How It Happened

Elon Musk vs. Twitter Part V: Cracks in the Empire Jan 18, 2023

How It Happened: Elon Musk vs. Twitter Part V: Cracks in the Empire explores whether Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter has made his cross-industry empire too big for one billionaire to run.

Host Erica Pandey examines Musk's first months as CEO of Twitter and the simultaneous challenges facing his other companies.
Reporting from around the Axios newsroom unpacks lawsuits, a federal investigation, and more facing Musk's other companies, including SpaceX, Tesla, and Neuralink.

Credits: This series was reported by the Axios newsroom including Erica Pandey, Amy Pedulla, Naomi Shavin, Sara Fischer, Dan Primack, Miriam Kramer, Joann Muller, Javier E. David, Jonathan Swan, Ina Fried, Ashley Gold and Hope King. Fact-checking by Jacob Knutson. Erica Pandey hosts. Amy Pedulla is reporter-producer. Naomi Shavin is senior producer. Scott Rosenberg and Alison Snyder are the series editors. Sara Kehaulani Goo is the Editor-in-Chief and executive producer. Mixing and sound design by Ben O'Brien. Music supervision by Alex Sugiura. Theme music and original score by Michael Hanf. Special thanks to Axios co-founders Mike Allen, Jim VandeHei and Roy Schwartz. Thanks to Zach Basu, Lucia Orejarena, Priyanka Vora, and Brian Westley.

Elon Musk vs. Twitter Part IV: Musk's Must-Do List Oct 24, 2022

How It Happened: Elon Musk vs. Twitter Part IV: Musk's Must-Do List features reporting from Axios media reporter Sara Fischer about the challenges at Twitter that Musk could inherit — and what he might do about them.

Fischer takes listeners inside Twitter to understand how the platform has struggled with content moderation over the years.
The episode unpacks Musk's vision for free speech and what it could mean for a platform that has become the global public square.

Credits: This series was reported by the Axios newsroom including Erica Pandey, Amy Pedulla, Naomi Shavin, Sara Fischer, Dan Primack, Miriam Kramer, Joann Muller, Javier E. David, Jonathan Swan, Ina Fried, Ashley Gold and Hope King. Fact-checking by Jacob Knutson. Erica Pandey hosts. Amy Pedulla is reporter-producer. Naomi Shavin is senior producer. Scott Rosenberg and Alison Snyder are the series editors. Sara Kehaulani Goo is the Editor-in-Chief and executive producer. Mixing and sound design by Ben O'Brien. Music supervision by Alex Sugiura. Theme music and original score by Michael Hanf. Special thanks to Axios co-founders Mike Allen, Jim VandeHei and Roy Schwartz. Thanks to Zach Basu, Lucia Orejarena, Priyanka Vora, and Brian Westley.

Elon Musk vs. Twitter Part III: Musk Offers To Buy Twitter (Again) Oct 06, 2022

Just days before a trial to determine if Elon Musk would be forced to buy Twitter was scheduled to begin, Musk sent a letter offering once again to buy Twitter for the same price he'd originally offered in April.

Musk has a unique tolerance for risk at his companies, but the surprise move still shocked the tech world, and it's not clear yet if it will successfully knock the trial off the docket.
Media reporter Sara Fischer and business editor Dan Primack join the podcast for a conversation on this latest twist in the saga.
Both Fischer and Primack spent months reporting on the reverberations of Musk's initial offer to buy Twitter both within Musk's inner circle and inside Twitter itself.

