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.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has been blocking military promotions — especially if you're a woman, Black, or perceived as disloyal.
23 min
127
Trump’s secret war
America's longest ongoing conflict isn't with Iran. It's in Somalia. But almost no one is talking about it.
23 min
128
The socialists are coming!
The Democratic Socialists of America is seeing a surge of enthusiasm for its candidates around the country.
23 min
129
Jared and Ivanka’s accidental revolution
Jared and Ivanka Kushner thought they were investing in luxury resorts in Albania. Instead, they sparked the biggest protests the country has seen since the fall of communism.
23 min
130
Everything is dupes
Fender declared war on guitar makers. Lululemon declared war on Costco. Ugg declared war on Quince. Welcome to the era of the dupe product wars.
23 min
131
The World Cup is healing us
The World Cup is showing what Trump can’t destroy about America.
23 min
132
Can we cheat death?
The trick to living a longer, happier life.
26 min
133
How Trump lost the bro vote
The group of men that famously helped propel Trump to the White House in 2024 is having second thoughts. Here’s what that means for Republicans in the future.
27 min
134
Lonely fans
No friends, no kids, no partner. You might think their lives are sad, but loneliness influencers are attracting huge followings.
23 min
135
The Reflecting Pool fiasco
Donald Trump famously came to Washington, DC to “drain the swamp,” but he may have inadvertently created one.
23 min
136
The world’s stingiest trillionaire
Ten ways Elon Musk could use his money to make the world a better place... and why he probably won’t.
23 min
137
The Trump phone grift
President Trump's ongoing efforts to become a mobile mogul and to run a bank suggest Trump grift is alive and well.
23 min
138
North Korea's girl dad dictator
North Korea has been led by a string of vicious dictators — all men. But Kim Jong Un seems to be auditioning his daughter for the job.
23 min
139
How to beat mosquitoes
26 min
140
The young candidates shaking up the Dem Party
AI, policing and generational change are among the issues influencing two primary races in New York that reflect the broader 2026 midterms.
31 min
141
The death of dating
Gen Z is saying no to dating and backing away from romantic relationships. This episode of The Gray Area explains why.
23 min
142
How Trump’s maps could backfire
The president's push to redraw congressional maps to favor Republicans is making voters mad on both sides.
23 min
143
Iran won the war
Deal or no deal? Doesn’t matter. The war on Iran has irrevocably transformed the country and the region.
23 min
144
Why the Antichrist is back
Former supporters of President Trump have speculated about whether he could be the Antichrist. Accusations like this are not new to politics in the US.
24 min
145
Trump loves the inflation
President Trump's messaging on the economy is increasingly bizarre. So is our perception of it.
23 min
146
The lost art of handwriting
How our relationship with writing has changed, and how that’s changed us.
27 min
147
Hasan Piker vs. The Establishment
Hasan Piker has become one of the most prominent leftist voices in the US. But his rapid rise has sparked a furious backlash from establishment Democrats -- specifically the Third Way think tank.
32 min
148
YouTube at the movies
It's blockbuster season, but low-budget horror films from YouTubers — like Iron Lung, Obsession, and Backrooms — are what's got Hollywood talking.
23 min
149
Nike lost its cool
And once a brand has lost its cool, it's almost impossible to get it back.
23 min
150
Is Platner too “authentic”?
Senate candidate Graham Platner swept the Maine Democratic primary no problem. The question is whether his "authenticity" can carry him past his scandals to a win in November.