The Brian Lehrer Show

Nancy Solomon, WNYC reporter and host of the “Ask Governor Murphy” monthly call-in show, recaps her conversation with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. Topics this month: how federal cuts are affecting New Jerseyans, Murphy's position on ballot redesign, a sinkhole on I-80, and more.

David Sanger, White House and national security correspondent for The New York Times and the author of New Cold Wars: China's Rise, Russia's Invasion, and America's Struggle to Defend the West (Crown, 2024), talks about the many ways Pres. Trump has upended the post-WWII international order.

Olga Khazan, staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of Me, But Better: The Science and Promise of Personality Change (S&S/Simon Element, 2025), talks about her new book and what she found on her year-long quest to become a "better" person.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has detailed Mahmoud Khalil—a legal permanent resident with a green card and prominent student-activist-turned-negotiator in pro-Palestine demonstrations at Colombia University. Peter Markowitz, professor of law at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and the founding faculty member and co-director of the Kathryn O. Greenberg Immigration Justice Clinic, offers legal analysis of the detention.

Mayor Adams holds one off-topic press conference per week, where reporters can ask him questions on any subject. Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, recaps what he talked about at this week's event. Topics include the mayor's response to Columbia-grad pro-Palestine activist Mahmoud Khalil and how it may impact the Democratic primary election in June, developments in Adams' corruption case, plus why the mayor's stopped reading the news. 

As President Trump's trade war heats up, Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s Analytics, and Mark DiPlacido, policy advisor at American Compass, talk about the pros and cons of tariffs and whether or not the president's current tariff policy could achieve Trump's stated goals. 

Brian Kelly, Founder of The Points Guy travel site and author of How to Win at Travel, shares essential tips for smooth and considerate travel. He highlights the importance of proper air travel etiquette, including seat selection and mindful behavior during boarding. Kelly discusses cultural differences in travel practices, like the joy of clapping upon landing in Latin America. He encourages travelers to be aware of their surroundings and respectful of others, promoting a more enjoyable experience for everyone onboard.

Every day during this pledge drive, listeners can try their hands at a quiz. Today's topic is music history.

Timothy Snyder, history professor at Yale University and the author of the substack "Thinking About..." and the books, On Tyranny (Penguin Random House, 2017) and his latest, On Freedom (Crown, 2024), offers his analysis of recent actions by the Trump administration, including the elimination of USAID programs and attacks on the press.

Autism rates are rising but Paul Offit, MD, director of the Vaccine Education Center and an attending physician in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the author of Autism's False Prophets (Columbia University Press, 2008) and most recently Tell Me When It’s Over: And Insider’s Guide to Deciphering COVID Myths and Navigating Our Post-Pandemic World (National Geographic, 2024), says scientists have already debunked theories linking the rise to childhood vaccinations.