Credits: This series was reported by the Axios newsroom including Erica Pandey, Amy Pedulla, Naomi Shavin, Dan Primack, Miriam Kramer, Joann Muller, Javier E. David, Jonathan Swan, Sara Fischer, Ina Fried and Hope King. Fact-checking by Jacob Knutson. Erica Pandey hosts. Amy Pedulla is reporter-producer. Naomi Shavin is senior producer. Scott Rosenberg and Alison Snyder are the series editors. Sara Kehaulani Goo is the Editor-in-Chief and executive producer. Mixing and sound design by Ben O'Brien. Music supervision by Alex Sugiura. Theme music and original score by Michael Hanf. Special thanks to Axios co-founders Mike Allen, Jim VandeHei and Roy Schwartz. Thanks to Zach Basu, Lucia Orejarena, Priyanka Vora, and Brian Westley.

Elon Musk vs. Twitter Part II: Empire of Risk Oct 04, 2022

How It Happened: Elon Musk vs. Twitter Part II: Empire of Risk explores how Musk's philosophy on risk brings people far beyond his consumers and employees into the experiments he runs.

Axios reporters Joann Muller and Miriam Kramer draw on years of reporting on Tesla and SpaceX respectively to detail how risk fits into Musk's framework at these companies.
The episode also features interviews with people who have known Musk for years, who have watched him across his career.
The episode explores how Musk's risk tolerance has allowed him to innovate in ways no one else has — and the costs that come with that.

Credits: This series was reported by the Axios newsroom including Erica Pandey, Amy Pedulla, Naomi Shavin, Dan Primack, Miriam Kramer, Joann Muller, Javier E. David, Jonathan Swan, Sara Fischer, Ina Fried and Hope King. Fact-checking by Jacob Knutson. Erica Pandey hosts. Amy Pedulla is reporter-producer. Naomi Shavin is senior producer. Scott Rosenberg and Alison Snyder are the series editors. Sara Kehaulani Goo is the Editor-in-Chief and executive producer. Mixing and sound design by Ben O'Brien. Music supervision by Alex Sugiura. Theme music and original score by Michael Hanf. Special thanks to Axios co-founders Mike Allen, Jim VandeHei and Roy Schwartz. Thanks to Zach Basu, Lucia Orejarena, Priyanka Vora, and Brian Westley.

Elon Musk vs. Twitter Part I: Not A Chill Normal Dude Sep 16, 2022

How It Happened: Elon Musk vs. Twitter Part I: Not A Chill Normal Dude tells the story of Musk's meteoric rise to become the world's richest man and a cross-industry mogul.

Through interviews with people who were instrumental early in Musk's career, the episode chronicles how Musk moved from industry to industry.
The episode also features Musk in his own words over the years, reflecting on his career and ambitions, and examines how he uses Twitter.
The reporting for this episode was done by reporters across the Axios newsroom, including Dan Primack, Miriam Kramer, Joann Muller, Javier E. David, Jonathan Swan, Sara Fischer and Ina Fried.

This episode contains explicit material that some listeners may find offensive.

Credits: This series was reported by the Axios newsroom including Erica Pandey, Amy Pedulla, Naomi Shavin, Dan Primack, Miriam Kramer, Joann Muller, Javier E. David, Jonathan Swan, Sara Fischer, Ina Fried and Hope King. Fact-checking by Jacob Knutson. Erica Pandey hosts. Amy Pedulla is reporter-producer. Naomi Shavin is senior producer. Scott Rosenberg and Alison Snyder are the series editors. Sara Kehaulani Goo is the Editor-in-Chief and executive producer. Mixing and sound design by Ben O'Brien. Music supervision by Alex Sugiura. Theme music and original score by Michael Hanf. Special thanks to Axios co-founders Mike Allen, Jim VandeHei and Roy Schwartz. Thanks to Zach Basu, Lucia Orejarena, Priyanka Vora, and Brian Westley.

Coming soon: Elon Musk vs. Twitter Aug 30, 2022

How it Happened: Elon Musk vs. Twitter is a first-of-its-kind newsroom collaboration featuring exclusive reporting on the rise of Elon Musk to become world's richest man, the parallel rise of Twitter as the global public square, and the collision of these two titans this year.

