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Inside Trump’s Fight for Your Voter Data
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CNN One Thing

You’ve been overwhelmed with headlines all week – what's worth a closer look? One Thing takes you beyond the headlines and helps make sense of what everyone is talking about. Host David Rind talks to experts, reporters on the front lines and the real people impacted by the news about what they've learned – and why it matters. New episodes every Wednesday and Sunday.

Inside Trump’s Fight for Your Voter Data CNN One Thing
The Trump administration’s effort to build a national citizen database is running into roadblocks in court and alarming some election officials on both sides of the aisle. But what is this data for? And how could it be used? We hear from one election official about why he’s pushing back, and look at how election integrity concerns are playing out in other parts of the country.  For more: Trump is trying to build a massive voter database. Election officials are afraid of what he’ll do with it  ---  Guests: David Yates, Jefferson County (KY) Clerk & Tierney Sneed, CNN Reporter  Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin  Photo: Carlos Osorio/Reuters/File
Apr 12, 2026
What’s Behind Hegseth’s Latest Pentagon Shakeup? CNN One Thing
The firing of the US Army chief of staff and two other generals is just the latest personnel shakeup under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. But why do this during wartime? We examine whether disagreements between Hegseth and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll are behind the move, and how Hegseth’s ongoing fixation on so-called “culture wars” and loyalty could impact service members.  For more: Trump and Hegseth on Iran war: ‘God is good’  ---  Guest: Haley Britzky, CNN National Security Reporter  Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Apr 8, 2026
‘This Lost a Lot of People’: RFK Jr.’s Broken Pesticide Promise CNN One Thing
Amid a stalled Surgeon General nomination, a federal court ruling striking down vaccine overhauls (at least for now), and anger from ‘Make America Healthy Again’ activists, some are wondering whether Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has lost his grip on the movement that helped propel President Donald Trump back to the White House. We hear from one activist outraged by an executive order about weedkiller who says some voters “will not be coming back.” Plus, what’s going ...Show moreon with all the whole milk hype videos?  For more: How RFK Jr.’s MAHA agenda keeps hitting roadblocks  ---  Guests: Kelly Ryerson, ‘Glyphosate Girl’ & Sarah Owermohle, CNN Health Policy Reporter  Host/Producer: David Rind  Senior Producer: Matt Martinez  Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin Photo: Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg/Getty Images
Apr 5, 2026
Can NASA Make Americans Look to The Stars Again? CNN One Thing
A crew of four astronauts are preparing for a historic mission that will take them around the far side of the moon and back, the furthest human space travel in more than 50 years. Like any space mission, the run-up has been filled with delays and safety concerns, but experts say this mission is a key part of an ambitious plan from the Trump administration to establish a lunar colony and eventually visit Mars. But is any of this feasible? And can Americans still be inspired like they were during ...Show morethe Space Race of the 1960s? For more: Why haven’t humans been back to the moon in over 50 years?  ---  Guest: Pam Melroy, former astronaut & NASA Deputy Administrator  Host/Producer: David Rind  Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin Photo: Sam Lott/NASA
Apr 1, 2026
Is This Social Media's Big Tobacco Moment? CNN One Thing
A California jury found Meta and YouTube liable on all counts in a case that accused the tech giants of intentionally addicting a young woman and injuring her mental health. Experts say the landmark decision could open the door to a flood of other litigation that could reshape how these companies operate. But will anything actually change? We also hear from one of the hundreds of other plaintiffs suing social media companies who are hoping this verdict bodes well for them.  Note: this episode c...Show moreontains discussions of eating disorders.  For more: Listen to CNN’s “Terms of Service” podcast  ---  Guest: Caroline Koziol & Clare Duffy, CNN Tech Reporter  Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin Photo: Mike Blake/Reuters
Mar 29, 2026
Why US Farmers Are Feeling the Pain of the War With Iran CNN One Thing
The war with Iran has sent shockwaves through the global oil markets and jacked up gas prices in the US. But it has also caused a surge in fertilizer prices, which is straining US farmers who were already dealing with the impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs. We hear from one Iowa soybean and corn farmer who says his industry is suffering from the Trump administration’s self-inflicted wounds.   For more: Fertilizer prices bring more pain for American farmers amid war in Iran  ---  Guest: Joshua Manske, Iowa soybean and corn farmer  Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin  Editorial Support: Gordan Ebanks Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images
Mar 25, 2026
Inside the ‘Casino-ification’ of Everything (Including War) CNN One Thing
Prediction markets are opening new doors to bet on pretty much anything - even outcomes during war. But things can get pretty heated when money is on the line, and now at least one state is stepping in to accuse a major prediction market of running an illegal gambling operation. WIRED’s Kate Knibbs talks about the “casino-ification” of everything and what this could mean for the future of politics and betting.    For more: Iran-related bets on prediction sites scrutinized over ‘death markets’ a...Show morend possible insider trades  ---  Guests: Jesus Martinez & Kate Knibbs, WIRED Senior Writer   Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin Photo: Daniel Heuer/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Mar 22, 2026
Is Hegseth Waging a Holy War on Iran? CNN One Thing
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has not been shy about how his Christian faith has shaped him. However, some activists fear his views could be encroaching on the secular military in unprecedented ways and influencing how commanders are framing the war in Iran. We explore a controversial pastor connected to Hegseth who is leading a growing movement rooted in Christian nationalism and the idea that women should be “submissive” to their husbands.  For more: Inside one pastor’s crusade for Christian...Show more domination in the age of Trump  ---  Guests: Pamela Brown, CNN Anchor/Chief Investigative Correspondent  Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin  Editorial Support: Shoshana Dubnow Photo: REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz
Mar 18, 2026
After DOGE Cuts, The Government Is Hiring Again. Will Anyone Bite? CNN One Thing
Last year, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency took a chainsaw to the federal government, slashing jobs and cutting programs in the name of eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse. While it did not reduce spending, current and former government officials tell CNN that some of the cuts are hampering government readiness amid the Iran war. Now, the government is looking to ramp up hiring again – but only with workers who align with the Trump administration’s priorities. We hear from a form...Show moreer federal worker about how last year’s cuts impacted her, and from an expert who says he's concerned about adding more political appointees to the mix.  For more: ‘A shell of our former self’: How Trump and Musk’s spending cuts are hampering US government readiness amid the Iran war  ---  Guests: Melissa Patsalides & Max Stier, Partnership for Public Service President and CEO  Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin  Editorial Support: Tami Luhby Photo: Allison Robbert/AFP/Getty Images
Mar 15, 2026
Why Higher Gas Prices Are More Than a ‘Glitch’ CNN One Thing
The war in Iran has effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for transporting roughly 20% of the world’s oil. As a result, ships are stuck and gas prices are climbing in the US. We look at the Trump administration’s possible solutions, and the key psychological benchmark that could push their political problem to a breaking point.  For more: The grim choice facing the Trump administration: Economic or naval collapse?  ---  Guests: Martín Izaguirre Salgado & David Goldman, CNN Business Senior Reporter  Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin  Editorial Support: Vanessa Yurkevich Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Mar 11, 2026
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