Michael Sandel is a professor of political philosophy at Harvard University. He’s also the author of several publications, including his latest, Equality: What It Means and Why It Matters. Sandel joins Preet to discuss what human nature can tell us about our government, how higher education can foster free expression, and dealing with moral disagre…

Is the Trump Justice Department establishing a precedent that those who promote the administration’s agenda can evade criminal accountability? In an excerpt from the CAFE Insider podcast, Joyce Vance and CAFE Contributor Elie Honig, former SDNY Assistant U.S. Attorney, break down the alleged quid pro quo between the Trump administration and NYC May…

Does human nature push us towards democracy or autocracy? Renowned political scientist Francis Fukuyama, author of The End of History and The Last Man, joins Preet to discuss attacks on the civil service, the crisis of trust in America, and where history is now headed. Then, Preet answers questions about the iconic “Princess Bride,” his transition …

How are federal judges reining in President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency? In an excerpt from the CAFE Insider podcast, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance break down the legal challenges to DOGE’s initiatives. In the full episode, Preet and Joyce discuss: – The Trump White House policy loosening guidelines that limited communications with …

Being online seems worse than it used to. Can we solve that? Preet speaks with The Atlantic’s Charlie Warzel, who writes about technology, media, and politics. They discuss legacy media, MAGA-era disinformation, and how the internet helps us justify our own beliefs. You can now watch portions of this episode! Head to CAFE’s Youtube channel and subs…

Reid Hoffman is the co-founder of LinkedIn and a leading voice in AI innovation. He’s out with a new book, Superagency: What Could Possibly Go Right with Our AI Future? Hoffman joins Preet to discuss how he thinks AI can help us be more human, why DeepSeek had Silicon Valley in a frenzy, and Hoffman’s latest venture: using AI to cure cancer. Plus, …

Is President Donald Trump asking FBI staff to prove their loyalty to him and not the Constitution? In an excerpt from the CAFE Insider podcast, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance break down Trump’s retaliation tactics against federal law enforcement officials for investigating and prosecuting crimes related to January 6. In the full episode, Preet and J…

DEI, Colombia, deportations, Greenland, inflation — it doesn’t end. The Washington Post’s Catherine Rampell and The Atlantic’s Mark Leibovich join Preet to break down what’s actually happening two weeks into Trump’s second presidency. You can now watch portions of this episode! Head to CAFE’s Youtube channel and subscribe. Stay Tuned in Brief is pr…

Has academia lost its way? Professor and historian Niall Ferguson joins Preet to talk about the danger of ideological orthodoxy in universities, the state of free speech in America, and the rise of illiberalism. Plus, why he started his own school. Then, Preet answers questions about president Trump’s mental acuity, the staying power of Trump’s EOs…

Could DOJ bring criminal charges against state and local officials who refuse to enforce President Trump’s immigration policies? In an excerpt from the CAFE Insider podcast, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance break down a memo written by acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove directing DOJ attorneys to investigate, and potentially prosecute, officials…

President Trump’s first week in office has come and gone. And what does he have to show for it? ABC News chief Washington correspondent, Jonathan Karl, and senior writer at The New York Times, David Leonhardt, join me to discuss immigration, the radical center, and the enduring power of public opinion. You can now watch portions of this episode! He…

Donald Trump is back in the White House — and it’s off to a hot start. For a special inauguration week panel, Preet is joined by historian Heather Cox Richardson, NYT politics reporter Astead Herndon, and tech journalist Kara Swisher. They discuss fractures within the MAGA party, opportunities for Democratic revival, the return of oligarchy, and th…

How is President Trump already using executive orders to advance his policy goals in his brief time in office? Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance discuss in an excerpt from the CAFE Insider podcast. In the full episode, Preet and Joyce discuss: – Trump’s executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship; – Trump’s pardons for all January 6 defend…

It’s the day of Donald Trump’s second inauguration. There’s uncertainty and fear for some, and excitement and anticipation for others. Over the weekend, Preet joined Ryan Knutson on the Wall Street Journal’s podcast The Journal alongside Ben Shapiro, one of the leading voices in conservative media. The goal of the conversation was to have hosts fro…

What are the biggest risks of the year? Political scientist Ian Bremmer joins Preet to discuss the failures of globalism, Trump’s consolidation of power, and the return to the law of the jungle. Plus, what to make of Trump’s grand ideas to acquire Greenland and the Panama Canal. Then, Preet answers questions about Judge Cannon, a potential Rudy Giu…

Attorney General Merrick Garland has just released special counsel Jack Smith’s report on his investigation into January 6 and Donald Trump’s attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election. What did we learn? And why was it released now? Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance discuss in an excerpt from the CAFE Insider podcast. In the full episode, Pr…

Can we truly defeat terrorism or does the ideology always endure? Philip Mudd, a former CIA and FBI official, has spent his career working on counterterrorism efforts. He talks about the public perception of terrorism and the oversimplification of motives by the media, the distinction between eliminating a terror group’s leadership and combating it…

Why do so many see rioters as patriots? Has apathy become a bigger threat than violence? The lead investigator in the House Select Committee to investigate the January 6th attack on the Capitol, Tim Heaphy, joins Preet to discuss the evolving narrative around the insurrection, the push for pardons, and how distrust in government has eroded faith in…

Why did Judge Aileen Cannon prohibit the release of special counsel Jack Smith’s report about his investigations into President-elect Donald Trump? Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance break down Cannon’s order and Trump’s request for the report to not be made public. In the full episode, Preet and Joyce discuss: – Trump’s upcoming sentencing for his Manh…

President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to bring sweeping changes to immigration policy – mass deportations, revoking birthright citizenship and asylum protections, and more – and has suggested he will deploy the military to carry out his plans. Lee Gelernt, Deputy Director of the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project, litigated several high-profile immig…

The CAFE team is taking a break from our usual programming this week to share another show we think you might like. It’s a show called “The Gray Area,” hosted by Sean Illing, that explores issues across culture, technology, politics, and the world of ideas, all through a philosophical lens. In the episode we’re about to share, Sean Illing and his g…

What does it take to be happy? Dr. Laurie Santos is the Chandrika and Ranjan Tandon Professor of Psychology and Head of Silliman College at Yale University, where she teaches “Psychology and the Good Life.” She’s also host of the podcast, “The Happiness Lab.” Dr. Santos joins Preet to discuss: The definition of happiness and how to maximize it The …

Why did ABC News settle the defamation lawsuit brought by President-elect Donald Trump? And if the case had gone to trial, what might cross-examination of ABC host George Stephanopoulos have looked like? Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance discuss the settlement in an excerpt from a new episode of the CAFE Insider podcast. In the full episode, Preet and …

Tina Brown joins Stay Tuned as a special guest host to interview Preet. They discuss Preet’s thoughts on this moment in our country’s history, his professional trajectory, and what causes some billionaires to break bad. Tina Brown is an award-winning journalist, editor, and author who recently launched her new Substack, Fresh Hell, which gives her …

George Packer is a staff writer at The Atlantic. Packer joins Preet to discuss his latest article, The End of Democratic Delusions, and what the 2024 election reveals about the future of American democracy and the Democratic party. Plus, could Donald Trump have members of the Jan 6 Committee arrested? And, what will Kash Patel’s appointment as FBI …

Will President Joe Biden preemptively pardon people on the so-called Trump enemies list? In an excerpt from a new episode of the CAFE Insider podcast, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance break down the balance of considerations involved. In the full episode, Preet and Joyce further explore potential preemptive pardons. They also discuss the arrest of and…

Michèle Flournoy, former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy under President Obama, joins Preet to explore President-elect Donald Trump's vision for reshaping the Department of Defense. From Trump's contentious nomination of Pete Hegseth to DOGE's ambitious plan to cut the Pentagon's $886 billion budget, the conversation delves into the sweeping …

Sam Harris is a philosopher, neuroscientist, and the host of the Making Sense podcast. He joins Preet to discuss political debate in the Trump era, the end of identity politics, and the morality of the Hunter Biden pardon. Plus, could Trump fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell? What does Preet think about Kash Patel? And how might Trump use the Vacancies A…

Why did President Joe Biden pardon his son, Hunter, despite vowing not to? In an excerpt from a new episode of the CAFE Insider podcast, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance break down Biden’s pardon decision. In the full episode, Preet and Joyce further analyze the Hunter Biden pardon. They also discuss President-elect Donald Trump’s selection of his all…

On a special episode of Stay Tuned in Brief, national security experts John Carlin and Jeremy Bash discuss President-elect Donald Trump’s nominees for national security roles, the newly-created Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE, and U.S. foreign policy. John Carlin is the former Acting Deputy Attorney General of the United States. He prev…

Adam Grant is an organizational psychologist and author who teaches at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He joins Preet to discuss: Post-election anxiety and where we go from here Why we should (or shouldn’t) trust experts Taking a break from the news Meritocracies and measuring success To watch this interview on YouTube, click …

Brenda Wineapple joins Preet to discuss her new book about the Scopes Monkey trial, “Keeping the Faith: God, Democracy, and the Trial that Riveted America.” The trial, often called 'the trial of the century,' was not just a courtroom battle but a flashpoint in a broader cultural war that continues to echo in debates over science, religion, and educ…

Garry Kasparov is a chess grandmaster and Chairman of the Renew Democracy Initiative, a nonprofit dedicated to defending liberal democracies worldwide. He joins Preet to discuss: Trump’s plans to consolidate power within the Executive Branch The need for change within the Democratic Party What normalcy might look like in four years How Trump may im…

Preet, Joyce, and the CAFE team are celebrating the 300th episode of the CAFE Insider podcast. Thank you for listening and for creating such an engaged community. In an excerpt from the show, Preet and Joyce discuss President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of former Rep. Matt Gaetz as Attorney General. In the full episode, Preet and Joyce further …

With Donald Trump soon to be sworn in as the 47th president, he’s made clear he wants to shake up Washington — including possibly firing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Political scientist Sarah Binder joins Preet to discuss whether a president has the legal authority to fire the Fed chair and how it could impact the economy. For show notes an…

Astead Herndon is a New York Times national politics reporter and the host of the politics podcast “The Run-Up.” He joins Preet to make sense of Donald Trump’s reelection. They discuss: The failures of the Joe Biden Democratic coalition Outcomes of the 2022 midterm vs. 2024 presidential elections How assumptions about race and gender played into Tr…

What are recess appointments? And with Republicans controlling the Senate, will President-elect Trump’s nominees face any hurdles in their confirmation process? In an excerpt from a new episode of the CAFE Insider podcast, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance discuss Trump’s ongoing nominations of cabinet members and other high-profile positions. Despite …

In this year’s election, abortion protection measures were on the ballot in ten different states. While they succeeded in seven, they failed in three. So where does that leave the future of abortion access? This week, Preet speaks with University of Pennsylvania constitutional law professor and co-host of Strict Scrutiny Kate Shaw. They break down …

Donald Trump has won the presidential election, so where does that leave his pending civil cases? In this excerpt of CAFE Insider, Elie Honig and Barb McQuade break down the status of Trump’s Manhattan and Georgia cases. Barb McQuade is a CAFE Contributor and former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan. In the full episode, Elie and B…

Donald Trump is returning to the White House. The day after the election, Preet is joined by former US Attorney Joyce Vance, historian Joanne Freeman, and political scientist Ian Bremmer to discuss what happened on election night, and how the next four years could reshape America. For show notes and a transcript of the episode head to: https://cafe…

On a scale of 1-10, how progressive is Kamala Harris? In this excerpt of CAFE Insider, CAFE Contributor Elie Honig speaks with political journalist Marisa Lagos about Kamala Harris’s prosecutorial background and how it has informed her current policies. This is the fifth episode in a new series of special episodes exclusively for members of CAFE In…

Preet speaks with AOL co-founder Steve Case and Maryland governor Wes Moore about how the government and the private sector can work together to solve some of the biggest challenges we face as a society. This conversation was recorded live at the 2024 Masters of Scale Summit, an annual experience from the Masters of Scale podcast. Check out weekly …

Evan Osnos is a staff writer at the New Yorker, where his work spans everything from national politics to foreign affairs. Just days before the election, Osnos joins Preet to talk about the big questions in American political culture: What does patriotism mean in a divided country? How should we confront cruelty? And is there still room for empathy…

On a new episode of CAFE Insider, Preet and Joyce discuss some worst case scenarios if Trump wins the 2024 presidential election. In an excerpt from the show, they discuss potential candidates for Trump’s Attorney General and what might happen to the Justice Department’s rank and file. In the full episode, Preet and Joyce further discuss what a sec…

This week, Preet speaks with renowned entrepreneur Mark Cuban to discuss his complex, decades-long relationship with Donald Trump. They delve into the key issues shaping the upcoming presidential election, breaking down each candidate’s economic proposals and their potential impact on the country’s financial future. For show notes and a transcript …

In this excerpt of CAFE Insider, CAFE Contributors Elie Honig and Asha Rangappa discuss the reasons why the U.S. government believes the social media app, TikTok, poses a serious national security threat. In the full episode, Elie and Asha break down the bipartisan efforts to ban TikTok in the U.S. and the different lawsuits the company faces—one b…

Douglas Brinkley is one of the nation's foremost presidential historians. A professor at Rice University, political commentator, and the author of forty books, Brinkley joins Preet to discuss the historic nature of the upcoming election, and the precedent for a political figure like Donald Trump. Plus, ever wondered what’s in that piece of paper th…

On a new episode of CAFE Insider, Joyce Vance is joined by special guest Marc Elias to unpack the election lawsuits that may shape this year's election. Marc is one of the nation's foremost election attorneys. He's served as election counsel on multiple presidential campaigns, including the Kamala Harris campaign, where he's focusing on potential r…

On a special episode of Stay Tuned in Brief, Jesse Weber, anchor and host at the Law & Crime Network, joins former federal prosecutor Elie Honig to discuss the criminal cases of brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez, who were convicted of first-degree murder in the ‘90s for killing their parents. Did they have a legitimate claim of imperfect self-defense…

Ben Wikler is the chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin—one of the seven battleground states in this extremely competitive presidential election. Hailed as a “winning machine” for Democrats, Wikler joined Preet for a live taping to discuss political humor, third party candidates, and the state of the race in swing states. To learn more about W…