This documentary season is hosted by Axios business reporter Erica Pandey and features reporting from political reporter Jonathan Swan, media reporter Sara Fischer, business editor Dan Primack, space reporter Miriam Kramer, and others.

The podcast will go inside Elon Musk's world and inside his companies to understand how he achieved cross-industry dominance and what that says about how he might manage Twitter.
It will also go deep inside Twitter's inner workings, with new reporting on key moments in its history, including the day President Trump's account was permanently suspended.
The podcast will illuminate how Musk's tweet offering to buy the platform and subsequent back-track shook up the financial and tech worlds, how his politics have shifted, how the legal battle between Musk and Twitter could play out — and how all of this could impact his legacy.

Subscribe to hear the new season when it launches in September.

Putin’s Invasion Part V: The Fight for the Donbas May 19, 2022

How It Happened: Putin’s Invasion Part V: The Fight for the Donbas goes straight to the frontlines of the war, seen through the eyes of a journalist who has been covering the war there and a soldier who has been fighting there, both since 2014.

After the failed effort to take Kyiv, Russian President Vladimir Putin turned his focus to the Donbas, vowing to "liberate" the entire region, which was partially controlled by pro-Russian separatists before he launched his full-scale invasion on Feb. 24.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has described soldiers in the Donbas as some of the best Ukraine has. Their battle to defend this region will decide the fate of the war.
Axios World editor Dave Lawler spent weeks interviewing Ukrainian Cpl. Andrii Shadrin and news producer Kateryna Malofieieva to understand the region’s history and significance, the realities of daily life on the ground, and why the stakes of this fight are so high.

Credits: This episode was reported and produced by Dave Lawler and Naomi Shavin. Alison Snyder is the series editor. Sara Kehaulani Goo is the Editor-in-Chief. Mixing, sound design, and music supervision by Alex Sugiura. Ben O’Brien is the mix engineer. Theme music and original score by Michael Hanf. Special thanks to Axios co-founders Mike Allen, Jim VandeHei and Roy Schwartz. Additional thanks to Zach Basu, Kristina Zelenyuk, Anastasiya Ringis, Igor Kazimirov, Tanya Zhukova, and Hiroaki Kuromiya.

Putin's Invasion Part IV: The View from Russia Apr 11, 2022

In part four of How It Happened: Putin’s Invasion, Axios World editor Dave Lawler digs into polling indications that Russians are rallying around their president even as Western sanctions and global condemnations escalate.

This episode features interviews with a top political opposition leader, the director of the leading independent polling firm in Russia, a prominent sociologist from the Moscow School of Social and Economic Sciences and a journalist on the ground in Moscow.
Across these interviews, Lawler sets out to learn why the more horrific the allegations against Russia — such as the apparent massacre of civilians in Bucha— the stronger the impulse seems to be to reject them as lies.

Credits: This episode of Putin's Invasion was reported by Dave Lawler, Alison Snyder, and Naomi Shavin. Sara Fischer and Emily Peck contributed reporting. It was produced by Naomi Shavin. Alison Snyder is the series editor. Sara Kehaulani Goo is the Editor-in-Chief. Ben O’Brien is the mix engineer. Mixing, sound design, and music supervision by Alex Sugiura. Theme music and original score by Michael Hanf. Special thanks to Axios co-founders Mike Allen, Jim VandeHei and Roy Schwartz.

Putin's Invasion Part III: How It Could End Mar 28, 2022

In part three of How It Happened: Putin’s Invasion, Axios World editor Dave Lawler examines a difficult reality — that the only clear path to peace in Ukraine is a deal between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but the red lines drawn by the Russian and Ukrainian leaders do not intersect.

This episode features interviews with Zelensky’s chief of staff, a member of Parliament in his party, two close observers of Putin and the Kremlin, and a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine with decades of diplomatic experience in the region.
Across these interviews, Lawler tries to determine the end games for Putin and Zelensky and the likeliest scenarios for how this conflict could end.

