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Artwork for We the People
Supreme Court
Constitution
First Amendment
National Constitution Center
Executive Power
Declaration Of Independence
Congress
Thomas Jefferson
Originalism
Slavery
Democracy
Constitutional Law
Pursuit Of Happiness
Free Speech
Separation Of Powers
Reconstruction
Donald Trump
Federalism
American Revolution
Civil Rights Movement

A weekly show from the National Constitution Center hosted by Julie Silverbrook and Tom Donnelly where listeners can hear the best arguments on all sides of the constitutional issues at the center of American life.

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Artwork for We the People

Latest Episodes

In this episode, Nadine Strossen, New York Law School professor emerita and former president of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and Jacob Mchangama, the founder and executive director of The Future of Free Speech, discuss the history, endu... more

In this episode, legal scholars Michael Ramsey and Jed Shugerman the Supreme Court’s recent decisions in Trump v. Slaughter and Trump v. Cook, which address the president’s authority to remove members of the executive branch. They trace the history o... more

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In this episode, legal scholars Jonathan Adler, Greg Garre, Katherine Mims Crocker, and Howard Wasserman discuss the state of civil discourse inside the Supreme Court and in public debate about the Court. Julie Silverbrook, chief content and learning... more

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In this episode, legal scholars Gillian Metzger, Julian Mortenson, and Ilya Somin discuss the Supreme Court’s approach to executive power in recent decisions. Thomas Donnelly, lead scholar at the National Constitution Center, moderates. This conversa... more

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Recent Guests

Gillian Metzger
Harlan Fisk Stone Professor of Constitutional Law at Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School
Episode: The Supreme Court and Executive Power
Julian Mortenson
James G. Philip Professor of Law at the University of Michigan School of Law
University of Michigan
Episode: The Supreme Court and Executive Power
Martha Jones
Society of Black Alumni Presidential Professor and Professor of History at Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
Episode: The Supreme Court Strikes Down President Trump’s Executive Order on Birthright Citizenship
Richard Epstein
Inaugural Lawrence A. Tisch Professor of Law at the NYU School of Law
New York University School of Law
Episode: The Supreme Court Strikes Down President Trump’s Executive Order on Birthright Citizenship
Annette Gordon-Reed
Harvard University historian, panel guest
Harvard University
Episode: The Ideas at the Heart of the Declaration and the Constitution
Eric Slauter
Deputy Dean of Arts and Humanities at the University of Chicago; author and scholar on the Declaration
University of Chicago
Episode: Eric Slauter on The Declaration’s Promises
Carol Berkin
Scholar of the founding era and author of biographies on the Declaration signers
National Constitution Center (speaker and author of biographies)
Episode: Carol Berkin on the Declaration’s lesser-known signers
Stephen Breyer
Retired Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, honorary co-chair of the NCC
National Constitution Center
Episode: Justice Stephen Breyer on The Promise of America: Reflections on Our Enduring Ideals
Cheryl Ann Krauss
Judge, Third Circuit Court of Appeals, NCC Board member
National Constitution Center
Episode: Justice Stephen Breyer on The Promise of America: Reflections on Our Enduring Ideals

Hosts

Tom Donnelly
Host/Co-host affiliated with National Constitution Center.
Julie Silverbrook
Host of the program; affiliated with National Constitution Center.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 1.1k ratings
  • Please get some vocal training

    ValleySpeak, especially the harsh vocal fry, is extremely grating and detracts from the content.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    SaraB3301
    United States2 months ago
  • Used to be my favorite show

    What happened to this podcast? Please return to primarily debating Supreme Court arguments and opinions with an occasional historical show.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    DJ French Fry
    United States4 months ago
  • Used to be about debate

    Jeff used to host regular, weekly debates on current constitutional questions between reputable scholars who engaged with ideas, not ideology.

    These days it seems to be a weekly history lesson with occasional focused debate over an immediate issue.

    I feel they are trying to avoid controversy and neglecting their mission.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Daishi52
    United States4 months ago
  • Afraid of discussing important cases

    This used to be one of my favorite podcasts, but since early 2025 they’ve shied away from discussing the actual merits of arguments being made. This is doubly true for issues that the current administration has strong feelings about. I’m not saying they’re partisan, but you can tell they’re playing it safe since they’re “chartered by congress”. It’s sad to see. I really appreciated hearing opposing opinions for the most hotly debated issues. There’s tons of podcasts out there that cover historic... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    chadley426
    United States4 months ago
  • This is the most persistently disappointing podcast I know of. The topics are consistently interesting, and I'm always eager to learn more about them. The discussions seem like a boring overly officious polite class, rather than engaging and provocative. Maybe it's so eager to be non-partisan that it's pablum. It's certainly notable today that as we go through huge changes, I don't hear any meaningful challenge, nor do I gain an appreciation of other views. Rome crumbles and I hear blah bl... more

    Podcast Addict
    2
    Winston Smith
    6 months ago

Listeners Say

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

High praise for moderation and depth, with some calls for broader conservative voices.
Some reviews suggest a perceived bias or move toward historical storytelling over debate.
Critiques mention bias concerns and preference for more direct argumentation over history lessons.
Listeners praise thoughtful, balanced debates and high-caliber guests.
Positive feedback highlights accessible, thoughtful discussion by scholars.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Eric Slauter on The Declaration’s Promises
Q: How did ordinary readers influence the Declaration's reception beyond the political elite?
Readers like abolitionists, religious leaders, and later reformers used the text as a mobilizing moral framework, pushing for emancipation, women's rights, and human rights, thereby embedding the Declaration in broader American constitutional culture.
Carol Berkin on the Declaration’s lesser-known signers
Q: You've written short biographies of all the signers; what surprised you most about the unseen cast of characters?
Berkin emphasizes that ordinary men, with varied backgrounds, often faced personal risks, financial hardship, and family peril, yet collectively helped push independence and constitutional development forward.
Michael Auslin on National Treasure
Q: Why did you choose to focus on the physical parchment rather than only the text or ideas in the Declaration?
Because the material object makes the history tangible and shows how Americans interacted with it through time, from war to display, conservation to reproduction, which in turn reveals how the document shaped civic life and identity.
Ellen DuBois on the Revolutionary Life of Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Q: Why did you choose to write this book and why now?
I've lived with Stanton's life for decades, drawn to her relentless energy, breadth of concerns, and the way she connected personal autonomy to public reform, arguing that her work extended beyond suffrage to a broader vision of individual liberty and democratic possibility.
Supreme Court Rules Trump’s Tariffs Unlawful Under IEEPA
Q: Zach, anything you want to weigh in on and what Congress might be able to do to help address the fallout from the decision?
Expect a messy, costly refund process for importers, with potential congressional responses to compensate victims of the tariffs; the administration may push other tariff tools, but courts may scrutinize them closely.

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About We the People

What is We the People about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A weekly, civics-forward discussion featuring scholars, legal experts, and historians who unpack constitutional issues and American civic life. Episodes typically center on Supreme Court dynamics, voting rights, historic documents, and the evolving interpretation of the Constitution, often weighing historical context against contemporary policy questions. A notable strength is bringing rigorous legal analysis to broad audiences, with guests ranging from law professors to historians and political thinkers, creating a steady stream of thoughtful, policy-relevant conversations. Listeners may appreciate in-depth debates, historical perspectives, and accessible explanations of complex legal questions, though some critiques mention a perceived bi... more

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1. Amarica's Constitution
2. Divided Argument
3. Advisory Opinions
4. The Lawfare Podcast
5. Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts

How many episodes of We the People are there?

We the People launched 21 years ago and published 632 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on We the People?

Recent guests on We the People include:

1. Gillian Metzger
2. Julian Mortenson
3. Martha Jones
4. Richard Epstein
5. Annette Gordon-Reed
6. Eric Slauter
7. Carol Berkin
8. Stephen Breyer

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