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.
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
2
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
3
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
4
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
5
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
6
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
7
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
8
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
9
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
10
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
11
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
12
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
13
Eggs aren't expensive enough
At least if we want to stop the next pandemic. Vox's Kenny Torrella explains.
24 min
14
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
15
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
16
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
17
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
18
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
19
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
20
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
21
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
22
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.
23 min
23
Tater bot
The prices of all kinds of things have stayed stubbornly high even as inflation has cooled. And a spate of lawsuits point to algorithmic price fixing as the culprit. Just look at frozen potatoes.
23 min
24
DOGE-y behavior
Elon Musk promised to feed "USAID into the wood chipper." The way he's dismantling the agency provides a roadmap for the administration moving forward.
22 min
25
Guantanamo’s other history
The Trump administration has begun detaining migrants at Guantanamo Bay. For more than 40 years, the US has sent immigrants to Gitmo, explains Jeffrey Kahn of UC Davis, who interviewed asylum-seekers there.