USA TODAY’s daily news podcast, The Excerpt (formerly 5 Things), brings you a curated mix of the most important headlines seven mornings a week. We also deliver special deep-dive episodes on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons on the most compelling topics in culture, entertainment, sports, politics, and more. Give us fifteen minutes a day, we'll give you all of the headlines, none of the chaos. Hosted by Taylor Wilson and Dana Taylor.  

USA TODAY Justice Department Correspondent Aysha Bagchi breaks down the indictment of Trump critic and ex-National Security Adviser John Bolton in a documents investigation.
A federal appeals court won’t allow President Donald Trump to deploy troops to Illinois as part of his recent crackdown. Plus, a Chicago judge orders ICE to wear body cams.
USA TODAY Domestic Security Correspondent Josh Meyer tells us why a judge blasted the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Department of Homeland Security.
Trump unveils a new plan to expand access to IVF.
The MLB Postseason rolls on.
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5 Things

John Bolton indicted

Since June of 2025, thousands of National Guard troops have been deployed to four US cities – Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Chicago and Memphis. And, if President Donald Trump has his way, Portland, Oregon, will be fifth on the list. Trump says the deployments are a push to crack down on crime and to support his widespread deportation efforts. But when a president deploys the National Guard over the objections of governors and local mayors, is the decision about keeping the peace, or testing the limits of executive power? USA TODAY Breaking News Reporter Michael Loria joins USA TODAY’s The Excerpt to unpack the issues surrounding this unprecedented deployment of US troops on American soil.
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SPECIAL | Is Trump's deployment of the National Guard about order or overreach?

USA TODAY Supreme Court Correspondent Maureen Groppe discusses what's at stake in a major redistricting case.
President Donald Trump says he's considering strikes on land to combat Venezuelan drug cartels. Plus, the Trump administration has authorized the Central Intelligence Agency to conduct covert action in Venezuela.
A judge temporarily halts Trump shutdown layoffs.
USA TODAY National Security & World Affairs Reporter Cybele Mayes-Osterman tells us about military families waiting for a paycheck during the government shutdown.
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Voting Rights Act threatened in Supreme Court redistricting case

High costs. Limited supply. No insurance coverage. All of these are motivating some patients to cook up unregulated “gray GLP-1” drugs at home. Health experts are worried. Why are people willing to risk injecting homemade drugs in an unregulated, non-sterile medical environment and what needs to change before access and safety improve? USA TODAY Wellness Reporter Nicole Fallert joins The Excerpt to share her reporting on this alarming trend.
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SPECIAL | Why Americans are making homegrown GLP-1s

The federal government’s partial shutdown has reached its 15th day.
President Donald Trump says Hamas will disarm or the U.S. will force them 'perhaps violently.'
USA TODAY White House Correspondent Bart Jansen recaps the move to award the late Charlie Kirk the Medal of Freedom.
The Supreme Court rejects Alex Jones' appeal of a $1.4 billion Sandy Hook judgment.
USA TODAY Senior National Political Correspondent Sarah D. Wire tells us what to expect from this weekend's 'No Kings' protests.
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Another Senate vote fails as the shutdown rolls on

USA TODAY Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page puts President Donald Trump's role in recent Israel-Hamas peace proceedings in context.
USA TODAY Congressional Reporter Zach Schermele has the government shutdown latest, as the Education Department lays off roughly 20% of its workforce.
The collapse of coral reefs has driven the world across its first climate tipping point.
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