Post Reports

Are you happy? How would you answer that question if a stranger with a camera asked? Five years ago, filmmaker Atdhe Trepca quit his job and drove across the country with a camera, asking hundreds of people that question. His videos reach millions on TikTok and Instagram, and now he’s made a documentary. Today, Optimist reporter Maggie Penman shares what Trepca has learned – and the research that backs up his observations. If you want to hear more stories like this, please let us know. You can reach the whole team at podcasts@washpost.com or email Maggie at maggie.penman@washpost.com. Today’s episode was reported and produced by Maggie Penman, with help from Ted Muldoon, Emma Talkoff, Reena Flores, and Sean Carter, who also mixed the show. It was edited by Allison Klein. The Optimist has a newsletter! Subscribe here. And, subscribe to The Washington Post here.

As the federal government shutdown stretches on, Republicans and Democrats are still far apart on a path to reopening. One major sticking point is the Democrats’ demand to include renewed health care subsidies for ACA marketplace enrollees as a part of any vote to end the shutdown. Host Colby Itkowitz sits with Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia) to ask about how Republicans view that demand, how the politics of health care are playing in this moment, and the White House’s moves to fire federal workers during a shutdown. Today’s show was produced by Josh Carroll, Laura Benshoff and Elana Gordon. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here. And watch the video on YouTube here.

For over a quarter-century, Tom Sietsema has eaten at and reviewed thousands of restaurants. Now, he’s hanging up his fork and knife. Today, we dip into our archives and bring you a delightful night out at a restaurant with The Post’s longtime beloved food critic. He talks about his love for the theater of dining out, and why he cares so much about guiding readers toward truly delicious food. Today’s show was produced by Ariel Plotnick. It was edited by Maggie Penman and mixed by Sam Bair. Subscribe to The Washington Post here, or give someone a gift subscription.

As the federal government shutdown stretches into its third week, its effects are starting to ripple across the country. National parks are closed, flights are delayed, and this week, some federal workers will miss their first paychecks. For some of those workers, things are even more stressful: President Donald Trump is making good on his threat to use the shutdown to shutter government programs and offices he disagrees with. Thousands of workers have received notices that they may lose their jobs. The Trump administration has claimed the cuts will help them keep the lights on during the shutdown. But experts say that’s not true – and the action may not be legal. Host Colby Itkowitz speaks with reporter Hannah Natanson about Trump’s attempt to close swaths of the federal government – permanently. Today’s show was produced by Emma Talkoff. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here. And tell us a ghost story here!

A crop of Silicon Valley startups offers the hope of eradicating disease by testing embryos for genetic abnormalities and the potential for future illness. But those tests come with a high price tag and ethical questions about the use of predictive technology to decide who gets born – or not. Host Elahe Ezadi speaks with Silicon Valley correspondent Elizabeth Dwoskin about the cutting-edge science driving fertility startups, what families who use them say, and how this trend fits into Silicon Valley’s obsession with hacking our health. Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff and Arjun Singh. It was edited by Ariel Plotnick and mixed by Sam Bair. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

On Monday, Israelis celebrated the return of all 20 living hostages still held by Hamas. Palestinians welcomed back hundreds of prisoners and detainees held in Israel. For the first time in months, humanitarian aid began to surge into war-torn Gaza. The swap was part of the first phase of a ceasefire agreement that President Donald Trump brokered between Israel and Hamas – a step he touted as the beginning of a new era of peace across the region. But many unanswered questions remain about how the fragile peace negotiations will continue to develop. Colby Itkowitz speaks with Middle East reporter Abbie Cheeseman about how this deal came to be – and what questions remain for the future of Gaza. Today’s show was produced by Thomas Lu with assistance from Rennie Svirnovskiy and Emma Talkoff. It was edited by Ted Muldoon and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

The municipal animal shelter in Huntington, West Virginia, was euthanizing 50 to 75 percent of the animals that came in because they didn’t have the funding or space to care for them. Enter Courtney Proctor Cross. She was named director of the shelter in August 2018, and through hard work and fundraising she transformed the shelter into a place of hope. This episode was produced by Ted Muldoon. The Optimist’s editor is Allison Klein. If you want more stories from The Optimist, check out our newsletter. And let us know what you think of these stories on “Post Reports.” You can email me at maggie.penman@washpost.com or reach the whole team at podcasts@washpost.com. Subscribe to The Washington Post here. And check out the YouTube video of this episode here.

