POLITICO Tech

The POLITICO Tech podcast is your daily download on the disruption that technology is bringing to politics and policy. From AI and the metaverse to disinformation and microchips, we explore how today’s technology is shaping our world — and driving the policy decisions, global rivalries and industries that will matter tomorrow.

Tech News
Politics
Daily News
426
Poland and the U.S. weigh fighter jet deal
Last week, when Poland considered sending warplanes to aid Ukraine, Warsaw asked the White House to guarantee it would replace the outgoing planes with U.S.-made fighter jets. On Sunday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the two countries were in talks. Paul McLeary reports.
12 min
427
Jan. 6 committee alleges "criminal conspiracy"
As the January 6 Committee prepares for its first public hearing — likely next month — some of their evidence is starting to come into shape. In a major release of its findings, filed in federal court late Wednesday, the committee suggested that its evidence supported findings that Trump himself violated multiple laws by attempting to prevent Congress from certifying his defeat. Nicholas Wu reports.
11 min
428
Biden admin announces new Covid plan. Will it w...
The White House has been reluctant to declare the end of the pandemic — especially after optimism last summer was made moot by the emergence of the Delta and Omicron variants. But administration officials have pointed to vaccine and test availability — and hope that revised CDC guidance and a new 96-page plan from the Biden administration will ease political pressure and a path out of the pandemic.
13 min
429
New York City's voter experiment
A national movement to give voting rights to legal noncitizens has found its way to New York City. Pending court battles, it will soon give 800,000 people the chance to shape local elections. Erin Durkin reports.
11 min
430
What will the sanctions on Russia really do?
Sanctions on banking, tech, weapons and more were rolled out against Russia over the weekend — arguably historic in size and scope. But the big question remains, will they have an effect on Putin's war against Ukraine? Nahal Toosi reports.
11 min
431
What you should know about Ketanji Brown Jackson
President Joe Biden selected D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as his nominee to succeed retiring Justice Stephen Breyer on Friday, making history by nominating a Black woman for the nation’s highest court. Josh Gertstein reports on what you need to know about the judge and her looming confirmation battle.
13 min
432
Biden’s red lines in Ukraine
Sanctions are a long-term solution to a short-term problem. They’re the lever that the United States and allies have chosen to use to punish Russia for its brazen invasion of Ukraine. But Biden made clear that any sanctions policy that hurts Americans, such as oil and gas sanctions, would be off-the-table, for now. Alex Ward reports.
12 min
433
The FDA's 4-month recall gap
The FDA first received reports of a foodborne illness suspected to be linked to infant formula back in September 2021. Last week, it issued a sweeping recall of three major brands after four babies were hospitalized and one died. Helena Bottemiller Evich reports.
11 min
434
350.org faces next challenge: itself
It was the group that brought down the Keystone XL pipeline — a once-upstart environmental advocacy group that changed the face of America’s climate activism. But 350.org, founded by legendary activist Bill McKibben, now faces a budget crunch, equity fights and union strife. Zack Colman reports.
12 min
435
Putin escalates crisis
In a televised address on Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized two breakaway territories in eastern Ukraine as independent, amounting to a dramatic escalation of a crisis that Western leaders have warned is a pretext for a Russian invasion of Ukraine. Alex Ward reports.
14 min
436
Josh Mandel and the crowded Ohio primary
In a Ohio Senate GOP primary that holds five candidates, Josh Mandel has broken through as an early front-runner with brazen tweets and campaign trail provocations. But what makes him stand out is the length of his political arc: he's ubiquitous in Ohio politics and has been working on becoming a Senator for the past two decades — before turning 45. Michael Kruse reports.
14 min
437
A $30 billion price tag for continued Covid fun...
Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra told congressional appropriators in charge of supplemental pandemic funding that at least $30 billion is needed to keep Covid-19 response work going, arguing that while the Biden administration may have enough vaccines and therapeutics to ride out the Omicron surge, it doesn’t currently have enough money to respond to another variant. Alice Miranda Ollstein reports.
