As Elon Musk leads a project to drastically remake the federal government, one goal might be fueling it all: getting to Mars. 

It’s an objective that President Donald Trump seems to share. In his inaugural address on Jan. 20, Trump promised that the U.S. would “pursue our manifest destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars.”

But what are the obstacles to get to the Red Planet?

Host Martine Powers speaks with space reporter Christian Davenport about the U.S. ambitions to get to Mars — and how the country, along with private space companies, could actually get there.

Today’s show was produced and mixed by Ted Muldoon. It was edited by Reena Flores with help from Renita Jablonski and Maggie Penman. 

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The National Institutes of Health is a sprawling and complex institution that supports the work of hundreds of thousands of scientists at universities and labs across the country.

Since Trump’s inauguration that work has been stymied by confusion and uncertainty – potentially delaying or even preventing important medical research. 

The Post’s science reporter Carolyn Johnson has been reporting on the turmoil at NIH and talks to Martine about how it could impact a generation of scientists. 

Today’s show was produced by Emma Talkoff and Elana Gordon. It was edited by Maggie Penman and mixed by Sam Bair. Elana Gordon contributed reporting.

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Senior political reporter Aaron Blake breaks down the speech with senior White House correspondent Naftali Bendavid and Democracy reporter Colby Itkowitz. They fact-check Trump’s DOGE claims and explain the political consequences Trump could face for his tariffs. 

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Lucy Perkins with help from Rachel Van Dongen and mixed by Sam Bair. 

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This episode has been updated to clarify that the Trump administration has said Elon Musk is not the head of DOGE. An earlier version of the episode included a misstatement where the names "Musk" and "Trump" were swapped.

Measles is one of the most contagious diseases in the world. It was eliminated in the United States 25 years ago because of an effective vaccine. While cases periodically pop up, a growing wave of vaccine skepticism is giving this old virus new traction.

Health reporter Fenit Nirappil and “Post Reports” producer Elana Gordon recently traveled to the heart of this growing outbreak, which officials say may take months to get under control.  

Today, Martine Powers speaks with Fenit about the state of the Texas outbreak; we hear from a mom whose unvaccinated child recently got measles and from a pediatrician who has cared for hospitalized patients. 

Today’s show was produced by Elana Gordon, who also contributed to this report. It was edited by Peter Bresnan with help from Reena Flores and Maggie Penman, and mixed by Sam Bair. Thank you to Lenny Bernstein.

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On Friday, Zelensky and Trump met for what was expected to be a tense but uneventful meeting before signing a natural resources agreement that was seen as the first step to a peace deal with Russia. Instead, cameras captured a blow-up – Trump and Vice President JD Vance accused Zelensky of being ungrateful and said he was “gambling with the lives of millions of people.”  

Since then, European leaders have redoubled support for Ukraine – while the Kremlin proclaimed that the Trump administration is “largely aligned” with Moscow’s vision. 

Martine Powers speaks with White House reporter Michael Birnbaum about how the meeting fell apart and where Zelensky might go from here.

Today’s show was produced by Emma Talkoff with help from Bishop Sand. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and mixed by Sam Bair. 

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Some House Republicans are getting nervous. They’re worried that passing President Donald Trump’s budget proposal could mean cuts to popular programs like Medicaid. They’ve also gotten an earful from voters angry at Elon Musk who are packing congressional town halls. 

Senior politics reporter Aaron Blake unpacks the drama with congressional reporter Marianna Sotomayor and congressional economics correspondent Jacob Bogage. 

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and mixed by Ted Muldoon. 

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This year’s Oscar contenders are all over the place, ranging from the adaptation of the popular musical “Wicked” to the Brazilian historical drama “I’m Still Here.” Film and TV reporter Sonia Rao and arts editor Janice Page sit down with host Martine Powers to share which films are rising to the top and explain why some actors may be favored more by the academy than others. 

Today’s show was produced by Emma Talkoff, with help from Sabby Robinson and Ariel Plotnick. It was edited by Maggie Penman and mixed by Sam Bair.

Gregg Bafundo worked as a lead wilderness ranger in Washington state and used his basic firefighting training to help contain fires in the parks he worked in. Erin Williamson traveled to rural communities to help them get financing for essential services as part of her job with the U.S. Agriculture Department. Veteran Jared Blockus worked for a VA hospital in North Carolina ordering critical equipment. All of them were probationary workers fired a couple of weeks ago as part of the Trump administration’s plan to reduce the size of the federal workforce, along with thousands of others. 

Host Martine Powers speaks with reporter Kyle Swenson about these former federal workers and what their job loss means personally and for the public. 

Correction: A previous version of this episode mispronounced a source’s name. The error has been corrected.

Today’s show was produced by Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sam Bair.

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Host Martine Powers speaks with Supreme Court reporter Justin Jouvenal about Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services, which will be heard before the country’s highest court on Wednesday. 

Ames and her attorneys say she was held back at her job because she is straight and White. Her case was rejected by lower courts, in part because reverse discrimination claims require a higher burden of proof than anti-minority discrimination in many parts of the country. But Ames’s attorneys argue that this double standard is unconstitutional. And many legal experts say the Supreme Court is poised to agree. They expect that if the court sides with Ames, it could lead to an increase in the number of discrimination lawsuits filed by straight people, White people and men. The decision may also have a chilling effect on corporate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs.

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Peter Bresnan and mixed by Sam Bair. 

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Opioid overdoses don’t have to be fatal if the person gets help in time.

In recent years naloxone, a medication that reverses opioid overdoses, has become more widely available in the United States. Narcan, a nasal spray version of naloxone, became available without prescription in pharmacies in 2023. That means more people can help reverse overdoses. Despite showing signs of decline, the number of people dying nationwide from overdoses eclipsed 100,000 annually from 2020 to 2023, according to national health data.

Host Elahe Izadi talks with producer Elana Gordon about the lifesaving effects of the medication. They walk through the steps of how to use Narcan and what it feels like to experience an opioid overdose reversal. 

Today’s show was produced by Ariel Plotnick. It was edited by Lucy Perkins with help from Alison MacAdam and mixed by Sam Bair. 

Download The Post’s step-by-step guide for how to administer the naloxone nasal spray here.

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