Today, Explained

Pardoner-in-chief

President Donald Trump has issued a flurry of pardons and commutations in his second term — but it's not entirely different from how his predecessors used that power. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Jolie Myers and Jenny Lawton, fact checked by Andrea López-Cruzado, engineered by David Tatasciore, and hosted by Noel King. President Trump at the 2025 Thanksgiving turkey pardoning ceremony at the White House. Photo by Chen Mengtong/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Trump's model UN

The president's Board of Peace is kind of like the UN Security Council. But it costs a billion dollars to join for life. Israel, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, and Argentina have already signed on. This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by Jolie Myers, fact checked by Andrea López-Cruzado, engineered by David Tatasciore and Bridger Dunnagan, and hosted by Noel King. President Trump at the "Board of Peace" meeting during the World Economic Forum in Davos. Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP via Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

They are Charlie Kirk

Young conservatives are struggling with where to turn after Kirk's assassination. Some of the options are frightening. This episode was produced by Kelli Wessinger, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Andrea Lopez-Cruzado, engineered by David Tatasciore and Bridger Dunnagan, and hosted by Noel King. A woman holding an American flag at Turning Point's annual AmericaFest conference, in remembrance of late right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk. Photo by Olivier Touron / AFP via Getty Images. Further Reading: Inside the Conservative Campus Revolution [https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/charlie-kirk-turning-point-usa-new-leader-maga-movement.html] Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

"Abolish ICE"

Federal agents killed a second civilian observer in Minneapolis this weekend. Now, the Trump administration is feeling the political pressure. This episode was produced by Dustin DeSoto and Miles Bryan with help from Ariana Aspuru, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Andrea Lopez-Cruzado, engineered by David Tatasciore and Bridger Dunnagan, and hosted by Noel King. A makeshift memorial for Alex Pretti after he was shot dead by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis. Photo by Octavio JONES / AFP via Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Battling brain rot

Bland colors, AI summaries, and declining literacy rates have lots of us worried that we’re losing our intelligence to the modern world. Can we get it back? This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru, edited by Jenny Lawton, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. Photo By BSIP/UIG Via Getty Images.  If you have a question, give us a call on 1-800-618-8545 or send us a note here [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScoQe_YRwSSqUgd9fK57E1ypFbHd8B8bbah5Sx0T66ZLpTFgw/viewform].  Listen to Explain It to Me ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members [http://vox.com/members].  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]