Vox

What comes after Donald Trump? | America, Actually - April 11, 2026 - Vox
What does US politics look like when Donald Trump is no longer at the center of it? In 2028, voters will get to decide.
For this first episode of America, Actually, host and editorial director Astead Herndon sits down with data scientist Nate Silver and culture critic Hunter Harris to explore the major policies, issues, groups, and people that will guide the United States into a post-Trump future. Is the country headed toward a return to civility or total fragmentation?
00:00 Intro
00:41 This is America, Actually
01:11 Can politics be Trump-free?
04:10 Who leads a post-Trump America?
11:47 Lessons from 2016
14:02 Affordability, foreign policy, and culture
16:21 Manosphere and loneliness
20:11 Kitchen table issues
24:41 The US and Israel
26:21 America’s global standing
27:21 What brings us hope
America, Actually publishes video episodes every Saturday tackling key issues in politics, culture, and the economy. Subscribe to Vox’s YouTube channel to get them. Listen to episodes of America, Actually on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite app.
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Iran's strongest weapon - April 10, 2026 - Vox
In 2019, Vox produced an explainer video on the Strait of Hormuz that ended with this line: “Without the direct diplomatic contact between the US and Iran, each run-in has the risk of escalating into war one that could disrupt the jugular of the global economy in the process.”
That war is now here.
Since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran in February, the Strait of Hormuz has become the flashpoint of the regional conflict in the Middle East. Thousands have been killed and millions of lives disrupted as violence has exploded across the region. Iran has responded by wielding the Strait of Hormuz as an economic weapon by restricting access to the Strait.
The result has been global inflation and supply disruption as scarcity drives up the price of oil, gas, and other products that the global economy desperately needs. Iran seems intent on continuing to use the Strait of Hormuz as a high-value bargaining chip, as the country sustains military, civilian, and infrastructure losses.
But the longer the US and Israel struggle to make a deal to permanently reopen the Strait, the longer they will shoulder the blame for starving the world of essential items.
If you want to read more about the Strait of Hormuz, here are some sources that contributed to our reporting:
Vox’s ongoing coverage of the US-Iran war: https://www.vox.com/politics/481087/us-iran-trump-war-israel-politics-explainer
Vox’s 2019 video explainer on the Strait of Hormuz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUBg6Qp_N98
The UN’s breakdown of global trade and development disruptions caused by the Strait of Hormuz: https://unctad.org/publication/strait-hormuz-disruptions-implications-global-trade-and-development
Brookings Institution’s commentary on Iran’s disruption of the Strait of Hormuz: https://www.brookings.edu/articles/why-irans-disruption-of-the-strait-of-hormuz-matters/
The Independent’s analysis of the war by the numbers: https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/middle-east/iran-israel-us-war-death-toll-b2953551.html
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How to forgive yourself - April 10, 2026 - Vox
It’s easy to forgive other people because you don’t have to live inside their head. Forgiving yourself is different and much, much harder.
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Sean Illing is joined by philosopher Myisha Cherry to talk about what it actually means to forgive yourself without letting yourself off the hook. They discuss the difference between guilt and shame (one can push you to repair, while the other just makes you want to hide), why even small screwups can leave a lingering moral aftertaste, and how regret can either trap you in self-reproach or become fuel for doing better.
Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling)
Guest: Myisha Cherry (@myishacherry)
1:53 The value of forgiveness
5:18 The differences between forgiveness and self-forgiveness
7:32 What gives you the right to forgive yourself?
11:02 We're hard on ourselves because we have standards for ourselves
14:50 Guilt vs. shame
16:00 A horrible person vs. someone who does horrible things
28:43 Is anything unforgivable?
35:11 What does your life look like if you cannot forgive yourself?
35:50 Forgiving yourself vs. letting yourself off the hook
Vox.com is a news website that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines. Check out http://www.vox.com.
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How capitalism ate the culture - April 6, 2026 - Vox
Kalle Lasn has been trying to jam consumer culture for decades. Now he thinks that was only the beginning.
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Sean talks with the Adbusters founder about advertising, culture jamming, meme warfare, surveillance capitalism, and why he believes the old left-right political script is dead. Lasn argues that consumer culture is not just shallow or manipulative but part of a system pushing us toward collapse. His answer is bigger than protest and weirder than reform. He wants a cultural revolution that starts with new ideas, new language, and maybe an entirely new politics.
Host: Sean Illing (@seanilling)
Guest: Kalle Lasn (@KalleLasn)
1:19 The Adbusters origin story
5:57 Advertising as a tool for change
14:29 Is consumerism broken?
30:34 Mimetic warfare
40:29 What would make the next Occupy movement work?
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Sen. Murphy vs. Trump's corruption | Today, Explained - April 4, 2026 - Vox
President Donald Trump’s blatant, sometimes open corruption can feel disorienting. While other White Houses have made a point to show their administration is not for sale, this one has seemingly done the opposite — making a big show of their transactional relationship with corporations, Silicon Valley, and other governments, given the right price.
This kind of pay-to-play politics was the focus of a recent forum in Washington, DC, hosted by the American Economic Liberties Project, a think tank focused on corporate consolidation, breaking up monopolies, and accountability for rogue businesses. It’s also an interest of Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT), who has made this anti-corruption a focus of his message and policy proposals since the 2024 election. Vox’s Astead Herndon interviewed Sen. Murphy at this live event. He asked about the effectiveness of this message, what role the Democratic Party also plays in Washington’s current culture of open corruption, and if there's anything the public can do to push back.
Today, Explained publishes video episodes every Saturday tackling key issues in politics and culture. Subscribe to Vox’s YouTube channel to get them. New episodes of Today, Explained drop every day of the week on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite listening app.
If you enjoy our reporting and want to hear more from Vox journalists, sign up for our Patreon at patreon.com/vox. Each month, our members get access to exclusive videos, livestreams, and chats with our newsroom.
00:00 Intro
00:50 Has the Trump admin changed the definition of corruption?
02:48 How is Trump’s transactionalism different?
06:36 Prediction markets problem
09:58 Corruption v. corporate consolidation
12:10 Dems’ responsibility for corruption
17:08 Whether there will be constraints on corruption
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Vox.com is a news website that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines. Check out http://www.vox.com.
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