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Today, Explained podcast

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. You can listen to it, and more Vox podcasts, here. Today, Explained is now available on public radio stations across the US. For more daily news offerings, check out Vox’s weekday newsletter.

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The Today, Explained team includes Miranda Kennedy, Jolie Myers, Amina Al-Sadi, Avishay Artsy, Miles Bryan, Hady Mawajdeh, Peter Balonon-Rosen, Danielle Hewitt, Kelli Wessinger, Ariana Aspuru, Laura Bullard, and Patrick Boyd. The show is a production of the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Transcripts of the show are available here.

Download learning exercises to go along with our Today, Explained to Kids episodes.

Podcasts
A Democratic senator on the fights his party has to pickA Democratic senator on the fights his party has to pick
Podcast
Podcasts

Chris Van Hollen on a government shutdown, Charlie Kirk, and Zohran Mamdani.

By Noel King and Danielle Hewitt
Today, Explained podcast
What Charlie Kirk meant to young conservativesWhat Charlie Kirk meant to young conservatives
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

The late Talking Points USA leader built a movement that will outlive him.

By Avishay Artsy and Noel King
Today, Explained podcast
What RFK Jr. gets wrong — and right — according to a public health expertWhat RFK Jr. gets wrong — and right — according to a public health expert
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

Zeke Emanuel on RFK Jr. and the crisis of faith in public health.

By Rebeca Ibarra and Sean Rameswaram
Today, Explained podcast
The paradox of Trump’s deportation pushThe paradox of Trump’s deportation push
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

Trump’s war on immigrants could make your housing, food, and health care more expensive.

By Rebeca Ibarra and Sean Rameswaram
Culture
Rewatching Hamilton in 2025Rewatching Hamilton in 2025
Podcast
Culture

The hit Broadway musical turns 10 this year. Does anyone think it’s cool anymore?

By Avishay Artsy and Sean Rameswaram
Today, Explained podcast
Why the Trump-Modi split is such a disasterWhy the Trump-Modi split is such a disaster
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

Is a Nobel Prize grudge pushing India closer to China?

By Devan Schwartz and Sean Rameswaram
Today, Explained podcast
How AI is coming for your jobHow AI is coming for your job
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

Executives are preparing to slash their workforces. Workers are just trying to cope.

By Sean Rameswaram and Miles Bryan
Today, Explained podcast
The Covid revenge policyThe Covid revenge policy
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

Trump brought us the Covid vaccine. Now he’s trying to take it away.

By Sean Rameswaram and Avishay Artsy
Podcasts
Mark Zuckerberg is burning billions to chase the holy grail of AIMark Zuckerberg is burning billions to chase the holy grail of AI
Podcast
Podcasts

The metaverse didn’t stick. Can “superintelligence”?

By Gabrielle Berbey and Sean Rameswaram
Today, Explained podcast
Bad Bunny’s history lessonBad Bunny’s history lesson
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

How a Puerto Rican historian became Bad Bunny’s collaborator.

By Avishay Artsy and Sean Rameswaram
Podcasts
Trump’s controversial homelessness solution? Blue states have done it for years.Trump’s controversial homelessness solution? Blue states have done it for years.
Podcast
Podcasts

Some find it brutal. But if done the right way, for the right people, it can work.

By Sean Rameswaram and Devan Schwartz
Today, Explained podcast
South Park is doing what the rest of the media won’tSouth Park is doing what the rest of the media won’t
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

The White House says South Park is irrelevant. Its record-breaking ratings tell a different story.

By Sean Rameswaram and Gabrielle Berbey
Today, Explained podcast
Living on Mars would suckLiving on Mars would suck
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

The billionaire space race is a dangerous fantasy.

By Avishay Artsy and Sean Rameswaram
Today, Explained podcast
Is Trump a socialist?Is Trump a socialist?
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

A socialist weighs in.

By Miles Bryan and Noel King
Podcasts
Trump killed affirmative action. His base might not like what comes next.Trump killed affirmative action. His base might not like what comes next.
Podcast
Podcasts

The alternative to affirmative action is now under attack.

By Noel King and Gabrielle Berbey
Podcasts
The fake news that helped put us on a path to MarsThe fake news that helped put us on a path to Mars
Podcast
Podcasts

A century-old optical illusion launched a space race.

By Avishay Artsy and Sean Rameswaram
Today, Explained podcast
The White House has a preferred alternative to PBS. It may already be in countless classrooms.The White House has a preferred alternative to PBS. It may already be in countless classrooms.
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

How the right-wing network PragerU could fill the void left by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s defunding.

By Sean Rameswaram
Today, Explained podcast
The jobs report is a big deal. Trump’s response is an even bigger one.The jobs report is a big deal. Trump’s response is an even bigger one.
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

Politicizing economic data is dangerous.

