CNN One Thing

Last week, US Vice President JD Vance was dispatched abroad for a pair of high-profile assignments. But after stumping for Viktor Orbán, the Hungarian prime minister suffered a huge election loss and marathon talks Vance led to end the war with Iran wrapped up without a deal. So what does this say about the political power of the MAGA movement’s heir apparent? And how does someone shaped by Catholicism feel about President Donald Trump’s beef with the Pope? 

For more: How Vance is navigating peace talks with Iran — and his own political future 

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Guest: Alayna Treene, CNN White House Correspondent  

Host: David Rind 

Producer: Paola Ortiz 

Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin

Photo: Jacquelyn Martin/Pool/AP
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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 

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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
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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’ 

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Guest: Haley Britzky, CNN National Security Reporter 

Host: David Rind 

Producer: Paola Ortiz 

Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin

Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
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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 on with all the whole milk hype videos? 

For more: How RFK Jr.’s MAHA agenda keeps hitting roadblocks 

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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
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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 the Space Race of the 1960s?

For more: Why haven’t humans been back to the moon in over 50 years? 

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Guest: Pam Melroy, former astronaut & NASA Deputy Administrator 

Host/Producer: David Rind 

Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin

Photo: Sam Lott/NASA
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