Catch up on the stories of the day in Washington, DC. Hear portions of key events and interviews with journalists who provide background and perspective. Programs posted after 6pm ET, Monday - Friday.
The C-SPAN Radio - Washington Today podcast is a steadfast and objective source of news that delivers information in a plain and straightforward manner. The hosts do an excellent job of giving both sides equal time and opportunity to present their arguments, making it a great podcast for those interested in hearing politicians talk about policy. I appreciate the lack of analysis by the hosts, allowing listeners to form their own opinions based on the reported facts. The only complaint I have is regarding the sound levels, which could use some engineering improvement.
One of the best aspects of this podcast is the unbiased and objective coverage it provides of what is happening in our federal government and national politics. In a time where most news organizations are filled with biased punditry and sensationalism, C-SPAN remains a bastion of neutrality. It is refreshing to have a news source that presents facts, includes all viewpoints, and allows individuals to express their opinions without interference or manipulation.
On the downside, there are some technical issues with the podcast. The host often trips over words while reading from the teleprompter, which can be a bit distracting. Additionally, there are times when updates stop without any explanation or response from the main site. This lack of consistency in updates can be frustrating for regular listeners who rely on a consistent schedule.
In conclusion, The C-SPAN Radio - Washington Today podcast is an invaluable resource for anyone seeking unbiased and objective news coverage of our federal government and national politics. Despite some technical issues and inconsistent updates, it remains one of the best political podcasts available. Thank you to C-SPAN for providing such valuable content that helps us understand different viewpoints and encourages democratic discourse during these dark times for our nation.

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First: Kirk Bado -- editor of National Journal's "Hotline" -- discusses Tuesday night's off-year election results and what it means for the upcoming midterm elections. Then: a conversation with Democratic Representative-Elect Adelita Grijalva of Arizona about her delayed swearing-in to Congress – and how it's impacting her constituents in her Tucson district. Plus: we speak with former Trump CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield about his new book – and his reflections of how the first Trump administration handled the covid pandemic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) makes a new offer to Republicans to end the federal government shutdown, now at Day 38, that includes a one-year extension of expiring Affordable Care Act health insurance premium tax credits; U.S. Agriculture Department says it is working to comply with a federal judge's order to fully fund SNAP food aid benefits for November, even as the Administration is appealing the ruling; More than 1,000 flights across the country have been canceled as the Federal Aviation Administration begins to cut 4 percent of flights, scheduled to ramp up to 10 percent in the coming days, due to air traffic controller staffing shortages during the government shutdown; Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), staunch ally of President Donald Trump, announces she is running for New York governor. Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) is seeking reelection; Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban visits the White House and asks President Trump for an exemption to sanctions for Russian oil imports; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announces changes to how the Pentagon buys weapons, saying the goal is to operate on “wartime footing,” rapidly accelerate capabilities, focus on results, and build an “arsenal of freedom”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Senate Republicans and Senate Democrats hold lengthy, separate, private meetings on Day 37 of the federal government shutdown strategizing on how to end the stalemate. Republicans may bring to a vote a new proposal that includes some regular spending bills and a promise for a vote on extending health insurance premium tax credits; President Donald Trump comments on plans to cut 10% of airline flights at 40 of the busiest U.S. airports due to air traffic controller staffing shortages during the government shutdown; House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) announces she will not run for reelection after nearly 40 years in Congress; President Trump announces a deal with the makers of popular weight loss drugs to drastically cut prices; Senate defeats a resolution that would have blocked the President from conducting military operations against Venezuela; leaders of five Central Asian countries are in Washington as the Trump Administration looks to secure new sources of rare earth minerals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Supreme Court hears a case brought by business owners challenging whether President Donald Trump had the power to declare national emergencies to implement global tariffs. Most news articles suggesting the answer is 'no', We will hear some of the oral argument and talk with The Hill's Legal Affairs reporter Zach Schonfeld (1); Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announces a 10% reduction in scheduled airline flight capacity at the nation's top 40 high-traffic markets due to the federal government shutdown, now at a record Day 36, and strain on air traffic controllers not being paid although required to work. President Trump meets with Senate Republicans and again calls for the Senate filibuster rule to be abolished so that the Republicans can reopen the government and pass other legislation with a simple majority vote instead of the 60 votes needed, bypassing the objections and demands of Democrats; President and party leaders react to the sweeping election night victories by Democrats in the races for Virginia & New Jersey governors, New York City mayor, and in the California Congressional districting ballot initiative. We will also hear from the incoming officeholders. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), Intelligence Committee vice chair, speaks to reporters after a closed door briefing by the Secretaries of Defense & State on the Trump Administration's military strikes on suspected drug trafficking boats off the coast of Venezuela.. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's election day, with key races for New York City mayor, New Jersey and Virginia governors and California's congressional redistricting ballot initiative; Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD) announces a commission to explore congressional redistricting in his state with the aim of flip the only Republican-held seat to Democratic; It's Day 35 of the federal government shutdown, tying the record for the longest ever. Another Senate vote fails to reopen the government, but bipartisan talks about a path are ongoing; White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says the Trump Administration will comply with a court order to fund the SNAP food aid program through emergency funds. This comes after President Trump posts that the funding would go out only after the government reopens; Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warn of "mass chaos" in air travel if the government does not reopen by next week, when air traffic controllers will miss a second paycheck; former Vice President Dick Cheney has died at age 84. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's day 34 of the government shutdown… and this afternoon the Trump administration said it will provide half benefits to Americans who receive federal food assistance…That after states filed lawsuits against the White House to fund SNAP with an emergency reserve… Meanwhile, members of both parties are looking for a way out after weeks of minimal progress….including a group of Democratic senators and a bipartisan group of House members….House and Senate leadership talked to reporters today…We'll play for you what they said… And one day more until election day 2025…it's first of President Trump's second term…. And Voters will choose new governors in Virginia and New Jersey…a new mayor in New York City…and new congressional districts in California…We'll talk about it with National Journal Hotline editor Kirk Bado coming up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this weekend's episode, two segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First: A conversation with award-winning documentary filmmakers Ken Burns and Sarah Botstein who discuss their upcoming PBS' series "The American Revolution." Then: National Constitution Center President & CEO Jeffrey Rosen discusses his new book, "The Pursuit of Liberty: How Hamilton vs. Jefferson Ignited the Lasting Battle Over Power in America." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A federal judge orders the Trump administration to use emergency funds to pay for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the federal government shutdown, which is now on Day 31; Senate Republicans do not appear eager to heed President Donald Trump's call to get rid of the Senate filibuster to overcome Democratic opposition to the Republican bill that would reopen the federal government; President Donald Trump says media reports that he is considering military strikes on Venezuelan territory are not true, but questions continue from Members of Congress of both parties about the legal justification for the deadly military attacks on suspected illegal drug carrying boats off the Venezuelan coast; Just a few days until election day 2025. We will take a closer look at the race for governor in Virginia and New Jersey; Daylight Saving Time comes to end this weekend. There was another unsuccessful try this week in the Senate to pass a bill that would stop the twice-yearly clock switching and make Daylight Saving Time permanent. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Senate votes to overturn President Donald Trump's global tariffs; President Trump touts trade deals he said he made in his meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea; U.S government shutdown is now 30 days old. Saturday, federal funding will stop for the 42 million people on food aid program SNAP; nominee for head of U.S. Strategic Command is questioned at a Senate hearing about President Trump saying the U.S. is restarting nuclear weapons testing; Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chair Mark Warner (D-VA) criticizes the Trump Administration and his Republican Senate colleagues after a briefing on the legality of deadly strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean excluded Democrats; Gov. JB Pritzker (D-IL) calls for a Halloween pause on federal immigration enforcement operations in Chicago; Virginia Democrats move a step closer to drawing new congressional districts lines for partisan gain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Federal Reserve cuts interest rates by a quarter point for the second time this year, but Fed Chair Powell says another rate cut in December is not a foregone conclusion given concerns about the job market. We hear from the Fed chair and talk with Reuters Federal Reserve Correspondent Howard Schneider (5); Federal government shutdown is now at Day 29. Senate Democrats try and fail over Republican objections to pass a bill to extend funding only for the federal food aid program SNAP; Senate votes with the support of five Republicans to overturn President Donald Trump's emergency declaration to impose 50 percent tariffs on Brazil; President Trump promotes U.S. & Southeast Asia investment and development at a CEO's luncheon at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea and previews his meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping; Food & Drug Administration says it is looking to reduce the number of human clinical studies required for approval of certain biosimilar drugs to speed approval and reduce costs; Senate Veterans Affairs Committee holds a hearing on allegations of fraud in the VA disability benefits program; Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Judiciary Committee chair, talks about the news that many more Republicans were targeted in the Biden Justice Department's "Arctic Frost" investigation after the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On day 28 of the federal government shutdown, Senate fails to advance a temporary government bill to reopen the government for the 13th time. It is supported by most Republicans but opposed by most Democrats because it does not address expiring Affordable Care Act health insurance premium tax credits; two dozen states led by Democrats sue over the federal Agriculture Department's plans not to release emergency funding for federal food assistance starting this weekend; air traffic controllers, who must work without pay during the shutdown, miss their first paycheck. We will hear from Transportation Secretary & the president of the Air Traffic Controllers Union; President Donald Trump meets with Japan's new Prime Minister in his latest stop on his weeklong trip to Southeast Asia, calling her a "winner" and signing rare earth minerals deal; U.S. House Oversight Committee Republicans release a report on former President Joe Biden's mental fitness and use of an autopen, concluding that certain executive actions, including pardons, are void, and the Justice Department should investigate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Senate returned to Washington today with no end to the government shutdown in sight. Meanwhile, the effects are piling up, and food assistance for more than 40 million low-income Americans is at risk. Major airports are seeing more flight delays because of the growing air traffic controller shortage, and the largest federal workers union is urging Congress to pass a “clean” funding bill. We'll hear the latest from Senators Thune and Schumer & Speaker Johnson, and Leader Jeffries about it coming up. President Trump is in Japan today. It's the second stop of his Asia tour…He started the day with a visit to Emperor Naruhito at Tokyo's Imperial Palace. Meanwhile, US trade negotiators are reporting progress on a potential trade deal with China ahead of the president's expected meeting with President Xi Jinping later this week. The president spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First, a discussion with Ryan Berg of the Center for Strategic & International Studies, about the recent U-S military strikes on suspect drug boats off the coast of Venezuela. Next – we turn our attention to the Trump administration's trade and tariffs agenda ahead of President Trump's high-stakes meeting next week with China's president Xi Jinping. That conversation with Wall Street Journal trade reporter Gavin Bade. Finally – we speak with documentary writer and producer Michael Wiser about his latest PBS Frontline film "The Rise of RFK Jr." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump gets ready to fly to Southeast Asia for meetings with leaders of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and one-on-one with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. We will talk about it with Politico trade reporter Ari Hawkins (3); President Trump ends trade negotiations with Canada after Ontario's government runs a TV ad with former President Ronald Reagan expressing opposition to tariffs; Inflation report from the Labor Department: Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose in September at an annual rate of 3 percent, highest since last January; U.S. government shutdown Day 24. House & Senate are not in session. Over 600,000 civilian federal workers miss their first full paychecks. We will talk with The Hill's Senior Staff Writer Mike Lillis about bipartisan warnings that SNAP food assistance that over 40 million Americans receive will soon be in jeopardy (31); New York Attorney General Letitia James pleads not guilty in federal court in Norfolk, Virginia to charges of mortgage fraud, saying outside the courthouse, she said, "There is no fear. This is not about me. This is about all of us and a weaponized justice system"; Pentagon says the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford is being deployed to the Caribbean Sea to support military operations against drug traffickers and there was another strike today on small boat, where Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said "six male narco-terrorists" were killed; Secretary of State Marco Rubio visits the operations center in Israel that is the headquarters of the U.S.-led effort to maintain the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, and to plan for rebuilding and securing Gaza. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Day 23 of the federal government shutdown, Senate votes down a bill offered by Republicans to pay the military and federal workers who required to work without pay. Senate Democrats offer an alternative to pay all federal workers, even those on furlough, but that, too, is rejected; President Donald Trump pardons the founder of cryptocurrency exchange Binance, who was convicted of violating federal anti-money-laundering laws; President Trump holds a roundtable discussion at the White House on efforts to stop human trafficking by criminal cartels; San Francisco's mayor says the President has canceled a federal law enforcement & possible National Guard surge into his city; Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives in Israel as VP JD Vance is leaving. Both criticize a vote in the Israeli Knesset related to Israel's annexing the West Bank; In DC, Republican and Democratic Senators question President Trump's nominee for U.S. Ambassador to Kuwait Amer Ghalib over past online posts some see as antisemitic; FBI Director Kash Patel announces arrests in an NBA multi-million dollar gambling scandal, including a player and a coach. Charges include sports bets rigging and operating illegal rigged poker games in cooperation with the mafia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) speaks all night and all day on the Senate floor about what he calls President Donald Trump's "growing authoritarianism"; He is closing in on the record for the longest Senate floor speech in history; Day 22 of the federal government shutdown, and it appears Republican and Democratic positions have not moved and remain at odds, and the government will stay closed for now; less than two weeks until the closely-watched Virginia gubernatorial election between Republican Winsome Earle-Sears and Democrat Abigail Spanberger; NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visits Washington for meetings with President Trump & Senators after the postponement of a summit between President Trump & Russian President Vladimir Putin in Hungary on Russia's war in Ukraine; Vice President JD Vance joins Israeli Prime Minister's Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. Vice President says say he and other Trump Administration officials are not there to monitor the status of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire in Gaza as one monitors a toddler but ensuring that "our people are doing what we need them to do.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A New York man who was convicted and sentenced to prison on charges related to the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, then pardoned by President Donald Trump, is arrested on charges he threatened to kill House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (R-NY). We get reaction from Jeffries & Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA); President Donald Trump hosts Senate Republicans for a lunch at the White House on the patio near the West Wing that he calls the Rose Garden Club to tout the Republican agenda and what he sees as successes. This comes on Day 21 of the federal government shutdown, with little apparent movement towards a resolution of the standoff between the parties; House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY) says his panel wants to hear from former President Bill Clinton in the investigation of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and accuses Democrats of falsely linking Epstein to President Trump; Vice President JD Vance visits Israel and expresses optimism that ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza will hold, despite sporadic violence; Former U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns talks about on the expected meeting between President Trump & Chinese leader Xi Jinping; Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD) on government safety net programs for children; White House celebration of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It is Day 20 of the government shutdown…and there are few signs that lawmakers are close to a deal to end it….The House continues to hold only brief sessions…The Senate is in today….and they have an 11th vote scheduled on the Republicans short term funding bill…But it does not include the extension of federal health care tax credits…Meanwhile, federal workers continue to feel the shutdown's effects…As the federal agency overseeing the US nuclear stockpile began furloughing most of its workforce today….We'll hear what House and Senate leaders had to say about the shutdown coming up… President Trump welcomed Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to the White House today…The two signed an agreement on rare earth materials…The President also said he could meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month during a summit in South Korea…and he took questions on the cease fire in the Middle East and the Russia-Ukraine war…You'll hear what he had to say coming up… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First: A preview of this week's "No Kings" rallies taking place across the country this weekend with Joel Payne of the group "MoveOn" – one of the progressive groups organizing the events. Then: A conversation with Mike Brest - defense reporter for the Washington Examiner. We talk about how the shutdown impacted payday for active-duty military members this week – and the new Pentagon press policies which many news organizations are pushing back on. And finally: From long-lines at TSA to canceled or delayed flights - we check in with Reuters Correspondent David Shepardson about the impact the government shutdown is having on air travel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump tells Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at a White House meeting that if the U.S. gives Ukraine long-range Tomahawk missiles, it would escalate the war between Ukraine & Russia; President Trump expresses confidence his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Hungary will go a long way to ending the war in Ukraine; President Trump also talks about Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and recent military tensions; John Bolton, former Trump WH National Security Adviser, turned critic, pleads not guilty today in federal court in Maryland to felony charges of mishandling classified materials; Day 17 of the federal government shutdown, and with House & Senate not in for business, the shutdown will extend into the weekend; Saturday there will be mass protests around the country against the Trump Administration, what organizers call "No Kings" rallies; Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent gives an update on U.S.-China trade negotiations; former Secretaries of State Mike Pompeo & Anthony Blinken tell jokes at the annual Alfred E. Smith Foundation charity dinner in New York City. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump speaks by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin and announces they will meet in Budapest, Hungary in the coming weeks to discuss how to end the war in Ukraine. President Trump will be meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Friday to discuss possibly sending Tomahawk long-range missiles to Ukraine; President Trump also asked about this online post, "If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the Deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"; Venezuela brings the matter of what it calls President Trump's “bellicose” language to the United Nations Security Council, after President Trump confirmed Wednesday that he secretly authorized the CIA to conduct covert action in Venezuela was considering military strikes on Venezuelan territory to combat illegal drug smuggling; U.S. government shutdown is on Day 16 and will go through the weekend, after the Senate rejected for the 10th time a Republican proposal to temporarily fund the government and did not advance a standalone Defense spending bill; Former Trump White House National Security Adviser John Bolton is indicted on federal charges of illegally keeping and transmitting classified material; Democrats push back on Republicans calling the 'No Kings' protests planned for Saturday around the country 'Hate America Rallies'; President Trump announces new steps designed to expand access to IVF; Border Czar Tom Homan flatly denies he took a $50,000 bribe from FBI undercover agents; President Trump presents models of a proposed Independence Arch he wants to build near the Lincoln Memorial as part of the America's 50th Anniversary in 2026. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

White House Budget Director Russell Vought suggests at least 10,000 federal workers could be fired during the government shutdown, now in Day 15, but a federal judge in California temporarily blocks the layoffs as a violation of the law; Senate again votes down the Republican-drafted temporary government funding bill for a ninth time, with Senate Democrats insisting health care provisions be included; Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accuses China of going back on a trade deal on rare earth minerals, saying, 'China is a command and control economy, and the United States and our allies will neither be commanded nor controlled'; President Donald Trump and FBI Director Kash Patel give an update on anti-crime efforts across the country they call 'Summer Heat'; Supreme Court hears a case on involving a Black-majority Congressional district in Louisiana & the Voting Rights Act whose decision could limit the use of race in drawing legislative maps. We will hear some of the oral argument and talk with The Hill's courts & legal reporter Zach Schonfeld (34); Arizona's Democratic Congressional delegation makes another push to get Congresswoman-elect Adelita Grijalva sworn-in, accusing Speaker Johnson of not doing so to prevent release of federal files on the investigation of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Federal government shutdown reaches Day 14, and Republicans and Democrats seem to be digging in for the long haul; Air traffic controllers union president talks about the first missed full-paycheck for his members; Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell says despite no official economic data due to the government shutdown, the outlook for employment and inflation has not changed much since the September interest rate cuts, suggesting there could be more cuts this year; President Donald Trump welcomes the President of Argentina to the White House and is asked about the $20 billion the U.S. is using to support Argentina's economy; Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) reacts to the guilty plea and sentence of the man who broke into the governor's residence earlier this year and set it on fire; assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously; former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton presents the annual Hillary Rodham Clinton Awards for Advancing Women in Peace & Security; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defends new Pentagon media policies prohibiting reporters from publishing information not authorized for release, even if it is unclassified. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump proclaims, "dawn of a new Middle East" in a speech to the Israeli Knesset in Jerusalem; world leaders sign the Gaza peace deal; Hamas frees the 20 living Israeli hostages, while Israel released nearly 2000 Palestinian prisoners; U.S. government shutdown is entering its third week with no end in sight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First, House Speaker Mike Johnson talks about the government shutdown and answers questions from our viewers. Then, a closer look at how the shutdown is impacting federal workers with Randy Erwin -- National President of the National Federation of Federal Employees. And finally, a preview of the new Supreme Court term that began this week. That conversation with SCOTUSblog Co-Founder and Reporter Amy Howe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