By Rebeca Ibarra and Sean Rameswaram
Today, Explained podcast
The spin master in charge of feeding GazaThe spin master in charge of feeding Gaza
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

Johnnie Moore, executive chair of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, is a PR professional without much experience in aid.

By Avishay Artsy and Sean Rameswaram
Today, Explained podcast
Trump’s media war just got a $10 billion twistTrump’s media war just got a $10 billion twist
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

It’s his latest move in an ongoing effort to silence critical news outlets and control the narrative.

By Noel King and Avishay Artsy
Gun Violence
Why America is murdering lessWhy America is murdering less
Podcast
Gun Violence

How Baltimore explains America’s miraculous murder decline.

By Miles Bryan
Today, Explained podcast
How Trump is making America hungrierHow Trump is making America hungrier
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

This isn’t the first time that the Trump administration has tried to cut SNAP benefits.

By Gabrielle Berbey and Sean Rameswaram
Today, Explained podcast
Superman is a socialistSuperman is a socialist
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

What the right gets wrong about Superman’s origins.

By Rebeca Ibarra and Sean Rameswaram
Today, Explained podcast
What it would take to escape the two-party systemWhat it would take to escape the two-party system
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

Americans say they want a third party — but making it happen is tricky.

By Rebeca Ibarra and Noel King
Today, Explained podcast
Why doesn’t Donald Trump want to release the Epstein Files?Why doesn’t Donald Trump want to release the Epstein Files?
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

A former federal prosecutor explains the Trump administration’s bizarre handling of the Epstein Files.

By Hady Mawajdeh and Sean Rameswaram
Today, Explained podcast
What Trump and Netanyahu want from each otherWhat Trump and Netanyahu want from each other
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is back in Washington for a third visit.

By Avishay Artsy and Noel King
Today, Explained podcast
Trump cut the National Weather Service. Did that impact Texas flood warnings?Trump cut the National Weather Service. Did that impact Texas flood warnings?
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

What NWS and FEMA cuts could mean for future disasters, explained.

By Noel King and Cameron Peters
Today, Explained podcast
The bizarre true story of Disney’s failed US history theme parkThe bizarre true story of Disney’s failed US history theme park
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

Disney tried to a build a theme park that tackled slavery. It didn’t go well.

By Peter Balonon-Rosen and Sean Rameswaram
Today, Explained podcast
What the rise of “buy now, pay later” services tells us about the economyWhat the rise of “buy now, pay later” services tells us about the economy
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

Burritos on a payment plan, explained.

By Miles Bryan and Noel King
Today, Explained podcast
What happens to DOGE without Elon Musk?What happens to DOGE without Elon Musk?
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

Musk had big dreams. DOGE ran into reality. Here’s what will and won’t stick from the initiative.

By Denise Guerra and Sean Rameswaram
Today, Explained podcast
Why Donald Trump soured on some of his own judgesWhy Donald Trump soured on some of his own judges
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

David French on Donald Trump’s breakup with the Federalist Society.

By Miles Bryan and Sean Rameswaram
Today, Explained podcast
How HBCUs are thinking about Trump 2.0How HBCUs are thinking about Trump 2.0
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

Tuskegee University’s president explains how he’s approaching this Trump administration.

By Avishay Artsy and Jonquilyn Hill
Today, Explained podcast
Should women be in combat?Should women be in combat?
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

One of the first women to graduate from the Army Ranger School says yes.

By Victoria Chamberlin and Noel King
Today, Explained podcast
The crisis in American air travel, explained by Newark airportThe crisis in American air travel, explained by Newark airport
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

Is flying into Newark safe?

By Devan Schwartz and Sean Rameswaram
Today, Explained newsletter
Has the world had it with Israel?Has the world had it with Israel?
Podcast
Today, Explained newsletter

Criticism of Israel is ramping up. What does that mean for the war in Gaza?

By Avishay Artsy
Today, Explained podcast
What happened to the bestselling young white man?What happened to the bestselling young white man?
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

How women took over literary fiction.

By Miles Bryan and Noel King
Today, Explained podcast
“Baby Botox” and the psychology of cosmetic procedures“Baby Botox” and the psychology of cosmetic procedures
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

Why has “baby Botox” become so popular?

By Noel King
Today, Explained newsletter
The most divisive part of the GOP’s big bill, explainedThe most divisive part of the GOP’s big bill, explained
Podcast
Today, Explained newsletter

Why the GOP put SALT on the table.

By Sean Collins and Devan Schwartz
Today, Explained podcast
Donald Trump keeps declaring national emergencies. Why?Donald Trump keeps declaring national emergencies. Why?
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

Presidential emergency declarations mean emergency powers — and a way around Congress.

By Amanda Lewellyn and Noel King
Today, Explained podcast
America is a country of doomsday preppersAmerica is a country of doomsday preppers
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

The “American institution” of prepping, explained.

By Hady Mawajdeh and Noel King