Deep Reads: A songwriter had part of his brain removed. The music flowed.

When President Donald Trump took office in January, 2.4 million people worked for the federal government. It was America’s largest employer. Four months later, Trump — and Elon Musk’s U.S. DOGE Service — have hacked off chunks of government in the name of efficiency, with tactics rarely seen in public or private industry: Some federal workers have found themselves fired, rehired, then let go again. Many have been ridiculed as “lazy” and “corrupt.” They’ve been locked out of offices by police, fired for political “disloyalty,” and told to check their email to see if they still draw a paycheck.More than 30 former and current federal workers told The Washington Post that the chaos and mass firings had left them feeling devalued, demoralized and scared for themselves and the country. Many described problems they’d never experienced before: insomnia, panic attacks, suicidal thoughts. Others with a history of mental struggles said they’d found themselves pushed into terrifying territory.Today on “Post Reports,” host Colby Itkowitz speaks with investigative reporter William Wan about the administration’s immense toll on federal workers’ mental health. We hear from the husband of Caitlin Cross-Barnet, a public health worker who died by suicide in March. And, in the second half of the episode, Wan reflects on years spent covering the nation’s mental health crisis for The Post. Today’s show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy. It was mixed by Sean Carter, and edited by Maggie Penman. If you or someone you know needs help, call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. You can also reach a crisis counselor by messaging the Crisis Text Line at 741741.Contact William Wan at william.wan@washpost.com or (202) 725-2121 on Signal.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

7 Juni 26min

As the government has built its case against Sean “Diddy” Combs over the past few weeks, they have called witnesses to build out the story around an incident that many are familiar with – the violent 2016 encounter at the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles. A video of it was first released by CNN last year, and depicts Combs dragging and kicking his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in a hotel hallway. Witnesses, including former hotel security employees, have alleged that Combs and his employees attempted to cover up the incident through a $100,000 payoff. This week, another one of Combs’s alleged victims, “Jane,” took the stand and began delivering harrowing testimony about encounters she had with him and male escorts – similar to what Ventura alleged she experienced. She’s testifying under a pseudonym. Style reporter Anne Branigin explains how this anonymous testimony works and how the 2016 hotel incident ties into many of the government’s charges. Today’s show was produced by Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter. Thanks to Carla Spartos.Follow our coverage of the trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs on Spotify here.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

6 Juni 28min

Today on the podcast, host Colby Itkowitz speaks with two veteran political reporters: co-anchor of the Early Brief newsletter Dan Merica and national breaking news reporter Patrick Svitek. They talk about the public split between Elon Musk and President Donald Trump – and other news out of the White House, including a new travel ban. Plus, Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst doubles down on a flippant comment about Medicaid cuts as Republicans struggle to defend Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

5 Juni 26min

This year’s NBA Finals will see the Oklahoma City Thunder take on the Indiana Pacers. The Thunder are led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, a trio of up-and-coming stars. Meanwhile the Pacers and Tyrese Haliburton feature a potent offense and a deep bench. Both teams have rabid fan bases, craving an end to a championship drought. Guest host Ava Wallace is joined by The Washington Post’s national NBA writer, Ben Golliver. They discuss the changing landscape of the NBA and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver’s quest for parity across the league.Today’s episode was produced by Lucas Trevor, Josh Carroll and Jonelle LaFoucade. It was mixed and edited by Ted Muldoon.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

4 Juni 22min

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the earliest official D.C. Pride event. D.C. is also hosting WorldPride, one of the largest international celebrations of LGBTQ+ communities in the world.But some LGBTQ+ people say it doesn't feel like a time for celebration. Amid mounting political and cultural attacks, a rise in hate crimes and slashing of health care, some fear the rollback of hard-won rights. As D.C. decks itself in rainbows and welcomes WorldPride, many LGBTQ+ people are finding inspiration not by imagining a brighter future — but instead by revisiting a more hostile past. Reporter Marissa Lang has been out all over the D.C. region speaking to trailblazers of the LGBTQ+ rights movement. What advice can these living legends offer in difficult times?Today’s show was produced by Emma Talkoff, who also contributed reporting. It was mixed by Sam Bair and edited by Maggie Penman. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

3 Juni 26min

On the eve of negotiations in Istanbul between Russia and Ukraine, the Ukrainian military struck targets hundreds of miles inside Russian territory. Small drones, smuggled into Russia over many months, carried out the attacks. This show of force – one of the biggest Ukrainian attacks since the war started three years ago – boosted morale within Ukraine. But the path to a ceasefire remains murky.Host Elahe Izadi speaks with Ukraine bureau chief Siobhan O’Grady about whether these strikes could change the balance of power in the war in Ukraine. Plus, updates from a day of peace talks between the two powers. Today’s show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy. It was edited by Ariel Plotnick and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

2 Juni 23min

Today we’re going to listen to a conversation between our colleague Lizza Dwoskin and her friend Aisha Bowe, an aerospace engineer who was on the all-female Blue Origin flight that went to space in April. It’s about navigating what happens when a dream comes true — and then sparks public outrage. Blue Origin, the space company, is owned by Jeff Bezos. He also owns The Washington Post and is the co-founder of Amazon. Some of the other crew members were celebrities, including pop star Katy Perry and broadcast journalist Gayle King.The flight became a flash point for anger from the political left directed at billionaires associated with the Trump administration. Bezos was among the tech moguls who attended Donald Trump’s second inauguration. Now that some time has passed, Aisha was ready to sit down and talk about what this has all been like for her. Today’s show was edited by Renita Jablonski, Maggie Penman and James Graff. It was produced and mixed by Ted Muldoon. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

31 Maj 23min

The government is about halfway through calling its witnesses in the racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking case against music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs. This week, Style reporter Anne Branigin gives an update on the big takeaways from the trial this week, including testimony from several of Combs’s former employees who claim he assaulted them. Combs has pleaded not guilty and has denied wrongdoing. Court reporter Shayna Jacobs also breaks down what the government has to do to prove these charges – and why racketeering conspiracy is a charge that’s broadly used today.Today’s show was produced by Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter. Thanks to Carla Spartos and Efrain Hernandez.Follow our coverage of the trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs on Spotify here.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

30 Maj 25min