Post Reports

President Donald Trump recently celebrated the destruction of a boat that was allegedly carrying illegal narcotics from Venezuela to the United States. The 11 people on board were killed, according to the White House. Trump released a video on social media showing the boat going up in flames, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that more attacks like this could be coming. Members of Congress have yet to gain more details or evidence into the unusual strike, which did not follow typical maritime protocols. The administration has claimed those on board were “narco-terrorists” and members of the criminal group Tren de Aragua, while Venezuela’s leader Nicolas Maduro has called in thousands of reservists over concerns that this could be the opening shot in a broader conflict between the U.S. and Venezuela. These and other developments, including a rebranding of the Department of Defense and a visit by Pete Hegseth to Puerto Rico, have many wondering: Have we entered a new era in the nearly quarter-century war on terror? Today, host Colby Itkowitz speaks with national security reporter Tara Copp about the details of the attack and how Trump is making it a military priority to go after drug cartels. Today’s show was produced by Elana Gordon. It was edited by Peter Bresnan and mixed by Sean Carter. Special thanks to Andy deGrandpre. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

The Eaton Fire tore through the Los Angeles suburb of Altadena, part of a storm that killed 19 people. It became one of the most expensive natural disasters in U.S. history, but the ultimate cost won’t be tallied in dollars and cents. That will be calculated on a different ledger: the number of residents who return to this block of West Las Flores Drive and the countless others like it. This story follows these residents. The Washington Post has spent months with three families from this Altadena street, the epicenter of the wildfire’s destructive path, following their separate journeys as they asked themselves excruciating questions and struggled to imagine their futures in a place they fear will never again feel like home. Reis Thebault, Nick Kirkpatrick, Melina Mara and Alice Li reported the piece. Thebault wrote and narrated it. Bishop Sand composed music and produced audio. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Charlie Kirk’s shooting has left both Republicans and Democrats worried about more political violence. How are prominent leaders in both parties responding to the tragedy?

Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed Wednesday at Utah Valley University. As officials seek details on the identity and motive of the shooter, Americans are beginning to process Kirk’s death and what this might mean for a new era of political violence and fear in the United States. In a video posted online on Wednesday night, President Donald Trump blamed the killing, without evidence, on “radical left political violence.” On today’s episode, host Colby Itkowitz speaks with democracy reporter Yvonne WIngett Sanchez, who has covered Kirk and his organization, Turning Point USA, for years. They delve into this difficult moment and Kirk’s lasting legacy as the fiery leader of a powerful conservative youth movement. Today’s show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy and Elana Gordon, with help from Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Peter Bresnan and Reena Flores, with help from Renita Jablonski and Elahe Izadi. It was mixed by Sean Carter. Special thanks to Noah Bierman. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

In Arlington, Texas, thousands waited in line at a career fair in the hopes of getting hired as an ICE officer. Criminal justice reporter Robert Klemko was there and met a diverse mix of people – a former MMA fighter, a community college student and a former Marine. President Donald Trump has pushed to deport a million people during the first year of his second term. To do this big immigration crackdown, ICE is expanding its recruiting efforts and incentivizing people to join through large signing bonuses and a pitch to “defend the homeland.” Host Elahe Izadi speaks with Robert about what he heard from those who signed up and what the potential risks of ramping up hiring and training efforts. Today’s show was produced by Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sam Bair. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Since taking over as health and human services secretary earlier this year, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has fired members of a key vaccine panel, signaled shifts to the childhood immunization schedule and changed guidelines about who should receive the coronavirus vaccine. Now there are questions about which pharmacies will offer shots and whether insurance companies will cover the cost. “Post Reports” host Elahe Izadi is joined by Lena Sun, a national health reporter for The Washington Post, to wade through the confusion and answer listener questions about vaccines this fall. They discuss how to find a covid shot, when might be the best time to receive your flu vaccine, and how Kennedy and the Trump administration could continue to reshape vaccine guidance and public health in the United States. Today’s episode was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy with help from Lucas Trevor. It was mixed by Sam Bair and edited by Elana Gordon with help from Reena Flores. Thanks to Fenit Nirappil. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Montgomery County is a small, rural area in the middle of North Carolina. The county has struggled financially for years, and its school district depends on government grants to survive. This year, the Trump administration cut $600 million in grants to teacher-training programs across the country, and Montgomery County’s $21 million grant was included. The Trump administration says the grants were cut because they were used to train teachers and agencies on diversity, equity and inclusion practices. Host Elahe Izadi speaks with national reporter Ben Brasch about his reporting on Montgomery County’s schools. He shares why some parents and teachers are frustrated by the Trump administration’s seemingly indiscriminate cuts, and why the elimination of the county’s grant affects the school district’s ability to retain and train quality teachers. Today’s show was produced by Thomas Lu. It was edited by Ariel Plotnick with help from Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

