Trump’s Terms

White House's efforts to target the so-called "woke" military is impacting long-standing relationships and practices at the Defense Department, including recruiting of women and people of color.

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The fight over the U.S. Department of Education has begun, but the battle lines are a little blurry.

President Trump says he wants to close the department, and the Senate is expected to vote soon on the confirmation of Linda McMahon, his nominee to be education secretary.

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Federal employees were told they have until the end of Monday to detail what they accomplished last week or face firing. Some bosses said to hold on before replying to the email, stoking confusion. NPR's Emma Bowman reports.

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Elon Musk is working to slash federal spending while also promoting his business ventures. Experts in government ethics are worried he's acting in his own best interest and not in the country's, as NPR's Tamara Keith reports.

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President Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order to give the president greater power over independent regulatory agencies — government entities Congress set up to be shielded from White House control.

Well-known independent regulatory agencies include the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which issues recalls and safety warnings; the Securities and Exchange Commission, which oversees markets; and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, which insures bank deposits.

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European leaders have called an emergency meeting in Paris Monday after the Trump administration has cut Europe out of negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine. "Their worst nightmare has come true," Elie Tennenbaum, a security expert at the French Institute for International Relations, tells NPR's Eleanor Beardsley.

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The No. 2 acting official at the DOJ, Emil Bove, has been shaking up the agency and its past work on the 2021 Capitol riot. But he also has his own history with Jan. 6 cases.

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Many of President Trump's foreign policy moves, including suspending foreign aid and saying the U.S. should take over Gaza, have shaken the globe.

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House and Senate Republicans are charting competing courses to implement President Trump's top agenda items, including boosting funds for security along the U.S. southern border and extending tax cuts.

The Senate budget committee is expected to begin marking up a budget resolution Wednesday that begins the process of reconciliation to provide $175 billion to secure the southern border and $150 billion in new military spending.

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Back in April 2023, a conservative political operative named Paul Dans laid out what was basically a political battle plan. It was called Project 2025, a 900-plus-page blueprint for a future conservative president. After the plan became a Democratic talking point, Trump repeatedly disavowed Project 2025.

Politico has been looking into where Project 2025's ideas are showing up in Trump's early executive orders. And this past week, they published a breakdown of 37 different examples.

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The DOJ's lawsuit against Chicago's sanctuary laws is the most visible effort to force local police to help with immigration enforcement. But the more serious pressure is coming from states.

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This has been a wild week, with way more news coming out of the new administration than anyone can follow.

And that's likely by design.

Through this analysis, we will attempt to wade through the flood, identify and explain some of the biggest things that happened each week, and draw attention to some that have been overlooked.

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After the murder of Laken Riley last year by a Venezuelan migrant, Georgia enacted a law meant to crack down on illegal immigration. But a lack of funding is dampening its effect.

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President Trump suggested at a Tuesday press conference that Gaza's nearly 2 million residents should leave the Palestinian enclave and proposed the U.S. take it over and redevelop it. NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks to Yousef Munayyer, a senior fellow at the Arab Center in Washington DC.

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President Trump is trying to dramatically reshape the federal government, including remaking the federal workforce itself. While his directives are sweeping, they are facing legal challenges.

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For years, Republicans in Congress have been trying to cut Pentagon initiatives to fight extremism in the military. Now, the Trump administration may be poised to end those anti-extremism efforts.

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A war of words and threats of tariffs brought Colombia and the U.S. to the brink of a trade war, after the Latin American ally initially said it would not take U.S. planes carrying deported migrants.

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President Trump has signed an executive order about designating cartels as terrorist organizations. The U.S. already has tools to go after cartels, but a designation could broaden those options.

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Federal agencies had a Wednesday deadline to place employees of DEIA offices on paid leave — and to take down any of mention of DEIA programs and initiatives from agency websites and social media.

Then, The Trump administration says it will no longer consider churches and schools off limits to agents tracking down and arresting migrants without legal status.

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President Trump says he's looking at Feb.1 as the day when he'll slap tariffs on Canada and Mexico — two countries his first administration negotiated a trade deal with.

Then, an executive order to rename an Alaskan mountain with the highest peak in North America wouldn't be the first name change for Denali.

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President Trump issued pardons and commutations to every defendant charged and convicted in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, which injured more than 140 police officers.

Then, President Trump kicked off a slew of executive actions related to immigration in a signing ceremony at the Oval Office on Monday evening. Hear the latest on on those policies.

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President-elect Trump will get sworn in today for his second term in the White House. We preview what we know about the day.

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As Donald Trump prepares to once again assume the office of the presidency, a new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll finds that, despite his claims of an "unprecedented and powerful mandate," Trump may have to be careful about how far he decides to go with what he wants to do.

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The Department of Justice's long-awaited election interference report against Donald Trump, released early Tuesday, said the evidence against the president-elect would have led to his conviction at trial — if not for his election victory that led to charges being dropped. NPR's Carrie Johnson reports.

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President-elect Trump's picks for his national security team will soon start confirmation hearings, after his remarks about buying Greenland, taking over the Panama Canal and making Canada a state.

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This episode: Scott Detrow talks about the legal and political implications of Donald Trump's sentence in the New York hush money case with NPR senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro and University of Baltimore Law Professor Kim Wehle. Plus: what we could learn from special counsel Jack Smith's report that may soon be released in the wake of his resignation from the justice department.

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President-elect Donald Trump received on an unconditional discharge for his criminal conviction in New York on Friday, meaning he will not face fines, prison, or any other penalties.

The former and future president appeared virtually in a Manhattan courtroom on Friday for his sentencing on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to conceal a payment to an adult film star.

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Trump has tapped Silicon Valley insiders to lead AI policy. There's talk of a "Manhattan Project" for military AI. Advocates are worried the risks and misuse of the technology will grow under Trump.

And, Meta's Mark Zuckerberg announced the end of fact-checking on his social media platforms. Industry watchers say it's another sign Silicon Valley is trying to get in President-elect Trump's good graces.

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Trump has promised to pardon many who were involved in the violence of Jan 6. Experts on authoritarianism and extremism say that promise adds to the debate over how the day will be remembered. NPR's Juana Summers speaks to Odette Yousef.

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NPR's Andrew Limbong speaks with Michael McFaul, former U.S. Ambassador to Russia, about his recent piece in Foreign Affairs, "How Trump Can End the War in Ukraine."

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NPR's A Martínez has a conversation about the present and future of green energy in the U.S. with outgoing Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm.

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With President-elect Donald Trump returning to the White House next month, some are worried their protected status could soon end. Trump has vowed a massive deportation campaign and sharp immigration restrictions, including slashing the TPS program, as he tried to do during his first term at the White House.

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The federal government remains open for business. That's because Congress managed to avoid a government shutdown on Friday that would have hit families right before the holidays. NPR's Barbara Sprunt reports.

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Presidents throughout history have claimed elections gave them mandates that justify their policy plans, but that's not quite the case. NPR's Domenico Montanaro reports.

Then, Tom Homan has vowed to end the CBP One program. Now migrants seeking asylum are making their way to the Mexican border towns as they frantically try to get a coveted spot through the app. NPR's Sergio Martínez-Beltrán reports from Ciudad Juarez.

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As he prepares to take office again, President-elect Trump has threatened a wide range of tariffs. It's an about-face in the Republican Party, which once was known for boosting free trade. NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben has the story.

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The first time Donald Trump was elected president, blue state Democrats asserted themselves as the frontline of the resistance. Now, they say they're making an intentional decision to stay calm.

Then, the tech industry is courting President-elect Donald Trump. SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son pledged a $100 billion investment in the U.S. over the next four years at an event at Mar-a-Lago.

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NPR's Scott Detrow talks with legal analyst Sarah Isgur about her recent New York Times op-ed titled "I Don't Want a Pardon from Biden. None of us should."

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NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to Gov. Jared Polis about his thoughts on the incoming Trump administration, and the power of pardons.

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Kash Patel, Trump's pick to head the FBI, has parlayed his time serving in various national security roles in the first Trump administration to building a brand promoting pro-Trump conspiracy theories and selling merchandise. NPR's Lisa Hagen reports.

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Trump's Trials is now Trump's Terms. Each episode, host Scott Detrow curates NPR coverage of the incoming Trump administration.

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with New Yorker writer Jane Mayer about her latest article on Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth.

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Trump's Trials is now Trump's Terms. Each episode, host Scott Detrow curates NPR coverage of the incoming Trump administration.

Children's Health Defense is an anti-vaccination nonprofit chaired by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. In recent years, the nonprofit has filed dozens of lawsuits, many challenging vaccines and public health mandates. NPR's Shannon Bond reports.

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Trump's Trials is now Trump's Terms. Each episode, host Scott Detrow curates NPR coverage of the incoming Trump administration.

All Things Considered host Mary Louise Kelly talks with Andrew Weissmann, a top lawyer at the FBI from 2011-2013, about President-elect Trump's plan to replace FBI director Christopher Wray with an ally, Kash Patel.

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Trump's Trials is now Trump's Terms. Each episode, host Scott Detrow curates NPR coverage of the incoming Trump administration.

President-elect Donald Trump announced over the weekend that he would be replacing FBI director Chris Wray with Kash Patel, a longtime ally. Patel has made controversial statements about the agency. A Martinez speaks to NPR's Carrie Johnson.

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Trump's Trials is now Trump's Terms. Each episode, host Scott Detrow curates NPR coverage of the incoming Trump administration.

Leonard Leo was a key architect of the conservative supermajority on the Supreme Court that rolled back the federal right to an abortion. Now, he anticipates to exert more conservative influence on the judiciary under a second Trump presidency. NPR's Steve Inskeep spoke to Leonard Leo and NPR's Carrie Johnson.

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Trump's Trials is now Trump's Terms. Each episode, host Scott Detrow curates NPR coverage of the incoming Trump administration.

President-elect Trump wants to roll back spending that Congress has already approved. But a 1974 law may stand in his way. NPR's Franco Ordoñez reports.

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Trump's Trials is now Trump's Terms. Each episode, host Scott Detrow curates NPR coverage of the incoming Trump administration.

This episode: President-elect Trump plans to nominate hedge fund manager Scott Bessent to serve as Treasury Secretary. He'll be tasked with moving big parts of the incoming president's agenda, including tax cuts and tariffs. NPR's Scott Horsley speaks with All Things Considered host Ailsa Chang.

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Trump's Trials is now Trump's Terms. Each episode, host Scott Detrow curates NPR coverage of the incoming Trump administration.

This episode: President-elect Trump has named Pam Bondi, formerly Florida's top prosecutor, as his new nominee for attorney general. The selection comes after former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew. NPR's Ryan Lucas speaks to Morning Edition host A Martinez.

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Trump's Trials is now Trump's Terms. Each episode, host Scott Detrow curates NPR coverage of the incoming Trump administration.

This episode: despite what he called "excellent meetings with Senators," former congressman Matt Gaetz said Thursday he is withdrawing from consideration to lead the Department of Justice. NPR's Susan Davis speaks to Here & Now host Scott Tong.

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Trump's Trials is now Trump's Terms. Each episode, host Scott Detrow curates NPR coverage of the incoming Trump administration.

This episode: attorney representing two women who testified before a House committee is revealing what his clients said about Matt Gaetz, the former congressman and Donald Trump's pick to lead the Department of Justice. NPR's Juana Summers speaks to NPR justice correspondent Ryan Lucas about the allegations.

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Trump's Trials is now Trump's Terms. Each episode, host Scott Detrow curates NPR coverage of the incoming Trump administration.

This episode: Trump campaign manager Susie Wiles will be the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff. Annie Karni of the New York Times tells NPR's Steve Inskeep what her selection reveals about women in Trump's inner circle — and why they sometimes fare better than men.

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Trump's Trials is now Trump's Terms. Each episode, host Scott Detrow curates NPR coverage of the incoming Trump administration.

This episode: what would it mean to cut trillions of dollars from the federal budget — and is it even possible? NPR's Michel Martin speaks to Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a think tank that supports cutting federal spending and lowering the national debt.

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Host Scott Detrow curates NPR's reporting, analysis and updates on the 47th President, focusing on actions and policies that challenge precedent and upend political norms, raising questions about what a President can do — and whether his efforts will benefit the voters who returned him to power.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Juana Summers speaks with NPR reporter Ximena Bustillo.

Manhattan judge Juan Marchand is struggling with the question of what to do with the criminal conviction against President-elect Donald Trump.

With Trump headed back to the White House, his lawyers are asking Marchand to throw out the case. But in a letter to the court on Tuesday, Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg seems to be suggesting the court should wait until Trump's second term is over to sentence him.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR justice correspondent Carrie Johnson.

Now that Donald Trump is headed back to the White House the three remaining criminal cases against him will most likely go away.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Juana Summers speaks with NPR's Tom Dreisbach.

For many people charged in connection with the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, Donald Trump's victory has led to celebration. Throughout Trump's campaign, he called the rioters "political prisoners" — and promised pardons on his first day in office.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Ari Shapiro speaks with NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson.

Special Counsel Jack Smith will be taking steps to wind down the federal government's cases against president-elect Donald Trump before Trump takes office in January.

For about two years Smith has been building two cases against Trump, one of them for his actions related to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and the second for allegedly hoarding classified documents after leaving office in 2021.

With Trump ascending again to the presidency those cases will go away.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR Voting correspondent Miles Parks.

In these closing days of the presidential election, polling across the board has nearly every swing state in a statistical tie, meaning the election may come down to just a couple thousands votes.

No matter who wins, in the coming days we're going to hear a lot more from Donald Trump and his allies about the results.

And if history is any guide we can expect a mix of misleading information, rumors and outright lies

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered Host Ailsa Chang speaks with NPR reporter Jude Joffe-Block.

Just six days before the Election, the Supreme Court has issued a ruling that allows Virginia to continue purging individuals from state voter rolls. The state says it's removing ineligible non-citizens. But Joffe-Block has spoken to U.S. citizen voters whose registrations were also canceled as part of the state's program.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered Host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with NPR Voting Correspondent Hansi Lo Wang.

In the crucial battleground state of Pennsylvania, voters have already begun sending in their ballots by mail. Currently, there are several ongoing lawsuits across the state over whose mail-in ballots must be counted.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR voting correspondent Miles Parks and NPR reporter Jude Joffe-Block.

Former President Donald Trump and his allies have been ramping up a baseless claim that Democrats are encouraging newly-arrived migrants to vote for them in this year's federal elections. There is no evidence to support this claim of noncitizens voting and yet the narrative has taken hold among Republican voters.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR correspondent Miles Parks.

A month out from election day, Republicans have filed a number of lawsuits aimed at invalidating votes across many states. Whether they succeed or not, these lawsuits are already casting doubt on the process for many Americans.

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Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson about Special Counsel Jack Smith's January 6th brief.

Federal prosecutors are providing the most detailed look yet — at their election interference case against former President Donald Trump. In court papers unsealed on Wednesday, the Justice Department describes how Trump allegedly conspired to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson looks at Attorney General Merrick Garland's legacy at the Justice Department. Much of that legacy will be scrutinized for how he handled federal criminal cases against former President Donald Trump and prosecutions of Jan. 6 defendants.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR voting rights correspondent Hansi Lo Wang takes a look at the U.S. Postal Service's ability to deliver mail-ballots on time for November's election.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered Host Ari Shapiro speaks with WABE politics reporter Sam Gringlas.

In a highly controversial decision the Georgia State Election Board voted to require a hand count of the number of ballots cast on Election Day. Supporters argue this change will ensure the integrity of the election, while opponent say the last-minute change could cause delays and confusion on election night and the days that follow.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Georgia's Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger about the upcoming presidential election.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow takes speaks with Dan Reed, the director of the documentary "Stopping the Steal."

In the film we hear from Republican officials in Arizona and Georgia who wanted Donald Trump to win the 2020 presidential election but were not willing to break the law for him.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR voting rights correspondent Hansi Lo Wang takes a look at what have been known as "fake electors" returning for the 2024 election.

Four years ago, these Republican electors gathered in seven mainly swing states where Trump lost the popular vote to sign certificates that became part of a scheme by the former president and his allies to try to overturn the election results.

This year's return of some of these Republicans as potential electors — confirmed in recent weeks through party filings to state election officials — raises questions about what they will do if Trump loses in their states again.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with NPR politics reporter Ximena Bustillo.

New York Judge Juan Merchan delayed former President Donald Trump's sentencing in the hush money fraud case to November 26th, after the presidential election. In May, a jury found Trump guilty of 34 felony counts for falsifying business records related to payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels. This is the second time sentencing has been delayed.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Ari Shapiro speaks with NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson.

The Justice Department is looking to salvage the federal election interference case against Trump following the Supreme Court's ruling that he has considerable immunity from criminal prosecution for acts carried out while he was president.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered Host Ailsa Chang speaks with Voting Correspondent Miles Parks.

Georgia recently changed a voting rule that could allow some local election boards the ability to refuse to certify results. NPR's Miles Parks breaks down the concerns over this rule change and why some experts believe the courts are a strong backstop to possible certification challenges.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow takes a look back at an unbelievable summer in politics. NPR's Domenico Montanaro looks ahead at what to expect over the next 66 days of campaigning.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered Host Ailsa Chang speaks with Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson.

The Justice Department has obtained a new grand jury indictment in the federal election interference case against Donald Trump. The move comes weeks after the Supreme Court gave the former president substantial immunity from prosecution.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks with Constitutional expert Kim Wehle.

Federal Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed former President Donald Trump's classified documents case on Monday. Cannon ruled the appointment of Jack Smith to special counsel was unconstitutional and therefore the indictment should be dismissed. Trump faced 40 felony counts for allegedly taking classified material and obstructing the government's efforts to retrieve them. Special Counsel Jack Smith has already filed an appeal — and this could very likely make its way to the Supreme Court.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered's Ailsa Chang speaks with NPR's Greg Allen and Carrie Johnson.

Federal Judge Aileen Cannon has dismissed former President Donald Trump's classified documents case in Florida. The ruling argued that the initial appointment of Special Counsel Jack Smith was unconstitutional. Most legal observers saw the case as the one with the most clear-cut evidence against him.

The ruling comes after months of delays from Cannon, a judge nominated by Trump, who has come under increasing scrutiny for how she has handled this case.

Topics include:
- how Judge Cannon explained her ruling
- reaction from Trump and his team
- where the other three criminal cases against Trump stand

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks with Daniel Ziblatt and Steven Levitsky, the authors of How Democracies Die and Tyranny of the Minority.

The Supreme Court's landmark decision ruling that president's enjoy broad immunity from criminal prosecution stunned many constitutional experts. Ziblatt and Levitsky see it as the latest move that has put America's democracy in danger of "collapse." In this episode we dive into the state of America's democracy and what can be done to save it.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Domenico Montanaro speaks with former deputy assistant attorney general Harry Litman.

The Supreme Court's landmark decision on presidential immunity is complicating all of the pending legal cases against former President Donald Trump. Even the hush money trial where he was already convicted is getting a second look to determine what, if any, evidence violates the Supreme Court's ruling.

Topics include:
- Reaction to immunity decision
- How decision affects Trump's legal cases

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Ailsa Chang speaks with NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson.

In 1974 the Supreme Court unanimously ruled in United States v. Nixon, that Nixon must to comply with a subpoena and hand over his White House tapes. It was a blow to Nixon's presidency and two weeks later he resigned from office. But what would've happened if today's Supreme Court was on the bench in 1974? Carrie Johnson spoke with people involved in Watergate to find out.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Ailsa Chang speaks with University of Baltimore law professor Kim Wahle and later, NPR senior editor and political correspondent Domenico Montanaro.

In a 6-to-3 decision, along ideological lines, the Court ruled that presidents have absolute immunity for their core constitutional powers, and are entitled to a presumption of immunity for other official acts. But they also ruled that presidents do not have immunity for unofficial acts. The decision will affect the federal election interference case and the Georgia election interference case.

Topics include:
- Supreme Court immunity decision
- Federal election interference case
- Georgia election interference case

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson.

The Supreme Court ruled federal prosecutors improperly charged hundreds of January 6ths defendants — and potentially, even former President Donald Trump. The majority found the charge — obstructing an official proceeding — does not apply unless the Justice Department can prove a defendant interfered with official documents. Therefore solely storming the Capitol to interrupt the certification of the 2020 election is not enough to warrant the charge.

Topics include:
- Supreme Court ruling
- Impact of federal election interference case

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson and with retired federal judge Shira Scheindlin.

Judge Aileen Cannon continues to make decisions in the Florida classified documents case that strike some legal observers as odd. Retired federal judge Shira Scheindlin gave us her view on Cannon's choices and why she thinks Cannon is moving slowly through pre-trial motions.

Topics include:
- Update on classified documents case
- Cannon's decisions
- lookahead to pre-trial hearing

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.

It's been a little over a week since a jury found former President Donald Trump guilty of 34 felony counts in the New York hush money trial. Unsurprisingly, Republicans and conservative commentators have stood by Trump claiming, without evidence, that the trial was "rigged." Along with those false claims, conservatives are also calling for Trump to exact "revenge" if he's elected as president and back in control of the Justice Department.

Topics include:
- Republican response to conviction
- Threats of revenge
- Trump fundraising

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Now that former President Donald Trump has been convicted on 34 felony counts, many Americans are wondering what comes next? Will he file an appeal? Will he be sentenced to jail? And how will his conviction affect the presidential race?

Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow gets into all these questions and more with NPR Senior Political Editor and Correspondent Domenico Montanaro and Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson.


Topics include:
- Possible sentencing
- How conviction plays out in the campaign
- Importance of rule of law

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Never before has a former or sitting U.S. president been convicted of felony crimes. Until now.

A jury of 12 New Yorkers found former President Donald Trump guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

Hosts Scott Detrow and Juana Summers are joined by an NPR roundtable — Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson, Senior Editor and Correspondent Domenico Montanaro, White House Correspondent Franco Ordenez, Boston University professor Jed Shugerman, and from the courthouse, Andrea Bernstein.


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For this episode of Trump's Trials, we hand the mic over to Consider This. Host Juana Summers speaks with Fordham law professor Adam Shlahet.

Jurors heard closing arguments on Tuesday in the criminal trial of former President Donald Trump. It's now up to them to decide whether Trump falsified business records to cover up an alleged affair with adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

Topics include:
- The prosecution and defense's tactics in their closing arguments
- The impact closing arguments could have on the jury's final decision
- How long it might take the jury to reach a verdict

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks with legal expert Harry Litman.

Closing arguments in former President Donald Trump's hush money trial are expected to begin on Tuesday. And if all goes according to plan, the jury will begin deliberations on Wednesday.

That means there's a chance a verdict is reached as soon as next week. We break down three possible outcomes the jury could reach — guilty, not guilty, or a hung jury.

Topics include:
- Prosecution and defense rest
- Jury instructions
- Possible verdicts

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Ailsa Chang speaks with NPR correspondent Greg Allen.

In Florida, Federal Judge Aileen Cannon held a pre-trial hearing on Wednesday to dismiss the classified documents case against former President Donald Trump and two co-defendants.

And in Georgia, both the prosecutor and judge in Trump's election interference case have won elections.

Prosecutor Fani Willis won her Democratic primary and will face a Republican who interned in the Trump White House in the general election in November.

Meanwhile, Judge Scott McAfee, who's overseeing the election interference case easily won his election to his first full term after being appointed last year.

Topics include:
- Florida classified documents case
- Fulton County DA Fani Willis
- Judge Scott McAfee

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Ailsa Chang speaks with NPR's Andrea Bernstein.

Testimony in Former President Donald Trump's criminal trial in New York is now in the books. The prosecution and the defense have rested, and Trump did not testify.

Topics include:
- Testimony from the defense's witnesses
- What's next

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Ailsa Chang speaks with NPR's Andrea Bernstein.

The prosecution has rested its case with the conclusion of its star witness Michael Cohen in former President Donald Trump's hush money trial.

Topics include:
- Cohen's testimony
- What's next

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR political reporter Ximena Bustillo and Boston University law professor Jed Shugerman.

The prosecution's star witness, Michael Cohen was on the stand for three days this week. He testified about the alleged scheme to pay off adult film star Stormy Daniels and the alleged business fraud that followed. Cohen placed former President Trump at the scene saying he was aware and involved in the alleged cover up.

But Cohen is an admitted liar and the defense called into question his credibility.

Cohen is expected back on the stand on Monday and is likely the prosecution's final witness. Closing statements may begin as soon as Tuesday.

Topics include:
- Michael Cohen testimony
- What prosecution needs to prove
- What's next

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Juana Summers speaks with NPR political reporter Ximena Bustillo.

The prosecution's star witness Michael Cohen was back on the stand today in former President Donald Trump's hush money trial. Trump's defense team took direct aim at Cohen's credibility, asking him about his criminal history, times he's lied and questioned his memory of events.

Topics include:
- Cross-examination of Cohen
- What's next

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Juana Summers speaks with NPR's Andrea Bernstein and attorney Kim Wehle.

Donald Trump's former fixer Michael Cohen spent a second day on the witness stand testifying against his one time boss. Cohen mostly testified about purposefully mislabeling checks, false receipts and his previous loyalty to Trump.

Cohen was aggressively cross-examined by Trump's defense team over social media statements he's made about Trump and whether he wants to see Trump in jail. Cohen is expected to be the final witness for the prosecution then defense will present their case to the jury.

Topics include:
- Cohen testimony
- Cross-examination of Cohen

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Ailsa Chang speaks with NPR's Andrea Bernstein and attorney Andrew Weissmann.

Donald Trump's former personal attorney and "fixer" Michael Cohen gave an extended, first-hand account of what happened in the turbulent months at the end of the 2016 campaign.

At the New York criminal courthouse, Cohen said that then-presidential candidate Trump directed him to negotiate an agreement with adult film actor Stormy Daniels.

Topics include:
- What Cohen said on the stand
- If Cohen's testimony is necessary in this case
- A preview of the defense's strategy for cross examination

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro and Boston University law professor Jed Shugerman.

This week adult film actress Stormy Daniels testified about her alleged sexual encounter with former president Donald Trump in 2006. Daniels described the encounter, which Trump denies took place, in great detail. Although whether or not Trump and Daniels had sex is not what the jury will rule on, it is the alleged event that led to a payment 10 years later that lies at the heart of the case.

Trump's former fixer Michael Cohen is expected to testify on Monday. His testimony will be key for the prosecution's case. And calling Cohen's testimony into question will be a top priority for Trump's defense team.

Topics include:
- Stormy Daniels' testimony
- Stormy Daniels' impact on the case
- Michael Cohen to testify

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Ari Shapiro speaks with NPR's Andrea Bernstein.

Adult film actress Stormy Daniels took the stand for the second time in the New York hush money case. The defense continued their cross-examination of Daniels attempting to highlight inconsistencies in her story about meeting Trump in 2006. Defense attorneys questioned whether Daniels was out to make money, asking her about a book deal and documentary she was in.

Topics include:
- Stormy Daniels testimony
- Cross-examination


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For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson.

In Florida, Judge Aileen Cannon delayed a trial over Trump's alleged mishandling of classified documents indefinitely, citing the backlog of pre-trial motions that must be handled before a trial date can even be set. This all but ensures that the trial will not happen before the November election.

In Georgia, an appeals court has agreed to hear Trump's challenge to the decision that allowed Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to remain on the state's election interference case. Willis was previously accused of having a conflict of interest because of a relationship she had with a prosecutor she hired. After holding a lengthy hearing earlier this year, Judge Scott McAfee ruled Willis could stay on the case but noted there was an "appearance of impropriety."

Topics include:
- Documents case delayed
- Georgia election interference appeal

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Juana Summers speaks with NPR's Andrea Bernstein and later, former White House special counsel Ty Cobb.

Adult film actress Stormy Daniels testified about her alleged sexual encounter with Donald Trump in 2006 and hush money payment in 2016. Tensions were high as Daniels detailed her experience with Trump, sometimes in a level of detail that drew multiple objections from the defense and a mistrial request that was denied by the judge.

Separately, former White House special counsel Ty Cobb discussed the possibility of Trump being sent to jail if he violates the judge's gag order again. Judge Juan Merchan has already found Trump violated the order 10 times and fined him 10 thousand dollars.

Topics include:
- Daniels testimony
- Cross-examination of Daniels
- Gag order
- Can Trump be sent to jail

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Ari Shapiro speaks with NPR's Andrea Bernstein.

Judge Juan Merchan says former President Donald Trump has violated a gag order in his New York criminal trial for a 10th time. Merchan threatened the next violation could land the presidential candidate in jail.

Topics include:
- Judge Merchan's reaction to Trump's latest violation
- How this admonishment differs from other times Trump has tussled with judges
- Highlights from Monday's testimonies

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR's Ximena Bustillo and former New York Prosecutor Tristan Snell. He's a former New York prosecutor who led the state's case against Trump University, and author of the book Taking Down Trump.

The third week of former President Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial ended with a high-profile witness: former Trump aide Hope Hicks. She testified about the Trump campaign's damage control efforts in the 2016 election and even took a break after briefly breaking down on the witness stand.

Earlier in the week, Judge Juan Merchan fined Trump $9,000 for contempt of court for violating a gag order. And on Thursday prosecutors asked Merchan to hold him in contempt for a second time for recent comments he's made about jurors and witnesses.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Juana Summers speaks with NPR's Andrea Bernstein.

Stormy Daniels' former attorney Keith Davidson wrapped up his testimony on Thursday in the criminal trial of former President Donald Trump.

The jury heard some dramatic audio of Trump and his former lawyer Michael Cohen talking about payments to former Playboy model Karen McDougal and Daniels. But the defense became combative in cross-examining Davison.

Topics include:
- Davidson's testimony
- Tape of Trump and Cohen played for the jury
- What's next for proceedings

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Juana Summers speaks with political reporter Ximena Bustillo.

Judge Juan Merchan fined former President Donald Trump $9,000 for violating a gag order that prohibited him from speaking out about potential witnesses and others involved in his hush money trial.

Jurors also heard from four witnesses as testimony continues in the trial.

Topics include:
- The gag order against Trump
- Testimonies of Gary Farro, Robert Browning, Phillip Thompson and Keith Davidson
- What's next when proceedings pick back up on Thursday

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by law professor Kim Wehle.

This was the first week of witness testimony in former President Donald Trump's New York hush money trial. The prosecution used their witnesses to establish Trump's knowledge and involvement in hush money payments for his alleged electoral benefit. Trump's defense team cross-examined witnesses countering that framing with the idea that this is politics as usual.

Meanwhile, at the Supreme Court, justices heard oral arguments over whether Trump is immune from criminal prosecution. Although the justices seemed skeptical of granting Trump absolute immunity, it appeared the majority of the conservatives justices seemed opened to granting some sort of immunity for presidents.

Topics include:
- Week one of testimony in hush money trial
- David Pecker testimony
- Supreme court and immunity

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For this episode of Trump's Trials host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR's Andrea Bernstein about the latest in the New York hush money trial. Later, election law professor Edward Foley explains the fake elector indictments out of Arizona.

In a New York courtroom, former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker took the stand for his third day of testimony. In his testimony Pecker said Trump had intimate knowledge of hush money payments from the very beginning. Pecker was then questioned by Trump's defense team, who tried to poke holes in his story.

In Arizona, 18 people have been indicted for their alleged efforts to overturn the state's 2020 election. They include some of former President Donald Trump's closet allies — former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani. Trump himself was listed as an unindicted co-conspirator. Arizona becomes the fourth state to criminally charge people related to the fake electors scheme.

Topics include:
- Hush money trial testimony
- Cross examination begins
- Fake electors scheme

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Michel Martin speaks to Chief Legal Affairs Correspondent Nina Totenberg, Washington Desk Senior Editor and Correspondent Ron Elving, National Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson and former White House Counsel Neil Eggleston.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments over whether former President Donald Trump is immune from criminal prosecution. A majority of the justices appeared skeptical of blanket immunity. But some of the conservative justices hinted at the need for some immunity for certain actions taken while in office. The speed at which the court releases an opinion could determine whether the federal election interference case goes to trial before the November election.

Topics include:
- Justices' questions
- Scope of immunity
- Private vs official acts
- Impact on federal election interference case

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For this episode of Trump's Trials host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson.

On Thursday the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on whether former President Donald Trump is immune from criminal prosecution.

Trump is charged with four counts related to alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election. But he is claiming since he was president at the time he cannot face prosecution. If the Supreme Court sides with Trump, the federal election interference case is dead. If they side against him, the case moves forward, but the likelihood of it going to trial before the November election is slim.

Topics include:
- Immunity arguments
- Why did the Supreme Court take this case
- Potential trial timeline

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with political reporter Ximena Bustillo.

David Pecker, former publisher for the National Enquirer, took the stand for a second day of testimony. Pecker explained that starting in 2015 he, Michael Cohen and Donald Trump had a deal that involved the National Enquirer buying negative stories about Trump and never publishing them – an arrangement also known as 'catch and kill.' Pecker said this was done to help Trump with his 2016 campaign. In addition, he described planting negative stories about Trump's 2016 rivals, such as the Clintons, then presidential candidate Ted Cruz and other Republican front runners.

The prosecution also argued that Trump violated the gag order placed on him at least 11 times in recent weeks. They cited posts on Truth Social and comments Trump made outside the courtroom about potential witness Michael Cohen and the jury. The judge has yet to make a ruling.

Topics include:
- Gag order
- Catch and kill deal
- What's next

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, we hand the mic over to Consider This.

Host Juana Summers speaks with defense lawyer Daniel Horwitz.

As the first criminal trial for a former U.S. president got under way in New York, Donald Trump looked on as prosecution and defense teams presented their opening statements to the jury.

The former president is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records, a felony in New York if done to cover up another crime.

The prosecution argued hush money payments made by former Trump fixer Michael Cohen to adult film star Stormy Daniels were to buy her silence about an alleged affair with Trump. And were made at the former president's direction with the intention of influencing the 2016 election.

The defense countered it was not illegal to affect the outcome of an election and that Cohen had handled the specifics of the hush money payments.

Topics include:
- Why the prosecution is arguing election fraud
- The role Michael Cohen's credibility as a witness will play
- What to look out for as the trial continues

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro speaks with NPR political reporter Ximena Bustillo and University of Baltimore law professor Kim Wehle.

The first week of former President Donald Trump's hush money trial is in the books and a jury has now been seated.

Each potential juror had to answer dozens of questions and prove they could remain fair and impartial when weighing the fate of the former president, who watched the selection process from his seat in the courtroom.

Now seated, the jury will hear opening arguments in the trial beginning on Monday.

Topics include:
- What we know and can safely say about the jurors selected
- Safety concerns and security measures for jurors' protection
- Predictions for each side's case in Monday's opening arguments

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Ailsa Chang speaks with NPR political reporter Ximena Bustillo and domestic extremism correspondent Odette Yousef.

Twelve jurors and six alternates have been selected in former President Donald Trump's hush money trial.

The jury is comprised of seven men and five women, all of whom will remain anonymous for security reasons. On Thursday one juror who had been seated for the trial voiced concern that identifying information about her had been in the media. She was dismissed from duty. That brought to light a very real concern — keeping jurors safe and protecting their identities.

Topics include:
- Jury selection process
- Juror privacy
- Security measures

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with NPR political reporter Ximena Bustillo.

After just three days of jury selection, 12 New Yorkers have been seated in former President Donald Trump's hush money trial.

Trump is charged with 34 felony counts for allegedly falsifying business records to conceal hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels.

The 12 are made up of seven men and five women, all of whom said they could be fair and impartial to Trump. Judge Juan Merchan hopes to select five alternates on Friday. Opening statements could begin as early as Monday.

Topics include:
- Jury selection process
- Trump in the courtroom

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Ailsa Chang speaks with NPR's Andrea Bernstein.

Today marks the start of former President Donald Trump's first criminal trial. He is charged with 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records. Trump was in the courtroom for the day's events.

The morning was filled with pre-trial rulings by Judge Juan Merchan related to evidence and testimony. In the afternoon, 96 potential jurors entered the courtroom where they were asked a series of questions about subjects like their ability to be fair, their occupation and where they get their news. Some were excused while others advanced into the next round of questioning. Jury selection is expected to take two weeks.

Topics include:
- Trump in the courtroom
- Decisions on evidence and testimony
- Potential jurors questioned

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, we hand the mic over to Consider This.

On Monday, former President Donald Trump will enter a Manhattan courtroom for his first criminal trial. But before a verdict can be rendered a jury must be selected. And for Trump's legal team that is going to be a challenge.

A small number of attorneys have faced a similar challenge — how do you select an impartial jury when your client is famous?

Host Scott Detrow speaks with attorney Camille Vasquez for insight into the art of jury selection in such a case. She represented Johnny Depp in his defamation suit against his ex-wife Amber Heard.

Topics include:
- Jury selection
- Jury questionnaire
- Questioning potential jurors
- What to look for in a juror

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by lawyer and former ambassador Norm Eisen.

On Monday, former President Donald Trump will enter a Manhattan courtroom as a defendant in a criminal trial. This will be the first time in American history a former president has faced criminal prosecution. Trump is charged with 34 counts related to falsifying businesses records. The prosecutor intends to connect alleged hush money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to interference in the 2016 election.

Topics include:
- Election connection to hush money case
- Jury questionnaire
- Key players

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow is joined by NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson and NYU law professor Melissa Murray.

This week Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed one of former President Donald Trump's motions to dismiss the Florida classified documents case. Trump argued that when he left the White House he designated the highly sensitive documents as "personal" under the Presidential Records Act.

But Cannon has not prevented Trump from using that same argument as part of his defense — something Special Counsel Jack Smith pushed back against in a recent brief.

Topics include:
- Presidential Records Act
- Jury instructions
- Gag order in hush money case
- Civil fraud bond

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Ari Shapiro speaks with Reuters reporter Ned Parker.

On Monday Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the New York hush money case, expanded a gag order to protect his own family. That's after former President Donald Trump repeatedly attacked the judge's daughter on Truth Social. In his ruling Judge Merchan wrote, "the threat is very real."

This follows a recent report out from Reuters that found threats against federal judges, prosecutors, judicial staff and court buildings has tripled since 2015. Judges in federal Trump-related cases often receive death threats, credible enough to warrant protection from the U.S. Marshals Service.

