The Latest
Sen. Alex Padilla: Lawmakers Have Responsibility for Health Transparency
July 15, 2026
California Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla sits down with NOTUS’ Igor Bobic to talk about transparency over illness in Congress, California’s proposed billionaire tax, and his concerns over whether President Donald Trump might interfere in November’s midterm elections.
All Episodes
Inside America’s 250th Birthday Party
July 8, 2026
America celebrated its 250th anniversary with dueling entities planning events — including one backed by President Donald Trump that mixed partisanship with patriotism. Oriana González is joined by her colleagues Anna Kramer and Jenna Monnin to discuss their reporting on what went into the Trump-sponsored event and how bipartisan plans took a back seat. Plus, Kadia Goba and Al Weaver discuss their reporting on the president’s focus on remaking D.C. and how the 250th celebrations overshadowed the one-year anniversary of the Republican tax law.
Rep. James Comer: Expect Public Hearings and ‘Report’ on Epstein
July 1, 2026
Republican Rep. James Comer of Kentucky sits down with NOTUS’ Reese Gorman to talk about the Oversight Committee’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, his likely gubernatorial bid, and his view on the difference between the business dealings of the Trump family and the Biden family.
Thom Tillis Regrets Confirming ‘Sophomoric’ Pete Hegseth
June 24, 2026
North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis sits down with NOTUS’ Al Weaver to talk about his second thoughts about voting for Pete Hegseth, the divisions inside the Senate Republican Conference and his major problems with President Trump’s ill-fated anti-weaponization fund.
Will the Real Speaker Please Stand Up?
June 10, 2026
From whipping votes to setting the floor agenda, President Trump has extended his reach to the speaker’s gavel with the cooperation of Speaker Mike Johnson. Oriana González is joined by her colleagues Kadia Goba, Reese Gorman and Paul Kane to discuss new reporting on Trump’s grip on the House as his sway in the Senate may be waning among some in his party. Plus, new revelations about the House Ethics Committee, including how a gender gap impacted one investigation of allegations of sexual misconduct.
Congressional Republicans Leave Their Ballroom and Go Home
May 27, 2026
Republicans’ plans for a reconciliation bill “blew up before they could ever get going” as members bristled over directives from the Trump administration regarding a White House ballroom and the DOJ’s “anti-weaponization” fund. NOTUS’ Reese Gorman is joined by his colleagues Igor Bobic and Avani Kalra to discuss what Republicans could do next, with November on their mind.
Rep. Brad Schneider: More Safe House Districts Are ‘Bad for the Country’
May 20, 2026
New Democrat Coalition Chairman and Illinois Democratic Congressman Brad Schneider sits down with NOTUS’ Daniella Diaz to talk about his anti-corruption midterm agenda, Hasan Piker, and his expectations for the 2028 Democratic primary.
Sen. Mark Kelly Thinks Mars Is a ‘Sh*t Planet’
May 13, 2026
Arizona Democratic Senator Mark Kelly sits down with NOTUS’ Igor Bobic to talk about the Trump administration’s handling of the war in Iran, political violence and his potential 2028 presidential candidacy. Kelly, a former astronaut, also talks about aliens and his views on Mars.
Rep. Suzan DelBene: Democrats “Have to be Ready for Everything” with Redistricting
May 8, 2026
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Suzan DelBene sits down with NOTUS’ Daniella Diaz to talk about the ongoing redistricting fight, the party’s midterm strategy and what Democrats will do if they win the majority in the House. DelBene and Diaz also talk about the importance of lessons learned in the 2024 cycle and her expectations for election night.
Rep. Richard Hudson Makes His Pitch for Republicans to Hold the House
May 6, 2026
National Republican Congressional Committee Chair Richard Hudson joins NOTUS’ Reese Gorman to talk about how changing maps may affect House control in November, and why he thinks mid-decade redistricting has been a “good thing.” Hudson, a North Carolina Republican, also talks about the potential electoral effects of rising gas prices and where Republicans can do a better job on messaging.
Hakeem Jeffries Thinks Democrats Will Win the Redistricting War
April 30, 2026
Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries sits down with NOTUS’ Kadia Goba this week to talk about redistricting, censures and ethics investigations, and why he has no regrets about kicking George Santos out of Congress. Jeffries and Kadia also talk about their hometown of Brooklyn and his favorite Biggie Smalls lyric.
Rep. Tim Burchett Thinks You Should See the UFO Evidence
April 29, 2026
Rep. Tim Burchett, a Tennessee Republican known for his one-liners and for building skateboards, talks to host Reese Gorman about why he thinks the public should “100%” be able to see the evidence he’s seen that aliens exist. He also talks about his relationship with President Donald Trump and the ethics scandals that have been rocking Congress of late.
Rep. Josh Gottheimer Wants to ‘Get Sh*t Done’
April 22, 2026
Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a New Jersey Democrat who serves as vice chair for the Problem Solvers Caucus, talks to host Reese Gorman about why he’ll still work with Republicans even if Democrats win back the House and Senate. He also talks about how Congress could do a better job of holding members accountable in the wake of several recent ethics scandals in the House.
Congress’ Return and the War in Iran
April 13, 2026
Congress is back after a two-week recess and has a lot on its agenda. The Department of Homeland Security is still shut down, and the war in Iran is ongoing, with the Strait of Hormuz — a critical passageway for 20% of the world’s oil — mostly closed off. NOTUS reporter Oriana González is joined by her colleagues Kadia Goba, Al Weaver, Anna Kramer and Joe Gould for a roundtable discussion on the news of the week.
Rep. Ben Cline on Why He Thinks the War in Iran Was Not a ‘Choice’
April 6, 2026
In today’s On NOTUS, Rep. Ben Cline, a Republican lawmaker from Virginia, tells host Reese Gorman that President Donald Trump’s decision to strike Iran was “a must-do for America.” They also discuss redistricting efforts in Virginia and what it’s like being in both the Freedom Caucus and the Problem Solvers Caucus.
Rep. August Pfluger Is One of the Few Republicans Who Believe They Can Pass a 2nd Reconciliation Bill
April 2, 2026
In today’s On NOTUS, Rep. August Pfluger, the chair of the Republican Study Committee, talks to host Reese Gorman about why he’s optimistic the Republican Congress can pass another budget reconciliation bill despite its incredibly small majority.
Rep. Yassamin Ansari Says Trump’s War With Iran Is ‘Wildly, Wildly Illegal’
March 30, 2026
In today’s On NOTUS, Rep. Yassamin Ansari speaks with host Daniella Diaz about her experience as the only Iranian American Democrat in Congress as the war with Iran continues. She described her “mixed emotions” of fear, anxiety and hope “because this is kind of the first time that Iranians have seen outside intervention of some sort.” But at the same time, she believes the war is “wildly, wildly illegal.” She also discusses who she’d like to see run for president in 2028.
Sen. James Lankford on DHS, Markwayne Mullin and Why He Won’t Budge on the Filibuster
March 24, 2026
In this week’s On NOTUS, Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma sits down with host Reese Gorman to talk about the status of the Department of Homeland Security funding negotiations, his colleague Markwayne Mullin’s nomination to run DHS and why voting to change the filibuster, even to pass bills he supports, would be like “handing my keys” to someone trying to steal his car.
NOTUS Reporters and Republicans Descend on Doral
March 16, 2026
More than 100 House Republicans flew to President Trump’s golf resort in Doral, Florida, last week to plot their plan to win the midterms. In a special episode of On NOTUS, Reese Gorman, Daniella Diaz and Oriana González open their reporters’ notebooks to tell us what they saw on the ground and what the GOP political and policy priorities look like.
House Speaker Mike Johnson on Iran: “Mission is Virtually Accomplished”
March 13, 2026
In a special edition of On NOTUS from the House Republican retreat at President Trump’s golf resort in Doral, Reese Gorman talks to House Speaker Mike Johnson about why the mission is “virtually accomplished” in Iran, how he plans to improve GOP messaging on their accomplishments ahead of the midterms and his late-night phone calls with President Trump.
Chris Murphy on What Democrats Need to Do to Counter Trump on Iran
March 9, 2026
Sen. Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, is one of the most outspoken members of his party when it comes to foreign policy. In this week’s On NOTUS, Murphy speaks with host Reese Gorman about why he thinks Democrats need to block all legislation in the Senate until there’s a vote on war authorization with Iran. He also discusses how his party can talk about affordability in the context of the war and what he thinks a 2028 nominee for president needs to bring to the table.
Even the Primary Drama Is Bigger in Texas
March 2, 2026
With hotly contested races in both the Democratic and Republican Senate primaries, On NOTUS host Reese Gorman is joined by NOTUS reporters Daniella Diaz and Alex Roarty, as well as longtime Texas scribe Patrick Svitek, for a deep dive into the drama around the politics, ugly divorces and allegations of racism, and why President Donald Trump hasn’t endorsed a Republican candidate.
Sarah McBride on going to the State of the Union and picking her battles
February 23, 2026
Rep. Sarah McBride, a Democrat from Delaware and the first openly transgender member of Congress, has introduced more bipartisan legislation than any other freshman. She joined NOTUS’ Oriana González this week and talked about getting Republicans to co-sponsor bills with her, how she decides to weigh in on LGBTQ+ issues and her current thinking on attending the State of the Union that many Democrats are boycotting.
Robert Garcia on the Epstein files and working with anti-gay lawmakers
February 17, 2026
Rep. Robert Garcia, a Democrat who serves as the ranking member on the House Oversight Committee, has been at the forefront of Congress’ investigation into the Epstein files. He joined NOTUS’ Reese Gorman shortly after viewing the unredacted files at the DOJ and talked about people named in the files the committee wants to hear from — Bill Gates and Steve Bannon in particular. He also talked about being an openly gay member of Congress and what it’s like working with lawmakers who have anti-LGBTQ views.
Joaquin Castro on Liam Conejo Ramos and Why He Thinks ICE Should Be ‘Disbanded’
February 9, 2026
Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro recently escorted 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father out of an ICE detention facility in Dilley, Texas. He joins NOTUS’ Reese Gorman to talk about the effort to get the child out of detention, his thoughts on funding ICE, the state of the Senate race in Texas and what it’s like being identical twins with another politician.
Mike Lawler joins On NOTUS and talks about “The Art of the Deal” in Congress
February 2, 2026
Republican Rep. Mike Lawler represents a swing district just north of New York City that was won by Kamala Harris in 2024, making him a constant target for Democrats. He joins NOTUS’ Reese Gorman for a conversation about how he makes deals in Congress, his Trump impression and why he pushed for a health care subsidy deal.
David Valadao joins On NOTUS to talk about his relationships in Congress and with Trump, dairy farming and losing in 2018.
January 26, 2026
Rep. David Valadao, a moderate California Republican, joins NOTUS’ Reese Gorman for a conversation about his path from a dairy farmer to the halls of Congress. He was one of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach President Donald Trump in 2021, but only one of two still in office. He talks about why he doesn’t think 2026 will be like 2018.
Pat Harrigan joins On NOTUS to discuss his path from the military to Congress.
January 20, 2026
Rep. Pat Harrigan, a Republican from North Carolina, joins NOTUS’ Reese Gorman for a conversation about his life journey — from a student at West Point, to a Green Beret in Afghanistan, to a small business owner, to his latest stop: a member of Congress in Washington.
Life at the ‘Bottom of Mount Rushmore’: Pete Aguilar is On NOTUS
January 12, 2026
California Congressman Pete Aguilar, the chair of the House Democratic Caucus and the highest-ranking Latino in Congress, joins NOTUS’ Reese Gorman and talks about moving up the ranks in Democratic leadership and stepping into the “large shoes to fill” of longtime party leaders like Nancy Pelosi.
