From television, to a royal wedding…and back to TV, Meghan Markle is carving out her own niche.Guest: Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay, cohosts of Slate’s ICYMI.This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock exclusive episodes of What Next —you’ll also access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The public’s anger towards Elon Musk and DOGE has found an outlet in the form of Musk’s car company Tesla. How long can the company put up with a sinking reputation and stock price? Guest: Pranshu Verma, tech reporter for the Washington Post. Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.Podcast production by Evan Campbell and Patrick Fort. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

DOGE cuts have already hit Social Security, with offices closing and employees fired. With Elon Musk calling the program a “Ponzi scheme” and saying entitlements are “the big one to eliminate,” this may be just the beginning of the unraveling of the trusted safety net that millions of Americans rely on. Guest: Joe Perticone, political reporter at The Bulwark.Want more What Next? Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to What Next and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Trump administration’s approach to free speech, immigration, and due process all converge in a crackdown on Columbia University. Guest: Sarah Brown, news editor at the Chronicle for Higher Education.Want more What Next? Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to What Next and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andrew Cuomo—the hard-headed former governor of New York state —became something of a national hero in 2020 with his no-nonsense press conferences. By 2021, he was mired in a sexual misconduct scandal and the fallout from a public health disaster. How is he polling so well in the Democratic primary for New York’s mayoral race?Guest: Jimmy Vielkind, New York politics reporter for WNYC.Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman and Rob Gunther.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

They were three Harris-supporting women, from across the country, all married to Trump-supporting men—and they were all contemplating divorce.Guest: Scaachi Koul, Slate senior writer who wrote about women considering leaving their husbands over their support for Donald Trump and the author of Sucker Punch. Want more What Next? Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to What Next and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Craig Silverman, a technology reporter for ProPublica known for his investigative work on online manipulation, joins the discussion on Facebook's shift in policy. They dive into Meta's decision to drop fact-checkers, raising concerns about the prevalence of misinformation as sensational content thrives. Silverman explores the potential of crowdsourced fact-checking and its challenges, while addressing the pressing issue of child safety on social media. The conversation highlights the broader implications of prioritizing attention over accuracy in the digital age.

Elle Reeve, a CNN correspondent and author of 'Black Pill', dives deep into the internet culture shaping today's political landscape. She explores how the ideologies emerging from platforms like 4chan fuel real-world extremism, linking events from Gamergate to the Charlottesville rally. The discussion reveals how irony turned into serious belief systems among online communities and highlights the normalization of extremist rhetoric in political discourse. Reeve also examines the aftermath of these events, including their legal and cultural ramifications.

Aware of Donald Trump’s reputation as a dealmaker, Ukrainians had some hope as he took office—maybe Trump could break the stalemate with Russia and find peace. Then that Oval Office meeting happened…Guest: Romeo Kokriatski is the managing editor of New Voice of Ukraine, and co-host of the podcast Ukraine Without Hype.Want more What Next? Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to What Next and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vincent Pinti, a law and public-policy graduate student at the University of Michigan, shares his firsthand experiences with severe federal funding cuts. He discusses the ripple effects of these cuts, especially on health services and individuals with disabilities. As Vincent navigates the challenges posed by reduced government support, he highlights the stark contrast between political promises and the reality faced by those reliant on assistance. His insightful stories underscore the urgent need for systemic reforms to address the growing gap in support.