Topics include:
- Increase in threats
- Connection to Trump
- Judges and U.S. Marshals' response

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow is joined by retired Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer.

In Breyer's new book Reading the Constitution: Why I Chose Pragmatism, Not Textualism, Breyer explains why he finds textualism's popularity troublesome.

Textualism is the legal theory that argues the correct way to interpret the Constitution and statutes is to read the text as it was understood at the time the documents were written. Pragmatism, the legal theory Breyer favors, takes current social and political context into consideration when formulating a legal opinion.

In Breyer's view, textualism can weaken the public's faith in the rule of law and poses risks for the health of nation.

However, Breyer was reluctant to comment on cases pending before the court, like former President Donald Trump's claim he is immune from criminal prosecution because of presidential immunity.

Topics include:
- Pragmatism vs. textualism
- Public opinion of the court
- Trump and immunity

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, we hand the mic over to the NPR Politics Podcast

Former President Donald Trump got a brief reprieve in his New York civil case, as the amount he owes to secure a $454 million bond has been temporarily reduced on appeal.

In another New York courtroom the judge overseeing the criminal hush money case set a new trial date — April 15th. The case was originally set to go to trial on March 25th but was delayed due to prosecution and defense receiving new documents from the U.S. attorney's office.

NPR Politics Podcast host and White House correspondent Deepa Shivaram is joined by justice correspondent Carrie Johnson and national political correspondent Mara Liasson.

Topics include:
- Civil fraud judgment lowered
- Impact on Trump campaign
- Next steps

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR's Andrea Bernstein.

An appeals court has cut the bond former President Donald Trump has to post from $454 million to $175 million in his civil fraud trial. The news came the same day as the deadline before the New York Attorney General could start seizing Trump properties to pay off the massive judgement. And in a separate New York court, a judge sharply rebuked Trump's lawyers in his hush money criminal case and set a trial date for April 15.

Topics include:
- How Trump bargained his way to a lower bond
- Trump's response to the criminal case against him going forward
- Next steps

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined law professor Kim Wehle.

On the eve of what should have been the start of the New York hush money trial we dive into the details of the case:

Former President Donald Trump is facing 34 counts related to payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels over an alleged affair she had with Trump. The payments were made in the fall of 2016, just months before the election.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is claiming those payments are a form of election interference, with the theory being by paying off Daniels, Trump prevented information about the alleged affair from reaching voters.

The case has been delayed to give the Trump team time to sort through hundreds of thousands of documents.

Meanwhile, Trump's $454 million civil fraud judement is due in less than 48 hours. His lawyers are claiming they are unable to come up with the bond to pay the judgment. We look into what could happen if Trump does not pay the state of New York.

Topics include:
- New York hush money case
- Southern District of New York documents
- Civil fraud judgement due
- What happens if Trump can't post the money

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with NPR's Andrea Bernstein.

Former President Donald Trump is claiming he cannot secure a bond for roughly half a billion dollars to cover the judgment from his New York civil fraud trial. Lawyers for Trump claim they approached 30 companies and four brokers and none were willing to give Trump the $454 million bond. Trump has until March 25th to file the bond or risk having some of his assets seized.

Topics include:
- Bond deadline
- Possible appeal
- Possible asset seizer

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow is joined by Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson and Georgia politics reporter Sam Gringlas.

Judge Scott McAfee ruled Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis can stay on the Georgia election interference case but only if she removes special prosecutor Nathan Wade. Wade later resigned in a letter to the district attorney.

Willis and Wade had come under fire for having a relationship that Trump and his co-defendants argued was a conflict of interest. Judge McAfee said in his ruling that the defendants did not meet the burden of proving the relationship was a conflict of interest but found "a significant appearance of impropriety" in the prosecution team.

And in New York, the judge overseeing the hush money case officially delayed the start of that trial to mid-April. Jury selection was originally set to begin on March 25.

Topics include:
- Nathan Wade resigns
- What decision means for the case and Willis
- Delay in New York hush money case

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with correspondent Greg Allen.

Judge Aileen Cannon held a pre-trial hearing where Trump's defense team argued two motions to dismiss charges against the former president in the classified documents case. Judge Cannon quickly denied one of the motions but has yet to rule on the other. During the hearing she appeared skeptical of both arguments presented by the Trump team.

Topics include:
- Presidential Records Act
- Espionage Act
- Trump in attendance

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Georgia politics reporter Sam Gringlas.

The judge overseeing the Georgia election interference case has dismissed six criminal counts against former President Donald Trump and his co-defendants.

Three of those counts specifically apply to Trump. They all involve alleged attempts to solicit public officials to violate their oaths of office. An example of that is the telephone call Trump made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on Jan. 2, 2021, during which Trump asked the secretary to find him 11,780 votes to overturn the election.

Trump's now facing 10 criminal counts instead of 13. Prosecutors can re-file the dropped charges but it's unclear if they will.

Topics include:
- Possible new indictment
- What comes next for the case

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson.

Carrie shares new reporting she has on the possible timeline for the federal election interference case. We also discuss Super Tuesday results and if exit polling gives us an indication on how Republican voters are thinking about former President Donald Trump's legal troubles.

Topics include:
- Timeline for federal election interference case
- Supreme Court's Colorado ballot decision
- Super Tuesday
- Update on classified documents case

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, we hear from NPR legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg.

The Supreme Court ruled that former President Donald Trump can remain on the ballot in Colorado and other states. The justices concluded the constitution does not allow states to use the 14th amendment to bar presidential candidates from the ballot.

Topics include:
- Details on the majority opinion
- Split among the Justices
- Possibility of congressional enforcement

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by constitutional expert Kim Wehle.

This week the Supreme Court announced they will consider former President Donald Trump's claim that he is immune from criminal prosecution. That decision has left the federal election interference case in limbo, complicating the chances that the case will go to trial before the November election.

Topics include:
- Timeline for federal election interference case
- Why the Supreme Court is considering Trump's immunity claim
- Justice Clarence Thomas and recusal
- Update on classified documents case

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Alisa Chang speaks with correspondent Greg Allen.

Judge Aileen Cannon held a pre-trial hearing in the Florida classified documents case where former President Donald Trump is facing 40 criminal charges. One of the top issues facing Judge Cannon is confirming the start date, but Friday's hearing ended with no clear answer to when this case might go to trial.

Topics include:
- Political calendar vs legal calendar
- Timeline with other criminal trials
- Trump in attendance

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, we hear from NPR legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg.

There are lots of questions surrounding the Supreme Court's decision to hear arguments over whether former President Trump is immune from criminal prosecution. The court is notoriously secretive; Nina Totenberg tries to read between the lines for an explanation.

Topics include:
- Supreme Court's decision
- Importance of the political calendar
- History of the Supreme Court & the presidency

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg.

The Supreme Court has decided to hear oral arguments over whether former President Trump is immune from federal prosecution. A three-judge panel previously ruled that Trump did not have broad immunity. The justices will hear arguments the week of April 22nd.

Topics include:
- Supreme Court's decision
- January 6th trial timeline
- How this affects the other cases

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist and author of three books about Trump David Cay Johnston.

Over the course of four weeks former President Donald Trump was slapped with nearly half a billion dollars in legal penalties. First a jury ordered him to pay writer E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million. Then a judge ordered him to pay nearly $355 million, plus $100 million in interest, for fraudulent business practices. We look into how Trump could pay these penalties and how he's paying for his lawyers.

Topics include:
- Importance of wealth to Trump's image
- Civil fraud and E. Jean Carroll decisions
- How Trump could pay legal penalties
- How Trump is paying his lawyers

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Miles Parks and Domenico Montanaro are joined by New York University law professor Melissa Murray.

This week we saw developments in all four of the criminal cases facing former President Donald Trump. We also got decision in the New York civil fraud case, where a judge ordered Trump to pay $355 million and banned him from doing business in New York for three years. But we're focusing on two of these cases — the New York hush money case and the Georgia election interference case.

First in New York, a judge ruled the case will go to trial on March 25th; making it the first time in American history a former president will be a defendant in a criminal case.

In Georgia, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis surprised everyone when she took the stand in her own defense. Defendants in the Georgia election interference case are trying to have Willis removed for allegedly financially benefitting from a relationship she had with special prosecutor Nathan Wade.

Topics include:
- Trial date for New York hush money case
- Importance of the hush money case
- What jury selection may look like
- Georgia election interference case
- What happens if Willis is removed

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Juana Summers speaks NPR's Andrea Bernstein.

A New York judge has ordered former President Donald Trump and his companies to pay nearly $355 million in penalties for inflating the value of his properties and other assets. The verdict also banned Trump from operating his New York business and applying for loans in the state for three years. This follows a sometimes contentious three-month trial that was decided by a judge and not a jury.

Topics include:
- Civil fraud verdict
- Money owed
- Possible Trump appeal

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks NPR's Andrea Bernstein and Georgia politics reporter Sam Gringlas.

On March 25th the New York hush money case will go to trial, making it the first time a former president will be defendant in a criminal trial. Former President Donald Trump is facing 34 counts related to falsifying business records during the 2016 campaign in order to keep past affairs a secret. This will be the first of the four criminal cases to go to trial.

In Georgia, an evidence hearing was held over whether Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis should be removed from the election interference case. Willis is accused of having an improper relationship with Nathan Wade, a prosecutor she hired to work on the case. They have acknowledge the relationship but denied Willis financially benefited from it. Willis and Wade both took the stand in defense of themselves.

Topics include:
- Trial schedule for New York hush money case
- Evidence hearing for Georgia election interference case
- Efforts to disqualify Willis
- Willis and Wade testimony

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Juana Summers speaks with senior political correspondent Domenico Montanaro.

Former President Donald Trump is facing a big week in all four of the criminal cases against him.

Two of the biggest developments are set to come out of New York and Georgia. In the New York hush money case, a judge will determine this week if the case will begin as scheduled on March 25th. Meanwhile, in Georgia, a hearing is set this week to determine whether Fulton Country District Attorney Fani Willis should be disqualified from the state's election interference case over allegations she misused public funds. At the same time, the Supreme Court is considering whether to weigh in on a lower court's decision that Trump is not immune from prosecution in the Jan. 6 case. And in the classified documents case, the judge is considering Trump's lawyers' motion to postpone deadlines that could push the case back from its scheduled May 20th start date.

Topics include:
- Immunity appeal
- Florida classified documents case
- Trial schedule for New York hush money case
- Georgia evidence hearing

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by former US attorney and deputy assistant attorney general Harry Litman.

It was a big week in the Trump legal world. There was the decision on presidential immunity, spoiler alert - he doesn't have it. And then there were those Supreme Court oral arguments in the Colorado ballot case, where the justices seemed skeptical of an individual state being able to disqualify Trump from seeking office again. To cap off the week, President Biden was exonerated in a separate classified documents investigation, but the special prosecutor's report questioned the strength of Biden's memory.

Topics include:
- Immunity decision
- Supreme Court oral arguments
- How the immunity and Colorado cases intersect
- Is Biden's document situation similar to Trump's
- Predictions on future decisions and timeline

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Scott Detrow speaks to Chief Legal Affairs Correspondent Nina Totenberg, Washington Desk Senior Editor and Correspondent Ron Elving and UCLA law professor and election law expert Rick Hasen.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments over whether former President Donald Trump is disqualified from running for office on the basis of Section 3 of the 14th amendment. The justices sparred with attorneys from both sides, questioning their justification to remove or keep Trump on the ballot. The justices appeared skeptical of individual states having the power to decide who is able to run for president, at least without congressional action.

Topics include:
- Trump's legal argument
- Colorado's legal argument
- Justice's reactions
- What's next

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Scott Detrow speaks to Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments in the Colorado ballot case. This case centers on whether former President Donald Trump is disqualified from running for office on the basis of Section 3 of the 14th amendment. The once little-known clause bars anyone who swore an oath to support the Constitution and then "engaged in insurrection" against it from holding office. The Colorado Supreme Court determined that Trump had engaged in an insurrection and removed him from the state's primary ballot.

Topics include:
- Origins of the case
- What to look for during the arguments
- Trump's defense arguments

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks to Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson.

Former President Donald Trump does not enjoy broad immunity from federal prosecution. That was the ruling from a three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals D.C. Circuit. The judges also gave Trump six days to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Topics include:
- Details of the D.C. Appeals ruling
- Political and legal calendar
- What's next

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This week on Trump's Trials, guest host Miles Parks and Domenico Montanaro are joined by constitutional expert and lawyer Kim Wehle.

Now that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has admitted to having a relationship with prosecutor Nathan Wade, there continues to be calls for her removal from the Georgia election interference case against former President Donald Trump. Legally she may not be required to step aside. But politically, the relationship complicates the perception of the case in the public eye. We also preview oral arguments taking place on Thursday at the Supreme Court in the Colorado ballot case that could determine whether Trump is eligible to run for office.

Topics include:
- Fani Willis' motion
- What's next in the Georgia election interference case
- Preview of Supreme Court oral arguments
- How section 3 of the 14th Amendment applies

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with political reporter Stephen Fowler.

In a court filing on Friday, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis admitted to having a relationship with prosecutor Nathan Wade, but denied any misconduct. Willis hired Wade to prosecute the Georgia election interference case against former President Donald Trump. In the 176-page brief, Willis said allegations that she and Wade financially benefit from prosecuting the case are "meritless" and asked the judge to deny the request to dismiss her and the case without an evidentiary hearing.

Topics include:
- Willis' defense
- Effect on criminal case
- What comes next

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with historians Jill Lepore and David Blight.

Lepore and Blight have submitted a friend of the court brief to the Supreme Court ahead of oral arguments on whether former President Donald Trump should remain on the Colorado ballot.

Colorado's Supreme Court said Trump is not qualified for the presidency under the Constitution's 14th Amendment. Section 3 of that amendment says you can't serve in federal office if you once took an oath to support the United States and then engaged in an insurrection or rebellion.

Both Lepore and Blight argue that Section three of the 14th amendment disqualifies Trump from serving again as president.

Topics include:
- Historical context of the 14th amendment
- Historical intention of section three
- What does it mean to have 'engaged in insurrection'
- Interpreting the Constitution

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow is joined by NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson.

In this episode we take a step back to look at where the four criminal cases former President Donald Trump is facing currently stand. There's the classified documents case in Florida, the hush money case involving Stormy Daniels in New York, the Georgia election interference case and the Jan. 6th federal election interference case.

Topics include:
- Updates on all of Trump's criminal cases
- Trial date speculation
- What comes next

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks to NPR's Andrea Bernstein.

A jury has awarded writer E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million in a civil defamation suit against former President Donald Trump. In a previous defamation trial Trump was found to have sexually abused and defamed Carroll. The jury in that case awarded her $5 million.

Topics include:
- How jury came up with $83.3 million figure
- Trump's reaction
- What's next

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Juana Summers speaks to NPR's Andrea Bernstein.

Former President Donald Trump was back in court on Thursday to testify in the second civil defamation damages trial brought by writer E. Jean Carroll. The jury in a separate civil trial last year awarded Carroll $5 million, finding Trump sexually abused and defamed her. Trump spoke briefly on the stand on Thursday, saying the allegations were false.

Topics include:
- Defense resting its case
- Trump's testimony
- Outcome predictions

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks to lawyer and ethics expert Norman Eisen.

We hear why Eisen is calling on special counsel Nathan Wade to resign from his post in the Georgia election interference case. Wade has come under fire for accusations of having an improper relationship with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who hired him to prosecute the case against Trump. Neither Willis nor Wade have made an official statement regarding the accusations.

Topics include:
- Legal requirements to remove a prosecutor
- Ethical issues in the case
- Distractions to the Georgia interference case

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson.

This week's focus: Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has come under scrutiny after a codefendant in Trump's Georgia election case accused her, without evidence, of having an improper relationship with attorney Nathan Wade, whom she hired to prosecute the case. Wade is currently going through a divorce and documents from that proceeding show Wade bought airline tickets for himself and Willis for flights together. Willis has yet to fully address the allegations and the judge in this case has set a hearing on the matter. In the absence of a response from Willis to the allegations, Trump and his allies have seized the moment to discredit her.

Topics include:
- Georgia election interference case
- Allegations of misconduct
- Update on Florida classified documents case
- Iowa caucuses results

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Juana Summers speaks to NPR's Andrea Bernstein.

A day after winning the Iowa caucuses by nearly 30 points, former President Donald Trump appeared in a Manhattan courtroom to face a second defamation lawsuit brought by writer E. Jean Carroll. Last year, a jury found that Trump sexually abused Carroll in the 1990s and ordered Trump to pay her $5 million for defaming her in recent years. This second case centers around additional comments Trump made about Carroll that have already been deemed defamatory by a judge. Carroll is seeking ten million dollars in addition to what she was already awarded last year.

Topics include:
- Trump back in the courtroom
- A breakdown of Carroll's claims
- A look at what comes next

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by New York University law professor Melissa Murray.

This week's focus: The DC Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments on former president Donald Trump's expansive view of presidential immunity. The three-judge panel seemed skeptical at times with the extensive scope of Trump's legal team argument — that the president could even order a political assassination and be immune from criminal prosecution so long as he wasn't convicted in an impeachment hearing. Plus we heard closing arguments in the New York civil fraud case.

Topics include:
- Scope of presidential immunity
- Strength of Trump team's arguments
- Possible appeals and timelines
- New York civil fraud case
- Georgia election interference case

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For this bonus episode of Trump's Trials, guest host Sacha Pfeiffer is joined by NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson.

The DC Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments from federal prosecutors and former President Donald Trump's legal team on the question of whether Trump is immune from criminal prosecution for his actions on January 6th and attempts to overturn the 2020 election.

Topics include:
- Arguments over the scope of presidential immunity
- Possible decision outcomes
- Political implications
- What comes next

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by former Deputy Assistant Attorney General Harry Litman.

This week's focus: The Supreme Court officially takes up former President Donald Trump's appeal over Colorado's decision to disqualify him from the ballot. We also talk about how politics has changed in the three years after the January 6th attack on the Capitol. And we dive into the central question surrounding the federal January 6th election interference case — is Trump immune from criminal prosecution?

Topics include:
- Supreme Court decision to weigh in on Colorado disqualifying Trump from the ballot
- Presidential immunity
- Politics surrounding January 6th
- Trump & Biden campaigning on January 6th

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For this bonus episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow is joined by Maine's Secretary of State Shenna Bellows.

Last week Bellows ruled that former President Donald Trump's name should be removed from the Republican primary ballot in the state, under section three of the 14th Amendment. The Civil War era provision disqualifies anyone who has engaged in an insurrection against the U.S. Constitution from running for office. For now Trump remains on the ballot until a higher court weighs in.

Topics include:
- Reasoning for this decision
- Response to criticism
- Need for U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in
- Concerns over threats

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow is joined by NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson.

This week's focus: The Supreme Court and presidential immunity. The court decided they would not take up Special Counsel Jack Smith's request to fast-track arguments on whether former President Donald Trump is immune from prosecution for alleged crimes committed while in office. Instead, the case will continue to make its way through the appeals process, further delaying the trial start date. Plus Colorado's Supreme Court decision to remove Trump from the Republican primary ballot.

Topics include:
- Supreme Court and presidential immunity
- Colorado Supreme Court ruling on Trump
- Predictions on how the U.S. Supreme Court may eventually respond
- A look ahead to 2024

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by former Deputy Assistant Attorney General Harry Litman.

This week's focus: the January 6th federal election interference case. Prosecutor, Special Counsel Jack Smith, made an unusual move, and sidestepped the appeals court and went straight to the Supreme Court to answer a fundamental question at the heart of the case:. Can presidents be criminally prosecuted for crimes they are allegedly committed while in office?

Topics include:
- Presidential immunity
- Does presidential immunity apply to Trump's actions on January 6th
- Predictions on how the Supreme Court may respond
- New case timeline
- An update on the New York Civil Fraud trial

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson. We focus on the January 6th federal election interference case led by special counsel Jack Smith. The case is scheduled to go to trial in March in Washington, D.C., and it might be coming to a TV near you.

Yes, Trump and some media outlets are requesting cameras in the courtroom. We'll talk about how likely that is, how it could impact the case and the campaign, plus some news from a couple of key swing states.

Topics include:
- How televising the trial could help and hurt Trump
- The Trump team's attempts to delay the trial
- Prosecution and defense strategies for the federal election interference case
- Trump's attempts to invoke presidential immunity
- Pro-Trump electors from Wisconsin admit President Biden won the 2020 election
- Pro-Trump electors criminally indicted in Nevada over attempts to overturn Biden's 2020 win

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This week on Trump's Trials, guest host Miles Parks and Domenico Montanaro look at how one judge, Aileen Cannon, could be slow-walking the federal classified documents case in Florida. Delays in that case could impact the three other criminal trials Trump is facing — and put legal and political calendars ahead of the 2024 race on a collision course. Plus an update from the Georgia election case and the gag order from the New York civil fraud case.

Our guest is NYU law professor Melissa Murray.

Topics include:
- Judge Aileen Cannon's background & experience and questions about possible bias
- Why there've been delays in the Florida classified documents case
- Consequences if the Florida classified documents case is postponed
- The New York civil fraud gag order being reinstated
- Georgia prosecutors not offering plea deals to former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani

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This week, Scott Detrow and NPR political editor/correspondent Domenico Montanaro discuss gag orders in multiple cases against President Donald Trump and his attempts to weaponize them politically. Plus an update in the New York Civil trial and a Colorado case you might've missed.

They're joined by NPR justice correspondent Carrie Johnson. Topics include:

- Gag orders in the federal election case and the New York civil fraud trial
- The legal and political challenges of implementing gag orders on Trump
- Real world consequences of Trump's verbal attacks
- Attempts in Colorado to kick Trump off the ballot

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This week, Scott Detrow and NPR political editor/correspondent Domenico Montanaro discuss leaked confidential videos of two former Trump lawyers and what those videos could mean for the Georgia election interference case. Plus a new development in the January 6 case.

Their guest is NYU's Melissa Murray. Topics include:

-The potential consequences of leaked videos in court — and the court of public opinion
-Trump lawyer Sidney Powell admitting she 'didn't know much' about election fraud.
-Why it matters that a judge rejected an attempt by Trump lawyers to limit mentions of January 6 violence in the election interference trial
-The prospect of additional guilty pleas in the Georgia election interference case

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On this inaugural episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and NPR political editor/correspondent Domenico Montanaro break down this week's testimony from former President Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka in the New York civil fraud case brought against the Trump Organization.

This week's guest is NYU's Melissa Murray. Topics include:

-Arguments in the New York case so far
-Whether Donald Trump actually cares if he loses
-Why Trump sounded a lot different on the witness stand this week than he has in the past — while Ivanka, notably, did not
-Why you should never email your family from a work account (especially if you also work with them)

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NPR's Scott Detrow hosts a weekly discussion about the latest courtroom drama, testimony, and legal maneuvering in the criminal and civil cases facing former President Donald Trump — and what it all means for American democracy — with analysis from NPR political editor/correspondent Domenico Montanaro.

Sign up for sponsor-free episodes and support NPR's political journalism at plus.npr.org.

Email the show at [email protected]

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