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Mara Liasson

Mara Liasson is a national political correspondent for NPR. Her reports can be heard regularly on NPR's award-winning newsmagazine programs Morning Edition and All Things Considered. Liasson provides extensive coverage of politics and policy from Washington, DC — focusing on the White House and Congress — and also reports on political trends beyond the Beltway.

Each election year, Liasson provides key coverage of the candidates and issues in both presidential and congressional races. During her tenure she has covered seven presidential elections — in 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016. Prior to her current assignment, Liasson was NPR's White House correspondent for all eight years of the Clinton administration. She has won the White House Correspondents' Association's Merriman Smith Award for daily news coverage in 1994, 1995, and again in 1997. From 1989-1992 Liasson was NPR's congressional correspondent.

Liasson joined NPR in 1985 as a general assignment reporter and newscaster. From September 1988 to June 1989 she took a leave of absence from NPR to attend Columbia University in New York as a recipient of a Knight-Bagehot Fellowship in Economics and Business Journalism.

Prior to joining NPR, Liasson was a freelance radio and television reporter in San Francisco. She was also managing editor and anchor of California Edition, a California Public Radio nightly news program, and a print journalist for The Vineyard Gazette in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts.

Liasson is a graduate of Brown University where she earned a bachelor's degree in American history.

  • President Trump's critics accuse him of breaking or ignoring norms. But, others say he may just be treating them differently than past presidents.
  • Emil Bove has been behind many of the Justice Department's most controversial recent decisions, and now he's President Trump's nominee to the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals. We discuss the controversy around Bove's nomination and what it could mean for future judicial appointments. This episode: political correspondent Sarah McCammon, justice correspondent Carrie Johnson, and senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson. This podcast was produced by Bria Suggs and edited by Rachel Baye. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.
  • We look at how President Trump's stance on Russia has shifted, as well as how he's managing the outcry among his base, who are angered over the lack of transparency in the Jeffrey Epstein case.
  • The big tax and spending bill President Trump signed into law earlier this month included $75 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Supreme Court recently told the administration it could deport people to countries with which they have no ties. We discuss these and other developments that are helping the president accelerate deportation efforts. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, immigration policy correspondent Ximena Bustillo, and senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell & Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.
  • During the campaign, President Trump promised a swift end to the war in Ukraine, but he has so far not been able to strike a deal to stop the fighting. We discuss the president's changing views on the conflict and whether Washington is likely to approve more military aid to Ukraine. This episode: political correspondent Ashley Lopez, national security correspondent Greg Myre, and senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell & Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.
  • President Trump has promised that his newly signed tax and spending law will be a boon for taxpayers and the economy as a whole. We dig into what the legislation really does and what it could mean for Americans' wallets. This episode: political correspondent Ashley Lopez, senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson, and chief economics correspondent Scott Horsley. This podcast was produced by Casey Morell & Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.
  • Most Americans are worried about democracy, have little faith in their political leaders, and disapprove of President Trump's job performance, according to the latest NPR/PBS News/Marist poll. We break down the results and look at the implications. This episode: White House correspondent Deepa Shivaram, senior political editor & correspondent Domenico Montanaro, and senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson. This podcast was produced by Bria Suggs and edited by Casey Morell. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.
  • The huge tax and spending bill currently before the Senate is likely to pass into law. It may prove controversial enough to be a drag on Republican candidates.
  • As tensions continue to escalate between Israel and Iran, President Trump is now signaling an openness for more U.S. military involvement. We discuss what that might look like and how it is dividing the MAGA faithful. This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, national security correspondent Greg Myre, and senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson. This podcast was produced by Bria Suggs and edited by Lexie Schapitl. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi. Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.
  • President Trump loves to boast about his deal-making prowress. But so far in this term, he doesn't have much to show for it.