Today, Explained is Vox's daily news explainer podcast. Hosts Sean Rameswaram and Noel King will guide you through the most important stories of the day.
This isn’t the first time we’ve tried to go America First. The last time helped blow up the economy and our relationships with our allies.
22 min
52
Did diversity ever work ... at work?
There's a backlash against corporate DEI efforts, and it’s not just from the right. It's everywhere. What does that mean for employees?
27 min
53
What if we stopped shopping?
Fed up with consumerism, Mia Westrap went a whole year without buying unnecessary stuff. She went viral, and so did her goal. Now, the Buy Nothing movement is fighting back against mindless consumption by doing...nothing.
23 min
54
The man who helped kill DEI
Policy in the second Trump administration is being driven by a small group of thinkers from the online right. We talk to one of them about how he got DEI dismantled.
26 min
55
Deporting Mahmoud Khalil
The Trump administration has fallen short of its promise to deport millions. The White House now seems focused on attention-grabbing arrests, including that of a Palestinian activist and leader of the Columbia student protests.
22 min
56
Teslump
Protests against Tesla embody the outrage against Elon Musk’s DOGE-e behavior. But Musk doesn't seem to care. And given his position in the federal government, he may not have to.
23 min
57
A Walz to Remember
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz sat down with Sean Rameswaram over the weekend at SXSW in Austin, Texas, to talk about 2024, 2025, and what might help his party in 2028.
25 min
58
Why does dating suck for guys?
The rules of romance have changed, and many young men feel they can't keep up. We get some tips from a Texas men's relationship coach.
26 min
59
Whey too much protein
Added protein really seems to be in all the food lately. Reporter Chris Gayomali says to thank environmental regulations, GLP-1s, and Arnold Schwarzenegger for our modern protein boom.
24 min
60
The Zizian "death cult"
Journalist Max Read explains how a bunch of Silicon Valley computer scientists spun into a cult accused of killings.
25 min
61
Serving your country while trans
Sam Rodriguez is on active duty in the US Navy. They are also trans. Now, the Trump administration wants to remove them from the US military.
23 min
62
Breaking up with Ukraine
Why the humiliation of Volodymyr Zelenskyy holds a twisted appeal for Trump's core supporters. And what Europe plans to do about it.
23 min
63
The Gulf of America?
What started as a liberal joke is now a MAGA reality. Just check your map app. But it’s not just Google, Apple, and Microsoft falling in line.
23 min
64
The messiest Oscars category
The Seed of the Sacred Fig was (secretly) shot in Iran with Iranian actors and an Iranian director. But it’s Germany’s submission for Best International Film.
23 min
65
Is flying still safe?
Recent airplane crashes and near misses have everyone freaked out, just as DOGE is laying off workers at the agency charged with keeping people safe in the air.
23 min
66
Eggs aren't expensive enough
At least if we want to stop the next pandemic. Vox's Kenny Torrella explains.
24 min
67
Quid pro bros
First, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and President Donald Trump struck up an unlikely friendship. Then, the Trump administration ordered prosecutors to sidestep DOJ norms and drop corruption charges against Adams so that he could focus on cracking down on immigration.
23 min
68
Germany's rightward march
Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany party won its best ever results this weekend. We hear why an anti-immigrant, fascist-curious party is surging in the land that gave birth to Nazism.
23 min
69
Sugar daddies and mommies
Boomers are the wealthiest generation ever. And they're funneling trillions to their adult children for down payments, school tuition, even monthly allowances. The Great Wealth Transfer is upon us.
24 min
70
Vatever you vant, Vladimir
Kremlin defender Tulsi Gabbard is the US’s new spy chief, while the US and Russia are holding peace talks without European and Ukrainian officials at the table. The vibe has officially shifted.
23 min
71
Breaking the internet
The Trump administration’s effort to purge government websites is accelerating digital decay. It’s a trend that imperils our record of ourselves.
23 min
72
Mr. Project 2025
Russell Vought is the architect and legal scholar behind the Trump administration’s attempt to reshape the federal government. Simon Rabinovitch, US economics editor for the Economist, explains how he got all that power.
22 min
73
Is science in danger?
Funding cuts and research censorship have shaken the foundations of America’s health and science agencies, leaving researchers shocked, confused, and afraid. What does this mean for the future of science?
20 min
74
The making of a beauty king
Sephora revolutionized high-end beauty and turned tiny brands into household names. Now, comes the reckoning. Fast Company’s Liz Segran on whether Sephora is too powerful.
24 min
75
Elon's African roots
President Trump is offering to resettle white South Africans in the US, and his white South African bestie may have something to do with it.