then, national politics reporter Sabrina Rodriguez speaks with Itkowitz about where the Black vote stands nationally.Today's show was produced by Zoe Cummings, Sabby Robinson and Rennie Svirnovskiy. It was edited by Ariel Plotnick and Laura Benshoff. It was mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

The House Oversight Committee released a tranche of emails from the estate of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein that give us more information about his relationship to President Donald Trump. Today on the politics roundtable, we'll unpack what these emails say and how the White House has responded.And, after 43 days, the federal government is back open for business. As the dust settles on the longest shutdown in history, we'll talk about what lawmakers learned – and whether another shutdown could be right around the corner.Colby speaks with Dan Merica and Matthew Choi, who are co-anchors of our politics newsletter The Early Brief. Today's show was produced by Emma Talkoff and Josh Carroll. It was edited by Peter Bresnan and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here. And watch us on YouTube here.

It's an improbable path, from al-Qaeda to the West Wing. The U.S. had once designated Ahmed al-Sharaa a terrorist. He fought U.S. forces in Iraq and was even imprisoned. Sharaa spent years in northwest Syria leading an Islamic militant group that was affiliated with al-Qaeda until he cut those ties. Last year, al-Sharaa led rebel forces that took down Syria's dictator Bashar al-Assad, ending decades of repression. As Sharaa looks to gain international favor and trust while rebuilding the country and its security, the 43-year-old met with President Trump on Monday, in the first visit by a Syrian head of state to the White House. Afterward, Sharaa sat down with The Washington Post for an exclusive interview to discuss the historic meeting, the future of Syria and his plans to work with Americans he once fought. Today on “Post Reports,” Host Colby Itkowitz speaks with the Post's international correspondent Susannah George about Syria, al-Sharaa and their conversation. Today's show was produced by Elana Gordon with help from Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter. Thanks to Alan Sipress. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Kathryn Bigelow has been thinking about the threat of nuclear war ever since she was a kid. “I come from the era of duck and cover,” she says, “where when I was very little, we had to hide under the desk in the event of an atomic bomb blast.”Over the last 40 years, she's been directing tightly-paced thrillers such as “The Hurt Locker” (which won her the Academy Award for best director) and “Zero Dark Thirty.” Her latest film, “A House of Dynamite,” takes on a question that has been on her mind for decades: What would happen if the U.S. were targeted by a nuclear missile? The film, which is out on Netflix, has struck a nerve with audiences, becoming the streamer's most-watched movie in the world and igniting conversation about the accuracy of its depiction of the U.S. missile defense system. Today on Post Reports, Elahe Izadi speaks with Kathryn Bigelow and with the film's screenwriter, Noah Oppenheim, about why they chose to make this film in this moment, and about how they responded when they saw news that the U.S. could restart nuclear testing for the first time in decades. Today's show was produced by Peter Bresnan and Josh Carroll, with help from Emma Talkoff. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here. And watch us on YouTube here.

After weeks of holding out, a small group of Senate Democrats voted with Republicans over the weekend to start the process of reopening the government. Since the U.S. government closed its doors on Nov. 1, services like federal food assistance have suffered, and Social Security Administration and Internal Revenue Service help lines have paused as those workers face furloughs. But Democrats had maintained that the pain was worth it, in order to extract more money from Republicans to fund health care subsidies for people who access insurance through the Affordable Care Act. Now, that demand has fallen by the wayside.Host Colby Itkowitz speaks with national political reporter and Senate expert Liz Goodwin about what it will still take to reopen the government, and why this funding compromise has further divided Democrats.Today's show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy with help from Emma Talkoff. It was edited by Laura Benshoff with help from Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Kate Barr ran for state Senate in North Carolina's 37th District as a Democrat last year, expecting to lose. She even branded her campaign with the words “Kate Barr can't win.” She ran the unconventional campaign to make an argument against gerrymandering — a tactic used in her state and across the country by politicians who have redrawn congressional maps to favor their party. But now she is switching tactics and running for U.S. Congress as a Republican. Host Colby Itkowitz sits down with Barr to talk about her chances this time around and what she thinks of redistricting efforts around the country that are making congressional elections even less competitive.Today's show was produced by Reena Flores, Josh Carroll and Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Laura Benshoff and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here. And watch us on YouTube here.

