Why losing trust in expertise threatens democracy

Regardless of where you sit on the political spectrum, 2025 was a year of economic uncertainty for many Americans. Shifting tariff policies, stubbornly high inflation and skyrocketing healthcare costs left many consumers reeling. Will 2026 see a better economy? USA TODAY Finance Reporter Andrea Riquier joins The Excerpt to discuss the buzzword of the year: affordability. Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at [email protected]. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s the worst-cast scenario no one wants to talk about: what happens if America's nuclear missile silos are attacked? The Minuteman III is a powerful intercontinental ballistic missile capable of striking targets on the other side of the world, and it could be our best bet. But it’s aging, and land-based ICBMs have an Achilles heel. USA TODAY Defense Reporter Davis Winkie joins The Excerpt to discuss “The Nuclear Sponge” – a five-part project by USA TODAY that dives into the strategic debate and costs of modernizing the land leg of America’s nuclear arsenal. Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at [email protected]. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Early in the hours of Saturday morning, US forces descended on the Venezuelan capital of Caracas. Hours later, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were in US custody. While President Donald Trump had been threatening to capture Maduro for weeks, many questions are swirling about the move, first among them, was this even legal? And, what happens now? USA TODAY White House Correspondent Bart Jansen joins The Excerpt to discuss.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at [email protected]. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

President Donald Trump enters 2026 facing mounting pressure on multiple fronts — rising health care costs for millions of Americans, a Supreme Court decision that could upend his tariff agenda, fragile peace efforts in Ukraine and Gaza and political distractions that refuse to fade. USA TODAY White House Correspondent, Joey Garrison, breaks down what’s at stake for the president as midterm elections loom.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at [email protected]. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From “follow the science” during COVID to universities accused of activism, the gap between experts and the public is widening. Roger Pielke Jr. explains why expertise doesn’t just mean a PhD, how media silos deepen divides, and why experts must serve all Americans — not just those who share their politics. (This episode originally aired on September 18, 2025.)Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at [email protected]. Episode transcript available here.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A new beverage has been showing up in bars and on store shelves: the cannabis cocktail, a hemp-derived drink that contains CBD and oftentimes THC as well. They’re marketed as providing a buzz without the downside of a hangover. But are there drawbacks? And could these drinks ever replace alcohol? Staci Gruber, director of marijuana investigations for the Neuroscientific Discovery program at McLean Hospital and associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School joins The Excerpt to answer these and other questions about this new trend. (This episode originally aired on March 5, 2025.)Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at [email protected]. Episode Transcript available hereSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

2025 was a big year for the Supreme Court, as it repeatedly handed win after win to the Trump administration. Emergency Orders, also known as the shadow docket, let President Donald Trump keep his tariffs in place, withhold foreign aid and conduct immigration raids largely based on racial profiling. But lawsuits filed by complainants mean that many of these cases will be ultimately decided in the new year. Hot button issues such as transgender athletes in sports, whether birthright citizenship is a constitutional right and if redistricting efforts in Louisiana have effectively disenfranchised voters are among many impactful decisions we expect to hear in 2026. USA TODAY Justice Department Correspondent Aysha Bagchi joins The Excerpt to share how these cases and others might impact life in America.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at [email protected]. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

America’s housing affordability crisis has led to a sharp increase in homelessness. And, according to the latest count by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD, children under the age of 18 have seen the largest jump. There are nearly 1.4 million homeless students nationwide, according to the National Center for Homeless Education. USA TODAY Breaking News Reporter Christopher Cann joins The Excerpt to discuss this rapidly growing population of students and the long-term implications for society. Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at [email protected]. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Home isn’t just a structure. It’s memory, identity and belonging. USA TODAY National Columnist Suzette Hackney joins The Excerpt to discuss her year-long reporting on displacement, from climate disasters and eminent domain to race, gentrification and the fragile systems that decide who gets to stay and who is forced to leave.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at [email protected]. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

At 28, Malala Yousafzai’s life so far has been anything but ordinary. When she was just 15, she was shot by the Taliban on her way to school, targeted for advocating for girls’ rights to education. At 17, she became the youngest person ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize, opening schools and speaking around the world with the Malala Fund. Now Malala is sharing a different side of herself in a new memoir, “Finding My Way.” USA TODAY Books Editor Clare Mulroy sat down with Malala to talk about her new memoir and how she feels about embracing her more ordinary self. (This episode originally aired on October 30, 2025.)Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at [email protected].  Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.