PBS NewsHour - Politics

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 a fractured Republican Party on display and fallout from the partial release of the Epstein files. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In the latest episode of our podcast, "Settle In," Geoff Bennett speaks with Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz, an epidemiologist and author of the "Health Nerd" blog. He's spent years helping people understand the data behind the news they see about their health. He spoke about bad science, misconceptions around what we eat and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s "Make America Healthy Again" campaign. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Late Friday afternoon, the Justice Department began releasing thousands of pages of files and communications related to Jeffrey Epstein. The new documents include photos, call logs, court filings and more. White House correspondent Liz Landers reports on the release and discusses more with Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Friday, nine pharmaceutical companies agreed to cut prices on many drugs they sell to Medicaid and sell them directly to consumers through the 'TrumpRx' website, Russian President Putin says he remains committed to achieving goals in Ukraine if Kyiv does not agree to its demands for peace and Australia announced a gun buyback plan following the Bondi Beach mass shooting. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The Vanity Fair profile by journalist Chris Whipple, built on 11 interviews with White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, offered a rare and revealing look inside President Trump's second term. Through Whipple, Wiles delivers unusually blunt assessments of senior officials and even offers a striking characterization of the president. Geoff Bennett discussed the story and reaction with Whipple. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Among the tens of thousands arrested in the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, many are convicted of violent crimes. But nearly three-quarters of those held by ICE have no criminal record, according to TRAC, a nonpartisan data-gathering platform. Amna Nawaz spoke with the family of one young woman who was detained by federal immigration officers in North Carolina. 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 attempts to address his sinking approval ratings on the economy, the Department of Justice begins to release the Epstein files and the renaming of the Kennedy Center. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

President Trump addressed the nation Wednesday night in a politically charged prime-time speech. In front of Christmas trees at the White House, he blamed Joe Biden and the Democrats in general for economic challenges and inflation. White House correspondent Liz Landers has this fact check. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Economic concerns continue to be a top priority for Americans. In a new PBS News/NPR/Marist poll, 57% of respondents say they disapprove of the job President Trump is doing on the economy and just 36% think he’s doing a good job. It’s the lowest approval rating he’s seen on the issue in either of his terms in office. Amna Nawaz discussed more insights from the poll with NPR's Domenico Montanaro. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Affordable Care Act subsidies are set to run out for millions in just two weeks. But on Wednesday, there was a glimmer of hope that Congress could extend them. A small group of Republicans defied Speaker Johnson to join with Democrats on a possible three-year extension. Lisa Desjardins discusses where things stand with Republican Rep. Kevin Kiley and Democratic Rep. Jimmy Panetta. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

With the Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire, we're taking a closer look at one of the main Republican alternatives to help Americans pay for their health care. As Lisa Desjardins reports, the plan is centered on health savings accounts. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Defense Secretary Hegseth rejected calls to release the full video of a boat strike the military carried out in September. That attack was the first of 25 acknowledged strikes that the administration says were operated by so-called "narcoterrorists." At the same time, the Senate is debating its largest annual bill to authorize the Defense Department. Nick Schifrin and Lisa Desjardins report. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

House Speaker Mike Johnson said he will not call for a vote on extending enhanced subsidies for people buying insurance through the Affordable Care Act. That effectively guarantees the subsidies will expire at the end of the month and premiums will spike substantially for some 20 million Americans who get their coverage this way. William Brangham reports on the subsidies and alternative ideas. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Sen. Bill Cassidy is a key player in the Capitol Hill debate on health care subsidies, and he's also a physician. The Louisiana Republican joined Geoff Bennett to discuss the latest. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The naturalization ceremony is the final step of a lengthy, often years-long legal process to become a U.S. citizen. In cities across the country in recent weeks, they've been abruptly canceled for immigrants from 19 countries deemed "high-risk" by President Trump. Amna Nawaz discussed those caught in legal limbo with Gail Breslow of Project Citizenship. 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 garnering rare backlash from members of his party for a social media post about the death of director Rob Reiner and Congress running out of time to reach a deal on the Affordable Care Act. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

President Trump’s push to redraw congressional maps in Republicans' favor hit a major roadblock in Indiana Thursday when Indiana Republican state senators joined Democrats to vote against a plan that would likely have created two new Republican seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. One Republican who voted to block the maps is Indiana Sen. Mike Bohacek. He joins Lisa Desjardins to discuss. 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 how President Trump's string of seeming disappointments this week is raising some doubts about his grip on the Republican Party and his ability to govern in his second term. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The U.S. Senate failed to pass two dueling pieces of health care legislation Thursday, leaving Affordable Care Act tax credits all but certain to expire at the end of the year. As lawmakers prepare for year-end recess with no agreement in sight, tens of millions of Americans who rely on the ACA are being left in limbo. Lisa Desjardins reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Thursday, Indiana's GOP-led Senate voted against a plan to redraw their state's electoral maps, a grand jury again refused to bring a new indictment against New York Attorney General Letitia James for mortgage fraud, Kilmar Abrego Garcia left an immigration detention center in Pennsylvania after a federal judge's order and U.S. health officials report rising cases of the measles. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

A new report from The New York Times reveals how the Trump Administration and members of the president’s family may have been involved in a larger movement in conservative circles to support Andrew and Tristan Tate, right-wing influencers charged with rape, human trafficking and other crimes. Investigative reporter Megan Twohey, who helped break the story, joins Geoff Bennett to discuss. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

President Trump was on the road in Pennsylvania Tuesday to address affordability, an issue that has dragged down his approval ratings. But at the event the president reverted to campaign mode, delivering a long speech that included a rant about immigrants. Democratic strategist Ameshia Cross and Republican Tiffany Smiley, a former U.S. Senate candidate, join Amna Nawaz for two perspectives. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The Trump administration has reached a joint settlement with seven states that will effectively shut down a key Biden-era student loan relief program. But what about the roughly 7 million people currently enrolled in it? Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, The Washington Post’s national higher education reporter, joins John Yang to break down the impact on borrowers in the months ahead. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

With less than a year until the 2026 midterm elections, it's already expected to be one of the most expensive campaigns in history. But how that money is spent could be changing. Major arguments took place Tuesday at the Supreme Court that could reshape campaign finance laws. Lisa Desjardins has more on the Republican push to remove key spending limits. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Tuesday, a federal judge allowed a request to unseal records from the grand jury investigation of Ghislaine Maxwell, President Trump considers expanding U.S. military operations against drug trafficking targets, Honduras seeks the arrest of the country's former president, Ukraine's president opens the door to elections and Australia rolls out a social media ban. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene rose to national prominence as one of the most vocal backers of President Trump. But the pair fell out after she called for the extension of expiring health care subsidies and for the release of the Epstein files over his objections. Greene, who plans on resigning in early January, joins Amna Nawaz for a one-on-one interview from her Capitol Hill office. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The Supreme Court heard arguments Monday in a legal case that could vastly expand presidential powers. At stake are 90 years of precedent that have kept presidents from being able to remove members of independent government agencies. News Hour’s Supreme Court analyst Amy Howe, co-founder of SCOTUSblog, joins Amna Nawaz to discuss. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The Indiana Senate convened Monday to debate the possibility of redrawing state congressional maps ahead of the 2026 election. The new proposed map would likely give republicans two additional seats, and President Trump is highly invested in the outcome. News Hour's White House correspondent Liz Landers has been watching all this and joins Amna Nawaz to discuss. 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 how President Trump is starting to face some pushback on several fronts, including from within his own party, and the impact of the president's economic policies. 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 fallout over the Trump administration's controversial boat strikes, a Pentagon watchdog report on Defense Secretary Hegseth's use of Signal and Dan Bongino's comments on promoting false claims. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

A new bipartisan divide has broken open after senior U.S. military officers showed Congress video of multiple strikes on a boat in the Caribbean in early September. Republicans backed the decision by a Special Operations commander to target survivors of the first strike, while Democrats accused the commander of targeting a shipwreck. Nick Schifrin reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

A classified briefing on the Pentagon's strike of an alleged drug boat opened partisan divides over whether the act constituted war crimes. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Democratic Rep. Adam Smith, the ranking member on the House Armed Services Committee. He was among the members of Congress briefed by military leaders. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The FBI arrested a 30-year-old man, Brian Cole Jr., in its nearly five-year investigation into who placed pipe bombs near the Republican and Democratic headquarters on the eve of the Jan. 6 Capitol attack. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Carol Leonnig, the reporter who broke the story and co-author of “Injustice: How Politics and Fear Vanquished America's Justice Department." PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

A Pentagon watchdog report has found that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth put U.S. service members at risk when he used the Signal messaging app to discuss a military strike in Yemen earlier this year. His use of Signal came to light when a journalist was accidentally added to a chat that gave sensitive, real-time updates about a strike against Houthi militants. Nick Schifrin reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The Department of Homeland Security confirms it started a sweeping immigration crackdown in New Orleans. The News Hour confirmed that Border Patrol, not Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is primarily running the New Orleans operation. White House correspondent Liz Landers reports on how the president’s immigration crackdown is being carried out. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Congress is facing a lengthy “to-do” list from budgets and health care to foreign affairs — all while leaders contend with growing frustration and even open rebellion within their ranks. Lisa Desjardins reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

President Trump announced he is pardoning Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife, who were indicted last year on bribery and money laundering charges. It’s the latest in a series of controversial pardons Trump has signed. White House Correspondent Liz Landers discussed more with Liz Oyer, who served as the Department of Justice pardon attorney in the Biden administration. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Tuesday. They were there for the latest round of negotiations on a plan to end Russia's war with Ukraine. Nick Schifrin reports. 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 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