WSJ Opinion: Potomac Watch

President Trump says the Strait of Hormuz will open soon, but is his purported deal a capitulation that would allow Iran to control a vital waterway? Kate B. Odell interviews Rear Admiral (Ret.) Mark Montgomery about his new book "Axis of Aggressors," and Iran's larger cooperation with China, Russia and North Korea.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The polling frontrunner is El-Sayed, who wants to pass Medicare for All and abolish ICE. Why won't mainstream Democrats, such as Stevens, take on these arguments directly? Plus, do primary voters care about electability? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

President Trump again decides not to escalate the conflict with Iran, saying the regime now wants to make a deal. Plus, Attorney General nominee Todd Blanche wins the support of key Republican Senators after he promises in writing not to resurrect the anti-weaponization fund.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Donald Trump renews strikes on Iran, after it launches ballistic missiles at U.S. forces, an attack that was thankfully intercepted. Plus, what to make of the leaks that Trump held off a major escalation because of concerns about munition supplies? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

 The economy grows a tepid 1.5% in the second quarter, despite the boom in spending for AI. Plus, the Kevin Warsh Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady for the second meeting in a row.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sen. Rand Paul releases pages of the government scientist's diary from the Covid-19 pandemic, but Fauci refuses to answer questions. Plus, Ukraine's President Zelensky visits Washington, as the Senate moves to put sanctions pressure on Putin. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The President urges the GOP to nuke the Senate's 60-vote rule now, even as Fetterman flips and says Democrats were wrong about the filibuster. Plus Maine nominates Troy Jackson and Michigan's Abdul El-Sayed tries to distance himself from socialism. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Recent primary results show Democratic Socialists and other progressives on the rise heading into the November midterm elections. But can the Democratic establishment do anything to stop a takeover of their party?  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The White House vents frustration that Sen. John Thune can't pass the SAVE America Act, as New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill says a glitch added 6,600 noncitizens to the voter rolls. Plus, the House passes a bill to curb Congress's stock trading. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As President Trump surges military forces to the Middle East after nearly two weeks of nightly bombing, the Houthis hit two Saudi Arabian tankers in the Red Sea. Are the U.S. and Iran headed toward greater escalation? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani admits he lacks the legal authority to arrest the Israeli prime minister. But what does the episode say about the Democratic socialist's worldview? Plus, what can the GOP still accomplish this year in Congress? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Chatter about 2028 picks up, as the Vice President presents a worldview skeptical of free-market economics, including in his book "Communion" and on the Joe Rogan podcast, while the Secretary of State offers the public a different vision. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Iran strikes a U.S. base in Jordan, while three more Americans killed brings the total number of U.S. casualties to 17 during the conflict. Plus, who is Andy Burnham, Britain's newest prime minister and its seventh in 10 years? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Republicans try for a third reconciliation bill, what's in the House's new $95 billion budget framework? Plus Donald Trump gives a prime-time address on election security, calling for voter ID, citizenship checks, and broad limits on mail ballots. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The White House wants to renegotiate trade terms with Canada and Mexico, creating uncertainty for businesses, including auto makers. Plus, the Gordie Howe Bridge is finally set to open in Detroit, though a crony political intervention was no help. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Elena Kagan testify about rising security threats, as the Court seeks more money from Congress. Plus, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche faces the Senate as he tries to get confirmed to the job permanently.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump reinstates his naval blockade of Iran and pledges to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, with or without its help. Yet his initial talk of charging a 20% toll confused his message, and if oil prices rise will he make his case to voters?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lindsey Graham will be remembered as a man who loved politics and as an advocate for a muscular, principled U.S. foreign policy. Why was he so influential, and what happens in the Senate after losing one of its most consequential members?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The next test for leftist Democrats is Michigan's race between Abdul El-Sayed and Rep. Haley Stevens. Plus, Alaska's top court puts Dan J. Sullivan back on the ballot, as Donald Trump ousts the leaders of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Maine Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner announces he's leaving the race by denying the allegations against him and railing against establishment Democrats. Plus, GOP donor Ken Griffin says he'd support Marco Rubio over JD Vance for president in 2028.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump now says talks with Iran are a waste of time, since its leaders are liars and cheats, as the U.S. military hits 80 targets in response to the regime's strikes on ships in the Strait of Hormuz. What are Trump's options for next steps? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Graham Platner is reconsidering his Senate campaign in Maine after being accused of forcing himself on a woman in 2021. If he drops out soon, Democrats can pick another nominee, but who? And could any replacement beat Republican Sen. Susan Collins? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The NATO summit kicks off this week in Turkey, with President Trump airing his complaints about European allies and their defense spending. But is the U.S. sending mixed messages about its own military posture in Europe? Plus, Donald Trump shocks the sports world by calling for a review of a red card against U.S. soccer player Folarin Balogun, who is now eligible to play in a major match against Belgium. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On its 250th anniversary, why does the Declaration of Independence still matter, and what are the threats to the U.S. today?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Denver's 15-term Rep. Diana DeGette loses her primary to 29-year-old Melat Kiros, a socialist who says 9/11 was inevitable and the U.S. should quit sending Israel even defensive arms. While a few mainstream Democrats are starting to oppose this hostile takeover of their party, most appear willing to accommodate it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Justices say the 14th Amendment guarantees birthright citizenship, striking down President Trump's order to exclude children of illegal aliens and temporary visitors. Plus, transgender athletes don't have a constitutional right to play women's sports, and a limit on "coordinated" political spending fails the First Amendment..  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Justices issue four major rulings on executive power, voting law and the Fourth Amendment, with mixed majorities in each one. The Court says Donald Trump can fire the heads of independent agencies like the Federal Trade Commission with one exception--the Federal Reserve. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Justices say 6-3 that the law gives the Trump Administration unreviewable authority to tell immigrants with Temporary Protected Status, including about 360,000 Haitians and Syrians, that they must go home. Plus, Hawaii's law prohibiting guns by default on private property fails the Second Amendment test. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump and Senate Republicans clash on war powers and the filibuster, and a recent closed-door meeting was especially testy. Plus, the President delays signing a housing bill until Congress approves the Save America voting bill, which lacks the voters to pass. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The state's Democratic primary nominates three more socialist House candidates, including Darializa Avila Chevalier, who says every deportation is wrong, calls proudly to abolish ICE, and wants to pass national rent control. How will mainstream Democrats respond, and could this hard left turn help the GOP win the midterms? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Justices unanimously agree that pot consumption alone isn't enough to justify a loss of Second Amendment rights, though they offer few hints about harder cases involving harder drugs. Plus, will Congress reinforce religious liberty, after a 6-3 ruling against a Rastafarian whose head was shaved by prison guards? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer resigns, and his successor Andy Burnham would be the seventh PM in 10 years. What's driving the instability, and what are the lessons for the U.S.? Plus, the U.S.-Iran talks go ahead, despite threats from both sides. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why were some scientists blacklisted and censored for questioning the need for lockdowns during the Covid pandemic? And why did some in Washington encourage it? Paul Gigot speaks with the Wall Street Journal's James Taranto and executive producer Michael Pack about the new documentary “The Lockdown Dissidents," the lessons learned and how to avoid repeating the same mistakes.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump explains that oil and stock prices drove his decision to sign the memorandum of understanding with Iran, in a surprising admission of U.S. weakness. What concessions did the U.S. make to Iran, and what did it get in return.? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The White House effectively bans the advanced Fable 5 model by placing it off limits to foreigners, even ones working at Anthropic. Plus, Donald Trump upends Jay Clayton's confirmation as director of national intelligence, while making new demands that Congress pass the SAVE America Act, a federal voting takeover. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As D.C. holds its Democratic primary, the polling leader is Janeese Lewis George, who wants new taxes on businesses, "childcare for all," and more. But President Trump warns that D.C. is ultimately under federal control. Plus, two Dan Sullivans running in Alaska? Here's another ranked-choice voting fiasco. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump and Iran say they've agreed to a ceasefire deal that lets commercial and oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz but delays talks on issues like Iran's nuclear program for another 60 days.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After President Trump names Bill Pulte as acting Director of National Intelligence, the House fails to reauthorize the Section 702 surveillance program. What are the risks of letting that intelligence go dark? And now that Jay Clayton has been nominated for the permanent DNI job, how quickly will the Senate move to confirm? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump says an agreement with Iran has been made, but Iranians say the deal is not done just yet. Plus, will Republicans pass the President's defense spending request before their hold on Congress runs out?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Democratic voters nominate Platner, the progressive oyster farmer, despite a string of news stories about personal scandals, including a Nazi-linked tattoo and rough treatment of a former girlfriend. Is he too unappealing and too far left to beat Sen. Susan Collins? Or could he still drop out before the November election? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On election night Pratt was in second place to Mayor Karen Bass, and now after a week of watching his position be steadily eroded by late-arriving ballots, some Republicans are crying foul. Is there hard evidence of fraud? Or is this simply another example of California's lax voting rules straining public confidence? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 Iran and Israel exchange missiles as the Iran war passes its 100th day, with Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu saying they want the same goals despite their disagreements. Are the two world leaders heading in the right direction? Plus, Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett is targeted by online harassment, as threats of violence grow in this era of polarized politics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump continues to negotiate with Tehran, but lurking behind the war in the Middle East is America's larger strategic contest with the Chinese Communist Party. How is Beijing reading events in Iran? And why is President Trump sounding softer on China than he did in his first term? On this episode of Potomac Watch, Kate Odell talks with former deputy national security adviser Matt Pottinger about Trump's worldview, Taiwan and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Four House Republicans side with Democrats to pass a resolution calling for the end of hostilities in Iran unless Congress approves further action. Is Capitol Hill showing its lack of faith in Donald Trump's vision for ending the war? Plus, housing regulator Bill Pulte is picked to be the next director of national intelligence despite a lack of credentials for the job, putting into question the need for the department and the reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Late mail ballots will straggle in for days, but California could get some political competition in November, if Republicans Steve Hilton and Spencer Pratt hang on in the races for Governor and Los Angeles mayor. Plus, primaries in New Jersey and Iowa offer additional signs of where the midterm winds might be blowing.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Republican lawmakers are trying to pass a reconciliation bill to fund immigration enforcement, but first they want answers on Donald Trump's $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” slush fund. Also on Congress's agenda: Section 702 surveillance powers, a highway bill, and what about that third reconciliation package? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Iran suspends ceasefire negotiations with the United States as airstrikes resume in the Middle East. With threats of Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz, can a deal be reached on keeping it open? Plus, New York City mayor Zoran Mamdani breaks precedent and refuses to attend the city's annual Israel Day Parade, reflecting his own anti-Israel sentiments and similar opinions growing inside the Democratic Party. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The former First Lady reveals that when Joe Biden melted down during his 2024 debate with Donald Trump, she worried it might be a stroke. Yet she also insists that she saw no signs of cognitive decline. Plus, hundreds of professors at the University of California call for a return to standardized testing with the SAT or ACT. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former reality TV star Spencer Pratt is using viral videos to make his case against Karen Bass and become the new mayor of Los Angeles. Plus, candidates from both parties vie for the top two spots in the California primary for governor, and Pope Leo releases his first encyclical, sharing his concerns about artificial intelligence and human dignity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Republican voters resoundingly nominate Attorney General Ken Paxton, instead of incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, but can the AG win? Democrat James Talarico will try to make the race about Paxton's baggage, rather than his progressive views, and the GOP will have to spend money in Texas that it can't use elsewhere. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump says the latest negotiations with Iran are "proceeding nicely," but the details of any nuclear deal remain elusive, as U.S. forces strike new Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz. How should proposed terms be evaluated, particularly in comparison to President Obama's agreement, known as the JCPOA? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices