WSJ Opinion: Potomac Watch
WSJ Opinion: Potomac Watch

From the award-winning opinion pages of The Wall Street Journal, Paul Gigot, Kim Strassel, Bill McGurn and Kyle Peterson discuss the latest from Washington. Get critical perspective and the analysis you need on developments from the nation’s capital. Join them every weekday. Send your feedback to pwpodcast@wsj.com

The Justices strike down the President's "emergency" tariffs, ruling that a law called IEEPA doesn't give him limitless power to tax imports on a whim. But will Trump try to reimpose his tariff policy using other laws, or is the GOP quietly breathing a sigh of relief, as the 2026 midterms near amid mixed economic signals? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
To raise taxes on the rich, New York's Mayor wants help from Albany and Gov. Kathy Hochul. And if they refuse? Mamdani now says he'll jack up property taxes by nearly 10%. But isn't overspending the problem? Plus, the Congressional Budget Office offers an estimate for federal deficits over the next decade: $24 trillion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Secretary of State Marco Rubio offers tough love to U.S. allies in a speech at the Munich Security Conference, in contrast to Vice President JD Vance last year. Will this be the GOP's choice once Donald Trump leaves office? Plus, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez gets tripped up on Taiwan, and another U.S. aircraft carrier nears Iran. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Environmental Protection Agency rescinds its 2009 assertion that it can regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act, because they "endanger" public health. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin says this means cheaper cars and no more EV mandates, but is it going next to the courts, and maybe the Supreme Court? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Congress skips town without funding the Department of Homeland Security, as a partial shutdown nears for the TSA and more, while border czar Tom Homan winds down immigration raids in Minnesota. Plus, does President Trump see his vulnerability, with voters now telling pollsters that Joe Biden did a better job? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The January jobs report shows a rebound in the labor market after a lousy 2025. Will it continue, and what does it say about the prospects for growth in this election year? Plus, the U.S. House stages a bipartisan revolt against Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Analilia Mejia, a former political director for Bernie Sanders, wins a Democratic primary in a suburban House district, while Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger starts her tenure from the left. Are these signs of where the Democratic Party is going, and what does it suggest about the midterms, such as the Senate race in Texas? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
About 60,000 families apply in mere days, as Texas opens enlistment for its new education savings accounts, or ESAs. That's a big success, after Gov. Greg Abbott bet political capital to pass the program. Meantime, the Mississippi Senate derails an ESA bill passed by the state House. Will Gov. Tate Reeves try again? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Amounting to essentially a death sentence for Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong publisher is sentenced to 20 years in prison for violating China’s national security law. What can Donald Trump do when he meets with Xi Jinping during his visit to China later this year? Plus, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi leads her Liberal Democratic Party to victory.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Donald Trump says the federal government should "take over the voting" in many places, drawing pushback from Republicans, who argue that the Constitution creates a decentralized system. Plus, Congress weighs a bill to require citizenship checks in voting, meaning many driver's licenses wouldn't qualify as ID. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
U.S. negotiators profess optimism, as Vladimir Putin feels more economic pressure from sanctions amid staggering casualties. But land and security guarantees for Ukraine are still sticking points.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Border czar Tom Homan says 700 immigration officers are leaving Minnesota, and those that remain will get body cameras, while Congress gives itself mere days to negotiate a funding bill with ICE reforms. Plus, the government publishes three million pages of Epstein files, with victim details inadvertently left unredacted. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As a U.S. aircraft carrier arrives in the Middle East, President Trump goes back to negotiating with Iran. But what does the U.S. want in a deal, now that Iran's nuclear sites are rubble, and will Trump help the country's protesters? Plus, new figures show Americans are living longer, which is good news with political lessons. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
With Donald Trump citing education, looks, and thoughts on cutting interest rates, Kevin Warsh emerged as his choice for chairman of the Federal Reserve. Will Senator Thom Tillis stick to his promise to block any nominee until the Jerome Powell investigation concludes? Plus, Republicans lose a reliable state Senate seat in Texas, which could indicate Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement is backfiring.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Washington is again racing to avoid a government shutdown, as Democrats seek changes to federal immigration enforcement, such as requiring agents to carry body cameras and prohibiting them from wearing face masks. Plus, Tom Homan tells Minneapolis he's working on a plan to de-escalate the federal surge there. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The lawsuit in California involves a young woman who says addictive use of social sites led to anxiety and body-image problems. But can she prove causation, does Section 230 immunity stand in the way, and is this the right role for the courts? Plus, Australia's ban on users under 16 has deactivated five million accounts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
