Meet the man Trump trusts for some of his toughest international talks President Trump is looking to Steve Witkoff, a old friend, for help negotiating the thorniest foreign policy issues in Ukraine, Gaza and Iran. Franco Ordoñez
NATO Secretary General speaks with NPR ahead of U.S. meetings NPR's Michel Martin speaks with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte about U.S. involvement in major international conflicts under the Trump administration.
Lobbying spending in Washington state has doubled since 2014 What’s it buying? In the last decade, money spent lobbying in Washington rose more steadily and dramatically than other U.S. state that tracks lobbying money — from around $41 million in 2014 to more than $90 million last year. Scott Greenstone
New senior staff announced as White House looks to 'right the ship' at the Pentagon The defense department has announced new senior level positions after recent firings and resignations. But with Pentagon head Pete Hegseth under fire for missteps, the way ahead is still unclear. Tom Bowman
Luigi Mangione's case marks a shift in politics of the death penalty in the U.S. Over the last half-century, the political leanings of the Supreme Court, Congress, and the presidency contributed to dramatically different approaches to the federal death penalty. Kristin Wright
Fired, rehired, and fired again: Some federal workers find they're suddenly uninsured Commerce Department employees caught up in a legal battle over their mass firings are now learning that their health care coverage was cut off weeks ago, even though they were paying their premiums. Andrea Hsu
The U.S. takes a step toward allowing mining on the ocean floor, a fragile ecosystem President Trump signed an order Thursday aimed at making it easier for companies to mine the ocean floor. Scientists and environmental groups say it could harm a fragile ecosystem. Julia Simon
They say they want Americans to have more babies. What's beneath the surface? Pronatalists believe that modern culture has failed to adequately prioritize the value of nuclear families and making lots of babies. They see powerful potential allies in Elon Musk and JD Vance. Lisa Hagen
What bills are graduating this legislative session, and what's flunking out? This week Sound Politics discusses what the legislature managed to pass this year, and what was left on the cutting-room floor. Oh yeah, and there’s also the little matter of the budget. Scott Greenstone
A developing political scandal in Florida has Gov. Ron DeSantis on the defensive A developing political scandal in Florida has put Gov. Ron DeSantis on the defensive. Republican lawmakers are investigating how $10 million in state money was diverted for use in a campaign. Greg Allen