What A Day
What A Day
If you’re looking for hype, fake outrage, and groupthink, kindly keep moving. Our mission at What a Day is simple: to be your guide to what truly matters each morning (and the fun stuff you might have missed) in just 20 minutes. Host Jane Coaston brings you in-depth reporting and substantive analysis on the big stories shaping today and the creeping trends shaping tomorrow—and when she doesn’t know the answers, she asks someone even smarter to fill us all in. Radical, right? New episodes at 5:00 a.m. EST, Monday–Friday in your favorite podcast app and on YouTube. Being informed was never this easy.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Feb 24, 2026 • 22min
Dems Opt Out Of State Of The Union
LaMonica McIver, a New Jersey congressmember who focuses on immigration oversight and defending democratic institutions, explains why she will skip the State of the Union and join alternative events. She discusses threats to democracy, legislative immunity as she fights prosecution tied to oversight, and strategies to limit ICE abuses while protecting communities.
Feb 23, 2026 • 21min
Trump Orders More Tariffs After SCOTUS Ruling
David J. Lynch, global economics correspondent at The Washington Post and author of The World's Worst Bet, joins to unpack trade and tariff policy. He explains why Trump shifted legal authority for tariffs and how different statutes change presidential power. He also covers who actually pays tariffs, what happens to collected tariff revenue after the Supreme Court ruling, and the longer-term effects on business and trade policy.
12 snips
Feb 20, 2026 • 22min
DHS Dysfunction
Michelle Hackman, immigration reporter for The Wall Street Journal, discusses the DHS partial shutdown and which agencies and operations are actually affected. She breaks down leadership turmoil under Kristi Noem and chaotic personnel moves. She also outlines how future ICE enforcement might shift toward quieter workplace and home raids.
19 snips
Feb 19, 2026 • 22min
Don't Bank On Trump's Tax Cuts
Vanessa Williamson, Brookings senior fellow and author on taxation and democracy, breaks down the IRS staffing collapse and its fallout. She discusses slowed refund processing, weakened enforcement that could widen the tax gap, halted modernization like Direct File, data-sharing trust issues, and why headline refund numbers may be misleading.
Feb 18, 2026 • 23min
Trump’s Iran Power Play
Nahal Toosi, senior foreign affairs correspondent at Politico, breaks down high-stakes diplomacy with Iran in Switzerland and the murky aims behind talks. She unpacks U.S. leverage like aircraft carriers, Iran’s domestic pressures and protest movements, and the regime’s strategy of buying time. The conversation maps likely paths forward: a deal, limited strikes, or escalation.
6 snips
Feb 17, 2026 • 23min
The MAGA Health Movement
Rina Raphael, journalist and author of The Gospel of Wellness, digs into how wellness culture became a cross-ideological movement. She explores shifts in wellness politics, clashes between food fads and public health, the rise of anti-vaccine strains within MAHA, and why influencers often outcompete experts online.
22 snips
Feb 13, 2026 • 22min
Democrats Shut Down DHS
Burgess Everett, Congressional bureau chief and Capitol Hill reporter, breaks down the chaotic week in Congress. He walks through the DHS funding standoff and why a partial shutdown became likely. Short takes on tariff fights, the SAVE America bill, immigration enforcement in Minneapolis, and the political math shaping negotiations.
31 snips
Feb 12, 2026 • 21min
Bondi's DOJ Fails Again
Jason Crow, a Colorado congressman and former Army Ranger, discusses the DOJ investigation into lawmakers who appeared in a video to troops. He talks about concerns over weaponizing the justice system, preserving evidence and seeking accountability, and protecting service members from political targeting. The conversation also touches on Pam Bondi, military leadership, and strategies for civic mobilization.
6 snips
Feb 11, 2026 • 20min
ICE Warns It’s ‘Only Getting Started’
Leah Stokes, an associate professor who studies climate and clean energy policy, discusses the planned repeal of the EPA’s 2009 endangerment finding. She explains the legal role of that finding and how rolling it back challenges climate science. Conversation also covers how these rollbacks fit into broader policy shifts and the market signals they send.
19 snips
Feb 10, 2026 • 24min
Epstein Files Cause Ripples Across The Pond
Coco Khan, journalist and co-host of Pod Save the UK, breaks down the UK fallout from the Epstein files. She traces how the story reached Britain, explains Peter Mandelson’s role and resignation, and explores risks to the Labour leadership, the monarchy, and public trust. Short, sharp, and politically charged conversation.