Credits: This episode of Putin's Invasion was reported by Dave Lawler in collaboration with the Axios newsroom and produced by Naomi Shavin. Barak Ravid contributed reporting. Julia Redpath is executive producer. Alison Snyder is the series editor. Sara Kehaulani Goo is the Editor-in-Chief. Ben O'Brien is the mix engineer. Mixing, sound design, and music supervision by Alex Sugiura. Theme music and original score by Michael Hanf. Special thanks to Axios co-founders Mike Allen, Jim VandeHei and Roy Schwartz.

Putin's Invasion Part II: The Consequences Mar 11, 2022

In part two of How it Happened: Putin's Invasion, Axios world editor Dave Lawler explains how Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to invade Ukraine catalyzed a chain of events that are reshaping our world.

Lawler is joined by Axios managing editor Margaret Talev to discuss President Biden's decades of political experience with Russia and the sanctions the U.S. and Europe have brought against the country.
Energy and climate reporter Andrew Freedman explains why it's so hard for the West to cut ties with Russia when it comes to energy, and why the Biden administration chose to do so even if it would send gas prices soaring.

Credits: Putin's Invasion was reported by Dave Lawler in collaboration with the Axios newsroom and produced by Naomi Shavin with help from Sabeena Singhani. Julia Redpath is executive producer. Alison Snyder is the series editor. Sara Kehaulani Goo is the Editor-in-Chief. Mixing, sound design, and music supervision by Alex Sugiura. Additional mixing by Jayk Cherry. Theme music and original score by Michael Hanf. Special thanks to Axios co-founders Mike Allen, Jim VandeHei and Roy Schwartz.

Putin's Invasion Part I: How We Got Here Mar 05, 2022

In part one of How it Happened: Putin's Invasion, Axios world editor Dave Lawler presents reporting and analysis from the Axios newsroom on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Lawler shares insights from a career covering global affairs and dozens of interviews with experts and high ranking officials about how Russian President Vladimir Putin came to power and how the autocrat has wielded it.
The podcast also features Jonathan Swan, Axios national reporter and host of the first season of How It Happened, speaking about his exclusive Axios on HBO interview with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Credits: Putin's Invasion was reported by Dave Lawler in collaboration with the Axios newsroom and produced by Naomi Shavin with help from Sabeena Singhani. Julia Redpath is executive producer. Alison Snyder is the series editor. Sara Kehaulani Goo is the Editor-in-Chief. Mixing, sound design, and music supervision by Alex Sugiura. Additional mixing by Jayk Cherry. Theme music and original score by Michael Hanf. Special thanks to Axios co-founders Mike Allen, Jim VandeHei and Roy Schwartz.

Coming Soon: Putin's Invasion Mar 03, 2022

In How it Happened: Putin's Invasion, Axios World editor Dave Lawler curates the best of Axios' reporting and analysis on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, explaining how the conflict played out in slow motion across eight years and then suddenly escalated.

Lawler will share insights from a career covering global affairs and dozens of interviews with experts and high ranking officials about how Russian President Vladimir Putin came to power and how the autocrat has wielded it.

The podcast will also feature Jonathan Swan, Axios national reporter and host of the first season of How It Happened, speaking about his exclusive interview with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Reporters and editors from across the Axios newsroom including Sara Fischer, Emily Peck and Margaret Talev will unpack how this conflict is playing out in the media and on social media and why it's so hard to push back against Putin and Russia.
The podcast will break down what happened on the ground in the early hours of February 24, 2022 in Ukraine and how this war is changing the world around us in real time.

Listen now to the trailer and subscribe to hear the new season when it launches on Mar. 5, 2022.

Trump’s Big Deal Part II: From Secret Alliance to the Abraham Accords Dec 13, 2021

After Donald Trump’s peace plan between Israel and the Palestinians failed, there was a desperate attempt by the U.S. and the United Arab Emirates to stop Israel from annexing part of the occupied West Bank. That effort led to the most significant Middle East peace agreement in a generation. With exclusive reporting, Axios Middle East correspondent Barak Ravid tells national political correspondent Jonathan Swan what led to Trump’s success and its effects.

