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The Excerpt
Hosted by USA TODAY · EN
Get context, not just headlines. Every weekday The Excerpt brings USA TODAY's award-winning journalists from across the nation together to unpack America's most pressing stories — from politics and culture to sports and entertainment — with host Dana Taylor.
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Episodes
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What’s at stake as King Charles visits Trump
Apr 2200:10:21Tap to summarizeKing Charles III is heading to Washington for his first visit as monarch — and the timing is anything but simple. The king will address Congress and attend a state dinner with President Donald Trump. But the visit comes amid rising global tensions, including divisions over Iran and uncertainty about the future of NATO. It also unfolds against the backdrop of renewed scrutiny over Prince Andrew’s past ties to Jeffrey Epstein. So what can the monarch actually accomplish in a moment like this? USA TODAY Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page joins The Excerpt to break down the stakes. Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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The pope & Trump: A match not made in heaven
Apr 2100:13:08Tap to summarizePresident Donald Trump has been clashing with Pope Leo XIV for weeks now in a rare and increasingly public dispute between a U.S. president and the head of the Catholic Church. The pope has warned against the escalating violence around the world and called for peace and diplomacy. But Trump has pushed back hard, going so far as to call the pope “weak on crime” and falsely suggesting that he supports Iran having nuclear weapons. USA TODAY World Affairs Correspondent Kim Hjelmgaard joins The Excerpt to share his insights.Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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The Trump administration is working to reshape immigration courts
Apr 2000:11:04Tap to summarizeThe Trump administration's mass deportation effort has played out on numerous fronts since he took office in 2024. There’s been dramatic ICE sweeps of major American cities and a significant expansion of immigration detention. But the administration has also been working to reshape the nation's immigration courts and dozens of immigration judges across the country have been fired. What impact is this having on immigrants’ right to due process? USA TODAY National Reporter Lauren Villagran joins The Excerpt to share her reporting.Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →Wildfire season is already off to a dangerous start
Apr 1700:15:53Tap to summarizeWildfire season is already off to an early and dangerous start across the U.S., with more than 1.6 million acres burned — far above the 10-year average. Experts warn the months ahead could bring more large, destructive fires. At the same time, the Trump administration is planning a major overhaul of the U.S. Forest Service, including closing research facilities and regional offices. So what does that mean as wildfire risk grows? USA TODAY’s Dana Taylor speaks with Clark University Geography Professor John Rogan about what’s fueling this year’s fires, how scientists track wildfire behavior, and why cutting research could make it harder to predict and respond to future disasters.Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →50 most iconic brands that built America
Apr 1600:16:36Tap to summarizeYou can sip it. Zip it. Drive it. American brands do more than fill our lives, they shape who we are. As the nation marks its 250th anniversary, we decided to look at brands that capture America’s ingenuity and drive. From Motown to Harley-Davidson, these names tell a uniquely American story. Narrowing it down to the 50 most iconic? That was the tough part. Business Editor Jim Nelson and Business Reporter Ricardo Torres of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY Network, join The Excerpt to look at some of the standouts from USA TODAY’s Iconic Brands series.Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →The blockbuster cancer drug Keytruda can cost over $150,000
Apr 1500:12:00Tap to summarizeLast December, President Donald Trump convened a meeting of pharmaceutical executives with the goal of getting them to lower the cost of prescription drugs. A few weeks later, one patient battling lung cancer checked into a California clinic for an infusion of Merck & Co.'s blockbuster cancer drug, Keytruda. When the bill arrived, the clinic's charge for a 400 mg dose dominated the page: It was just over $162,000. While Brown only owed about $2,000 herself, the six-figure charges show how quickly prices for cutting-edge medical treatments can balloon in the U.S. health care system. USA TODAY joined the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists in their year-long, reporting effort looking into rising healthcare costs around the world. USA TODAY Health Reporter Ken Alltucker joined The Excerpt to share his insights.Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →President Donald Trump was a big fan of Queen Elizabeth II
Apr 1400:15:17Tap to summarizePresident Donald Trump had his first and only state visit with Queen Elizabeth on June 3rd, 2019. It was a meeting he had long anticipated, the ultimate sign that he had made it in life. But what did the Queen think of Trump? Of 113 state visits during her long reign, President Trump had been the last. The impression he’d made, though, may have been overshadowed by the one made by Marine One, which flattened the Queen’s garden. Could Trump charm her into giving him the honor of being her favorite American president? USA TODAY Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page joins The Excerpt to discuss her latest book, "The Queen and Her Presidents," on bookshelves now.Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →The exodus from DOJ will have repercussions for years
Apr 1300:17:13Tap to summarizeThe Department of Justice is in turmoil. The previous controversial attorney general Pam Bondi is out, and thousands of employees have either been fired, put on leave or quit. So what’s on the DOJ’s agenda and what can it hope to accomplish in the back half of President Donald Trump’s term? USA TODAY Justice Correspondent Aysha Bagchi joins The Excerpt to share her insights.Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →The reckoning over Jeffrey Epstein isn’t finished
Apr 1000:12:54Tap to summarizeAfter reading the Epstein files, Claire Wilmot, a visiting fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science, uncovered a chilling pattern: systematic efforts to discredit survivors of sexual abuse while protecting the rich and powerful.Let us know what you think of this episode by sending a note to podcasts@usatoday.com.Episode transcript available here.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →Trump’s whipsaw strategy with Iran has global leaders worried
Apr 900:12:47Tap to summarizeIt's been a week of escalating rhetoric from President Donald Trump with regards to Iran, starting with threats to power plants and bridges on Monday morning. By Tuesday, Trump had posted on Truth Social that 'A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.' But then as the Tuesday deadline approached, Trump tried a different tack and announced a two-week ceasefire. Will the U.S. and Iran soon reach an agreement to end the war? USA TODAY White House Correspondent Zac Anderson joined The Excerpt to share his insights.Let us know what you think of this episode by sending a note to podcasts@usatoday.com.Episode transcript available here.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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