The Senate remains far apart on resolving the ongoing government shutdown. But the battle for public opinion on who’s to blame has shifted. Republicans appear split on whether to negotiate on health-care costs, as Democrats are demanding. And polling shows voters blame the GOP just as much as Democrats, if not more, for failing to fund the government. Plus, what Attorney General Pam Bondi’s combative hearing before the Senate Oversight Committee this week signals about her place in the Trump administration, the text messages blowing up a statewide race in Virginia and the peace deal for Gaza that President Donald Trump helped broker. Host Colby Itkowitz speaks with national politics reporter Liz Goodwin and Dan Merica, the co-anchor of The Post’s flagship politics newsletter, The Early Brief. Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff and Josh Carroll. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here. You can find this episode on YouTube here.

Puerto Rican music superstar Bad Bunny is having a phenomenal year. His seventh album, “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” came out in January and spent weeks at the top of the charts. He sold out a musical residency in Puerto Rico. And now, he’s set to headline one of the biggest stages for a musical artist: the Super Bowl halftime show. But that performance has ignited a political firestorm on the right. MAGA influencers are criticizing the choice because Bad Bunny, born Benito Ocasio Martinez Ocasio, sings in Spanish, and because he expressed fears this year that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement could pursue fans at his shows. Host Colby Itkowitz speaks with national politics reporter Sabrina Rodriguez about this right-wing backlash and how it fits into ongoing culture war battles. Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Ariel Plotnick and mixed by Sam Bair. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Tensions have been escalating in Chicago since the Trump administration began a widespread immigration enforcement operation across the city in early September. Officers have ransacked homes and detained children during raids. Local and state officials have loudly denounced the move and are pushing back against the effort, while residents have banded together to keep neighbors safe. But over the weekend a woman was shot by a Border Patrol agent, and after protests flared the president authorized National Guard troops to go into Illinois. Host Colby Itkowitz speaks with reporter and Chicago resident Kim Bellware about what it’s felt like to be there and how the city has been responding. Today’s show was produced by Sabby Robinson with help from Rennie Svirnovsky. It was edited by Peter Bresnan and mixed by Sean Carter. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

It is now Day 2 of peace talks in the region, with delegations from Israel and Hamas meeting in Egypt in an attempt to end the conflict. The peace deal – which was originally proposed by President Trump – would look to end fighting, secure the release of all remaining hostages and increase humanitarian aid to Gaza. After two years of deadly assault on the Palestinian enclave, the two sides will also look to negotiate Gaza’s security and political future. Today on “Post Reports,” host Colby Itkowitz is joined by Washington Post foreign policy reporter Michael Birnbaum. He discusses who will be at the table for both sides, what the future of Gaza could look like and why these talks look to be developing differently than ones in the past. Today’s show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy with help from Lucas Trevor and Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sam Bair. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

A single Q&A session with a large language model can consume more than a half-liter of fresh water to cool servers. Asking ChatGPT one question reportedly consumes 10 times as much electricity as a conventional Google search. And generating an image is equivalent to charging a smartphone. Should we be worried about that? Climate advice columnist Michael J. Coren doesn’t think so – or, at least, we shouldn’t lose sleep over it. Today on “Post Reports,” he joins host Colby Itkowitz to dispel myths around AI’s energy consumption, explain how to use AI chatbots responsibly, and break down our other energy-intensive digital habits. Today’s show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy. It was edited by Ted Muldoon and Reena Flores, and mixed by Sean Carter. Thanks to Marisa Bellack. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

After a two-month trial this summer, Sean “Diddy” Combs was convicted of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution – but acquitted on sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges. Combs’s defense attorneys argued he should either get a new trial or be released in under two years, while the prosecution pushed for him to serve over a decade in prison. On Friday, the judge decided that he would spend 50 months in prison. Host Elahe Izadi speaks with style reporter Anne Branigin about Combs’s appeal to the judge and how he is already starting his rebrand. Today’s show was produced by Sabby Robinson and Peter Bresnan. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sean Carter. Follow our coverage of the trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs on Spotify here. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

In a cold muddy pond in Cape Cod, a group of self-proclaimed “old ladies” dives for garbage — and unexpectedly finds joy. This is a story from The Optimist, The Washington Post’s section about the best of humanity. If you want more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter. If you love hearing these stories on “Post Reports,” please send us an email at podcasts@washpost.com. You can reach Maggie Penman directly at maggie.penman@washpost.com. Today’s show was produced by Maggie Penman. It was edited and mixed by Ted Muldoon. Thank you to Allison Klein. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Democrats are making a gamble that voting against a Republican plan to fund the government will be worth the pain of the current shutdown. New Jersey’s senior Democratic senator Cory Booker voted against a similar Republican plan to fund the government back in March. And he's been one of the most visible critics of the second Trump administration in the Senate. Host Colby Itkowitz speaks with Booker about the stakes of the current government shutdown, how long it could go on, and why he says Democrats must “do something” to try to reduce looming hikes in health care costs or risk further alienating their base. Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff and Josh Carroll, with help from Zoe Cummings. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sam Bair. Subscribe to The Washington Post here. Check out Post Reports on YouTube here.

