What Next | Daily News and Analysis
Slate Podcasts
The problem with the news right now? It’s everywhere. And each day, it can feel like we’re all just mindlessly scrolling. It’s why we created What Next. This short daily show is here to help you make sense of things. When the news feels overwhelming, we’re here to help you answer: What next? Look for new episodes every weekday morning. Get more of What Next with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of What Next and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or visit slate.com/whatnextplus for access wherever you listen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Apr 8, 2026 • 25min
What Can a Senator Do to Stop Trump?
Mark Warner, U.S. senator from Virginia and Senate Intelligence vice chair, discusses national security and oversight. He questions threatened strikes on Iran and the limits of military options. He urges bipartisan scrutiny, pre-bunking misinformation, and enforcing congressional guardrails on war funding.
32 snips
Apr 7, 2026 • 28min
Trump’s Threatening War Crimes. Will Anyone Stop Him?
Idrees Ali, Reuters national security correspondent covering the Pentagon and U.S. military affairs. He describes secrecy at the Pentagon after top leadership shakeups. He breaks down Trump's public threats toward Iran and whether reporters or officials would see strikes coming. He recounts a daring rescue inside Iran and explains how rapid officer turnover could reshape U.S. strategy.
6 snips
Apr 6, 2026 • 28min
Trump Vs The Pope
Colleen Dulle, Vatican correspondent for America Media and co-host of Inside the Vatican, offers a concise look at the Vatican’s tilt toward migrants, peace, and pastoral care. She contrasts papal messaging with American conservative Catholic voices. Topics include the pope’s antiwar rhetoric, immigration shaped by pastoral experience, Vatican diplomacy with the U.S., and shifts in bishop appointments.
39 snips
Apr 5, 2026 • 31min
TBD Tries... Vibe Coding
Greg Lavallee, Slate’s CTO who guides teams through building with AI, walks through vibe coding using Claude Code. He helps set up the tool, troubleshoots installs, and watches an agent build a playable prototype. The conversation covers rapid prototyping, code readability, how agents change junior roles, and practical limits and opportunities of AI-assisted development.
18 snips
Apr 3, 2026 • 30min
Why Everyone Is Freaking Out About Private Credit
Tracy Alloway, Bloomberg Odd Lots co‑host and markets reporter, breaks down private credit and its rapid growth since 2008. She explains why lenders moved outside banks. Short takes cover tech and AI firms borrowing, illiquid loan valuations, redemption limits, and growing ties between banks, insurers, and private credit.
21 snips
Apr 2, 2026 • 27min
Trump Went to Court—But Left Early
Jamelle Bouie, NYT opinion columnist who analyzes constitutional and historical politics. He traces the 14th Amendment’s history and explains Wong Kim Ark precedent. He breaks down the Supreme Court arguments over domicile and the risk of future, more sophisticated attacks on birthright citizenship. Short, sharp takes on legal strategy and political stakes.
9 snips
Apr 1, 2026 • 28min
We're in an Oil Crisis. Will Renewables Save Us?
Catherine Rampell, economics editor at The Bulwark and MS NOW anchor, breaks down energy policy and economic fallout from the Iran war. She weighs whether shocks can accelerate renewables. She explains the EU carbon market and CBAM. She examines political backlash, lessons from France, and how China’s strategy contrasts with democracies.
22 snips
Mar 31, 2026 • 23min
Where Insider Trading Becomes Treason
Paul Krugman, Nobel Prize–winning economist and New York Times columnist, joins to unpack suspicious trades that preceded a major Iran announcement. They describe massive oil and S&P futures moves minutes before the news. The conversation traces how those trades profited, why investigations stalled, and what it means for policy, markets, and national security.
16 snips
Mar 30, 2026 • 25min
Hollywood vs. A.I. Slop
Jason Koebler, cofounder of 404 Media and tech reporter on AI and media, breaks down OpenAI’s brief Sora experiment. He walks through viral fake videos, how Sora worked, and its guardrail failures. They discuss the odd Disney deal, why studios hesitated, and what Sora’s shutdown means for Hollywood and future AI-made content.
16 snips
Mar 29, 2026 • 31min
How to Rein in ICE and A.I.
Summer Lee, a progressive U.S. representative from Pennsylvania focused on civil rights and tech policy, talks about the need for AI guardrails. She highlights facial recognition risks for Black women and how algorithms embed bias. She explains proposed legal limits on algorithmic discrimination, the politics and money blocking reform, and concerns about ICE and biometric surveillance.
