PBS NewsHour - Politics

In our news wrap Friday, President Trump says he's recommending a 50 percent tariff on all imports from the European Union starting June 1st and a 25 percent tariff on iPhones unless they are made in America, Gaza health officials say Israeli airstrikes killed at least 60 people and Billy Joel is canceling all of his upcoming concerts after being diagnosed with a brain disorder. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President Trump hosted a gathering on Thursday with the highest-paying customers of his personal cryptocurrency business, sparking bipartisan concerns that he's selling access to the presidency for personal profit. Geoff Bennett discussed the event with Eric Lipton, who covers the intersection of the presidency and Trump’s business interests for The New York Times. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Geoff Bennett to discuss the week in politics, including House Republicans pass President Trump's budget plan, the administration’s latest move against Harvard University and Trump's meeting with South Africa's president. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

By the narrowest of margins, Republicans in the House passed President Trump's legislative wish list, setting up a future standoff with the Senate. Congressional correspondent Lisa Desjardins tracked the shifting politics and policy throughout the night. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In their first broadcast interview since his release from ICE detention, Georgetown scholar Badar Khan Suri and his wife, Mapheze Saleh, spoke to Laura Barrón-López about Khan Suri's recent release after nearly two months in a detention facility in Texas. The Trump administration accused Khan Suri of "spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media"-- an accusation he denies. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

An emerging strategy from President Trump's Department of Justice is undoing Biden-era policies and pursuing some of the president’s political adversaries. William Brangham discussed more with Carrie Johnson, the justice correspondent at NPR. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The White House is expected to release a report about potential contributing factors of childhood diseases. It’s leading to renewed questions about the “Make America Healthy Again” agenda championed by President Trump and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Another voice central to the movement is Dr. Casey Means, Trump’s pick for surgeon general. Ali Rogin looks at Means’ background. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President Trump spent the morning on Capitol Hill trying to sell holdouts within his own party on his legislative agenda. The bill would roll back Biden-era environmental investments and remove millions from free or subsidized health care. But costs are expected to exceed savings due to increased military spending and the extension and expansion of tax breaks. Lisa Desjardins reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

On Friday nights, you see Jonathan Capehart alongside David Brooks discussing the big political stories of the week. But it was a long journey that led him to the News Hour. He joined Amna Nawaz to discuss his new memoir, "Yet Here I Am: Lessons from a Black Man's Search for Home." PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Former President Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer. Among men in the U.S., prostate cancer is the most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths. Geoff Bennett spoke with Dr. Jay Raman, chair of the Department of Urology at Penn State Health. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

A federal judge heard arguments in a legal challenge to the Trump administration’s sweeping cuts to AmeriCorps. Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia argue the administration overstepped its authority in slashing the program. Lisa Desjardins spoke with nonprofit organizations facing budget cuts and conservatives who want their funding slashed. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

NPR’s Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter join Amna Nawaz to discuss the latest political news, including former President Biden’s cancer diagnosis has led to an outpouring of sympathy but comes at a time of renewed questions about the full picture of his health during his presidency and the battle on Capitol Hill over President Trump's budget plan. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

This week, President Trump visited three Middle Eastern nations where his family has deep business ties. Over the past month, billions of dollars have poured into Trump-owned companies. It has revived longstanding questions about whether the financial windfalls are influencing policy. White House correspondent Laura Barrón-López reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including President Trump's trip to the Middle East and his policy shifts in the region, Qatar’s luxury plane gift, the Supreme Court's birthright citizenship hearing, talks of an immigration reality show and the administration investigating James Comey. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Supreme Court heard arguments in one of the most consequential cases of the year. It involves the ability for President Trump to carry out his executive order ending birthright citizenship and the power allowing a federal judge to issue a nationwide block on those orders. Geoff Bennett discussed the arguments with law professor Amanda Frost and News Hour Supreme Court analyst Amy Howe. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

House Republicans advanced the largest portions of the Trump agenda package, which the president calls the big, beautiful bill, out of committee. It includes trillions in tax cuts along with changes to Medicaid that would affect millions of people. Congressional correspondent Lisa Desjardins reports on what’s in this sweeping plan. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Trade tensions between the U.S. and China may be cooling but the economic fallout is still rippling through the Port of Los Angeles. This matters because the port plays a major role in the global supply chain and a slowdown affects everything from store shelves and prices to American jobs. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Gene Seroka, the port's executive director. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

There's been a big breakthrough in the battle over tariffs. The United States and China have paused many of their most punishing tariffs, for the time being, while they try to reach a larger deal. It's a major thaw in the trade war between the world's two biggest economies. Lisa Desjardins reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

As the U.S. and China announced a surprising pause on tariffs, we're taking a look at what's behind it and where things go in the weeks ahead. To discuss the trade negotiations, Geoff Bennett spoke with Derek Scissors of the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank, who closely follows the Chinese economy and U.S.-China relations. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President Trump says the U.S. government is poised to accept an airplane from Qatar valued at nearly $400 million. He claims the 747 aircraft will replace the 40-year-old Air Force One. But the announcement has raised ethical and national security concerns. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Kathleen Clark, a government ethics expert and professor at Washington University School of Law. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

NPR’s Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter join Geoff Bennett to discuss the latest political news, including a pause in President Trump's trade war with China and the president's trip to the Middle East. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Trump administration again escalated its fight with the judiciary. In stunning remarks, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said they are considering suspending habeas corpus for migrants contesting detentions. Miller’s comments come as judges across the country have blocked major parts of President Trump’s immigration agenda. Laura Barrón-López reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Columbia University student Mohsen Mahdawi is fighting against his possible deportation after being detained by ICE and then released by a judge. The Trump administration wants to deport him, saying his presence has "foreign policy consequences." His lawyers say he was detained for speaking out for Palestinian human rights. Laura Barrón-López sat down with Mahdawi to discuss his experience. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Justice David Souter, who spent nearly 20 years on the Supreme Court, has died. Souter was a critical figure in several key battles in the court over issues like abortion and the 2000 presidential election. William Brangham reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Geoff Bennett to discuss the week in politics, including the election of the first American pope and his potential impact on U.S. culture and politics, former President Biden's media tour and Supreme Court justices defending an independent judiciary. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In our news wrap Thursday, the Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to allow it to remove deportation protections for hundreds of thousands of migrants, Secretary of State Rubio says his agency is reviewing the visa status of protesters who clashed with security guards at Columbia University and the acting head of FEMA was ousted after he made the case for the agency's relevance. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

To increase its deportation numbers, the Trump administration is planning to send immigrants to Libya on U.S. military planes. That’s according to multiple reports citing unnamed officials. But when asked about it in the Oval Office, President Trump didn’t seem to know what his administration was planning. White House correspondent Laura Barrón-López reports on the president’s deportation agenda. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President Trump’s agenda is facing a major test in Congress. To help fund tax cuts, some Republicans support significant cuts to Medicaid. A Congressional Budget Office analysis found the proposal would mean 5.5 million fewer people on Medicaid and about 2.5 million without insurance. The cuts would save $700 billion. Lisa Desjardins discussed the GOP plans with Texas Rep. Chip Roy. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The new Canadian prime minister came to the White House to meet President Trump amid an acrimonious war of words. Mark Carney was elected last week amid Trump's repeated insistence that the U.S. should annex Canada, leading to an unprecedented outpouring of anger there. Laura Barrón-López reports and Amna Nawaz discusses how Canada is viewing the meeting with Brian Clow. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

A dozen House Republicans wrote a letter to House leadership last month voicing opposition to potential Medicaid cuts. They say they support what they call "targeted reforms," but will not back "any reduction in Medicaid coverage for vulnerable populations." New York Republican Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis is among them and joined Geoff Bennett to discuss more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Over the last few days, President Trump has repeatedly questioned the constitutional right to due process. His attacks come as the courts warn that the administration is exceeding the scope of his authority. White House correspondent Laura Barrón-López reports on the latest and Amna Nawaz discusses how the Trump administration is approaching due process with Georgetown law professor Steve Vladeck. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

NPR’s Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter join Amna Nawaz to discuss the latest political news, including President Trump's recent interviews have sparked as many questions as they have answers, who voters believe is responsible for the current economic direction and Trump getting attention for posting about Alcatraz and foreign film tariffs. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including what voters think about President Trump's performance in his first 100 days in office, the issues Democrats are leaning into to counter the administration and Trump's order threatening federal funds for public media. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Three months into his second term, President Trump is shaking up his national security team. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, whose use of an unclassified messaging platform caused an uproar starting in March, will leave his job and be nominated to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will replace Waltz as national security adviser. Nick Schifrin reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Trump White House announced a major shakeup with embattled National Security Adviser Mike Waltz leaving his post to become the next U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Amna Nawaz discussed the move with Ambassador John Negroponte. He was the first director of national intelligence during the George W. Bush administration. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Despite once again being told by a federal judge that their actions exceed the scope of the executive’s authority, President Trump and his administration continued their fight with the judicial branch. White House correspondent Laura Barrón-López reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Many of the policies enacted by the Trump administration with lightning speed in these first 100 days were initially laid out two years ago in the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025. David Graham’s new book “The Project” details its origins and sweeping goals to reshape American culture. White House correspondent Laura Barrón-López sat down with Graham to discuss more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President Trump is pushing for more control at dozens of colleges and universities, he says to promote free speech, end “wokeism” and clamp down on antisemitism. But many schools are opposing the efforts. Conservative activist Christopher Rufo has been instrumental in triggering the wider response and big changes from the administration. Amna Nawaz spoke with him for our series, On Democracy. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

As Democrats grapple with President Trump’s first 100 days in office, they also contend with a minority in both the House and Senate. Looking ahead at the long road to the 2026 midterm elections, some Democrats are hoping to shape the party’s messaging and platform well before then. Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin has been laying out her strategy and joined Geoff Bennett to discuss it further. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

It has been 100 days since President Trump was inaugurated for his second term in office. The mark is a modern measuring point for administrations and few have seen more action in the first three months than in this White House. But how are the American people taking it in? Lisa Desjardins has insights from the latest PBS News/NPR/Marist poll. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

As new stories of migrants deported without due process garner fresh headlines, the Trump administration continues to defend its actions in court. But there’s little to no apparent momentum for immigration reform on Capitol Hill. GOP Rep. Maria Salazar of Miami is one of the loudest voices for reshaping immigration law on either side of the aisle and joined Geoff Bennett to discuss more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President Trump ran on closing the border and made promises about mass deportations of millions of immigrants. White House correspondent Laura Barrón-López and David Bier of the Cato Institute discussed the first 100 days of the Trump administration enforcing his immigration policies. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders