As dropping approval ratings rolled in at the end of his first 100 days in office, President Donald Trump took to his Truth Social platform to claim that America is currently living with Biden's stock market and not his.

A Vermont judge ordered the release of Columbia student Mohsen Mahdawi this week. He had been detained by ICE during a final interview for his American citizenship.

As Donald Trump's trade war continues, traditional U.S. trading partners are seeking to make connections with other global economic powerhouses.

The U.S. announced a deal this week that will see it receive a share of the revenue from Ukraine's mineral deposits and the creation of a joint investment fund shared by the two countries.

We cover all the biggest headlines from the week for this installment of the News Roundup.

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Host Diane Rehm sat behind the mic at our home station, WAMU, for nearly 40 years. Her eponymous news talk program aired from 1979 to 2016 to nearly 3 million listeners each week.

In some ways, her success in radio defied the odds. In 1998, she was diagnosed with the neurological condition spasmodic dysphonia. It gave her the distinct voice that over time became synonymous for many with civil conversations on frequently tough topics.

In 2014, President Barack Obama presented Diane with a National Humanities Medal in recognition of her work.

In 2016, she stepped away from her live show, handing the reins to 1A and making the move to her own weekly podcast.

Now, she's saying goodbye to public radio for good, with the end of her podcast and the start of new independent projects.

She joins us to talk about what her tenure in radio and news.

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Americans consume an average of 17 teaspoons of sugar a day with some estimates as high as 34 teaspoons a day. That's more than two or three times the recommended daily amount according to the American Heart Association.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has strong thoughts on the sugar.

"There's things that will never be able to eliminate like sugar," said Kennedy. "And sugar is poison, and Americans need to know that. It is poisoning us."

In this edition of "In Good Health," we discuss the effects to sugar on our bodies, how we can lower these risks.

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100 days. That's how long Donald Trump's been in office in 2025.

While this moment is usually a time to measure how the administration is faring, in many ways, the administration is a reflection of who we are as a nation.

We discuss what we're learning about who we are as Americans during this time. What do we want, and what do we stand for?

There have been executive orders, Signal group chats, federal agency cuts, firings, rehirings, ignored judicial rulings, billionaires, memes, tariffs, and so much more.

As we all take stock of the national implications of his Administration's moves, for this episode, we want to get a little more personal. We hear from you on how your life has changed since Trump took office for the second time.

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Unless you're a physicist, you've probably only encountered quantum mechanics on TV.

And even when it was explained, you might've still been a little confused.

The field of quantum mechanics was created a century ago. Today, scientists are using it to create methods of communication that can't be hacked, higher quality digital images, and to develop medications.

But many of us don't even understand what quantum mechanics is — or how it's deepening our understanding of the universe.

For today's installment of our series, "The Scientific Method," we answer your quantum-related questions.

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Donald Trump's new Commission on Religious Liberty met last week for the first time.

When Trump signed the executive order in May establishing the group, he marked the occasion by saying, "We're bringing religion back to our country, and it's a big deal."

But isn't the separation of church and state guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution? Can the president just "forget about it" even once?

We discuss the complicated answer.

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With strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities on Saturday, President Donald Trump has brought the United States into Israel's war with Iran.

Israel began its campaign against Iran 10 days ago with what it called a "preemptive strike." Now, Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi warned on social media that Iran "reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people."

Iran has so far retaliated only on Israeli sites. Some 40,000 American troops on the ground across the Middle East are on alert.

We discuss the latest and look ahead to what could happen next.

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What's your most vivid school memory? Do you remember it as a time of exploration? Was it a place where you could figure out who you were and what you wanted to become?

Or did it feel like it wasn't made for you? Did it feel constricting, or like a place with lots of rules about how you had to act and what you couldn't do?

Your experience of schools likely depended on the administrators, who your teachers were, how your city or state set up the curriculum, and the resources your school received. Writer Eve L. Ewing argues that experience could also be shaped by who you are.

What has school meant for students, and who influenced how schools function the way they do? And what are alternatives for how school could work for students?

We sit down with Ewing to talk about her new book, "Original Sins: The (Mis)education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism."

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President Donald Trump's decision to send the National Guard to Los Angeles is now up in the air – with a federal appeals court reviewing the case. A lower court has already said Trump acted illegally.

For this edition of our weekly politics series, "If You Can Keep It," we explore how presidents can and can't deploy U.S. troops domestically.

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The second iteration of Donald Trump's travel ban goes into effect.

A federal judge rules that the government must release Columbia graduate student Mahmoud Khalil.

