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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…
Episodes
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisAndrew Cuomo Wanted To Be President. He’ll Settle For Mayor.
Andrew Cuomo—the hard-headed former governor of New York state —became something of a national hero in 2020 with his no-nonsense press conferences. By 2021, he…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisTil Trump Do Us Part
They were three Harris-supporting women, from across the country, all married to Trump-supporting men—and they were all contemplating divorce. Guest: Scaachi…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisZuckerberg and the Post-Factcheck Era
After the election, Mark Zuckerberg announced that he was doing away with Facebook’s fact-checking apparatus in the US. With content creators getting paid…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisFrom 4Chan to Charlottesville to DOGE
To understand the second Trump administration, you have to understand the internet culture that gave birth to it. Guest: Elle Reeve, CNN correspondent who…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisHow Worried Are Ukrainians?
Aware of Donald Trump’s reputation as a dealmaker, Ukrainians had some hope as he took office—maybe Trump could break the stalemate with Russia and find peace…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisThe True Cost of Slashing the Government
Republicans have been talking about cutting the size of the government down for decades. Now that the Trump administration is following through on those plans…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisWhy Trump Needs Congress
Congressional Republicans are trying to extend Trump’s first-term tax cuts, appease GOP budget hawks and increase defense spending—all in a single budget. Can…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisWhy Women Kill
A survey of people incarcerated in California found that 20 percent of women in for homicide had killed their abusive partners. How have self-defense laws…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisCracking the Egg Crisis
Everyone’s talking about the price of eggs—so why are they so expensive? And when can we expect—if ever—the price to come back down? Guests: Dr. Jada Thompson…
- What Next | Daily News and Analysis
The DOGE Resistance
Federal workers in the U.S. Digital Service resigned in protest over what they viewed as indiscriminate, irresponsible firings coming from the DOGE office…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisWill Gaza’s Ceasefire Last?
The ceasefire between Hamas and Israel has held since January 19. Now, the second phase—negotiating Gaza’s future—is supposed to begin. But anger over the…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisThe DOGE Backlash Begins
In town halls from Oregon to Georgia, people are letting Republicans know just how angry they are about the dramatic cuts to the federal government. And their…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisBarron Mania
Barron Trump, the president’s youngest son, isn’t on the public speaking circuit and has no social media presence. But he’s nevertheless become a Gen-Z-aged…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisWhat If America Went on Strike?
In 2011, a Republican majority in the Wisconsin State House faced massive protests to their plans to strip power from public sector workers. State Democrats…
- What Next | Daily News and Analysis
$Trump
The crypto industry threw its weight and money behind Donald Trump, in hopes of legitimizing the industry. Before his Inauguration Day was over, Donald Trump…
- What Next | Daily News and Analysis
Elon's Endgame
As someone whose companies receive billions of dollars from the government, it’s worth asking why Elon Musk is so zealous about cutting government spending…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisWhy This Trump Nominee Has Union Support
Trump's pick for labor secretary, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, is an outlier: She has experience in federal government, where she was one of three House Republicans to…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisA Measles Outbreak and Wake-Up Call
When enough people opt out of routine vaccinations for their children, diseases that have been all but eliminated can come roaring back, as is the case with a…
- What Next | Daily News and Analysis
How Eric Adams Got His Charges Dropped
The Justice Department ordered New York federal prosecutors to drop charges against Eric Adams, claiming his indictment was preventing him from aiding in…
- What Next | Daily News and Analysis
How To Rebuild Your Life After a Wildfire
As What Next celebrates President’s Day, please enjoy this episode from our colleagues at How To. What Next will be back in your feed tomorrow. Jeff and his…
- What Next | Daily News and Analysis
Can You Pay Attention, Please?
The infinite scroll has no purpose other than keeping your attention. But that doesn’t mean it’s value-neutral. Guest: Chris Hayes, MSNBC news anchor and…
- What Next | Daily News and Analysis
Is Elon Actually Trying to Buy OpenAI?
Is Elon Musk’s $97.4 billion offer to buy OpenAI genuine—or an irresistible opportunity to troll Sam Altman? Guest: David A. Fahrenthold, investigative…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisThe Award for Messiest Oscar Contender Goes To…
As Donald Trump’s campaign of trans panic and anti-Latin American sentiment buoyed him back to the White House, Emilia Pérez looked like a film to meet the…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisTrump’s South Africa Fixation
Among his recent executive orders, Donald Trump moved to halt aid to South Africa over a land law and extended political asylum to South Africa’s white…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisThe GOP Can't Quit "Stop the Steal"
As Donald Trump has demonstrated, losing an election is no reason to admit you lost an election. In fact, in North Carolina, the Republican challenger, who…
- What Next | Daily News and Analysis
Lessons From Hungary
Donald Trump has a lot of similarities—and something of a bromance—with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. And those who wish to resist Trump’s Orbán-like…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisWhy Trump’s Data Purge is a Digital Book Burning
Using Github, you can watch as government websites are brought into compliance with Donald Trump’s executive orders. Out goes the word “equity;” in comes…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisBonus: The Discourse | Why is Elon Musk Cheating at Video Games?
Elon Musk is supposed to be running several companies and a new government department—so why is he also spending money to pretend to be good at video games?…
- What Next | Daily News and Analysis
TBD Bonus: The Discourse | Why is Elon Musk Cheating at Video Games?
Elon Musk is supposed to be running several companies and a new government department—so why is he also spending money to pretend to be good at video games?…
- What Next | Daily News and Analysis
Is Elon Musk Unstoppable?
You can’t doubt the enthusiasm of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. You can question the legality of some of their early moves. Guest: Makena…
- What Next | Daily News and Analysis
TBD | Is Elon Musk Unstoppable?
You can’t doubt the enthusiasm of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. You can question the legality of some of their early moves. Guest: Makena…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisGuantanamo Bay’s Comeback Is a Warning
Last week, Donald Trump announced that Guantanamo Bay would be used to house the “worst criminal illegal aliens” and claimed that it would be drastically…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisDOGE V. USAID
Why did the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which gives money to humanitarian causes around the world and accounts for roughly half of one…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisAre Airplane Crashes Inevitable?
America hadn’t had a major commercial airline crash since 2009 until the mid-air collision over the Potomac. Is this a sign of a larger problem that will…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisTrump’s Anti-Trans Agenda
Trump and his allies in the House’s flurry of anti-trans legislation and executive orders will soon run into both the law and the reality that our institutions…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisThe DeepSeek Panic
The artificial intelligence industry was thrown for a loop when the Chinese start-up DeepSeek rolled out a product that was more energy efficient, cheaper to…
- What Next | Daily News and Analysis
Bonus | Main Character Syndrome: Deepseek
Did the Chinese artificial intelligence start-up Deepseek just blow up the A.I. world as we know it? Or is it just a cheap knock-off? Guest: Lizzie O’Leary…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisRFK Jr. Is a Feature, Not a Bug
Tapped by Trump for the role of health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. presents himself as someone willing to say what other politicians won’t. But during his…
- What Next | Daily News and Analysis
Was Tulsi Gabbard Always Like This?
Tulsi Gabbard’s political career is truly singular: once a young progressive Democrat on the rise, then a gadfly taking surprise meetings with Bashar al-Assad…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisTrump’s DIY Government Shutdown
Trump’s Office of Management and Budget sent a memo directing federal agencies to “temporarily pause all activities related to … disbursement of all Federal…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisWho Will Mourn DEI?
The Trump administration’s fight against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs is underway, and it’s proving to be even broader and further-reaching…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisTrump’s Gift to Militias
Between Trump’s broad pardon for January 6 rioters and Facebook loosening restrictions on its platforms, it’s looking much easier for militia groups like the…
- What Next | Daily News and Analysis
The A.I. Will See You Now
Artificial intelligence is coming to a doctor’s office near you—if it isn’t already there, working in an administrative role. Are you ready for generative A.I…
- What Next | Daily News and Analysis
Bonus: The Discourse | The Bro-ligarchs Take Washington
Choice seats for Donald Trump’s second inauguration were filled with tech founders and CEOs, signaling their importance to this presidential term. Then Elon…
- What Next | Daily News and Analysis
TBD Bonus: The Discourse | The Bro-ligarchs Take Washington
Choice seats for Donald Trump’s second inauguration were filled with tech founders and CEOs, signaling their importance to this presidential term. Then Elon…
- What Next | Daily News and Analysis
Department of Government Elon
The Department of Government Efficiency was made to Elon Musk’s specifications, right down to its meme-indebted name. Now that DOGE is shaping up to be an…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisHow Closed Is the Border?
Donald Trump talked a lot about immigration while on the campaign trail and as his second term begins, he’s getting to work: declaring a national emergency on…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisCan Trump Actually Do All That?
On the day he was inaugurated, Donald Trump set about signing executive orders on birthright citizenship, the TikTok ban, and withdrawing from various…
- What Next | Daily News and Analysis
Did Democracy Die in Darkness?
Last October, Amazon CEO and billionaire owner of the Washington Post Jeff Bezos swooped in to halt the publication of a Kamala Harris endorsement from the…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisHello Trumpworld
As Donald Trump and his coterie return to the White House, everyone seems confident they know what levers to pull to get Trump to do what they want. The only…
- What Next | Daily News and Analysis
As Fires Approached LA, Angelenos Turned to Watch Duty
Looking for up-to-the-minute updates on where the fires are, LA residents have been turning to the app Watch Duty, rather than getting updates directly from…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisMark Zuckerberg’s Meta-Morphosis
Misinformation, disinformation, politics—Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg is not going to shield users from those anymore. What’s behind the abrupt change in direction?…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisWhat the Ceasefire Is and Isn’t
After being “close to a deal” for so long, Israel and Gaza have officially reached a second ceasefire agreement. Is this the end of the war? And what does it…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisDoes Jack Smith’s Jan. 6 Report Matter?
How did an investigation into an effort to violently overturn a US presidential election end up coming out as a whimper, well after it could have carried any…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisCan Trump End Birthright Citizenship?
How could Donald Trump make good on his vow to end birthright citizenship, currently a constitutional right? It starts with a willing judiciary. Guest: Isabela…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisWho’s to Blame for the LA Fires?
The fires in Los Angeles may end up being one of—if not the most—expensive natural disasters in American history. Everyone is trying to find the party…
- What Next | Daily News and Analysis
Why Tech Is Bending the Knee
How the FCC and its incoming head, Brenden Carr, could enact Trump’s top policy goal: punishing anyone who says mean stuff about Trump. Guest: Drew FitzGerald…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisWill the Supreme Court Save TikTok?
Will a First Amendment defense keep TikTok running in America? Guest: Emily Baker White, tech reporter for Forbes. Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisGreenland’s a Distraction
With Republicans holding the House, the Senate, and the presidency, cabinet confirmation hearings may be the most prominent place for Democrats to make a…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisBlake Lively Vs. Hollywood
After a summer on the receiving end of the internet’s ire, Blake Lively is back in the news, as her relationship with her former director and co-star Justin…