Stay ConnectedStarting August 2, 2026 all new episodes can be found over in the CNN 5 Things feed. Search “CNN 5 Things” wherever you get your podcasts.
You’ve been overwhelmed with headlines all week – what’s worth a closer look? One Thing takes you beyond the headlines and helps make sense of what everyone is talking about. Host David Rind talks to experts, reporters on the front lines and the real people impacted by the news about what they’ve learned – and why it matters.
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As schools start to reopen across the country, new CDC data shows that a record share of US kindergartners missed required vaccinations last school year. It comes as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. continues to downplay vaccine efficacy and slash funding for research and development. We hear from a county health administrator in Texas who is concerned an ongoing measles outbreak could soon arrive on his doorstep.
Guest: Dr. Philip Huang, Dallas County Health & Human Services director
Have a question about the news? Have a story you think we should cover? Call us at 202-240-2895.
Host: David Rind
Producer: Paola Ortiz
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Editorial Support: Deirdre McPhillips, Jamie Gumbrecht
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President Donald Trump’s firing of the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics has some economic experts on edge just as new tariffs are about to take effect. We examine how Trump’s attempts to control official narratives are out of an authoritarian playbook and look at its potential impact on all Americans.
Guest: Phil Mattingly, CNN Chief Domestic Correspondent & Anchor
Have a question about the news? Have a story you think we should cover? Call us at 202-240-2895.
Host: David Rind
Producer: Paola Ortiz
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
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Climate scientists are sounding the alarm after the Trump administration proposed to repeal a landmark finding that human-caused climate change endangers human health and safety, which has been the basis for several federal rules limiting greenhouse gas pollution. We hear from a former EPA administrator who is worried the move could end up empowering bad actors in the business world.
Guest: Christine Todd Whitman, former EPA administrator
Have a question about the news? Have a story you think we should cover? Call us at 202-240-2895.
Host/Producer: David Rind
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
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Israel has taken some steps to relax restrictions on aid into Gaza in recent days amid a steady stream of horrific images of starving and emaciated Palestinians emerging from the besieged enclave. We hear from the leader of one aid group who believes much more needs to be done – and why only one man can help make it happen.
Guest: Arwa Damon, president/founder of International Network for Aid, Relief and Assistance (INARA)
Have a question about the news? Have a story you think we should cover? Call us at 202-240-2895.
Host/Producer: David Rind
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
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Former Texas governor and US Energy Secretary Rick Perry is not someone you’d think would be advocating for controversial psychedelic therapies to treat mental illness and PTSD. Yet he is one of a growing number of prominent Republican voices stepping forward to push for more research. In part two of our series, we trace why the politics of psychedelics have shifted over the decades, and whether HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will hurt or help the cause.
Guest: Jane C. Hu, science journalist and writer, The Microdose newsletter
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While President Donald Trump seems eager to move on from convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the loudest MAGA voices don’t seem to be. But will the backlash actually hurt Trump’s presidency? We dig into just how much anger there actually is amongst Republicans and why there is a growing bipartisan push for transparency in Congress.
Guest: Aaron Blake, CNN Senior Reporter
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HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other Trump officials seem open to embracing psychedelics as treatment for serious conditions trauma, depression and drug addiction. The shift has excited advocates, but some experts worry the hype could be getting ahead of science and safety. In part one of a two-part series, we hear from someone who says a powerful hallucinogen helped kick her drug habit.
Guest: Samantha Juan, US Army veteran
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Note: This episode contains descriptions of offensive language.
Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI was forced to issue an apology after its chatbot Grok started spewing violent and antisemitic responses to user prompts last week. We examine why Grok isn’t the only chatbot that has an antisemitism problem and why hate speech might actually be part of the solution.
Guest: Hadas Gold, CNN Correspondent
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A recent diplomatic cable revealed that someone has been using artificial intelligence to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a bid to gain access to accounts or information. It comes amid a rise in deepfake scams targeting victims around the world. We look at whether law enforcement is equipped to deal with the problem – and what a different approach might look like.
Guest: David Maimon, SentiLink Head of Fraud Insights/Georgia State University Professor of Criminology
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In the days since the catastrophic flooding in central Texas, some have been asking: could more have been done to warn residents? We examine what we know about the communication between federal and local officials and look at how a warming world might necessitate a different approach to emergency notifications.
Guest: Bernadette Woods Placky, Climate Central Chief Meteorologist
Have a question about the news? Have a story you think we should cover? Call us at 202-240-2895.
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