Stay Tuned with Preet

Latest Episodes:

250 Years On, Can Democracy Hold? (with Joanne Freeman) Jun 25, 2026

Show notes

Joanne Freeman is a historian, author, and renowned professor at Yale, where she specializes in early American politics and political culture. She joins Preet ahead of the 250th anniversary of America’s founding to discuss the continued relevance of the Declaration of Independence, the fragility of democracy, and why the Founders were so worried about demagogues, civic virtue, and the peaceful transfer of power.

Then, Preet answers listener questions about whether states can require ICE agents to identify themselves, and the recent court decision requiring that Trump’s name be removed from the Kennedy Center.

In the bonus for Insiders, Preet and Freeman discuss President George Washington’s remarkable and prescient decision to relinquish power.

Join the Insider community for access to bonus content from Stay Tuned and weekly episodes of the Insider podcast hosted by Preet and Joyce Vance. For a limited time, we’re offering 25% off the Insider membership, in honor of America’s 250th anniversary. To claim the discount and become a member, visit staytuned.substack.com/250. Thank you for supporting our work.

Show notes and a transcript of the episode are available on our website.

You can now watch this episode! Head to CAFE’s Youtube channel and subscribe.

Shop Stay Tuned merch and featured books by our guests in our Amazon storefront.

Have a question for Preet? Ask @PreetBharara on BlueSky, or Twitter with the hashtag #AskPreet. Email us at staytuned@cafe.com, or call 833-997-7338 to leave a voicemail.

Stay Tuned with Preet is brought to you by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

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SCOTUS is Making It Harder to Fight for Your Rights (with Steve Vladeck) Jun 23, 2026

Show notes

As the Supreme Court term nears its end, the justices are releasing some of the most highly anticipated decisions. In this excerpt from the Insider podcast, Supreme Court expert Steve Vladeck joins Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance to discuss Landor v. Louisiana Department of Corrections, a case with implications for religious freedoms and the ability of ordinary Americans to vindicate their rights in court. Vladeck is also a professor at Georgetown University Law School and the author of the Substack newsletter One First.

In the full episode, they cover U.S. v. Hemani, a gun possession case, and Kian v. Florida, a case about six-person juries. Plus, which upcoming decisions should we be paying the most attention to?

To support the show and gain access to full Insider episodes, become a member. For a limited time, get 25% off an annual membership on Substack: staytuned.substack.com/250.

CAFE Insiders click HERE to listen to the full analysis.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel.

This podcast is brought to you by CAFE and Vox Media Podcast Network.

Executive Producer: Tamara Sepper; Supervising Producer: Jake Kaplan; Associate Producer: Claudia Hernández; Senior Audio Producer: Matthew Billy; CAFE Team: Celine Rohr, Nat Weiner, Jennifer Indig, and Liana Greenway.

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The Department of Revenge? (with Devlin Barrett) Jun 18, 2026

Show notes

Devlin Barrett is a reporter for The New York Times, where he has covered the Justice Department and the FBI for over 20 years. He joins Preet to discuss his new book, The Department of Revenge: How Trump Took Control of American Justice. Barrett takes us inside the DOJ, where morale remains strained, and concerns are growing about the influence of Trump loyalists. He also unpacks Trump’s long-running fixation on former FBI Director Jim Comey and assesses Todd Blanche’s chances at being confirmed by the Senate as the permanent Attorney General.

Then, Preet shares his thoughts on Hunter Biden’s emergence as a prolific and unusually candid public voice.

In the bonus for Insiders, Preet and Barrett discuss why so many Justice Department employees are willing to risk their careers to uphold ethical standards and resist pressure from Trump.

Join the Insider community for access to bonus content from Stay Tuned and weekly episodes of the Insider podcast hosted by Preet and Joyce Vance. Head to cafe.com/insider or staytuned.substack.com to sign up. Thank you for supporting our work.

Show notes and a transcript of the episode are available on our website.

You can now watch this episode! Head to CAFE’s Youtube channel and subscribe.

Shop Stay Tuned merch and featured books by our guests in our Amazon storefront.

Have a question for Preet? Ask @PreetBharara on BlueSky, or Twitter with the hashtag #AskPreet. Email us at staytuned@cafe.com, or call 833-997-7338 to leave a voicemail.

Stay Tuned with Preet is brought to you by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

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Trump Picks a New Director of National Intelligence Jun 16, 2026

Show notes

President Trump nominated Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton to be the new Director of National Intelligence after facing bipartisan backlash over his initial pick of Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte. In this excerpt from the Insider podcast, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance discuss Clayton’s nomination, his qualifications, and how lawmakers have responded to Trump’s pivot.

In the full episode, they cover the latest legal challenges to Trump’s $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization” fund. Plus, the Supreme Court decision ruling federal prosecutors can only try a defendant in the district where the alleged offense occurred.

To support the show and gain access to full Insider episodes, become a member at cafe.com/insider or staytuned.substack.com/subscribe.

CAFE Insiders click HERE to listen to the full analysis.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel.

This podcast is brought to you by CAFE and Vox Media Podcast Network.

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Cancer, GLP-1s, and Vaccine Hesitancy (with Atul Gawande) Jun 11, 2026

Show notes

Atul Gawande is a surgeon, a best-selling author, and a longtime contributor to The New Yorker. He also served as the Assistant Administrator for Global Health at USAID under President Biden. He joins Preet to discuss new medical breakthroughs from cancer to GLP-1s, and the crisis of faith in our healthcare establishment.

Then, Preet answers listener questions about whether Trump’s DOJ Anti-Weaponization Fund is really dead. He also shares his thoughts on President Trump’s acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte and Hunter Biden’s newly revived X account.

In the bonus for Insiders, Preet and Gawande discuss affordability and the original sin of our healthcare system.

Join the Insider community for access to bonus content from Stay Tuned and weekly episodes of the Insider podcast hosted by Preet and Joyce Vance. Head to cafe.com/insider to sign up. Thank you for supporting our work.

Show notes and a transcript of the episode are available on our website.

You can now watch this episode! Head to CAFE’s Youtube channel and subscribe.

Shop Stay Tuned merch and featured books by our guests in our Amazon storefront.

Have a question for Preet? Ask @PreetBharara on BlueSky, or Twitter with the hashtag #AskPreet. Email us at staytuned@cafe.com, or call 833-997-7338 to leave a voicemail.

Stay Tuned with Preet is brought to you by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

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Iran, Bolton, Pulte & Blanche (with Ben Wittes) Jun 09, 2026

Show notes

The House of Representatives passed a bipartisan resolution halting U.S. military action against Iran. In this excerpt from the Insider podcast, Ben Wittes joins Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance to discuss its legal and political significance. Wittes is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Lawfare and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

In the full episode, they cover:

– A reported plea deal between the Justice Department and President Trump’s former national security advisor John Bolton;

– Trump’s appointment of Bill Pulte as Acting Director of National Intelligence; and

– Trump’s appointment of Todd Blanche as Attorney General.

To support the show and gain access to full Insider episodes, become a member at cafe.com/insider or staytuned.substack.com/subscribe.

CAFE Insiders click HERE to listen to the full analysis.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel.

This podcast is brought to you by CAFE and Vox Media Podcast Network.

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E. Jean Carroll and the Mob Boss Presidency (with Barb McQuade) Jun 04, 2026

Show notes

Barb McQuade is a former U.S. Attorney, MS NOW legal analyst, law professor, and author of The Fix: Saving America from the Corruption of a Mob-Style Government. In this live episode taped at the 92NY in New York City, Barb joins Preet to discuss President Trump’s mob-style tactics, the $1.8 billion “slush fund” for January 6 defendants, threats to the rule of law, and how Americans can reclaim democratic accountability.

Then, Preet answers listener questions about lawsuits challenging President Trump’s slush fund, whether acting officials can be impeached, and a court ruling barring arrests from being made in New York City immigration courts.

In the bonus for Insiders, Preet and McQuade discuss restoring public faith in the Justice Department, the most important lesson for law students, and whether RICO is a viable legal tool for holding the Trump administration accountable.

Show notes and a transcript of the episode are available on our website.

You can now watch this episode! Head to CAFE’s Youtube channel and subscribe.

Shop Stay Tuned merch and featured books by our guests in our Amazon storefront.

Have a question for Preet? Ask @PreetBharara on BlueSky, or Twitter with the hashtag #AskPreet. Email us at staytuned@cafe.com, or call 833-997-7338 to leave a voicemail.

Stay Tuned with Preet is brought to you by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

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Trump Blocked: Slush Fund & Kennedy Center Jun 02, 2026

Show notes

A federal judge has blocked Trump’s efforts to add his own name to the Kennedy Center, a performing arts institution that honors the legacy of President John F. Kennedy. In this excerpt from the Insider podcast, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance break down the court’s legal reasoning and larger takeaways from this development.

In the full Insider episode, they cover:

– Trump’s “anti-weaponization” fund, and a federal court decision that effectively reopens Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS; and

– Reports that the Justice Department is investigating E. Jean Carroll, who accused Trump of sexual assault and won two defamation lawsuits against him, for allegedly committing perjury.

To support the show and gain access to full Insider episodes, become a member at cafe.com/insider or staytuned.substack.com/subscribe.

CAFE Insiders click HERE to listen to the full analysis.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel.

This podcast is brought to you by CAFE and Vox Media Podcast Network.

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Republicans Finally Break With Trump - But Why Now? (with Dan Goldman) May 28, 2026

Show notes

Rep. Dan Goldman is a Democratic congressman from New York and a former federal prosecutor. He joins Preet to discuss Trump’s $1.776 billion “weaponization” fund, the future of Democratic oversight in Congress, his primary race, and the politics of Israel and Gaza.

Then, Preet answers listener questions about the sentence commutation of Tina Peters, the former Colorado county clerk convicted of breaching election equipment, and about the original meaning of Memorial Day.

In the bonus for Insiders, Preet and Goldman take on the impossible challenge of choosing DOJ’s worst offense yet.

Show notes and a transcript of the episode are available on our website.

You can now watch this episode! Head to CAFE’s Youtube channel and subscribe.

Shop Stay Tuned merch and featured books by our guests in our Amazon storefront.

Have a question for Preet? Ask @PreetBharara on BlueSky, or Twitter with the hashtag #AskPreet. Email us at staytuned@cafe.com, or call 833-997-7338 to leave a voicemail.

Stay Tuned with Preet is brought to you by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is SCOTUS Diluting Your Vote? (with Doug Jones) May 26, 2026

Show notes

On this week’s Insider podcast, Doug Jones, former Senator from Alabama and current candidate for the state’s governor, joins Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance to break down redistricting efforts across the country, and the major recent Supreme Court decisions on gerrymandering and the dismantling of the Voting Rights Act. Doug also served as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama.

In the full episode, they discuss a federal judge’s decision to dismiss the criminal charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia on grounds of vindictive prosecution and what it means for similar cases involving famous defendants like former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

This segment is available for free to listeners of Stay Tuned. To hear the full episode, become a member at cafe.com/insider or staytuned.substack.com/subscribe. You’ll also get access to other exclusive content.

CAFE Insiders click HERE to listen to the full analysis.

Join Preet Bharara and Barb McQuade live at the 92NY on May 31st: cafe.com/barb

Subscribe to our YouTube channel.

This podcast is brought to you by CAFE and Vox Media Podcast Network.

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