White House Budget Office Director Russell Vought announces on X that federal worker layoffs have begun, with the federal government shutdown now 10 days old and expected to continue through the weekend; Conservative commentator Benny Johnson says the Democratic Party is 'mainstreaming violence as a political tool', as he appears with Attorney General Pam Bondi to announce federal charges again a man who mailed a death threat to him and his family; Senate defeats an amendment from Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) to limit President Donald Trump's power to deploy National Guard troops to Chicago and other cities in the name of supporting law enforcement to fight crime and ICE agents carrying out immigration raids; Venezuela's opposition leader wins the Nobel Peace Prize, and the chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee is asked about President Trump's visible campaign for the award; First Lady Melania Trump says she has a regular communication channel with Russian President Putin, and it has helped reunite children separated from their families in the war in Ukraine; former Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D-MI), former Congressional Black Caucus Chair, has died. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump & Secretary of State Marco Rubio talk about Israel & Hamas agreeing to a pause in their two-year-old war and the release of hostages held by Hama in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, what President Trump calls Phase One of his Gaza ceasefire plan; Federal court hearings today challenging President Trump's deployment of National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon and Chicago, the president says, to protect federal immigration authorities from threats by protesters; New York Attorney General Letitia James is reportedly indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of bank fraud. She writes on X, "This is nothing more than a continuation of the president's desperate weaponization of our justice system." Day 9 of the federal government shutdown and Senate votes down for a seventh time Republican and Democratic proposals for short-term funding extensions; Federal Reserve Board Member Michael Barr urges caution on any further interest rate cuts, citing the risks of inflation from President Trump's tariffs; former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says she believes the Trump administration is preparing for 'some kind of military action' against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former FBI Director James Comey pleads not guilty in federal court in Alexandria to two felony charges related to previous testimony before Congress. We will talk with The Hill's courts reporter Ella Lee, who was in the courtroom, about the arraignment and what is next in this case (1); President Donald Trump holds a roundtable at the White House with journalists he says were attacked by anti-ICE Antifa protesters in Portland, Oregon; Federal government shutdown now at Day 8 and the situation remains the same: Senate again votes down competing Republican and Democratic temporary government funding bills; Arizona's two Democratic U.S. Senators confront Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson over the delayed swearing-in of a newly elected Democratic Congresswoman from Arizona, who would provide the crucial 218 signature on a discharge petition to force release of the federal files on the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein; IMF Managing Director gives an update on the world economy ahead of next week's IMF/World Bank meetings; Supreme Court hears oral argument in a case brought by Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL), who seeks standing to sue over Illinois' mail-in voting law that allows ballots postmarked by election day but which arrive later to be counted. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Federal government shutdown at Day Seven shows no sign of ending soon; White House memo says the 750,000 federal government employees furloughed are not entitled to backpay when the government reopens; President Donald Trump meets Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the White House to discuss trade and tariffs; Attorney General Pam Bondi testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee, pointing to a report this week that the FBI as part of its investigation of the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol tracked Republican lawmakers' private phone records; Attorney General Bondi also has tense exchanges with Democratic Senators over everything from the Epstein files to a dropped ethics case against Border Czar Tom Homan and the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey; Supreme Court hears a case challenging a Colorado law that bans 'conversion therapy' for LGBTQ minors; today is the two year anniversary of Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Senate is back without a deal to end the government shutdown that's now in its sixth day. Meanwhile, the legal showdown over White House efforts to deploy National Guard troops into US cities continues. The State of Illinois and the City of Chicago sued the Trump administration today to stop the deployment of National Guard troops, while Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order declaring city property "ICE-free zones". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First, a discussion about the government shutdown and its impact on federal workers, with Max Stier – President & CEO of the Partnership for Public Service. Then, Retired Army Colonel Peter Mansoor – now a military historian at Ohio State University - discusses President Trump and Secretary Hegseth's speech to generals earlier this week. Finally, a conversation with Rob Henderson of the Manhattan Institute on combating political extremism in the U.S. -- and why some young men are increasingly being radicalized online. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Day Three of the federal government shutdown, the Senate votes for a fourth time on the same Republican and Democratic proposals and again each fails to reach the 60 votes required to pass; President Donald Trump posts a video depicting OMB Russell Vought as the Grim Reaper as the president considers widespread layoffs of federal workers now on furlough with the government shutdown; Director Vought announces on X over $2 billion in federal funding for transit projects in Chicago is being suspended due to concerns about 'race-based contracting'; Labor Department jobs report for September that would have come out today did not because of the government shutdown; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says he directed, on President Donald Trump's orders, a lethal strike against a drug smuggling boat off the coast of Venezuela that the Secretary says was "affiliated with Designated Terrorist Organizations", and that four people onboard were killed; President Trump says Hamas has agreed to the peace plan with Israel and he and the Israeli Prime Minister presented, after President Trump sets a deadline for Hamas or , 'all hell' will 'break out'; Senate Republicans block a Democratic request to extend a cybersecurity law that expired with the end of the fiscal year on Wednesday that provides legal protections for critical infrastructure like electrical grids, transportation, and communications to share cyber intelligence with the federal government and each other. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Day Two of the federal government shutdown and zero chance it will be settled today, with the Senate not conducting votes because of the Jewish holiday. Republicans and Democrats are again trading accusations over which party is at fault for the impasse, and debate over health care continues, including the Republican accusation that Democrats want to provide care for illegal immigrants; President Donald Trump posts that he is meeting with OMB Director Russell Vought to see which "Democrat Agencies" might be cut. President says the "Radical Left Democrats" gave him an "unprecedented opportunity" with the government shutdown; Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) talks about how the federal government shutdown is affecting the people of his state; Rep. Jimmy Patronis (R-FL) and Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-VA) on the government shutdown's impact on the many federal workers in their districts; Israel intercepts an international aid flotilla heading to Gaza; we remember conservationist Jane Goodall, best known for her work with chimpanzees, who has died at age 91. We will hear her from a 2020 appearance at the National Press Club in Washington, from C-SPAN's video library. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Day one of the federal government shutdown, with hundreds of thousands of federal workers on furlough, White House preparing for layoffs, some government services suspended and both parties blaming the other. We will hear from the Vice President JD Vance, Congressional leaders, and some rank-and-file Members of Congress explaining the situation to their constituents; Health care is one of the key issues in the shutdown. Democrats say Republicans are refusing to extend help to keep millions from seeing insurance costs skyrocket. Republicans say Democrats want to give health care to illegal immigrants. We will talk to Newsweek Politics Reporter Daniel Gooding about his 'fact check' article (20); Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD) talks about help his state is providing to those hurt by the federal government shutdown; Trump Administration says $18 billion for two big infrastructure projects in New York, for a commuter train tunnel under the Hudson River and Second Avenue subway line, is being withheld to investigate what the Transportation Department calls “discriminatory, unconstitutional contracting processes” involving Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI); a nominee for a seat on the National Labor Relations Board who is currently chief labor counsel for Boeing gets tough questions at a Senate confirmation hearing by a Republican Senator about a Boeing union contract dispute; Federalist Society preview of the Supreme Court case challenging President Donald Trump authority to impose global reciprocal tariffs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A federal government shutdown is looking like it is going to happen with President Donald Trump and Republicans and Democrats in Congress sticking to their positions about what must be included and not included in a funding extension, and no compromise agreement in sight that can get the needed 60 votes in the Senate to pass; President Trump and Pfizer CEO announce a deal to sell Pfizer prescription drugs at lower prices to Medicaid patients; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and President Trump tell hundreds of senior U.S. military officials meeting at the Marine Corps base in Quantico, Virginia there will now be “gender-neutral” or “male-level” standards for physical fitness and “woke” culture in the military is over. President Trump also says he wants the military to use U.S. crime-ridden cities as training grounds; A Senate hearing on the Quiet Skies airline passenger screening program and allegations of weaponization by the Biden Administration, with people put on terrorist watch lists for political reasons and not because of any real threat to public safety; British Prime Minister Keir Starmer tells the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool that Great Britain faces a "battle for the soul of the country" against the rise of the populist far right represented by UK Reform Party leader Nigel Farage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), along with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) all meet at the White House to try to reach a deal to keep the federal government open past Tuesday night. President Trump meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to announce a plan to end the war in Gaza. Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield (D) sues the federal government to stop President Trump's deployment of the National Guard to Portland. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First, a discussion with former Democratic Congressmen Tim Roemer – and Republican Congressman Charles Boustany from the non-profit group Issue One -- on efforts to reduce political polarization in the U.S. Then, Former FCC Chair Tom Wheeler discusses the Jimmy Kimmel controversy and the role the agency plays in what stations can broadcast on U.S. airwaves. Finally, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary discusses the administration's new policy approach on vaccine policy and autism research. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While Congress is out of session, and President Donald Trump spent the day in New York at the Ryder Cup golf tournament, Washington Today look at some of the major stories this past week, including: *Former FBI Director James Comey is indicted for lying to Congress. President Trump says it is justice and not revenge against a political opponent. *Deadly shooting at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Dallas leads to more bipartisan calls for an end to politically-inspired violence. *Chances grow for a federal government will shut down with Republicans and Democrats seemingly far apart on a funding deal. *FDA warns that using pain reliever acetaminophen in Tylenol during pregnancy increases the risk of autism. President Trump goes further, saying 'don't take Tylenol if you are pregnant.' *United Nations General Assembly meets to hear speeches from President Trump and other world leaders. Today, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke, but not before a mass walkout of delegates in protest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

White House prepares for widespread layoffs of federal workers at government agencies if there is a government shutdown starting October 1st, the new fiscal year. We will hear from the House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, President Donald Trump, and talk with Reuters congressional reporter Bo Erickson (10); President Trump signs a deal to facilitate the sale of TikTok from a Chinese-based company to a group of American investors; Texas law enforcement says the 29 year old who open fired at a Dallas Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility, killing one person, wounding two more, wrote a note that said “hopefully this will give ICE agents real terror”; Turkey's President visits the White House Oval Office. President Trump calls on Turkey to stop buying Russian oil. The two also talk about Turkey buying U.S. F-35 fighter planes; Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas tells the UN General Assembly that Hamas would not be part of governing a future Palestine state; Actor Matt Damon speaks the Clinton Global Initiative conference in New York City about his non-profit's work to bring clean water to as many people as possible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A gunman kills two detainees at an U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Dallas in what the FBI Director Kash Patel says looks like a politically motivated attack. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) says of this, and other recent attacks, "This violence is wrong and needs to stop"; ABC late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel returns to the airwaves after being suspended over comments he made about conservative activist Charlie Kirk's murder, and his monologue gets tens of millions of online views; former President Bill Clinton talks about the importance of freedom of speech and freedom of the press at Clinton Global Initiative Conference and warns partisan disagreements have become so deep they are threatening the country as a whole; Adelita Grijalva (D) wins a special election for the U.S. House seat in Arizona held by her late father until his death earlier this year; Ben Carson, former HUD Secretary, takes a job as National Nutrition Adviser in the Trump Administration; NASA astronauts going to the moon in early 2026 talk about their mission; presidents of Ukraine and Iran speak at the United Nations General Assembly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump speaks at the opening the 80th session of the United Nations on his “America First” agenda, criticizing the UN for being ineffective at preventing or stopping wars and Europe for his immigration policies; President also meets in New York City with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and in a post said Ukraine should be able to win the war against Russia and get all its land back; President Trump cancels a meeting with the House and Senate Democratic leaders to discuss federal government funding, a week before the deadline to prevent a shutdown, amid a standoff over the Democrats' insistence of including health care funding provisions; Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell tells a Chamber of Commerce in Rhode Island there is no risk-free path in deciding interest rate policy to balance lowering inflation and increasing job growth; "107 Days", the memoir from former Vice President Kamala Harris, 2024 dem presidential nominee, goes on sale. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump joins federal health officials to announce that pain reliever acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, used by pregnant women, is linked to rising cases of autism, and that the drug Leucovorin is a potential treatment for autism; Disney says late night host Jimmy Kimmel is returning to the air on ABC, less than a week after his show was suspended over Kimmel's comments on the Trump Administration reaction to the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk; White House says President Trump has every right to voice his frustration that his political opponents who brought criminal charges against him, including NY Attorney General Letitia James, have not yet been charged with crimes themselves; leaders of France & Great Britain announce recognition of Palestine as an independent country as they criticize how Israel has conducted the war against Hamas in Gaza. Israel's Ambassador to the UN calls the recognition 'theater' 'detached from reality'; new U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz speaks at the UN Security Council for the first time, condemning Russia for sending its fighter planes over Estonian airspace; NASA announces the newest class of astronaut candidates who could one day fly on missions to the moon and Mars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices