1A

President Donald Trump gave Vladimir Putin what the Russian leader wanted during their meeting in Alaska last week. 

Now, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is back in the U.S. for more talks. His last visit to the White House was disastrous, to say the least. This time, he’s bringing key European leaders with him to meet with Trump.

What does the future of the conflict in his country look like? And what’s changed for Trump since his meeting with Putin?

Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy

President Donald Trump and his administration want control over exhibits at the Smithsonian Institution.

In a letter sent Aug. 12, three White House officials told the secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, Lonnie G. Bunch III, that the administration would conduct a review at certain Smithsonian museums. 

The goal? To “celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions.”

In this installment of our politics series, “If You Can Keep It,” we talk about how the administration is injecting itself into the affairs  – and the exhibits – of the Smithsonian Institution and what that means for our understanding of our shared history.

Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. 

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy

President Donald Trump put the police force in Washington D.C. under federal control.

He also called in the National Guard and ICE to patrol the streets. The Justice Department says last year violent crime in the District of Columbia hit a 30-year low.

Cuts to the social safety net are set to leave some 2.4 million Americans without access to the food stamps they were entitled to before the passage of the spending bill earlier this year.

And, in global news, Israel killed four journalists working for Al Jazeera in a targeted strike on the tent in which they were staying in Gaza. Also this week, Israeli soldiers shot 25 people seeking aid in Gaza as Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu claims he’ll “allow” Palestinians to leave during an upcoming offensive in the Strip.

A sit down takes place this week between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. And Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that he will not exchange land for peace.

Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. 

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy

President Donald Trump has taken over Washington D.C.’s police force and deployed the National Guard in the capital.

The president took over the city’s police department for 30 days, and says he wants Congress to grant him “long-term” control of the force.

All this in the name of public safety, despite the fact that D.C.'s violent crime rate is at a 30-year low.

He says he might do the same in places like Los Angeles, Chicago and Baltimore.

We get into what it all means for our nation’s capital and beyond.

Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. 

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy

The U.S. undertakes the census every 10 years. Hundreds of thousands of Census workers set out to count everyone living in the U.S., regardless of their citizenship status.

That data is used to reallocate seats in the House of Representatives, redraw voting districts on the local level, and decide how federal funds should be allocated in each state.
The next one is 5 years away, and President Donald Trump wants to make big changes to the 2030 count – by excluding noncitizens. 

Why does it matter who’s counted in the Census? How would making changes to it influence the life of every person living in the U.S.?

Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. 

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy

Commander and Astronaut James A. Lovell, Jr. – died Thursday at the age of 97. He was one of the three-man Apollo 13 spacecraft crew that set for the moon in April 1970.  

In 1970, the Apollo 13 spacecraft launched from the Kennedy Space Center. It captured the world's attention as America's third attempt to get to the moon. But after only two days, an explosion crippled the spacecraft and changed its mission: Get home safely.

The three astronauts onboard, and dozens of flight controllers on Earth, labored for days to solve one challenge after another.

Captain Jim Lovell commanded that mission—after a series of historical firsts with his flights on Gemini 7, Gemini 12, and Apollo 8.

In 2020, 1A's Todd Zwillich spoke to the captain about that historic flight on its 50th anniversary. We revisit the conversation. 

Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.  

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy

Redistricting in Texas is turning into a showdown that has nationwide implications for the House of Representatives. The situation paints another stroke in a portrait of a president who hasn't been shy about his desire to consolidate power and shore up GOP prospects ahead of the 2026 midterms.

So, what kicked this off? Last week more than 50 Democratic lawmakers fled the state to break quorum and prevent their state House vote on new redrawn congressional maps. The Democrats' revolt, threats of retaliation, and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's threats have intensified the fight and sparked a national conversation.

In this installment of our politics series, "If You Can Keep It," we discuss the fight over redistricting in Texas what it means for the state of our democracy.

Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

An extraordinary fight is underway in Texas over redistricting. 

And it’s turning into a showdown that has nationwide implications for the House of Representatives. The situation paints another stroke in a portrait of a president who hasn’t been shy about his desire to consolidate power and shore up GOP prospects ahead of the 2026 midterms.

So, what kicked this off? Last week more than 50 Democratic lawmakers fled the state to break quorum and prevent their state House vote on new redrawn congressional maps. The Democrats’ revolt, threats of retaliation, and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s threats have intensified the fight and sparked a national conversation.  

In this installment of our politics series, “If You Can Keep It,” we discuss the fight over redistricting in Texas what it means for the state of our democracy.

Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy

After months of delays, President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs went into effect on Thursday.

A planned strategy meeting among top Trump administration officials whether to release the transcript from the Department of Justice interview with Ghislaine Maxwell was cancelled.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government considers a total takeover of the Gaza strip. The UN warns the move could risk "catastrophic consequences."

Trump administration special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of Donald Trump's Friday deadline for peace in Ukraine.

And Rwanda has agreed to accept 250 migrants from the United States becoming the latest nation to strike a deal to take in Trump administration deportees.

Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy

The president of the United States fired the head of the government's main economic statistics agency after a recent report showed a less than positive picture of U.S. employment.

The civil servant President Donald Trump fired was former Commissioner of Labor Statistics Erika McEntarfer, a labor economist nominated to the role in 2023 by President Joe Biden. The Senate overwhelmingly confirmed her in 2024. Commissioners often serve under multiple presidents.

The president defended his reasoning for the firing on social media – though he didn't provide evidence to back up his claims.

We discuss the consequences when the president fires the person at the head of the government's main agency for economic statistics.

Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy