Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics Podcast

Over a weekend with many intense headlines, “No Kings Day” protests against the Trump administration took place around the country. On Today's Show: Susan Glasser, staff writer at The New Yorker, author of a weekly column on life in Washington and host of the Political Scene podcast, talks about the latest national political news, including the the news from Los Angeles, President Trump's military parade and the "No Kings" protests. 

Last night, Brian co-moderated a debate among the Democratic hopefuls campaigning to be NYC's next mayor. On Today's Show:Hear excerpts from the debate that specifically asks candidates how they would respond to those moves by the Trump administration that could impact city life, from federal funding cuts to crackdowns by federal law enforcement on protests. 

Tense scenes between protestors and law enforcement agents, both local and federal, have violently clashed. On Today's Show:Gustavo Arellano, columnist for The Los Angeles Times, offers his take on the protests in Los Angeles, the Trump administration's response and how local communities are showing up for their immigrant neighbors. 

The U.S. Health Secretary, RFK Jr., announced he was dismissing all the members of the CDC's vaccine advisory committee.On Today's Show:Katelyn Jetelina, founder and author of the newsletter Your Local Epidemiologist, talks about what RFK Jr. says are his goals, and what the consequences might be.

CNN's lead DC anchor and chief Washington correspondent shares his analysis of recent news, including the intensifying standoffs between protesters and federal law enforcement in Los Angeles.On Today's Show:Jake Tapper, co-author with Alex Thompson of Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again (Penguin Press, 2025), talks about the latest national political headlines.

President Trump has deployed the National Guard to suppress demonstrations against immigration raids in Los Angeles.On Today's Show:Leah Litman, professor of law at the University of Michigan and a former Supreme Court clerk, co-host of the podcast "Strict Scrutiny" and the author of Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad Vibes (Atria/One Signal Publishers, 2025), offers legal analysis.

Last week, a congressional staffer at a district office was detained by officials from the Department of Homeland Security.On Today's Show:Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D, NY-12), talks about the incident, and more about his work in Washington.

With the Trump administration's general posture against the Department of Education, we speak with a former official about the DOE's value to local school districts. On Today's Show:John B. King, Jr., chancellor of the State University of New York (SUNY), former U.S. Education Secretary under Pres. Obama, and the author of Teacher By Teacher: The People Who Change Our Lives (Legacy Lit, 2025), talks about his memoir and work at many levels of the education system and advocates for the work of the Education Department.

After a transgender high school athlete won two events at a California track and field competition, President Donald Trump has threatened to defund the state. On today's episode: Katie Barnes, author of Fair Play: How Sports Shape the Gender Debates (St. Martin's Press, 2023), discusses the rules various leagues have set in place to ensure equity and inclusion and fact-checks some of the broader ideas held by the public about fairness and gender in sport.

A constituent told Sen. Joni Ernst that proposed Medicaid meant that "People are going to die." Sen. Ernst responded: "Well, we all are going to die."On Today's Show:Jonathan Lemire, co-host of Morning Joe on MSNBC; writer for MSNBC and contributing writer to The Atlantic, talks about the latest national political news, including Ernst's comments, what's brewing for Democrats regarding the 2028 election and more.