
No kids on the block
The pro-natalism movement argues that people need to have more babies. Some want to prevent economic implosion, others want to protect traditional family values. And some of the loudest voices in the movement are now in the White House. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Jolie Myers and Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Noel King. Further reading: The movement desperately trying to get people to have more babies. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast This episode was made in partnership with Vox's Future Perfect team. Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk holding one of his children on his shoulders. Photo by Riccardo De Luca/Anadolu via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
20 Mars 25min

The autocrat's prison
The US is deporting alleged members of the gang Trén de Aragua and paying El Salvador to house them in a mega-prison. But we don’t know if the deportees are actually gang members at all. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy and Amanda Lewellyn, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Further reading: Inside El Salvador's notorious CECOT mega-prison. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members More than 250 suspected gang members deported from the U.S. arriving in El Salvador's mega-prison. Photo by El Salvador Presidency / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
19 Mars 25min

Silencing the Voice of America
President Donald Trump has ordered the federally funded broadcaster to be “eliminated.” Longtime VOA correspondent Steve Herman explains why it will be missed. This episode was produced by Gabrielle Berbey and Travis Larchuk with help from Miles Bryan, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and Amanda Lewellyn, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Further reading: Behind the White House Curtain. Trump tapped Kari Lake to run VOA. Then he dismantled it. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members Longtime VOA correspondent Steve Herman in front of the White House. Photo by Sarah Silberger. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
18 Mars 25min

An America First trap
This isn’t the first time we’ve tried to go America First. The last time helped blow up the economy and our relationships with our allies. This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and Travis Larchuk, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members Canadian and American flags flying on the Canadian side of the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ontario. Photo by GEOFF ROBINS/AFP via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
17 Mars 25min

Did diversity ever work ... at work?
There's a backlash against corporate DEI efforts, and it’s not just from the right. It's everywhere. What does that mean for employees? This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, mixed by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. Photo credit: jeffbergen for Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
16 Mars 30min

What if we stopped shopping?
Fed up with consumerism, Mia Westrap went a whole year without buying unnecessary stuff. She went viral, and so did her goal. Now, the Buy Nothing movement is fighting back against mindless consumption by doing...nothing. This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Matt Billy, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members A crush of shoppers on Oxford Street in London. Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
14 Mars 26min

The man who helped kill DEI
Policy in the second Trump administration is being driven by a small group of thinkers from the online right. We talk to one of them about how he got DEI dismantled. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan with help from Carla Javier, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Further reading: The deeply online origins of MAGA 2.0 by Andrew Prokop. The Origins of Woke by Richard Hanania. Richard Hanania, Rising Right-Wing Star, Wrote For White Supremacist Sites Under Pseudonym. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members Photo courtesy of Richard Hanania. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
13 Mars 29min

Deporting Mahmoud Khalil
The Trump administration has fallen short of its promise to deport millions. The White House now seems focused on attention-grabbing arrests, including that of a Palestinian activist and leader of the Columbia student protests. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy and Gabrielle Berbey, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and Amanda Lewellyn, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members Mahmoud Khalil, who was a student negotiator in the pro-Palestinian protest encampments on the Columbia University campus last year. AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
12 Mars 25min