PBS NewsHour - Politics

Senators are racing to find a solution as the federal government is once again on the verge of a partial shutdown. This time, there's hope for a bipartisan deal on the key issue, the conduct of ICE and other DHS officers. Congressional correspondent Lisa Desjardins reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

As Congress works to reach a deal to avoid a government shutdown, Geoff Bennett spoke with Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin for a Republican perspective on negotiations. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The FBI searched an elections center in Georgia seeking records related to the 2020 election. Baseless claims of voter fraud have been a focus of President Trump since he lost that race, and the raid comes as his administration has requested voter data from states. Liz Landers discussed more with two secretaries of state, Democrat Shenna Bellows of Maine and Republican Michael Adams of Kentucky. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

For senators, Wednesday was the first full day back in Washington after the killing of Alex Pretti. It comes ahead of their Friday deadline to fund the Department of Homeland Security and some of the government's other large agencies. They arrived as another lawmaker faced a new threat. Congressional correspondent Lisa Desjardins reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Two Democratic members of Congress visited the ICE family detention center in Dilley, Texas, where five-year-old Liam Ramos is being detained, along with many other children and families. Over the weekend, hundreds inside the facility protested their conditions and treatment in a display of defiance. Amna Nawaz spoke with immigration attorney Eric Lee, who was at the center that day. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The Social Security Administration says members of Elon Musk's DOGE team working at the agency accessed and shared sensitive data. The latest disclosure from the Trump administration seemed to confirm some key concerns first raised in a whistleblower complaint filed by the agency's chief data officer, Chuck Borges. Geoff Bennett spoke with Borges and his lawyer, Debra Katz. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The Trump administration seemed to shift its tone on Monday as it rushed to contain the political fallout after the latest shooting in Minneapolis. 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

The latest deadly shooting during the Trump administration's immigration operation is having direct consequences on Capitol Hill, and potentially for much of the government. Democratic leaders say they are ready to block funding for DHS until there are reforms to ICE operations. Congressional correspondent Lisa Desjardins reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

For a closer look at the concerns in Minnesota and the killings of U.S. citizens there, Amna Nawaz spoke with Sen. Tina Smith. She's a Democrat and one of many who say they won't vote for any further funding for ICE and the Department of Homeland Security. 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 cracks emerging inside the Republican Party over the Trump administration's handling of its immigration crackdown. 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 Jonathan Capehart of MS NOW join Geoff Bennett to discuss the week in politics, including President Trump's remarks in Davos forcing Western leaders to reevaluate their relationship with the U.S. and escalating tensions over the ongoing immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Federal agents continue to clash with protesters in Minnesota. It's the latest development in what has been a turbulent year as President Trump has carried out his promise to crack down on illegal immigration. Liz Landers discussed more with Chad Wolf, a former acting secretary of Homeland Security under Trump, and John Sandweg, the former acting director of ICE in the Obama administration. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee sharply criticized former special counsel Jack Smith over his investigation of President Trump, which produced more than 40 criminal charges that have since been dropped. GOP lawmakers accused Smith of partisanship, but as Ali Rogin reports, Smith defended his conduct, saying the law required him to act. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

America's judicial system is undergoing one of its most consequential stress tests as President Trump pushes the limits of executive power and strains the system of checks and balances. A year into his second term, we're returning to guests from our On Democracy series. Geoff Bennett discussed the administration challenging the authority of judges with constitutional law professor Steve Vladeck. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The Supreme Court heard arguments in a legal battle centered on President Trump's efforts to fire a Federal Reserve governor. The case comes as Trump has moved to exert greater control over the Fed. Ali Rogin discussed more with News Hour Supreme Court analyst and SCOTUSBlog co-founder Amy Howe, and David Wessel of the Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy at the Brookings Institution. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Tuesday marks one year since President Trump took the oath of office for the second time. Over the past 12 months, he has pushed the boundaries of executive power, challenged the Constitution and reshaped the federal government. To help make sense of all these moves, we're returning to guests from our "On Democracy" series, starting with Ilya Shapiro of the conservative Manhattan Institute. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Tressie McMillan Cottom says the second Trump administration has revealed uncomfortable truths about power in America. She talks with Geoff Bennett about trust in institutions and how to keep your sense of purpose in an onslaught of news. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

This week marks one year since Donald Trump re-entered the White House, and we'll be delving into various aspects of his presidency. Congressional correspondent Lisa Desjardins begins our coverage by looking at his expansion of presidential power and how it's testing Congress and the system of checks and balances rooted in the Constitution. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter and Jasmine Wright of NOTUS join Amna Nawaz to discuss the latest political news, including the relationship between the White House and Republicans in Congress and President Trump's push for Greenland. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Wednesday, the Trump administration is suspending the processing of visa applications for 75 countries, Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin says she is under federal investigation for her involvement in a video telling troops to resist illegal orders and the Supreme Court revived a GOP challenge to an Illinois law that allows mail-in ballots to be counted after Election Day. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The FBI searched the home of a Washington Post reporter as part of an investigation involving a government contractor accused of mishandling classified information. Hannah Natanson has been reporting on President Trump's overhaul of the federal government. Press freedom advocates sharply criticized the search, saying it's a dangerous escalation. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Gabe Rottman. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

GOP leaders in the Senate squashed a Venezuela war powers resolution after five Republicans voted to advance the measure last week. Combined with articles of impeachment introduced against DHS Secretary Noem and threats to hold the Clintons in criminal contempt of Congress, it was a busy day on Capitol Hill. Congressional correspondent Lisa Desjardins reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Across the Justice Department, there was a wave of resignations from top prosecutors. At least four senior leaders of the division that investigates police killings have resigned in protest over the handling of the fatal shooting of a woman in Minneapolis by an ICE officer. In Minnesota, six other federal prosecutors have left their posts. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Carol Leonnig. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Just weeks into the new year, the Trump administration has rolled out a campaign across departments that draws on images and ideas borrowed from right-wing and white nationalist circles. Liz Landers reports on what some of these images and posts mean, and Amna Nawaz discusses more with Cynthia Miller-Idriss of the Polarization and Extremism Research Innovation Lab at American University. 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 some Republicans pushing back against President Trump's threats to the Federal Reserve, opposition to military action in Venezuela and tensions continue to rise after the ICE shooting in Minneapolis. 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 Jonathan Capehart of MS NOW join Geoff Bennett to discuss the week in politics, including the fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by an ICE agent, the removal of Nicolas Maduro and fresh signals of the Trump administration's emerging vision of U.S leadership. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Congress saw several key votes on Thursday, including ones to address military action in Venezuela, expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies and more. Congressional correspondent Lisa Desjardins has been following it all and reports from the Capitol. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Congress has a lengthy list of priorities, but the week has been dominated by the Trump administration's operation in Venezuela and what to do next. Geoff Bennett spoke with Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin for the Democratic perspective. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

While the War Powers Resolution to limit further action in Venezuela advanced in the Senate, its future in the House is less certain. For the Republican perspective, Amna Nawaz spoke with Montana Rep. Ryan Zinke. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

For analysis on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shooting and killing a woman in Minneapolis, Amna Nawaz spoke with John Sandweg, who served as acting ICE director under President Obama. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Wednesday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is calling a special session to redraw congressional maps, the House Oversight Committee heard from Minnesota Republicans who claimed that state officials resisted efforts to address systemic fraud and Nick Reiner's arraignment in the killing of his parents was delayed after his high-profile attorney was replaced by a public defender. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

To discuss the deadly ICE shooting in Minnesota, President Trump's military action in Venezuela and his threats against Greenland, Amna Nawaz spoke with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Geoff Bennett spoke with Republican Congressman Don Bacon of Nebraska for his perspective on President Trump's military actions in Venezuela and his threats to take over Greenland. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Tuesday, President Trump warned his fellow Republicans that he'll be impeached if they don't put in a strong showing in this year's midterm elections, abortion will remain legal in Wyoming after the state's Supreme Court struck down two laws and at least 36 people have now been killed amid ongoing protests in Iran over the country's struggling economy. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

It's been five years since a mob of President Trump's supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol to try to disrupt the certification of the presidential election that he lost. A much smaller but ardent crowd of his supporters returned to the site of the 2021 insurrection, marking the first Jan. 6 since Trump fully pardoned them for their actions on that day. 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

In the five years since Jan. 6, there has been a widespread fight over the story of that day. Congressional Correspondent Lisa Desjardins was inside the Capitol and witnessed the storming firsthand and reports on the half-decade battle over the narrative. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Five years later, the U.S. Capitol is still living with the aftermath of Jan. 6. Geoff Bennett discussed how the insurrection's impact continues to reverberate in Washington with Lisa Desjardins and Liz Landers. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Monday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a letter of censure against Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, who retired from the Navy with a rank of Captain, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz dropped his bid for a third term, jury selection began in the first criminal trial over the slow law enforcement response to the Uvalde school shooting and Eva Schloss, the stepsister of Anne Frank, has died. 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 returning to Washington to face the fallout from U.S. military action in Venezuela, another government shutdown deadline and a health care fight ahead. 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 Jonathan Capehart of MS NOW join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including if Russia's invasion of Ukraine will end in 2026, President Trump issuing the first vetoes of his second term and their political predictions for the year. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Many New Year's traditions are meant to bring prosperity in the months ahead, but America's relationship to wealth is complicated. As billionaires' influence has grown, so too has skepticism. In a recent Washington Post/Ipsos poll, 58% of respondents said billionaires' spending on campaigns is bad for the country. Lisa Desjardins discussed the intersection of money and politics with Beth Reinhard. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

For the past 15 years, the fact-checkers at PolitiFact have sorted through hundreds of statements by politicians to name the "Lie of the Year." This year, the editors dubbed 2025 the "Year of the Lies." Lisa Desjardins discussed more with PolitiFact Editor-in-Chief Katie Sanders. A warning: some images in this story are disturbing. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy