Trump's Terms (NPR)

For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Michel Martin speaks to Chief Legal Affairs Correspondent Nina Totenberg, Washington Desk Senior Editor and Correspondent Ron Elving, National Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson and former White House Counsel Neil Eggleston.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments over whether former President Donald Trump is immune from criminal prosecution. A majority of the justices appeared skeptical of blanket immunity. But some of the conservative justices hinted at the need for some immunity for certain actions taken while in office. The speed at which the court releases an opinion could determine whether the federal election interference case goes to trial before the November election.

Topics include:
- Justices' questions
- Scope of immunity
- Private vs official acts
- Impact on federal election interference case

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Trump's Trials is now Trump's Terms. Each episode, host Scott Detrow curates NPR coverage of the incoming Trump administration.

Leonard Leo was a key architect of the conservative supermajority on the Supreme Court that rolled back the federal right to an abortion. Now, he anticipates to exert more conservative influence on the judiciary under a second Trump presidency. NPR's Steve Inskeep spoke to Leonard Leo and NPR's Carrie Johnson.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Juana Summers speaks with NPR political reporter Ximena Bustillo.

The prosecution's star witness Michael Cohen was back on the stand today in former President Donald Trump's hush money trial. Trump's defense team took direct aim at Cohen's credibility, asking him about his criminal history, times he's lied and questioned his memory of events.

Topics include:
- Cross-examination of Cohen
- What's next

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Juana Summers speaks with political reporter Ximena Bustillo.

Judge Juan Merchan fined former President Donald Trump $9,000 for violating a gag order that prohibited him from speaking out about potential witnesses and others involved in his hush money trial.

Jurors also heard from four witnesses as testimony continues in the trial.

Topics include:
- The gag order against Trump
- Testimonies of Gary Farro, Robert Browning, Phillip Thompson and Keith Davidson
- What's next when proceedings pick back up on Thursday

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with NPR's Andrea Bernstein.

Former President Donald Trump is claiming he cannot secure a bond for roughly half a billion dollars to cover the judgment from his New York civil fraud trial. Lawyers for Trump claim they approached 30 companies and four brokers and none were willing to give Trump the $454 million bond. Trump has until March 25th to file the bond or risk having some of his assets seized.

Topics include:
- Bond deadline
- Possible appeal
- Possible asset seizer

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Ari Shapiro speaks with Reuters reporter Ned Parker.

On Monday Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the New York hush money case, expanded a gag order to protect his own family. That's after former President Donald Trump repeatedly attacked the judge's daughter on Truth Social. In his ruling Judge Merchan wrote, "the threat is very real."

This follows a recent report out from Reuters that found threats against federal judges, prosecutors, judicial staff and court buildings has tripled since 2015. Judges in federal Trump-related cases often receive death threats, credible enough to warrant protection from the U.S. Marshals Service.

Topics include:
- Increase in threats
- Connection to Trump
- Judges and U.S. Marshals' response

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Trump has promised to pardon many who were involved in the violence of Jan 6. Experts on authoritarianism and extremism say that promise adds to the debate over how the day will be remembered. NPR's Juana Summers speaks to Odette Yousef.

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Can the president spend less money than congress directed be spent? It comes down to a legal question around what's known as impoundment.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Georgia politics reporter Sam Gringlas.

The judge overseeing the Georgia election interference case has dismissed six criminal counts against former President Donald Trump and his co-defendants.

Three of those counts specifically apply to Trump. They all involve alleged attempts to solicit public officials to violate their oaths of office. An example of that is the telephone call Trump made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on Jan. 2, 2021, during which Trump asked the secretary to find him 11,780 votes to overturn the election.

Trump's now facing 10 criminal counts instead of 13. Prosecutors can re-file the dropped charges but it's unclear if they will.

Topics include:
- Possible new indictment
- What comes next for the case

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NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to Gov. Jared Polis about his thoughts on the incoming Trump administration, and the power of pardons.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR's Ximena Bustillo and former New York Prosecutor Tristan Snell. He's a former New York prosecutor who led the state's case against Trump University, and author of the book Taking Down Trump.

The third week of former President Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial ended with a high-profile witness: former Trump aide Hope Hicks. She testified about the Trump campaign's damage control efforts in the 2016 election and even took a break after briefly breaking down on the witness stand.

Earlier in the week, Judge Juan Merchan fined Trump $9,000 for contempt of court for violating a gag order. And on Thursday prosecutors asked Merchan to hold him in contempt for a second time for recent comments he's made about jurors and witnesses.

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Federal employees were told they have until the end of Monday to detail what they accomplished last week or face firing. Some bosses said to hold on before replying to the email, stoking confusion. NPR's Emma Bowman reports.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with political reporter Stephen Fowler.

In a court filing on Friday, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis admitted to having a relationship with prosecutor Nathan Wade, but denied any misconduct. Willis hired Wade to prosecute the Georgia election interference case against former President Donald Trump. In the 176-page brief, Willis said allegations that she and Wade financially benefit from prosecuting the case are "meritless" and asked the judge to deny the request to dismiss her and the case without an evidentiary hearing.

Topics include:
- Willis' defense
- Effect on criminal case
- What comes next

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President Trump says he's looking at Feb.1 as the day when he'll slap tariffs on Canada and Mexico — two countries his first administration negotiated a trade deal with.

Then, an executive order to rename an Alaskan mountain with the highest peak in North America wouldn't be the first name change for Denali.

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As Donald Trump prepares to once again assume the office of the presidency, a new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll finds that, despite his claims of an "unprecedented and powerful mandate," Trump may have to be careful about how far he decides to go with what he wants to do.

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A federal judge has ruled that Elon Musk and his DOGE team likely violated the Constitution when they effectively shut down USAID. Trump said the administration will appeal the decision.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR's Andrea Bernstein about the latest in the New York hush money trial. Later, election law professor Edward Foley explains the fake elector indictments out of Arizona.

In a New York courtroom, former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker took the stand for his third day of testimony. In his testimony Pecker said Trump had intimate knowledge of hush money payments from the very beginning. Pecker was then questioned by Trump's defense team, who tried to poke holes in his story.

In Arizona, 18 people have been indicted for their alleged efforts to overturn the state's 2020 election. They include some of former President Donald Trump's closet allies — former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani. Trump himself was listed as an unindicted co-conspirator. Arizona becomes the fourth state to criminally charge people related to the fake electors scheme.

Topics include:
- Hush money trial testimony
- Cross examination begins
- Fake electors scheme

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President Trump is getting the first physical of his second term on Friday at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. NPR's Tamara Keith has more.

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Trump's Trials is now Trump's Terms. Each episode, host Scott Detrow curates NPR coverage of the incoming Trump administration.

President-elect Trump wants to roll back spending that Congress has already approved. But a 1974 law may stand in his way. NPR's Franco Ordoñez reports.

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President Trump says U.S. automakers will get a one-month break on steep tariffs for Canadian and Mexican goods.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks with Daniel Ziblatt and Steven Levitsky, the authors of How Democracies Die and Tyranny of the Minority.

The Supreme Court's landmark decision ruling that president's enjoy broad immunity from criminal prosecution stunned many constitutional experts. Ziblatt and Levitsky see it as the latest move that has put America's democracy in danger of "collapse." In this episode we dive into the state of America's democracy and what can be done to save it.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Scott Detrow speaks to Chief Legal Affairs Correspondent Nina Totenberg, Washington Desk Senior Editor and Correspondent Ron Elving and UCLA law professor and election law expert Rick Hasen.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments over whether former President Donald Trump is disqualified from running for office on the basis of Section 3 of the 14th amendment. The justices sparred with attorneys from both sides, questioning their justification to remove or keep Trump on the ballot. The justices appeared skeptical of individual states having the power to decide who is able to run for president, at least without congressional action.

Topics include:
- Trump's legal argument
- Colorado's legal argument
- Justice's reactions
- What's next

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NPR's Scott Detrow hosts a weekly discussion about the latest courtroom drama, testimony, and legal maneuvering in the criminal and civil cases facing former President Donald Trump — and what it all means for American democracy — with analysis from NPR political editor/correspondent Domenico Montanaro.

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by former US attorney and deputy assistant attorney general Harry Litman.

It was a big week in the Trump legal world. There was the decision on presidential immunity, spoiler alert - he doesn't have it. And then there were those Supreme Court oral arguments in the Colorado ballot case, where the justices seemed skeptical of an individual state being able to disqualify Trump from seeking office again. To cap off the week, President Biden was exonerated in a separate classified documents investigation, but the special prosecutor's report questioned the strength of Biden's memory.

Topics include:
- Immunity decision
- Supreme Court oral arguments
- How the immunity and Colorado cases intersect
- Is Biden's document situation similar to Trump's
- Predictions on future decisions and timeline

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, we hear from NPR legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg.

The Supreme Court ruled that former President Donald Trump can remain on the ballot in Colorado and other states. The justices concluded the constitution does not allow states to use the 14th amendment to bar presidential candidates from the ballot.

Topics include:
- Details on the majority opinion
- Split among the Justices
- Possibility of congressional enforcement

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, we hear from NPR legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg.

There are lots of questions surrounding the Supreme Court's decision to hear arguments over whether former President Trump is immune from criminal prosecution. The court is notoriously secretive; Nina Totenberg tries to read between the lines for an explanation.

Topics include:
- Supreme Court's decision
- Importance of the political calendar
- History of the Supreme Court & the presidency

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR correspondent Miles Parks.

A month out from election day, Republicans have filed a number of lawsuits aimed at invalidating votes across many states. Whether they succeed or not, these lawsuits are already casting doubt on the process for many Americans.

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President Trump issued pardons and commutations to every defendant charged and convicted in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, which injured more than 140 police officers.

Then, President Trump kicked off a slew of executive actions related to immigration in a signing ceremony at the Oval Office on Monday evening. Hear the latest on on those policies.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR Voting correspondent Miles Parks.

In these closing days of the presidential election, polling across the board has nearly every swing state in a statistical tie, meaning the election may come down to just a couple thousands votes.

No matter who wins, in the coming days we're going to hear a lot more from Donald Trump and his allies about the results.

And if history is any guide we can expect a mix of misleading information, rumors and outright lies

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NPR's A Martínez has a conversation about the present and future of green energy in the U.S. with outgoing Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, we hand the mic over to the NPR Politics Podcast

Former President Donald Trump got a brief reprieve in his New York civil case, as the amount he owes to secure a $454 million bond has been temporarily reduced on appeal.

In another New York courtroom the judge overseeing the criminal hush money case set a new trial date — April 15th. The case was originally set to go to trial on March 25th but was delayed due to prosecution and defense receiving new documents from the U.S. attorney's office.

NPR Politics Podcast host and White House correspondent Deepa Shivaram is joined by justice correspondent Carrie Johnson and national political correspondent Mara Liasson.

Topics include:
- Civil fraud judgment lowered
- Impact on Trump campaign
- Next steps

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson. We focus on the January 6th federal election interference case led by special counsel Jack Smith. The case is scheduled to go to trial in March in Washington, D.C., and it might be coming to a TV near you.

Yes, Trump and some media outlets are requesting cameras in the courtroom. We'll talk about how likely that is, how it could impact the case and the campaign, plus some news from a couple of key swing states.

Topics include:
- How televising the trial could help and hurt Trump
- The Trump team's attempts to delay the trial
- Prosecution and defense strategies for the federal election interference case
- Trump's attempts to invoke presidential immunity
- Pro-Trump electors from Wisconsin admit President Biden won the 2020 election
- Pro-Trump electors criminally indicted in Nevada over attempts to overturn Biden's 2020 win

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Trump's Trials is now Trump's Terms. Each episode, host Scott Detrow curates NPR coverage of the incoming Trump administration.

President-elect Donald Trump announced over the weekend that he would be replacing FBI director Chris Wray with Kash Patel, a longtime ally. Patel has made controversial statements about the agency. A Martinez speaks to NPR's Carrie Johnson.

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On this inaugural episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and NPR political editor/correspondent Domenico Montanaro break down this week's testimony from former President Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka in the New York civil fraud case brought against the Trump Organization.

This week's guest is NYU's Melissa Murray. Topics include:

-Arguments in the New York case so far
-Whether Donald Trump actually cares if he loses
-Why Trump sounded a lot different on the witness stand this week than he has in the past — while Ivanka, notably, did not
-Why you should never email your family from a work account (especially if you also work with them)

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The DOJ's lawsuit against Chicago's sanctuary laws is the most visible effort to force local police to help with immigration enforcement. But the more serious pressure is coming from states.

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The Trump administration pledged this week to withhold millions from various colleges and universities, including the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University and Harvard University. Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, the vice provost for global initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania, says the administration's move to cut funding amounts to a war on higher education. He speaks to NPR's Ailsa Chang.

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The day before steel and aluminum tariffs on all U.S. trading partners are set to go into effect, President Trump announced — and then hours later rescinded — tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum at double the rate of the rest of the world.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Ari Shapiro speaks with NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson.

The Justice Department is looking to salvage the federal election interference case against Trump following the Supreme Court's ruling that he has considerable immunity from criminal prosecution for acts carried out while he was president.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Ailsa Chang speaks with NPR's Andrea Bernstein.

Today marks the start of former President Donald Trump's first criminal trial. He is charged with 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records. Trump was in the courtroom for the day's events.

The morning was filled with pre-trial rulings by Judge Juan Merchan related to evidence and testimony. In the afternoon, 96 potential jurors entered the courtroom where they were asked a series of questions about subjects like their ability to be fair, their occupation and where they get their news. Some were excused while others advanced into the next round of questioning. Jury selection is expected to take two weeks.

Topics include:
- Trump in the courtroom
- Decisions on evidence and testimony
- Potential jurors questioned

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Miles Parks and Domenico Montanaro are joined by New York University law professor Melissa Murray.

This week we saw developments in all four of the criminal cases facing former President Donald Trump. We also got decision in the New York civil fraud case, where a judge ordered Trump to pay $355 million and banned him from doing business in New York for three years. But we're focusing on two of these cases — the New York hush money case and the Georgia election interference case.

First in New York, a judge ruled the case will go to trial on March 25th; making it the first time in American history a former president will be a defendant in a criminal case.

In Georgia, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis surprised everyone when she took the stand in her own defense. Defendants in the Georgia election interference case are trying to have Willis removed for allegedly financially benefitting from a relationship she had with special prosecutor Nathan Wade.

Topics include:
- Trial date for New York hush money case
- Importance of the hush money case
- What jury selection may look like
- Georgia election interference case
- What happens if Willis is removed

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Host Scott Detrow curates NPR's reporting, analysis and updates on the 47th President, focusing on actions and policies that challenge precedent and upend political norms, raising questions about what a President can do — and whether his efforts will benefit the voters who returned him to power.

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Trump's Trials is now Trump's Terms. Each episode, host Scott Detrow curates NPR coverage of the incoming Trump administration.

This episode: attorney representing two women who testified before a House committee is revealing what his clients said about Matt Gaetz, the former congressman and Donald Trump's pick to lead the Department of Justice. NPR's Juana Summers speaks to NPR justice correspondent Ryan Lucas about the allegations.

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by lawyer and former ambassador Norm Eisen.

On Monday, former President Donald Trump will enter a Manhattan courtroom as a defendant in a criminal trial. This will be the first time in American history a former president has faced criminal prosecution. Trump is charged with 34 counts related to falsifying businesses records. The prosecutor intends to connect alleged hush money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to interference in the 2016 election.

Topics include:
- Election connection to hush money case
- Jury questionnaire
- Key players

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For this episode of Trump's Trials host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson.

On Thursday the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on whether former President Donald Trump is immune from criminal prosecution.

Trump is charged with four counts related to alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election. But he is claiming since he was president at the time he cannot face prosecution. If the Supreme Court sides with Trump, the federal election interference case is dead. If they side against him, the case moves forward, but the likelihood of it going to trial before the November election is slim.

Topics include:
- Immunity arguments
- Why did the Supreme Court take this case
- Potential trial timeline

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist and author of three books about Trump David Cay Johnston.

Over the course of four weeks former President Donald Trump was slapped with nearly half a billion dollars in legal penalties. First a jury ordered him to pay writer E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million. Then a judge ordered him to pay nearly $355 million, plus $100 million in interest, for fraudulent business practices. We look into how Trump could pay these penalties and how he's paying for his lawyers.

Topics include:
- Importance of wealth to Trump's image
- Civil fraud and E. Jean Carroll decisions
- How Trump could pay legal penalties
- How Trump is paying his lawyers

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Presidents throughout history have claimed elections gave them mandates that justify their policy plans, but that's not quite the case. NPR's Domenico Montanaro reports.

Then, Tom Homan has vowed to end the CBP One program. Now migrants seeking asylum are making their way to the Mexican border towns as they frantically try to get a coveted spot through the app. NPR's Sergio Martínez-Beltrán reports from Ciudad Juarez.

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After the murder of Laken Riley last year by a Venezuelan migrant, Georgia enacted a law meant to crack down on illegal immigration. But a lack of funding is dampening its effect.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered Host Ailsa Chang speaks with NPR reporter Jude Joffe-Block.

Just six days before the Election, the Supreme Court has issued a ruling that allows Virginia to continue purging individuals from state voter rolls. The state says it's removing ineligible non-citizens. But Joffe-Block has spoken to U.S. citizen voters whose registrations were also canceled as part of the state's program.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Juana Summers speaks with NPR reporter Ximena Bustillo.

Manhattan judge Juan Marchand is struggling with the question of what to do with the criminal conviction against President-elect Donald Trump.

With Trump headed back to the White House, his lawyers are asking Marchand to throw out the case. But in a letter to the court on Tuesday, Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg seems to be suggesting the court should wait until Trump's second term is over to sentence him.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Juana Summers speaks with NPR's Andrea Bernstein.

Stormy Daniels' former attorney Keith Davidson wrapped up his testimony on Thursday in the criminal trial of former President Donald Trump.

The jury heard some dramatic audio of Trump and his former lawyer Michael Cohen talking about payments to former Playboy model Karen McDougal and Daniels. But the defense became combative in cross-examining Davison.

Topics include:
- Davidson's testimony
- Tape of Trump and Cohen played for the jury
- What's next for proceedings

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Federal workers have been ordered back into offices only to face shortages of desks, computer monitors, parking and even toilet paper. Others are still waiting to find out if they will be assigned to a building near where they live or asked to relocate across the country in the coming weeks. NPR's Shannon Bond and Jenna McLaughlin report. Read more.

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As the U.S. is embattled in a shifting trade war with Canada and impending tariffs from the European Union loom, bourbon makers in Kentucky are trying to find their footing and plan a path forward.

Plus, NPR's A Martinez speaks with Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, an associate dean at the Yale School of Management, about how business executives are coping amid economic policy whiplash.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered's Ailsa Chang speaks with NPR's Greg Allen and Carrie Johnson.

Federal Judge Aileen Cannon has dismissed former President Donald Trump's classified documents case in Florida. The ruling argued that the initial appointment of Special Counsel Jack Smith was unconstitutional. Most legal observers saw the case as the one with the most clear-cut evidence against him.

The ruling comes after months of delays from Cannon, a judge nominated by Trump, who has come under increasing scrutiny for how she has handled this case.

Topics include:
- how Judge Cannon explained her ruling
- reaction from Trump and his team
- where the other three criminal cases against Trump stand

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro speaks with NPR political reporter Ximena Bustillo and University of Baltimore law professor Kim Wehle.

The first week of former President Donald Trump's hush money trial is in the books and a jury has now been seated.

Each potential juror had to answer dozens of questions and prove they could remain fair and impartial when weighing the fate of the former president, who watched the selection process from his seat in the courtroom.

Now seated, the jury will hear opening arguments in the trial beginning on Monday.

Topics include:
- What we know and can safely say about the jurors selected
- Safety concerns and security measures for jurors' protection
- Predictions for each side's case in Monday's opening arguments

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Ari Shapiro speaks with NPR's Andrea Bernstein.

Judge Juan Merchan says former President Donald Trump has violated a gag order in his New York criminal trial for a 10th time. Merchan threatened the next violation could land the presidential candidate in jail.

Topics include:
- Judge Merchan's reaction to Trump's latest violation
- How this admonishment differs from other times Trump has tussled with judges
- Highlights from Monday's testimonies

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks to NPR's Andrea Bernstein.

A jury has awarded writer E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million in a civil defamation suit against former President Donald Trump. In a previous defamation trial Trump was found to have sexually abused and defamed Carroll. The jury in that case awarded her $5 million.

Topics include:
- How jury came up with $83.3 million figure
- Trump's reaction
- What's next

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Hear an update on Mahmoud Khalil, the former Columbia University student and protest leader arrested by ICE over the weekend. A federal judge has halted his deportation.

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European leaders have called an emergency meeting in Paris Monday after the Trump administration has cut Europe out of negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine. "Their worst nightmare has come true," Elie Tennenbaum, a security expert at the French Institute for International Relations, tells NPR's Eleanor Beardsley.

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow is joined by NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson.

In this episode we take a step back to look at where the four criminal cases former President Donald Trump is facing currently stand. There's the classified documents case in Florida, the hush money case involving Stormy Daniels in New York, the Georgia election interference case and the Jan. 6th federal election interference case.

Topics include:
- Updates on all of Trump's criminal cases
- Trial date speculation
- What comes next

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President Trump has signed an executive order about designating cartels as terrorist organizations. The U.S. already has tools to go after cartels, but a designation could broaden those options.

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The Trump administration is substantially scaling back the State Department's annual reports on international human rights to remove longstanding critiques of abuses such as harsh prison conditions, government corruption and restrictions on participation in the political process, NPR has learned. Graham Smith has the story.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR voting rights correspondent Hansi Lo Wang takes a look at the U.S. Postal Service's ability to deliver mail-ballots on time for November's election.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered Host Ailsa Chang speaks with Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson.

The Justice Department has obtained a new grand jury indictment in the federal election interference case against Donald Trump. The move comes weeks after the Supreme Court gave the former president substantial immunity from prosecution.

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Wisconsin's Supreme Court race on Tuesday could rake in $100 million in donations, with the most coming from out-of-state billionaires, including Elon Musk, George Soros, the Uihleins and JB Pritzker.

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The No. 2 acting official at the DOJ, Emil Bove, has been shaking up the agency and its past work on the 2021 Capitol riot. But he also has his own history with Jan. 6 cases.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Juana Summers speaks with senior political correspondent Domenico Montanaro.

Former President Donald Trump is facing a big week in all four of the criminal cases against him.

Two of the biggest developments are set to come out of New York and Georgia. In the New York hush money case, a judge will determine this week if the case will begin as scheduled on March 25th. Meanwhile, in Georgia, a hearing is set this week to determine whether Fulton Country District Attorney Fani Willis should be disqualified from the state's election interference case over allegations she misused public funds. At the same time, the Supreme Court is considering whether to weigh in on a lower court's decision that Trump is not immune from prosecution in the Jan. 6 case. And in the classified documents case, the judge is considering Trump's lawyers' motion to postpone deadlines that could push the case back from its scheduled May 20th start date.

Topics include:
- Immunity appeal
- Florida classified documents case
- Trial schedule for New York hush money case
- Georgia evidence hearing

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Ailsa Chang speaks with NPR's Andrea Bernstein and attorney Andrew Weissmann.

Donald Trump's former personal attorney and "fixer" Michael Cohen gave an extended, first-hand account of what happened in the turbulent months at the end of the 2016 campaign.

At the New York criminal courthouse, Cohen said that then-presidential candidate Trump directed him to negotiate an agreement with adult film actor Stormy Daniels.

Topics include:
- What Cohen said on the stand
- If Cohen's testimony is necessary in this case
- A preview of the defense's strategy for cross examination

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As courts continue to push back against President Trump and his policies, the White House is showing no intention of allowing the narrative about the administration's legal challenges to stay inside the courtroom.

Read more.

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Trump has tapped Silicon Valley insiders to lead AI policy. There's talk of a "Manhattan Project" for military AI. Advocates are worried the risks and misuse of the technology will grow under Trump.

And, Meta's Mark Zuckerberg announced the end of fact-checking on his social media platforms. Industry watchers say it's another sign Silicon Valley is trying to get in President-elect Trump's good graces.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Ailsa Chang speaks with University of Baltimore law professor Kim Wahle and later, NPR senior editor and political correspondent Domenico Montanaro.

In a 6-to-3 decision, along ideological lines, the Court ruled that presidents have absolute immunity for their core constitutional powers, and are entitled to a presumption of immunity for other official acts. But they also ruled that presidents do not have immunity for unofficial acts. The decision will affect the federal election interference case and the Georgia election interference case.

Topics include:
- Supreme Court immunity decision
- Federal election interference case
- Georgia election interference case

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Juana Summers speaks to NPR's Andrea Bernstein.

A day after winning the Iowa caucuses by nearly 30 points, former President Donald Trump appeared in a Manhattan courtroom to face a second defamation lawsuit brought by writer E. Jean Carroll. Last year, a jury found that Trump sexually abused Carroll in the 1990s and ordered Trump to pay her $5 million for defaming her in recent years. This second case centers around additional comments Trump made about Carroll that have already been deemed defamatory by a judge. Carroll is seeking ten million dollars in addition to what she was already awarded last year.

Topics include:
- Trump back in the courtroom
- A breakdown of Carroll's claims
- A look at what comes next

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow is joined by NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson and NYU law professor Melissa Murray.

This week Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed one of former President Donald Trump's motions to dismiss the Florida classified documents case. Trump argued that when he left the White House he designated the highly sensitive documents as "personal" under the Presidential Records Act.

But Cannon has not prevented Trump from using that same argument as part of his defense — something Special Counsel Jack Smith pushed back against in a recent brief.

Topics include:
- Presidential Records Act
- Jury instructions
- Gag order in hush money case
- Civil fraud bond

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with historians Jill Lepore and David Blight.

Lepore and Blight have submitted a friend of the court brief to the Supreme Court ahead of oral arguments on whether former President Donald Trump should remain on the Colorado ballot.

Colorado's Supreme Court said Trump is not qualified for the presidency under the Constitution's 14th Amendment. Section 3 of that amendment says you can't serve in federal office if you once took an oath to support the United States and then engaged in an insurrection or rebellion.

Both Lepore and Blight argue that Section three of the 14th amendment disqualifies Trump from serving again as president.

Topics include:
- Historical context of the 14th amendment
- Historical intention of section three
- What does it mean to have 'engaged in insurrection'
- Interpreting the Constitution

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Elon Musk is working to slash federal spending while also promoting his business ventures. Experts in government ethics are worried he's acting in his own best interest and not in the country's, as NPR's Tamara Keith reports.

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With President-elect Donald Trump returning to the White House next month, some are worried their protected status could soon end. Trump has vowed a massive deportation campaign and sharp immigration restrictions, including slashing the TPS program, as he tried to do during his first term at the White House.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson and with retired federal judge Shira Scheindlin.

Judge Aileen Cannon continues to make decisions in the Florida classified documents case that strike some legal observers as odd. Retired federal judge Shira Scheindlin gave us her view on Cannon's choices and why she thinks Cannon is moving slowly through pre-trial motions.

Topics include:
- Update on classified documents case
- Cannon's decisions
- lookahead to pre-trial hearing

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by New York University law professor Melissa Murray.

This week's focus: The DC Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments on former president Donald Trump's expansive view of presidential immunity. The three-judge panel seemed skeptical at times with the extensive scope of Trump's legal team argument — that the president could even order a political assassination and be immune from criminal prosecution so long as he wasn't convicted in an impeachment hearing. Plus we heard closing arguments in the New York civil fraud case.

Topics include:
- Scope of presidential immunity
- Strength of Trump team's arguments
- Possible appeals and timelines
- New York civil fraud case
- Georgia election interference case

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with political reporter Ximena Bustillo.

David Pecker, former publisher for the National Enquirer, took the stand for a second day of testimony. Pecker explained that starting in 2015 he, Michael Cohen and Donald Trump had a deal that involved the National Enquirer buying negative stories about Trump and never publishing them – an arrangement also known as 'catch and kill.' Pecker said this was done to help Trump with his 2016 campaign. In addition, he described planting negative stories about Trump's 2016 rivals, such as the Clintons, then presidential candidate Ted Cruz and other Republican front runners.

The prosecution also argued that Trump violated the gag order placed on him at least 11 times in recent weeks. They cited posts on Truth Social and comments Trump made outside the courtroom about potential witness Michael Cohen and the jury. The judge has yet to make a ruling.

Topics include:
- Gag order
- Catch and kill deal
- What's next

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Trump's Trials is now Trump's Terms. Each episode, host Scott Detrow curates NPR coverage of the incoming Trump administration.

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with New Yorker writer Jane Mayer about her latest article on Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth.

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For this bonus episode of Trump's Trials, guest host Sacha Pfeiffer is joined by NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson.

The DC Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments from federal prosecutors and former President Donald Trump's legal team on the question of whether Trump is immune from criminal prosecution for his actions on January 6th and attempts to overturn the 2020 election.

Topics include:
- Arguments over the scope of presidential immunity
- Possible decision outcomes
- Political implications
- What comes next

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The fight over the U.S. Department of Education has begun, but the battle lines are a little blurry.

President Trump says he wants to close the department, and the Senate is expected to vote soon on the confirmation of Linda McMahon, his nominee to be education secretary.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Scott Detrow speaks to Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments in the Colorado ballot case. This case centers on whether former President Donald Trump is disqualified from running for office on the basis of Section 3 of the 14th amendment. The once little-known clause bars anyone who swore an oath to support the Constitution and then "engaged in insurrection" against it from holding office. The Colorado Supreme Court determined that Trump had engaged in an insurrection and removed him from the state's primary ballot.

Topics include:
- Origins of the case
- What to look for during the arguments
- Trump's defense arguments

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President Trump suggested at a Tuesday press conference that Gaza's nearly 2 million residents should leave the Palestinian enclave and proposed the U.S. take it over and redevelop it. NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks to Yousef Munayyer, a senior fellow at the Arab Center in Washington DC.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR justice correspondent Carrie Johnson.

Now that Donald Trump is headed back to the White House the three remaining criminal cases against him will most likely go away.

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Many Americans are worried that their First Amendment right to free speech is fading. NPR's Morning Edition has talked to legal experts, activists, immigration lawyers, scientists, students, teachers and others over several weeks to understand why. This episode, the first installment of their series, "The State of the First Amendment: The Right From Which All Other Rights Flow."

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In his address to a joint session of Congress, President Trump talked about his work to secure the border, slash the size of the government, and his new tariffs. He also repeated his plans to take over Greenland and the Panama Canal, and suggested that an end to the war in Ukraine might be close.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro and Boston University law professor Jed Shugerman.

This week adult film actress Stormy Daniels testified about her alleged sexual encounter with former president Donald Trump in 2006. Daniels described the encounter, which Trump denies took place, in great detail. Although whether or not Trump and Daniels had sex is not what the jury will rule on, it is the alleged event that led to a payment 10 years later that lies at the heart of the case.

Trump's former fixer Michael Cohen is expected to testify on Monday. His testimony will be key for the prosecution's case. And calling Cohen's testimony into question will be a top priority for Trump's defense team.

Topics include:
- Stormy Daniels' testimony
- Stormy Daniels' impact on the case
- Michael Cohen to testify

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The first time Donald Trump was elected president, blue state Democrats asserted themselves as the frontline of the resistance. Now, they say they're making an intentional decision to stay calm.

Then, the tech industry is courting President-elect Donald Trump. SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son pledged a $100 billion investment in the U.S. over the next four years at an event at Mar-a-Lago.

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This week on Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow and Domenico Montanaro are joined by former Deputy Assistant Attorney General Harry Litman.

This week's focus: the January 6th federal election interference case. Prosecutor, Special Counsel Jack Smith, made an unusual move, and sidestepped the appeals court and went straight to the Supreme Court to answer a fundamental question at the heart of the case:. Can presidents be criminally prosecuted for crimes they are allegedly committed while in office?

Topics include:
- Presidential immunity
- Does presidential immunity apply to Trump's actions on January 6th
- Predictions on how the Supreme Court may respond
- New case timeline
- An update on the New York Civil Fraud trial

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This week on Trump's Trials, guest host Miles Parks and Domenico Montanaro look at how one judge, Aileen Cannon, could be slow-walking the federal classified documents case in Florida. Delays in that case could impact the three other criminal trials Trump is facing — and put legal and political calendars ahead of the 2024 race on a collision course. Plus an update from the Georgia election case and the gag order from the New York civil fraud case.

Our guest is NYU law professor Melissa Murray.

Topics include:
- Judge Aileen Cannon's background & experience and questions about possible bias
- Why there've been delays in the Florida classified documents case
- Consequences if the Florida classified documents case is postponed
- The New York civil fraud gag order being reinstated
- Georgia prosecutors not offering plea deals to former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Ailsa Chang speaks with NPR correspondent Greg Allen.

In Florida, Federal Judge Aileen Cannon held a pre-trial hearing on Wednesday to dismiss the classified documents case against former President Donald Trump and two co-defendants.

And in Georgia, both the prosecutor and judge in Trump's election interference case have won elections.

Prosecutor Fani Willis won her Democratic primary and will face a Republican who interned in the Trump White House in the general election in November.

Meanwhile, Judge Scott McAfee, who's overseeing the election interference case easily won his election to his first full term after being appointed last year.

Topics include:
- Florida classified documents case
- Fulton County DA Fani Willis
- Judge Scott McAfee

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, we hand the mic over to Consider This.

On Monday, former President Donald Trump will enter a Manhattan courtroom for his first criminal trial. But before a verdict can be rendered a jury must be selected. And for Trump's legal team that is going to be a challenge.

A small number of attorneys have faced a similar challenge — how do you select an impartial jury when your client is famous?

Host Scott Detrow speaks with attorney Camille Vasquez for insight into the art of jury selection in such a case. She represented Johnny Depp in his defamation suit against his ex-wife Amber Heard.

Topics include:
- Jury selection
- Jury questionnaire
- Questioning potential jurors
- What to look for in a juror

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The Trump administration has ordered the National Institutes of Health to study the physical and mental health effects of undergoing gender transition, including regret. The research comes at a time when the administration has cut hundreds of grants for research into health issues affecting the LGBTQ community.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR political reporter Ximena Bustillo and Boston University law professor Jed Shugerman.

The prosecution's star witness, Michael Cohen was on the stand for three days this week. He testified about the alleged scheme to pay off adult film star Stormy Daniels and the alleged business fraud that followed. Cohen placed former President Trump at the scene saying he was aware and involved in the alleged cover up.

But Cohen is an admitted liar and the defense called into question his credibility.

Cohen is expected back on the stand on Monday and is likely the prosecution's final witness. Closing statements may begin as soon as Tuesday.

Topics include:
- Michael Cohen testimony
- What prosecution needs to prove
- What's next

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with NPR political reporter Ximena Bustillo.

After just three days of jury selection, 12 New Yorkers have been seated in former President Donald Trump's hush money trial.

Trump is charged with 34 felony counts for allegedly falsifying business records to conceal hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels.

The 12 are made up of seven men and five women, all of whom said they could be fair and impartial to Trump. Judge Juan Merchan hopes to select five alternates on Friday. Opening statements could begin as early as Monday.

Topics include:
- Jury selection process
- Trump in the courtroom

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This week, Scott Detrow and NPR political editor/correspondent Domenico Montanaro discuss gag orders in multiple cases against President Donald Trump and his attempts to weaponize them politically. Plus an update in the New York Civil trial and a Colorado case you might've missed.

They're joined by NPR justice correspondent Carrie Johnson. Topics include:

- Gag orders in the federal election case and the New York civil fraud trial
- The legal and political challenges of implementing gag orders on Trump
- Real world consequences of Trump's verbal attacks
- Attempts in Colorado to kick Trump off the ballot

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The Trump administration is taking its fight to nullify birthright citizenship to the U.S. Supreme Court. To date, every court to have considered Trump's executive order, issued on day one of his administration, has blocked it. But he is persisting.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Ailsa Chang speaks with NPR political reporter Ximena Bustillo and domestic extremism correspondent Odette Yousef.

Twelve jurors and six alternates have been selected in former President Donald Trump's hush money trial.

The jury is comprised of seven men and five women, all of whom will remain anonymous for security reasons. On Thursday one juror who had been seated for the trial voiced concern that identifying information about her had been in the media. She was dismissed from duty. That brought to light a very real concern — keeping jurors safe and protecting their identities.

Topics include:
- Jury selection process
- Juror privacy
- Security measures

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Soybean farmers are urging the White House to abandon its tariffs on China to protect their industry. NPR's Leila Fadel speaks with Caleb Ragland, president of the American Soybean Association.

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For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR's Juana Summers speaks to NPR's Andrea Bernstein.

Former President Donald Trump was back in court on Thursday to testify in the second civil defamation damages trial brought by writer E. Jean Carroll. The jury in a separate civil trial last year awarded Carroll $5 million, finding Trump sexually abused and defamed her. Trump spoke briefly on the stand on Thursday, saying the allegations were false.

Topics include:
- Defense resting its case
- Trump's testimony
- Outcome predictions

Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for new episodes each Saturday.

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