The songwriter was unconscious, but his voice filled the operating room. Mike Frazier’s dirty-blond locks had been partially shaved and his head sanitized. The surgeon standing over him slid his blade in a crescent over Frazier’s right ear and tugged his scalp into position. Then he began opening a window into the musician’s brain. The task that day was to reach and remove the cause of the grievous pain that had besieged and mystified Frazier for years. After almost a decade as a folk-rock singer with a rollicking vibe and a knack for storytelling, piercing stomach pain had stymied his songwriting and drawn him into a dangerous depression before he turned 30. This story explores Frazier’s condition, diagnosis and recovery through the songs he would write about the experience. Michael Laris reported, wrote and narrated the piece. Bishop Sand composed music and produced audio. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Congress has less than a month to figure out how to fund the government. But instead of that pressing business, calls for greater government transparency over allegations against convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein dominated Capitol Hill this week. On Tuesday, the House Oversight Committee released more than 33,000 documents related to the investigation, most of which are already publicly available.. But other lawmakers say this effort doesn’t go far enough. Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) and Ro Khanna (D-California) continued to push a competing effort that could force the Justice Department to release more files. Host Colby Itkowitz sits down with Post congressional reporter Marianna Sotomayor and senior national political correspondent Naftali Bendavid to discuss this news as well as the looming government funding deadline and how Democrats are thinking about flipping the House in the 2026 midterms. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

The sparks flew in Thursday’s Senate Finance Committee hearing. Senators – Republicans and Democrats alike – grilled Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over his handling of vaccines and the shakeup at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Kennedy, for his part, doubled down on his ouster of CDC director Susan Monarez, claiming she was not “trustworthy.” He insisted that Americans would still be able to access coronavirus vaccines, despite his overhauling of a key vaccine panel. Host Colby Itkowitz speaks with health reporter David Ovalle about the fireworks at Kennedy’s hearing before the Senate. Plus, they discuss what’s happening with diverging school vaccine policies in red and blue states. Today’s show was produced by Elana Gordon with help from Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Peter Bresnan and mixed by Sam Bair. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Character.AI became one of the world’s most popular artificial intelligence apps by letting tens of millions of users, many in their teens, text and talk to chatbot versions of celebrities and fictional characters. But conversation with these seemingly friendly chatbots can easily veer into topics unsafe for minors. Host Colby Itkowitz talks to tech culture reporter Nitasha Tiku about this new world of AI chatbots, and why parents and advocates are raising concerns. Today’s show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy, with help from Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

In March, as part of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, the United States sent more than 250 migrants, the majority being Venezuelan nationals, to El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center, a megaprison often referred to by its Spanish acronym, CECOT. In July, four months later, the men from Venezuela were released to Venezuela as part of an international prisoner swap. U.S. officials acknowledged in court that many of those sent to CECOT had no criminal record. The Washington Post interviewed 16 of the men, providing the fullest account yet of the treatment and conditions inside CECOT. That includes Roger Molina, a food delivery driver and aspiring soccer player who had been conditionally accepted into a State Department resettlement program for refugees. Today, Samantha Schmidt, The Post’s Bogotá bureau chief, shares Molina’s story and what she and her colleagues learned about the difficult conditions inside CECOT, a secretive prison where inmates are denied access to lawyers and almost all contact with the outside world. Today’s show was produced by Elana Gordon. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sam Bair. Thanks also to Helena Carpio, Christine Armario, Maria Paul and Teo Armus. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Labubus — small plush toys that look like mischievous monsters — have taken the world by storm. Chinese toymaker and retailer Pop Mart has sold millions of dollars’ worth of Labubus. There’s even a booming resale market, on top of a thriving operation of counterfeits called Lafufus. Host Elahe Izadi speaks with reporter Kelly Kasulis Cho about how Labubus became the latest trend, and why these little toys have become a symbol of China’s developing economic strategy. Today’s show was produced by Thomas Lu. It was edited by Ariel Plotnick and mixed by Rennie Svirnovskiy. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Susan Monarez says she refused to restrict access to vaccines as the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It wasn’t long until Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. decided she needed to go. Monarez’s firing led to the resignations of some of the CDC’s top scientists. It comes on the heels of President Donald Trump’s attempted firing of Lisa Cook, a Federal Reserve governor. Now, Trump’s efforts to clamp down on traditionally independent agency officials could have major consequences for the nation’s economy and public health. Today on the weekly “Post Reports” politics roundtable, Colby Itkowitz sits down with White House reporter Dan Diamond and political reporter Dan Merica to discuss how the Trump administration’s recent moves will be felt by most Americans. Today’s show was produced by Arjun Singh and mixed by Rennie Svirnovsky. It was edited by Laura Benshoff. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Taylor Swift and NFL player Travis Kelce announced their engagement Tuesday. Fans mobilized, groups chats lit up, and social media posts of Swifties celebrating went viral. “Post Reports” host Elahe Izadi speaks with pop culture reporter Emily Yahr about this announcement, why it was an unusual move for Swift, and what it could mean for Swift’s music career and business. Plus, we hear from personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary on whether a pre-nup is worth it. Today’s show was produced by Thomas Lu. It was edited by Peter Bresnan and Reena Flores and mixed by Sam Bair. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

On Wednesday morning, students from Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis were in church for an all-school Mass when a shooter opened fire through the church windows. An 8-year-old and a 10-year-old from the private K-8 school were killed, and the shooter died after shooting himself. More than a dozen people were injured, and several remain in critical condition. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) addressed reporters in a moving news conference about the shooting: “Don’t just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now. These kids were literally praying. It was the first week of school. They were in a church. These are kids that should be learning with their friends. They should be playing on the playground. They should be able to go to school or church in peace, without the fear or risk of violence. And their parents should have the same kind of assurance.” Reporter Kim Bellware joins host Elahe Izadi to walk through what The Post has learned about the suspect and about how the tragic event fits into the nation’s history of gun violence. Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff, Rennie Svirnovskiy and Thomas Lu. It was mixed by Sam Bair and edited by Reena Flores and Ariel Plotnick. Thanks to Reis Thebault,. Hannah Knowles, Colby Itkowitz, Elliot Smilowitz and Gina Harkins. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Late last week, President Donald Trump announced the federal government will now own 10 percent of the chipmaker Intel. The move is just one in a pattern of unprecedented deals the Trump administration has struck with tech companies, reshaping the relationship between the federal government and big business. Host Elahe Izadi talks with technology reporter Gerrit De Vynck about how the Intel deal happened, how it compares with past government bailouts and why some free-market conservatives are concerned that the deal signifies government overreach. Today’s show was produced by Arjun Singh with help from Lucas Trevor. It was mixed by Sam Bair. And edited by Ariel Plotnick. Thanks to Tom Simonite. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

The Defense Department is outlining plans to send troops to Chicago as soon as September. These plans have been in the works for weeks – long before Trump’s declaration Friday that “it won’t even be tough” to send troops to the third-largest city in the U.S. Pentagon reporter Dan Lamothe uncovered the details of these military plans, which are part of Trump’s broader crackdown on American cities. Dan speaks with host Colby Itkowitz about what a troop deployment in Chicago could look like, what legal arguments the administration is making and what we can learn from the military’s presence in Los Angeles and D.C. Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff, with help from Thomas Lu. It was mixed by Sean Carter and edited by Reena Flores. Thanks to National Security Editor Andy deGrandpre. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Christopher Kinnison, 46, worked at his own one-man law firm in the central Louisiana city of Alexandria, putting him within a two-hour drive of the state’s nine ICE facilities, the highest number of any state other than Texas. Most of his clients were detainees, and his business cards promised “Fervent Representation for Uncertain Times,” because he knew how quickly immigration policy could change with every new administration. But nothing had prepared him for the change that began when President Donald Trump took office in January. Arrests were up in every part of the country compared with the year before. There were reports of people being detained by ICE at courthouses, farms, car washes, a meat production plant in Nebraska, an Italian restaurant in San Diego and outside a church in Oregon, sending the number of people in immigration detention to more than 56,000, well over the budgeted capacity of 41,500. One in every 8 of those detainees ended up in rural Louisiana, becoming some of the most hidden-away people in America. Every week, more calls came into the law office in Alexandria, and now it was half a year into Trump’s presidency, and Kinnison hadn’t been able to slow down long enough to process what his days at work were becoming. This story follows Kinnison in Louisiana as he counseled clients and triaged their immigration cases in this new reality. Ruby Cramer reported, wrote and narrated the piece. Bishop Sand composed music and produced audio. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

This week, President Donald Trump claimed he’s ended six — or maybe even seven — wars. But his efforts to bring about peace in Ukraine, three years after Russia’s invasion, appear stalled. Guest host Cleve Wootson speaks with White House reporter Cat Zakrzewski and White House correspondent Michael Birnbaum about the latest in the negotiations with Russia and Ukraine, and they fact-check Trump’s peacemaking record. Plus, how Trump talks about the success of his federal takeover of the D.C. police force, and why the FBI is searching properties related to the former Trump national security adviser John Bolton. Today’s show was produced by Arjun Singh. It was edited by Laura Benshoff and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.