

Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics Podcast
WNYC Studios
Daily thoughtful conversation about the latest news and politics.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 10, 2025 • 22min
Hello Tariffs, Goodbye Consumer Protections
President Trump begins the fourth week of his second term today. On Today's Show:Susan Page, USA Today Washington bureau chief and the author of several books, including The Rulebreaker: The Life and Times of Barbara Walters (Simon & Schuster, 2024), talks about the latest national political news, including the status of import tariffs and the trade war, the apparent work-stoppage at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the photo of Elon Musk sitting behind the Resolute Desk.

Feb 7, 2025 • 23min
Will the Courts be a Check on President Trump's Power?
Only a few weeks into President Trump's second term, and there are already legal fights gearing up over several of his new policies.On Today's Show:Stephen Vladeck, professor of federal courts at Georgetown University Law Center, talks about some of the legal challenges to early actions by the Trump administration.

Feb 6, 2025 • 21min
Why Deleting Public Health Data Is Bad For Public Health
Federal agencies like the CDC, NIH and the FDA had to remove and alter some data from their websites to comply with executive orders issued by President Trump.On Today's Show:Katelyn Jetelina, founder and author of the newsletter "Your Local Epidemiologist," explains why data is "gold," and how these changes may affect our health.

Feb 5, 2025 • 22min
Why Aren't 'Checks And Balances' Reigning In Trump And Musk?
Reporting suggests that Elon Musk has continued to try to reshape several federal government institutions to fit his and President Trump's agenda. On Today's Show:Andrew Prokop, senior politics correspondent at Vox, talks about the "vast powers" that President Trump has given to Elon Musk, what he's doing with them and what's underpinning the effort overhaul of the federal bureaucracy.

Feb 4, 2025 • 21min
Jeffries Threatens Government Shutdown To Block Some Of Trump’s Agenda
Democrats are pondering how to posture themselves against President Trump's agenda and the GOP-controlled Congress.On Today's Show:House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D NY-8th, Brooklyn) explains what he is calling for Democrats to do in response to President Trump's moves on federal funding, tariffs and more.

Feb 3, 2025 • 18min
Personal Finance Meets Democracy Preservation As Federal Workers Consider The Buyout
Much of the recent news cycle has centered on the Trump administration's efforts to offer a buyout to federal workers in exchange for their resignations.On Today's Show:Francesca Chambers, White House Correspondent for USA Today, talks about the news from Washington as the second Trump administration begins its third week.

Jan 31, 2025 • 30min
Sen. Andy Kim on Questioning RFK, Jr., Dems Best Hopes and More
On today's show:U.S. Senator Andy Kim (D NJ) talks about the Trump cabinet nominees, including his questioning of RFK, Jr. on Thursday, plus his other work in Washington and New Jersey.

Jan 30, 2025 • 25min
Are Trump’s Executive Orders A Democracy Test?
The White House budget office ordered a pause on federal loans and grants, only to issue a reversal days later.On Today's Show:Kate Shaw, professor at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, co-host of the Supreme Court podcast Strict Scrutiny and a contributing opinion writer with The New York Times, offers legal analysis of the move — and the Trump administration's attempts to expand executive power in general.

Jan 29, 2025 • 29min
Dem Senators Wyden of OR and Hasan of NH Grill RFK Jr. on Vaccines and Abortion Rights
With Trump's pick for Secretary of Health and Human Services, RFK Jr. appearing for his confirmation hearing today, we present special coverage of the proceedings.On Today's Show:Daniel Griffin, MD, PhD, chief of infectious disease for Island Infectious Diseases (the largest physician-owned Infectious Disease Specialist Group on Long Island), an infectious disease specialist and clinical instructor of medicine at Columbia University and president of Parasites Without Borders and co-host of the podcast "This Week in Virology", offers his commentary and analysis.

Jan 28, 2025 • 22min
What To Know Before RFK's Confirmation Hearing Tomorrow
With Trump ally Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expected to head up the Department of Health and Human Services, we look ahead to his upcoming confirmation hearings.On Today's Show:Clare Malone, staff writer at The New Yorker covering media and politics, previews RFK;s first of two confirmation hearings tomorrow as President Donald Trump’s nominee.