Ahead of President Donald Trump’s inauguration, scores of career diplomats at the State Department were asked by Trump aides to resign.

Trump campaigned on dismantling what he has called the “deep state” of federal bureaucrats, who he views as lacking loyalty to him and undermining his agenda. The forced departures were seen as confirmation of this plan – and a step toward changing the tone of the department.

But who are these bureaucrats, and what are their stories?

Those are the driving questions behind Netflix’s “The Diplomat.” Martine Powers spoke to its creator and executive producer, Debora Cahn. The show is about the life of a no-nonsense Foreign Service officer who’s suddenly made the U.S. ambassador to Britain. It is messy, it is human, and it – unintentionally – sometimes seems to be in conversation with the headlines.

On “Post Reports” today, Martine and Debora talk about the stories we don’t hear out of the Foreign Service, the allure of “competency porn,” and what “The Diplomat” can tell us about the value of “using your words.”

Today’s show was produced and mixed by Rennie Svirnovskiy, with help from Peter Bresnan. It was edited by Maggie Penman.

Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Senior political reporter Aaron Blake talks with senior White House reporter Isaac Arnsdorf and national political reporter Marianne LeVine about how Trump’s executive actions are already having a tangible impact. They also talk about how Trump’s pardon of Jan. 6 rioters was met with a muted response from several prominent Republicans.

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Rachel Van Dongen and mixed by Sam Bair.

Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Historically, many women dropped out of the labor force because of family obligations. Today, women are working longer — in some cases because they feel like they’ve finally hit their stride in their careers. In other cases, they feel they can’t afford to retire.

Hannah Ziegler is a business reporter for The Post, and she talks to host Martine Powers about this Big Shift as the workforce becomes older — and more female.

Today’s show was produced by Ariel Plotnick. It was edited by Maggie Penman and mixed by Sam Bair.

You can also read about the hurdles older women face with investing and how some savers have overcome them. Plus, the women who are sharing their homes as they grow older.

Check out a live podcast taping that will be hosted by Martine on Jan. 25 about the enduring legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

On Wednesday, Rupert Murdoch’s British media group agreed to pay “substantial damages” and apologized to Prince Harry as part of a settlement agreement over claims that the paper illegally intruded into the prince’s life. Harry is one of many celebrities and politicians who have sued Murdoch’s papers for illegally obtaining private information – the claims stretch back to 2011, when it was first revealed that journalists at the tabloids might be hacking phones.

Martine speaks with democracy reporter Sarah Ellison about why Prince Harry finally decided to settle and what this outcome means for the Murdochs.

Today’s show was produced by Sabby Robinson, with help from Rennie Svirnovskiy. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sam Bair.

Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

It’s not over for TikTok. Or is it? Today on “Post Reports,” why the app went dark in the United States, how it came back and who controls its fate.

Read more:

Last week, the Supreme Court upheld a federal law banning TikTok in the United States unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, sold to an American buyer.

On Sunday, the popular video-sharing app went dark, only to come back later that night. And on Monday, Trump signed an executive order to halt the ban.

Today on “Post Reports,” tech reporter Drew Harwell digs into the national security arguments that swayed the court’s decision, why Trump’s opinion on the app has flip-flopped and why users of the platform might still feel like they’re in purgatory.

And, we hear from Dave Jorgenson, the face of The Washington Post’s TikTok team, about how TikTok users are feeling amid the turmoil.

Today’s show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy and Bishop Sand. It was mixed by Sam Bair and edited by Lucy Perkins and Monica Campbell. Thanks also to Alexis Fitts.

Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Check out a live podcast taping that will be hosted by Martine on Jan. 25 about the enduring legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Crowds of Trump supporters in Washington were supposed to watch the inauguration on the National Mall. But when plans changed last-minute because of freezing temperatures, the president’s fans crowded instead into indoor space at Capital One Arena and nearby bars.

At the same time, Trump was getting sworn in at the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol, flanked by tech billionaires and members of his proposed Cabinet.

On today’s episode, host Martine Powers talks with chief correspondent Dan Balz about the unusual inauguration, Trump’s plans for his presidency and what he’s already doing to make them a reality.

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff and Ted Muldoon, who also mixed the show. It was edited by Reena Flores. Thanks to Annah Aschbrenner.

Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Check out a live podcast taping that will be hosted by Martine on Jan. 25 about the enduring legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

In this special episode of “Post Reports,” columnist Petula Dvorak reads her first installment of The Post’s revealing history column, Retropolis.

James Buchanan barely won the presidency. The nation was roiling in the debate over slavery. So when Buchanan became gravely ill before his inaugural address, it wasn’t a stretch to suspect an assassination attempt. The presidential entourage all stayed at the posh National Hotel on Capitol Hill and they fell ill, too. It hit more than 400 guests of the hotel and more than 30 died. It became known as the mysterious National Hotel Disease and confounded Washington for months.

This column details the story of the sickness and the doctors and detectives who searched for the cause.

The piece was reported, written and read by Petula Dvorak. Audio production and original music by Bishop Sand.

Aaron Blake, senior political reporter and author of The Campaign Moment newsletter talks with national security reporter Abby Hauslohner and national politics reporter Hannah Knowles about the most heated exchanges that Trump’s picks for defense secretary and attorney general, Pete Hegseth and Pam Bondi, faced during their Senate confirmation hearings. They also talk about what to expect if the historic ceasefire deal goes into effect over the weekend and what to watch for at Trump’s inauguration on Monday.

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff and Rennie Svirnovskiy, who also mixed the episode. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Rachel Van Dongen.

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here.

Subscribe to The Washington Post here.