PBS NewsHour - Politics

In our news wrap Monday, the White House says that a recent MRI performed on President Trump was a preventative screening focused on both his heart and abdomen, a federal appeals court ruled that Alina Habba has been serving unlawfully as the U.S. attorney in New Jersey and a West Virginia National Guard member shot last week in Washington has shown positive signs in his recovery. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

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 lawmakers on both sides of the aisle search for answers on how the military carried out strikes on alleged Venezuelan drug boats, President Trump's picks for U.S. attorney jobs and a special election in Tennessee could serve as a midterm bellwether. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Jonathan Capehart of MS NOW and Peter Wehner, a contributing writer at The Atlantic and a senior fellow at the Trinity Forum, join John Yang to discuss the week in politics, including President Trump's push for an even tougher crackdown on immigration in the days following the shooting of two National Guard members by an Afghan national on the streets of Washington. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Chances are that at some point in the next few days, a couch in your house will be occupied by someone watching football. It's America’s most popular sport and the National Football League unites much of the country in a shared passion. But the league faces a tricky potential threat to that: politics. Christine Brennan, a sports columnist for USA Today, joins Lisa Desjardins to discuss. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The so-called Department of Government Efficiency operation that Elon Musk and President Trump used to target federal agencies has itself been dismantled. Reuters reported this week that the government’s top personnel official says DOGE no longer exists. That’s months ahead of its planned end date. Lisa Desjardins reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

A federal judge dismissed the indictments against James Comey and Letitia James. In twin rulings, Judge Cameron McGowan Currie found the appointment of Lindsey Halligan as interim U.S. attorney was invalid and unlawful. Halligan was picked by President Trump to bring criminal charges against his political foes when a predecessor refused. Amna Nawaz discussed more with NPR's Carrie Johnson. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Monday, the Pentagon is investigating Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly over a video urging U.S. troops to refuse to follow illegal orders, the Trump administration designated Venezuela's 'Cartel de los Soles' as a foreign terror organization, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says it's ending its operations in the territory and Tulsa Race Massacre survivor Viola Fletcher died at 111. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

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 Republicans in Congress struggling with how to deal with rising health care costs, a former key Trump ally departing Congress and the early dissolution of DOGE. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The announcement by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., that she’ll resign from Congress in January has sent shockwaves through Washington. It marks a dramatic break with Trump after a public falling out with him in recent months, as Greene criticized the president on foreign policy, health care and the Epstein files. Ali Rogin speaks with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Tia Mitchell for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

President Trump and the future mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani, met at the White House after months of trading insults. In an Oval Office meeting, they were far more civilized, with the president at times praising the mayor-elect despite their political differences. Both said they’ll look to work together to improve the nation’s largest city. Liz Landers reports from the White House. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Jonathan Capehart of MS NOW and Matthew Continetti of the American Enterprise Institute join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including President Trump playing nice with Zohran Mamdani in the Oval Office but calling six other Democrats traitors and saying the video they posted could be punishable by death and the president hosting the Saudi crown prince at the White House. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Congressman James Clyburn has spent more than three decades in Congress. In his new book, he turns his attention to the trailblazing Black men who were the first to walk those halls. Geoff Bennett sat down with Rep. Clyburn to discuss "The First Eight: A Personal History of the Pioneering Black Congressmen Who Shaped a Nation." PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Half a dozen Democrats in Congress with military and intelligence backgrounds urged current service members to ignore the chain of command if they are given unlawful orders. President Trump reacted by writing that these members of Congress should be arrested, saying their actions are “seditious behavior” that is “punishable by death.” Amna Nawaz discussed more with Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

As President Trump’s administration has moved to loosen regulations on cryptocurrency and pledged to make the U.S. the “crypto capital of the world,” his family’s ties to the industry are raising ethical concerns and blurring the lines between business and government. White House correspondent Liz Landers takes a closer look. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The Senate forwarded the bill requiring the Justice Department to release the Epstein files to the White House, only days after President Trump withdrew his opposition. The DOJ is also facing more scrutiny over the handling of its case against former FBI Director James Comey. Geoff Bennett discussed both developments with Josh Gerstein of Politico. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

With the midterm elections now less than a year away, a new PBS News/NPR/Marist poll has signs of hope for Democrats and a few red flags for Republicans. Amna Nawaz and NPR's Domenico Montanaro break down the numbers and discuss what's resonating with voters. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

On Capitol Hill, both the House and the Senate approved a measure requiring the release of the Epstein files. Congressional correspondent Lisa Desjardins reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

With bipartisan support, Congress voted to release the Epstein files. To discuss the vote and what comes next, Amna Nawaz spoke with Spencer Kuvin, an attorney representing multiple survivors of Epstein's abuse. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

President Trump welcomed the de facto leader of Saudi Arabia to the White House. During the visit, the president dismissed the U.S. intelligence community’s finding that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved the plan to kill Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. White House correspondent Liz Landers reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The House of Representatives is gearing up to vote on a bill that would force the Department of Justice to release all its files in the Jeffrey Epstein case. It follows an abrupt shift in tone from the White House as President Trump urged his party to move forward with the vote after key Republicans joined Democrats in the push. Lisa Desjardins reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

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 U-turn on the release of the Epstein files and the White House beginning to acknowledge affordability concerns. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The legislation Congress passed this past week to reopen the government included a provision banning intoxicating products made out of hemp plants, a type of cannabis like marijuana, but with a lower level of the psychoactive element THC. Ali Rogin speaks with Manisha Krishnan, senior culture editor at WIRED, about the ban’s potential effect on the U.S. hemp industry. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Sunday, it’s been a second day of federal officers surging into Charlotte, North Carolina, to crack down on illegal immigration, at least two deaths were reported from storms in Southern California, the USS Gerald Ford arrived in the Caribbean, Zelenskyy said talks are progressing with Russia to resume prisoner swaps, and Chileans voted in the nation’s presidential election. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The last outstanding criminal case against President Trump can move forward. This case stems from the efforts in 2020 that Trump and his allies allegedly undertook to overturn that election, including pressuring Georgia officials to change the vote counts. Prosecutor Fani Willis brought the charges but was removed following a legal battle. Liz Landers discussed more with Tamar Hallerman. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Kimberly Atkins Stohr of the Boston Globe join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including the end of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, affordability becoming a focus in Washington and new developments regarding the Jeffrey Epstein files. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

President Trump’s Justice Department was on defense in a northern Virginia courtroom. A judge is weighing whether to disqualify the U.S. attorney pursuing charges against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. That prosecutor, Lindsay Halligan, is a Trump ally with no prosecutorial experience. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Glenn Kirschner. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Thursday, the Justice Department is suing to block California's new redistricting plan, more than 1,000 unionized Starbucks workers are on strike, at least four people are in critical condition after a tanker truck spilled ammonia gas in a hotel parking lot in Oklahoma and Paris marked 10 years since the terrorist attack that claimed more than 100 lives. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

As the Trump administration ramps up deportations, ICE has turned to local law enforcement through a program that has existed for decades. Under the agreements, sheriffs’ offices hold undocumented immigrants in jail before they are transferred. Butler County, Ohio, Sheriff Richard Jones reinstated his county’s partnership when Trump returned to office. He joined Geoff Bennett to discuss more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The House of Representatives has returned to Washington for the first time in nearly two months and is set to vote to end the nation’s longest-ever government shutdown. Congressional correspondent Lisa Desjardins reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Lawmakers in the House of Representatives reached a critical threshold in the push to release information related to the federal investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. At the same time, one committee has made public a set of emails and documents that raise new questions about President Trump’s ties to the late sex offender. White House correspondent Liz Landers reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Dozens of immigration judges have been fired by the Trump administration with no explanation. From coast to coast, nearly four dozen judges have lost their positions as the courts face a record backlog. Many had worked in immigrant defense, prompting questions about whether the firings are part of the administration’s hardline approach. Geoff Bennett discussed more with former judge Emmett Soper. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The longest-ever government shutdown is on the verge of ending, but not for at least one more day. While a deal to reopen passed the Senate on Monday night, there are still plenty of questions about what comes next. Congressional correspondent Lisa Desjardins reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Mark Wolf, a Reagan-appointed federal judge, is resigning after four decades on the bench, and he’s sounding the alarm. In an essay published by The Atlantic, he wrote, “The White House’s assault on the rule of law is so deeply disturbing to me that I feel compelled to speak out. Silence, for me, is now intolerable.” Wolf shared additional context and more of his concerns with Amna Nawaz. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

President Trump is threatening to sue the BBC for $1 billion, claiming a documentary misrepresented his role in the Jan. 6 attack. Trump’s legal team says the BBC edited video to look like he urged supporters to “fight like hell” immediately after directing them to march on the Capitol. The two lines came more than 50 minutes apart. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Brian Stelter of CNN. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

At 41 days and counting, the end of the longest shutdown in government history could be in sight. A group of Democrats and one independent crossed the aisle to make a deal with Republicans. It still needs approval from the Senate, House and president, but the government could reopen as soon as this week. Congressional correspondent Lisa Desjardins reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The vote to end the government shutdown has divided Senate Democrats. Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine is one of the eight who voted to end the stalemate. He joined Geoff Bennett to explain his vote to end the shutdown. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut is one of the 40 Democrats who voted against the deal to end the shutdown. He joined Amna Nawaz to discuss the latest. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

As President Trump continues to push the lie that the 2020 election was stolen, he’s taken a new step to protect former administration officials and allies who have been accused of working to overturn the election that Joe Biden won. White House correspondent Liz Landers reports on a series of pardons the president has granted. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Monday, the Supreme Court decided not to revisit its 2015 decision that legalized same-sex marriage, the U.S. military carried out two new strikes on alleged drug boats in the eastern Pacific and officials in the Philippines say Typhoon Fung-wong killed at least eight people and forced over one million to evacuate. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met with President Trump on Monday. It's the first White House visit by a Syrian leader since the country became independent nearly 80 years ago. Damascus joined the global alliance countering ISIS, and the Trump administration extended temporary sanctions relief. Nick Schifrin reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

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 the Senate voting to clear a path to end the longest-ever government shutdown, the Democrats attack Trump on affordability and the top midterm challenge for Republicans. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Sunday, the Senate held a rare Sunday session as Thune said a potential deal to end the shutdown is “coming together,” Super Typhoon Fung-wong hit the Philippines, Hamas handed over the remains of an Israeli soldier killed in 2014, health officials are investigating a botulism outbreak linked to recalled baby formula, and former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue died at 84. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy