Shows / What Next | Daily News and Analysis
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 AnalysisThe Surveillance Interstate
Tracking a license plate across the country has never been easier, which is good news if your car has been stolen, but in an era of ICE and Border Patrol…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisBonus: SchadenFriday: Are You Fitter Than an ICE Applicant?
You can have enough ICE recruits or you can have standards for the shape that they’re in, but you can’t have both—this was just one lesson Donald Trump could…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisCrypto Keeps Criming
Trump promised to stop the “persecution” of the cryptocurrency industry. He did call off the SEC investigations that began under Biden, and pardoned Binance…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisWho Killed the Penny? She Did.
People have been talking about how the penny is more trouble than it’s worth for 50 years—so why drop it now? And—other than having nothing to put in our…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisSudan on the Brink
Ongoing civil war in Sudan has left tens of thousands dead, with millions displaced. A country of great natural resources, regional foreign governments have…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisHave the Epstein Files Broken MAGA?
You can’t really blame Donald Trump for thinking he could just handwave away the Epstein Files. But for the first time in what feels like forever, his base…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisThe National Guard Is Asking Questions
Trump can’t seem to decide if the National Guard is needed in American cities to stop violent crime, or to assist ICE deportations, or something else entirely…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisHow Meta Profits Off Fraud
The parent company of Facebook and Instagram, Meta, doesn’t (just) have a scam problem—with 10 percent of its revenue coming from scam ads, and a third of all…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisData Centers on the Ballot
They don’t cut cleanly along party lines, but data centers, and where they get built, became an election issue in Virginia. With so many more data centers to…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisWikipedia Enters the Culture Wars
Why would Elon Musk attempt to replace Wikipedia—which is already quite futuristic, utopian and accurate—with a faulty, hallucinatory A.I.-powered…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisNo, Women Didn't Ruin the Workplace
It didn’t take long to go from Beyoncé holding for applause in front of the word “FEMINISM” to a headline in the New York Times asking “Did Women Ruin the…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisHow To Lose a Government Shutdown
It has been the longest government shutdown on record. Why did the Democrats choose this moment—right after elections proved how unpopular Donald Trump and his…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisIs Special Ed Getting Left Behind?
Children with disabilities' place in public schools—though legally mandated—has often been tenuous at best. Now the Trump Administration is targeting the…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisWhy Tesla Is Paying Elon a Trillion Bucks
Tesla shareholders just approved a trillion dollar (with a t!) pay package for Elon Musk. Is it enough incentive to keep him around the company and away from…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisBonus: SchadenFriday | Muslim, Millennial, Mr. Mayor Mamdani
Well well well. Looks like being a truculent, aging sex pest who clearly hates the constituency he aspires to rule only works in national elections. In New…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisThe Nick Fuentes Problem
Nick Fuentes—an openly antisemitic, openly racist, openly sexist type who once was persona non grata in all but the unseemliest of online spaces—sat down with…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisTrump’s Tariffs Have a Constitution Problem
Trump’s tariffs went before the Supreme Court this week and even the extremely accommodating Roberts court was having trouble seeing how the president’s vast…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisThe Andrew Formerly Known as a Prince
How Virginia Giuffre’s accusations of a decade ago finally brought His Royal Highness Prince Andrew, Duke of York, down to simply Andrew. Guest: Imogen…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisShe Won the Election. The GOP Won’t Swear Her In.
She won a special election on Sept. 23 but still hasn’t been sworn into the House of Representatives—even though new members have been sworn in during…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisThe Redistricting Arms Race Is On
Fearing a Democratic-led House of Representatives, Donald Trump set off a state-redistricting arms race when he asked Texas to find him five more safe GOP…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisWhy Trump Keeps Pardoning Crypto Criminals
President Trump pardoned Changpeng Zhao, the former CEO of Binance who had been convicted for violating anti-money laundering laws, after months of Zhao…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisInside the Goonerverse
One legacy of the internet is the millions of subcultures that it helps flourish. Another is pornography—and lots of it. At a “gooner meet-up,” the two…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisHow Will We Feed Our Neighbors?
Why SNAP benefits potentially won’t be replenished Nov. 1, and what happens to the people who depend on them to eat. Guest: Dr. Lindsay Allen, health economist…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisThe Volunteers Taking on ICE
Having successfully gotten their photo ops, the National Guard receded from the streets of Los Angeles, but an aggressive border patrol, with an eye on raising…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisWhere Sports Betting Got Us
Last week, the FBI indicted more than 30 people in a series of NBA gambling scandals. The sports leagues are promising drastic action – but with everyone from…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisShutting Down and Finding Out
Isn’t a government shutdown supposed to be a crisis? The Republicans, in control of the White House, Congress and Supreme Court haven’t taken steps to end it…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisDid The Trump Administration Censor Speech?
For years, conservatives claimed that the Biden administration was pressuring tech companies to censor conservative speech with no solid evidence. In Trump…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisBonus: The Scariest Halloween Costume
The streets are full of ghouls, masked horrors, and terrifying make-up—also it will be Halloween soon. Guest: Luke Winkie, Slate staff writer. This episode is…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisThe AWS Outage is Only the Beginning
This week’s AWS outage illustrates just how fragile and vulnerable our interconnected world really is—and how far we’ve fallen from the vision of a…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisIs the Peanut Allergy Dead?
Thousands of children may be avoiding peanut allergies thanks to research indicating that early exposure to—rather than avoidance of—the legume is key. Now…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisWhy So Many Racist Group Chats?
Right after JD Vance was done dismissing concerns about racism in a group chat of GOP staffers and Young Republicans, POLITICO released messages from Trump…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisThe Trump Doctrine in Latin America
The whole spectrum of Trump’s foreign policy is on display when it comes to South America: The US Navy is gathering off the coast of Venezuela, while the…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisAre Democrats Already Fumbling a Win?
Off-cycle elections generally favor the party that isn’t in the White House. And with a large voting bloc of federal employees, Virginia Democrats were feeling…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisWhy Bands Are Leaving Spotify
Paying a fraction of a penny per stream and diminishing the value of music were bad enough for Xiu Xiu, but when Spotify owner Daniel Ek announced an…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisInside the MAGA Content Mill
As Trump throws out journalists and outlets that report anything negative about him, he’s limiting access to a group of right-wing influencers who work to…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisHe Wrote About Anti-Fascism—Then Fled the Country
In an executive order, Donald Trump declared “Antifa” a terrorist organization. As it isn’t an organization, there aren’t leaders to target, so zealous…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisTime for a Blue-State “Soft Secession”?
The government shutdown isn’t hitting everywhere equally—infrastructure projects that rely on federal funding have been halted exclusively in states that voted…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisEverything’s Coming Up Bari
Bari Weiss has had a successful media career by any metric, save perhaps for broad appeal. But as she takes over as the head of CBS News, the “mass” part of…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisAmicus | Dear Justice Kavanaugh, “I’m American, Bro”
While the What Next team celebrates Indigenous Peoples’ Day, please enjoy this episode from our colleagues at Amicus, Slate’s legal podcast. Mary will be back…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisA.I. for Cops
At this very moment, police departments can gather more data than they have time to actually go through — audio and video from crime scenes, cell phone and…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisBonus: SchadenFriday: Portland Puts A Frog On It
As troops continue to roll in, unwelcome, to American cities, you can be forgiven for calling the national picture “pretty bleak.” But even now, the news will…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisThe People Suing ICE
Though ICE, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services denied their Freedom of Information Act requests, these…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisThe People Joining ICE
ICE needs more agents to meet Trump’s promised deportation numbers. But is loosening standards and shortening training time to get more agents on the street a…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisInside the Portland “War Zone”
It’s clear President Trump wants to send troops to Portland, Oregon. But it’s not clear why—especially to people who live there. Guests: Isaac Stanley-Becker…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisIs the Gaza Deal Real?
It’s been two years since Hamas attacked Israel and set off a devastating war. Since then, talks have fallen apart over and over again. Trump says – this time…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisWhen You’re A Justice They Let You Do It
The Supreme Court is back in session, and conservative controlled body again has a docket full of cases that look like 6-3 wins for the Trump agenda. Guest…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisSaudi Arabia Gets into EA’s Games
How one of the largest video game companies was bought for $55 billion by a group that includes Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund and Jared Kushner. Guest…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisWho Owns TikTok Now?
TikTok exploded to popularity not by giving users what they asked for—but by figuring out what users really were interested in, and serving that. What happens…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisActually the Government Shut Down Months Ago
Donald Trump’s theory of a government shutdown was that it would give him more power to fire federal employees, and cut benefits and healthcare. Of course, if…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisThe Department of War…From Within
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth summoned the military’s top brass from all over the world for a meeting to announce…they need to shave and get in shape? And…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisTrump’s Revenge Tour Is Here
The president’s case against James Comey doesn’t look very strong to outside legal observers. But even the most spurious accusation against the former head of…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisThe Gaza Flotilla That’s Under Attack
With Gaza cut off from food and aid, activists have taken matters into their own hands, and are attempting to circumvent Israel’s blockade themselves via the…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisTrapped in a Tesla
When you’re getting out of an Uber, Tesla’s unintuitive door handle can embarrass you. In an emergency, getting out of the car quickly can be the difference…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisBonus: The Senator Calling Trump’s Bluff
The government runs out of money next Tuesday. Trump’s threatened “mass firings” if it shuts down. Earlier this year, Democrats played ball. But now, one…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisHow Trump Got Obsessed with Autism
Why would Donald Trump rush to announce that Tylenol is a potential cause of autism, a claim unsupported by the research? Guest: Dan Diamond, White House…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisJimmy Kimmel Got His Job Back. She Didn’t.
The First Amendment prohibits Congress from making laws that abridge freedom of speech or of the press, but in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s murder, it’s clear…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisA Surgeon in Gaza’s “End Game”
Over three different trips during the war, this doctor saw the chaos of blast injuries in northern Gaza give way to gunshot wounds suffered at aid-distribution…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisTrump’s Attack on Visas
American agriculture relies on foreign workers, and they rely on the H-2A visa program to work legally in the United States. Despite a growing number of people…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisHow Big Media Obeys in Advance
Media giants like Paramount and Disney have been swift to capitulate to the Trump administration and the tenacious head of the FCC, Brendan Carr. Why new…
What Next | Daily News and AnalysisIs A.I. Taking Your Job?
If you’re hunting for a job, the odds are increasingly likely you’ll have an interview with an artificial intelligence “recruiter.” And why not? It’s also…