Does the U.S. need a $1.5 trillion defense budget?

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is asking Congress for a record amount of money, $1.5 trillion, as the U.S.-Israel war with Iran continues. What do those taxpayer dollars pay for? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Companies rushed to replace workers with AI. Now, some of these same companies are hiring back human workers. What happened? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut says the “current version of capitalism isn’t working” for Americans. What’s his plan for his party — and our country? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller wants to shut down immigration because he believes many immigrants refuse to "assimilate." But what does assimilation mean to immigrants themselves? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

When his mother fell for an online romance scam, Carlos Barragán flew to Nigeria to track down the con artist. What he uncovered was so much bigger. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

President Donald Trump is escalating his efforts to reshape how American elections are run within the law and on the ground. How will his pressure campaign impact voters ahead of the 2026 midterms? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The U.S. has become an increasingly erratic superpower. Now, the world’s middle powers are rising. What's next for places like India and Canada in a shifting global order? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Approximately 20% of all food waste in America is linked to confusion over date labels. Now, California is banning most food expiration labeling. So, what do expiration dates really tell us? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mathematician Eugenia Cheng wants us to rethink our relationship to math -- and equality. We hear how different paths lead to identical outcomes in math, and how that can help us all in real life. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

For generations, Ellis Island has been America’s great symbol of immigration. But another gateway has shaped the nation just as profoundly: El Paso, Texas. We trace one hundred years of migration, violence and memory along the U.S.–Mexico border. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint