What A Day

Crooked Media

If you’re looking for hype, fake outrage, and groupthink, kindly keep moving. Our mission at What a Day is simple: to be your guide to what truly matters each morning (and the fun stuff you might have missed) in just 20 minutes. Host Jane Coaston brings you in-depth reporting and substantive analysis on the big stories shaping today and the creeping trends shaping tomorrow—and when she doesn’t know the answers, she asks someone even smarter to fill us all in. Radical, right? New episodes at 5:00 a.m. EST, Monday–Friday in your favorite podcast app and on YouTube. Being informed was never this easy.

  • 21 minutes 58 seconds
    Can Talarico Turn Texas Blue?

    Three states – North Carolina, Arkansas, and Texas – held primaries Tuesday. The turnout was massive, but so were the stakes, with the balance of power in Congress being decided this year. Texas held the spotlight with record campaign spending during the lead-up and a notable U.S. Senate primary upset by Texas Democratic State Representative James Talarico over Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett. The contentious Senate race between Republican incumbent John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was so tight it triggered a runoff. NOTUS Congressional Reporter Daniella Diaz joins us to sort out what it all means.

    And in headlines, the Senate votes against a War Powers Resolution, the House Oversight Committee subpoenas Attorney General Pam Bondi over her handling of the Epstein files, and RFK Jr. picks a fight with Massachusetts about sweet drinks at Dunkin’.

    Show Notes:

    5 March 2026, 8:30 am
  • 24 minutes 19 seconds
    Trump’s War Hits The Economy

    The U.S.-Israeli war in Iran is sowing death and chaos, surely, but with ship traffic avoiding Iran’s shores, the war’s also threatening the global economy through higher oil prices. Miles Taylor explains why all this is happening. Taylor served as the chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security in the first Trump administration, where he made waves for writing an Op-ed in the New York Times headlined, “I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration.”

    And in headlines, the State Department scrambles to help thousands of Americans stuck in the Middle East, Iran continues to retaliate against the U.S.-Israeli attacks, and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem faces tough questions in the Senate.

    Show Notes:

    4 March 2026, 8:30 am
  • 19 minutes 10 seconds
    Why Congress Might Not Stop Trump’s War In Iran

    Today, Trump officials brief all of Congress on what, exactly, the administration’s objectives are in Iran. Until now, the Trump administration has given conflicting accounts as to why the U.S. attacked Iran on Saturday, and there are many questions members of Congress need to ask. But will they ask them, and will the answers even matter? Nicholas Wu, a congressional reporter for Semafor, explains what Congress is likely to do – and not do.

    And in headlines, First Lady Melania Trump presides over a United Nations Security Council meeting about protecting children in conflict, a House committee releases videos from the Clintons’ Epstein testimony, and it’s primary day for voters in three Southern states.

    Show Notes:

    3 March 2026, 8:30 am
  • 24 minutes 12 seconds
    Trump’s Dangerous Gamble In Iran

    Over the weekend, the U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes that reportedly hit more than 2,000 targets across Iran. In response, Iran struck sites across the Middle East. What, exactly, is the United States doing in Iran, especially now that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed? Nahal Toosi, senior foreign affairs correspondent and columnist at POLITICO, lays out what’s likely to happen next and why it matters.

    And in headlines, Senator Lindsey Graham insists regime change is not the goal in Iran, Democrats mostly oppose the war (with some notable exceptions), and someone struck it big in a prediction market gamble on when the U.S. would strike Iran.

    Show Notes:

    2 March 2026, 8:30 am
  • 20 minutes 40 seconds
    Hillary Clinton Called Her Epstein Hearing Political Theater

    On Thursday, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton testified in front of the House Oversight Committee to answer questions during their investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Secretary Clinton said, “I do not recall ever encountering Mr. Epstein,” and referred to the GOP-led committee’s handling of the Epstein files as “partisan political theater.” Following her deposition, she told reporters that Republicans asked her about UFOs and the Pizzagate conspiracy theory. Bart Jansen, White House correspondent for USA Today, laid out what we should expect next in the Epstein investigation.

    And in headlines, the U.S. and Iran hold more indirect talks over Tehran’s nuclear program, a federal judge rules that the Internal Revenue Service illegally shared confidential taxpayer data with the Department of Homeland Security, and a new Kansas law invalidates driver’s licenses and birth certificates held by some transgender residents.

    Show Notes:

    27 February 2026, 8:30 am
  • 22 minutes 26 seconds
    Texas Republicans Return To Islamophobia

    The Texas Senate primary is already setting records for both Republicans and Democrats, with more than $110 million spent on advertising and reserved ad time. And on the Republican side, where Senator John Cornyn is facing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and U.S. Representative Wesley Hunt, things have gotten incredibly messy. But there's at least one thing those three candidates can agree on: Islamophobic rhetoric. So, why is the Texas GOP laser-focused on Islam? To find out, we spoke with Forrest Wilder. He's a senior writer at Texas Monthly.

    And in headlines, Surgeon General nominee Casey Means testifies before the Senate Health Committee, South Carolina Republican Representative Nancy Mace hopes to hold lawmakers accountable for sexual harassment violations, and Minnesota Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar's State of the Union guest is arrested after standing up during the President's speech.

    Show Notes:

    26 February 2026, 8:30 am
  • 20 minutes 48 seconds
    Medals, Insults and A Very Long Speech

    Trump’s State of the Union address had everything — if by “everything,” you mean easily fact-checkable lies. We also got fearmongering and racism about Somali immigrants… Trump’s frequently used claim that Democrats can only win elections if they cheat… and a lot of awards for members of the armed services. But his overall message was the same we get every single day on Truth Social in between rants about cable television hosts and misused punctuation: we are the hottest country in the world and everything is awesome and great. So to talk more about the longest State of the Union speech in history, we spoke with two people who were covering it from D.C.: Crooked News Editor Greg Walters and What A Day Newsletter writer Matt Berg.

    Show Notes:

    25 February 2026, 9:11 am
  • 22 minutes 11 seconds
    Dems Opt Out Of State Of The Union

    President Trump will deliver the State of the Union address tonight. And spoiler… the state of his particular union isn't great. According to new polling from CNN, Trump's approval rating with Americans is 36%. But – despite everything – Democrats are still not winning over the American people. So how should they respond to tonight's two-hour adventure of non sequiturs, rants, and excessive bronzer? To find out, we spoke to New Jersey Democratic Representative LaMonica McIver. She's delivering a prebuttal to the State of the Union address.

    And in headlines, the Supreme Court agrees to hear arguments from oil and gas companies hoping to block lawsuits related to climate change, a U.S. district judge permanently bars the release of a report on Trump's alleged hoarding of classified documents, and the U.S. orders some diplomats and their families in Lebanon to leave the country.

    Show Notes:

    24 February 2026, 8:30 am
  • 21 minutes 4 seconds
    Trump Orders More Tariffs After SCOTUS Ruling

    The Supreme Court ruled 6 to 3 on Friday that President Donald Trump overstepped his authority when he invoked sweeping tariffs using a 1970s emergency statute. The decision was a major blow to Trump's tariff policy, which is basically his entire economic agenda. But for Trump, it means just one thing: more tariffs! So to learn what's next for our terrible tariff trajectory, we spoke with David J. Lynch. He's the global economics correspondent at The Washington Post and the author of The World's Worst Bet: How the Globalization Gamble Went Wrong (And What Would Make It Right).

    And in headlines, the US and Iran prepare for high-stakes talks later this week, Global Entry becomes a casualty of the partial government shutdown, and a check-in on the President's approval ratings before his State of the Union address.

    Show Notes:

    23 February 2026, 8:30 am
  • 21 minutes 45 seconds
    DHS Dysfunction

    It’s been about a week since the Department of Homeland Security entered a partial shutdown, with Democrats refusing to fund the agency until changes are made to federal immigration enforcement. According to the White House, we are still no closer to a deal. But Democrats are reluctant to budge, and polling shows that most Americans think ICE has gone too far with its enforcement operations. Recent reporting from The Wall Street Journal paints a chaotic picture of DHS under Secretary Kristi Noem. In her colleagues’ view, she’s prioritized getting photo ops for herself over getting results for the Trump Administration. So for more on DHS scandals and what the future holds for Noem, we spoke with Michelle Hackman, a reporter covering immigration for The Wall Street Journal.

    And in headlines, President Trump worries America’s 250th birthday might be soiled by the smell of feces emanating from the Potomac, former Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor gets arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office related to his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, and the Trump administration alienates MAHA by ramping up pesticide production.

    Show Notes:

    20 February 2026, 8:30 am
  • 21 minutes 39 seconds
    Don't Bank On Trump's Tax Cuts

    The IRS has lost tens of thousands of employees since President Donald Trump took office – the result of DOGE, policy differences, last year’s government shutdown, and layoffs. Now that we're in tax season, the agency is asking thousands of untrained employees from other departments to help with taxpayer services. Those job cuts and changes could, at best, slow down your refund. At worst, the IRS could be far less able to stop scammers. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is insisting that taxpayers will be getting bigger refunds this year. The problem is, prices on basically everything are still super high – which gives people less of a chance to hold onto that money. And will anyone even remember their tax refunds when they head out to vote in November? For more, we spoke with Vanessa Williamson, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, and author of “The Price of Democracy: The Revolutionary Power of Taxation in American History.”

    And in headlines, Arizona Republicans want to send ICE officers to polling places, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg takes the stand in a case weighing if social media platforms deliberately addict and harm children, and the Trump administration pushes back against a court order to restore an exhibit on people enslaved by George Washington in Philadelphia.

    Show Notes:

    19 February 2026, 8:30 am
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