The International Monetary Fund looks to support Syria's economic recovery, saying that it will require investment from abroad.

And, more deaths are reported at food aid distribution sites in the Gaza Strip.

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When someone hurts us, we might feel wounded or sad. We might feel angry and defensive. But sometimes those feelings turn into something more dangerous: a desire for revenge.

Wanting to right a perceived wrong is normal. But neuroscientists are now finding that revenge-seeking behavior can be a form of addiction.

Why does hurting those who have hurt us make us feel good, at least in the moment? And why does getting back at someone often backfire?

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The so-called 'big, beautiful bill' has squeaked by in the Senate and now moves back to the House.

The massive piece of legislation is the centerpiece of Trump's agenda, filled with tax breaks and spending cuts that would touch just about every American.

We discuss what's on the table now in the GOP mega bill. And how might it affect us if it passes.

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People aged 50 and older have grown from about 10 percent of the homeless population to half. That's according to the most recent federal data.

The increase is being driven by a number of factors including housing affordability and fixed incomes. It comes as social safety net programs like Medicaid are on the chopping block and fears grow over the future of Social Security under the Trump Administration.

We talk about the reasons behind the dramatic increase in homelessness among seniors and how can they be protected.

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The first official "Song of Summer" award was given to One Direction in 2013 for... well... "Best Song Ever." It's been more than a decade since that inaugural MTV Video Music Award.

But has the way we consume music evolved so much that a "song of summer" is a relic of the not-so-distant past? How can we measure what makes a good summer song?

We convene the 1A Record Club to get into it.

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After slashing the federal workforce by tens of thousands earlier this year, the Trump administration is looking to fill those empty positions again.

But this time, they want Trump loyalists.

It's a move that challenges more than 150 years of precedent set forth in the Pendleton Act of 1870, which created a nonpartisan civil service.

The outlook for the federal workforce is changing again under Trump. Today, we talk about what it means for the government now and down the line,

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Donald Trump's travel ban is back. Its second iteration blocks all travelers from 12 countries and partially restricts those from seven more starting next week.

The GOP's budget bill has made its way to the Senate, but not all Republicans are falling in line to pass it.

In the Gaza Strip, at least 80 people are dead and hundreds more wounded in a series of shooting attacks near aid distribution sites.

Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said this week that his country would not stop enriching uranium.

This week, after the latest rounds of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia floundered, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is asking for a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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U.S. officials are turning their attention to a pressing problem in space. Not asteroids crashing into earth, but something else: space debris.

Thousands of satellites have been launched into space because our modern life depends on them. There are about 10,000 active satellites in low earth orbit right now. But as more and more of them go up, space is getting crowded.

And where there's crowds, there's waste. Millions of pieces of space debris are circling Earth right now. There are big pieces — everything from dead satellites to spent rocket stages. And tiny ones like blots and paint flecks. But they're all whizzing around at speeds that can be faster than a speeding bullet.

We team up with our friends at the Click Here podcast to take a look at the problem of space debris. We discuss what could happen if an adversary hacks an old satellite and uses it as a weapon.

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If you've been following the news lately — including with 1A — it can be a lot to take in.

We've heard from many of you about how the news makes you feel. But what can we do in chaotic moments of history to build a sense of control in our lives? Maybe it's organizing in your community, starting a new hobby, or picking up that TV show from 10 years ago that you promised you'd get around to watching.

We talk about what finding agency in the chaos can look like, and why we should actively focus on something rather than simply react to what's happening.

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Last week, the House passed a sweeping budget bill, the centerpiece of President Donald Trump's domestic agenda.

The final vote was 215 to 214, just one vote shy of failure, with all but two Republicans supporting the package. Now, all eyes are on the Senate. It's their job to take the legislation over the finish line and deliver it to the president's desk.

Headlines about the bill are focused on tax cuts for the wealthy and steep cuts to programs like Medicaid and food stamps. But buried in this 1,100-page bill are a host lot of lesser-known provisions about immigration, artificial intelligence, and even one that would limit the courts' power by stripping away any consequences for officials who ignore judges' rulings. That last one is akin to "crowning Trump King" according to former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich.

We discuss what's in the fine print and what it means for Americans.

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This week Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the U.S. will begin revoking the visas of some Chinese students.

Elon Musk isn't leaving Washington quietly. In an interview with CBS news Musk took aim at the tax bill making its way through Congress, saying it undermines the work he and DOGE undertook.

Israel's latest offensive in Gaza is drawing criticism from world leaders. This week officials in Germany, Italy, and Spain called for the Israeli military to cease its campaign against Palestinian civilians.

