Rephonic
Artwork for Letters from an American

Letters from an American

Heather Cox Richardson
Donald Trump
Donald J. Trump
Iran
Trump Administration
Republican Party
United States
Jeffrey Epstein
Congress
Abraham Lincoln
ICE
Department Of Homeland Security
Russia
NATO
Democratic Party
Venezuela
Civil War
Department Of Justice
Affordable Care Act
Ukraine
Santa Claus

Heather Cox Richardson's narrated newsletter about the history behind today's politics. heathercoxrichardson.substack.com

PublishesDailyEpisodes780Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
HistoryNewsPolitics

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Letters from an American

Latest Episodes

May 28, 2026

Trump is treating the nation’s capital as his property, Trump is lashing out, filing suits against E. Jean Carroll and the Wall Street Journal, Grand juries as well as judges are losing faith in the Department of Justice, Trump appears ... more

May 27, 2026

Backed by Trump, scandal-ridden Ken Paxton wins Texas primary against John Cornyn, UFC arena is being built on the White House lawn as Trump dominates the People’s House just as he is dominating the Republican Party, In the 1850s, ensla... more

May 26, 2026

Demonstrators at the Delaney Hall detention center in New Jersey, including Senatory Andy Kim, were pepper sprayed by federal agents, Detainees have called for help, describing conditions as overcrowded and unsafe, Detainees have not be... more

May 26, 2026

Tulsi Gabbard steps down, possibly having been forced out of her position as Director of National Intelligence, Trump is under pressure to find a way out of Iran, The timeline for Congressional approval of the war has run out, Members o... more

Key Facts

Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Politics Chat
Politics ChatHeather Cox Richardson
The Rachel Maddow Show
The Rachel Maddow ShowRachel Maddow, MS NOW
Pod Save America
Pod Save AmericaPod Save America

Recent Guests

Doug Jones
Former US Senator from Alabama.
Episode: December 12, 2025
Gavin Newsom
Governor of California
State of California
Episode: Live with Heather Cox Richardson
Liza Donnelly
Writer and cartoonist, known for her work in humor and political commentary.
Cartoonist for The New Yorker
Episode: Chatting with Liza Donnelly
Alex Padilla
Senator from California and highest-ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety.
U.S. Senate
Episode: June 12, 2025
J.B. Pritzker
Governor of Illinois and Democratic leader
Illinois State Government
Episode: April 28, 2025
Antony Blinken
Former Secretary of State
Episode: March 1, 2025
JD Vance
Vice President of the United States, involved in controversial discussions regarding Ukraine
United States Government
Episode: February 28, 2025
Volodymyr Zelensky
President of Ukraine, known for his leadership during the ongoing conflict with Russia
Ukrainian Government
Episode: February 28, 2025
Tim Walz
Governor of Minnesota
State of Minnesota
Episode: September 4, 2024

Host

Heather Cox Richardson
Host and Narrator; writes Letters from an American on Substack and leads the newsletter-backed podcast.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 7.8k ratings
  • HCR is one for the ages

    Basically working/living for the day when peace is restored; when people are no longer disappeared from our streets; when we can build sustaining equity for all. And when Heather Cox Richardson gets the Medal of Freedom.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Your Aunt Su-Su
    United Statesa month ago
  • This is fabulous but…

    The exceedingly long sentences can be difficult to comprehend. One sentence will often contain many contexts, examples, timeframes.

    Makes me think of the saying ‘sorry for my long letter, I didn’t have time to write a short one’

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Boisin Berry
    Australia2 months ago
  • JCPOA

    Thank you President Obama

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Che Block
    United States2 months ago
  • Great podcast

    This podcast has a lot of good information about the United States of America (or USA), as well as it’s allies like the United Kingdom (or UK). It is my hope that people listen to this podcast as soon as possible (or ASAP).

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Billybill1984
    United States2 months ago
  • Super Important!Clean Straightforward Facts…

    … with minimal commentary. This is a great way to know what’s going on quickly, without all the bluster and spin. Excellent information. Concise, just the facts delivery.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    To T or not to Tee
    United States2 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Many appreciate the daily letters that weave history into current affairs, providing perspective beyond breaking news.
Audiences view it as a trusted, evidence-based source for US history and politics during turbulent times.
Listeners describe the show as highly informed and calmly delivered, with clear historical context that illuminates today's events.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#123
United States/Top Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#6
United States/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#20
United States/News
Apple Podcasts
#28
Canada/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#70
United Kingdom/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#81
Canada/News

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

October 31, 2025
Q: If we come to November 1st, and these contingency funds haven't been released, will you call on your Democratic colleagues to reopen the government?
Ngoos stated that this is a fair characterization of the situation and highlighted the lawlessness of the Trump administration regarding the release of SNAP funds for families.
Live with Heather Cox Richardson
Q: What should the American people be doing to support the Democratic Project right now?
The antidote to cynicism and fear is active participation and expression of individual agency.
March 1, 2025
Q: Was the idea of spreading democracy without colonialism a deliberate strategy of the Biden administration?
Yes, the administration aimed to promote self-determination while working with various countries, not strictly democracies.
March 1, 2025
Q: What did the Biden administration and the State Department under the Biden administration change in our foreign policy and why does it matter?
Blinken outlines significant shifts towards rebuilding alliances and promoting democratic values globally.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Letters from an American

What is Letters from an American about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Historically grounded analysis of current events, with a focus on how past political patterns shape today's headlines. Narrated with clear context and careful sourcing, episodes trace war powers, governance, and democracy in crisis, often weaving in constitutional debates, economic policy, and media dynamics. Noteworthy is the daily letter-style format that blends history with contemporary analysis, producing a steady, thoughtful perspective that appeals to listeners who want deeper context behind breaking news. The show stands out for its rigorous, evidence-based storytelling and its ability to connect long-running historical narratives to present-day decisions and consequences.

Where can I find podcast stats for Letters from an American?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Letters from an American. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Letters from an American and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Letters from an American get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Letters from an American, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Letters from an American?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Letters from an American, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Letters from an American have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Letters from an American has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Letters from an American?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Letters from an American:

1. Politics Chat
2. The Bulwark Podcast
3. The Rachel Maddow Show
4. The Best People with Nicolle Wallace
5. Pod Save America

How many episodes of Letters from an American are there?

Letters from an American launched 2 years ago and published 780 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Letters from an American?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Letters from an American?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Letters from an American from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Letters from an American?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Letters from an American. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Letters from an American?

Recent guests on Letters from an American include:

1. Doug Jones
2. Gavin Newsom
3. Liza Donnelly
4. Alex Padilla
5. J.B. Pritzker
6. Antony Blinken
7. JD Vance
8. Volodymyr Zelensky

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days