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Diane Rehm: On My Mind

WAMU 88.5

Diane Rehm’s weekly podcast features newsmakers, writers, artists and thinkers on the issues she cares about most: what’s going on in Washington, ideas that inform, and the latest on living well as we live longer.

Copyright WAMU 88.5 American University Radio - For Personal Use Only

Diane Rehm’s weekly podcast features newsmakers, writers, artists and thinkers on the issues she cares about most: what’s going on in Washington, ideas that inform, and the latest on living well as we live longer.

Copyright WAMU 88.5 American University Radio - For Personal Use Only
6hr 16min
Thumbnail for "How Trump is using fear as a political tool".
The Atlantic's Isaac Stanley-Becker discusses the use of fear as a political tool in Trump's pressure campaigns against big law and higher ed.
Thumbnail for "How deportations ignited a clash between the White House and the courts".
Can the courts act as a check on the Trump administration’s power? CNN chief Supreme Court analyst Joan Biskupic on how the clash over deportations is testing the judiciary.
Thumbnail for "The impact of Trump’s about-face on tariffs".
The impact of Trump's tariff chaos. The Washington Post's Jeff Stein explains what it means for global trade, the U.S. economy and your pocketbooks.
Thumbnail for "Uncovering the dark secrets of Johnson and Johnson".
Investigative journalist Gardiner Harris on his new book, "No More Tears." It tells the story of Johnson & Johnson, and a history of dark secrets he says endangered millions of lives.
Thumbnail for "The latest on Alzheimer's research -- and why it might be at risk".
Diane talks to George Vradenburg of UsAgainstAlzheimer's about the latest breakthroughs in Alzheimer's research and how those advances could be undermined by cuts to the federal government.
Thumbnail for "How the powerful are trying to undermine press freedoms in the US".
David Enrich of The New York Times discusses his new book, "Murder the Truth," about a growing movement to cripple the media and protect the powerful. 
Thumbnail for "A Trump critic on his worst fears -- and a way forward".
Political scientist Norman Ornstein weighs in on the Trump agenda, the Democrats’ response and what comes next in Washington.
Thumbnail for "The fate of the CFPB and why we should care".
Thumbnail for "Understanding the threat of bird flu".
Bird flu has spread widely among chickens, wildlife, and cows. Are humans next? The Washington Post's Lena Sun gives an update an avian influenza.
Thumbnail for "The ripple effects of Trump's plan to 'own' Gaza".
The impact of Trump's plan to take over Gaza. Middle East expert Aaron David Miller explains the region's reaction and what it means for the Israel-Hamas ceasefire.

How Trump is using fear as a political tool

Thumbnail for "How Trump is using fear as a political tool".
March 27, 202537min 34sec

The pressure campaigns of the Trump administration are beginning to bear fruit. 

Last week saw two major institutions acquiesce to the president’s demands after actions taken by the White House threatened to undermine their budgets, workforce and, in some cases, ability to perform core business. 

The first was Paul Weiss, a major law firm that some accuse of trading pro bono work on behalf of Trump causes to maintain business ties to federal agencies. The second was Columbia University, which agreed to terms laid out by the government in exchange for the restoration of funding that had been slashed earlier this month. 

Hailed as victories by Donald Trump, Isaac Stanley-Becker, staff writer at The Atlantic, says these are just two of the highest profile examples of the ways the president has learned to wield fear as a political tool.

While Donald Trump has always used scare tactics in his exercise of power, Stanley-Becker explains, what we are seeing now is different from his first term, marked by name-calling and social media bullying. 

“What I think is especially significant,” says Stanley-Becker, “is the use of government assets and government resources -- and denying those as a bargaining chip to bring these institutions to heel.”

Stanley-Becker joins Diane to talk about his recent piece for The Atlantic, “The United States of Fear.” 

Thumbnail for "How Trump is using fear as a political tool".
How Trump is using fear as a political tool
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