Note: This episode contains some explicit language. Credits: The senior producer is Ariana Gharib Lee. The senior editor is Ted Robbins. Dan Bobkoff is the executive producer. Sara Kehaulani Goo is the editor-in-chief. Our managing editors include Alison Snyder and Margaret Talev. Dave Lawler is the world editor. Sound design and mixing by Jeanne Montalvo and Alex Sugiura. Our series theme music is by Michael Hanf. Fact checking by Jacob Knutson.

Trump’s Big Deal Part I: May Your House Be Destroyed Dec 13, 2021

Axios Middle East correspondent Barak Ravid and national political correspondent Jonathan Swan tell how Donald Trump’s grand plan to broker peace between the Israelis and Palestinians was doomed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to compromise and a series of bizarre choices that alienated the Palestinians. Through exclusive reporting and a new interview with Trump and others closely involved, Ravid also reveals that the supposed bromance between Trump and Netanyahu is a myth. When Ravid asked Trump, the former president said about Netanyahu, “F--k him.”

Note: This episode contains some explicit language. Credits: The senior producer is Ariana Gharib Lee. The senior editor is Ted Robbins. Dan Bobkoff is the executive producer. Sara Kehaulani Goo is the editor-in-chief. Our managing editors include Alison Snyder and Margaret Talev. Dave Lawler is the world editor. Sound design and mixing by Jeanne Montalvo and Alex Sugiura. Our series theme music is by Michael Hanf. Fact checking by Jacob Knutson.

Coming soon: Trump’s Big Deal Dec 11, 2021

Axios’ Jonathan Swan is back with a sneak preview of How It Happened’s third season, coming later this month. With exclusive reporting, Swan and Axios’ Barak Ravid tell us the surprising story of the Abraham Accords — the deal between Israel and four Arab states which is changing the Middle East.

The Next Astronauts Part V: The Launch Oct 05, 2021

Axios space reporter Miriam Kramer follows the Inspiration4 crew to the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. to cover their launch and catches up with each of them after their return.

Kramer takes listeners to the press center at the Kennedy Space Center and inside of a pre-launch press conference with the four civilian astronauts the day before launch.
Kramer reports on the launch from on the ground and analyzes the livestream hosted by SpaceX, including the abrupt termination of real-time access to the crew once they reached orbit.
She tracks the crew during their three days in orbit, their high-risk descent back through the Earth's atmosphere, and what the safety and success of the mission means for the entire industry going forward.

Credits: The Next Astronauts is reported and produced by Miriam Kramer, Amy Pedulla, Naomi Shavin, and Alice Wilder. Dan Bobkoff is Executive Producer. Mixing, sound design, and music supervision by Alex Sugiura. Theme music and original score by Michael Hanf. Fact-checking and research by Jacob Knutson. Alison Snyder is a managing editor at Axios and Sara Kehaulani Goo is executive editor. Special thanks to Axios co-founders Mike Allen, Jim VandeHei and Roy Schwartz.

The Next Astronauts Part IV: Risk Sep 14, 2021

Axios space reporter Miriam Kramer learns how the Inspiration4 crew is grappling with risk, something every company in the space industry and all astronauts must confront.

Kramer speaks with the crew, the parent of a crew member, and a former NASA safety expert about how memories of the Challenger explosion have shaped the way the space industry prepares astronauts for risk.
In conversations with crew members Jared Isaacman and Chris Sembroski and with their spouses, Kramer explores how uniquely challenging it is for the parents of young children to prepare their families for a mission to space.
Kramer travels to Bozeman, Montana to watch the Inspiration4 crew fly in fighter jets over the course of a festive weekend, intended to bring the crew's families together, where they all celebrated the upcoming launch and confronted the reality of its approach.

Credits: The Next Astronauts is reported and produced by Miriam Kramer, Amy Pedulla, Naomi Shavin, and Alice Wilder. Dan Bobkoff is Executive Producer. Mixing, sound design, and music supervision by Alex Sugiura. Theme music and original score by Michael Hanf. Fact-checking and research by Jacob Knutson. Alison Snyder is a managing editor at Axios and Sara Kehaulani Goo is executive editor. Special thanks to Axios co-founders Mike Allen, Jim VandeHei and Roy Schwartz.

The Next Astronauts Part III: What It Takes Sep 07, 2021

Axios space reporter Miriam Kramer goes inside SpaceX's headquarters in Hawthorne, California, to see the factory floor, the Inspiration4 crew's training regimen and how this mission fits into SpaceX's broader goals.

Kramer speaks with SpaceX senior leadership and tours the facility, culminating in a chance to see a brand new bubble window built specifically for the Inspiration4 crew.
She gets to sit in on the crew training in a cockpit simulator and learn about the various scenarios they are learning to anticipate.
She also peers inside the Dragon capsule simulator — a mock-up of the capsule they'll fly in — and hears the crew's testimony of a harrowing 30-hour simulation of their mission as the capstone of their training.

Credits: The Next Astronauts is reported and produced by Miriam Kramer, Amy Pedulla, Naomi Shavin, and Alice Wilder. Dan Bobkoff is Executive Producer. Mixing, sound design, and music supervision by Alex Sugiura. Theme music and original score by Michael Hanf. Fact-checking and research by Jacob Knutson. Alison Snyder is a managing editor at Axios and Sara Kehaulani Goo is executive editor. Special thanks to Axios co-founders Mike Allen, Jim VandeHei and Roy Schwartz.

The Next Astronauts Part II: The New Right Stuff Sep 02, 2021

Axios space reporter Miriam Kramer unpacks who historically has been able to go to space and why the selection of Inspiration4 crew members Sian Proctor and Hayley Arceneaux is a break from the status quo.

Kramer shares what she asked Elon Musk in 2020 as the Dragon capsule flew humans for the first time on the same day of nationwide Black Lives Matter protests — and how he answered.
She learns Proctor's story, from her birth in Guam where her father was a contractor for the Apollo 11 mission to becoming a NASA astronaut finalist and to her chance to make history as the first Black female pilot of a spacecraft.
Kramer also explores Arceneaux's story, told by Hayley and her mother, of Hayley overcoming childhood cancer, becoming a physician assistant for the hospital that treated her and getting the opportunity to be the first person in space with a prosthesis.

Credits: The Next Astronauts is reported and produced by Miriam Kramer, Amy Pedulla, Naomi Shavin, and Alice Wilder. Dan Bobkoff is Executive Producer. Mixing, sound design, and music supervision by Alex Sugiura. Theme music and original score by Michael Hanf. Fact-checking and research by Jacob Knutson. Alison Snyder is a managing editor at Axios and Sara Kehaulani Goo is Executive Editor. Special thanks to Axios co-founders Mike Allen, Jim VandeHei and Roy Schwartz.

The Next Astronauts Part I: A Few Ordinary People Aug 31, 2021

Axios space reporter Miriam Kramer traces how a multi-day orbital mission to space without professional astronauts came together in just a matter of weeks.

Kramer takes listeners back to February of 2021, to a press call where SpaceX CEO Elon Musk made a stunning announcement.
She brings listeners into her conversations with billionaire benefactor and mission commander Jared Isaacman to learn how he commissioned and designed the mission.
She chronicles how the other three crew members were selected — one by raffle, one by contest, and one as an ambassador for her employer — and how they felt watching the last crewed launch before their own.

Credits: The Next Astronauts is reported and produced by Miriam Kramer, Amy Pedulla, Naomi Shavin, and Alice Wilder. Dan Bobkoff is Executive Producer. Mixing, sound design, and music supervision by Alex Sugiura. Theme music and original score by Michael Hanf. Fact-checking and research by Jacob Knutson. Alison Snyder is a managing editor at Axios and Sara Kehaulani Goo is Executive Editor. Special thanks to Axios co-founders Mike Allen, Jim VandeHei and Roy Schwartz.

The Next Astronauts Prologue Aug 17, 2021

In How it Happened: The Next Astronauts, Axios space reporter Miriam Kramer follows the first space flight to orbit without professional astronauts. Kramer will take listeners inside the story of the Inspiration4 mission, which SpaceX aims to launch on September 15.

The podcast will chronicle the selection of these four civilians and their training at SpaceX headquarters.
Kramer will go behind the scenes, bringing listeners into conversations with the crew as they grapple with challenges, the risks inherent in space travel and preparing their families for the launch.
The mission has high stakes for the crew and for SpaceX, but it's also pivotal for the industry and could influence the future of privatespace travel.
First, in this prologue, Kramer brings listeners into the current moment for the space industry and why so much is riding on this particular mission.

Credits: The Next Astronauts is reported and produced by Miriam Kramer, Amy Pedulla, Naomi Shavin, and Alice Wilder. Dan Bobkoff is Executive Producer. Mixing, sound design, and music supervision by Alex Sugiura. Theme music and original score by Michael Hanf. Fact checking and research by Jacob Knutson. Alison Snyder is a managing editor at Axios and Sara Kehaulani Goo is Executive Editor. Special thanks to Axios co-founders Mike Allen, Jim VandeHei and Roy Schwartz.

Trump's Last Stand: An Off-The-Books Mission May 28, 2021

In this bonus story for How It Happened: Trump's Last Stand, Axios political correspondent Jonathan Swan details a botched attempt, made during President Trump's final days in office, to rapidly withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

Trump desperately wanted ending America's longest war to be part of his legacy. Instead, it will be Joe Biden's.
Nonetheless, in a recent interview with Swan, Trump took credit for Biden's announcement, insisting he set in motion a plan that could not be stopped.
Swan provides listeners the full story of what Trump tried to do, how, and why it ultimately didn't happen.

Follow the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen so you don't miss our second season coming later this year.

Credits: This episode is produced by Amy Pedulla and Naomi Shavin. Dan Bobkoff is our executive producer. Mixing by Alex Sugiura. Theme music by Michael Hanf. Margaret Talev is Managing Editor of Politics. Sara Kehaulani Goo is Executive Editor. Additional writing, reporting and research by Zach Basu.

Special thanks to Nuria Marquez Martinez, Niala Boodhoo, Alexandra Botti, Jimmy Shelton, and to Axios co-founders Mike Allen, Jim VandeHei, and Roy Schwartz.

Note: This episode has a brief moment of profanity

Trump's Last Stand Part V: Where It Ends Feb 15, 2021

National political correspondent Jonathan Swan tracks the unfolding of the Capitol insurrection on January 6, revealing what happened in the Senate and at the White House — and what it means.

Swan brings listeners into the secure room where senators sheltered in place, heard remarks from both President Trump and President-Elect Biden, and deliberated how to resume the vote certification process.
Swan also reports on the reaction inside the Trump administration, where officials were rapidly resigning, and the ones who remained were strenuously pressuring the President to discourage and disavow the mob of his supporters.

Note: This episode contains some explicit language.

Credits: This show is produced by Amy Pedulla, Naomi Shavin and Alice Wilder. Dan Bobkoff is the executive producer. Additional reporting and fact checking by Zach Basu. Margaret Talev is managing editor of politics. Sara Kehaulani Goo is Axios’s executive editor. Sound design by Alex Sugiura and theme music by Michael Hanf.

For more on this series and our sourcing, click here.

