How The Epstein Drama Changes Politics for Trump and Congress

Israel celebrates its apparent military victory over Iran. How does that square with the humanitarian conditions in Gaza?On Today's Show:David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker and the host of The New Yorker Radio Hour, talks about his recent trip to Israel as the country navigates the complicated geopolitics of the region, and the changing landscape of international support.  

The conflict between Israel and Hamas continues, with many Palestinian civilians reportedly unable to access food, medicine and other basic supplies.On Today's Show:Avril Benoît, executive director of Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières in the United States, and Katy Crosby, Mercy Corps Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy, talk about the on-the-ground reports they're receiving on the food and medical crises in Gaza. 

General Motors' CFO says they won't raise prices despite the tariffs imposed by Trump's White House, and the retaliatory tariffs imposed by the US's global trade partners.On Today's Show:Alexandra Svokos, the digital managing editor of Kiplinger, talks about what some economic indicators say about the effects of the new tariffs.

Speaker Mike Johnson sent members of the House of Representatives home for their August break a few days early in order to avoid a vote on releasing Epstein materials.On Today's Show: Annie Karni, congressional correspondent for The New York Times and co-author (with Luke Broadwater) of Mad House: How Donald Trump, Maga Mean Girls, a Former Used Car Salesman, a Florida Nepo Baby and A Man with Rats in his Walls Broke Congress (Random House, 2025), talks about how the years-old story is roiling Republicans and delighting Democrats, and more Congressional news.

In clips that went viral, Mehdi Hasan, editor-in-chief and CEO of Zeteo, columnist for The Guardian and former MSNBC host, debated 20 far-right conservatives on Jubilee's YouTube series "Surrounded."  He talks about the experience and why he's still not sure it was worth it.

The Texas state legislature has reconvened for a special session and at the behest of President Trump, one of the primary goals is to redraw the state's Congressional map to shore up the Republican majority in the House. On Today's Show:Matthew Choi, co-writer of the Early Brief politics newsletter at The Washington Post, explains why this is happening now, and how Democrats, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, are trying to fight back.

Hear about the latest media headlines, from the Late Show's cancellation, to Trump's newspaper lawsuits and public media funding clawbacks and the Epstein Files news cycle.On Today's Show:Brian Stelter, chief media analyst for CNN Worldwide, lead author of the Reliable Sources newsletter and the author of several books, including Network of Lies: The Epic Saga of Fox News, Donald Trump, and the Battle for America (Atria/One Signal Publishers, 2024), offers analysis of all the big media stories from recent days. 

Columbia University has announced it will use a controversial definition of antisemitism on campus, approved by the Trump administration. On Today's Show:Arno Rosenfeld, enterprise reporter at the Forward and author of the Antisemitism Decoded newsletter, talks about the new definition and why some groups don't support it. Plus Katie J.M. Baker, national investigative correspondent for The New York Times, discusses Project Esther, a project of the conservative Heritage Foundation that aims to suppress pro-Palestinian activism and what it labels antisemitism across America.

The senate approved a rescission package of cuts to NPR and PBS along with foreign aid.On Today's Show:LaFontaine Oliver, president and CEO of New York Public Radio, and Sarah Gilbert, president and CEO of WAMC/Northeast Public Radio, talk about what comes next, both for larger stations like WNYC and smaller and more rural public radio stations.

President Trump has attempted to signal a change of tune toward Russian President Vladimir Putin in his war against Ukraine.On Today's Show:Garry Kasparov, former world chess champion and democracy activist, plus host of The Atlantic podcast "Autocracy in America," chairman of the Renew Democracy Initiative and a vice president of the World Liberty Congress, offers his take on how the United States of America can avoid backsliding into autocracy.