Washington Today

Democratic nominee for Wisconsin governor David Crowley calls for unity after his surprise upset victory over Francesca Hong, whose views align more with Democratic Socialist agenda, while in the Minnesota U.S. Senate Democratic primary, the more progressive candidate Peggy Flanagan beats the moderate Angie Craig. Also in Minnesota, Republican candidate for governor Mike Lindell, an ally of President Donald Trump, refuses to concede defeat to Lisa Demuth, who was declared the winner in the primary by the Associated Press, citing voting 'anomalies'. Attorney General Todd Blanche announces arrests in an alleged scheme to orchestrate over 1,000 sham marriages with...

American Robert Gilman is released from prison in Russia and flies home. President Donald Trump says it was after he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin, it was for humanitarian reasons due to Gilman's poor health and "Russia asked for no one in return"; Campaign primary day in six states. Republicans in South Carolina are choosing a replacement nominee for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, and among whose running is his sister, Darline Graham, who has been appointed to replace him, while Democrats in Minnesota and Wisconsin are faced with candidates pitting the moderate and progressive wings of the...

Defense policy expert Seth Jones of the Center for Strategic and International Studies discusses the latest developments in the U.S.-Iran war, including reports that U.S. munitions stockpiles are running low. Then, Adam Brandon of the Independent Leadership Council explains the group's new effort to elect independent candidates to federal office. Finally, Unite America Executive Director Nick Troiano discusses his organization's campaign to reform political primaries and what those changes could mean for the future of U.S. elections.

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Senate is on track to confirm Todd Blanche as Attorney General, after the final two undecided Republicans announced how they will vote: Lisa Murkowski (AK) is a 'no', but Bill Cassidy (LA) is a 'yes', meaning Blanche has just enough support to make it; Senate passes the 'Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia & Iran Act' with an overwhelming bipartisan vote. It gives the U.S. President power to sanction countries that import Russian oil and gas, aiming to cut off the Russia's money supply to continue its war against Ukraine; Labor Department says the U.S. economy lost 23,000 jobs in...

Senate Committee votes to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci, former top government official during COVID-19, in contempt of Congress after he invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to answer questions at last week's hearing on the origins and response to the pandemic; Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) talks about what could be voted on in the Senate these final few days in session before the August recess; Senate Agriculture Committee votes down a 5 year Farm Bill after Democrats demanded, and Republicans, rejected a two-year delay to changes to the food-aid program SNAP; FCC votes to repeal a rule that...

Progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed is declared the winner in a very close Michigan U.S. Senate Democratic primary over more moderate candidate Haley Stevens; Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD) signs Congressional redistricting legislation that could result in Republican losing their only current U.S. House seat in the state; Gov. Maura Healey (D-MA) signs a bill to restrict U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests in places like schools, hospitals, and courthouses. She calls it the calling it the toughest and strongest state law in this area; President Donald Trump visits Las Vegas to talk about the economy and...

Senate Judiciary Committee votes along party lines to approve the nomination of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to be in that role permanently; Senate leaders discuss the agenda for what they hope will be the last week in session in Washington before the August break, including a bill to prevent another government shutdown in October; Rep. Max Miller (R-OH) asks for and get a House Ethics Committee investigation of allegations of domestic abuse made by his ex-wife against him, he says to clear his name. We will hear from his former father-in-law, Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH), who has said...

President Trump says upcoming talks with Iran represent the country's "last chance" to reach a deal and avoid an escalation in U.S. military action. We have the latest from the White House on negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's nuclear program. On Capitol Hill, Republican Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis announce they'll support Todd Blanche's nomination for Attorney General after he rescinds the administration's anti-weaponization fund. Plus, the Senate begins its final week before the August recess, and Campaign 2026 heads to Michigan, where Democrats are set to choose their U.S. Senate nominee. We also...

This weekend, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First, Punchbowl News Senior Financial Services Reporter Brendan Pedersen reacts to the week's economic news and the Federal Reserve's decision to hold interest rates steady this week. Then, a conversation with White House trade adviser Peter Navarro ahead of Dr. Anthony Fauci's contentious senate hearing earlier this week. Finally, Former NATO Ambassador Kurt Volker gives us his take on where we are in the nearly 5-month war with Iran and the U.S. role in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

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President Donald Trump holds a Cabinet meeting at the presidential retreat Camp David in Frederick County, Maryland, where he acknowledges a $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund designed to pay defendants in the January 6th attack at the U.S. Capitol and others who he says were unfairly targeted by the government is 'dead,' but he adds, 'I wish it weren't'; President also says, 'This has nothing to do with Todd,' referring to Attorney General nominee Todd Blanche, whose confirmation has been held up by a few Republican Senators opposed the fund; President Trump also claims 'Israel is very happy"...

Nomination of Todd Blanche to be Attorney General is still in limbo after Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), whose vote is needed to report the nomination from committee, says the White House has not agreed to put in writing limits on tax audit immunity the President Donald Trump and his family received from a recent lawsuit settlement. President Trump says he may pull the nomination until after the midterm elections and let Todd Blanche remain Acting Attorney General; Senate Health Committee votes to approve CDC Director nominee Dr. Erica Schwartz and Assistant Health Secretary nominee Sean Kaufman, but not before...

Dr. Anthony Fauci called to testify before a Senate committee under subpoena about his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic invokes his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination over 100 times. Committee Chair Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) accused Dr. Fauci of covering up evidence of the "lab leak" theory for coronavirus. Dr. Fauci calls Sen. Paul "unhinged" and trying to trap him in any lie before Congress to start a prosecution. And Sen. Paul is threatening to hold Dr. Fauci in contempt of Congress; President Donald Trump says the U.S. would be hitting Iran hard and "smacking them a little bit"...

Memorial services today for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on Capitol Hill and at Washington National Cathedral. President Donald Trump calls Graham "a true American original" and "beloved friend" who "died doing the work he was born to do, serving the country he loved"; Lindsey Graham's funeral brings world leaders to Washington, including Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Both met President Trump at the White House about the war with Iran and Russia's war with Ukraine, respectively; Very close U.S. Senate race in Ohio between incumbent republican Jon Husted and Democratic challenger...

The pause in the Iran war continues after two weeks of escalating strikes, as President Trump warns the U.S. is prepared to respond if Iran again threatens shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The latest comes as senior U.S. officials raise concerns about dwindling munitions stockpiles. We'll hear the president's comments from earlier today before he traveled to Michigan.

On Capitol Hill, the House has begun its August recess, but the Senate remains in Washington with a packed agenda. Lawmakers are expected to take up legislation to keep the government funded beyond...

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal.

It was a big week in Congress with Iran war funding front and center. We talk to two lawmakers on BOTH sides of the aisle on the Pentagon's 60-billion dollar ask: California Republican Tom McClintock & Hawaii Democrat Jill Tokuda.

And then a conversation with Dr. David Acheson, former chief medical officer at the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. He discusses the cyclospora outbreak and the federal government's role in food safety.

Trump administration puts in place new tariffs ranging from 10% to 12.5% on 60 major trading partners, covering nearly 100% of U.S. imports, under the rationale of combatting forced labor; President Trump is asked about his comment this week that he is considering a "massive attack" on Iran because that country has not yet received "enough pain" in the war so far; President is asked about his reported frustration with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) over the Senate not passing a bill to require proof of U.S. citizenship to vote, and Sen. Thune firing back that the White House needs...

Both the House & Senate vote again on Iran War Powers Act resolutions sponsored by Democrats to force President Donald Trump to withdraw U.S. forces without Congressional approval. House resolution passes, Senate resolution fails; President Trump says the civilian nuclear agreement the U.S. signed with Saudi Arabia requires Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords and recognize Israel, something that was not in the original agreement; President welcomes electricity companies and governors joining technology companies in signing a pledge that the expansion of data centers will not mean consumers have higher utility bills; Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director...

President Donald Trump says the American public supports the war against Iran, with the renewed fighting now on Day 12, as he travels to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware for a ceremony to receive four of the U.S. servicemembers killed by Iranian attacks on U.S. bases in the Middle East; President Trump approves a civilian nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia that includes potentially a uranium-enrichment facility and does not include rigorous inspections from the International Atomic Energy Agency; New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) is asked about a video he posted explaining the city cannot arrest...

President Donald Trump says Iran desperately wants to meet to end the current war escalation with the U.S., but the U.S. has no interest in doing so until 'they're ready to meet in a meaningful way', and the President says the U.S. will be able to deal with the Houthi terror group if they move to aid Iran and block oil shipments between the Red Sea and Indian Ocean; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testifies before the Senate Appropriations Committee on the Trump Administration's supplemental spending request, most of which is for the military and costs of...

President Trump prepares to attend the dignified transfer of U.S. service members killed in the Middle East as he warns Iran it "will pay." Congress faces a packed week before the August recess, including defense legislation, government funding, and a budget resolution. Plus, the latest on a fire outside a federal building in New York City, a change in leadership in the United Kingdom, and new developments in Campaign 2026.

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This week on Washington Journal... Democratic Socialists of America National Co-Chair Ashik Siddique explains the principles of democratic socialism and discusses recent primary victories by DSA-backed candidates. Then, Republican Congressman Marlin Stutzman of Indiana joins us to talk about renewed U.S. military action in Iran and defense spending. And News Center Maine political reporter Phil Hirschkorn looks at the latest developments in Maine's U.S. Senate race and the upcoming Democratic nominating convention.

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Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin says states who do not take certain steps to safeguard election security will lose federal counterterrorism grant money, and he promises to aggressively pursue voter fraud cases; He spoke the day after President Donald Trump gave a primetime address on election fraud, claiming U.S. election infrastructure has vulnerabilities, China has been amassing U.S. voter data and a quarter million illegal voters are on U.S. rolls; North Carolina U.S. Senate Republican nominee Michael Whatley accuses his Democratic opponent Roy Cooper of being soft on crime, in that very closely watched race...

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says President Donald Trump will in his primetime address to the nation present new evidence about election security and potential foreign interference and the "findings" will "shock" listeners; Senate Judiciary Committee holds a second day of hearings on the nomination of Todd Blanche to be Attorney General. Witnesses include former Attorney General John Ashcroft, a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein's sexual abuse and a mother whose daughter was the victim of a crime by an illegal alien; White House teleprompter operator is accused of making nearly $100,000 in prediction market bets about what President Trump...

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche says at his Senate confirmation hearing to be Attorney General that mistakes were made during the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files and apologizes to survivors whose personal information was not redacted. He also says the $1.8 billion proposed anti-weaponization fund is 'dead'; Nominee for Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton refuses to answer Senate Intelligence Committee Democrats' questions about whether Joe Biden beat Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election; CDC Director nominee Dr. Erica Schwartz faces tough questions at her confirmation hearing from Republican Committee Chair Dr. Bill Cassidy, who asks if she will...

President Donald Trump walks back his previous demand of 20 percent of the value of all cargo through the Strait of Hormuz as payment for the U.S. patrolling the Strait and instead says Gulf nations will be making major economic investments in the U.S.; Senate Democrats block the Senate from taking up the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), citing resumption of the war with Iran and failure of Republican and Democratic negotiators to reach agreement on spending levels, defense and non-defense, for the next fiscal year; Labor Department's Consumer Price Index inflation report for June was 3.5% year...

Congress is back in DC and a lot has changed since they left two weeks ago. The sudden death of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) has sent ripples through the Senate, along with the continued absence of Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY). Gov. Henry McMaster (R-SC) nominated Darlene Graham Nordone to take Sen. Graham's place for now. Meanwhile, President Trump says the US is resuming its blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. And the latest from Campaign 2026 on the Democratic Senate races in Maine & Michigan.

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President Trump returns from the NATO summit in Turkey after allies agree to boost defense spending and expand support for Ukraine. We also look at the latest developments in indirect U.S.-Iran talks, the shakeup in Maine's Senate race after Democrat Graham Platner suspends his campaign, and the continuing questions surrounding Senator Mitch McConnell's health and absence from the Senate. Plus: a new Secret Service badge, China's helium export ban, a foiled plot targeting the White House UFC event, and other top stories from Washington.

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In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal.

First: A discussion about the start of a new, temporary program covering GLP-1 medications for obesity for certain Medicare beneficiaries with Dr. Mehmet Oz of the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Then: James Robbins of Institute of World Politics discusses the latest on the Iran War and this week's NATO Summit

Finally: Matt Bennett – co-founder of the center-left group "Third Way" discusses recent wins by Democratic Socialist candidates and what it means for the future of the Democratic Party.

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President Donald Trump says he will not sign a bipartisan housing bill passed by Congress because the Senate has not passed a separate bill requiring proof of U.S. citizenship to vote, so the housing bill will become law without his signature at midnight tonight under the Constitution. We will talk about that and Congress returning from its holiday recess next week with Chad Pegram, Fox News Chief Congressional Correspondent (5); Calls for further investigations in the case of an ICE agent in Houston shooting and killing an undocumented immigrant and in the case of African-American teen Nolan Wells, found...

Now that Graham Platner has suspended his campaign as Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from Maine, a lot of other candidates are jumping into the race. We will hear from them and talk with Maine Public reporter Kevin Miller about who is most likely to get the party's approval to take on Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in November (12); Former Olympian David Hearn pleads not guilty in D.C. Superior Court to charges he damaged the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. One of his lawyers says the Trump dministration is using Hearn as a 'scapegoat… for their own failures'; A br...

President Donald Trump at the NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey says the U.S.-Iran ceasefire is over, and calls Iranian leadership 'scum' and 'cuckoo', and warned the U.S. is preparing more military strikes against Iran. Then U.S. Central Command announces those strikes have begun; President Trump also meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and says Ukraine will be allowed to produce U.S.-designed Patriot air-defense missiles to defend against Russian attacks; Rahm Emanuel, former Chicago Mayor and possible Democratic presidential candidate in a speech in Israel said that countries leaders have turned it into a...

President Donald Trump at the NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey says he was 'very disappointed' with NATO member states during the U.S. war with Iran and suggests the U.S. may withdraw more military forces from Europe; NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte says NATO nations are on track to meet the increased defense spending goals that President Trump has demanded; President Trump tells Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that the U.S. will lift sanctions on Turkey that have prevented that country from buying U.S. F-35 fighter jets; Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the NATO Summit appeals...

President Trump departs tonight for Ankara, Turkey, for the annual NATO summit, where leaders are expected to focus on the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as the president's calls for European allies to take on a greater share of the alliance's defense burden. President Trump is also expected to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Before leaving Washington, he spoke with reporters at the White House during an event launching the new Trump Accounts program for children. We'll bring you some of those remarks.

NATO...

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal – examining the big decisions coming out of the Supreme Court this week:

We'll hear first from former Bush Deputy Attorney General John Malcolm of the group Advancing American Freedom – and then Nation Magazine Justice correspondent Elie Mystal. The two take very different positions on the High Court's opinion upholding birthright citizenship in the U-S – striking down President Trump's executive order on that issue.

And we'll conclude with a conversation with Michael Beckel of the political reform group Issue...

U.S. economy adds 57,000 jobs in June, according to the Labor Department, about half what many economists expected. Unemployment rate falls from 4.3% to 4.2%, mainly due to people leaving the labor market; U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer explains why the Trump Administration has decided not to extend the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. We hear from him and talk with Washington Post trade reporter David Lynch (10); Former Olympian David Hearn has been indicted on a felony charge of property destruction for what President Donald Trump has called vandalism of the Reflecting Pool between the Washington Monument & Lincoln Memorial; Defense...

President Donald Trump is asked about the over $1 billion he earned from cryptocurrency, according to a new financial disclosure; President travels to North Dakota for the opening of a new Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, part of the celebration of America's 250th anniversary; another self-described Democratic Socialist Congressional candidate defeats a Democratic incumbent, this time in Colorado; Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh at a central bankers meeting in Portugal does not say whether the Fed will change interest rates at a meeting later this month, but does say inflation is still too high; Vice President JD Vance speaks to troops...

Supreme Court upholds birthright citizenship under the Constitution's 14th Amendment, ruling unconstitutional President Donald Trump's Executive Order declaring that children born to parents who are in the United States illegally or temporarily are not American citizens; Supreme Court also rules that states may may ban transgender girls from participating in sports at publicly funded schools; U.S. House legislative business remains at a standstill with a handful of House Republicans refusing to let bills come up for debate and votes until the Senate passes the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of U.S. citizenship to register to v...

The Supreme Court rejected President Trump's attempt to immediately remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook from office, while at the same time expanding presidential authority to remove other federal officials. The justices also upheld state laws allowing mail ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted even if they arrive afterward.

On Capitol Hill, Politico reports House Speaker Mike Johnson has officially sent the bipartisan housing affordability bill to President Trump's desk after Congress approved it last week. The measure had been delayed after the president called on lawmakers to prioritize the SAVE America...

This week on The Weekly, the Supreme Court hands President Trump two major victories on immigration, allowing the administration to end Temporary Protected Status for hundreds of thousands of migrants and continue turning asylum seekers away at the southern border. We also look at the president's decision to delay signing a bipartisan housing bill, new warnings about the U.S. Postal Service's long-term finances, and the latest inflation numbers. Plus, Campaign 2026 takes shape as primary voters head to the polls in New York and South Carolina, and we round up the week's top headlines from Washington and around the...

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal.

First: A discussion with NOTUS Senate reporter Igor Bobic – on the White House's $87.6 supplemental spending request.

Then: Axios reporter Mimi Montgomery discussed this week's opening of the Great American State Fair on the National Mall here in Washington - part of America 250 celebrations.

Finally: as we kick off America's 250th birthday - we speak with Karlyn Bowman of the American Enterprise Institute - on AEI's recent survey regarding American attitudes on civic ed...