Here & Now Anytime

Anthea Hartig, director of the National Museum of American History, highlights the iconic Gypsy Rose lowrider and its cultural roots. Joseph Abel, curator at the National Air and Space Museum, tells Chauncey Spencer’s 1939 Goodwill flight and the plain flight suit that symbolized a fight for access to the skies. They explore lowriding’s art, cruising and policing, and aviation’s role in civil rights.

Dan Diamond, White House reporter for The Washington Post, offers inside reporting on the contested White House ballroom plan. Rana Foroohar, Financial Times columnist, explains why a global energy shock from the Iran conflict could spread to U.S. markets. They discuss rising oil prices, shipping and geopolitical risks, and the legal and political battles around the ballroom project.

Julianne Smith, former U.S. NATO envoy and geostrategic adviser, warns about transatlantic security risks if the U.S. pulls back. Muzaffar Chishti, migration policy expert, reflects on the Supreme Court oral arguments and presidential presence. Kim Wehle, former assistant U.S. attorney and law professor, analyzes 14th Amendment debates. Rick Hasen, election law scholar, breaks down the controversial mail-in ballot order.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said reopening the Strait of Hormuz is “not just a U.S. problem set.” NPR’s Tom Bowman weighs in on whether President Trump will wind down the war in Iran without reopening the narrow waterway through which a quarter of the world's oil travels.Then, the National Mall has become a stage for the deep division between the Trump administration and its many critics. Recently, artwork ridiculing President Trump appeared in front of the Lincoln Memorial. NPR’s Frank Langfitt explains more.And, NASA’s Artemis II will launch on Wednesday, sending four astronauts around the moon. Purdue University professor Briony Horgan explains the significance of this journey, which will send humans farther into space than they’ve ever gone before.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

Aaron Barker, AFGE Local 554 president representing TSA workers in Georgia, talks pay shortfalls and the human cost of weeks without full wages. Borzou Daragahi, veteran Middle East correspondent, explains how fighting is spreading in southern Lebanon and regional spillover risks. Jill Schlesinger, CBS business analyst, breaks down college sticker prices, confusing aid letters, and practical borrowing limits.

Peter O'Dowd, a national reporter who did on-the-ground reporting in Nevada, explores mining towns hoping for a new boom and Las Vegas grappling with an affordable housing crisis. He discusses mining resurgence, local economic hopes, the strain on hospitality workers, policy debates on housing, and efforts to build workforce homes. Short, on-the-ground reporting about big changes and hard choices in Nevada.

Frances Haugen, former Facebook whistleblower who exposed social media harms, talks courtroom rulings and industry accountability. Bernard Haykel, Princeton Near Eastern Studies professor, explains how Saudi leaders view the war with Iran and its ripple effects on Gulf economies and regional strategy. They cover lawsuits, platform design responsibility, Saudi investment priorities, and regional geopolitical shifts.

Samantha Gross, energy policy expert at Brookings, outlines how the Middle East war is reshaping global oil markets. Jake Bittle, Grist reporter on energy and environment, examines the Interior Department settlement that stalled a major offshore wind project. Raúl Torrez, New Mexico attorney general, recounts his landmark civil suit alleging Meta concealed harms to children on its platforms.

Michelle Hackman, a Wall Street Journal immigration reporter, explains the legal fight over asylum and border metering. Wendy Sherman, former U.S. deputy secretary of state and Iran negotiator, breaks down back-channel contacts, Pakistan-hosted talks, and what a 15-point U.S. proposal might demand. Robin Farzad, business journalist, explores suspicious big bets on oil and gaps in prediction market oversight.

Jeffrey DeLaurentis, former top U.S. diplomat in Havana, examines Cuban political stability. Linda Bilmes, Harvard public finance professor, outlines the true long-term costs of war. Eric O'Denius, ex-DHS immigration officer turned paralegal, recounts his shift and views on enforcement. They discuss U.S. pressure on Cuba, the fiscal toll of conflict, and the changing landscape of immigration work.