Post Reports

Over the past few months, Elon Musk has heavily invested in the Trump campaign. Musk is hosting rallies in swing states, giving out million-dollar checks to registered voters in those states and organizing canvassers. Billionaires donating to presidential campaigns is nothing new, but Musk is putting much more than money into the race. Elahe Izadi speaks with technology reporter Trisha Thadani and national political reporter Michael Scherer about Musk’s political influence.Today’s show was produced by Eliza Dennis and Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sam Bair. The Campaign Moment newsletter is here. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

The morning after the 2020 election, then-president Donald Trump prematurely declared victory and claimed that a “fraud” was being perpetrated on the American public. He would go on to wage a campaign against the 2020 results, which culminated in rioters storming the U.S. Capitol. Now, with Trump back on the ballot, experts are concerned that Trump and his allies may use the same playbook they did in 2020 to challenge the 2024 results. Trump has already suggested that the 2024 election would be stolen from him and has continued to press baseless claims about election fraud. Today on “Post Reports,” Martine Powers speaks with reporter Patrick Marley about how Trump tried to contest the 2020 results, what has changed in the past four years, and what may play out in 2024.Today’s show was produced by Peter Bresnan, with help from Emma Talkoff. It was edited by Monica Campbell, with help from Ariel Plotnick. It was mixed by Sean Carter. Thanks to Jenna Johnson. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

This year, several large unions withheld their endorsements for a presidential candidate – a move that upset Democrats, because the majority of unions have always endorsed Democratic candidates. This was reflective of a shift that’s been happening since the 2016 election, with more and more union members moving to the right.This division was on display when labor reporter Lauren Kaori Gurley visited the Ford auto plant in Wayne, Michigan, a factory in a critical swing state. Workers told her that they listen to MSNBC and Joe Rogan while they work and wear shirts in support of former president Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. Some said they were still undecided. Host Martine Powers spoke with Lauren about why this shift to the right has happened and what workers at the auto plant told her about how they’re deciding whom to vote for.Today’s show was produced by Sabby Robinson, with help from Emma Talkoff. It was mixed by Sean Carter. And edited by Reena Flores, with help from Monica Campbell. Thanks to Mike Madden. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

In recent months, rapid advances in AI audio technology have made it possible to clone any voice, chat with artificial versions of celebrities like Judi Dench, and make a podcast on any topic in minutes.  Those developments have raised ethical questions, opening the door for election disinformation and scams. And they’ve also raised philosophical questions about what complex constellation of qualities allows us to relate to a voice.Martine Powers speaks with technology columnist Geoffrey Fowler about how Silicon Valley is attempting to re-create the human voice – and where they’re falling short.Also mentioned in today’s show: How to spot AI-generated “deepfakes” of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.Today’s show was produced by Emma Talkoff with help from Elana Gordon. It was edited by Peter Bresnan with help from Monica Campbell and mixed by Sean Carter.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Hamas’s leader Yahya Sinwar was killed by Israeli forces last week. The Israeli government had been searching for Sinwar ever since he helped orchestrate the deadly Oct. 7 terror attacks last year. While some celebrated Sinwar’s death – and see this moment as a potential catalyst for a ceasefire – Sinwar’s supporters see him as a martyr, Today, host Martine Powers speaks with The Post’s Jerusalem bureau chief, Steve Hendrix, about who Sinwar was, the fallout from his death, and whether it changes the likelihood of an end to the war in Gaza. It was produced by Sabby Robinson with help from Emma Talkoff and Bishop Sand. It was edited by Ariel Plotnick, with help from Reena Flores. Thanks to Jesse Mesner-Hage, Ahemed Shehata and Lisa Jacobson. Listen to the latest update in the “Empty Grave of Comrade Bishop” series here. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

“Post Reports” co-host Martine Powers and senior political reporter Aaron Blake talk with national political reporter Marianne LeVine about the peculiar moments that she’s observed on the campaign trail this week with former president Donald Trump. From a music listening session on stage, to some eyebrow-raising interviews with both candidates, “The Campaign Moment” crew digs into the Trump and Harris campaigns’ final sprints before Election Day. Today’s show was produced by Eliza Dennis. It was edited by Reena Flores and Mary Jo Murphy. It was mixed by Sam Bair. Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Jon Tester is one of the last Senate Democrats standing in a red state. First elected in 2006, he pitches his bipartisan record and his Montana roots as an antidote to national political warfare. He still farms the land his grandparents settled in the state and has a personal relationship with voters. But the state he represents is changing. The Republican candidate, businessman and veteran Tim Sheehy, has accused Tester of being too liberal for Montana, a state that voted for Trump by more than 16 percentage points in 2020.On today’s “Post Reports,” host Martine Powers speaks with reporter Liz Goodwin, who traveled to Montana with producer Laura Benshoff, about the race and the Republican voters who used to like Tester and will probably decide his fate.This episode was produced by Laura Benshoff, with help from Emma Talkoff. It was edited by Reena Flores, with help from Ariel Plotnick. It was mixed by Sean Carter. Thank you to Emily Ruahala and Jesse Mesner-Hage.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Just 140 miles off the coast of the Philippines’ largest island is a sparkling blue lagoon that is rich with fish and minerals. This ring of reefs and rocks is called Scarborough Shoal. For centuries, it has been a place of open passageway and connection, drawing fishermen from all over the region. It’s a place that captain Jory Aguian, student activist Mathew Silverio and the rest of a small Philippine flotilla of wooden boats are determined to reach. They hope to follow in the steps of generations before them and to show solidarity with the Philippine fishermen who have managed to remain at Scarborough. However, getting there is complicated. Scarborough Shoal is in the South China Sea – a waterway that is claimed in part by at least six countries and has become one of the most geopolitically tense places in the world. With its geographic proximity, the Philippines views Scarborough as theirs, but China also claims the shoal. In recent years, as the Philippines has tried to stress its claim to this waterway, China has doubled down on its efforts to maintain its security interests in the South China Sea. This has led to escalating tensions and confrontations, with Chinese ships using water cannons on Philippine boats and flying fighter jets overhead.  And so the question for those on board this small Philippine flotilla is: Can they do this, can they achieve their goal of making it to Scarborough? How far are they willing to go, to risk their lives?Today on “Post Reports,” we embed with the Post’s Southeast Asia bureau chief, Rebecca Tan, on a voyage into these contested waterways. Yasmin Coles and Martin San Diego contributed to this story. Today’s show was produced by Elana Gordon. It was edited by Peter Bresnan with help from Reena Flores. It was mixed by Sean Carter. Special thanks to Alan Sipress.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

The Three Mile Island nuclear power plant, site of the worst nuclear accident in U.S. history, could reopen in 2028. The plant’s owner, Constellation Energy, signed a deal with Microsoft that would allocate 100% of the plant’s power output to the tech company. Constellation is seeking a $1.6 billion federal loan guarantee to get the plant up and running. Microsoft hopes the power generated by the facility will help fuel  the increasing energy needs of  AI. It’s estimated that by 2030, 17% of the U.S. energy output could be going to data centers used by tech companies to power AI. On today’s “Post Reports,” host Martine Powers speaks with reporter Evan Halper about how AI is reshaping the energy landscape in the U.S., and about the potential benefits and dangers of reopening Three Mile Island. One other story mentioned in today’s episode: see how climate change could be affecting the price of your home. Today’s show was produced by Peter Bresnan, with help from Emma Talkoff. It was mixed by Sean Carter and edited by Ariel Plotnick, with help from Reena Flores. Thanks to Christopher Rowland.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

This summer, at a small recruiting station in Toms River, New Jersey, Sgt. 1st Class Dane Beaston met with a team of Army recruiters to offer some encouragement.“Let's change the places we're looking,” Beaston told his colleagues. “Let's change our messaging. Let's change what we're doing if it's not working, right? But the potential's out there.”Beaston has given a lot of talks like these lately. While his team has gotten closer to meeting its goals since he joined a couple years ago, it fell short of meeting its quota in June. This isn’t just a problem in Toms River. Across the country, the Army is struggling to sign people up. Negative trends accelerated by the pandemic have shrunk the number of young people able to meet the Army’s academic and athletic requirements. Trust in American institutions is also waning.Today on “Post Reports,” Martine Powers speaks with Greg Jaffe, a national reporter at The Post, about the time he and reporter Missy Ryan spent at the Toms River recruiting station to see how recruiters there are trying to persuade young people to join the Army.Today’s show was produced by Sabby Robinson, with help from Peter Bresnan. It was edited by Monica Campbell and mixed by Sean Carter.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

In the lead-up to the 2016 presidential election, host Lillian Cunningham created the “Presidential” podcast, with one episode dedicated to each of the (at the time) 44 U.S. presidents. Now, in the thick of the 2024 election, Lillian is back. This is the first of two special “Presidential” podcast episodes that will be released in advance of the election on Nov. 5. The episodes examine how the two major party candidates, former president Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, could make history if they win. This one focuses on the history Harris would make, and the history that has led to this moment. Sharon McMahon, a beloved voice on American civics and the creator behind Instagram’s @SharonSaysSo, helps guide listeners through women’s initial efforts to gain the right to vote and explains why, from her perspective, the pace of further progress has been slower than expected over the past century. She also explores the changes that are likely (and unlikely) to happen if Harris does become the first woman to win the White House.Want to brush up on more presidential history? Listen to the full “Presidential” podcast. Host and creator Lillian Cunningham takes listeners on an epic historical journey through the personality and legacy of each American president. The podcast features interviews with the country’s greatest experts on the presidency, including Pulitzer Prize-winning biographers Doris Kearns Goodwin, David McCullough, Jon Meacham and Bob Woodward.Archival audio in this episode is courtesy of the Library of Congress, the Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library and News Radio KDKA. Special thanks to the Shirley Chisholm Cultural Institute. 

Democrats want to retake control of the House of Representatives. Vice President Kamala Harris goes on a media blitz. And elected officials wade through destruction and misinformation after another hurricane made landfall this week.“Post Reports” co-host Martine Powers and senior political reporter Aaron Blake talk with Congressional reporter Marianna Sotomayor about whether Democrats will succeed in flipping the House and which voters Harris wanted to reach with her flurry of interviews on podcasts and TV this week. They also dig into the political aftermath of Hurricane Milton. Today’s show was produced by Eliza Dennis. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy and mixed by Sam Bair. Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

From Medicare to Obamacare, health care has long been a powerful and polarizing issue in the race for president. This year, the issue of reproductive health care is dividing Americans. The high cost of prescription drugs and access to affordable health care are also concerns. So how exactly does the ticket of former president Donald Trump and JD Vance compare with Vice President Kamala Harris and Tim Walz when it comes to our health? National health reporter Dan Diamond breaks down what we know from the candidates’ current policies and track records. Read more: Vance floats new health plans for chronically ill, reopening ACA debateTrump struggles to embrace ‘lousy’ Obamacare, calling again to replace itBiden, Harris say seniors will see lower prices for diabetes, heart medicationsHarris and Trump are ready to take on Big PharmaHow Kamala Harris is tackling medical debt — with Roy Cooper’s helpDemocrats’ ads shift from Trump to abortion and economy with Harris as nomineeToday’s show was produced by Elana Gordon with help from Rennie Svirnovskiy and Emma Talkoff. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter. Thanks to Stephen Smith.  Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

After Hurricane Helene hit the southern United States last month, a wave of conspiracy theories flooded social media about the storm and the response by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA. Former president Donald Trump promoted one conspiracy theory, falsely suggesting that the Biden administration used FEMA disaster funds to help migrants at the southern border.Now, as Hurricane Milton nears landfall, FEMA and other federal agencies are gearing up to respond to potentially devastating damage, and also to combat conspiracy theories that may discourage people from getting help. Today on “Post Reports,” Martine Powers speaks with climate reporter Maxine Joselow about how FEMA is preparing for Hurricane Milton while fighting misinformation.  Today’s show was produced by Sabby Robinson with help from Peter Bresnan and Ariel Plotnick. It was mixed by Sean Carter and edited by Monica Campbell with help from Reena Flores. Thanks to Molly Hennessy-Fiske. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

On today’s “Post Reports,” we look into why Republicans are waging legal battles to disqualify mail-in ballots, and why rhetoric against mail voting might actually hurt their presidential candidate. Read more: Since 2020, the Republican Party has waged a nationwide legal campaign to reject mail-in ballots.From Wisconsin to North Carolina to Nevada, Republicans say much of their litigation is aimed at enforcement of election law, down to the letter. But critics see a strategy that has nothing to do with election integrity — and everything to do with disqualifying voters who cast ballots by mail, an overwhelming majority of whom support Democrats. At the same time, Republicans are also ramping up their get-out-the-vote operations, which include pushing their supporters to use mail-in ballots.On today’s “Post Reports,” Elahe Izadi speaks with democracy reporter Colby Itkowitz about Republicans’ efforts to get mail-in ballots thrown out in Pennsylvania, and about the have-it-both-ways strategy they’re employing in this election. And we hear from an election official in Pennsylvania’s Lycoming County — a GOP-leaning area in the center of the state — who’s sick of the fighting. Today’s show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy, with help from Sabby Robinson and Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter. Thank you to Griff Witte and HyoJung Kim.  Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip awoke on Monday, the first anniversary of the Hamas attacks, in the same way they were roused on Oct. 7, 2023: to the sound of air-raid sirens.At 6:32 a.m. – almost to the minute of the surprise assaults last year – militants in Gaza launched four rockets toward those same towns and kibbutzim, sending Israelis into shelters and highlighting how the battle continues to rage 12 months after that fateful morning. Israeli forces immediately struck targets inside Gaza, where more than 41,000 people have been killed since the start of the war, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.Despite the fighting, Israelis came together to remember those who were lost, those who are still being held captive and those who remain unable to return to their homes. About 1,200 Israeli citizens, visitors, guest workers and soldiers were killed in the Oct. 7 attacks. At least 250 were taken hostage. More than 160,000 fled to safety from towns around Gaza and along the border with Lebanon. Few have come home.Today on “Post Reports,” Martine Powers speaks with Steve Hendrix in Jerusalem about the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel, and about the internal divisions within Israel as its war with Hamas in Gaza expands to include Lebanon, Yemen and Iran. Today’s show was produced by Peter Bresnan, with help from Emma Talkoff and Rennie Svirnvoskiy. It was edited by Monica Campbell and Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter. Thanks to Jesse Mesner-Hage, Heidi Levine, Joe Snell and Alisa Shodiyev Kaff. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

The WNBA playoffs are underway, capping a record-breaking season: The league added teams, games saw the highest attendance ever, and television viewership skyrocketed. Many credit rookie player Caitlin Clark for drawing fans to the league after millions tuned in to watch her and rival players compete in this year's college basketball championship. Host Elahe Izadi speaks with sports reporters Kareem Copeland and Ava Wallace about how the “Clark effect” has transformed the WNBA on and off the court.  Today’s show was produced by Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Reena Flores. It was mixed by Sean Carter. Thanks to Mark Selig.Sign up for the Sports Moment newsletter here.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

As Election Day looms, we’re seeing more and more headlines based on poll results. Some declare Trump and Harris neck and neck, while others state one candidate has a small advantage over the other. But how can we make sense of all these polls flooding the news cycle?Today, Martine Powers speaks with The Post’s deputy polling director, Emily Guskin. Emily explains how a poll comes to be, what to look for when trying to understand whether a poll is trustworthy and breaks down once and for all what “margin of error” really means.Today’s show was produced by Ariel Plotnick, with help from Bishop Sand. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sam Bair. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.Correction: A previous version of this episode gave an example of a margin of error applying to a percentage of a sample that hated apples. In the example, the margin of error actually applied to the percentage of the population that hates apples. The audio has been corrected.

Democratic Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota and Republican Sen. JD Vance of Ohio faced off at what was expected to be the only vice presidential debate on Tuesday night. But it was much less dramatic than the presidential debates. Read more:“Post Reports” co-host Elahe Izadi talks with senior political reporter Aaron Blake about Walz’s stumbling performance, Vance’s efforts to soften his image on unpopular issues for the GOP, like abortion, and whether either performance could significantly impact the race. Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff and Emma Talkoff. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy and mixed by Rennie Svirnovskiy. Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Across the southeastern United States, Hurricane Helene destroyed houses, swept up cars and overflowed riverbanks. Now millions of people are without power and clean drinking water; more than 100 people are dead. “It's not really an overstatement to say there are towns that were there and are basically not there anymore,” environment and climate reporter Brady Dennis said. He’s been reporting from North Carolina, where many communities were not prepared for the disaster. On today’s show, Dennis describes the widespread destruction and relief efforts to host Elahe Izadi.Today’s show was produced by Elana Gordon, with help from Sabby Robinson. It was mixed by Sean Carter and edited by Reena Flores, with help from Ariel Plotnick. Thanks to Scott Dance, Paulina Firozi and Katie Zezima.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.