PBS NewsHour - Politics

In our news wrap Friday, the Senate approved a short-term renewal of a controversial surveillance program used by U.S. spy agencies, millions across the Midwest are facing the risk of severe storms and French officials say an 85-year-old widow of an American military veteran has returned home after being held in U.S. immigration custody for more than two weeks. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

President Trump is on the road this week, speaking at a Turning Point USA rally Friday night in Phoenix. White House correspondent Liz Landers on how the administration's recent actions are affecting his support among young voters. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

David Brooks of The Atlantic and Jonathan Capehart of MS NOW join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including President Trump claiming Iran has "agreed to everything" in talks with the U.S. and is suspending its nuclear program, Trump publicly feuding with Pope Leo and two lawmakers resigning from Congress amid sexual misconduct allegations. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

White House budget director Russ Vought has been key to implementing the Trump agenda. But before joining the administration, he was a central figure in drafting Project 2025, the controversial policy playbook by the Heritage Foundation that suggested large-scale changes a Republican president should enact. Liz Landers reports on how many of those proposals have become official policy under Trump. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In his second administration, President Trump's family members, including his son-in-law Jared Kushner, and sons Eric and Don Jr., are expanding their business ventures, earning hundreds of millions of dollars and prompting fresh concerns about influence peddling and conflicts of interest. Liz Landers reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

President Trump's Department of Justice is making headlines. This week, it is releasing a report accusing the Biden administration of weaponizing the agency, moving to wipe out the convictions of Jan. 6 ringleaders and making a surprise visit to a Federal Reserve construction site as part of its ongoing probe into Jerome Powell. Ali Rogin reports on the DOJ's legal and political maneuvering. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The battle between the president and the pope continues to play out. Pope Leo has not backed down from his criticisms of the war in Iran, but he is taking a different approach during his visit to Africa. Some allies of President Trump are also piling on to defend him and the war. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest and editor-at-large of America magazine. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Like countless powerful women throughout history, Queen Elizabeth II was routinely dismissed and underestimated. But during her 70-year reign, she managed the strategic relationship between the UK and the U.S., meeting with thirteen sitting presidents. Geoff Bennett spoke with Susan Page, who traces this and more in her new book, "The Queen and Her Presidents: The Hidden Hand That Shaped History." PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Tuesday, the Justice Department asked a federal appeals court to throw out the Jan. 6 seditious conspiracy convictions of Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, Super Typhoon Sinlaku battered a group of U.S. islands in the Pacific, Gaza health officials say Israeli strikes killed at least six people and Hampshire College is closing due to financial problems and low enrollment. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

After separate allegations of sexual misconduct, two members of Congress are resigning. Democrat Eric Swalwell faces multiple allegations of sexual assault. He denies the accusations. Republican Congressman Tony Gonzales' resignation comes after he admitted to sleeping with a staffer who later took her own life. Lisa Desjardins reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

President Trump touts a sharp drop in illegal entries to the country, but a Cato Institute analysis shows legal immigration has fallen even more dramatically, with 132,000 fewer people being admitted per month through legal pathways. Liz Landers discussed what's behind those numbers with the study's author, David Bier. He's the director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

President Trump is openly condemning Pope Leo XIV after the head of the Roman Catholic Church criticized the U.S. and Israeli war with Iran. William Brangham reports on the rare public battle between the president of the United States and the first U.S.-born pope. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California announced he will resign his seat in Congress after multiple women accused him of sexual misconduct. Swalwell denied the charges, but also dropped his bid to become the next governor of California. Congressional correspondent 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 Jasmine Wright of NOTUS join Amna Nawaz to discuss the latest political news, including Congressman Swalwell's resignation, the race for California governor, the feud between President Trump and Pope Leo, Trump losing some support from religious Americans and how high gas prices could impact the midterms. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

David Brooks of The Atlantic and Jonathan Capehart of MS NOW join Geoff Bennett to discuss the week in politics, including the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, President Trump's mental acuity after his threats to wipe out a civilization and two prominent Democrats say they are considering running for president in 2028. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In a rare public address from the White House, First Lady Melania Trump today denied allegations she had a close relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. 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

Democrats in Congress tried unsuccessfully to limit President Trump's war powers in Iran. While Republicans blocked the move, it highlights an issue to take up when Congress returns from recess. There is growing concern among Democrats and some of the president's allies over the language he has used this week, including "a whole civilization will die." Lisa Desjardins reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals is a program created to protect undocumented immigrants from deportation if they were brought to the U.S. as children. But since January 2025, ICE has detained more than 260 DACA recipients and deported more than 80. Although there are reasons why "Dreamers" could be deported, many who have done nothing wrong are getting caught up. 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 Geoff Bennett to discuss the latest political news, including President Trump's shifting deadlines and threats on Iran, questions about his messaging on the war and new polls showing his approval rating slipping amid economic concerns. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Friday, President Trump is asking for $1.5 trillion in defense spending for the upcoming financial year, March was a strong month for the jobs market even as soaring energy prices from the war in Iran had many Americans on edge and Ukrainian officials say that Russian airstrikes killed at least eight people, in what President Zelenskyy denounced as an "Easter escalation." PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The U.S. and Israeli war with Iran has caused a rare rift among conservatives, with several influential figures on the right condemning the war. A recent poll shows that while most Republicans support the war, young Republicans appear to be an outlier. White House correspondent Liz Landers spoke to some of them at a Turning Point USA event in Washington. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

David Brooks of The Atlantic and Jonathan Capehart of MS NOW join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including the political debate over the war in Iran, reaction to President Trump's address on the conflict, Trump's economic policies and the latest No Kings protests. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

