Larry Summers: "This is way beyond anything Nixon ever did ... this is the stuff of democracies giving way to authoritarianism. Firing statisticians goes with threatening the heads of newspapers, launching assaults on universities, launching assaults on law firms. This is really scary stuff."

Very interesting analysis by @gbrumfiel on why bombing of fordo may have failed. And why journalistic experience and expertise matters. www.npr.org/2025/06/25/n...

@newyorker.com staffer @eosnos.bsky.social has a timely new collection of essays out about the super rich called "The Haves and Have-Yachts." He covers billionaire doomsday preppers & the owners of giga yachts. My conversation w/ him is here: www.npr.org/2025/06/19/1... & www.npr.org/2025/06/22/n...

I spent Saturday at a No Kings rally in Annapolis & the army parade in DC. I learned a lot by spending time with people at both events. The parade was a Rorschach test that divided the country, but the conversations I had at both venues were thoughtful, civil and nuanced. www.npr.org/2025/06/16/n...

President Trump pardoned a former Virginia sheriff -- and outspoken Trump supporter -- last week who was headed to prison for a decade on bribery charges. The sheriff's constituents -- including Trump supporters -- say the pardon is "a terrific mistake." My latest. www.npr.org/2025/06/01/n...

A tiny Maryland town voted overwhelmingly for Trump. They liked his pledge to cut waste. Then FEMA cancelled classes at the National Fire Academy, which trains firefighters across the country & is part of the town's identity. This is what people there now say: www.npr.org/2025/05/05/n...

I spoke with a dozen people who've come to the US from authoritarian countries. The vast majority said some of the administration's tactics -- threatening law firms, attacking critical news media and instilling fear in university professors -- were very familiar. www.npr.org/2025/05/01/n...

The United States economy is one quarter away from a recession. Economy shrank 0.3% in the first three months of 2025 from a year ago, reversing sharply from an annual 2.4% growth registered in the last three months of 2024 under then President Biden. www.npr.org/2025/04/30/n...

A survey of more than 500 political scientists finds that the vast majority think the United States is moving swiftly from liberal democracy toward some form of authoritarianism. "We've slid into some form of authoritarianism," -- Steven Levitsky, Harvard. www.npr.org/2025/04/22/n...

"A survey of more than 500 political scientists finds that the vast majority think the United States is moving swiftly from liberal democracy toward some form of authoritarianism." www.npr.org/2025/04/22/n...

NPR exclusive from yesterday: White House looking to replace Secretary of Defense from Tom Bowman and @quillawrence.bsky.social

Politico: Elon Musk will be stepping back from his WH role. "Musk’s looming retreat comes as some Trump administration insiders and many outside allies have become frustrated with his unpredictability and increasingly view the billionaire as a political liability." www.politico.com/news/magazin...

National Endowment for Democracy sues Trump administration for blocking access to nearly $240 million in congressionally-approved funds. Earlier USAID recipients sued govt for failure to pay about $2 billion. Groups say impoundment of funds threatens their existence. www.npr.org/2025/03/06/n...

@tomdreisbach.bsky.social and Nick McMillan @npr.org reviewed more than a 1,000 videos posted by "The Dan Bongino Show." They included Bongino saying the FBI should be "disbanded immediately" and calling agents "thugs." Bongino is now No 2 at FBI. www.npr.org/2025/03/03/n...

The news comes just days after a disastrous meeting between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency has deleted hundreds more claims from its mistake-plagued “wall of receipts,” erasing $4 billion in additional savings that the group said it had made for U.S. taxpayers.

I covered 2022 meeting where London Tower Hamlets council rejected plans for giant Chinese embassy by Tower of London. Now new labor government- facing bad economy - is poised to approve it. Important sty by my colleagues mark lander and MaraHvistendahl www.nytimes.com/2025/02/20/w...

Federal judge ordered Trump officials to restart funding USAID projects (including democracy & human rights) but officials haven't done it and argue they don't have to. My latest from DC federal court: www.npr.org/sections/goa...

The Trump administration has stopped funding practically all U.S. government work supporting democracy, human rights and press freedom around the globe. This is unprecedented. It reverses decades of American foreign policy to battle authoritarianism across the world. www.npr.org/2025/02/16/n...

Tailgating: Why strangers create living rooms in parking lots or what I learned at the NFC championship game between the Birds and the Commanders. Come for the cheesesteaks, stay for the analysis. www.npr.org/2025/02/08/g...

Following a White House anti-DEI order, the National Cryptologic Museum covered up exhibits of women & people of color in its Hall of Honor. NSA reversed course after former employees protested on-line. Monday, dozens went to the museum to find out what happened. www.npr.org/2025/02/05/n...

On a lighter note, Tiny Desk helps me learn who my kids are sometimes listening to. Sabrina Carpenter won two Grammys this week. Saw her at tiny desk recently. She’s a clever song writer, but what struck me is her act has - of all things - a vaudeville-feel. she’s hilarious. youtu.be/BEoGvTlJMyY?...

As a general rule, we reporters should focus more on what people are actually doing and less on what they say they plan to do.

Fellow NSA - National Security Agency veterans. Look at what’s happened at the National Cryptologic Museum. They covered up with brown paper the photos of Women in American Cryptology. All in response to President Trump’s anti-diversity executive order.

Black Hawk was flying too high -- at an altitude of 325 feet at the time of the crash, according to NTSB -- 125 feet above the limit on that route. The jet was flying about 300 feet. www.npr.org/2025/02/01/n...

congratulations to my many colleagues at @npr.org for winning a duPont-Columbia award for coverage of the war in Gaza. As our lead reporter @danielestrin.bsky.social put it: “From day one we have had a mission, that mission is to bring our listeners into the hospital or into the killing

NPR Exclusive: The Episcopal bishop of Washington spoke with NPR to discuss her sermon addressing President Trump and why she asked him to have mercy.

As an Eagles fan, having to listen to Tom Brady call a playoff game is a special kind of torture.

I so appreciate Philly's Saquon Barkley. Whether it's him expressly telling his coach he's happy to sit out to give his teammates an opportunity to play - "let the young guys eat" - or taking a knee rather than needlessly running up the score on the Packers. Winning with class & humility.

Sequin Barkley is a class act. Gives up touch down run to end game and not run up score.

Why are right-wing influencers blaming the LA wildfires on DEI? Good context from @badnewshagen.bsky.social www.npr.org/2025/01/10/n...

Reporters in Europe covering a Chinese dissident named Wang Jingyu were falsely accused of making bomb threats. Our investigation now has them wondering if the Chinese government was really behind the bomb threats or if it was someone else? www.npr.org/2025/01/10/n...

We’re hiring! 🚀 The American Journalism Project is seeking an SVP, Growth Investments to lead our Success Partner program and shape our portfolio development strategy. Learn more: www.theajp.org/about/work-w...

Earlier this week, I saw that an FB friend @sandychannel.bsky.social lost her family home in Altadena, so I called her. Here is her story. There are no doubt thousands who have now suffered the same loss. www.npr.org/2025/01/10/g...

At least ten news organizations retract or amend their stories after an NPR investigation shows that a man -- Wang Jingyu -- they featured as a bold Chinese dissident is accused of being a conman. Journalism scholars can't recall a case quite like this. www.npr.org/2024/12/12/n...