The NPR Politics Podcast How young CPAC-goers feel about the war in Iran
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Mar 27, 2026 Young conservatives at CPAC wrestle with the war in Iran as Trump’s movement looms over every hallway, even without him on stage. The conversation also turns to Robert Mueller’s death, his long shadow over federal law enforcement, and the investigation that still echoes through Trump-era politics. Midterm chatter, culture-war energy, and party tensions round it out.
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How Jeff Sessions Set The Mueller Probe In Motion
- The Mueller appointment grew out of Jeff Sessions’s recusal, showing how one personnel decision triggered the special-counsel investigation that consumed Trump’s first term.
- Tamara Keith traces the chain from Sessions stepping aside to Rod Rosenstein appointing Mueller over Russia and possible campaign coordination.
What Mueller Actually Found In The Russia Probe
- Mueller found sweeping Russian interference and multiple Trump-world lies, but not enough evidence to charge a criminal conspiracy between the campaign and Russia.
- Carrie Johnson cites Paul Manafort sharing polling data and Michael Flynn lying to investigators, showing why Trump still treats the probe as a personal grievance.
Mueller Still Shapes How Trump Uses Justice
- Mueller’s refusal to clear Trump, while declining to decide on criminality because DOJ bars indicting sitting presidents, left a political wound that still shapes Trump’s presidency.
- Tamara Keith says Trump’s anger over Sessions’s recusal now drives his demand for a Justice Department that follows his wishes.