The effects of the government shutdown – which started early Wednesday morning – are already being felt. Some national parks are closed, federal job training is suspended, and large swaths of the federal workforce have been furloughed. One major debate led to the shutdown: a fundamental disagreement over health care policy. Today on Post Reports, national health reporter Paige Winfield Cunningham joins host Elahe Izadi to break down the ins and outs of the health care policy fight that Democrats used to force a government shutdown. Today’s show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy. with help from Lucas Trevor. It was edited by Ariel Plotnick and mixed by Sean Carter. Thanks also to Fenit Nirappil. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

During confirmation hearings to become secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. warned that “highly chemical-intensive processed foods” are “poisoning the American people.” A striking report from the federal government has since found that Americans on average get about half their calories from ultra-processed foods, which have been linked in studies to increased rates of obesity and chronic disease. A central part of the Make America Healthy Again movement’s food agenda is going after some common ingredients in packaged foods: seed oils, corn syrup and food dyes. But what kind of dent will these efforts make in America’s health? Today, host Elahe Izadi brings in nutrition columnist Anahad O’Connor and national health reporter Rachel Roubein to discuss MAHA’s popular food policies, what the science says about the threat of these ingredients and some simple steps we can all take to improve our diets. Read More: Coke confirms cane sugar change. RFK Jr. calls it a MAHA win. Is it?What science says about artificial food dyes amid RFK Jr.’s push to ban themWhich oil do you cook with? The answer can impact your health.Why additives are so common in America’s foodWhich breakfast is highest in sugar? Test your knowledge with our quiz.We analyzed dozens of ultra-processed foods. Here are the healthiest options.Today’s show was produced by Elana Gordon. It was edited by Peter Bresnan and mixed by Sam Bair. Thanks also to Emily Codik and Fenit Nirappil. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

On Tuesday, the top U.S. generals will meet at Quantico for an audience with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and President Donald Trump. Hegseth’s order for the gathering comes on the heels of the firing of top military officers. It also lands in the middle of Hegseth’s attempts to purge the military of DEI initiatives and programs that he sees as not aligned with the military’s core mission of “lethality.” President Trump is expected to address the group. His speech comes after his recent order to send the National Guard into “war ravaged” Portland, Oregon, over the objection of local officials. Host Colby Itkowitz speaks with Pentagon reporter Dan Lamothe about how The Post broke the story of the generals’ meeting, the logistics of gathering so many senior military officials in one place, and the optics of the president and defense secretary speeches to the top brass. Today’s show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy with help from Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Ariel Plotnick and mixed by Sean Cater. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

David Weiner is washing dishes. It’s the 21st of the month, which means his D.C. rowhouse is full of people. Some are friends he’s known for decades, others are people he’s never met. There’s a jazz band playing standards downstairs, and the music is floating up through the house. Some of the musicians are professionals, others are amateurs who showed up with an instrument and enough courage — liquid or otherwise — to join in. The price of admission is a $21 suggested donation to cover costs and pay the house band. A bottle of wine or food to share is welcome, too. Weiner always makes salmon and provides a big salad, as well as some snacks. Nearly everything else on the crowded table of food is brought by guests. The monthly party happens rain or shine, whether the 21st falls on a Monday or a Tuesday or a Friday. There was a hiatus during the pandemic, but otherwise it’s happened almost every month for 15 years, drawing anywhere from 40 to a hundred people of all ages each time. The question I had for Weiner is: How does he keep this going? You can read more about Wiener’s jazz party here. If you’re looking for more surprising, delightful stories about the best of humanity, check out The Optimist from The Washington Post. We also have a newsletter: Subscribe to get stories from The Optimist in your inbox every Sunday morning. Today’s show was reported and produced by Maggie Penman and Ted Muldoon, who also mixed the show. The Optimist’s editor is Allison Klein. If you liked hearing this story on “Post Reports,” send us an email at podcasts@washpost.com. You can email Maggie directly at maggie.penman@washpost.com. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Potential government shutdowns seem to happen every few months. But this time, the stakes feel especially high. Democrats are getting pressure from their base to stand up to President Donald Trump; in exchange for voting with Republicans to keep the federal government funded, Democrats hope to extract money for health care premiums. Meanwhile, White House officials are promising mass firings of federal workers if the government shuts down. Host Colby Itkowitz speaks with the Post’s White House economic policy correspondent Jacob Bogage and Early Brief newsletter writer Dan Merica about the optics and politics heading into next week’s Oct. 1 government funding deadline. Today’s show was produced by Josh Carroll and Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Ariel Plotnick and Laura Benshoff and mixed by Sean Carter. You can watch this podcast episode on YouTube here. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.