9 min
438
On the front lines in Ukraine
Journalist Kenneth Rosen visited front lines across the Donbas region to witness Putin’s digital war with Ukraine, and questions whether the West is prepared for cyberattacks and the future of warfare.
12 min
439
The court battles over mail-in voting
A pair of looming state court cases in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin could significantly curtail mail voting ahead of the midterms — one of Republicans’ major goals since former President Donald Trump went to war against the practice in 2020. Zach Montellaro reports.
14 min
440
Biden's stalled climate agenda
Joe Biden entered the White House last year with the most ambitious climate agenda in history, but he's struggling to log major wins and setbacks keep mounting. Josh Siegel reports.
13 min
441
Capitol Hill's instagram revolution
An anonymously run Instagram account known as “Dear White Staffers” has exploded in popularity, spilling tea and dragging longstanding workplace issues on the Hill into the light. It has also accelerated congressional staffers’ talk of unionizing. The problem? Well, it's complicated. Katherine Tully-McManus reports.
13 min
442
The next big health crisis?
When the pandemic began, Congress barred states from kicking people off Medicaid in exchange for additional federal funding, Enrollment surged nearly 20 percent over the next 16 months to 76.7 million, an all-time high. But state audits that will be triggered when the health crisis is declared "over" could lead to as many as 15 million people, including 6 million children, losing their health insurance. Megan Messerly reports.
12 min
443
Inside the resignation of Eric Lander
An internal White House investigation recently concluded that President Joe Biden’s top science adviser, Eric Lander, bullied and demeaned his subordinates and violated the White House’s workplace policy. On Monday, Lander resigned. Reporter Alex Thompson — who had the original scoop — shares the story.
14 min
444
Trucker protests take over Canada’s capital
With trucks and protesters occupying streets around Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada, Ottawa's mayor Jim Watson has declared a state of emergency. The “Freedom Convoy” — a collection of semis and other large trucks — began as a rallying point for Canadians opposed to vaccine mandates. But it has snowballed into an increasingly organized fight against Covid-19 public health measures and Trudeau himself. Andy Blatchford reports.
13 min
445
Tensions mount, and mount, and mount
Russia now has an estimated 70% of the forces it needs for a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in place, according to Biden administration officials. A group of bipartisan Senators continue to work on a sanctions bill, and Europe and the U.S. are on alert. Alex Ward reports.
13 min
446
The uncomfortable Winter Olympics
China's human rights abuses — leading to diplomatic boycotts of the Beijing 2022 Games by the US, UK, Australia and more — have put athletes in a difficult spot. Phelim Kine reports
14 min
447
A shot for the youngest kids is in sight
On Tuesday, Pfizer and BioNTech announced they’re seeking authorization from the Food and Drug Administration for the first two doses of a planned three-dose Covid-19 vaccine regimen for children under 5 — the last age bracket remaining witout a Covid-19 vaccine. The agency said that it would convene its independent panel of vaccine experts on Feb. 15 to consider the data. While many welcomed the new development, some pediatricians raised concerns that the companies were moving too quickly. Lauren Gardner reports.
13 min
448
The hot economy is about to be put on ice
President Joe Biden delivered a massive economic stimulus that sparked historic job growth — but is also a factor in why inflation is the highest it's been since the 80s. Now, he’s counting on the Federal Reserve to come to the rescue as inflation eats up people’s paychecks and feeds anxiety about the future. Victoria Guida reports.
14 min
449
The Jan. 6 panel is at an inflection point
Investigators for the Jan. 6 select committee have won a string of victories in court, obtaining testimony and records from Trump World. Now, they're preparing for their next battle, making those findings tangible — and understandable — to the public. Kyle Cheney reports.
13 min
450
The short list to replace Breyer
Last week, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer announced his retirement, setting off a flurry of anticipation about who his successor would be and how the confirmation process would play out. Josh Gerstein reports.
14 min