Washington Today

Biggest parts of the House Republicans' and President Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" get marked up in committees, but some Republicans are not satisfied with the proposals on tax cuts and Medicaid cuts, and it could put the bill in jeopardy. We will hear from Members and talk with Washington Post Congressional reporter Jacob Bogage. (1) President Donald Trump is in Saudi Arabia, signing cooperation agreements with that country and talking about the quest for Middle East peace, announcing he will repeal sanctions on Syria. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) places a hold on the confirmation of Justice Department political nominees over the President's decision to accept a Boeing luxury airline to be used as a temporary Air Force One. Twenty states led by Democrats sue the Trump Administration over immigration enforcement requirements tied to federal grants. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump defends his decision to accept a luxury jet from the Qatari royal family that he plans to use as Air Force One, as he travels to the Middle East. President signs an Executive Order that aims to cut prescription drug costs. House Republicans release more of their tax plan that calls for extending the 2017 tax cuts and tightening Medicaid benefits. Hamas terrorists release Israeli-American Edan Alexander, the last American thought to be held alive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First, a conversation with author Rachel Slade about her book "Making it America" about the history – and future - of manufacturing in the United States. Then, the Department of Education resumed collection on defaulted student loans this week. We speak with Rick Seltzer of the Chronicle of Higher Education about what that means – and who will be affected. Plus, a discussion about efforts to modernize the nation's aging air traffic control systems with Kevin Walsh from the Government Accountability Office. He and his team were among the first to flag problems in their report last fall. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

FAA says air traffic controllers lost contact again for short time with flights going in and out of Newark Airport; President Donald Trump suggests a new tariff level for China as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and USTR Jamieson Greer are about to meet Chinese officials for trade talks; White House says the Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden was fired for pursuing DEI initiatives and "putting inappropriate books" in the library; Pope Leo XIV attends his first papal mass and gives part of the homily in English, calling his new job a 'blessing' and a 'cross'; First Lady Melania Trump speaks to military mothers ahead of Mother's Day; retired Supreme Court Justice David Souter has died at the age of 85. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

U.S.-born Cardinal Robert Prevost is elected Pope at the Conclave at The Vatican, the first American to lead the Roman Catholic Church, taking name Pope Leo XIV; President Donald Trump and British PM Keir Starmer announce a trade deal; House passes bill to rename the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America”, to write into law the President's executive order; Senate votes not to advance a cryptocurrency bill aimed at regulating stablecoins after some Democrats who had supported the bill in committee switch to 'no'. We will talk about it with Julia Shapero, Business & Technology Reporter with The Hill; Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy outlining plans to overhaul and upgrade the air traffic control system; After the arrests of pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia Univ, State Dept answers questions about Secretary of State Marco Rubio's post that the Dept is reviewing the protesters' visa status; FBI Director Kash Patel and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testify before separate Senate Appropriations Subcommittees about deportations and due process; former President Joe Biden on ABC's 'The View' denies that he had a mental decline in his last year in office. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady. Chair Jerome Powell says there still is too much uncertainty in how Trump Administration policies, especially tariffs, will affect the economy, inflation and job growth; Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent testifies before a House committee about his meeting this weekend with Chinese officials on tariffs and trade; more Trump Administration officials go before House Appropriations Subcommittee about their agencies' budgets, including Energy Secretary Chris Wright, FEMA Acting Administrator Cameron Hamilton and FBI Director Kash Patel; Attorney General Pam Bondi announces the arrest of over 200 alleged child sex predators; Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) questions the President of Haverford College at a hearing on college antisemitism; Vice President JD Vance says Russia is "asking for too much" in peace negotiations with Ukraine; former President Joe Biden talks about war in Ukraine in a BBC Radio interview, his first since leaving office; black smoke comes out the chimney on the Sistine Chapel at The Vatican, meaning no pope elected on the first ballot of the Conclave. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney meets U.S. President Donald Trump in the White House Oval Office, for what the president calls a "very friendly conversation"; President asked if there is anything the prime minister can say that would make him lift tariffs on Canada, replies "no"; Prime Minister asked about the president wanting to make Canada the 51st State, saying, Canada "will never be for sale"; House Speaker Mike Johnson addresses reports of internal Republican divisions holding up the budget reconciliation bill, while House Democratic leaders are looking to pick off a few Republicans who might oppose cuts to Medicaid or nutrition assistance programs to block the bill; Senate passes a repeal of an EPA rule regulation air pollution from tire manufacturing, sending it to President Trump to be signed into law; Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testifies before a House Appropriations Subcommittee about deportations and REAL ID, the enhanced ID for domestic flights that takes effect tomorrow; Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) says he will not support Ed Martin for U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia because of Ed Martin's role in the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol, putting the nomination in jeopardy; President Trump announces the Houthis in Yemen have agreed to stop attacking shipping in the Red Sea and the U.S. will therefore stop attacking them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urges global business leaders at a conference in California to have faith in President Donald Trump's three-part economic plan: tariffs to lead to better trade deals, tax cuts and deregulation; President Trump is asked about his weekend posts to impose a 100% tariffs on movies made in other countries and to reopen the Alcatraz federal prison; House Republicans continue to try to put together a budget reconciliation bill that can pass with their narrow majority; Homeland Security Department is offering $1,000 for undocumented immigrants to self-deport; former Vice President Mike Pence receives the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award; former First Lady Jill Biden talks her new role as chair of the Milken Institute Women's Health Care Initiative; Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser joins NFL Commissioner in the Oval Office with the president to announce the 2027 NFL Draft will be held on the National Mall in the nation's capital. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First, President Trump marked his 100th day in office earlier this week – but ever wonder where that benchmark came from? We'll find out with presidential historian Lindsay Chervinsky. Then, Cook Political Report's David Wasserman discusses his analysis of the electorate and shifts in political polarization. It's actually getting better . Finally, a brand new poll shows young Americans losing faith in government institutions and in leaders of BOTH parties. We'll dig into the results with Jordan Schwartz - student chair of the Harvard Youth Poll. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

