Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson about Special Counsel Jack Smith's January 6th brief. Federal prosecutors are providing the most detailed look yet — at their election interference case against former President Donald Trump. In court papers unsealed on Wednesday, the Justice Department describes how Trump allegedly conspired to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for new episodes each Saturday. Sign up for sponsor-free episodes and support NPR's political journalism at plus.npr.org/trumpstrials. Email the show at trumpstrials@npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson looks at Attorney General Merrick Garland's legacy at the Justice Department. Much of that legacy will be scrutinized for how he handled federal criminal cases against former President Donald Trump and prosecutions of Jan. 6 defendants. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for new episodes each Saturday. Sign up for sponsor-free episodes and support NPR's political journalism at plus.npr.org/trumpstrials. Email the show at trumpstrials@npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR voting rights correspondent Hansi Lo Wang takes a look at the U.S. Postal Service's ability to deliver mail-ballots on time for November's election. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for new episodes each Saturday. Sign up for sponsor-free episodes and support NPR's political journalism at plus.npr.org/trumpstrials. Email the show at trumpstrials@npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered Host Ari Shapiro speaks with WABE politics reporter Sam Gringlas. In a highly controversial decision the Georgia State Election Board voted to require a hand count of the number of ballots cast on Election Day. Supporters argue this change will ensure the integrity of the election, while opponent say the last-minute change could cause delays and confusion on election night and the days that follow. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for new episodes each Saturday. Sign up for sponsor-free episodes and support NPR's political journalism at plus.npr.org/trumpstrials. Email the show at trumpstrials@npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Georgia's Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger about the upcoming presidential election. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for new episodes each Saturday. Sign up for sponsor-free episodes and support NPR's political journalism at plus.npr.org/trumpstrials. Email the show at trumpstrials@npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow takes speaks with Dan Reed, the director of the documentary "Stopping the Steal." In the film we hear from Republican officials in Arizona and Georgia who wanted Donald Trump to win the 2020 presidential election but were not willing to break the law for him. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for new episodes each Saturday. Sign up for sponsor-free episodes and support NPR's political journalism at plus.npr.org/trumpstrials. Email the show at trumpstrials@npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

For this episode of Trump's Trials, NPR voting rights correspondent Hansi Lo Wang takes a look at what have been known as "fake electors" returning for the 2024 election. Four years ago, these Republican electors gathered in seven mainly swing states where Trump lost the popular vote to sign certificates that became part of a scheme by the former president and his allies to try to overturn the election results. This year's return of some of these Republicans as potential electors — confirmed in recent weeks through party filings to state election officials — raises questions about what they will do if Trump loses in their states again. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for new episodes each Saturday. Sign up for sponsor-free episodes and support NPR's political journalism at plus.npr.org/trumpstrials. Email the show at trumpstrials@npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with NPR politics reporter Ximena Bustillo. New York Judge Juan Merchan delayed former President Donald Trump's sentencing in the hush money fraud case to November 26th, after the presidential election. In May, a jury found Trump guilty of 34 felony counts for falsifying business records related to payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels. This is the second time sentencing has been delayed. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for new episodes each Saturday. Sign up for sponsor-free episodes and support NPR's political journalism at plus.npr.org/trumpstrials. Email the show at trumpstrials@npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Ari Shapiro speaks with NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson. The Justice Department is looking to salvage the federal election interference case against Trump following the Supreme Court's ruling that he has considerable immunity from criminal prosecution for acts carried out while he was president. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for new episodes each Saturday. Sign up for sponsor-free episodes and support NPR's political journalism at plus.npr.org/trumpstrials. Email the show at trumpstrials@npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered Host Ailsa Chang speaks with Voting Correspondent Miles Parks. Georgia recently changed a voting rule that could allow some local election boards the ability to refuse to certify results. NPR's Miles Parks breaks down the concerns over this rule change and why some experts believe the courts are a strong backstop to possible certification challenges. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for new episodes each Saturday. Sign up for sponsor-free episodes and support NPR's political journalism at plus.npr.org/trumpstrials. Email the show at trumpstrials@npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow takes a look back at an unbelievable summer in politics. NPR's Domenico Montanaro looks ahead at what to expect over the next 66 days of campaigning. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for new episodes each Saturday. Sign up for sponsor-free episodes and support NPR's political journalism at plus.npr.org/trumpstrials. Email the show at trumpstrials@npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered Host Ailsa Chang speaks with Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson. The Justice Department has obtained a new grand jury indictment in the federal election interference case against Donald Trump. The move comes weeks after the Supreme Court gave the former president substantial immunity from prosecution. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for new episodes each Saturday. Sign up for sponsor-free episodes and support NPR's political journalism at plus.npr.org/trumpstrials. Email the show at trumpstrials@npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks with Constitutional expert Kim Wehle. Federal Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed former President Donald Trump's classified documents case on Monday. Cannon ruled the appointment of Jack Smith to special counsel was unconstitutional and therefore the indictment should be dismissed. Trump faced 40 felony counts for allegedly taking classified material and obstructing the government's efforts to retrieve them. Special Counsel Jack Smith has already filed an appeal — and this could very likely make its way to the Supreme Court. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for new episodes each Saturday. Sign up for sponsor-free episodes and support NPR's political journalism at plus.npr.org/trumpstrials. Email the show at trumpstrials@npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered's Ailsa Chang speaks with NPR's Greg Allen and Carrie Johnson. Federal Judge Aileen Cannon has dismissed former President Donald Trump's classified documents case in Florida. The ruling argued that the initial appointment of Special Counsel Jack Smith was unconstitutional. Most legal observers saw the case as the one with the most clear-cut evidence against him. The ruling comes after months of delays from Cannon, a judge nominated by Trump, who has come under increasing scrutiny for how she has handled this case. Topics include: - how Judge Cannon explained her ruling - reaction from Trump and his team - where the other three criminal cases against Trump stand Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for new episodes each Saturday. Sign up for sponsor-free episodes and support NPR's political journalism at plus.npr.org/trumpstrials. Email the show at trumpstrials@npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks with Daniel Ziblatt and Steven Levitsky, the authors of How Democracies Die and Tyranny of the Minority. The Supreme Court's landmark decision ruling that president's enjoy broad immunity from criminal prosecution stunned many constitutional experts. Ziblatt and Levitsky see it as the latest move that has put America's democracy in danger of "collapse." In this episode we dive into the state of America's democracy and what can be done to save it. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for new episodes each Saturday. Sign up for sponsor-free episodes and support NPR's political journalism at plus.npr.org/trumpstrials. Email the show at trumpstrials@npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Domenico Montanaro speaks with former deputy assistant attorney general Harry Litman. The Supreme Court's landmark decision on presidential immunity is complicating all of the pending legal cases against former President Donald Trump. Even the hush money trial where he was already convicted is getting a second look to determine what, if any, evidence violates the Supreme Court's ruling. Topics include: - Reaction to immunity decision - How decision affects Trump's legal cases Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for new episodes each Saturday. Sign up for sponsor-free episodes and support NPR's political journalism at plus.npr.org/trumpstrials. Email the show at trumpstrials@npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Ailsa Chang speaks with NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson. In 1974 the Supreme Court unanimously ruled in United States v. Nixon, that Nixon must to comply with a subpoena and hand over his White House tapes. It was a blow to Nixon's presidency and two weeks later he resigned from office. But what would've happened if today's Supreme Court was on the bench in 1974? Carrie Johnson spoke with people involved in Watergate to find out. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for new episodes each Saturday. Sign up for sponsor-free episodes and support NPR's political journalism at plus.npr.org/trumpstrials. Email the show at trumpstrials@npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Ailsa Chang speaks with University of Baltimore law professor Kim Wahle and later, NPR senior editor and political correspondent Domenico Montanaro. In a 6-to-3 decision, along ideological lines, the Court ruled that presidents have absolute immunity for their core constitutional powers, and are entitled to a presumption of immunity for other official acts. But they also ruled that presidents do not have immunity for unofficial acts. The decision will affect the federal election interference case and the Georgia election interference case. Topics include: - Supreme Court immunity decision - Federal election interference case - Georgia election interference case Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for new episodes each Saturday. Sign up for sponsor-free episodes and support NPR's political journalism at plus.npr.org/trumpstrials. Email the show at trumpstrials@npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson. The Supreme Court ruled federal prosecutors improperly charged hundreds of January 6ths defendants — and potentially, even former President Donald Trump. The majority found the charge — obstructing an official proceeding — does not apply unless the Justice Department can prove a defendant interfered with official documents. Therefore solely storming the Capitol to interrupt the certification of the 2020 election is not enough to warrant the charge. Topics include: - Supreme Court ruling - Impact of federal election interference case Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for new episodes each Saturday. Sign up for sponsor-free episodes and support NPR's political journalism at plus.npr.org/trumpstrials. Email the show at trumpstrials@npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

For this episode of Trump's Trials, host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson and with retired federal judge Shira Scheindlin. Judge Aileen Cannon continues to make decisions in the Florida classified documents case that strike some legal observers as odd. Retired federal judge Shira Scheindlin gave us her view on Cannon's choices and why she thinks Cannon is moving slowly through pre-trial motions. Topics include: - Update on classified documents case - Cannon's decisions - lookahead to pre-trial hearing Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for new episodes each Saturday. Sign up for sponsor-free episodes and support NPR's political journalism at plus.npr.org/trumpstrials. Email the show at trumpstrials@npr.org. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy