CNN One Thing

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that blocks states from enforcing their own regulations around artificial intelligence, arguing that a “single national framework” will help boost innovation. However, some GOP-controlled state legislatures are pushing back, arguing it infringes on states' rights. We explore what’s driving this wedge and how it could impact the 2026 midterms.   For more: Pro-AI super PAC launches first candidate ads  ---  Guests: Utah state Sen. Heidi Balderree (R) & Hadas Gold, CNN AI Correspondent  Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Senior Producer: Faiz Jamil  Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Netflix has a deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery’s (CNN’s parent company) Hollywood assets. Paramount thinks they have a better offer for the entire business and is hoping to have President Donald Trump in its corner as it launches a hostile takeover bid. But what does this corporate clash mean for your streaming bill? Or your local movie theater? We hear from an antitrust lawyer who believes that no matter who wins, the average consumer is set to lose.  For more: Battle of the Davids: The future of Hollywood is playing out before our eyes ---  Guest: Alvaro Bedoya, former FTC commissioner   Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin  Editorial Support: David Goodman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Green card holders. Refugees. Asylum seekers. Even naturalized citizens. Fear and confusion are gripping immigrants of all stripes across the country as President Donald Trump expands his restrictions on legal immigration in the wake of the National Guard shooting in Washington, DC. Is this about public safety, or something else? And could Trump’s xenophobic “garbage” comments about Somalis encourage more hateful rhetoric? We hear why the recent moves could jam up a system that’s already plenty clogged.  For more: How Trump is intensifying his crackdown on every form of immigration to the US  ---  Guests: Elissa J. Taub, immigration lawyer & Priscilla Alvarez, CNN Correspondent  Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin  Editorial Support: Rob Kuznia Episode art: Mathieu Lewis-Rolland/AFP/Getty Images Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are calling for investigations into reports that the Trump administration carried out second strike killing survivors on a suspected drug boat off the coast of Venezuela that had already been attacked. While the administration continues to insist it is operating legally, experts are raising concerns about what will happen if it starts ground operations amid a pressure campaign against Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro. We hear how average Venezuelans are reacting, and then David talks to a former military lawyer who says the campaign against alleged drug boats is degrading the long-term effectiveness of the military.  For more: Trump is threatening to attack a country with more oil than Iraq  ---  Guests: Stefano Pozzebon, CNN Contributor & Michael Schmitt, Professor of International Law at the University of Reading  Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin  Editorial Support: Caroline Paterson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The eyes of the international soccer world will be on North America next summer when the FIFA World Cup comes to the US, Mexico and Canada. President Donald Trump has been intimately involved with the planning – going so far as to threaten to move games from cities that don’t cooperate with his policies. Ahead of the tournament draw, we examine what’s behind Trump’s fascination with the tournament and whether international fans will want to come amid stories of detention and deportation.  For more: Trump muses about what it would take to strip US World Cup host cities of games just months before the tournament kicks off  ---  Guest: Don Riddell, CNN World Sport Anchor and Correspondent  Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin  Editorial Support: Kyle Feldscher, Jennifer Bernstein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tori Lightcap, a parent featured in a CNN report, shares her eye-opening experiences with soaring grocery bills, explaining how her family's budget has taken a hitting. She reveals the emotional toll of rising costs as holiday shopping approaches. Vanessa Yurkevich discusses the broader implications of affordability in politics, highlighting how consumer confidence is waning. Together, they explore how major retailers are adapting to economic pressures, with Macy's focusing on in-store experiences and Walmart racing to enhance its e-commerce speed.

Phil Mattingly, CNN's chief domestic correspondent, delves into the AI investment boom with a sharp focus on NVIDIA, the chipmaker at the center of an emerging bubble. He highlights NVIDIA's soaring valuation and strong earnings while questioning the technology's sustainability. Mattingly discusses CEO Jensen Huang's close ties to Donald Trump and explores potential government intervention due to geopolitical threats. The conversation wraps around the economic impact of the AI rush on everyday investors, emphasizing why this topic matters now more than ever.

Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene is breaking with President Donald Trump and apologizing for “taking part in toxic politics,” after years of divisive comments of her own. Is this contrition, or posturing for a post-Trump future? We hear from someone who has covered Greene for years who says a GOP revolt over the Jeffrey Epstein files could signal more trouble for Trump in the months ahead.  For more: The key issues that are suddenly dividing MAGA  ---  Guest: Tia Mitchell, Atlanta Journal-Constitution Washington Bureau Chief  Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Donald Trump has pardoned more than 1,600 people who played significant roles in matters involving him personally across his two terms, including dozens who worked to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. Presidents always flex pardon power, so what makes these so unusual? We hear from a constitutional law expert who says part of the answer lies in the man in charge of the review process.  For more: Trump’s pardons aren’t just political; more importantly, they’re transactional  ---  Guest: Kim Wehle, former Assistant US Attorney  Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chicago remains on edge as immigration enforcement operations in recent weeks have sparked tense standoffs and legal questions over federal agents’ use of force. However, local resistance groups have taken it upon themselves to (loudly) alert neighbors of ICE’s presence. We hear from some of them and then look at the controversial Border Patrol official in charge of ‘Operation Midway Blitz’ and where he might be heading next. For more: ‘There is no sanctuary here’: Meet the Border Patrol chief in charge of Trump’s Chicago crackdown  ---  Guests: Loretta Capeheart, Héctor Reyes, Laura Tober, & Priscilla Alvarez, CNN Correspondent  Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices