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.
Copyright: © 2023 CNN
Roughly 95,000 employees left federal science agencies between September 2024 and December 2025, according to the Partnership for Public Service. Former NASA climate scientist Kate Marvel recently joined that group, citing the administration’s funding cuts and attacks on climate and environmental regulations in her resignation letter. However, she remains hopeful about the future of the study of climate change – if her fellow scientists are willing to get angry about it.
For more: Trump admin is pulling supercomputers out of key weather and climate research center
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Guest: Kate Marvel, former NASA climate scientist
Host: David Rind
Producer: Paola Ortiz
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Editorial Support: Andrew Freedman
Photo: Reid Wiseman/NASA
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Last week, US Vice President JD Vance was dispatched abroad for a pair of high-profile assignments. But after stumping for Viktor Orbán, the Hungarian prime minister suffered a huge election loss and marathon talks Vance led to end the war with Iran wrapped up without a deal. So what does this say about the political power of the MAGA movement’s heir apparent? And how does someone shaped by Catholicism feel about President Donald Trump’s beef with the Pope?
For more: How Vance is navigating peace talks with Iran — and his own political future
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Guest: Alayna Treene, CNN White House Correspondent
Host: David Rind
Producer: Paola Ortiz
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Photo: Jacquelyn Martin/Pool/AP
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The Trump administration’s effort to build a national citizen database is running into roadblocks in court and alarming some election officials on both sides of the aisle. But what is this data for? And how could it be used? We hear from one election official about why he’s pushing back, and look at how election integrity concerns are playing out in other parts of the country.
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Guests: David Yates, Jefferson County (KY) Clerk & Tierney Sneed, CNN Reporter
Host: David Rind
Producer: Paola Ortiz
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Photo: Carlos Osorio/Reuters/File
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The firing of the US Army chief of staff and two other generals is just the latest personnel shakeup under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. But why do this during wartime? We examine whether disagreements between Hegseth and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll are behind the move, and how Hegseth’s ongoing fixation on so-called “culture wars” and loyalty could impact service members.
For more: Trump and Hegseth on Iran war: ‘God is good’
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Guest: Haley Britzky, CNN National Security Reporter
Host: David Rind
Producer: Paola Ortiz
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
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Amid a stalled Surgeon General nomination, a federal court ruling striking down vaccine overhauls (at least for now), and anger from ‘Make America Healthy Again’ activists, some are wondering whether Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has lost his grip on the movement that helped propel President Donald Trump back to the White House. We hear from one activist outraged by an executive order about weedkiller who says some voters “will not be coming back.” Plus, what’s going on with all the whole milk hype videos?
For more: How RFK Jr.’s MAHA agenda keeps hitting roadblocks
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Guests: Kelly Ryerson, ‘Glyphosate Girl’ & Sarah Owermohle, CNN Health Policy Reporter
Host/Producer: David Rind
Senior Producer: Matt Martinez
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Photo: Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg/Getty Images
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A crew of four astronauts are preparing for a historic mission that will take them around the far side of the moon and back, the furthest human space travel in more than 50 years. Like any space mission, the run-up has been filled with delays and safety concerns, but experts say this mission is a key part of an ambitious plan from the Trump administration to establish a lunar colony and eventually visit Mars. But is any of this feasible? And can Americans still be inspired like they were during the Space Race of the 1960s?
For more: Why haven’t humans been back to the moon in over 50 years?
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Guest: Pam Melroy, former astronaut & NASA Deputy Administrator
Host/Producer: David Rind
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Photo: Sam Lott/NASA
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A California jury found Meta and YouTube liable on all counts in a case that accused the tech giants of intentionally addicting a young woman and injuring her mental health. Experts say the landmark decision could open the door to a flood of other litigation that could reshape how these companies operate. But will anything actually change? We also hear from one of the hundreds of other plaintiffs suing social media companies who are hoping this verdict bodes well for them.
Note: this episode contains discussions of eating disorders.
For more: Listen to CNN’s “Terms of Service” podcast
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Guest: Caroline Koziol & Clare Duffy, CNN Tech Reporter
Host: David Rind
Producer: Paola Ortiz
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Photo: Mike Blake/Reuters
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The war with Iran has sent shockwaves through the global oil markets and jacked up gas prices in the US. But it has also caused a surge in fertilizer prices, which is straining US farmers who were already dealing with the impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs. We hear from one Iowa soybean and corn farmer who says his industry is suffering from the Trump administration’s self-inflicted wounds.
For more: Fertilizer prices bring more pain for American farmers amid war in Iran
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Guest: Joshua Manske, Iowa soybean and corn farmer
Host: David Rind
Producer: Paola Ortiz
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Editorial Support: Gordon Ebanks
Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images
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Prediction markets are opening new doors to bet on pretty much anything - even outcomes during war. But things can get pretty heated when money is on the line, and now at least one state is stepping in to accuse a major prediction market of running an illegal gambling operation. WIRED’s Kate Knibbs talks about the “casino-ification” of everything and what this could mean for the future of politics and betting.
For more: Iran-related bets on prediction sites scrutinized over ‘death markets’ and possible insider trades
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Guests: Jesus Martinez & Kate Knibbs, WIRED Senior Writer
Host: David Rind
Producer: Paola Ortiz
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Photo: Daniel Heuer/Bloomberg via Getty Images
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has not been shy about how his Christian faith has shaped him. However, some activists fear his views could be encroaching on the secular military in unprecedented ways and influencing how commanders are framing the war in Iran. We explore a controversial pastor connected to Hegseth who is leading a growing movement rooted in Christian nationalism and the idea that women should be “submissive” to their husbands.
For more: Inside one pastor’s crusade for Christian domination in the age of Trump
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Guests: Pamela Brown, CNN Anchor/Chief Investigative Correspondent
Host: David Rind
Producer: Paola Ortiz
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Editorial Support: Shoshana Dubnow
Photo: REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz
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