
Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics Podcast
Daily thoughtful conversation about the latest news and politics.
Latest episodes

May 15, 2025 • 9min
WNYC President LaFontaine Oliver On The Campaign To Defund Public Broadcasting
The federal government is aiming to take steps to reduce public funding to public media sources through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.On Today's Show:LaFontaine Oliver, president and CEO of New York Public Radio, talks about the executive order President Trump signed regarding federal funding for public media and what comes next for the NYPR and the broader system.

May 14, 2025 • 19min
Senator Chris Murphy On How To Save Democracy
A Democratic senator outlines his critiques of the Trump administration, and outlines his prescription for protecting the guardrails of democracy.On Today's Show:Chris Murphy, U.S. Senator (D-CT), author ofThe Violence Inside Us: A Brief History of an Ongoing American Tragedy (Random House, 2020) talks about his critique of DHS and the effect of Trump administration policies in Connecticut.

May 13, 2025 • 21min
Dems For NJ Guv Debate After Baraka Arrest at ICE Facility
At a recent primary event for Democrats hoping to be NJ's next Governor, candidates discussed how they are thinking about a relationship with President Trump's administration. On Today's Show:Michael Hill, WNYC Morning Edition host and Briana Vannozzi, anchor for "NJ Spotlight News," recap and offer analysis of a conversation between New Jersey's Democratic candidates for governor.

May 12, 2025 • 20min
Supreme Court Justices Are Speaking Up
Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown-Jackson has made comments characterizing the Trump administration's behavior toward the legal profession as "threats and harassment."On Today's Show:Mark Joseph Stern, senior writer at Slate covering courts and the law, previews the end of the Supreme Court term, and talks about the arrest of Newark NJ's mayor Ras Baraka.

May 9, 2025 • 23min
Explainer: Trump’s Crypto Windfall and Corruption Claims
In president Trump's first administration, he stated that Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are "not money". Now, his sons head their own crypto company.On Today's Show:David Yaffe-Bellany, technology reporter forThe New York Times, covering the crypto industry, shares his reporting on the ways the Trump family has financially benefitted from embracing the industry in these first few months of his second presidency.

May 7, 2025 • 21min
The Science and Politics of Fixing Air Traffic Control
Communication blackouts, delayed flights, staffing shortages -- New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport has been in crisis mode for the past week. On Today's Show:Pete Muntean, CNN correspondent covering aviation and transportation, pilot, and flight instructor, takes us behind the scenes of the multiday meltdown at Newark, and explains what's caused these problems for travelers and staff alike.

May 6, 2025 • 20min
Will RFK’s New Vaccine Policy Cancel Fall COVID Shots?
Last week, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that the Food and Drug Administration would require all new vaccines to be tested against placebos and to develop new vaccines without using mRNA technology.On Today's Show:Christina Jewett, reporter covering Food and Drug Administration forThe New York Times, explains what that will mean for future drugs, including COVID-19 booster shots, plus more FDA-related news headlines.

May 5, 2025 • 22min
Why The President Is Coming For Your Kids’ Dolls
With the impacts of President Trump's trade wars beginning to be felt in the US, we discuss the macro- and micro-economics of the administration's trade policy.On Today's Show:Kimberly Adams, senior Washington correspondent for Marketplace and the co-host of the Marketplace podcast “Make Me Smart,” talks about the latest news on tariffs, including the end of the de minimis exemption, which may lead to higher prices for consumers. Plus, Arthur Dong, professor of strategy and economics at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University, offers analysis of the US-China relationship as Beijing is considering whether it should begin to negotiate with President Trump on trade.

May 2, 2025 • 22min
Pass the SALT? Tax and Spending Cuts Time In Congress
With officials and lawmakers in Washington D.C. discussing federal budget priorities, we look the coming year in government funding. On Today's Show:Kadia Goba, politics reporter for Semafor, reports on the latest news from Congress, including where things stand on budget negotiations, the SAVE Act and more.

May 1, 2025 • 23min
Judge Compares Student Deportation Policy to McCarthy
Several cases of the Trump administration's immigration detentions and deportations have raised questions about due process.On Today's Show:Nick Miroff, staff writer for The Atlantic who covers immigration and the Department of Homeland Security, talks about the behind the scenes negotiations between the Trump administration and the president of El Salvador about the US sending deportees there, regardless of their country of origin.