Trump's Last Stand Part IV: The Point Of No Return Feb 08, 2021

National political correspondent Jonathan Swan chronicles how President Donald Trump destroyed his most valuable political relationship — his partnership with Vice President Mike Pence — and set the events of January 6 into motion.

Swan uncovers the surprising catalyst that drove a wedge between Trump and his most loyal ally, a vice president often described as "subservient."
Swan tracks Trump's increasing desperation as December became January and how he turned up the pressure on Pence to refuse to certify the election.

Note: This episode contains some explicit language.

Credits: This show is produced by Amy Pedulla, Naomi Shavin and Alice Wilder. Dan Bobkoff is the executive producer. Additional reporting and fact checking by Zach Basu. Margaret Talev is managing editor of politics. Sara Kehaulani Goo is Axios’s executive editor. Sound design by Alex Sugiura and theme music by Michael Hanf.

For more on this series and our sourcing, click here.

Trump's Last Stand Part III: The Break With Barr Feb 01, 2021

National political correspondent Jonathan Swan reveals the story behind President Trump's break from Attorney General William Barr, who had been deeply loyal and a key bridge between Trump and the Republican establishment.

Swan takes listeners into the room for two explosive, consequential meetings that led to Barr's resignation.
By examining the breakdown of the relationship between Trump and Barr, Swan shows how Trump began to turn on not just his campaign team, but his most crucial allies in his administration.

Note: This episode contains some explicit language.

Credits: This show is produced by Amy Pedulla, Naomi Shavin and Alice Wilder. Dan Bobkoff is the executive producer. Additional reporting and fact checking by Zach Basu. Margaret Talev is managing editor of politics. Sara Kehaulani Goo is Axios’s executive editor. Sound design by Alex Sugiura and theme music by Michael Hanf.

For more on this series and our sourcing, click here.

Trump's Last Stand Part II: The Legal Team Jan 25, 2021

National political correspondent Jonathan Swan traces how Donald Trump's strategy to dispute the result of the 2020 election evolved from targeted lawsuits to embracing — and amplifying — conspiracy theories.

Starting with the Four Seasons Total Landscaping press conference and digging into subsequent meetings, Swan offers new reporting on how Rudy Guliani and Sidney Powell became the faces of Trump's legal strategy.
Swan's reporting takes listeners behind closed doors, where President Trump's inner circle and a group of conspiracy theorists clashed over how best to advise the President.

Note: This episode contains some explicit language.

Credits: This show is produced by Amy Pedulla, Naomi Shavin and Alice Wilder. Dan Bobkoff is the executive producer. Additional reporting and fact checking by Zach Basu. Margaret Talev is managing editor of politics. Sara Kehaulani Goo is Axios’s executive editor. Sound design by Alex Sugiura and theme music by Michael Hanf.

For more on this series and our sourcing, click here.

Trump's Last Stand Part I: Where It Starts Jan 18, 2021

In part one of How It Happened: Trump's Last Stand, Axios political correspondent Jonathan Swan draws a direct line from President Trump's Election Night speech, in which he falsely declared victory, to the insurrection on the Capitol on January 6.

But, but, but: The story really starts in early October, as Trump is recovering from COVID-19 and struggling to turn around a flailing campaign.

New episodes out each Monday. In the meantime, subscribe to our daily news shows, Axios Today and Axios Re:Cap.

Credits: This show is produced by Amy Pedulla, Naomi Shavin and Alice Wilder. Dan Bobkoff is the executive producer. Additional reporting and fact checking by Zach Basu. Margaret Talev is managing editor of politics. Sara Kehaulani Goo is Axios’s executive editor. Sound design by Alex Sugiura and theme music by Michael Hanf.

Coming soon: How It Happened: Trump's Last Stand Jan 15, 2021

Axios's new documentary series premieres Monday. Featuring the reporting of Jonathan Swan, go inside the last days of the Trump administration with never before reported details.

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