Up First from NPR Gov. Wes Moore on Iran, pardon power, and his future | NPR's Newsmakers
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Mar 27, 2026 
Wes Moore, Maryland’s governor, combat veteran, and author, talks through big questions with national stakes. He digs into Iran, what wartime leadership should explain to the public, and why diplomacy matters. He also gets into the Baltimore bridge rebuild, AI’s risks, philanthropy’s role in fighting poverty, Democratic strategy, and why he is thinking more about 2029 than 2028.
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Negotiation Should Run Until Threat Is Truly Imminent
- Moore says he would have kept negotiating over Iran's nuclear program until intelligence showed an imminent threat and talks had truly failed.
- He argues even urgent military action still requires Congress and the public to be told what is happening.
Maryland Turned The Key Bridge Collapse Into A Speed Test
- Moore frames Maryland's Key Bridge response as proof that government can move fast in crisis.
- He says crews cleared the channel in 11 weeks not 11 months, finished permits in months, and reached 70 percent design-build in 14 months.
Equal Opportunity Means More Than The College Track
- Moore embraces equal opportunity over equal outcomes and says fairness means a real shot, not identical endings.
- He ties that view to expanding apprenticeships and rejecting four-year college acceptance as the main high school success metric.