C-SPAN Radio - Washington Today

President Donald Trump calls for "a very honorable and honest investigation" of the shooting death in Minneapolis of Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents, and the president defends Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem while Congressional Democrats are calling for her impeachment; Senate returns to session just a few days before the deadline to pass a Homeland Security spending bill to prevent a partial government shutdown, with Democrats demanding reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as the price for their votes; President Trump travels to suburban Des Moines, Iowa to talk about the economy and affordability; Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD) testifies before a Maryland House committee about the Congressional redistricting bill that could lead to the only U.S. House seat in the state held by a Republican flipping to Democratic control in 2026; National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) holds its final hearing on the mid-air collision last year between an American Airlines regional jet and Army helicopter near Reagan National Airport; Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney denies he walked back criticism of President Trump's foreign policy in a phone call with the president this week; Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moves its symbolic Doomsday Clock to the closest it has ever been to midnight; United Nations Secretary General marks International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a snow day in the nation's capital…. Much of the federal government is closed…. The House is in a district work period this week… The Senate is in today… but votes have been postponed until tomorrow because of the weather… Of course, the Senate must pass a 6-bill spending package by Friday at midnight to avoid a government shutdown…. The legislation includes funding for the Department of Homeland Security through September 30th, which several Senate Democrats have said they will not support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. It's been a whirlwind week on the diplomatic front with President Trump announcing a "framework deal" on Greenland after weeks of threats. We speak with Washington Times White House Reporter Jeff Mordock on what the deal entails – and the geopolitical fallout. Then – a preview of the 2026 midterm elections and key SENATE races to watch with Jessica Taylor of the Cook Political Report Finally: Democrat Robin Kelly of Illinois joins us to talk about her move to impeach Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump & Vice President JD Vance speak to the annual anti-abortion March for Life in Washington, DC; Hundreds of businesses in Minnesota close their doors to protest U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations; FBI Director Kash Patel announces the arrest in Mexico of Ryan Wedding, accused major drug trafficker and former Canadian Olympic snowboarder; British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemns comments by President Trump that NATO troops had stayed “a little off the front lines” during the war in Afghanistan; California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) announces a lawsuit over whether the state or the federal government has the power regulate off shore oil pipelines. He says it is the 55th lawsuit California has filed against the Trump Administration; DC's Mayor and the governors of Maryland and Virginia declare states of emergency ahead of the big winter storm heading east. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Special Counsel Jack Smith defends his investigations of, and the criminal charges brought against, Donald Trump in testimony before the House Judiciary Committee; President Trump launches his "Board of Peace," initially proposed to maintain the ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas, but now the president suggests it could expand its scope to bring peace to the world; still not many details from President Trump on a deal he said is being negotiated on Greenland, other than the U.S. will have 'total access'; U.S. House votes on a War Power resolution requiring the president to get Congressional approval for further military action against Venezuela; House moves to complete the FY2026 spending bill, as the one funding the Homeland Security Department draws Democratic opposition over not having reforms to Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE); Vice President JD Vance visits Minneapolis to support ICE operations there; health care company CEO's testify before a House committee on health care affordability; child welfare advocate Paris Hilton lobbies on Capitol Hill for a bill to allow victims of nonconsensual deepfake pornography to sue those who make it and distribute it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland rules out the use of military force to seize Greenland and again makes the claim that the U.S. must own the island for national and world security, then later, after a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, the president announces a framework deal with NATO on Greenland; Supreme Court hears oral argument in Trump v. Cook, about whether president can fire Federal Reserve Board Member Lisa Cook after she was charged with mortgage fraud. We will talk about the case with USA Today Supreme Court reporter Maureen Groppe (16); House Oversight Committee votes to recommend the full House hold former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress for refusing to testify in person under subpoena in the committee's investigation of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein; House Democrats come out against a funding bill for the Homeland Security Department because it does not have enough reforms to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); YouTuber Nick Shirley testifies on Capitol Hill about his videos on public program fraud in Minnesota; JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon opposes President Trump's proposal to cap credit card interest rates at 10 percent for one year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump holds a news conference at the White House on the anniversary of his second term inauguration, highlighting what he sees as accomplishments over the past year and getting questions about his threat to impose tariffs on European countries opposing his desire for the U.S. to acquire Greenland, as he travels tonight to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where he will meet with leaders of many of those European countries; House Speaker Mike Johnson gives a speech before the British Parliament in London, celebrating U.S.-U.K. friendship as America marks its 250th birthday. But the speech is overshadowed by the rift over Greenland. We will talk about it with C-SPAN's Westminster Correspondent Peter Knowles (14); Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) is inaugurated,  comparing President Trump to Great Britain's King George III during the American Revolution; latest from the federal immigration operations in Minneapolis that have led to weeks of protests; Supreme Court hears a case challenging a Hawaii law that bans people from bringing firearms on private property open to the public without permission from the property owner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

U.S. President Donald Trump linked his aggressive stance on Greenland to last year's decision not to award him the Nobel Peace Prize, telling Norway's prime minister that he no longer felt “an obligation to think purely of Peace,” in a text message released Monday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. Tensions continue to mount in Minnesota – and elsewhere across the country -- over the role and tactics of Immigration & Customs Enforcement agents. We spoke with two guests about the protests – and threats of the President to invoke the Insurrection Act in response. FIRST: Chad Wolf - former acting Homeland Security Secretary in the first Trump administration. And Sarah Pierce – who served as a policy analyst for U-S Citizenship and Immigration Services under the Biden administration. PLUS – a conversation with Behnam Ben Taleblu -- Iran Program Senior Director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies -- , about the brutal crackdown on protesters in Iran -- and potential U.S. military response. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump says he does not see a reason now to invoke Insurrection Act and send the U.S. military to deal with anti-ICE protesters in Minneapolis, but, he says, "If I needed it, I'd use it. It's very powerful"; House & Senate Democrats hold a hearing in Minneapolis to highlight what say are abuses by federal immigration officers carrying out raids in the city; President Trump suggests he may use tariffs against countries that block his efforts for the U.S. to acquire Greenland, while a bipartisan Congressional delegation meets with Danish and Greenlandic officials in Copenhagen to offer support for Greenland's territorial integrity; Venezuela's opposition leader Maria Corina Machado holds a news conference a day after meeting President Trump at the White House giving him the Nobel Peace Prize she won; Iranian opposition figure Reza Pahlavi, son of the last shah, says he should return to Iran and lead the country when the current wave of protests overthrows the Islamic Republic; President Trump highlights rural health care; Governors start delivering their annual state of the state addresses; NASA gets ready for the next mission to return to the moon, Artemis II. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump threatens to invoke the Insurrection Act and send troops to Minneapolis as anti-ICE protests escalate following two shootings in the past week involving federal law enforcement officers; Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado meets with President Trump at the White House and a bipartisan group of Senators on Capitol Hill about the future of Venezuela after the U.S. military removed former President Nicolas Maduro; United Nations Security Council holds an emergency meeting on the Iranian government's deadly response to protests throughout that country; U.S. Senate passes another package of federal spending bills, sending it to the president, as the clock ticks to another potential partial government shutdown in two weeks; President Trump presents a health care reform proposal he calls the "Great Healthcare Plan' that includes giving people money directly to buy health insurance; Federal prosecutors in Philadelphia charge more than two dozen people with plotting to rig fix U.S. college & Chinese professional basketball games. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Senate Republicans successfully block War Powers Act resolution on Venezuela after two Republicans change votes from last week; Foreign Ministers of Greenland and Denmark meet in Washington with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio about President Donald Trump stated goal of the U.S. controlling Greenland. Danish Foreign Minister says a 'fundamental disagreement' remains, but conversations will continue; President Trump says he has heard it on 'good authority' that the 'killing in Iran is stopping' and there are 'no plans for executions'; Articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem over the Trump Administration immigration policies gets support from more than 50 House Democrats; President Trump signs a bill into law to return whole & 2% milk to school lunchrooms; House committee approves a bill to tighten restrictions on stock trading by Members of Congress; Senate committee holds a hearing on the abortion drug mifepristone and its availability through the mail; Hillary Clinton, as expected, did not comply with subpoena to testify in a House