President Trump has ousted the second member of his Cabinet in less than a month. Attorney General Pam Bondi will be leaving after just 14 months. Bondi faced criticism for her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case and the president himself expressed frustration over her lack of prosecutions of his political enemies. Ali Rogin discussed what's next for the Department of Justice with Mary McCord. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Any nominee that President Trump selects to replace Pam Bondi as Attorney General will have to face confirmation in the Senate. To discuss how that could play out, and a Republican deal to fund the Department of Homeland Security, Amna Nawaz sat down with Andrew Desiderio of Punchbowl News. 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 agency overseeing construction on federal property approved President Trump's White House ballroom project, the Army's chief of staff is stepping down immediately, Democratic Party leaders are suing to block President Trump's executive order targeting mail-in voting and the president is imposing a 100% tariff on some imported pharmaceuticals. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

On his first day back in office, President Trump signed an executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship, a cornerstone of immigration policy enshrined in the 14th Amendment and affirmed by the Supreme Court more than 100 years ago. But now the justices are reexamining the policy. Ali Rogin discussed the legal debate with Amy Howe and Amanda Frost. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

It was an unprecedented scene at the Supreme Court on Wednesday as Donald Trump became the first sitting president to attend oral arguments. The case will decide Trump's attempt to end birthright citizenship, one of the most controversial policies of his second term. Liz Landers reports on the president's unusual trip down Pennsylvania Avenue. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

As President Trump says he's working on a deal to end the Iran war, more troops are heading to the region. John Yang discussed the capabilities of the forces and how they could be used with Joel Rayburn and Frederic Wehrey. Rayburn is a retired Army colonel and is now at the Hudson Institute. Wehrey is a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel now at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Thursday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune says the GOP has given Democrats a "last and final" offer to end the DHS funding fight, Florida Democrat Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick faced a rare public ethics hearing in Congress and a federal judge says he will not dismiss the case against ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro over a dispute involving legal fees. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The debate over social media use by teens is raging on. In the U.S., Meta and Google were just handed back-to-back losses in lawsuits against them. Germany is looking to ban social media, or at least make it harder to access, for young people, something Australia did last year. From Berlin, special correspondent Malcolm Brabant reports on warnings from psychologists for the younger generation. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Wednesday, a Democrat has won the special election for a Florida state House district that's home to Mar-a-Lago, police in the United Kingdom arrested two men in connection with the arson attack that destroyed four ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity and the Justice Department settled a lawsuit with President Trump's former national security adviser, Michael Flynn. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

With the Department of Homeland Security shutdown now at 40 days, TSA checkpoints are strained and workers face another missed paycheck. On Capitol Hill, we have started to see some action, but still no deal. Congressional correspondent Lisa Desjardins reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Blowback to social media and its effects on young people are reverberating across the globe. Many countries have announced plans to enact measures restricting social media access for children and teens. Australia was the first to implement a ban last year, setting an example that other nations are now closely monitoring. Stephanie Sy reports on what that pioneering ban looks like for teens today. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Tuesday, Markwayne Mullin took office as the new head of the Department of Homeland Security, some Republican Senators believe they've reached a deal to end the DHS shutdown, President Trump cast a mail-in ballot in Florida as he publicly calls the method "mail-in cheating" and Hawaii is assessing the full scope of the damage caused by the worst flooding there in decades. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The Pentagon issued a revised policy for credentialing media after a judge struck down the Defense Department's previous rules that determined access to its headquarters. But a spokesperson for The New York Times, which sued the Defense Department, said the new policy does not comply with the judge's order, and they will be going back to court. Liz Landers discussed more with lawyer Ted Boutrous. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Leading cultural and architectural preservation organizations asked a federal court to stop the Trump administration from proceeding with its Kennedy Center reconstruction project. It's the latest development in a fight over the look and architecture of the nation's capital, and the power of the presidency. Jeffrey Brown reports for our series, Art in Action, as part of our CANVAS coverage. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The deployment of ICE agents to airports comes as the partial Department of Homeland Security shutdown nears the 40-day mark. The president nixed one potential solution over the weekend that would have funded some agencies, including TSA. Congressional correspondent Lisa Desjardins reports on the latest negotiations to fully reopen the government. 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 Senate is on track to confirm Sen. Markwayne Mullin as the next Homeland Security secretary, law enforcement officials in London are investigating an apparent arson attack as an antisemitic hate crime and Cuban officials say power is slowly but surely being restored after the country's electric grid collapsed again this weekend. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The Supreme Court heard a case that could reshape how millions of mail-in ballots are counted in this fall's elections. Some states count mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day as long as they are postmarked by Election Day. The Republican National Committee is challenging that procedure. Ali Rogin discussed the case with Nate Persily, an election law scholar at Stanford 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 air travelers facing long lines as the Homeland Security shutdown drags on, President Trump digging in to push Congress to pass the SAVE Act, Republicans facing political pressure from the war and rising gas prices and Trump putting his mark on D.C. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Friday, the deadlock in Congress over funding the Department of Homeland Security is showing no signs of ending, the Trump administration has sued Harvard University again, CBS News is shutting down its storied radio service and Chuck Norris, the fighting front-man of Hollywood action films, has died. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Zohran Mamdani is less than three months into his term as mayor of America's largest city. He's juggling his ambitious campaign promises, a budget deficit and responding to a rise in Islamophobic rhetoric. He has also forged a unique working relationship with President Trump through Oval Office visits and a shared love of New York. Amna Nawaz sat down with Mamdani for an exclusive conversation. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy