The Excerpt

2026 brought vampires, Shakespeare and ping pong to the big screen – all stories and performances riveting enough to put them in contention for Hollywood’s highest honor – the Oscar. With “Sinners” record-breaking 16 nominations, this year’s awards are already historic. But who will walk away with Oscar gold? USA TODAY Entertainment Reporter Ralphie Aversa joins USA TODAY’s The Excerpt to discuss both the highs and the heartbreak following the announcement of this year’s Oscar nominees. Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The healthcare system has been thrown into disarray since Robert F Kennedy Jr.’s appointment as Health and Human Services Secretary. He’s changed the childhood vaccine schedule that has been in place for decades, released a new set of dietary guidelines that emphasizes more protein while calling for an end to the “war” on saturated fats, cancelled billions of dollars in grants and, last but not least, launched a cultural movement called Make America Healthy Again. Is he succeeding in that seemingly noble goal? USA TODAY Will Carless sat down for an exclusive interview with the MAHA leader. Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What started as organic food and holistic parenting has evolved into something far more political. USA TODAY's extremism reporter Will Carless investigates how “crunchy moms” became a powerful force inside the MAHA — Make America Healthy Again — movement, why anti-vaccine beliefs spread so effectively online and how Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fits into the story. Public health experts warn the consequences could reshape trust in medicine itself. Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s been exactly one year since President Donald Trump took the oath of office and laid out his vision for America. As he begins the second year of his second term, USA TODAY spoke to dozens of Americans across the country to hear their take on how the president’s policies have impacted their lives. USA TODAY National Correspondent Trevor Hughes joins The Excerpt to share some of their stories. Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The phrase “we do not care” may sound flippant—but for many women, it’s a form of freedom. Melani Sanders, founder of the We Do Not Care Club, joins The Excerpt to explain how her viral posts opened up overdue conversations about perimenopause, vulnerability, and self-worth and why midlife women are redefining what—and who—they’re willing to show up for. Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on January 7th, Americans across the country took notice. The video of her shooting went viral and almost instantaneously, two different versions of what really happened took hold. In one version, the ICE agent was righteously defending his own life with the shooting. In the other, a federal officer had criminally shot and killed an innocent woman. Has the tide turned for how Americans feel about immigration enforcement? For some Minneapolis residents the killing has brought back painful memories of the killing of George Floyd six years ago. USA TODAY Breaking News Reporter Christopher Cann joins The Excerpt to dig into all of it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A brewing battle involving Netflix, Paramount and Warner Bros. has escalated from deal rumors into lawsuits, political pressure and a broader fight over who controls the future of entertainment. The outcome of this fight could determine what audiences watch, how much they pay and how much power a single company holds over some of Hollywood’s most valuable libraries. CNN Chief Media Analyst Brian Stelter joins The Excerpt to break down what’s really at stake for audiences. Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Supreme Court heard arguments for two landmark transgender athlete cases on Tuesday – one based in West Virginia and one in Idaho - both of which were brought by transgender women contesting the legality of their state’s ban on transgender female athletes. USA TODAY Supreme Court Correspondent Maureen Groppe joins The Excerpt to share her analysis. Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The reach of American might is rapidly spreading in real time. In the aftermath of recent US military action in Venezuela, the Trump administration is considering military interventions in even more countries. Has the president’s “America First” promise faded, giving rise to what some have called the “Don-roe Doctrine”? USA TODAY White House Correspondent Francesca Chambers joins The Excerpt to talk about Trump's increasing bluster with regards to Iran, Greenland, Colombia, Cuba and beyond. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On January 3, 2026, US forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and flew him to New York to face drug charges. While his arrest has led to questions regarding who will control Venezuela’s vast oil reserves, Venezuelan immigrants are now left wondering how long they will be allowed to remain in the U.S. USA TODAY National News Reporter Lauren Villagran joins The Excerpt to discuss how the fall of Maduro is playing out in Venezuelan immigrant communities in America. Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In an attempt to rewrite history, the White House published a new web page on January 6th, calling the people who charged the Capitol and assaulted Capitol Police "unfairly targeted, overcharged and used as political examples." Is this revisionist history or are there two legitimate sides to this story? USA Today White House correspondent Bart Jansen and National Correspondent Sarah Wire join The Excerpt to share their reporting. Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Regardless of where you sit on the political spectrum, 2025 was a year of economic uncertainty for many Americans. Shifting tariff policies, stubbornly high inflation and skyrocketing healthcare costs left many consumers reeling. Will 2026 see a better economy? USA TODAY Finance Reporter Andrea Riquier joins The Excerpt to discuss the buzzword of the year: affordability. Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s the worst-cast scenario no one wants to talk about: what happens if America's nuclear missile silos are attacked? The Minuteman III is a powerful intercontinental ballistic missile capable of striking targets on the other side of the world, and it could be our best bet. But it’s aging, and land-based ICBMs have an Achilles heel. USA TODAY Defense Reporter Davis Winkie joins The Excerpt to discuss “The Nuclear Sponge” – a five-part project by USA TODAY that dives into the strategic debate and costs of modernizing the land leg of America’s nuclear arsenal. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Early in the hours of Saturday morning, US forces descended on the Venezuelan capital of Caracas. Hours later, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were in US custody. While President Donald Trump had been threatening to capture Maduro for weeks, many questions are swirling about the move, first among them, was this even legal? And, what happens now? USA TODAY White House Correspondent Bart Jansen joins The Excerpt to discuss. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

President Donald Trump enters 2026 facing mounting pressure on multiple fronts — rising health care costs for millions of Americans, a Supreme Court decision that could upend his tariff agenda, fragile peace efforts in Ukraine and Gaza and political distractions that refuse to fade. USA TODAY White House Correspondent, Joey Garrison, breaks down what’s at stake for the president as midterm elections loom. Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From “follow the science” during COVID to universities accused of activism, the gap between experts and the public is widening. Roger Pielke Jr. explains why expertise doesn’t just mean a PhD, how media silos deepen divides, and why experts must serve all Americans — not just those who share their politics. (This episode originally aired on September 18, 2025.) Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A new beverage has been showing up in bars and on store shelves: the cannabis cocktail, a hemp-derived drink that contains CBD and oftentimes THC as well. They’re marketed as providing a buzz without the downside of a hangover. But are there drawbacks? And could these drinks ever replace alcohol? Staci Gruber, director of marijuana investigations for the Neuroscientific Discovery program at McLean Hospital and associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School joins The Excerpt to answer these and other questions about this new trend. (This episode originally aired on March 5, 2025.) Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode Transcript available here See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

2025 was a big year for the Supreme Court, as it repeatedly handed win after win to the Trump administration. Emergency Orders, also known as the shadow docket, let President Donald Trump keep his tariffs in place, withhold foreign aid and conduct immigration raids largely based on racial profiling. But lawsuits filed by complainants mean that many of these cases will be ultimately decided in the new year. Hot button issues such as transgender athletes in sports, whether birthright citizenship is a constitutional right and if redistricting efforts in Louisiana have effectively disenfranchised voters are among many impactful decisions we expect to hear in 2026. USA TODAY Justice Department Correspondent Aysha Bagchi joins The Excerpt to share how these cases and others might impact life in America. Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

America’s housing affordability crisis has led to a sharp increase in homelessness. And, according to the latest count by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD, children under the age of 18 have seen the largest jump. There are nearly 1.4 million homeless students nationwide, according to the National Center for Homeless Education. USA TODAY Breaking News Reporter Christopher Cann joins The Excerpt to discuss this rapidly growing population of students and the long-term implications for society. Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Home isn’t just a structure. It’s memory, identity and belonging. USA TODAY National Columnist Suzette Hackney joins The Excerpt to discuss her year-long reporting on displacement, from climate disasters and eminent domain to race, gentrification and the fragile systems that decide who gets to stay and who is forced to leave. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.