As a college student, Sean Carter was in a car crash and sustained a traumatic brain injury. His mother, Jenny, became his full-time caregiver.In three recordings over 10 years, Sean— with his mother and his twin brother, Todd— reflected on making peace with the sudden turn in their lives, and the prospect of an uncertain future.Leave us a voicemail at 702-706-TALK, or email us at podcast@storycorps.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

An estimated 42 million Americans use the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP – also known as food stamps – to feed themselves and their families. The program ran out of funding over the weekend amid the government shutdown. While the Trump administration agreed to release enough funds to pay for half of November's SNAP benefits, many SNAP users are worried about what the rest of the month – and beyond – might look like.Host Colby Itkowitz speaks to technology reporter Heather Kelly about the current state of SNAP and how people are looking to online content creators for practical advice about how to stretch their food budgets.Today's show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy. It was edited by Ariel Plotnick and mixed by Sean Carter. Thanks also to Mariana Alfaro, Jen Liberto and Yun-Hee Kim.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

President Donald Trump spent several days this week in Asia, dining with world leaders and hammering out the details of trade agreements. The visit culminated with a face-to-face meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. While both sides agreed to back off of their most aggressive trade positions, the visit was overshadowed by Trump's directive that the United States would resume nuclear weapons testing.Back at home, the federal government shutdown has created a cliff for SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, which 42 million Americans rely on for food assistance. With that benefit slated to run out at the end of October, how are Democrats and Republicans in Congress reacting?Host Elahe Izadi speaks with White House economic policy correspondent Jacob Bogage and David J. Lynch, who covers trade for The Post. You can purchase David's latest book, “The World's Worst Bet: How the Globalization Gamble Went Wrong (and What Would Make It Right),” here.Today's show was produced by Laura Benshoff and Josh Carroll. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here. And watch us on YouTube here.

As consumers are doing more shopping online, and as President Donald Trump's tariffs have been driving the price of goods up, many toy and mall brands have been struggling. But Build-a-Bear Workshop is thriving – the company's stock has grown by nearly 1,200% over the past five years, outpacing growth by tech giants like Microsoft and Apple. Host Elahe Izadi speaks with retail reporter Jackie Peiser about how this toy company has managed to thrive in a challenging economic moment.Today's show was produced by Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Peter Bresnan and mixed by Sean Carter and Sam Bair. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Former presidents usually leave the big political battles to their successors. Up until this year, that was largely the case for former president Barack Obama. In his retirement from politics, he founded an award-winning production company, wrote a memoir, and worked to cultivate new political leaders through the Obama Foundation. But a second Trump presidency has tested Obama and put him back in the national spotlight as the Democratic Party looks to him for answers on how to respond to Trump's most unprecedented policies, including partisan redistricting. Today on “Post Reports,” host Colby Itkowitz speaks with national politics reporter Yasmeen Abutaleb about how Obama is confronting Trump and why his voice continues to hold sway over Democrats.Today's show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy, with help from Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Ariel Plotnick and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

This week, construction crews knocked down the East Wing of the White House to make way for the construction of a 90,000-square-foot ballroom. This demolition surprised many in D.C., as President Donald Trump had previously said his proposed addition would not significantly alter the existing structure.Host Colby Itkowitz speaks with White House reporter Dan Diamond and Dan Merica, the co-anchor of the Early Brief newsletter, about why this construction is unlikely to be derailed and what we know about the ballroom plans. And, they discuss how past comments by Maine Senate hopeful Graham Platner and onetime Trump nominee Paul Ingrassia have come back to haunt them.Today's show was produced by Laura Benshoff and Josh Carroll. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

One of the hottest events in San Francisco over the past couple of months was a lecture series by tech billionaire Peter Thiel – in which he preached about those he thinks are “legionnaires of the Antichrist.” Thiel has shared his Christian viewpoints publicly and is a longtime supporter of conservative politicians. But in these talks, he asserts that those who are pro-regulation are also against God. The lectures were off the record, but Gerrit De Vynck and other reporters at The Post obtained leaked recordings of them. Today on “Post Reports,” Gerrit shares these recordings with host Colby Itkowitz and unpacks what Thiel's argument says about tech's growing power and ambition during the second Trump administration.Today's show was produced by Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Laura Benshoff and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Can the Oklahoma City Thunder defend its championship? How will all the player injuries affect the dynamics in the Eastern Conference? And if fewer people are watching the games … how does the NBA grow? “Post Reports” tackles the important questions at the heart of this year's NBA season, which began Tuesday. And we're bringing in the experts: The Sports Moment writer Ava Wallace joins NBA reporter Ben Golliver in a special sports takeover of the show. Today's episode was produced by Lucas Trevor. It was edited by Ted Muldoon and Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here. And sign up for The Sports Moment newsletter here.

Are you happy? How would you answer that question if a stranger with a camera asked?Five years ago, filmmaker Atdhe Trepca quit his job and drove across the country with a camera, asking hundreds of people that question.His videos reach millions on TikTok and Instagram, and now he's made a documentary.Today, Optimist reporter Maggie Penman shares what Trepca has learned – and the research that backs up his observations.If you want to hear more stories like this, please let us know. You can reach the whole team at podcasts@washpost.com or email Maggie at maggie.penman@washpost.com.Today's episode was reported and produced by Maggie Penman, with help from Ted Muldoon, Emma Talkoff, Reena Flores, and Sean Carter, who also mixed the show. It was edited by Allison Klein. The Optimist has a newsletter! Subscribe here.And, subscribe to The Washington Post here.

