C-SPAN Radio - Washington Today

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First – we chat with Punchbowl News congressional reporter Max Cohen about the prospects for a potential government shutdown in a few short weeks – and the political and policy obstacles to a potential deal. Then: Vaccine expert Dr. Paul Offit discusses his recent removal from the FDA vaccine advisory committee – and his concerns about Secretary Robert F. Kennedy's leadership at HHS. Finally: a conversation with Republican Mike Bost of Illinois - Chair of the Veterans' Affairs Committee-- on this week's 9/11 anniversary, veterans' issues, and the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gov. Spencer Cox (R-UT) announces the arrest in the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk of 22-year-old suspect Tyler Robinson of Utah; President Donald Trump says he will send National Guard to Memphis, Tennessee, the next city he is targeting with federal resources to reduce crime; former White House Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre gives a closed-door deposition with the House Oversight Committee in its investigation of former President Biden's mental fitness while in office; The Hill's health care reporter Nathaniel Weixel on President Trump's Executive Order signed this week targeting pharmaceutical drug TV ads (30); NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and NATO Supreme Allied Commander Alexus Grynkevich launch "Eastern Sentry," a boost in military assets on the Eastern front in response to Russian drones flying into Polish airspace this week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

FBI releases photos of a person of interest in the shooting death of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk and asks the public for help in identifying him. FBI also gives an update on the evidence recovered so far, including the suspected firearm used; President Donald Trump announces he will award Charlie Kirk a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom; House & Senate Democratic Leaders are asked about President Trump blaming the shooting on the 'radical left'; solemn ceremonies on this 24th anniversary of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks at Ground Zero in New York City,  at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania; Gen. Christopher Mahoney, Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chair nominee, is asked at his Senate confirmation hearing about handling a potential order from President Trump to deploy more U.S. troops to more U.S. cities to fight crime; Senate Republicans unilaterally change the rules to make it easier to confirm President Trump's nominees; bipartisan group of Senators introduce a bill to designate Russia a state sponsor of terrorism over its kidnapping of thousands of Ukrainian children; Herschel Walker, former professional football star & Republican nominee for U.S. Senator, testifies at his Senate hearing as nominee for U.S. Ambassador to The Bahamas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Conservative activist Charlie Kirk is shot and killed at an event at Utah Valley University; Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) forces a vote in the Senate on an amendment to release all the files related to the case of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein; NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte says Russia flying drones over Poland "reckless and dangerous… whether it was intentional or not". Poland shot down the drones with the aid of NATO allies; U.S. House of Representatives votes on whether to continue U.S. aid to Ukraine for its war with Russia; Senate Banking committee approves the nomination of Stephen Miran for Federal Reserve Board governor in a party-line vote; Rep.-elect James Walkinshaw (D-VA) is sworn-in after winning Tuesday's special election; Attorney General Pam Bondi announces a major seizure of illegal vaping products around the country smuggled in from China. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump Administration's Make America Health Again (MAHA) Commission releases a report with strategies to fight childhood chronic disease that focuses more on nutrition and lifestyle changes rather than government regulations; White House says President Donald Trump would be willing to bring in a handwriting expert to show that it is not his signature on a suggestive birthday congratulations 20 years ago to the late sex-offender Jeffrey Epstein; former researchers at tech giant Meta tell a Senate subcommittee that the company downplayed research on the dangers to children of its virtual reality devices and apps; discussions are ongoing over extended federal government funding past the October 1st deadline to avoid a shutdown, but few signs of an agreement between Republicans and Democrats; President Trump criticizes Israel for a military attack in Doha, Qatar targeting Hamas leaders; House begins debate on the annual defense authorization bill (NDAA); House task force holds a hearing on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP), with military veterans telling Members they have video of flying things they cannot explain and subcommittee member Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) saying, “I don't really know what is true… I do know when we're being lied to and we are definitely being lied to." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

News from the Supreme Court today….In a 6-3 decision, it blocked a federal judge's ruling that restricted federal officers' ability to conduct immigration stops in the Los Angeles area…. The Court also received… a formal request from the White House to let it hold back 4 billion dollars of congressionally approved foreign aid. The appeal comes after a federal judge ruled last week that the administration must spend the money… -On Capitol Hill, multiple media accounts this afternoon say Congressional leaders are trying to de-escalate a standoff over the Sept. 30 government funding deadline, with both Republicans and Democrats saying they'd be open to a short-term bill that wouldn't include substantial funding cuts…. Meanwhile, Senate Republican leader John Thune is taking the first steps to change rules on executive nominations… This after Democrats blocked several of the president's picks before August recess…. -From the Washington Post…A divided Supreme Court on Monday lifted a ruling by a lower-court judge who placed limits on immigration raids in the Los Angeles area after finding federal agents were indiscriminately targeting people based on race and other factors… The justices sided with the Trump administration, which argued that a temporary restraining order issued by a federal judge was hampering its ability to crack down on illegal migration and that the stops by authorities were not unlawful…. The Post goes on to write…The majority did not offer a rationale for the decision, which is common in cases decided on the Supreme Court's emergency docket…. But Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote in a concurring opinion that illegal immigration is a major issue in the Los Angeles area…. He added…“To be clear, apparent ethnicity alone cannot furnish reasonable suspicion; under this Court's case law regarding immigration stops, however, it can be a ‘relevant factor' when considered along with other salient factors… Justices Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor and Kentanji Brown Jackson sharply disagreed… Justice Sotomayor wrote “We should not have to live in a country where the Government can seize anyone who looks Latino, speaks Spanish, and appears to work a low wage job…Rather than stand idly by while our constitutional freedoms are lost, I dissent.” That from The Washington Post… Now….we'll hear what California Attorney General Rob Bonta had to say about the decision coming up… But now to the White House request to hold back 4 billion dollars in federal aid… NBC News' Lawrence Hurley reporting today… The case marks a showdown over to what extent the president can refuse to spend money that Congress has appropriated, a brewing issue as the Trump administration has embraced a sweeping view of presidential power since taking office again in January…. In the new filing, Solicitor General D. John Sauer described the case as raising “a grave and urgent threat” to the power of the presidency…. Under the Constitution, it is the job of Congress to allocate funds that the president can spend…. While the Trump administration has said it wants to withhold the 4 billion dollars…it has said it plans to spend another 6.5 billion dollars that Congress appropriated... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. Congress returned to Washington this week – and immediately was consumed by the Epstein files controversy and the looming government funding deadline at the end of the month. We talk with two lawmakers – on opposites sides of the aisle -- about potential Congressional action on the matter: Democrat Al Green of Texas and Republican Adrian Smith of Nebraska. Then – a conversation with Cook Political Report Senior Editor David Wasserman on how redistricting efforts in several states COULD impact the 2026 midterm elections. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Labor Department says the U.S. added just 22,000 jobs in August, lower than expectations, and the unemployment rate goes up to 4.3%. President Donald Trump says the real jobs numbers will be next year, after his policies have a chance to take effect; Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) talks about her vision of keeping the needs of the U.S. middle class front and center in U.S. foreign policy; Heritage Foundation think tank is about to publish a paper recommending government policies reward and promote married heterosexual couples having more children. We will talk about the implications with Jay Zigmont, CEO of Childfree Trust (12); President Trump to sign an Executive Order on renaming the Department of Defense to the Department of War, the name it had from its creation in 1789 until 1949; U.S. Attorney for the DC Jeanine Pirro says two 17 year old suspects have been arrested in the fatal shooting of a 21-year old Capitol Hill intern in June.. and they will be tried as adults; New York City Mayor Eric Adams says he is staying in the race for reelection as an independent, after reports the Trump Administration made him job offers to drop out to try to block the election of Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani; British Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner resigns after admitting  she failed to pay enough taxes when she bought an apartment, leading to a major shakeup in the Labour government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Health & Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. defends his vaccine policy changes and firing of top officials at the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, before the Senate Finance Committee. Almost all the committee's Democrats are calling on him to resign. Secretary Kennedy is also asked about studies on the causes of autism, and about his comments following the school shooting in Minneapolis on side effects of antidepressants; Federal Reserve Governor nominee Stephen Miran tells the Senate Banking Committee he is committed to the independence of the Fed, as he gets questions about any plans to return to his current job at the White House when his term ends in January; Director of U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services talks about bringing in armed law enforcement to the agency and making the U.S. citizenship test tougher; Missouri's legislature takes up a Congressional redistricting map to flip a Democratic seat to Republicans, part of a nationwide effort led by the White House in red states, being countered by Democrats in blue states; First Lady Melania Trump hosts a meeting of the White House Task Force on AI Education at the White House with the leaders of large technology companies including Google, Meta & Apple. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Survivors of sexual abuse by the late Jeffrey Epstein tell their emotional, personal stories in a news conference on Capitol Hill with Members of Congress of both parties who have been calling for the release of all the Justice Department files in the investigation of Epstein; President Donald Trump again calling that effort on the Epstein files a "Democrat hoax" meant to detract from his Administration's policy successes; White House and Trump campaign officials reportedly meet with House Republicans on the messaging surrounding the major tax cut and spending cut bill signed into law this year; Bipartisan House members introduce a bill to bank individual stock trading by Members of Congress; President Trump says he is now considering whether to surge federal law enforcement to New Orleans before Chicago; Nigel Farage, leader of Great Britain's right-wing Reform Party, testifies before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee about what he says is an unreasonable restriction of online free speech in his country; Congressional Gold Medal is awarded to the Harlem Hellfighters, the African-American Army infantry regiment that spent 191 straight days in combat during WWI, more than any other American military unit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump says, "we're going in" and "I didn't say when", when asked if he plans to send the National Guard to Chicago to combat crime. Gov. JB Pritzker (D-IL) responds; a federal judge rules President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth violated federal law by using the U.S. military to help carry out law enforcement activities in Los Angeles this summer; Congress is back in session after the August break to consider federal government funding. They have until the end of the month to avoid a shutdown; Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) introduces the discharge petition he promised to try to force a House vote to release all the files related to the investigation of the late sex offender and accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein; President Trump announces U.S. Space Command headquarters is moving from Colorado Springs, Colorado, to Huntsville, Alabama; a ceremony is held at the WWII Memorial in Washington commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of the war, VJ Day, when Japan formally surrendered. 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 Competitive Enterprise Institute's Ryan Young, about the Trump Administration's purchase of a 10% stake in the Intel corporation. Then, Nadia Bilbassy-Charters (bill-bey-zee) of Al Arabiya News Channel and Jacob Magid (MAG-id) of the Times of Israel discuss the Israel-Hamas conflict & President Trump's efforts to bring an end to the war. Finally, Journalist and author Trymaine Lee (trih-mane) discusses his documentary "Hope in High Water: A People's Recovery Twenty Years After Hurricane Katrina." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina devastating Louisiana, Mississippi and other parts of the Gulf Coast, tributes to those lost, pride in the rebuilding and recovery, and thoughts of preparing for future storms; President Donald Trump says he will cut $4.9 billion for foreign aid through a 'pocket rescission', which will not give Congress a chance to vote on it. Some Members of Congress, Democrats & Republicans, say that is illegal and unconstitutional; Transportation Department cuts nearly $700 million in contracts for 12 wind energy farms, calling the projects wasteful'; new tariffs on once-exempt small value packages have taken effect We will talk with New York Times business reporter Peter Eavis about what this means for you the next time you order something shipped from outside the U.S. (25); United Nations Security Council holds a meeting on Russia's continued deadly bombardment of Ukrainian cities, including the capital Kyiv; former Rep. Randy 'Duke' Cunningham (R-CA) has died. He was a war hero who went to prison after pleading guilty to taking bribes from defense contractors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Susan Monarez was removed from her position because she did not align with President Donald Trump's “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) agenda. She is challenging the dismissal and her lawyers say she chose "protecting the public over serving a political agenda"; Questions to Secretary Kennedy & the White House over how to respond to gun violence like the shooting at the Catholic School in Minneapolis, where a gunman killed two children, and the Acting U.S. Attorney for Minnesota talks about what is known about the shooter's motives; Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) deploys police teams to cities to combat crime, and is asked whether it is in response to President Trump's threat to deploy National Guard to more U.S. cities; President Trump suggests holding a Republican National Convention in 2026 before the midterm election; Vice President JD Vance speaks in La Crosse, Wisconsin about the Republican tax cut & spending cut bill, the one dubbed the One Big Beautiful Bill; Russian missiles hit a European Union building in the Ukrainian capital city Kyiv; Germany, France and Great Britain tell the United Nations they plan to re-impose sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, known as snapback sanctions under the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A gunman kills two children and injures 17 other children and adults at a Catholic school in Minneapolis during a mass celebrating the first day of school before killing himself. FBI Director Kash Patel says it is being investigated as an act of domestic terrorism and hate crime against Catholics; Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser says the three weeks after President Donald Trump's sent federal law enforcement officers to help fight crime in DC, the crime rate has fallen. She says that shows what could be done if DC were able to hire additional police; Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says his department will take over management of Union Station in Washington from Amtrak as part of the President's moves to reduce crime and homelessness. Duffy says the station has “fallen into disrepair” and it should be a “point of pride” for the city; AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler in a pre-Labor Day "State of the Unions" address criticizes President Trump's policies, saying, “This is the choice working Americans have been given: chaos or the same broken status quo. An authoritarian who tells us only he can make things great again, or convincing ourselves everything is already great"; FDA approves COVID vaccines with more restrictions; United Nations Security Council holds a meeting on the war in Gaza. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lawyers for Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook say she will sue after President Donald Trump said he is firing her after allegation of mortgage fraud. Cook says the president does not have that power; President Trump says he wants anyone who commits a murder in Washington, DC to be given the death penalty. DC Council repealed the death penalty in 1981; Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says California, Washington state and New Mexico will lose federal funding if they do not comply with new federal rules on English proficiency for commercial vehicle drivers; Resolution calling for an end to U.S. weapons shipments to Israel, over the war in Gaza, fails at the Democratic National Committee summer meeting in Minneapolis; South Korea's President talks about strategy for his meeting Monday with President Trump to avoid what he calls a "Zelensky moment"; First Lady Melania Trump announced a new "Presidential AI Challenge" for students to use AI technologies to find solutions to community problems; Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce engagement comes up at a White House Cabinet meeting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump welcomes the South Korean President and signs executive orders on the National Guard in DC, ending cash bail and prosecuting burning the American flag; judge orders ICE to keep Kilmar Abrego Garcia in the U.S.; Democratic National Committee starts it summer meeting in Minneapolis. 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 conversation with Yevheniia Kravchuk -- a Member of Ukraine's Parliament about President Zelensky's White House meeting earlier this week - and a potential peace deal to end the fighting between her country and Russia.  Then, Steven Camarota of the Center for immigration Studies and David Bier of the Cato Institute discuss Trump Administration's deportation & immigration policies and their impact on the economy.  Finally, Bipartisan Policy Center's Matthew Weil discusses President Trump's vow to do away with mail-in ballots and some voting machines ahead of next year's midterms.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Justice Department released a transcript and audio recordings of the interview that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche conducted with Jeffrey Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. From July 24th, 2025 here is the complete first day of the testimony. And a warning, there might be language that some find offensive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Justice Department released a transcript and audio recordings of the interview that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche conducted with Jeffrey Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. From July 24th, 2025 here is the complete first day of testimony. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell signals a possible cut in interest rates in the near future and stocks rally on Wall Street; FBI agents raid former National Security Adviser John Bolton's home in Maryland home and office in Washington. Sources tell media outlets it is part of a national security investigation involved classified material; Justice Department releases the full transcripts & audio of the Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche's prison interview with sex trafficker Ghislane Maxwell, one-time girlfriend of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein; Republican National Committee elects a new chair, Joe Gruters from Florida, after chair Michael Whatley resigns to run for U.S. Senator from North Carolina; Texas Senate moves towards a final passage vote on a new election map designed to get Republicans five more U.S. House districts; President Donald Trump says Chicago and New York are the next two cities where he may deploy the National Guard; Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov the agenda is not ready for a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vice President JD Vance travels to Georgia to promote the Republican tax cuts & spending cuts bill known as the 'one big, beautiful bill', but he does not use that phrase, instead calling it the “working families tax cut” bill, while Sen. Josh Ossoff (D-GA) criticizes the law for its health care spending cuts; White House announces details of a trade deal with the European Union, including that the U.S. gets more access to the EU market and most EU exports to the U.S. will be subject to a 15% tariff; President Donald Trump says he will join police and the military tonight to patrol Washington, DC streets, as we near the end of the second week of his federalization of the DC police; California's legislature debates and heads to a vote on a new congressional redistricting map drafted by the Democratic majority, as Texas' House & Senate are nearing completion on their own new map. In both states, the goal to flip 5 U.S. House seats: to the Democrats in California & to the Republicans in Texas; New York appellate court throws out the $500 million civil fraud penalty against President Donald Trump in the case brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, saying the penalty was excessive and violates the Constitution's Eighth Amendment, but the panel upholds the finding that Donald Trump, his company, and two of his children are liable for fraud. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Congressional redistricting battle in the two most populous states moves from debate to votes. In Texas, Republicans are seeking to gain five more U.S. House seats for their party, and California, the exact opposite, with Democrats drawing a new map favoring their party in five more seats. We will hear debate from the Texas House of Representatives and Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA); Vice President JD Vance travels to Union Station in Washington to visit with and thank National Guard troops President Donald Trump has called up to deal with what he says is an out of control crime and homeless problem in the city; DC Mayor Muriel Bowser is asked about the Justice Department reportedly investigating whether DC manipulated crime statistics so they would appear lower than they really are; President Trump calls on Federal Reserve Board member Lisa Cook to resign after allegations she committed mortgage fraud; Gov. Josh Stein (D-NC) tells residents of his state to take the threat of Hurricane Erin seriously, even though it is not expected to make landfall; Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Russia needs to be involved in developing Ukrainian security guarantees as part of a peace agreement to end to the war between Russia & Ukraine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu says Boston will not comply with the ultimatum from Attorney General Pam Bondi to give up sanctuary city policies, saying,, "This has always been a city of revolution, of innovation, of standing up for the public good and never bowing down to tyranny"; California Assembly & Senate committees begin work on a new congressional districts map to favor Democrats to balance Republicans in Texas rewriting U.S. House seat lines to favor Republicans; President Donald Trump says there will be no U.S. troops in Ukraine as part of any security guarantees connected to a peace agreement with Russia; Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick confirms that Intel must give the U.S. government equity in the company in exchange for billions of dollars in grants from the CHIPS Act for building semiconductor manufacturing facilities in the U.S. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump holds high level meetings with the President of Ukraine and the leaders of major European nations, and the NATO Secretary General, on how to end the war in Ukraine. President Trump not ruling out sending U.S. troops as part of security guarantees, and sounding hopeful that a trilateral meeting with himself, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky could be set up soon. Some of the European leaders express their preference for a ceasefire before a peace agreement, something President Trump says is not necessary; Texas House Democrats end their protest blocking Congressional redistricting written the Republicans, returning to Texas and allowing the House to establish a quorum, after California's Democratic Governor leads an effort to redistrict to neutralize any Republican gains in Texas; former Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), who lost reelection, announces he is running for Senate again, against Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH); Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) responds to the news over the weekend that several Republican Governors have authorizing sending National Guard troops to DC to join the DC Guard that was called up by President Trump; former Attorney General Bill Barr gives the first deposition in the House Oversight Committee investigation the case of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein; Canada Industrial Relations Board declares a strike by 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants illegal, but union leaders says they will not return to work without a new contract. 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: With this week's federal takeover of the DC police, we speak with Jillian Snider – a senior fellow at the R Street Institute and former NYPD officer - about the opportunities – and challenges – of the crackdown. Then: Axios Senior Economics Reporter Courtenay Brown discusses the controversy over the President's pick for the Bureau of Labor Statistics – and if Americans can trust future jobs reports. Finally: National Journal's Kirk Bado (BAY-doh) discusses the electoral landscape ahead of the 2026 midterm elections including redistricting battles and races to watch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands on the tarmac at U.S. military base in Anchorage, Alaska, the start of a historic summit on how to end the war between Russia and Ukraine; District of Columbia sues the Trump Administration after U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announces that an expansion of federal control of the city's police department by installing an “emergency police commissioner” and revoking policies that limited officers' cooperation with immigration enforcement; Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) announces the start of a second special legislative session after Democrats have successful blocked for two weeks passage of a redrawn congressional district map that would increase the number of Republican U.S. House seats; Mike Castle, former Republican Congressman and Governor from Delaware, has died at age 86. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gov.  