Millions Of Americans Set To Lose Federal Food Aid Nov. 1 Due To Shutdown

Millions of Americans are set to lose federal food assistance on Nov. 1, unless lawmakers step in. We discuss how food banks are handling the imminent crisis and whether the deadline will push congressional leaders back to the negotiating table.This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, political reporter Stephen Fowler, and congressional correspondent Barbara Sprunt.This podcast was produced by Bria Suggs and edited by Rachel Baye. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The Trump administration has said universities that sign a compact agreeing to certain policy priorities will get preferential treatment when it comes to get federal funding. Though no schools have signed the agreement yet, some say they are in discussions with the administration about it. We discuss the compact and other tactics by an administration that has made reshaping higher education a priority.This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, education correspondent Elissa Nadworny, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.This podcast was produced by Bria Suggs and edited by Rachel Baye. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

This week in Washington, President Trump halted trade talks with Canada, announced a private donation to help pay the military and authorized new sanctions on Russian oil. We discuss these developments, as well as how Trump uses his carefully cultivated image.This episode: political correspondent Ashley Lopez, senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.This podcast was produced by Casey Morell & Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The Trump administration broke ground this week on a new White House ballroom, demolishing the White House’s East Wing in the process. We discuss why the project is controversial and who is paying the $300 million bill.This episode: political correspondent Ashley Lopez, senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.Amazon and Google are financial supporters of NPR and Amazon pays to distribute some of our content.This podcast was produced by Casey Morell & Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The Constitution gives Congress the power of the purse and oversight over military actions, but recent actions by the White House appear to step on that authority. We discuss whether Congress has ceded its power to the Trump administration and what it would take to get it back. This episode: White House correspondent Deepa Shivaram, congressional correspondent Claudia Grisales, and senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson.This podcast was produced by Casey Morell & Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

At the heart of the federal government shutdown is a fight on Capitol Hill over health insurance subsidies. We discuss the likely impact of not extending those subsidies past their expiration at the end of the year, plus how the government shutdown is forcing some family planning clinics to close.This episode: White House correspondent Deepa Shivaram, health policy correspondent Selena Simmons-Duffin, and congressional correspondent Barbara Sprunt.This podcast was produced by Casey Morell & Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Dominion Voting Systems, the election technology firm at the center of several election-related conspiracy theories in 2020, was sold this month and rebranded as Liberty Vote. We discuss the practical implications of the transformation and how it could affect the 2026 midterm elections. This episode: White House correspondent Deepa Shivaram, voting correspondent Miles Parks, and Colorado Public Radio reporter Bente Birkeland.This podcast was produced by Casey Morell & Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The Justice Department indicted former National Security Adviser John Bolton on charges related to mishandling classified information. Bolton was a vocal critic of President Trump, and his indictment comes on the heels of indictments of other Trump critics, James Comey and Letitia James. We discuss the case against Bolton as well as other major news in Washington this week. This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, justice correspondent Ryan Lucas, White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, and senior political and editor correspondent Domenico Montanaro.This podcast was produced by Bria Suggs and edited by Rachel Baye. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Gen Z and millennial voters are a significant voting bloc — expected to account for more than half of eligible voters by the next presidential election. We discuss how the financial pressures weighing specifically on younger rural voters affects how and whether they vote.This episode: political correspondent Ashley Lopez, political reporter Elena Moore, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.This podcast was produced by Casey Morell & Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

One task the federal government does a lot of is gathering data -- on prices, on the job market, and on a bunch of other things. When the government is shut down, those data aren't getting collected, and economic policy decisions based on those data aren't getting made with the full picture. We discuss why this aspect of the government shutdown has a broader impact than you might think.This episode: political correspondent Ashley Lopez, White House correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, and senior economic correspondent Scott Horsley.This podcast was produced and edited by Casey Morell & Bria Suggs.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy