logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2024
27m 3s

Is Trump for real?

Vox
About this episode

Donald Trump talked over the weekend about deploying the military against an "enemy from within." The Washington Post's Isaac Arnsdorf explains how Trump's comments fit into a broader pattern of alarming campaign promises, and New York Times reporter Shawn McCreesh explains whether Republican voters even take this sort of talk seriously.

This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin with help from Eliza Dennis, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Rob Byers, and hosted by Noel King.

Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast

Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members

Former President Donald Trump dances during a recent town hall. Photo by JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP via Getty Images.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Up next
Yesterday
The golden age of exercise
Americans are flocking to gyms and fitness classes. It wasn't always that way. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Miranda Kennedy with help from Naureen Khan, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. Phot ... Show More
30m 59s
Aug 22
Good Bunny
Bad Bunny is having a very good summer making Puerto Rico feel like the center of the universe. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Listen to Today, Explaine ... Show More
26m 39s
Aug 21
Trump evicts homeless people
One of his strategies is throwing people into treatment programs without their consent. Blue states are into it, too?! This episode was produced by Rebeca Ibarra and Devan Schwartz, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kris ... Show More
26m 36s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2025
Trump 2.0: The Art of the Deal
This week, President Trump proposed two deals that would require allies to put his needs ahead of their own.Times’ Journalists Michael Barbaro, Catie Edmonson, Maggie Haberman, and Zolan Kanno-Youngs discuss how, in both cases, Trump got what he wanted.Guest: Catie Edmondson, a c ... Show More
29m 21s
Jan 2025
Trump 2.0 Arrives in Force
Since his inauguration, President Trump has exercised a level of power that has directly challenged the checks and balances that, on paper, define the U.S. government.The Times journalists Michael Barbaro, Maggie Haberman, Jonathan Swan and Charlie Savage discuss Mr. Trump’s plan ... Show More
27m 5s
Jan 2023
Trump Tax Exposure
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist David Cay Johnston has analyzed Donald Trumps tax returns from 2015 to 2020 for his new book The Big Cheat: How Donald Trump Fleeced America and Enriched Himself and His Family. Johnston says Trump has broken easy-to-prosecute laws. Plus, the tan ... Show More
39m 18s
Aug 2024
Can Donald Trump Pivot?
How will Donald Trump and Republicans talk about Kamala Harris without walking into a buzzsaw of accusations and potential backlash over attacks on her race and gender? This week Audie talks with two people with some answers: Kevin Madden is a CNN Political Commentator and was a ... Show More
36m 31s
Jul 2024
How is Trump coping with being called ‘weird’?
Kamala Harris has challenged Trump to a debate in the most ‘brat‘ way possible. She’s also introduced a new vibe into the Democrat campaign which involves calling the former president ‘a bit weird’. Is it unsettling Trump? Is it emasculating him? And what form will his response t ... Show More
31m 45s
Aug 2024
Inside the Three Worst Weeks of Trump’s Campaign
For much of the past year, Donald J. Trump and those around him were convinced that victory in the presidential race was all but certain. Now, everything has changed, after the decision by President Biden not to seek a second term.Jonathan Swan, who covers the Trump campaign for ... Show More
30m 51s
Aug 2024
Life in the Trump Family
Fred Trump III, Donald Trump’s nephew, is on Americast. He speaks to Anthony about growing up with uncle Donald, their strained relationship, and why he’s backing Kamala Harris over a member of his own family. Plus we hear what it’s been like at rallies with Harris and Walz.HOSTS ... Show More
29m 32s
Apr 2025
Ep. 2187 - 100 DAYS: Where Does Trump Stand?
100 days into President Trump’s second term, where do we stand? Plus, President Trump threatens Vladimir Putin with more sanctions; and Axios’ Alex Thompson admits the media blew it by covering up Joe Biden’s health problems.  Click here to join the member-exclusive portion of my ... Show More
49m 19s
Apr 2025
Trump's First 100 Days: Project 2025 & Its Influence
The Heritage Foundation's "blueprint" for a new Republican administration got a lot of attention during the 2024 presidential campaign. While candidate Donald Trump said he "had never read" the document, President Trump has incorporated many of its policies, and authors, into his ... Show More
15m 3s