As the federal government shutdown stretches on, Republicans and Democrats are still far apart on a path to reopening. One major sticking point is the Democrats' demand to include renewed health care subsidies for ACA marketplace enrollees as a part of any vote to end the shutdown.Host Colby Itkowitz sits with Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia) to ask about how Republicans view that demand, how the politics of health care are playing in this moment, and the White House's moves to fire federal workers during a shutdown.Today's show was produced by Josh Carroll, Laura Benshoff and Elana Gordon. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here. And watch the video on YouTube here.

As the federal government shutdown stretches into its third week, its effects are starting to ripple across the country. National parks are closed, flights are delayed, and this week, some federal workers will miss their first paychecks. For some of those workers, things are even more stressful: President Donald Trump is making good on his threat to use the shutdown to shutter government programs and offices he disagrees with. Thousands of workers have received notices that they may lose their jobs.The Trump administration has claimed the cuts will help them keep the lights on during the shutdown. But experts say that's not true – and the action may not be legal.Host Colby Itkowitz speaks with reporter Hannah Natanson about Trump's attempt to close swaths of the federal government – permanently.Today's show was produced by Emma Talkoff. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here. And tell us a ghost story here!

On Monday, Israelis celebrated the return of all 20 living hostages still held by Hamas. Palestinians welcomed back hundreds of prisoners and detainees held in Israel. For the first time in months, humanitarian aid began to surge into war-torn Gaza.The swap was part of the first phase of a ceasefire agreement that President Donald Trump brokered between Israel and Hamas – a step he touted as the beginning of a new era of peace across the region. But many unanswered questions remain about how the fragile peace negotiations will continue to develop.Colby Itkowitz speaks with Middle East reporter Abbie Cheeseman about how this deal came to be – and what questions remain for the future of Gaza.Today's show was produced by Thomas Lu with assistance from Rennie Svirnovskiy and Emma Talkoff. It was edited by Ted Muldoon and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

The Senate remains far apart on resolving the ongoing government shutdown. But the battle for public opinion on who's to blame has shifted. Republicans appear split on whether to negotiate on health-care costs, as Democrats are demanding. And polling shows voters blame the GOP just as much as Democrats, if not more, for failing to fund the government.Plus, what Attorney General Pam Bondi's combative hearing before the Senate Oversight Committee this week signals about her place in the Trump administration, the text messages blowing up a statewide race in Virginia and the peace deal for Gaza that President Donald Trump helped broker. Host Colby Itkowitz speaks with national politics reporter Liz Goodwin and Dan Merica, the co-anchor of The Post's flagship politics newsletter, The Early Brief.Today's show was produced by Laura Benshoff and Josh Carroll. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here. You can find this episode on YouTube here.

Tensions have been escalating in Chicago since the Trump administration began a widespread immigration enforcement operation across the city in early September. Officers have ransacked homes and detained children during raids. Local and state officials have loudly denounced the move and are pushing back against the effort, while residents have banded together to keep neighbors safe. But over the weekend a woman was shot by a Border Patrol agent, and after protests flared the president authorized National Guard troops to go into Illinois.Host Colby Itkowitz speaks with reporter and Chicago resident Kim Bellware about what it's felt like to be there and how the city has been responding.Today's show was produced by Sabby Robinson with help from Rennie Svirnovsky. It was edited by Peter Bresnan and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

A single Q&A session with a large language model can consume more than a half-liter of fresh water to cool servers. Asking ChatGPT one question reportedly consumes 10 times as much electricity as a conventional Google search. And generating an image is equivalent to charging a smartphone.Should we be worried about that?Climate advice columnist Michael J. Coren doesn't think so – or, at least, we shouldn't lose sleep over it. Today on “Post Reports,” he joins host Colby Itkowitz to dispel myths around AI's energy consumption, explain how to use AI chatbots responsibly, and break down our other energy-intensive digital habits. Today's show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy. It was edited by Ted Muldoon and Reena Flores, and mixed by Sean Carter. Thanks to Marisa Bellack. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

After a two-month trial this summer, Sean “Diddy” Combs was convicted of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution – but acquitted on sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges. Combs's defense attorneys argued he should either get a new trial or be released in under two years, while the prosecution pushed for him to serve over a decade in prison. On Friday, the judge decided that he would spend 50 months in prison. Host Elahe Izadi speaks with style reporter Anne Branigin about Combs's appeal to the judge and how he is already starting his rebrand.Today's show was produced by Sabby Robinson and Peter Bresnan. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter. Follow our coverage of the trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs on Spotify here.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.