"Just give us your criminals," Donald Trump says he told Gov. Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey, and could this be a starting point for compromise? Yet the local jail, run by Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt, doesn't honor ICE detainers, and Minneapolis has a broad "sanctuary" law that bans police from helping. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Florida and Virginia are the latest states to consider drawing new House maps before November, as a New York judge orders a redo for the Staten Island district of Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis. Plus, amid a measles outbreak in South Carolina, a top CDC official dismisses such cases as the "cost of doing business." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Another shooting in Minneapolis further polarizes the debate over President Trump's authorization of ICE operations in Minnesota. Can state and federal government officials work together before there is more chaos and violence in the streets? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Former special counsel Jack Smith says he has no real regrets about how he handled his indictments of Donald Trump. Really? Plus, the Justice Department gives a subpoena to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, as a House committee calls to hold Bill and Hillary Clinton in contempt for refusing to testify on Jeffrey Epstein. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The President backs down from his early threats by announcing an agreement has been reached about the future of Greenland. But what does it entail? Plus, Trump introduces the members of the Board of Peace, but concerns linger about his invitation to Vladimir Putin to join. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Donald Trump's effort to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, citing an alleged mortgage violation, goes before the Justices, who have already signaled they see the Fed as different from other independent agencies. Plus, the Court also hears a challenge to Hawaii's law banning guns by default in many private stores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Donald Trump says he'll impose new tariffs on eight European allies until Denmark agrees to cede the arctic island. But won't this only harden the opposition in Greenland, and what if the Supreme Court strikes down his "emergency" tariff powers? Plus, what does the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia have to do with it? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Inflation isn't whipped yet, with new figures showing prices up 2.7% year over year, and 3.1% for food. But as Donald Trump seeks answers to "affordability," his latest is a plan to cap credit-card interest rates at 10%, an idea favored by Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders. What economic side effects would this create for consumers? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In response to the escalating violence and protests in Minnesota, Donald Trump warns about using the Insurrection Act to allow him to use the military within the United States. Will turning up the temperature make an already dangerous situation even worse? Plus, Gov. Tim Walz tells citizens to protest peacefully, but encourages the filming of ICE agents’ actions on the ground.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Former Rep. Mike Gallagher and political scientist Kevin Wallsten say that President Biden's diversity, equity and inclusion agenda alienated would-be military recruits. What motivates young Americans to enlist, and can President Trump, who touts high standards and individual merit, reverse a cultural retreat from military service? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Justices hear two cases challenging laws in Idaho and West Virginia that bar biological males from participating in women's sports. The transgender athletes say this violates the 14th Amendment and Title IX. How does the Supreme Court seem to be leaning, and what does this portend for 27 states with such laws? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Fed Chair Jerome Powell says the criminal subpoena issued to him is about controlling interest rates and not any wrongdoing. Plus, the number of protestors killed in Iran continues to rise while President Trump weighs his options to intervene. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
President Trump says he wants to ban "large institutional investors" from buying single-family homes, taking up another cause long championed by progressives, including Elizabeth Warren. How much housing do such companies own, and does the White House have the power to act, or is this more populist scapegoating? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
An ICE agent shoots and kills a woman in Minneapolis and both the right and the left are quick to blame the other side. Was a deadly incident like this inevitable? Plus, President Trump says the U.S. may run Venezuela for at least a year, maybe longer.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The White House renews its pressure campaign to take control of Greenland, even suggesting the U.S. could do it by force. But what military access to the island can't already be negotiated? Plus, the CDC drops several shots from its childhood vaccine recommendations, which the trial bar could use as an opening for lawsuits. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz ends his campaign for a third term, as the scandal of his state's welfare fraud continues to snowball. Plus, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the Pentagon will censure Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly for a video in which he and other Democrats told the military to refuse “illegal orders." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Donald Trump says the U.S. is now "in charge” in Caracas as ousted president Nicolás Maduro appears in federal court in New York. But the dictator's henchmen remain in power for now. Will they bow to Mr. Trump's wishes or leave the country? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
New York's mayor uses his inaugural address to insist he won't back away from socialism, including freezing rent and providing free buses, as he's sworn into office by Bernie Sanders. But will Mamdani be able to deliver, and at what cost? And will other Democrats follow his lead in shifting the party further to the left? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ford takes a huge charge on its EV business, as the Trump Administration rewrites the CAFE standards and the European Union moves to water down its 2035 clean-car mandate. Will politicians ever learn? Apparently not, as California regulators keep subsidizing the uneconomical Ivanpah solar thermal electric plant. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Donald Trump says he struck a facility in Venezuela that was being used to load drug boats, as the U.S. also seizes another oil tanker. What's the latest on the effort to force dictator Nicolás Maduro from power? How much have the regime's oil revenues fallen? And is this a standoff that either Trump or Maduro will win? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky meet to work out an agreement to end Ukraine’s war with Russia, but what kind of security guarantees is Zelensky looking for from the United States? Plus, Benjamin Netanyahu comes to Mar-a-Lago to discuss the next phase of the Gaza cease-fire plan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Before leaving town for the holidays, the House votes 221-196 to pass the SPEED Act, which would accelerate construction projects that need federal permits under the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA.  How much difference could the legislation make, and does it have a shot at 60 votes in the Senate? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Republicans avoid a costly primary in the race for New York Governor, after Rep. Elise Stefanik drops out and President Trump gets behind Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman. While the polling favorite is still incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul, could Zohran Mamdani shake up the state's politics once he's sworn in? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Donald Trump announces the construction of new U.S. battleships that the Pentagon says will be armed with nuclear cruise missiles, railguns, and lasers. Is this a smart use of naval resources? How does it fit into Trump's security strategy? And can such ships be launched fast enough to fill America's deterrence gap? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The battle over the future of the American conservative movement is on full display as Ben Shapiro and Tucker Carlson trade barbs, but which side will win? Plus, Vivek Ramaswamy rejects the ideas of “heritage Americans,” and the Heritage Foundation loses major policy leaders from its organization to Mike Pence’s group, further demonstrating the divide on the right. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
His plan to reclassify cannabis, so that it's no longer a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act, wouldn't make pot legal in the U.S., but it could help marijuana companies do more business. What does the research show about marijuana's harms, and does this fit Trump's call to "Make America Healthy Again"? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The President claimed in a rare primetime Oval Office address that the economy is doing well and will boom in 2026. Will it persuade the public? Plus Paul Gigot and Matthew Continetti on Trump's best and worst decisions of the year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
NATO’s secretary general urges Europe to prepare for "the scale of war our grandparents or great-grandparents endured," yet a new report says Ukraine is on track this year to receive the lowest level of military aid allocations since Russia's invasion. Plus, what's the latest on Donald Trump's push for a peace deal? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Republicans so far have stood their ground on refusing to extend the Covid-era ObamaCare subsidies that Democrats passed under President Biden. With their expiration now weeks away, the House unveils a GOP healthcare bill that could increase options for American workers, including by expanding association health plans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A spate of weekend violence in Australia and Syria shows both the rise of antisemitism worldwide and why the threat of ISIS needs to be contained. Plus, a Hong Kong court hands down its guilty verdict against pro-democracy newspaper publisher Jimmy Lai, who has been in prison for five years. Could the verdict be the start of the diplomacy that could win Jimmy Lai's release?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ten big tech platforms, including Facebook, TikTok and Snapchat, must now take "reasonable steps" to remove Australian users who aren't yet 16 years old, and one potential U.S. presidential candidate in 2028 is saying he'd like to follow suit. How is the law being enforced, and could the U.S. take a similar approach? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The U.S. seizes a tanker full of Venezuelan oil headed for export, but does the move show Donald Trump has the will to do what it takes to topple the Maduro regime? Plus, María Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader, escapes Venezuela in secret to accept the Nobel Peace Prize. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
At a rally in Pennsylvania, he suggests affordability concerns are a "hoax," insisting that the economy is strong and prices are coming down. But with inflation still running at 3%, and as consumers pay Trump's tariffs, is the White House too quickly dismissing this political vulnerability for the GOP in the 2026 midterms? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth uses a speech at the Reagan Library in California to argue that Donald Trump's foreign policy follows in the Gipper's footsteps. Plus, as the White House releases its new national security strategy, what does this document say about Trump's views on China, Russia, and the Western Hemisphere? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The High Court hears a major case on whether President Trump can fire members of the Federal Trade Commission, despite a 1935 precedent (Humphrey's Executor) that says otherwise. Plus, in a second case this week, Republicans challenge limits on coordinated campaign spending by candidates and political parties. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Federal prosecutors have now charged dozens of people, many from the state's Somali community, for defrauding Minnesota's welfare programs. How did the government let this happen, and does the outrage suggest that Republicans can win a political debate over reforming America's systems for public assistance? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The economy is sending mixed signals, but is the stock market in a bubble? Paul Gigot and “Inside View” columnist Andy Kessler discuss the valuations of various technology and AI companies, and look at the list of possible replacements for Jerome Powell as chairman of the Federal Reserve. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Republican Matt Van Epps wins a special election for a House seat in Nashville, but he defeats Aftyn Behn, the "AOC of Tennessee" by only nine points, in a district Donald Trump carried by 22. Is this a signal about the coming 2026 midterms? Plus, Britain will pay more for pharmaceuticals to avoid further Trump tariffs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
If an internet user pirates music files, can his broadband provider be liable? The Justices consider that in a case pitting Cox Communications against Sony Music Entertainment. Plus, the Court also hears from pro-life pregnancy centers trying to shield their donor details from New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Donald Trump ratchets up the pressure on Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro to resign and effectively closes Venezuelan airspace. Plus, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth denies giving an order to fire a second missile to kill survivors of an initial attack on a boat supposedly carrying drugs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
America is struggling to build ships, missiles and drones, even as war rages in eastern Europe and tensions rise in Asia. What's the answer? Kate Odell speaks with analyst Seth Jones about his new book “The American Edge,” and how the U.S. can still meet the world's threats, with free enterprise and presidential leadership. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A federal judge dismisses the criminal charges, ruling that Donald Trump didn't properly appoint Lindsey Halligan, the prosecutor who indicted them. Is the judge right that she sidestepped Senate confirmation? And as Attorney General Pam Bondi vows to appeal, does the country have a way to break the lawfare cycle? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ukraine reportedly agrees in principle and suggests a meeting soon between President Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky. But Russia declines to commit to anything, and there are important details yet to be worked out. How are the terms shifting from the 28-point proposal that received a cool reception last week? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Marjorie Taylor Greene announces she will leave Congress in January after a public split with Donald Trump on a variety of GOP policy stances. What does her exit say about who will lead the Republican party in the future? Plus, a Republican redistricting plan to redraw the map in Texas backfires, leading the way for the Supreme Court to decide.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
His proposal to end Russia's war is actually an ultimatum to Ukraine, since it would ratify Vladimir Putin's territorial gains and cap the size of Kyiv's military, while offering only a vague U.S. security guarantee. Trump suggests he might end American support if Ukraine won't agree, but what might be the costs to the U.S. of a bad deal? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
New York's Mayor-elect heads to the Oval Office, after convincing NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch to stay on the job next year, though how much Mamdani will interfere in policing the city remains to be seen. Plus, is this the opening that Rep. Elise Stefanik needs to defeat the state's incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger urges UVA's board to hold off hiring a new president until she takes office, but Gov. Glenn Youngkin replies that he's still in charge until January. Plus, Pennsylvania backs away from a regional cap-and-trade system, as Massachusetts considers making its 2030 emissions goals nonbinding. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Donald Trump welcomes Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House, touts promised investments in the U.S., and says he will sell F-35 stealth fighters to the Saudis. Is the U.S. driving a hard enough bargain, since the Saudis still haven't joined the Abraham Accords? And what about civilian nuclear energy? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Donald Trump changes his mind on the Epstein files, saying all of them should be released. What does his new stance mean for the votes coming to Congress? Plus, cracks in the MAGA coalition begin to show as Trump intensifies a feud with Marjorie Taylor Greene and defends Tucker Carlson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Donald Trump this week offered support for the H-1B visa program because of a lack of skilled workers in the United States. His position provoked pushback from his base, and even Vice President JD Vance seems to have a different take. Who prevails in this internal dispute over immigration policy, and how key are immigrants to reviving the economy and GOP political fortunes?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Chuck Schumer becomes the target of his own party’s anger after the end of the government shutdown. Is there a change in leadership on the horizon, and what will it mean for the direction of the Democrats? Plus, new emails about Donald Trump’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein are released, with Democrats claiming they are for the good of transparency, but Republicans say they had their chance during the Biden administration. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