And King Charles opens his address to the Canadian parliament with comments on the nation's sovereignty saying "the true north is indeed strong and free."

We cover the week's most important stories during the News Roundup.

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It's been five years since widespread protests erupted after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd on May 25, 2020.

That murder, and the resulting national protests, led to numerous calls for police reform in communities around the country.

But the politics of policing have changed since 2024. Perceptions of crime and its relationship with immigration were central issues during the last presidential election, particularly for the Republican Party.

And now, the Trump administration says it's undoing recent federal efforts to supervise police reforms in certain cities.

We discuss where the end of those efforts leaves cities and police departments trying to be more accountable to those they're supposed to serve and protect.

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80 years ago, Smokey the Bear was mostly talking about campfire safety. Now? Things are a little different.

Forest fires have always been a normal part of our landscape – and a tool used by human civilizations for millennia.

But as climate change makes our landscapes hotter and drier, wildfires are getting bigger and more destructive. Fire consumed 8.9 million acres across the U.S. last year. The LA County fires this January are the costliest so far, with some estimates putting the total close to $250 billion in damages.

We discuss how we can better adapt to living with massive fires and how we should think about fighting – and preventing – them.

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The news last week of former President Joe Biden's advanced prostate cancer has more people thinking and talking about the condition.

About 1 in 8 men in the U.S. are diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their lives. It's the most-diagnosed cancer in men and the second-leading cause of cancer-related death in American men after lung cancer. That's according to the American Cancer Society.

In this installment of our series, "In Good Health," we talk about how to detect and treat prostate cancer. Then, we switch gears to talk about the Food and Drug Administration's plans to potentially restrict access to the COVID-19 vaccine.

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"Did you hear? A little birdy told me. Don't tell anyone I said this."

Human beings love to gossip. We all talk about other people – sometimes it's a good thing and sometimes it's not.

But where do we draw that line? Where and how did we learn to gossip? Are there benefits?

We talk to the creator of the "Normal Gossip" podcast, Kelsey McKinney. Her new book is all about how we talk about other people.

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After an early-morning vote to open debate, the House passed the Republican spending and tax bill this week. Now, it moves to the Senate.

Elsewhere in Washington, President Donald Trump welcomed South African President Cyril Ramaphosa for a meeting in the Oval Office where he lectured the visiting leader and made false claims about supposed persecution of white Afrikaner farmers.

Despite Gaza being on the edge of famine, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli Defense Forces launched a new offensive in the region that will supposedly bring the entire area under Israeli control.

In his first general audience, Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday called for aid to be allowed to enter Gaza.

The European Union is engaged in a war of words with Israel after the IDF fired warning shots at an E.U. diplomatic delegation visiting the city of Jenin.

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Cuts at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, specifically to programs funding farms, schools, and food banks, mean meals won't make it to many tables across the country.

A new report from Feeding America found that people in every county are experiencing hunger. In some areas, child food insecurity is as high as 50 percent.

How are food banks and farms responding to a loss in federal funding?

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Musician Rhiannon Giddens has won Grammys, a Pulitzer, and a MacArthur "Genius Grant."

But her new album is a true love letter to her North Carolina roots and features former Carolina Chocolate Drops bandmate Justin Robinson. The album is called "What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow."

Giddens and Robinson join us to talk about North Carolina's musical past, taking the time to learn at the feet of a master, and what it means to call a place home.

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The 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress, known colloquially as the nation's report card, shows that reading scores dropped an average of two progress points for both 4th and 8th graders.

But two states that are bucking this trend? Mississippi and Louisiana.

How did two of the country's poorest states turn their literacy scores around in a matter of a few years? What can other states learn from those stories?

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A flood of executive actions and attempts to reshape the scope of the federal government have resulted in at least 328 lawsuits against President Donald Trump's administration as of May 1. A Bloomberg analysis found that judges have blocked Trump's policies more than they have allowed them.

We break down some of the biggest cases against the Trump administration and what they say about the balance of power in the U.S. today.

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The Supreme Court hears oral arguments in a case about President Donald Trump's executive order on birthright citizenship. House Republicans unveil a bill to cut congressional spending.

The U.S. and China hammer out a trade deal that reduces tariffs for 90 days. President Donald Trump visits the Middle East, announcing a slew of economic deals and partnerships. But back home, a luxury jet from the Qatari government takes over the headlines.

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June is around the corner. It means the end of the Supreme Court's term, and with it, decisions on its most high-profile, high-stakes cases.

