Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics Podcast

On Today's Show:Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation and the author of The Seven Rules of Trust: A Blueprint for Building Things That Last (Crown Currency, 2025), talks about how Wikipedia was able to rely on the "wisdom of the crowd" even as distrust climbed in the larger culture.

The conservative Supreme Court majority seems poised to allow President Trump to fire the top official on the Federal Trade Commission, expanding presidential power. On Today's Show:Elie Mystal, justice correspondent and columnist for The Nation magazine and host of the podcast, Contempt of Court with Elie Mystal, and author of Bad Law: Ten Popular Laws That Are Ruining America (The New Press, 2025), discusses this and other legal news.

Paramount and Netflix are vying to buy up parts of Warner Bros. Discovery.On Today's Show:Rohan Goswami, business reporter at Semafor and Katie Campione, senior TV & labor reporter at Deadline, discuss the recent merger talks, including the politics at play, and what it means for consumers.

According to DHS, almost three-quarters of people detained by ICE since October do not have any criminal convictions.On Today's Show:David Bier, director of immigration studies and the Selz Foundation chair in immigration policy at the Cato Institute, explains the data, and claims from the Trump Administration that they are prioritizing detaining people with violent criminal histories.

Some recent health headlines surround the federal government's changes to SNAP benefit programs, vaccine guidance for infants and others, and Obamacare.On Today's Show:Julie Rovner, chief Washington correspondent, KFF Health News and host of the What the Health? podcast, and Jude Joffe-Block, reporter at NPR, discuss the latest in health-related news.

An education advocate, who formerly supported school vouchers and charter schools, is now speaking in support of public education.On Today's Show:Diane Ravitch, education historian, former research professor of education at New York University, blogger at dianeravitch.net and author of the recent book An Education: How I Changed My Mind About Schools and Almost Everything Else (Columbia University Press, 2025), talks about the changes that led her to become a promoter of public schools.

Senator Mark Kelly appeared in a video alongside other veterans now serving in Congress, telling service members, “Our laws are clear: you can refuse illegal orders.” The Pentagon has since opened an investigation and even raised the possibility of recalling him to active duty for potential discipline. On Today's Show:Zachary Cohen, senior reporter on the national security beat for CNN, talks about what Kelly said, why Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the probe, and how this all fits into other Pentagon headlines this week, including reports of U.S. strikes on suspected drug boats.

On World AIDS Day, a look at the impact of foreign aid cuts on HIV prevention programs, particularly in South Africa.On Today's Show:Pratik Pawar, Future Perfect fellow at Vox, talks about a new HIV prevention drug the U.S. is making available worldwide, except to South Africa, the country with the most people living with HIV.

President Trump and his allies are framing the kidnappings and other attacks in Nigeria as Islamic attacks on Christians, and even threatening military actionOn Today's Show:Emmanuel Akinwotu, international correspondent for NPR, talks about the situation, including how extremist groups are killing people of all faiths in the country, not just Christians.  

On points where he disagrees with the scientific concensus, what makes RFK. Jr so sure he's right?On Today's Show:Michael Scherer, staff writer at The Atlantic, talks about his Atlantic cover story on HHS Secretary RFK, Jr., and other news.