April jobs report; USA Today's Bart Jansen on President's FY'26 budget proposal with spending cuts (5); President Trump calls for the defunding of PBS and NPR; Reuters' David Ljunggren on Canadian Prime Minister's Mark Carney's preview of next week's meeting with President Trump to discuss trade and tariffs. (32) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald announces National Security Adviser Mike Waltz will leave that position and be nominated as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will take on the second job of National Security Adviser; General Motors estimates tariffs will cause a $5 billion loss in profits; President Trump speaks at a National Day of Prayer observance in the White House Rose Garden, taking time, as well, for an update on the tax cut, spending cut, border security "budget reconciliation bill" being finalized by the Republican Congress; former Vice President Kamala Harris criticizes the Trump Administration's first 100 days in a speech in San Francisco. On tariffs, she says the president is “clearly inviting a recession"; Senate Democrats plan to force a vote to require a human rights report on El Salvador, latest move in their effort to have Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was deported to an El Salvadorian prison, returned to the U.S.; Transportation Sec Sean Duffy outlined steps to increase the number of air traffic controllers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Commerce Depart says the United States economy as measured by the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) shrank in the first quarter of the year by 0.3%, first time in three years. There was a surge in imports as companies tried to stock up before the President Donald Trump's high tariffs take effect. We get reaction from President Trump at a Cabinet meeting at the White House and from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY); Senate is expected to pass a resolution to disapprove of the national emergency declaration the president is using as the legal basis for the global tariffs; U.S. Customs & Border Protection Commissioner nominee Rodney Scott testifies before the Senate Finance Committee, asked about allegations he helped cover-up the death of an immigrant in Border Patrol Custody in 2010; Supreme Court hears oral argument in a case from Oklahoma about the constitutionality of states supporting religious charter schools. We talk with Washington Post Education Reporter Laura Meckler. (40) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump marks his First 100 days in office with a trip to Michigan; White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Treasury Sec Scott Bessent talk to reporters about the economy and trade; White House is very critical of Amazon after reports the company may list the cost of tariffs next to products sold online. Amazon says it was never considering it; Budget Reconciliation committee markups begin in the House with Homeland Security committee dealing with increased spending on border security and Education & Workforce Committee with cutting spending on college student aid; Supreme Court hears a case over whether a family whose home was mistakenly raided by the FBI can sue; A move in the U.S. House to block an investigation of Def Sec Hegseth's use of the Signal App for unsecured chats about attacks on the Houthis; Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney celebrates his Liberal Party's come from behind victory in Monday's elections based on a campaign of opposition to President Trump's tariffs and call to mark Canada the 51st state. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

White House focuses on border security at start of week marking President Trump's first 100 days in office; Congress is back in session after a two-week recess, with committees writing their portions of the budget reconciliation bill; House votes on a bill requiring websites remove 'revenge porn'; DC Mayor Bowser announces deal to build a new stadium for the NFL Washington Commanders in DC; President Trump welcomes 2025 Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles to the White House; NASA's oldest active astronaut, Don Pettit, just back from the ISS, talks about flying into space at 70 years old. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First, author and filmmaker Chris Whipple discusses his book "Uncharted: How Trump Beat Biden, Harris, and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History." Then, University of Pennsylvania Economics professor Jesús Fernández-Villaverde -- discusses declining fertility rates in the U-S – and the economic impact. Plus, a conversation with Bill Doherty, co-founder of the non-profit group Braver Angels – about efforts to reduce political polarization in America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The FBI arrests a judge in Milwaukee, accusing her of helping an Undocumented immigrant evade immigration authorities. She faces two felony counts. We will hear from Attorney General Pam Bondi and Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump fly to Italy for the funeral of Pope Francis. Reports that China has exempted from retaliatory tariffs some semiconductors made in the United States, even as they publicly take a hardline stance against President Trump's tariffs. Interior Sec Doug Burgum is asked about reports the Trump Administration wants to reduce the size of a half dozen national monuments, opening land for energy development. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is joined by from the foreign ministers of Congo and Rwanda at the State Dept in Washington to sign a peace and economic development agreement. Former Rep. George Santos (R-NY) is sentenced to more than seven years in prison for stealing from political donors and lying about campaign fundraising. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump criticizes Russian President Putin for launching a deadly air attack on Ukraine, writing on Truth Social, "Vladimir, STOP!” and “I am not happy with the Russian strikes on Kyiv", but the President while meeting the visiting Norwegian Prime Minister at the White House, expresses confidence that a long-sought peace agreement can be reached; China says President Trump's claim that the U.S. and China are actively negotiating on trade to resolve the current standoff over tariffs is false; IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva responds to accusations from Treasury Sec Scott Bessent that the United Nations agency has engaged in mission creep, concerned more about climate change and social justice issues; Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin says he will seek to change DNC rules to require DNC officers stay neutral when it comes to Democratic primaries, a move to prevent DNC Vice Chair David Hogg from following through on his plan to support challengers to some long-serving Democratic incumbents; President Trump has signed an Executive Order to change how colleges and universities are accredited, with billions of dollars in student aid on the line. We will talk about it The Hill's Education reporter Lexi Lonas. (41) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says there is an opportunity for a "big deal" between the U.S. and China to "rebalance" on trade and make China less dependent on manufacturing exports; Treasury Secretary also calling for the International Monetary Fund to focus on its core missions of economic stability and development and less on things like climate change; Supreme Court hears a case about whether fuel producers can sue the EPA over its letting California impose more stringent vehicle emission standards than federal standards to transition from gas to electric car; President Trump accuses Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of 'inflammatory statements' that 'would do nothing but prolong' the war with Russia, after Zelensky said his country cannot recognize Russian control of Crimea; Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick at the annual Holocaust Days of Remembrance ceremony in Washington says the President will always stand by Israel and the Jewish people; Vice President JD Vance speaks about being one of the final public officials to meet with Pope Francis before he died; Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Minority Whip, says he will not run for reelection in 2026, retiring after 44 years of service in the U.S. House and Senate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Supreme Court hears a case on whether parents can object on freedom of religion grounds to their children having to be part of a public school curriculum that includes with LGBTQ+ characters; Education Secretary Linda McMahon responds to Harvard University's lawsuit against the Trump Administration, which has withheld billions of dollars in grants; International Monetary Fund cuts economic growth projections for the U.S., China and most of the world in the face of trade disputes launched by President Trump's tariffs; Vice President JD Vance in India says progress is being made on a U.S.-India trade deal to avoid tariffs; Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. announces the intent to ban petroleum-based food dyes; Earth Day messages from EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump and others on death of Pope Francis; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth calls the New York Times story claiming he shared sensitive military attack information in a second unsecure chat on the Signal App 'anonymous smears'; four House Democrats travel to El Salvador to call for the release and return to the U.S. deported accused gang member Kilmar Abrego Garcia; Supreme Court hears a case challenging a task force in the Health & Human Services Dept that decided want preventive health services must be covered by private insurance under the Affordable Care Act; Stocks fall again over concerns about tariffs and President Trump today demanding the Federal Reserve cut interest rates immediately, calling Fed Chair Jerome Powell a 'loser; former President Clinton at a ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of the deadly Oklahoma City terrorist bombing calls for national unity that follows the 'Oklahoma Standard'. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices