Post Reports

President Donald Trump announced he plans to close the Kennedy Center for two years to renovate it. He says the changes will make the performing arts center “brand-new and really beautiful” — but not everyone is convinced.

How families and first responders are grieving — and remembering their loved ones — after last year’s deadly plane crash in D.C.

Ten years after being released from Iran’s worst prison, Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian is now a committed advocate for press freedom. He reflects on life after his wrongful imprisonment and the events in Iran today.

In the wake of Alex Pretti’s killing and bipartisan criticism of DHS, President Donald Trump appeared to soften his stance on immigration enforcement — somewhat. Meanwhile, Democrats in Congress see an opportunity to force changes to how ICE operates.

AI companies wanted to train their language models on books. But they didn’t want to pay.

Bigger houses are part of the American Dream. But research says that sizing up isn’t necessarily a good idea.

The Department of Homeland Security was founded after the attacks of Sept. 11 to prevent further foreign terrorist attacks. Now, under the leadership of Kristi L. Noem, it is almost exclusively focused on apprehending undocumented immigrants.

What we know about the killing of Alex Pretti, and what this incident tells us about the debate around gun rights.

Going outside is good for your mood, your memory and your focus — even when it’s cold.

One year into the second Trump presidency, what’s changed? Two speeches — at the White House and in Davos — demonstrate how President Donald Trump is more emboldened than ever. Meanwhile, Democrats have found new cause for optimism ahead of the midterms.

A conversation with legendary Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi on his latest Oscar-nominated film “It Was Just an Accident” and on being jailed and censored for his art.

After a death at an immigrant detention center, family members search for answers.

How the Nobel Peace Prize became the center of two geopolitical conflicts.

Friendship is vital for our health and happiness, but we don’t always prioritize it. Today, we revisit advice from The Optimist’s Maggie Penman on how to find connection.

At a time of year when many of us are reflecting on our lives and setting goals, we look at the research into what makes for a good life – and share some advice on how to get there.

Why the Trump administration’s latest probes are prompting First Amendment fears and pushback from Wall Street bigwigs. Plus — the significance of a presidential one-finger salute.

After an FBI raid, journalists confront a new reality in reporting.

President Donald Trump has long disliked Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome H. Powell. Now, the Justice Department has launched a criminal inquiry into Powell. We look at his probe and what it could mean for trust in America’s central bank.

What the shooting of Renée Good in Minneapolis reveals about ICE tactics and how training has changed since President Trump’s push to hire more officers.

Iranians took to the streets to demand change. Amid a government-imposed communications blackout, hundreds of protesters are feared dead.

Decades after a brazen art theft drove Merry White’s father to despair, federal agents closed in on the missing work. For White, the search is personal.

The fallout from Wednesday’s ICE shooting in Minneapolis, why the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has led to renewed talk of buying Greenland, and the fallen star of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

New Year’s resolutions gone off the rails? Here’s how to save them.

An anonymous gambler won big after placing a well-timed bet on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s ouster. What did they know?

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has pushed for regime change in Venezuela for over a decade. What happens now that the U.S. has removed its leader?

After Nicolás Maduro’s capture, Venezuela’s future – and Washington’s role in it.

New research finds that declining health is not inevitable as we age. It can also be a time to get healthier and stronger.

For her 80th birthday, she went to trapeze school. For her 90th, she threw a house party. E.J. Truax says the secret to thriving into old age is simple: Be active. And it turns out, research backs her up.

Once a month for 15 years, David Weiner has hosted a jazz party, inviting everyone he knows and many people he’s never met over to his D.C. rowhouse. Today, we revisit one of our favorite episodes of the year and go inside the wildly welcoming ritual to understand how he’s built this community — and kept it going.

“There’s nothing like cold water, icky garbage and a little bit of danger to get you out of your head,” said Susan Baur, founder of the group Old Ladies Against Underwater Garbage.

Today, we revisit one of our favorite episodes from the past year: how fartlek training – or “speed play” – can help you exercise more joyfully and more frequently.

Today, we revisit one of our favorite episodes from the past year: about the science of how dogs make us calmer, happier — and maybe even more trusting.

After Ballard High School banned phones, they saw a 67 percent increase in students checking out library books. We hear from psychologist Jean Twenge about what phone bans can do for kids.

Today, the D.C. programs that are teaching students how to play go-go music – and the history they are preserving by playing it.

Tensions can run high during the holidays. Advice columnist Carolyn Hax has some words of wisdom for navigating tense family dynamics and awkward situations this holiday season.