Committee investigation of Jeffrey Epstein, and as expected, republican chair James Comer says the committee will vote to hold her, as well as former President Bill Clinton, who did not show up yesterday, in criminal contempt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Supreme Court hears cases challenging state law banning transgender girls and women from playing on school sports teams, and according to many news articles, a majority of Justices are leaning towards letting those laws stand; President Donald Trump tours a Ford pickup truck plant in Dearborn, Michigan before speaking at the Detroit Economic Club, as the Labor Department reports inflation in December rose 2.7 percent versus a year ago, 2.6 percent when not considering volatile food and energy prices; House takes up a bill to change a Biden-era definition of who is a tipped worker; President Trump encourages anti-government protesters in Iran, again telling them help is on the way, as the death toll reportedly tops 2,000; Congressional Progressive Caucus in the aftermath of ICE officer shootings calls for reforms of Immigration & Customs Enforcement 'militarized' tactics before any further federal funding is approved; House Republican leading the congressional investigation into Jeffrey Epstein says the Oversight Committee will move to hold  former President Bill Clinton in contempt after he did not show up today to testify under subpoena in a closed-door deposition. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reaction to the Justice Department's investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell; Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey announce a lawsuit against the Homeland Security Department to end ICE operations in the state. 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, the aftermath of the U-S military operation in Venezuela that toppled President Nicolas Maduro dominated Washington this week. We speak with Republican Randy Fine of Florida – a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee – about the future of U-S involvement in that country. The U-S military strikes and the capture of Maduro has raised all kinds of legal and constitutional questions. We break it all down with Creighton University Professor and international law expert Michael Kelly Finally, this week also saw the 5th anniversary of the January 6th attack on the Capitol. We chat with Associated Press Congressional Reporter Mary Clare Jalonick about the legacy of that day which she examines in her book "Storm at the Capitol: An Oral History of January 6th." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Local prosecutor in Minneapolis is asking the public to send her video or other evidence related to the fatal shooting of a woman by an Immigration & Customs Enforcement officer because she is concerned the FBI will not share its evidence with her investigators; Oregon's Attorney General says his office has a good working relationship with the FBI in the now-launched investigation an ICE officer shooting of two people in Portland; Senate Republican leaders visit the U.S.-Mexico border to promote the border security funding contains in last year's law known as the One Bill Beautiful Bill; Labor Department releases the December jobs report: 55,000 jobs created, unemployment ticks down to 4.4%; President Donald Trump meets with oil & gas company executives at the White House to discuss investment in Venezuela's oil sector after the U.S. military captured President Nicolas Maduro; Kentucky and Vermont Governors deliver their annual State of the State addresses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Senate advances a War Powers Act resolution prohibiting President Donald Trump's from taking future military action against Venezuela without Congressional approval; Minnesota's government says it has been told it will no longer take part in the FBI investigation of the fatal shooting of a woman in Minneapolis by an ICE agent; House passes a three year extension of expired Affordable Care Act health insurance enhanced premium subsidies and three more FY2026 federal spending bills; House sustains presidential vetoes of two bipartisan bills to fund a water project in Colorado to expand the lands of an Indian tribe in Florida; Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) delivers his final State of the State Address, contrasting his state with the Trump Administration; White House presents plans for the president's proposed ballroom to the National Capital Planning Commission; Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) announces his retirement after more than four decades in the House. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shoots and kills a woman in a vehicle in Minneapolis during an immigration-related operation. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says the agent was acting in self-defense against "an act of domestic terrorism." Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) asks protesters to "stay peaceful" and "not riot" and "We can't give them what they want." Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) says the shooting was a reckless abuse of power and ICE needs to get out of his city; U.S. House Oversight Committee holds a hearing on the allegedly widespread fraud involving publicly funded welfare programs in Minnesota; U.S. seizes two oil tankers with Venezuelan oil,  one Russian-flagged, as Secretary of State Marco Rubio & Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth brief House Members and Senators on U.S. policy toward Venezuela now that President Nicolas Maduro is in a U.S. prison awaiting trial; Secretary Rubio is also asked about Greenland, after the White House said President Donald Trump is discussing options for acquiring the island territory and not ruling out potential use of military force; Health & Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. unveils new dietary guidelines encouraging Americans to eat more whole foods and protein, and fewer highly processed foods and added sugar; U.S. House advances bills to restore the expired Affordable Care Act health insurance premium enhanced subsidies and a package of remaining fiscal year 2026 spending bills to avoid another government shutdown at the end of the month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this fifth anniversary of attack on the U.S. Capitol, House Democrats reconvene the January 6 investigative committee. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) saying, "Five years ago today, a violent mob brutally attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6. Their mission was to overturn a free and fair election. We will never allow extremists to whitewash their treachery." President Donald Trump blames then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) for, he says, declining his offer of 10,000 National Guard troops that day, and blames the media for, he says, not reporting that he told protesters to march peacefully and patriotically to the Capitol; President Trump urges Congressional Republicans to be flexible when it comes to their demands that a bill to address the rise in Affordable Care Act health insurance premiums limit coverage of abortion; United States for the first time joins Western European nations in agreeing to come to Ukraine's aid if it attacked again by Russia, the so-called security guarantees; latest on Venezuela in the aftermath of the U.S. removing President Nicolas Maduro; tributes to Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), who has died at age 65. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The United Nations Security Council held a meeting regarding the U.S. strikes conducted in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife. Ambassadors representing several Latin American nations--including Venezuela--condemned these actions, saying they violated international law and sovereignty, with some claiming civilians were killed in the operation. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Michael Waltz called the action a "law enforcement operation ... against two indicted fugitives of American justice." After their capture, President Maduro and his wife were brought to New York City, where he pleaded "not guilty" to drug trafficking charges. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. We'll kick off with conversations with two authors who rounded out Washington Journal's annual holiday authors week series: first up - John Jay College constitutional law professor and civil rights attorney Gloria Browne-Marshall talked about her book, "A Protest History of the United States" Then: author Sarah Kendzior joins us to talk about her book " The Last American Road Trip: A Memoir." Plus: Steve Clemons -- editor at large for the National Interest magazine – previews the foreign policy challenges facing the Trump administration in the year ahead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

FBI says it 'thwarted a potential' New Year's Eve terror attack in North Carolina and the suspect was 'directly inspired to act by ISIS'; President Donald Trump & top officials in Iran threaten each other as deadly street protests continue in Iranian cities; As Somalia's Ambassador to the United Nations takes over the rotating UN Security Council presidency, a reporter asked him about President Trump's criticisms of Somalia-Americans linked to alleged public program fraud in Minnesota; New York City's new Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) creates an Office of Mass Engagement and is asked about Israel saying Mamdani is antisemitic for revoking his predecessors' Executive Orders that barred city agencies from boycotting or divesting from Israel and adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of antisemitism; Head of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) Gene Dodaro, has retired after a long career at the agency and in government. We will talk with Government Executive reporter Sean Michael Newhouse about Dodaro's accomplishments and efforts to be bipartisan and how Congress will choose his replacement (36); Full video of former Special Counsel Jack Smith's deposition before the House Judiciary Committee was made public on New Year's Eve. We will talk with Politico reporter Hailey Fuchs about what we learn about the Donald Trump election interference and classified documents cases that were ultimately dropped. (44) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On New Year's Eve, America250 Commission Chair Rosie Rios talks about the special celebrations tonight related to the U.S.'s 250th birthday in 2026, New York City & New Orleans are among the cities increasing their New Year's Eve security and world leaders issue New Year's messages; House Republicans schedule a hearing looking at Minnesota social welfare programs fraud, inviting both Republican state lawmakers and Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) to testify; number of Jeffrey Epstein-related files the Justice Department is working through to release now reportedly tops 5 million; New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani (D) names a new schools chancellor a day before he takes office; former Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (D-CO) has died. We  hear his 2004 remarks at the dedication for the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Indian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New York  City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani announces new members of his incoming administration, including Deputy Mayor for Health & Human Services; States receive the first allotments from a $50 billion federal rural health care fund; Federal investigation into alleged multi-billion-dollar fraud of Minnesota state services expands, with some Republicans calling on Democratic Gov. Tim Walz to resign. We will talk about it with Axios breaking news reporter Herb Scribner (16); U.S. pledges $2 billion in for United Nations humanitarian aid, down sharply from previous years; China's Foreign Minister criticizes a record $11 billion in U.S. weapons sales to Taiwan as China conducts military drills simulating a blockade of Taiwan; more performers cancel scheduled dates at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC after President Trump's name was added to the institution. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; Recap of Sunday's meeting with Ukrainian President Zelensky; US strikes Venezuela; China announces military drills near Taiwan.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this weekend's episode, three segments from the Washington Journal's annual Holiday Author Series this past week. First: a conversation with journalist, documentary filmmaker, and MS Now contributor Trymaine Lee on his book "A Thousand Ways to Die: The True Cost of Violence on Black Life in America" Then: Free speech advocate Greg Lukianoff -- President & CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression -- discusses his book "The War on Words." Finally: George Washington University professor Casey Burgat joins us for a discussion about his book "We Hold These 'Truths': How to Spot the Myths that are Holding America Back." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Christmas Eve, President Donald Trump & First Lady Melania Trump take children's NORAD Santa Tracker calls and speak to U.S. military servicemembers overseas; Members of Congress of both parties post their holiday greetings; Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) releases his annual Festivus Report on Government Waste. He says he has identified $1.6 trillion worth; Bipartisan group of Senators sign a letter calling for an audit of the Justice Department's slow release of the Jeffrey Epstein files, they say, in violation of the law that set a deadline of 30 days after enactment. Justice Department says it may take several more weeks to release all the files now that a million more have been identified; European leaders condemn the Trump Administration blocking of five Europeans who monitor online hate and disinformation from traveling to the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio calls them "leading figures of the global censorship-industrial complex"; National Guard troops to deploy to New Orleans; White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller calls for the firing of all producers on the CBS News show '60 Minutes' who protested the pulling of a report on the Trump Administration's deportation of Venezuelan men to a prison in El Salvador. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

United Nations Security Council holds an emergency meeting on U.S. military actions against Venezuela; European leaders stand with Greenland in response to President Donald Trump latest moves toward his stated goal of having the U.S. own the island; Supreme Court turns down President Trump plan to plan to deploy National Guard troops in Illinois and Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) joins faith leaders to condemn what they call 'chaos' that federal immigration agents were sowing with their operations in Minneapolis; Commerce Department says U.S. economy grew at a very strong 4.3 percent annual rate in the third quarter of the year; more than 20 Democratic State Attorneys General sue the Trump Administration over its plan to defund the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump announced a new fleet of ships Monday, known as the "Golden Fleet," as he revealed he approved plans for two new "very large battleships." Trump said the new ships would be "100 times more powerful than any battleship ever built," in an address from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. 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 Republican Congressman Mike Lawler of New York on his confrontation with Republican leadership for not acting on expiring ACA subsidies. Then: a conversation with John Della Volpe – polling director at the Harvard Institute of Politics. We'll talk about the Institute's latest youth poll – showing growing pessimism among young Americans about the direction of the country. Finally: we'll talk about President Trump's executive order blocking artificial intelligence regulations at the state level with Neil Chilson – former Chief technologist for the FTC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Justice Department released the first batch of files on the late sex offender and accused trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, but Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche say not all of the files will be released by today's deadline as required under law; President Donald Trump announces deals with nine pharmaceutical company to lower drug prices; President travels to North Carolina for a speech on affordability and to support Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley; Federal court hearing in the last surviving case against President Trump over his alleged role in the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol; Secretary of State Marco Rubio holds an end-of-the-year news conference, getting questions on the U.S. policy towards Venezuela, moving to Phase 2 of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire and talks to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

White House and Democratic lawmakers weigh in on President Donald Trump's Wednesday night primetime TV year-end address, during which the president highlighted what he sees as his achievements after almost a year in office; Democrats make a last-ditch effort to get a vote to extend expiring Affordable Care Act health insurance premium subsidies; Health & Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. announces new rules that aim to prohibit gender-affirming care for transgender youth; President Trump signs an Executive Order to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, to ease restrictions and allow for more research. We will talk about it with Axios reporter Herb Scribner (30); White House says the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has been renamed by the board of trustees the Trump-Kennedy Center, but there are questions about whether it would take an act of Congress; House votes to require the gray wolf be removed from the Endangered Species Act list; Pope Leo XIV names a new Catholic Archbishop of New York, who is from Chicago, like the pope. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Four House Republicans sign a discharge petition introduced by Democrats to force a vote an extension of expiring Affordable Care Act enhanced premium tax credits in defiance of the wishes of Republican Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA); House votes on a bill to criminalize providing gender-affirming care to minors; House votes on bill to prohibit the President Donald Trump from striking alleged drug smuggling boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific and carrying out military strikes against Venezuela without Congressional authorization under the War Powers Act; Senate passes the $900 billion National Defense Authorization Act, sending to the president to be signed into law; Senate also passes a bill to provision to reverse a provision in the NDAA concerning safe operation of military helicopters around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport; President Donald Trump delivers an address to the nation tonight from the White House; former special counsel Jack Smith testifies in closed session before the House Judiciary Committee, which is investigating his investigations of alleged criminal conduct of Donald Trump. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) says there will not be a vote on an amendment to extend expiring Affordable Care Act enhanced premium subsidies as part of a House Republican health care bill this week, and some moderate Republicans are not happy about it; Labor Department releases a jobs report that was delayed due to the federal government shutdown that shows 105,000 jobs lost in October, then in November, 64,000 jobs gained and the unemployment rate rising to 4.6 percent; Vice President JD Vance talks about the economy at a factory near Allentown, Pennsylvania; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth tells Senators & House Members in closed briefings the Pentagon will not release the full video of the second strike against an alleged illegal drug carrying boat in the Caribbean in September that reportedly killed survivors of the first strike, due to its classified and top-secret nature. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also took part in the briefing; FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford says to the House Aviation Subcommittee the FAA was not consulted before a provision was included in the House-passed defense authorization bill about military helicopter flights near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport that some Members and the NTSB Chair say will decrease safety; White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles in an interview with Vanity Fair, says President Trump has “an alcoholic's personality" and Vice President JD Vance is a “conspiracy theorist"; a statue of a civil rights leader Barbara Rose Johns replaces a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee in representing Virginia in the U.S. Capitol's Statuary Hall collection. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Congress is back to work today, and health care remains the top issue. The House is expected to vote this week on an extension of the expiring health care tax credits along with Republicans' alternative proposal… Over in the Senate, debate continues on the annual Defense policy bill… And reaction continues to the two mass shootings that happened over the weekend on opposite sides of the world….Authorities continue to work to find the suspect who opened fire at Brown University…killing at least two students and injuring nine others… Meanwhile, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese convened his government to come up with ways to tighten gun ownership rules…following an attack in Sydney's Bond-eye Beach that killed at least 15 people and injured at least 40 others at a Hanukkah celebration…Prime Minister Albanese called the attack an act of antisemitic terrorism…. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First: A conversation with National Farmers Union's Mike Stranz – about the state of the U.S. agriculture industry, including the impact of the Trump tariffs and the recently announced aid package to farmers. Then: Career Education Colleges and Universities President & CEO Jason Altmire discusses a new poll that examines Americans' declining attitudes on the value of a four-year college degree, and educational alternatives to it. And finally: Author, law professor, and ABC News legal contributor Kim Wehle discusses the use of executive power by the Trump Administration. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kilmar Abrego Garcia checks in at an Immigration & Customs Enforcement field office in Baltimore, under protection from a judge's order not to be rearrested. He says he believes the injustice done to him by the Trump Administration will come to an end; House Republican leadership says a vote to extend Affordable Care Act enhanced premium subsidies may happen next week. The tax credits are set to expire at the end of the month, raising costs for 20 million Americans; State legislators are pushing back against President Donald Trump's Executive Order limiting state regulation of artificial intelligence; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth travels to Huntsville, Alabama, known as Rocket City, to visit defense contractors & U.S. Space Command; Walter Cronkite Awards for Excellence in Political Journalism are handed out at the National Press Club in Washington. We will hear two winners, CBS 60 Minutes' Correspondent Scott Pelley and Jon Stewart, host of The Daily Show, which won in a new 'comedic commentary' category; Today is the 25th Anniversary of the Supreme Court's decision in Bush v. Gore to prevent a new presidential election vote recount in Florida, giving Republican George W. Bush the victory over Democrat Al Gore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Senate fails to advance both Democratic and Republican health care bills the sponsors say would address expected increase in costs for millions of Americans Affordable Care Act insurance at the end of the month when enhanced premium tax credits are set to expire; House passes a bill to reverse President Donald Trump's Executive Order limiting the collective bargaining rights of around one million federal workers in national security departments & agencies; Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) cancels a meeting to unveil major changes to how the agency responds to natural disasters. We will talk about it with The Hill's Energy and Environment Reporter Frazin (19); Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testifies before the House Homeland Security Committee and most of the questions from Members are on the Trump Administration immigration enforcement campaign; Indiana Senate, controlled by Republicans, votes down a Congressional redistricting map drawn by Republicans to get two more U.S. House seats for their party, despite Pres. Trump demands that it pass; White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is asked about the Venezuelan oil tanker seized by the U.S. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Federal Reserve cuts interest rates a quarter of a percentage point. We will hear from the Chair and President Donald Trump and speak with The Hill's Business Editor Sylvan Lane (4); Speaker Mike Johnson presents a range of health care reform bills to House Republicans that could be voted on soon, but not among them is the Democrat's priority of extending expiring Affordable Care Act insurance premium enhanced subsidies; House passes the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA); Supreme Court hears arguments about how states should determine what makes a criminal defendant intellectually disabled and ineligible for the death penalty. We will talk about it with Ian Millhiser, Vox Media Supreme Court reporter (30); Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks at a Congressional Hanukah Menorah lighting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump travels to Pennsylvania for a rally to talk about rising costs and his economic agenda; Senate Republicans say they will offer an alternative health care plan involving personal Health Savings Accounts when the Senate Democratic bill to extend expiring Obamacare health insurance enhanced premium supports comes up for a vote on Thursday; Gov. JB Pritzker (D-IL) signs a bill to provide greater legal protections to immigrants, as the federal immigration officials double down on enforcement operations in the city; Supreme Court hears a case challenging a rule that prevents wealthy donors from going around campaign contribution limits by funneling money through political parties; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Gen. Dan Caine, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff & Secretary of State Marco Rubio brief senior Senators on the deadly strikes on alleged drug-carrying boats in the Caribbean; musician Gene Simmons from the rock band KISS testifies before a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee about a bill to require radio station owners pay performers to play their songs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Congress is back to work this week…And on the Senate's agenda—a vote on extending health care tax credits past the end of the month…Democrats want a simple three-year extension of the tax credits…Republicans oppose that but have yet to put out a plan of their own… The tax credits help millions of Americans pay for insurance on state-run exchanges…We'll hear what Sens. Thune and Schumer had to say about it on the floor earlier this afternoon… Also today, the White House announced a 12 billion dollars aid package to American farmers...who have been hurt by the US-China trade war…It includes 11 billion dollars in one-time payments to farmers who grow corn, cotton, soybeans and other crops…The President talked about it at a roundtable event…We'll hear from him coming up… And at the Supreme Court—oral arguments in the case of Trump v Slaughter…a case that centers on whether presidents can fire officials of independent agencies without cause…It all started back in March when President Trump fired Federal Trade Commission member Rebecca Slaughter…Saying that her service was “inconsistent” with his goals…. Rebecca Slaughter then sued, arguing that she can be removed only for specific reasons…Today the court heard this case…We'll play you part of what happened inside the court room… 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: President Trump stuns House Republicans with a surprise pardon this week for Texas Democrat Henry Cuellar – whose Laredo seat Republicans were hoping to pick up in the midterms. We'll get the scoop from Gabby Birenbaum Washington Correspondent for the Texas Tribune. Then: A conversation with Shawn VanDiver -- founder and president of #AfghanEvac --a nonprofit run by American veterans helping to resettle Afghans who assisted the U.S. during the two-decade war. Plus: Electricity and utility prices are rising across the country as winter weather starts to kick in. We speak with Robinson Meyer – Founder of the website Heatmap News – about what's driving the increases. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices