Updated August 2, 2025 at 2:01 AM PDT

Some of the most popular podcasts in the country aren’t about politics, but that hasn’t stopped ambitious candidates on both sides of the aisle from sitting down for lengthy interviews.

President Trump spent much of the 2024 presidential campaign as a guest on a wide range of shows, riffing with Joe Rogan and chatting with comedians like Theo Von and Andrew Schulz on his path to victory.

At a time when many people are checked out of politics and the next major election cycle is a year away, these politics-adjacent podcasts are still driving some of the conversation around culture and the perception of what goes on in Washington — and serving as a testing ground for those considering higher office trying to emulate Trump’s success.

Democratic California Rep. Ro Khanna in particular has been a prolific podcast guest, explaining to Von on his show, “This Past Weekend” why he was sitting for the interview.

“I’m not saying this to flatter you, a lot of times you’ll ask questions and they’re like, deeper and smarter than some of the Sunday talk show hosts,” Khanna said. “And I think it’s ’cause you actually talk to real people and it’s sort of like ‘Well, how does this affect my buddy, how does this affect real people?'”

Khanna spoke at length about his childhood, views on artificial intelligence and regulation and offered thoughts on the Democratic Party’s message that he said needs to change.

He also used the two-hour chat to bring up the War Powers resolution he had introduced in the House that would have limited military action in Iran in the aftermath of the strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities. That resolution was coauthored by Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who coincidentally was on the very next episode of Von’s show.

Texas Democratic State Rep. James Talarico spent two and a half hours last month talking with Rogan, one of the most influential podcast hosts in the country, about how Christianity influences his worldview and political stances, leading Rogan to push Talarico to “run for President.”

Fitting politics in a politics-adjacent space

These popular shows are not explicitly politics-focused like the “NPR Politics Podcast” or NBC’s “Meet The Press,” and the target audience is different, too. These listeners prefer a longer, organic conversation over buzzwords, short soundbites and questions that feel more like an interrogation.

That in turn leads to a bit more friendly common ground than outrage, even when discussing family upbringings, news of the day and, of course, those political views.

Take a lengthy interview that California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom – who has his own podcast – did last month with Shawn Ryan, a former Navy SEAL whose show highlights the perspectives of military servicemembers and veterans and caters more to conservatives.

For four hours, the pair discussed guns and foreign policy, views on transgender rights and COVID lockdowns, local politics and national questions. Ryan started the conversation by noting he wanted someone that “thinks a little bit different than me” and ended up being impressed by Newsom’s perspective.

“I really appreciate you coming, and just being totally honest, a lot of my opinions about you have changed,” Ryan told Newsom.

It’s important to remember the function of these sit-downs: these are not debates or interviews done with journalistic purposes in mind, so there’s usually little pushback to someone’s opinion or perspective.

As another example, popular Trump-friendly podcasters the Nelk Boys did an hourlong interview with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. They opened the episode by saying they were not “so not qualified” to conduct an interview with the leader of Israel. After the interview published, the two hosts faced intense backlash from supporters and opponents alike who agreed that the duo was not prepared.

Will longform podcasts be a prerequisite for future candidates?

Eric Wilson, the executive director of the Center for Campaign Innovation, says “Do more podcasts!” is the wrong takeaway from 2024.

“The takeaway is like, you’ve got to be willing to say something and have a message and be willing to do things that are going to break through to the people who are news avoiders,” the Republican digital strategist said.

Longform podcasts are a growing slice of the attention economy pie, and in some cases have more viewership than a primetime cable show where politicians have a shorter amount of time to speak and are often preaching to a choir of people who already support the candidate’s party.

Being able to speak for hours about your backstory and beliefs isn’t going to be mandatory to win an election in the future, but having that level of comfort in the format does suggest a level of authenticity that resonates more with voters, Wilson added.

“Realistically, it’s something that you’ve got to add to your repertoire as a politician,” Wilson said.

Many of the politicians that are comfortable speaking on a variety of podcasts may determine who gains traction and success on the national stage in upcoming elections, much in the way the Lincoln-Douglas debates helped Abraham Lincoln’s career, television debates helped John F. Kennedy and the current Trump era of politics is optimized for cable news appearances.

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With Russia’s all-out war against Ukraine dragging on for the fourth year now, Kyiv is rethinking its strategy on how to keep close ties with the people who were forced to leave Ukraine and relocate abroad and how to motivate them to come back.

Some 4.8 million Ukrainians have been granted temporary protection in Europe since Russia went on its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

What was initially planned as a three-year protection mechanism has just been extended for a total of five years, until March 2027.

The longer people stay abroad, the harder it is to bring them back home, says Oleksiy Chernyshov, Ukraine’s vice-prime minister who is now leading a newly-created ministry for national unity.

Chernyshov is tasked with maintaining close ties with Ukrainians abroad and motivating them to return home, as they are becoming increasingly settled abroad.

“The longer the war continues — the more integrated Ukrainians become in other countries,” he told Euronews.

“That is why even during the war we want to keep ties with Ukrainians. We want to address and we want explain that everyone is equally important to Ukraine. We want your contribution, either it’s material or even emotional,” Chernyshov explained.

“You should be integrated into Ukrainian life. You should think of Ukraine. Regardless of the fact that when you are considering your return, or if you are not considering it at all. It’s important you’re keeping your Ukrainian identity and Ukrainian agenda,” he added, addressing his compatriots.

Refugees, mostly women with children, arrive at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland on Sunday, March 6, 2022. AP Photo

Kyiv now hopes to rebuild its strategy with the so-called “Unity Hubs” that have been opened abroad. These multifunctional spaces will provide a variety of services to displaced or temporarily displaced Ukrainians, including legal, psychological, educational, cultural and support services to facilitate their integration into the European Union.

However, they will also encourage them to voluntarily return to Ukraine once the peaceful conditions permit this to happen.

The European Commission supported the initiative as it announced the extension of the temporary protection scheme.

Chernyshov said it gives “more than 20 months of clarity for Ukrainians here in the European Union to plan their life.” At the same time, Kyiv hopes the “Unity Hubs” initiative will also help the people plan for their future return to Ukraine.

That, Chernyshov admitted, would first and foremost depend on the war. The Ukrainians didn’t move looking for a better life, he reiterated: “They were escaping from the war and we should always remember that.”

People who fled the war in Ukraine rest inside an indoor sports stadium being used as a refugee center, in the village of Medyka, a border crossing between Poland and Ukraine AP Photo

Ukrainian refugees and the EU’s labour market

Meanwhile, Ukrainians in Europe have been “a very strong asset to a labour market,” Ukraine’s vice-prime minister said.

“They’re professional, they’re hardworking, they’re intelligent, they’re educated and obviously the labour markets will compete with each other,” Chernyshov explained.

There is no official data on how many Ukrainian refugees are working in Europe, and the situation varies from country to country.

According to the joint report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the European Migration Network from May 2024, the beneficiaries of temporary protection (BoTP) integrated into the labour market more quickly than other refugee groups.

At the beginning of 2023, the share of working-age BoTP in employment was already over 40% in a number of EU countries, including Estonia, Lithuania, Denmark and the Netherlands.

Even higher employment levels were reported in Poland, exceeding 60%. While the number was lower than average in Germany (18%) and Switzerland (14%).

After the first massive waves of relocation in 2022, most EU countries reported lower numbers of registrations. However, the number of BoTP employment continued to grow, reflecting an increased transition into employment.

Having gained professional experience abroad, Kyiv hopes the Ukrainians will then implement it at home. Chernyshov said that economic development and the implementation of reforms will also pave the way for people to return home after the war is over.

“Once Ukraine rebuilds and develops its economy. European countries will come for the recovery. Who will they bring with them? Obviously, first of all, they will consider Ukrainians who are professionally integrated into Europe, and they will most probably offer them jobs in Ukraine,” he pointed out.

However, although economic growth and further development are undoubtedly important, stable peace remains the primary precondition for the return of the people, as well as for Ukraine’s economic growth and prosperity.

Refugees from Ukraine arrive at a newly built arrival center on the tarmac of the former Tegel airport in Berlin, Sunday, March 20, 2022. AP Photo

‘We cannot force people to come back’

Brussels announced that the European Commission will appoint a special envoy for Ukrainians in the EU.

This should help provide better information to Ukrainians about transitioning to a different legal status from temporary protection, and also pave the way for a gradual return and reintegration in Ukraine.

Chernyshov says many Ukrainians want to return home, and they have already demonstrated this.

After the Ukrainian army pushed Russian troops out of the Kyiv region, many rushed home as soon as they could.

“In March 2022 a lot of people returned to Kyiv and other cities, and it actually gives a great example,” Chernyshov said, adding that many regularly go to Ukraine to visit their families and friends while temporarily being based abroad.

In an unprecedented step, Kyiv established the Ministry of National Unity, trying to motivate them to come back more and one day come back to stay, and is now working on allowing dual and multiple citizenship.

But what Kyiv cannot and will not do is force people to return, Chernyshov said. “We cannot force anybody to come back. This is impossible”.

“The only motivation to go back to Ukraine is a successful Ukraine and your love for your homeland. These are the only two factors that make Ukrainians go back and consider this decision seriously. No forceful actions can be provided or will be provided. This is only peaceful motivation,” he explained.

Ukraine can do as much as it can to motivate the people with the administrative and economic incentives, but as long as Ukrainian cities are still being bombed and attacked, it is harder to convince people to come back.

In this case, the decision to return home to Ukraine for many will depend not on Brussels or Kyiv, but on Moscow choosing whether to continue its war against Ukraine.

Republican Rep. Ryan Mackenzie of Pennsylvania held the second town hall of his congressional career on Wednesday just after House Speaker Mike Johnson sent lawmakers home early after clashes among GOP members about releasing records tied to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Questions over the release of Department of Justice files from its Epstein investigation followed the freshman lawmaker, who represents a competitive Northeast Pennsylvania swing district, back home. Earlier this month, the DOJ concluded in a two-page memo that it found no evidence that Epstein had a “client list” and that no more information would be released. The conclusions did little to quell the appetite for more about the Epstein files given they’ve been the source of conspiracy theories — fanned by President Trump and members of his administration — for years.

When asked by a caller on his telephone town hall if he thinks Trump is in Epstein’s “client list” and if it should be released, Mackenzie said that he would support efforts to release the DOJ files on the disgraced financier if the White House does not do more.

“The Trump administration has now been in office for six months,” Mackenzie said. “I know they have not released as much as I would like to see to date, but hopefully they’re going to be doing that. And if not, then Congress should potentially step in and compel them to do that because again, the American people deserve to have full transparency and information about what is in those files and ultimately we’re going to get there.”

Earlier this month, Trump tried to tamp down criticism over the DOJ’s conclusions by criticizing some of his supporters who have expressed distrust in the investigation into Epstein and his death in 2019, which was ruled a suicide. In recent weeks, the DOJ has requested the release of grand jury records related to the Epstein investigation. And on Thursday, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche appeared in Tallahassee to meet with Ghislaine Maxwell, who’s in federal prison for her role helping Epstein sexually abuse underage girls.

Mackenzie and other Republican lawmakers have been targeted by Democratic groups who see how the Epstein saga is dividing the GOP and see it as a political liability for Republicans.

Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., introduced a successful motion to subpoena the records in a House subcommittee, with three Republicans voting in favor of it, including Rep. Scott Perry, who represents another competitive Pennsylvania district.

Perry also supports a resolution introduced by Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky calling for the release of the DOJ records, the measure that prompted House Speaker Mike Johnson to dismiss the chamber a day early.

On Tuesday night, Perry changed the logistics of his own telephone town hall, saying his office would call those wanting to join, stating on X, “we now have individuals from outside of our district (and even State) flooding the Tele-Town Hall RSVP page and my office lines.”

One of those who managed to get on the call accused Perry and Republicans of avoiding the Epstein discussion, but Perry pushed back, saying he had personally asked for more information.

“I have requested that the DOJ – and you can see the letter publicly — that the DOJ release the files [and] not only that, [that] they also provide a special prosecutor for the Epstein circumstances as well as other things – abuses of government where information is being hidden from the American people,” Perry said.

Even in some solid Republican districts, lawmakers are facing similar questions. Earlier this week Rep. Eli Crane of Arizona, speaking at a telephone town hall, explained his reasoning for supporting Massie’s resolution.

“I believe transparency should be the hallmark of every administration whether they’re Democrat or Republican,” said Crane, who supports the legislation introduced by Massie.

Republican strategist Rina Shah told NPR this week that “MAGA voters are furious” and want more transparency when it comes to the investigation into Epstein, describing it as a drama that “won’t go away.”

“Come September, if they hit 218 signatures, the House will vote, and it’ll be a defining moment: Is the Republican Party going to double down on transparency and risk embarrassing elites, or will it protect the establishment?” she said. “That’s a question here. And this fight could reshape the party, deciding whether it’s truly the party of the people or one that still plays by old Washington rules.”

KJZZ Senior Editor Michel Marizco contributed to this report.

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At 57, two-time Super Bowl champion Deion Sanders, has a brand-new bladder.

The University of Colorado coach recently underwent reconstructive surgery to treat an aggressive form of bladder cancer after doctors discovered a tumor this spring.

The procedure, called neobladder reconstruction, uses tissue from the patient’s own small intestine.

Here’s how it’s done:

First surgeons remove the old bladder. Then they cut out about a foot and a half from the ileum, the end section of the small intestine.

Then the surgeon cuts down one side of the segment of intestine so that it lays flat like a sheet. Next, they fold it in half, top to bottom, and then connect the back part to the front.

The end result resembles a volleyball covered in sutures, said Dr. Max Kates, codirector of the Greenberg Bladder Cancer Institute at Johns Hopkins University.

Finally, the surgeon sews the neobladder to the kidneys and urethra.

The human body’s ability to adapt to such a procedure is “amazing,” says Sanders’ surgeon, Dr. Janet Kukreja, director of urologic oncology at the University of Colorado Cancer Center. Patients usually spend just a few days recovering in the hospital.

She performed Sanders’ neobladder reconstruction robotically and with a laparoscopic camera, a method that only requires small incisions.

Kukreja told NPR that a cool aspect of this surgery is that because the neobladder is created from the body’s own tissue, a patient’s immune system doesn’t reject the new organ. So patients with neobladders don’t need immunosuppressant medications.

Plastic wouldn’t work either to reconstruct a bladder since the urinary tract rejects foreign materials, said Kukreja. Calcium would build up giving patients bladder stones.

A reconstructed bladder doesn’t function exactly like someone’s original bladder because it can’t send signals to the brain to let a person know when to use the toilet.

Getting used to a neobladder takes some training, says Dr. Jodi Maranchie, a surgical urologic oncologist at UPMC in Pittsburgh. Gradually they increase the interval between bathroom visits until they can comfortably control their bladder during the day. But leakage often remains an issue for people while they sleep.

During a Monday press conference, Sanders acknowledged this drawback. He joked that, like his one-year-old grandson, he now “depends on the Depends.”

“I know there’s a lot of people out there going through what I’m going through. And dealing with what I’m dealing with,” he said. “And let’s stop being ashamed of it.”

Kates said a lot of people do feel shame around the incontinence that comes with a neobladder reconstruction.

Which is why Kates told NPR that he “loved every moment” of Sanders’ press conference. The urologist described the Pro Football Hall of Famer as authentic and funny, “the guy was anything but shameful.”

In fact two of Kates’ patients, both men around Sanders’ age, mentioned the press conference: “They both felt completely validated by him.”

An estimated 85,000 people in the U.S., will get bladder cancer this year, according to data from the American Cancer Society. While most patients with bladder cancer are men, Maranchie said that women tend to present with a more advanced and slightly more aggressive disease.

Because the only symptom of bladder cancer is blood in urine, she theorized that some women mistake this warning sign for menstrual blood.

But Sanders shared that his tumor was discovered during an annual checkup.

He said if he hadn’t gone in for that appointment, things might have turned out very differently.

“Please get yourself checked out,” he said. “Because if it wasn’t for me getting tested for something else they wouldn’t have stumbled up on this. Make sure you get the right care.”

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Fresh Air Weekend highlights some of the best interviews and reviews from past weeks, as well as new program elements specially paced for weekends. Our weekend show emphasizes interviews with writers, filmmakers, actors and musicians, and it often includes excerpts from live in-studio concerts. This week:

“There you are”: How Mariska Hargitay sought out the truth behind her bombshell mom: The Law & Order: SVU actor was 3 years old in 1967 when her movie star mom, Jayne Mansfield, died in a car crash. Hargitay’s new documentary, My Mom Jayne, explores her mother’s identity, and her own.

50 years after Mothership Connection, George Clinton remains an artistic force: Clinton is the leader of two important funk bands, Parliament and Funkadelic. In 1975, Parliament released Mothership Connection, a loose concept album about funk musicians as galactic invaders.

With WTF ending, Marc Maron still wants to talk, but outside the studio: As he winds down his podcast after 16 years, Maron reflects on what he’ll miss: “These conversations are very real conversations for me … and that is kind of nourishing for the spirit and the soul.”

You can listen to the original interviews here:

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