Why Trump is reclassifying marijuana to be less restricted.

“Try This” from The Washington Post is a series of audio courses designed to jump-start the parts of life where we could all use a few pointers — with pithy, snackable solutions. The latest course is all about personal finance and giving back.

A Vanity Fair interview with President Donald Trump’s chief of staff, a controversial social post about a Hollywood legend, and brusk remarks on the economy have put the cracks within Trump’s party on full display.

How a gay romance TV series brought the steam into America’s living rooms, and what it reveals about our collective horniness.

An exclusive investigation from The Washington Post has found that America’s wealthiest people are spending unprecedented amounts of money on U.S. politics. How is that reshaping American democracy?

Renowned director Rob Reiner and his wife, photographer Michelle Singer Reiner, were found dead in their home over the weekend. What we know so far about their deaths.

Less than a year into President Donald Trump’s second term, planning for his presidential library is underway, with $50 million already raised from undisclosed donors. Today, how Trump’s library could memorialize his presidency.

One federal worker was rejected three times from the administration’s early resignation offer. Would he blame the president he voted for?

This week, President Donald Trump kicked off his affordability tour in Pennsylvania and called “affordability” a democratic “hoax.” Meanwhile, Democrats are taking note and feeling momentum heading into the 2026 midterm elections.

An influential advisory panel has recommended dropping the hepatitis B vaccine at birth. This doctor is already seeing the consequences.

Netflix and Paramount Skydance are in a bidding war over Warner Bros. Discovery. What could a potential deal mean for the future of the entertainment industry?

Germany can ban extremist political parties. Should it? Today, a deep dive into Germany’s heated debate over whether to ban the country’s far-right party.

President Donald Trump took center stage at the 2026 World Cup draw Friday at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. The event mapped out the road to the soccer tournament this coming summer and marked an important political moment for the future of the game.

"Try This" from The Washington Post is a series of audio courses designed to jump-start the parts of life where we can all use a few pointers — with pithy, snackable solutions you can easily use. The latest episode is all about how to give back.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is, once again, under scrutiny, this time for questions about a lethal boat strike in the Caribbean. Plus, why a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine fell short.

If our eyes are windows into our souls, then the notes applications on our phones are the wide-open doors to our lives. Why our digital notepads – full of grocery lists, to-dos and half-baked ideas – are more revealing than we think.

The Trump administration is sending Border Patrol agents right into the heart of some of America’s biggest cities. We investigate how their tactics are shaping immigration operations from Los Angeles to Chicago to, as of this week, New Orleans.

How a deadly attack on two National Guard members is prompting the Trump administration to propose new restrictions on asylum applicants and those seeking refuge in the United States.

During the first U.S. strike on a boat in the Caribbean, in September, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave the directive to “kill them all,” according to two people with direct knowledge of the operation. Today, The Post’s exclusive reporting on his order and the alarms it’s raising.

The stand-up comedian explores her journey from motherhood to comedy and how her daughter turned business partner is helping shape her second act.

Until recently, Dana Milbank was a political columnist for The Post. Now he’s writing about restoring our connections and reviving our sense of awe. Optimist reporter Maggie Penman interviews him about how we can all feel more of it.

Today on “Post Reports,” we follow reporter Shane Harris in search of a secret recipe for candied bacon. The story behind the closely guarded cooking technique unlocks a forgotten chapter of Washington history and reveals the true source of a famous crowd-pleaser.

Why some parents are choosing to scale back their kids’ access to devices and how to navigate the big feelings that may follow.

You don’t have to overspend to enjoy the holidays. Personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary offers tips for scaling back and sticking to your budget this season.

A group in D.C. ditched their smartphones for a month. Washington Post reporter Brittany Shammas joined them. Here’s what she learned.

Congress voted overwhelmingly to release the Epstein files this week. But does that mean the public will see them any time soon?

Why the U.S. government halted production of the penny, and what it could mean for how much things cost.

This week, President Donald Trump welcomed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House for the first time since Mohammed was condemned for approving the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

With twin scandals in the NBA and MLB rocking the sports betting world, where do leagues and gambling companies go from here?

A conservative group tied to Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA showed up for homecoming this year at Howard University, a historically Black institution in Washington, D.C. How that visit went and what it says about national politics.

Friendship is vital for our health and happiness, but we don’t always prioritize it. The Optimist’s Maggie Penman goes on a journey to make new friends and learn why so many of us are craving connection.

Newly released emails provide more insight into the relationship between Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein. And what was the point of the longest government shutdown in history?

From Argentina to Colombia to Venezuela, the Trump administration is attempting to reshape the political landscape of Latin America. Now, people are wondering: What’s next for the region?

Ahmed al-Sharaa was once an insurgent imprisoned by U.S. forces. Now he’s Syria’s president, and the first Syrian head of state to visit the White House. After his meeting with President Donald Trump this week, Sharaa sat down with The Post for an exclusive interview.

“A House of Dynamite” imagines what might happen if the U.S. were targeted by a nuclear missile. Oscar-winning director Kathryn Bigelow explains why she decided to make this film at this moment.

The longest government shutdown in U.S. history is finally expected to come to an end. But the compromise some Democrats have struck is dividing their party.

Jordie Poncy was about to start a job counseling cancer patients when he learned he had cancer himself. Three years later, his health is stable — and he’s finding meaning by helping others fight.

In 2024, Kate Barr ran an intentionally unsuccessful campaign for state Senate in North Carolina to draw attention to gerrymandering. The North Carolina Democrat announced today that she is switching parties and running for Congress as a Republican.

An investigation by The Post found that some veterans are taking advantage of the Department of Veterans Affairs disability compensation program. Today, how the system is being gamed and the attention The Post’s reporting has already received from Congress.

From Zohran Mamdani in New York City’s mayoral race to a ballot initiative on redistricting in California, Democrats handily won all of Tuesday’s biggest races.

Research shows many people benefit from a protein-rich diet. But experts caution that many Americans are going overboard. So how much should you eat?

SNAP benefits ran out over the weekend. Now, hungry Americans are looking for support both in their communities and online.

On this weekend’s edition of The Optimist, reporter and self-proclaimed cynic Kyle Melnick goes on a journey with a dog. We’ll talk about what he learns, and the science of how dogs make us calmer, happier — and maybe even more trusting.

President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping deescalate their trade war – for now. And the politics of losing food assistance because of the government shutdown.

There’s a boarding school in Virginia with a ghost story that predates the American Revolution. Today, Post reporter Clarence Williams brings us the story of the ghost of Mrs. Kyle, a legend kept alive at Foxcroft School.

Casey Means left mainstream medicine. She could soon be in a position to change it as the next U.S. surgeon general.

Build-a-Bear Workshop’s stock price is outpacing some of the most successful companies in the world. Today, what’s made it stand out and why it’s been able to withstand economic headwinds.

Why Democrats are looking to a former president to weather the Trump storm.

New research finds that declining health is not inevitable as we age. It can also be a time to get healthier and stronger.

President Donald Trump’s grand plans for a White House ballroom involve more demolition than expected. And, an upstart Democratic Senate candidate in Maine grapples with old online posts and says he’s “not a secret Nazi.”

The billionaire Peter Thiel recently hosted a series of exclusive lectures in San Francisco. The topic? The Antichrist. Today, his arguments and what they say about an emerging mindset in Silicon Valley.

The NBA season kicked off this week. We preview the biggest narratives of the basketball season, the teams and players to follow, and how the league is tackling its declining viewership.

Thieves stole thousands of gems from the Louvre museum in a matter of minutes. Today, how it happened and what might become of the jewels.

There’s been an unexpected twist in the Trump administration’s escalating attacks on alleged “narco-terrorists” from Venezuela: Two people survived a boat attack.

For the past five years, filmmaker Atdhe Trepca has been going up to strangers and asking them if they’re happy. This is what he’s learned.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia) is one of the most powerful members of the Senate. Her take on the government shutdown, layoffs and a possible health care compromise.

Tom Sietsema, The Post’s longtime food critic, is stepping down. In honor of his 26 years on the job, a re-run of one of our favorite episodes: a peek behind the curtain of the life of a food critic.

The Trump administration is trying to lay off thousands of federal workers during the government shutdown, targeting programs they say align with Democrats’ priorities. Is it legal?

Tech investors are backing a movement to optimize your offspring.

The first phase of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas has gone into effect, offering a glimmer of hope after two years of war.

Courtney Proctor Cross was an elementary school teacher for 30 years before she changed her life. When she took over an animal shelter that had become a “death sentence” for the animals who entered, she made it a place of hope.

Republicans showed cracks in their messaging around the government shutdown, Attorney General Pam Bondi sparred with senators and other highlights from this week’s politics news.

Bad Bunny will be the next Super Bowl halftime show headliner. MAGA is upset.

After more than a month of increased ICE enforcement in Chicago, hundreds of National Guard troops deployed to the city this week. Today, what it feels like on the ground, and how politicians and residents are resisting.