Post Reports

Over the weekend, President Donald Trump invoked a seldom-used wartime powers act to deport suspected gang members without due process. Though a federal judge blocked the administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, more than a hundred migrants accused by U.S. officials of being part of the gang Tren de Aragua were flown to a prison in El Salvador on Saturday. It was the first time the Alien Enemies Act had been invoked since World War II, when it was used to incarcerate Japanese, Italian and German nationals and laid the foundation for the imprisonment of more than 110,000 Japanese Americans. Today on “Post Reports,” immigration reporter Marianne LeVine joins host Colby Itkowitz to unpack the strategy behind the administration’s use of this act outside of wartime, the timing and legality of the move, and what El Salvador is getting out of working with Trump. Today’s show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy and Ted Muldoon, who also mixed the show. It was edited by Reena Flores, with help from Lucy Perkins. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Democrats are bristling at the decision by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to vote for a GOP bill averting a government shutdown. Senior politics reporter Aaron Blake speaks with congressional reporter Marianna Sotomayor to get a behind-the-scenes look at the politics of the shutdown vote. He also breaks down the latest tariff news and Elon Musk drama with David Lynch, a financial writer for The Washington Post, and Trisha Thadani, a Post technology reporter. Today’s show was produced and mixed by Ted Muldoon. It was edited by Reena Flores and Rachel Van Dongen. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Mehmet Oz is President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a massive agency that oversees health coverage for more than 100 million Americans, including older adults, those with low incomes and children. Oz is a cardiothoracic surgeon and former professor at Columbia University who became a household name when he started appearing on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” in 2004 and then hosted his own show, “The Dr. Oz Show,” from 2009 to 2022. On Friday, Oz will face federal lawmakers in a Senate hearing as he seeks confirmation to run CMS, an agency that has a more than trillion-dollar budget and could face spending cuts in the budget year ahead. Today on “Post Reports,” health accountability reporter Lauren Weber explains why he may face questions about his past, his investments and possible conflicts of interest. Today’s show was produced by Elana Gordon. It was edited by Peter Bresnan with help from Maggie Penman and Lynh Bui. It was mixed by Sam Bair. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

For weeks, Americans have watched as Elon Musk and the U.S. DOGE Service have slashed at the federal bureaucracy, making drastic cuts to agency budgets and the federal workforce. And while President Donald Trump has made clear that he supports Musk, DOGE’s efforts have sparked concern among many senior Trump advisers, civil servants and everyday Americans. That has left DOGE, which stands for Department of Government Efficiency, hunting for wins. Today on “Post Reports,” The Post’s DOGE reporter Faiz Siddiqui joins host Colby Itkowitz to discuss how DOGE is responding to external pressure and what Tuesday’s White House press conference-turned-sales pitch for Tesla says about other pressures Musk could face. Today’s show was produced by Emma Talkoff with help from Rennie Svirnovskiy. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and mixed by Sam Bair. Thanks also to Mike Madden. Are you a snacker? This week, health columnist Anahad O’Connor published a deep dive into what makes a healthy packaged snack. He analyzed the labels and ingredients on different ultra-processed crackers, jerkies and protein bars and came away with a great guide to the healthiest options. You can find his recommendations at washingtonpost.com/snacks. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Columbia graduate student Mahmoud Khalil helped organize protests at the university against the Israel-Gaza war last spring. Khalil, who is a legal permanent resident of the United States, according to his lawyers, was detained over the weekend by immigration officers was detained by immigration officers and accused by the Trump administration of sympathizing with Hamas terrorists. So far no evidence of this has been reported. Immigration reporter Maria Sacchetti speaks with host Colby Itkowitz about Khalil’s arrest and what it could signal about how this administration will treat activists and immigrants. Today’s show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy, with help from Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sam Bair. Thanks also to Jenna Johnson. Subscribe to The Washington Post here. Where’s Martine?

In an interview broadcast on Sunday, President Donald Trump declined to rule out that Americans could see a recession this year as the economy stutters from his efforts to impose tariffs and cut down the size of the federal government. He told Fox News anchor Maria Bartiromo, “I hate to predict things like that. There is a period of transition, because what we’re doing is very big. We’re bringing wealth back to America. That’s a big thing.” Today on “Post Reports,” economics correspondent Abha Bhattarai joins host Colby Itkowitz to talk about the economic indicators informing the Trump administration, how businesses and consumers are handling inflation, and whether we’re headed toward a recession. Today’s show was produced by Sabby Robinson with help from Rennie Svirnovskiy. It was edited by Maggie Penman and mixed by Sam Bair. Subscribe to The Washington Post here. Where’s Martine?

Our beloved senior host, Martine Powers, is stepping away from the microphone for a bit to cover the White House and then take on a longer-term assignment. Tune in to today’s bonus episode to hear more, and get to know our guest co-host for the next few months, Colby Itkowitz. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

As Elon Musk leads a project to drastically remake the federal government, one goal might be fueling it all: getting to Mars. It’s an objective that President Donald Trump seems to share. In his inaugural address on Jan. 20, Trump promised that the U.S. would “pursue our manifest destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars.” But what are the obstacles to get to the Red Planet? Host Martine Powers speaks with space reporter Christian Davenport about the U.S. ambitions to get to Mars — and how the country, along with private space companies, could actually get there. Today’s show was produced and mixed by Ted Muldoon. It was edited by Reena Flores with help from Renita Jablonski and Maggie Penman. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

The National Institutes of Health is a sprawling and complex institution that supports the work of hundreds of thousands of scientists at universities and labs across the country. Since Trump’s inauguration that work has been stymied by confusion and uncertainty – potentially delaying or even preventing important medical research. The Post’s science reporter Carolyn Johnson has been reporting on the turmoil at NIH and talks to Martine about how it could impact a generation of scientists. Today’s show was produced by Emma Talkoff and Elana Gordon. It was edited by Maggie Penman and mixed by Sam Bair. Elana Gordon contributed reporting. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Senior political reporter Aaron Blake breaks down the speech with senior White House correspondent Naftali Bendavid and Democracy reporter Colby Itkowitz. They fact-check Trump’s DOGE claims and explain the political consequences Trump could face for his tariffs. Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Lucy Perkins with help from Rachel Van Dongen and mixed by Sam Bair. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Measles is one of the most contagious diseases in the world. It was eliminated in the United States 25 years ago because of an effective vaccine. While cases periodically pop up, a growing wave of vaccine skepticism is giving this old virus new traction. Health reporter Fenit Nirappil and “Post Reports” producer Elana Gordon recently traveled to the heart of this growing outbreak, which officials say may take months to get under control. Today, Martine Powers speaks with Fenit about the state of the Texas outbreak; we hear from a mom whose unvaccinated child recently got measles and from a pediatrician who has cared for hospitalized patients. Today’s show was produced by Elana Gordon, who also contributed to this report. It was edited by Peter Bresnan with help from Reena Flores and Maggie Penman, and mixed by Sam Bair. Thank you to Lenny Bernstein. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

On Friday, Zelensky and Trump met for what was expected to be a tense but uneventful meeting before signing a natural resources agreement that was seen as the first step to a peace deal with Russia. Instead, cameras captured a blow-up – Trump and Vice President JD Vance accused Zelensky of being ungrateful and said he was “gambling with the lives of millions of people.” Since then, European leaders have redoubled support for Ukraine – while the Kremlin proclaimed that the Trump administration is “largely aligned” with Moscow’s vision. Martine Powers speaks with White House reporter Michael Birnbaum about how the meeting fell apart and where Zelensky might go from here. Today’s show was produced by Emma Talkoff with help from Bishop Sand. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and mixed by Sam Bair. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Some House Republicans are getting nervous. They’re worried that passing President Donald Trump’s budget proposal could mean cuts to popular programs like Medicaid. They’ve also gotten an earful from voters angry at Elon Musk who are packing congressional town halls. Senior politics reporter Aaron Blake unpacks the drama with congressional reporter Marianna Sotomayor and congressional economics correspondent Jacob Bogage. Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and mixed by Ted Muldoon. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

This year’s Oscar contenders are all over the place, ranging from the adaptation of the popular musical “Wicked” to the Brazilian historical drama “I’m Still Here.” Film and TV reporter Sonia Rao and arts editor Janice Page sit down with host Martine Powers to share which films are rising to the top and explain why some actors may be favored more by the academy than others. Today’s show was produced by Emma Talkoff, with help from Sabby Robinson and Ariel Plotnick. It was edited by Maggie Penman and mixed by Sam Bair.

Gregg Bufanto worked as a lead wilderness ranger in Washington state and used his basic firefighting training to help contain fires in the parks he worked in. Erin Williamson traveled to rural communities to help them get financing for essential services as part of her job with the U.S. Agriculture Department. Veteran Jared Blockus worked for a VA hospital in North Carolina ordering critical equipment. All of them were probationary workers fired a couple of weeks ago as part of the Trump administration’s plan to reduce the size of the federal workforce, along with thousands of others. Host Martine Powers speaks with reporter Kyle Swenson about these former federal workers and what their job loss means personally and for the public. Today’s show was produced by Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sam Bair. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Host Martine Powers speaks with Supreme Court reporter Justin Jouvenal about Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services, which will be heard before the country’s highest court on Wednesday. Ames and her attorneys say she was held back at her job because she is straight and White. Her case was rejected by lower courts, in part because reverse discrimination claims require a higher burden of proof than anti-minority discrimination in many parts of the country. But Ames’s attorneys argue that this double standard is unconstitutional. And many legal experts say the Supreme Court is poised to agree. And they expect that if the court sides with Ames, it could lead to an increase in the number of discrimination lawsuits filed by straight people, White people and men. The decision may also have a chilling effect on corporate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Peter Bresnan and mixed by Sam Bair. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Opioid overdoses don’t have to be fatal if the person gets help in time. In recent years naloxone, a medication that reverses opioid overdoses, has become more widely available in the United States. Narcan, a nasal spray version of naloxone, became available without prescription in pharmacies in 2023. That means more people can help reverse overdoses. Despite showing signs of decline, the number of people dying nationwide from overdoses eclipsed 100,000 annually from 2020 to 2023, according to national health data. Host Elahe Izadi talks with producer Elana Gordon about the lifesaving effects of the medication. They walk through the steps of how to use Narcan and what it feels like to experience an opioid overdose reversal. Today’s show was produced by Ariel Plotnick. It was edited by Lucy Perkins with help from Alison MacAdam and mixed by Sam Bair. Download The Post’s step-by-step guide for how to administer the naloxone nasal spray here. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

An analysis of news reports by The Washington Post found that at least 477 people — 90 percent of them students — were arrested in the two weeks after the Apalachee High massacre in Georgia. That’s nearly 100 more than in the aftermath of the three previous mass school shootings combined. In Volusia County, Florida, the elected sheriff, Mike Chitwood, a registered Independent and brash Philadelphia native, decided he’d had enough. In September 2024, he deployed dozens of deputies and spent an extra $21,000 in taxpayer money. On a single night, his office received 54 tips. Reporters Hannah Natanson and John Woodrow Cox document the real-life effects of Volusia’s aggressive response on children, parents, teachers, administrators and police officers. This story is part of our Deep Reads series, which showcases narrative journalism at The Washington Post. It was read by John Woodrow Cox. Audio production and original music by Bishop Sand.

Senior political reporter Aaron Blake talks with Post congressional reporter Liz Goodwin and Dan Lamothe, who covers the Pentagon and the U.S. military, about the week’s political news. They dig into Trump’s sharp turn against Ukraine and its president, Volodymyr Zelensky, and toward Russian President Vladimir Putin. They also talk about new polling that shows Trump’s sweeping federal policy decisions are largely unpopular. Plus, why GOP lawmakers are quietly begging Trump to spare their districts from Trump and his ally Elon Musk’s splashy government spending cuts. Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Lucy Perkins with help from Rachel Van Dongen. It was mixed by Justin Gerrish.

Alex Clark stands out on mic and on camera. The 31-year-old wellness influencer and podcaster has nearly half a million followers on YouTube and ranks among the top 10 wellness podcasts on Apple. While wellness has long been associated with liberal hippies, Clark hails from a conservative background. She’s part of the new “Make America Healthy Again” movement questioning modern medicine, backing President Donald Trump and supporting anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has started as health and human services secretary. For the last year and a half, reporter Kara Voght has been following Clark’s rise, spending time with her in Arizona. Today, Voght speaks with host Martine Powers about Clark’s rise as a conservative wellness warrior, what’s behind the changing politics of wellness, and what that could mean for the nation’s health. Today’s show was produced by Elana Gordon. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sam Bair. Thanks also to Steve Kolowich. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.