PBS NewsHour - Politics

The $8 billion merger between Paramount and Skydance is fueling a fierce First Amendment fight and raising questions about the influence of the Trump administration. The FCC approved the deal by a 2-1 vote along party lines and came shortly after Paramount paid $16 million to settle a lawsuit brought by Trump. Anna Gomez was the sole dissenting vote and joined Geoff Bennett to discuss more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

With razor-thin GOP majorities in the House and Senate, many lawmakers are retreating to their political corners rather than seeking out compromise. But one bipartisan duo is bucking the trend, arguing their disaster prevention proposal can overcome political dysfunction. Amna Nawaz discussed that with Republican Sen. John Curtis of Utah and Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla of California. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. reportedly intends to remove all 16 members of the United States Preventive Services Task Force. The highly influential panel plays a key role in determining what treatments insurers must cover and makes recommendations about care that are followed by doctors across the country. Stephanie Sy discussed more with Dr. Bobby Mukkamala. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

NPR’s Tamara Keith and Jasmine Wright of NOTUS join Amna Nawaz to discuss the latest political news, including President Trump's trade deals, the debate over the Jeffrey Epstein files and Vice President Vance hits the road to sell the administration’s signature legislative achievement. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Trump administration has launched investigations into colleges and universities. The White House accuses the schools of not doing enough to combat antisemitism on campus. Last week, Columbia University settled with the administration in a major deal that could be a blueprint for battles with other schools. Ali Rogin looked into one of the key players behind the administration's approach. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In our news wrap Saturday, Trump golfed at his resort in Scotland as locals protested his visit, House Democrats sought more details about Trump’s connections with Epstein, Florida Gov. DeSantis confirmed detainees at “Alligator Alcatraz” are being flown out for deportation, and Thailand’s acting prime minister said he agrees in principle to a ceasefire with Cambodia. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The ramifications of President Trump’s sweeping tax cut and spending law are beginning to play out. That includes cuts to several federal programs, while significantly increasing spending in other areas, like immigration enforcement. Stephanie Sy reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Supreme Court has handled a flood of appeals from the Trump administration on its emergency docket, also known as the shadow docket. In the first six months of Trump’s term, the conservatives on the court have sided with him on several key policies, but the decisions have come with little to no explanation for their rationale. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Supreme Court analyst Amy Howe. 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 debate over the Epstein files continues to cause a rift for Republicans, the Trump administration settles its fight with Columbia University and if Democrats can form a vision to fight back against Trump. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President Trump continued to dial up the pressure on Jerome Powell during a visit to the Fed. The president's public remarks and personal insults about Powell are a major departure from past presidents, and his approach has sparked questions about whether the Fed's independence could be undermined in the months ahead. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Julia Coronado of Macro Policy Perspectives. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Columbia University and the Trump administration reached a deal that restores federal funding and research grant money to the university. As part of the agreement, Columbia will pay $200 million to the federal government. Amna Nawaz discussed the agreement and what it means for higher education with Michael Roth, president of Wesleyan University. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Jeffrey Epstein scandal surrounding President Trump is intensifying, fueled by growing Republican defiance even as the administration deploys efforts at distracting public attention. Geoff Bennett discussed the latest developments with Carrie Johnson, the national justice correspondent for NPR. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The House of Representatives is headed for the August recess after Speaker Johnson cut business short amid the political furor related to Jeffrey Epstein. House Democrats spent this week introducing amendments to force a vote on releasing documents related to the Epstein investigation. To discuss the political battle and GOP priorities, Amna Nawaz spoke with Rep. Mike Haridopolos of Florida. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard ramped up efforts to sow doubt about the investigation that found Russia interfered in the 2016 election. Gabbard pushed claims about former President Obama and called it the “most egregious weaponization and politicization of intelligence in American history.” Nick Schifrin reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President Trump marked his sixth month in office this week, touting his policy agenda and transformation of the federal government. But he also faces a public skeptical of his biggest accomplishments and a growing focus on his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Democratic strategist Faiz Shakir and Republican strategist Kevin Madden. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Divisions inside the Republican Party over the Jeffrey Epstein investigation boiled over on Capitol Hill. Speaker Mike Johnson said the House won't take action before leaving town for the August recess at the end of the week. Lisa Desjardins reports and Geoff Bennett discusses the legal implications with former federal prosecutor Arlo Devlin-Brown. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

A key part of the Trump administration’s hardline immigration agenda is to deport immigrants without legal status more quickly. But there's a massive backlog in immigration courts and the Justice Department has fired or not renewed the contracts of dozens of judges. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Ximena Bustillo of NPR. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Texas lawmakers convened for a special session and one agenda item was added at the request of President Trump. He's pushing the Republican-controlled legislature to redraw congressional district lines in their favor ahead of the 2026 midterms. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Beto O’Rourke, the former Democratic congressman from El Paso. 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 the politics of redistricting and how Democrats can gain House seats from Republicans, the public response to President Trump's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case and what Trump views as his signature achievements. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

As Trump continues to spar with parts of his political base over his handling of the Epstein files, attention is turning to the relationship between the two men. John Yang speaks with New York Times White House correspondent Luke Broadwater, who has written about what’s known about the Trump-Epstein relationship, to learn more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Nearly six years after he died, Jeffrey Epstein is still at the center of controversy. Part of President Trump's political base is angry over the handling of the files from the investigation into Epstein's sex crimes and his death in a jail cell. John Yang discussed the political fallout with Glenn Thrush of The New York Times and Dave Weigel of Semafor. 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 John Yang to discuss the week in politics, including the MAGA debate over releasing the Epstein files intensifies and congressional Republicans deliver Trump a win by clawing back $9 billion in foreign aid and public media funding. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The clock is ticking for Congress to claw back more than $9 billion of federal funding for programs, including foreign aid and public media. Friday night is the final deadline for the House to pass the so-called rescissions package, which is a priority for President Trump. Lisa Desjardins reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Congress is moving toward revoking a billion dollars in already approved funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the entity that steers funds to public media stations. William Brangham discussed the potential impact on PBS with one of the network's most acclaimed filmmakers, Ken Burns. His documentaries covered subjects like the Civil War, baseball, Vietnam, country music and more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Since President Trump signed his sweeping domestic policy bill into law, a key provision that prevents Planned Parenthood clinics from receiving Medicaid funding has already been temporarily blocked by a federal judge. William Brangham discussed the legal challenge with Alexis McGill Johnson, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Trump administration is giving personal data to immigration authorities to aid its crackdown. The AP reported ICE is getting access to Medicaid data and ProPublica found the IRS is building a program that would give immigration agents unprecedented access to sensitive taxpayer data, including home addresses. William Brangham discussed more with Christopher Bing of ProPublica. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Among the programs targeted for cuts in the White House rescissions package is the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. It's the independent nonprofit created by Congress to distribute federal funds to more than 1,500 noncommercial TV and radio stations. Tom Abbott of public radio station KFSK in Petersburg, Alaska, joined William Brangham to discuss what’s at stake for rural stations. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Congress is moving toward passing a series of bills that would be the first to regulate the crypto industry. The GENIUS Act regulates stablecoins while the Clarity Act regulates digital currency overall, splitting oversight between the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Lisa Desjardins discussed the legislation with Patrick McHenry and Hilary Allen. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President Trump’s immigration enforcement is being felt across the country. Arrests have gone up in every state and more than doubled in 38 states. The biggest increase is happening in Idaho, where ICE has made more than 300 arrests. Farmer Shay Myers, who grows onions and other vegetables in Idaho, joined William Brangham to discuss his immigrant workforce. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

A new report shows inflation has picked up and analysts believe the prices of many goods increased, in part, because of President Trump’s tariffs. It will play into decisions by the Federal Reserve about when and whether to cut interest rates and comes as the president and his team have ramped up their pressure campaign on Fed Chair Jerome Powell. William Brangham discussed more with David Wessel. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The White House backed off $400 million in immediate cuts it was proposing in the global fight against HIV and AIDS and potentially other high-profile health programs. It's part of the package of cuts facing the Senate over the next two days. Lisa Desjardins reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

As the Trump administration ends USAID's mission, a project to bring water to drought-ridden lands is now in peril. In partnership with the Pulitzer Center, William Brangham and producer Molly Knight Raskin traveled to a community in central Kenya to look at the legacy of American foreign aid. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The federal response to the flash flooding disaster in Texas has come under scrutiny. President Trump, who has called for cuts to FEMA, praised the agency during his recent visit to Texas, but did not comment on his plans for its future. William Brangham discussed more with former FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President Trump’s big policy act on tax cuts, spending cuts and immigration also has a number of other key provisions that are getting less attention but include big changes. That includes what amounts to a new national school voucher program. Stephanie Sy discussed more with Laura Meckler of The Washington Post. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The White House effort to cut back $9.4 billion of already allocated government spending faces a critical vote in the Senate this week. Some Republicans have concerns about the cuts to foreign aid and public broadcasting as the clock ticks to Friday’s deadline to approve or modify the Trump administration plan. Congressional correspondent Lisa Desjardins reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The handling of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s case continues to roil the MAGA world. After repeatedly claiming there were scandalous, criminal details about Epstein being hidden from the public, some of those same people are now saying there’s nothing to see. But key figures from the president’s base allege that a cover-up continues. William Brangham reports. 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 William Brangham to discuss the latest political news, including the political fallout of the Trump administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case, the White House effort to claw back funding for foreign aid and public media and the public opinion on immigration raids. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In our news wrap Friday, the State Department is laying off at least 1,300 employees as part of the Trump administration's effort to scale back the federal workforce, an appeals court threw out a plea deal for the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks and police in Baltimore are investigating a suspected mass overdose event that saw more than two dozen people sent to the hospital. 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 the federal response to the flooding disaster in Texas, another round of tariff threats from President Trump and reflections on the life and career of David Gergen. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Supreme Court gave the Trump administration the green light to reorganize agencies and begin the process of mass firings of federal workers. The reductions in force had been on hold for months, but tens of thousands of employees at nearly 20 agencies could soon be out of work. Lisa Desjardins discussed where things stand with Everett Kelley of the American Federation of Government Employees. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Justice Department has fired several officials involved in the Jan. 6 criminal prosecution and others have been demoted to low-level positions. They are the latest moves that some say are part of a retribution campaign against anyone who worked on the investigation. White House correspondent Laura Barrón-López spoke with Greg Rosen, one of the prosecutors who led that case. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders