Consider This from NPR

Domenico Montanaro, NPR senior political editor who breaks down polling and public opinion. Michelle Kellerman, NPR diplomatic correspondent who explains international reactions and diplomacy. They discuss how the war has spread across the Middle East. They explore global diplomatic efforts, Russia’s reported role, and how American public opinion and Trump’s standing are shifting.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement is using a variety of tools to surveil folks they want to intimidate and apprehend. That web helps federal agents find people to deport. But it also allows them to identify U.S. citizens who criticize the federal government and its policies.NPR has compiled dozens of stories of people caught up in the surveillance web. Some were monitoring ICE activities and found themselves in interactions with agents who identify them by their names and home addresses. NPR’s Scott Detrow talks with Meg Anderson and Jude Joffe-Block who have been collecting the stories, and tracking ICE’s surveillance tactics.For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.Reporting from NPR’s Kat Lonsdorf contributed to this story. This episode was produced by Gabriel Sanchez and Karen Zamora, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane. It was edited by Alina Hartounian, John Ketchum and Sarah Handel.Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Susan Glasser, New Yorker staff writer who tracks U.S. politics and writes 'Letters from Trump's Washington,' discusses how presidential norms have shifted under Trump. She examines his bold military moves and legacy-driven risks. She explores motives behind strikes on Iran and the erosion of coalition diplomacy and traditional constraints.

Mirzad Borugherdi, a scholar of Iran’s ruling class and co-author of a political handbook, breaks down succession in Tehran. He maps the Assembly of Experts' role. He details the Revolutionary Guard's power and veto potential. He names top contenders and explains why a sudden collapse of the regime is unlikely.

Franco Ordonez, NPR White House correspondent who decodes administration messaging. Tom Bowman, NPR Pentagon correspondent who explains military operations. They discuss shifting White House rationales for war, the president’s on-camera objectives and timing, Pentagon briefings and rules of engagement, Iran’s leadership vacuum, and risks of regional escalation and a long conflict.

Mark Warner, U.S. Senator from Virginia and intel committee leader, offers a national security and oversight perspective. He questions whether there was any imminent threat from Iran. He describes sailors' families seeking answers. He criticizes shifting justifications for strikes and urges congressional clarity on war goals.

Daniel Estrin, NPR international correspondent in Tel Aviv, reports on strikes and regional effects. Greg Myrie, NPR national security correspondent, analyzes military operations and leadership succession. They discuss reports of Khamenei’s death, coordinated U.S. and Israeli strikes, timing and surprise of the operation, succession uncertainty in Iran, regional fallout and impacts on oil routes and infrastructure.

Helena Bottemiller-Evich, founder of the Food Fix newsletter and agricultural policy reporter, breaks down the MAHA uproar over Trump’s glyphosate order. She explains why glyphosate matters to MAHA. She outlines the science debate and a retracted safety study. She unpacks Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s surprising stance and what the spat could mean for politics and agricultural policy.

Tim Kaine, U.S. senator from Virginia and member of Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, discusses reviving a war powers resolution. He explains why a congressional vote matters. He rebuts Republican claims about imminent threats. He weighs limited military support versus avoiding a new Middle East war and favors sanctions and diplomacy with Iran.

Alex McLaren, a former federal prison psychologist and acting National Institute of Corrections director, discusses how understaffing is reshaping prison mental health work. He recounts the loss of training pipelines and why psychologists are pulled into security roles. The conversation covers risks to inmate safety, morale, and recruitment, and what keeps staffing shortages entrenched.