What Next | Daily News and Analysis

The problem with the news right now? It’s everywhere. And each day, it can feel like we’re all just mindlessly scrolling. It’s why we created What Next. This short daily show is here to help you make sense of things. When the news feels overwhelming, we’re here to help you answer: What next? Look for new episodes every weekday morning.


Get more of What Next with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of What Next and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or visit slate.com/whatnextplus for access wherever you listen.

Daily News
News Commentary
Politics
451
Would You Die For MrBeast?
Contestants on his new show got more than they bargained for—it sounds like MrBeast did too.
23 min
452
Trump Seems Lost. But Can He Lose?
Pivoting from Biden to Harris isn’t going smoothly, but will that matter in November?
25 min
453
How Boeing Stranded Two Astronauts
Eight days in space is now looking like eight months.
21 min
454
AIPAC Vs. The Squad
Waves of right-wing money are washing out progressive incumbents.
20 min
455
TBD | Tesla’s Out of Juice. But Are EVs?
Tesla isn’t the whole story. Cars aren’t even the whole story.
23 min
456
TBD | Google’s a Monopoly. What About The Rest?
The Department of Justice proves it can take on Big Tech and win.
20 min
457
The Olympics Meet the Culture Wars
Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-Ting have been pulled into the long, ugly history of sports sex testing.
25 min
458
Why It Had to Be Walz
What is the Minnesota governor bringing to the ticket?
24 min
459
How Trump Got Ice Cube
Straight outta Compton…and eventually to the GOP?
25 min
460
Project 2025 Isn't Dead, It's Born Again
The Trump era is about being loud and proud—but the less said about their extremely unpopular, unpalatable policy goals, the better.
22 min
461
TBD | If They Can Get Sydney Sweeney They Can G...
Why telecom networks are terrible at holding our sensitive data.
22 min
462
A Word: “Momala” and “Papa Bear”
The Second Gentleman speaks up for his wife, and out against Donald Trump.
25 min
463
TBD | Why Are More Young People Getting Cancer?
Can a new colon cancer test help?
22 min
464
Israel Targets Hamas in Iran. Now What?
Following strikes in Lebanon and Iran, is a regional war now more likely than a ceasefire?
23 min
465
America’s Avocados; Mexico’s Problem.
The American love of guacamole is tied to water shortages, cartel violence, and even earthquakes across the border.
23 min
466
Olympic Gymnastics is Back. But Is It Better?
The problem has always been bigger than Larry Nassar.
24 min
467
The DEI Smear Against Kamala Harris
New candidate, same old playbook.
24 min
468
TBD | The Panopticon Olympics
Even the most advanced surveillance network couldn’t stop an attack on the Games’ first day.
25 min
469
TBD | Is Silicon Valley Trump-Vance Country?
Or will a Californian on top of the Democratic ticket win back tech’s votes?
20 min
470
Could Biden's Court Reforms Actually Work?
How to build in some checks when everything’s out of balance.
22 min
471
Why the Secret Service Director Resigned
A lack of transparency seems baked right into the agency’s name. So how should Congress hold the agency accountable?
21 min
472
Kamala Harris: Meme Queen to Madame President?
How what she’s been—prosecutor, senator, vice-president, meme—sheds light on what may be.
25 min
473
Joe Biden Passes the Baton
How to build in some checks when everything’s out of balance.
25 min
474
TBD | The Conspiracy Theory Election
Misinformation from all sides is dominating this election, making it impossible to tell what’s real and what’s fake.
20 min
475
TBD | America’s Tech Trustbuster
AAG Jonathan Kanter talks A.I., rent-pricing software, and how he envisions fair competition.
29 min