President Ahmed al-Sharaa meets Donald Trump in Washington, the first White House visit for a Syrian president. Can Trump bring the war torn country into America's orbit? Plus, Russia makes gains in Ukraine's east. How will it affect Trump's negotiations to settle the war? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Donald Trump is taking on "affordability" in the wake of Democratic wins last week in New Jersey and Virginia. The president is proposing $2,000 payments from tariff revenues and a new 50-year mortgage for homebuyers, while his Department of Justice opens an investigation into meatpacking companies in light of high beef prices. But are any of these proposals good for the economy? And will any calm voters' anxieties over the high cost of living?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Eight senators break with the Democratic Party to vote for a deal to reopen the federal government, after 40 days of a funding impasse in Washington. What produced the breakthrough deal? And what happens next for Obamacare subsidies? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
After sweeping Tuesday's elections, Democrats decide to keep their government shutdown going, as Chuck Schumer again pushes the Senate to renew expiring ObamaCare subsidies. But the pain on the public is rising, as the FAA cuts 10% of flights at hubs. Plus, Donald Trump says the way out is to nuke the filibuster. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oral arguments are presented about whether Donald Trump can hold on to his power to impose tariffs without the approval of Congress. The Justices question the nature of the 'emergency,' but will the eventual ruling hurt or help the President’s economic agenda, and how will investors react? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Democrats win races for governor in New Jersey and Virginia on Election Day, exceeding expectations and sending a warning sign to Donald Trump and Republicans everywhere. So how does the President respond and what does it mean for the midterms? Plus, Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani is elected mayor of New York City, but faces challenges from Albany and elsewhere to get his progressive agenda approved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Justices could end President Trump's sweeping global tariffs, if they find he lacks the power to impose them using a 1977 statute called IEEPA. What does that law say, how has it previously been used, and where's the limiting principle? Plus, what to make of the White House's warnings of economic calamity if it loses? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
New Wall Street Journal columnist Matt Continetti joins Paul Gigot to discuss what to look for in Tuesday's elections. Plus, what the fight over antisemitism reveals about the future of the MAGA movement and the GOP presidential race in 2028. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Voters next week in Texas will decide on three measures to put bad tax policy off limits, as the state seeks to lure finance companies to "Y'all Street," while Maine will consider voter ID and a "red flag" law on guns. Plus, money pours into Pennsylvania for the retention elections of three liberal jurists on the state Supreme Court. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Donald Trump calls his meeting with President Xi Jinping a ‘12 out of 10,’ and reduces tariffs by 10%. What does it mean for the future of U.S.-China relations? Plus, the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates by another 25 basis points on Wednesday, even though inflation is still above target. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As world leaders get set for the United Nations COP30 climate summit, Bill Gates urges them to "pivot," saying the biggest problem for millions is still poverty and disease. Has he been reading Bjorn Lomborg? Plus, Texas AG Ken Paxton sues the maker of Tylenol, echoing claims by RFK Jr. about an alleged link to autism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Air-traffic controllers miss a paycheck Tuesday, and there's no money for SNAP food benefits, after Congress fails again to fund federal programs. But as the pressure on Washington keeps rising, are Democrats beginning to crack? And are Republicans winning the argument over pandemic ObamaCare subsidies? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
After Ontario releases an ad featuring Ronald Reagan touting free trade over tariffs, Donald Trump increases the tariffs on Canada to 10% in response. Is Trump right about Reagan? Plus, President Javier Milei wins in Argentina on a mandate of free-market reforms, and President Trump heads to Asia as the U.S. and China reach a trade truce.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Trump has long wanted a bigger event space at the White House, but after previously saying his ballroom plans would respect the existing structure, he takes Washington by surprise and levels the East Wing in a few days. How does this fit into the history of White House upgrades, from Jefferson to Truman to Nixon, and what's the balance between preservation and functionality? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
While Donald Trump pushes for Russia to make a deal to end its war with Ukraine, the U.S. imposes major sanctions on two major Russian oil producers. But why the delay in making such a move? Plus, President Trump says a proposed meeting with Vladimir Putin is cancelled, citing the Russian President's unwillingness to come to an agreement.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
After a federal judge blocked the deployment of National Guard troops to Chicago, Donald Trump asks the Justices to intervene, arguing that violent protests at an immigration site in Broadview, Ill., have left the government unable to enforce the law. Plus, as universities reject the administration's "compact" for reforming higher ed, how will the White House respond? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan is tested by a new exchange of fire and Hamas's effort to consolidate power instead of putting down its arms, while the President threatens to "eradicate" the terror group if it refuses to comply. Plus, the U.S. and Australia sign a deal on rare-earth minerals, after China says it will put export controls on the global supply chain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Millions across the U.S. protest the Trump administration's policies as part of the 'No Kings' movement. What are the implications of this movement for the Trump agenda and the midterm elections? Plus, former Trump national security advisor John Bolton is indicted on 18 charges of transmitting or retaining classified information. Is it a case of political revenge? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Three contenders for New York mayor spend two hours tangling on TV, but does Zohran Mamdani's polling lead make this too little, too late for Andrew Cuomo, who has also struggled to win over the GOP supporters of Curtis Sliwa? Plus, would Mamdani's socialism be constrained by the limits of mayoral power, and how big of a political problem is it for the Democratic Party? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
After Donald Trump suggests he might send Ukraine's defenders U.S. long-range Tomahawk missiles, he has a phone call with Vladimir Putin, one day before Volodymyr Zelensky is set to arrive in Washington. Is this an opportunity for Trump to take concrete action that matches his hardening rhetoric toward Putin's war, and how much could Tomahawks matter on the battlefield? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Justices hear an appeal from Louisiana that could end the legal demands for states to draw majority-minority House districts, as judges have long required under the Voting Rights Act. But could this actually help to make politics less racially polarized, and what about predictions that the ruling could let the GOP pick up a dozen or more seats during the 2026 midterms? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The CEO of Success Academy Charter Schools, which teaches 22,000 students in New York, reflects on the daily battle of operating under former Mayor Bill de Blasio, as the city's voters consider electing charter opponent Zohran Mamdani. Plus, Moskowitz explains how she plans to open 40 schools in Florida and why falling test scores should be a national emergency. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Donald Trump addresses the Israeli Parliament to celebrate a cease-fire deal that sees all living hostages released by Hamas. What does the agreement mean for lasting peace in the Middle East, and will it save Benjamin Netanyahu’s political future? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO's secretary general from 2009-14, says the alliance should pledge to shoot down intruding Russian drones and fighter jets, while moving swiftly to install a "drone wall." He also suggests that a coalition of willing European states send a "reassurance force" into Ukraine, positioned behind the front lines, to pressure Vladimir Putin to negotiate peace. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Donald Trump reversed the Biden policy of leaning on Israel to make concessions and instead backed the U.S. ally as it put military pressure on Hamas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Republicans are trying to protect Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s legacy in Virginia, though the polls say Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears is trailing Abigail Spanberger. But a scandal over awful rhetoric by Jay Jones, the Democratic AG candidate, might give an opening to the GOP incumbent Jason Miyares. Plus, Jack Ciattarelli is now within three points of Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nine schools, including MIT and the University of Texas at Austin, are offered preferential access to federal dollars if they sign a compact with the Trump Administration, agreeing to specific commitments on standardized testing, admissions, campus speech, grade inflation, tuition, and more. Are these useful reforms to higher ed? Is this federal overreach? Or is it perhaps both? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The new Supreme Court term will feature arguments over Donald Trump’s power to fire officials at independent agencies, his tariffs policies, as well as cases involving transgender issues. Paul Gigot and legal scholar Ilya Shapiro discuss why the conservative majority on the Court doesn’t guarantee as many wins for the President as he thinks.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Senate tries again to fund the government and reopen Washington, but it fails, with the same three Democrats voting yes, but no additional takers. Are Republicans preparing to cave on extending emergency pandemic ObamaCare subsidies? Does the White House see this as an opening to remake the civil service? And what about those ideas to avoid future shutdowns? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Trump administration plans to launch ‘TrumpRx,’ a website operated by the federal government which would sell discounted drugs directly to consumers. Is this initiative being driven by politics and not by facts? Plus, Pfizer makes a commitment to bring manufacturing back to the U.S. in exchange for a reprieve from tariffs for three years.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thousands of federal workers go on furlough when Congress fails to pass a funding bill, as Sen. Chuck Schumer strives to show his party's base that he's willing to fight President Trump. But do Democrats have the high ground in pushing to extend pandemic ObamaCare subsidies, or will Republicans step up to explain why "free" government insurance is bad policy? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu announce a peace plan for Gaza, including proposals for Hamas disarmament, a transitional government, and an international security force. Will this work, and what if Hamas doesn't accept? Plus, Pete Hegseth calls hundreds of military generals and admirals to Washington to speak to them about his vision for the Department of War. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices