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
176
Could DOGE Really Gut Social Security?
Elon takes on the biggest, most trusted, and most essential program yet.
25 min
177
Will Student Protesters Be Deported?
Mahmoud Khalil’s detainment is part of Trump’s larger war on American universities.
26 min
178
Andrew Cuomo Wanted To Be President. He’ll Sett...
In 2021, he resigned from the governorship under the shadow of multiple scandals. In 2025, he’s leading the polls in New York City’s mayoral race.
23 min
179
Til Trump Do Us Part
How husbands’ votes for Donald Trump threw whole relationships into question.
23 min
180
TBD | Zuckerberg and the Post-Factcheck Era
Does Meta know what they’ve done?
26 min
181
TBD | From 4Chan to Charlottesville to DOGE
How the far-right internet conquered American politics.
27 min
182
How Worried Are Ukrainians?
And where things stand after that meeting.
22 min
183
The True Cost of Slashing the Government
How drastic federal funding cuts are already being felt in America and beyond.
22 min
184
Why Trump Needs Congress
The president prepares to address the House and Senate with a government shutdown looming.
25 min
185
Why Women Kill
One commonality among women incarcerated for homicide raises the question, what is self-defense—and who’s entitled to it?
30 min
186
TBD | Cracking the Egg Crisis
An eggsplanation.
18 min
187
What Next TBD | The DOGE Resistance
Lawsuits, protests and Elon Musk's Achilles Heel
24 min
188
Will Gaza’s Ceasefire Last?
Is the next step a negotiation for Gaza’s future—or a return to war?
25 min
189
The DOGE Backlash Begins
Even in deep-red districts, constituents were letting politicians know how they felt about DOGE’s cuts—and they were not happy.
24 min
190
Barron Mania
Who is Trump’s youngest son? Turns out, he’s whatever you want him to be.
21 min
191
What If America Went on Strike?
It’s happened before. It's worked in other countries. And what else can we do?
22 min
192
TBD | $Trump
Crypto poured money into the campaign, now the first family is cashing in.
21 min
193
TBD | Elon's Endgame
He's slashing the federal workforce. He's gutting programs he doesn't like. But at the end of the day, what does he want?
30 min
194
Why This Trump Nominee Has Union Support
What kind of Secretary of Labor would Lori Chavez-DeRemer be?
24 min
195
A Measles Outbreak and Wake-Up Call
How a disease that was considered “eliminated” in 2000 came roaring back.
24 min
196
How Eric Adams Got His Charges Dropped
Cooperation between the NYC mayor and the Trump administration has led to mass resignations in the Justice Department.
24 min
197
How To Rebuild Your Life After a Wildfire
Laurel Braitman on grief, hope, and finding meaning in the ashes.
53 min
198
TBD | Can You Pay Attention, Please?
Chris Hayes discusses his new book that calls attention “the world’s most endangered resource.”
23 min
199
TBD | Is Elon Actually Trying to Buy OpenAI?
Elon Musk's bid to purchase OpenAI is both an attempt to control the future of A.I. and a massive troll.
20 min
200
The Award for Messiest Oscar Contender Goes To…
How the wheels fell off Emilia Pérez's Oscar frontrunning campaign.
23 min