That's the "what" of the Court's work – but how does the Court decide its cases today? One book tries to answer that.

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On Sunday, Catholic churches across the world celebrated Mass while a new leader took the top seat in Vatican City. That new leader is Pope Leo XIV.

But when white smoke rose last week, some of the faithful may have been surprised when Robert Prevost walked out of St. Peter's Basilica victorious. He's the first US-born pope in history.

What do we know about the man now leading the church? What does it mean for someone born in the U.S. to be the pope?

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President Donald Trump has been clear about wanting to make the U.S. the crypto capital of the world. What's becoming clearer is how much Trump is personally invested in the industry succeeding.

A new report from State Democracy Defenders Action finds that Trump's crypto holdings represent nearly 40 percent of his net worth. The president has his own meme coin and is offering a dinner and private White House tour to the highest investors.

Meanwhile, a recent deal by the Trump family's crypto firm, World Liberty Financial, to an Emirati state backed venture fund has raised eyebrows.

On Tuesday, Democratic Representative Maxine Waters of California blocked a joint hearing on cryptocurrency policy. On Thursday, a key cryptocurrency bill stalled over concerns of the president's crypto dealings.

We get into all of this during our latest installment of, "If You Can Keep It."

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John B. King Jr. has worked in nearly every role an educator can — teacher, principal, administrator, higher education chancellor, and education secretary (under Barack Obama).

Some big changes for education in America could be coming. The Trump administration has signaled its intention to close the Department of Education. That could have far-reaching ripple effects on parents, teachers, and, most importantly, students.

We discuss what it takes for teachers to impact students' lives for the better, and what can teachers do to steer them to success in school and in life.

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Over five million US borrowers are in default, with their loan 270 days past due. Four million haven't made payments in 90 days. Now, the five-year pause on collections for defaulted student loans ended Monday.

The original pause goes back to a 2020 pandemic-era policy, but it was extended multiple times during the Biden administration.

For those in default, the collection of that debt may mean dipping into paychecks, tax refunds, and social security benefits.

These collections are being restarted weeks after the Department of Education has seen its staff cut by half.

Borrowers are also dealing with glitching and outages on financial aid websites.

We answer your questions about student loans and hear why so many borrowers are considered "seriously delinquent."|

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President Donald Trump wants Congress to put together a 'big, beautiful" bill that will extend tax cuts implemented during his first administration. But with less money coming in for the federal government, Congress will have to find ways to cut its own spending.

House Speaker Mike Johnson says that goal is $1.5 trillion.

One big sticking point on where to make cuts is Medicaid. Johnson has repeatedly claimed that Congress will not make cuts to Medicaid for anyone who is "duly owed." There are some representatives, however, with concerns.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office recently did the math. That $1.5 trillion goal isn't possible without cuts to Medicaid or Medicare (another program the administration vowed not to touch).

We discuss what Congress may keep in its budget if they want to also pass this mega-bill to cut taxes.

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Sen. Elissa Slotkin isn't just a congressperson, she's also a former CIA analyst. That means she has special insight into what's be going on abroad. And there's a lot happening these days.

But, as a Democrat, there are plenty of things to focus on at home, too. Namely, what her party is going to do to ensure success in the midterm elections.

We sit down with her to discuss the Trump administration, the Democratic party, and American foreign policy.

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Nearly 43 million Americans have federal student loan debt. Their borrowing totals more than $1.8 trillion. That’s according to the Education Data Initiative.

Now, the federal student loan system is facing significant changes under the Trump administration.

One of the biggest differences is the end of the Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE plan, started by President Joe Biden. The income-driven program offers low monthly payments and an expedited path to loan forgiveness. 

Republicans challenged the plan in court where it’s still tied up, leaving the 7.7 million enrollees in limbo.

How is the Trump administration overhauling the federal student loan system? And what does this mean for the tens of millions of current and future borrowers?

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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?

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Who do high profile people or companies facing a scandal call when they're in a crisis?

Maybe their therapists. But definitely a crisis communications specialist.

Like the work of Olivia Pope in the T-V series Scandal, crisis communications is the practice of shaping public perception and reputation during a crisis. And it's a vital tool for maintaining people's reputations in today's digital landscape.

For the latest installment of our "Ask A" series, we sit down with three crisis communications specialists and pull back the curtain on the little-known part of the PR industry.

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Abraham Lincoln was the first U.S. president to sport a beard. For the next 50 years, whiskers were commonplace in the White House. But then, they went out of style.

Now, Vice President JD Vance is the first executive branch leader in more than a century with a furry face.

And others are following suit. From the Senate to the campaign trail, more and more men in politics are letting their facial hair grow free. But what does that tell us about masculinity, power, and how we see each other?

We discuss why politicians remained bare faced for so long, and what the reemergence of whiskers in the White House represents.

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The controversial immigration detention center — dubbed by Florida officials and the Trump administration, "Alligator Alcatraz"-- has already hit some legal snags since opening earlier this month.

Civil rights groups are suing the Trump administration over due process complaints. The lawsuit alleges detainees are being held without charges and aren't being given access to their attorneys.

It comes after reports of overcrowded cells, overflowing toilets, and no access to prescription medications.

The center was constructed in only eight days at an airport in the Everglades. Three weeks after it opened, around 100 people have already been deported straight from the center.

We discuss the legal rights of those held in immigration detention centers and what's happening inside the one in the Everglades.

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The White House took a victory lap this week as President Donald Trump secured a trade deal with the European Union. The agreement sees goods imported to the U.S. subjected to a 15 percent tariff.

As the Jeffrey Epstein scandal continues to unfold, this week President Trump claimed that the New York financier "stole" young women working at his Mar-a-Lago estate.

American workers are beginning to notice how Donald Trump's crackdown on immigration is affecting the country's industry, with factories hit particularly hard.

World leaders are reacting to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's claims there is no starvation happening in Gaza, despite mounting evidence to the contrary.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced his country will recognize Palestine as a state if Israel does not end the starvation in Gaza.

Despite initially setting a 50-day deadline for an end to the war in Ukraine, President Trump issued an ultimatum Russian President Vladimir Putin. He now expects the war to be over off in 10 to 12 days.

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Experts say a "worst-case" famine scenario is unfolding across the Gaza Strip.

That's according to a new report published this week by a U.N.-backed commission that tracks food security worldwide.

The starvation in Gaza is reawakening global attention to hunger crises unfolding around the world.

Elsewhere in the world: most of Haiti's population is experiencing critical levels of food insecurity. That's when people don't have access to enough safe and nutritious food for normal growth and development. And in Sudan, famine grips tens of millions of people.

We examine how humanitarian aid factors into the equation.

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Across the country, K-12 teachers are prepping classrooms, reviewing lesson plans, and bracing for another school year that, for some, feels politically and personally charged.

The Department of Education is slowly being dismantled by the Trump administration. In some districts, immigration officials have shown up at schools, which likely contributed to a rise in student absences last spring. And artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping what both teaching and learning look like.

We hear directly from educators and what's at the top of their minds as they head into the new school year.

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In this Trump administration it's another day, another deadline, another deal. On Monday, the president issued an ultimatum to Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine.

With this revised deadline, the president now wants peace efforts to make progress within 10 to 12 days. There has been little reaction from the Kremlin.

We discuss how the U.S. ultimatum could change the course of the conflict. With Volodymyr Zelensky facing challenges both on the frontlines and in governance, we discuss the impact this could this have on his way forward.

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Last week, more than 100 aid and human rights groups warned that Gaza is at risk of "mass starvation."

They signed an appeal demanding Israel allow food shipments into the territory. On Saturday, Israel's military announced airdrops of aid began in Gaza and that humanitarian corridors will be established.

Among those starving in the besieged strip are members of the press. Palestinian journalists are working for outlets around the world because Israel has barred international reporters from traveling to the area. Now, several news organizations are warning their employees in Gaza will die unless something changes.

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How does the public know what's happening in the federal government, especially when it's information the government doesn't want to share?

That's where whistleblowers come in. But in 2025, the Trump administration is cracking down on these brave folks and the journalists telling their stories.

In this installment of our politics series, "If You Can Keep It," we discuss weakening whistleblower protections under President Trump and what this means for those who rely on the information they share.

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New reporting in The Wall Street Journal indicates that the FBI told President Donald Trump in May that his name was mentioned in the Epstein Files. Congressional Republicans have mostly shrugged off the news. Speaker Mike Johnson shuts down the House for the summer.

Meanwhile, the European Union and at least 28 governments are criticizing Israel for "drip feeding" Palestinians in Gaza, as starvation grows worse in the Strip. More than 110 people have now died from hunger.

Reports indicate that Russian officials have involved teenagers as they test and deploy drones into Ukraine. Daily drone warfare has increased, as Russian president Putin inches towards a deadline imposed by President Trump to end the fighting.

The Trump administration withdraws the U.S. from UNESCO, the United Nations' cultural agency, just two years after rejoining.

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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.

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