Podcast Episodes

TBD | ChatGOP?

Donald Trump—or at least the tech guys who have his ear—is ready to clear the regulatory runway for A.I. but other Republicans aren’t too sure. Can he bring them around? Or will the bubble burst firs…

Published on 3 weeks, 1 day ago

SchadenFriday Plus: Feelin’ Nuzzi

Olivia Nuzzi’s book, American Canto, is out. Somehow it discloses almost nothing and also way, way too much.

Guest: Scaachi Koul, Slate senior writer.

This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it n…

Published on 3 weeks, 3 days ago

TBD | The AI & Crypto Czar’s Conflicts

A tech mogul who made bank from Paypal with his Stanford buddies and has endeared himself to right-wing politicians and enriched himself the same way? No not him; this one’s South African..no, not hi…

Published on 3 weeks, 3 days ago

The Year of Vaccine Backsliding

Today, the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee will be meeting to vote on recommendations for childhood vaccinations. But under RFK Jr.’s leadership, this committee looks much different now than it did …

Published on 3 weeks, 4 days ago

Pardon Me, Mr. President

Some presidents use their pardons for large groups of people. Some presidents use them for personal reasons. If you were to sum up Donald Trump’s use of the power of the pardon, the only word for it …

Published on 3 weeks, 5 days ago

A Textbook Example of an Unlawful Order

Just after the Trump administration threw a fit over a video reminding the military that they have an obligation to refuse unlawful orders, the Washington Post published reporting alleging the orders…

Published on 3 weeks, 6 days ago

What Kids Aren't Learning About US History

Conservatives have long complained that teaching American history with slavery and genocide and systemic oppression is just too negative, and the Trump administration has gone as far as attacking the…

Published on 4 weeks ago

TBD | If You Give A.I. a Nuke

As the U.S. upgrades and updates its defense and military systems, the question isn’t whether A.I. will be integrated, but where, how much, and how much decision-making are we ceding to the machine?

Published on 4 weeks, 1 day ago

TBD | Rebroadcast: Dupes!

Note: This episode was originally published on July 27, 2025. 

There’s an entire economy devoted to seeing what products are trending—clothing, skin care, even Greek Islands—and delivering you a chea…

Published on 1 month ago

Decoder Ring | Cozy Autumn Mysteries

While the What Next team works their way from preparing food to sleeping it off, enjoy this episode on fall’s flavorful favorites from our friends at Decoder Ring. We’ll be back to regular programmin…

Published on 1 month ago