Gavin Newsom (D-CA) announces his state will redraw Congressional district lines with the express purpose of Democrats gaining five U.S. House seats to offset what is happening in Texas where republicans are trying to pass a new map to net five seats for their party.  Gov. Newsom calls it "liberation day for California"; President Donald Trump claims that the official crime data for Washington, DC is fake, and that crime in the nation's capital is the “worst it's ever been”,  as his deployment of federal law enforcement and National Guard troops is ramping up; President Trump signs a proclamation on this 90th anniversary of the creation of Social Security, saying his administration is protecting and strengthening those programs. Democrats say that is not true; Wholesale inflation comes in unexpectedly hot in July; President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on their meeting tomorrow in Anchorage, Alaska on the war in Ukraine; Israel announces a major expansion of settlements in the West Bank; Hunter Biden says he will not apologize for saying the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein introduced First Lady Melania Trump to President Trump, after Melania Trump threatens to sue for $1 billion in damages. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump speaks with European leaders & Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky about this his meeting Friday in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin, warning of "severe consequences" if Putin does agree to end the war in Ukraine and saying that if the first meeting goes well, a second meeting with both Putin & Zelensky could happen soon; President Trump says he will ask Congress to extend beyond 30 days the federal takeover of the Washington, DC police force and suggests that he could extend it on his own by declaring a 'national emergency'; President goes to the Kennedy Center to announce this year's Kennedy Center Honorees that he says he had a large hand in choosing: singers George Strait & Gloria Gaynor, rock band KISS and actors Sylvester Stallone & Michael Crawford; Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent calls on the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates half a point in September; House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) speaks about the Democratic Party agenda at a meeting of Illinois Democratic Party officials in Springfield; survivors of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein will speak at a news conference in Washington when Congress returns in September, invited by one Republican and one Democratic House Member, who are pushing for the president to releases all the files on the federal investigation of Jeffrey Epstein. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser and Police Chief Pamela Smith meet with U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi about implementing President Donald Trump's putting DC police under federal control and calling out the DC National Guard to deal with crime & homelessness; Georgia Bureau of Investigation says the gunman in the deadly shooting at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound and had written that he “wanted to make the public aware of his public distrust of the COVID-19 vaccines”; Labor Department says the Consumer Price Index for July was 2.7% year over year, same as June; President Trump has extended trade talks with China for another 90 days, preventing a dramatic increase in tariffs. We will talk about it with Trevor Hunnicutt, Reuters White House Correspondent (23); Gov. Greg Abbott's (R-TX) threat to call endless special legislative sessions if Texas House Democrats continue denying a quorum to pass a new Congressional redistricting map written by Republicans could be tested as early as this week; Latest on preparations for the meeting between President Trump & Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday to discuss the war in Ukraine; U.S. indicts a notorious gang leader in Haiti who is trying to overthrow the government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump places the Washington, DC, police department under federal control and deploys the DC National Guard to address, in his words, “crime, bloodshed, bedlam and squalor,” calling it “liberation day in DC"; Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser says she is not surprised by the president's actions, but this is legally an obligation under the Home Rule Act to provide the federal government police services, and DC Police Chief Pamela Smith is still the chief, and also she thinks the president's views are wrongly colored by the crime rate increase during the COVID-19 pandemic; still no quorum in the Texas House of Representatives for Republicans to pass their new congressional redistricting map favoring their party, as the standoff with Democratic representatives who have fled the state begins a second week; President Trump says his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin Friday in Alaska is a "feel-out meeting" to urge Putin to end the war in Ukraine, and a deal would include "some swapping, changes in land"; Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says his country will recognize a Palestinian state when the UN meets in September, joining France, Britain and Canada as major powers indicated they would do so. 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, there's been a flurry of economic news in recent days from the July jobs report to the President's tariffs agenda. We break it all down with Mike Konczal of the Economic Security Project -- and E.J. Antoni of the Heritage Foundation. Then, the Trump administration rolled out its "A-I Action Plan" in recent week. We speak with Josh Smith of The Abundance Institute about what's in it - and how it could transform the energy sector in this country. Finally, a conversation with investigative journalist Dave Levinthal on a revived effort in Congress to ban lawmakers from trading stocks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump hosts the leaders of Armenia & Azerbaijan to sign a peace deal; President Trump asked about his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and how to end the war in Ukraine; Vice President JD Vance and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy talk about the war in Gaza… as they meet at the Secretary's home in Kent, England; Texas House of Representatives fails to meet a quorum for the third time this week as Democratic lawmakers continue staying away to prevent a vote on a republican-leaning congressional redistricting map. Texas Republican are promising to increase efforts end the standoff, including arresting the Democrats; Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in Chicago says the mayor of that city and the governor of Illinois are among the Democratic state officials who are promoting sanctuary immigration policies that are letting violent criminal illegal immigrants go free. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump announces he is nominating Stephen Miran, current chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, to Federal Reserve Board, to replace a board member who has resigned; Wall Street Journal's Gavin Bade on first day with President Donald Trump's tariffs in effect on more than 90 countries (6); Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) says FBI has agreed to assist Texas law enforcement in arresting Texas House Democrats who have fled to Illinois and other states to keep the Texas House Republican majority from voting on a new congressional redistricting map; Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomes President Trump's invitation to meet in person next week to discuss the war in Ukraine, and President Trump says a White House report that he believes Putin must first meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is not true; U.S. Attorney for Washington, DC Jeanine Pirro says the Justice Department is considering pursuing the death penalty against the suspect in the Capital Jewish Museum fatal shooting. She is also asked about President Trump saying federal government may need to take over DC to curb crime, after a former DOGE staffer was brutally attacked; Today is National Purple Heart Day, honoring servicemembers wounded or killed by the enemy in military action. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Five soldiers are shot and wounded at Fort Stewart in Georgia… the suspected shooter, an Army Sergeant, is in custody; Texas Senate Committee on Congressional redistricting meets on the proposed Republican-drawn district lines map designed to win Republicans five more U.S. House seats, while Texas House Democrats continue to remain out-of-state to keep the House from getting a quorum to pass the map, and the Republicans are threatening to arrest or expel them, as other Democratic-led states are considering new maps of their own in retaliation. We will get the latest on how this might end with Texas Tribune reporter Gabby Birenbaum (16); President Donald Trump imposes an additional 25% tariff on India because of India's purchase of Russian oil, for a total of 50% on India, after President Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff meets Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on the war in Ukraine. President Trump calling it a "highly productive meeting"; Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) says she is running for governor; Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. canceled $500 million in mRNA vaccine research; a ceremony is held at the Peace Memorial in Hiroshima, Japan on this 80th anniversary of the first use of a nuclear weapon, when the U.S. dropped an atomic bomb on the city during World War II. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Texas Democratic House Members' boycott leads to Texas House of Representatives failing for a second day in a row to establish a quorum blocking Republicans from passing their Congressional districting plan; President Donald Trump says an interview Republicans are “entitled to five more seats” in Texas and that states which voted Democratic in national elections are already gerrymandered to favor that party; House Oversight Committee subpoenas the Justice Dept for complete files on the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and subpoenas for depositions in this investigation a dozen former officeholders, including Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Merrick Garland, James Comey, Robert Mueller, Jeff Sessions, Loretta Lynch, Bill Barr and Eric Holder; President Trump looks to sign an Executive Order to penalize big banks that turn away customers for political reasons. President claims he was debanked by Bank of America and JP Morgan Chase; President rules out naming Treasury Sec Scott Bessent as the next Fed Chair; Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announces a propose rule to spur the development of commercial delivery drones; United Nations Security Council holds a meeting on the war between Israel & Hamas, after reports Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is deciding whether to move forward with a plan for Israel to take all of Gaza. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker are backing a group of Texas Democrats who left their state yesterday to block a vote on new Republican-drawn congressional maps. It comes while Texas' Republican Gov. Greg Abbott threatens to remove lawmakers who didn't show up at today's Texas House of Representatives session. The Trump administration continues to defend the president's decision to fire the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The decision came after the agency issued a weak jobs report, and economists from across the political spectrum are criticizing it. 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, Clifton Truman Daniel, grandson of President Harry S. Truman, discusses this week's 60th anniversary of the signing of Medicare and Medicaid. Then, Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity's Michael Tanner discusses efforts to combat homelessness in the U.S. Finally-- Politico White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns discusses her role as host of C-SPAN's new series "Ceasefire" – scheduled to debut this fall. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wall Street falls after a weak July jobs report, combined with a downward revision to the jobs numbers for May and June and concerns about President Donald Trump's tariff schedule, finalized overnight with rates ranging from 10% to 50% for dozens of countries' President Trump fires the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, citing the jobs numbers revisions, calling her a "Biden Political Appointee" and saying, "She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified"; President again calls on the Senate to cancel August recess and stay in session to confirm a large backlog of his nominations… Senate Republicans have asked the Democrats to bundle some nominations and approve them with a voice vote, but the Democrats have refused; Texas House Committee on Congressional Redistricting holds its first hearing since the Republicans put forth a proposed new district map designed by their own admission to give them an advantage in five more U.S. House seats; former President Joe Biden warns the country is facing 'dark days' under President Trump. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One day until President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs take effect, but not on Mexico, as he announces another extension while trade talks continue; Federal Appeals Court hears a challenge to the emergency powers law the president used impose the tariffs on many countries. We will talk about it with The Hill's Legal Affairs Reporter Zach Schoenfeld, who was in the courtroom (8); Presidential Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee will visit Gaza on Friday to survey the desperate humanitarian situation there; U.S. Senate votes not to prohibit certain weapons sales to Israel, but a record number of Democrats vote yes; House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) goes to Austin, Texas to decry the Republican attempt to redraw Congressional district boundaries in the state to win more seats. We will talk about it with Texas Tribune Washington Correspondent Gabby Birenbaum (37); RNC Chair Michael Whatley announces he is running for U.S. Senate in North Carolina; former Vice President Kamala Harris promotes her new book about her 2024 Democratic presidential campaign; White House announces a construction on a ballroom, a pet project of President Trump, will begin this fall. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell announces no change to interest rates and says of President Donald Trump's tariff policy, “Higher tariffs have begun to show through more clearly to prices of some goods, but their overall effects on economic activity and inflation remain to be seen"; President Trump announces more tariff rates scheduled to take effect August 1st, including 25% on India plus an additional unspecified tariff if India buys Russian oil; U.S. economy grew at a very healthy 3% in the 2nd Quarter after shrinking in the 1st Quarter; bipartisan concerns at a Senate Agriculture Committee hearing about the Agriculture Department's reorganization plan that would send DC-area-based staff to five regional hubs; Senate Democrats use an obscure 100 year old law to demand the Justice Dept to release the files in the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking investigation; Senate committee approves a bill to ban stock trading by Members of Congress, with all Democrats and one Republican, sponsor Josh Hawley of Missouri, voting yes; Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) says he is disappointed and offended by President Trump personal attacks on him for not bypassing the tradition called 'blue slip', by which Senators can block the president's judicial and U.S. attorney nominees from their states; Senate confirms Emil Bove, former personal lawyer to Donald Trump, and then Justice Dept official, to be a federal appeals court judge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the United Kingdom will recognize a Palestinian state if Israel does not agree to a ceasefire with Hamas, improve what he calls the "appalling situation in Gaza", and commits to a two-state solution; President Donald Trump says the U.S. will not follow suit, and that recognizing a Palestinian state rewards Hamas, which he is "not about to do that"; on the Jeffrey Epstein case, President Trump says one of the underage girls Epstein hired away from  a spa at Mar-a-Lago – in the President's word 'stole' – later accused Epstein of raping and sex trafficking her; Senate Republican leaders suggest Senate rules may need to be changed if Democrats do not agree to speed up confirmation of the president's nominees; Commerce Committee Chair Sen. Ted Cruz and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy unveil an aviation safety bill six months after the deadly midair collision of a plane and helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport; Health & Human Services Sec Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. warns about the risks of 7-OH, which can produce opioid-like effects, and is often sold in things like energy drinks & gummies at gas stations and convenience stores; Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) talks about the mass shooting Monday night in New York City that killed four, including an off-duty police officer; President Trump celebrates the opening a new Trump branded golf course in Scotland; former President Barack Obama remembers the late baseball hall of famer Ryne Sandberg as a 'class act'. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices