Nominees for several key Cabinet posts in the new administration of President-elect Trump caught officials in Washington off guard and ignited a firestorm of criticism — not all of it from Democrats.

The leaders agreed that humans should control decisions to use nuclear weapons — not AI. And they talked about the importance of stability during the transition to a new U.S. administration.

In his second term, President-elect Donald Trump is surrounding himself with people who can amplify his message and agree with how he wants to remake the executive branch.

RFK Jr. wants to tackle chronic disease. Despite his widely disputed views on vaccines, his focus on healthy food and taking on special interests may find broad support — and face political headwinds.

Code Switch weighs in on preparing for difficult political conversations and when to draw the line and uninvite yourself from that family potluck.

Despite outspending Republicans, Democrats didn't achieve some ambitious goals in state legislative races. The GOP continues to control more legislatures, though Democrats notched some victories.

Steve Inskeep speaks with Sen. Chris Murphy about how the Democratic Party rebuilds after its election loss.

Blanche, a former federal prosecutor, represented Trump in several of his legal cases, including in his landmark federal conviction in New York.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries speaks with NPR's Michel Martin about his new book, The ABCs of Democracy, and what's next for Democrats after election losses.

Republicans have officially won a full trifecta of power in Washington, D.C., following GOP victories in several key U.S. House contests.