Washington Today

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First: We dig into the legal back and forth over mail-in voting and what it means for states ahead of this November's elections. That conversation with Dion Nissenbaum of the website "Votebeat." Then: The economy is the number one issue on voters' minds as the midterm elections approach. We speak with financial journalist Roben Farzad – host of the public radio show and podcast "Full Disclosure" - on the recent jobs numbers and what it means for the health of the overall economy. Finally: Immigration and border security is also a big issue in the midterm elections. We chat with Mark Krikorian of the Center for Immigration Studies and Heidi Altman of the National Immigration Law Center about the Trump administration's record so far. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Labor Department reports the U.S. economy gained 162,000 jobs in August, much more than many economists predicted. Unemployment rate stayed at 4.1%. President Donald Trump posting the numbers are 'great' and 'you haven’t seen anything yet!'; President Trump signs an Executive Order aimed at lowering beef prices by easing regulations on ranchers and farmers so they can process the meat themselves; Reaction to the Missouri Supreme Court striking down a new Congressional District map that advantages Republicans; North Carolina sends out the first mail-in ballots even as the Trump Administration is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to allow the U.S. Postal Service to implement a plan to restrict mail-in voting in the midterm election; David Hearn goes to court to try to prevent the Justice Department from ever again charging him with vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool; Members of Congress propose House rules changes, including banning insider trading, tougher sexual misconduct punishments and letting Members who are new parents vote by proxy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vice President JD Vance holds a White House news conference and is asked about the war with Iran and rising fuel prices ahead of the Labor Day holiday weekend, when millions of Americans will be traveling; Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney responds to U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's assertion that the Canadians cut off trade talks with the U.S. because of internal Canadian politics; State Department launches the Foundry School, which the administration says is 'a national program to train the entrepreneurs, engineers, technicians, and industrial leaders needed to rebuild American manufacturing'; House passes a bill to cut off federal student aid to colleges that support boycotts of Israel; Billionaire Leon Black defies a Congressional subpoena in the Oversight Committee's investigation of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein; President Trump says next week's Republican Midterm Convention in Dallas in the lead up to the November midterm elections is 'big stuff'. We will talk about the convention with Dallas Morning News Washington Bureau Chief Joseph Morton, who plans to be there (47); Feminist activist Gloria Steinem dies at age 92. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chevron signs an agreement to invest $7 billion in Venezuela to double its oil production in five years. We hear from the Chevron CEO & U.S. Energy Secretary in Caracas; President Donald Trump says he was joking when he posted the Strait of Hormuz should be renamed the Trump Strait. He is also asked about the resumption of U.S. and Iran trading missile strikes for the past several days; Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick hosts technology company CEOs at 'G20 Innovation Ministerial' in North Carolina to discuss development of Artificial Intelligence; U.S. House Democrats meet on possible changes to party rules after two House Democrats voted with Republicans to advance Republican bills that were set to fail; House defeats a proposed Constitutional Amendment to require the Supreme Court have nine justices; House Intelligence Committee holds a hearing on national security threats that includes a discussion of Chinese spying; Wreath-laying at the World War II Memorial in Washington on this V-J Day, marking the Allies' victory over Japan that ended World War II in 1945. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

House joins the Senate, with a large, bipartisan vote, in passing a short-term federal government funding extension from end of the fiscal year, September 30, through December 11. That means when President Donald Trump signs it into law there will not be another government shutdown before election day in November; It is primary election day in Massachusetts, where incumbent Ed Markey is being challenged by Congressman Seth Moulton; Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC) defends himself on the House floor during debate on a resolution to censure him after the Ethics Committee found he sexually harassed two female staff members; Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin in New York City announces the arrest of over 2,000 criminal illegal immigrants in the past month. At the same time, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) call upon Secretary Mullin to releases tens of millions of dollars in counterterrorism grants they say are being withheld from the city; Senior House Republicans react to the resignation of Army Secretary Dan Driscoll; Bill to create a monument in Washington to Medal of Honor recipients is about to become law; new British Prime Minister Andy Burnham makes his first statement as prime minister before the House of Commons. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Supreme Court allows President Trump to move forward with construction of a new White House ballroom. Plus, the latest on renewed fighting between the U.S. and Iran, Congress returns from recess, and Campaign 2026 heats up in Michigan, Ohio, Iowa, Maine and California. 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: The U.S. and Canada are in the throes of an all-out trade war that started with an announcement of new tariffs at the beginning of week – and ended with the President renaming Lake Ontario "Lake America." We speak with White House trade adviser Peter Navarro to hear what the tiff is all about. Then: This Friday marks the 63rd anniversary of the March on Washington. We spoke with the Reverend Al Sharpton about THIS YEAR's March that he's leading – and why voting rights is the focus. And speaking of voting – the Supreme Court issued an emergency opinion this week – siding with President Trump on mail-in voting restrictions. We spoke with election law expert Michael Morley from Florida State University – about what it all means. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lawmakers and civil rights activists speak at the March on Washington's 63rd anniversary, with the theme "Defend the Vote"; Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh gives his first speech at the Fed's economic symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, saying inflation is still too high, suggesting interest rate cuts may be coming. We will hear from the Chair and talk with Washington Post's Global Economics Correspondent David Lynch (17); U.S. war with Iran is six months old today. We will talk with Elise Labott, author "Cosmopolitics" Substack newsletter about the state of the conflict, strategy on each side, and what may come next (36); President Donald Trump visits the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas to award medals to the Artemis II crew, discuss plans for future space exploration and to announce the creation of a new U.S. Space Force Academy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump signs an Executive Order renaming Lake Ontario on the U.S.-Canadian border to Lake America, as the U.S.-Canada trade war shows no sign of ending; President Trump flies to Houston, Texas to raise money for Republican U.S. Senate nominee Ken Paxton, who is in a close race with Democratic nominee James Talarico; House Speaker Mike Johnson also campaigns today in Texas for Republican U.S. House candidates in Congressional districts that could decide the balance of power after election day; Data centers have become a campaign issue around the country seemingly overnight. We will talk about it with Nicol Turner Lee, director of the Brookings Institution's Center for Technology Innovation (34); Attorney General Todd Blanche in Puerto Rico announces a major international drug trafficking bust; Federal judge holds a hearing on the future of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, both its renovation and whether to add Donald Trump's name to the facade; White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says goodbye on her last day on the job at the White House. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meta settles a multi-state lawsuit alleging the technology company intentionally got young people addicted to their Facebook and Instagram media platforms, causing them harm, for $18 billion as a trial was underway in California; President Donald Trump and his senior trade adviser Peter Navarro defend U.S. tariffs on Canada that led this week to equal tariffs from Canada in response and the start of what could be a prolonged trade war; President Trump at the urging of radio talk show host Glenn Beck says he will look into easing beef processing regulations to bring down the price of meat. President earlier said he will allow more beef imports tariff free. We will talk about it with Washington Examiner White House reporter Naomi Lim (20); Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is questioned about the measles deaths of two unvaccinated people in Pennsylvania; Head of International Atomic Energy Agency is asked about Iran's nuclear program; On this fifth anniversary of the deadly bombing at Abbey Gate in Kabul, Afghanistan during the U.S. military withdrawal, Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth honors Marines who acted heroically that day; Campaign 2026 roundup of Tuesday's elections in South Carolina, Oklahoma and Georgia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Canada announces retaliatory, dollar for dollar, tariffs on U.S. goods in response to President Donald Trump imposing 50% tariffs on $20 billion of Canadian products; Michigan U.S. Senate Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed, who is Muslim, calls out what he says is anti-Muslim rhetoric being used against his campaign; In South Carolina, Republicans are choosing between Ralph Norman and Darline Graham in a primary runoff election for the U.S. Senate nomination; House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) defends his meeting with White House adviser Jared Kushner, promising if the Democrats retake control of the U.S. House after the November elections, investigations will proceed and “no one from the Trump cartel is getting a pass”; Trump Administration is proposing a new version of a $100,000 fee for H-1B visas for highly skilled foreign workers that it believes will withstand court review.  We will talk about it with Michelle Hackman, Wall Street Journal immigration reporter (39); Today is the 110th anniversary the National Park Service; Nashville, Hollywood and Washington are mourning the death of country singer Dolly Parton at the age of 80. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announces new sanctions on Iran as President Trump threatens economic retaliation against countries doing business with Tehran. Plus, Trump escalates his tariff fight with Canada, and the latest from the 2026 campaign trail in South Carolina, Michigan and Georgia. 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: As gas prices continue to rise with the war with Iran, there's renewed scrutiny of America's oil and gas companies. We speak with Dustin Meyer from the American Petroleum Institute about the impact on consumers and the state of oil and gas reserves in the U-S. Then: Conservative columnist and podcaster Henry Olsen of the Ethics and Public Policy Center discusses Campaign 2026 and political news of the week. Finally: A conversation with Amanda Litman – co-founder of the group "Run For Something" whose goal is to help elect young progressives. We'll talk about that effort – and the role of progressives in the midterm campaign and beyond. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Supreme Court allows above-ground construction of President Donald Trump's White House ballroom to continue while the Justices consider legal challenges to the project; Vice President JD Vance returns to his hometown in Ohio to speak at the steel mill where his grandfather worked, promote the economic agenda of the Trump-Vance Administration, and support Republican candidates for office in Ohio; President Trump will rally tonight in South Carolina for Sen. Darline Graham, who faces a Senate Republican primary runoff next Tuesday against Rep. Ralph Norman; House Speaker Mike Johnson campaigns in New York's 3rd Congressional district for the Republican challenging the Democratic incumbent, his latest stop in a nationwide tour of battleground U.S. House districts likely to decide which party controls the House after election day; Education Department recommends the American Bar Association no longer be authorized by the federal government to accredit law schools, something it has done since 1952, accusing the group of having a liberal bias. We will talk about it with The Hill's Legal Affairs Editor Zach Schoenfeld (46); The Space Force general overseeing the Golden Dome project to protect the U.S. homeland from missiles and other airborne threats, gives an update on the technology tests so far. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the U.S. can 'grow' its way out of a $40 trillion national debt, a number that was reached this week; Secretary Bessent also says he will hold a news conference Monday to outline new sanctions against Iran. He calls them the 'toughest sanctions in history' that will 'collapse this regime.' That follows President Donald Trump's post declaring Economic D-Day against Iran for failing to take the many chances he has given them to make a deal to give up any pursuit of a nuclear weapon; A woman has been charged with providing support to the terror group ISIS after allegedly asking for help to make explosives to attack the New York State Capitol building in Albany; Final Massachusetts U.S. Senate Democratic primary debate tonight between Sen. Ed Markey and challenger Congressman Seth Moulton. We will talk about the race with Boston Globe politics reporter Samantha Gross (28); Democratic Party narrows its list of cities vying to host the 2028 DNC Convention to Boston, Denver and Philadelphia; First Lady Melania Trump announces a $2 million donation from Penske's IndyCar and Fox Corp. to her initiative to help children and youth transition successfully out of the foster care system, ahead of this weekend's Freedom 250 IndyCar street race in Washington, DC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump says a 'very good' trade deal between the U.S. and Canada is being finalized. He paused 50% tariffs on imported Canadian goods Tuesday night for three days just hours before they were supposed to start. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says there has been 'significant progress' in the negotiations; President Trump holds a meeting at the White House with CEO's of technology companies that deal in cryptocurrency, calling on the Senate to pass a pending crypto market regulation bill known as the CLARITY Act; President Trump nominates Dr. Heidi Overton, currently a Deputy Director at the White House Domestic Policy Council, to be the next Food & Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner; Two Democratic Members of Congress from Northern Virginia call for an investigation after woman filmed a masked ICE agent pointing a gun at her head; A look at Tuesday's primary election results in Alaska and Florida and what it means for whether Republicans or Democrats will control the House and Senate after the general election in November; President Trump gives reporters a tour of some of his White House construction projects, including a new helipad. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) campaigns with Rep. Tom Barrett (R-MI) in Michigan's 7th District, one of the battlegrounds across the country that will determine which party controls the House after the November elections; Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) at a reelection campaign event calls President Donald Trump a 'draft-dodging crook'; It is primary day in Florida, Alaska & Wyoming. We will take a closer look at the competitive races in Florida's 7th Congressional District, where Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL) is facing ethics allegations, and in Alaska, where Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) is being challenged by former Rep. Mary Peltola (D-AK); Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (D) sues Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) over the delay in approving extradition of a ICE agent charged with shooting and wounding a Minneapolis man; Federal trial against Meta begins. Social media company is charged with intentionally keeping teen addicted to Facebook & Instagram for profit. We will talk about the case with Medora Lee, Money and Personal Finance Reporter for USA Today. (43) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump marks the end of the 60-day Iran negotiating window with no peace deal in sight, threatens Oman over the Strait of Hormuz, and announces plans to scale back U.S.-South Korea military exercises. Plus, the latest from the 2026 campaign trail in Georgia, South Carolina, and Ohio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A look at the 2026 midterm elections and the primary season with veteran Democratic strategist James Carville and RealClearPolitics co-founder Tom Bevan, including the growing influence of democratic socialist candidates within the Democratic Party. Then, Manhattan Institute fellow Rafael Mangual discusses new crime data showing violent crime at or near historic lows in many U.S. cities and whether federal policies and National Guard deployments have played a role. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump speaks at a police academy in Garden City on Long Island, New York about his anti-crime and anti-illegal immigration agenda with Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, Republican nominee for New York governor; North Carolina Democratic Senate nominee Roy Cooper continues his series of campaign events highlight affordability with a stop in Henderson; Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins starts a reelection bus tour in Kittery and is asked about ICE funding; Today is the 91st anniversary of Social Security being signed into law by President Franklin Roosevelt; Luigi Mangione pleads guilty in federal court to charges related to the shooting death of health care executive, Brian Thompson; President Trump comments about the alleged troubles surrounding the long deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, and he says about the war with Iran he might declare the Strait of Hormuz a U.S. territory; On this five year anniversary of the Taliban retaking control of Afghanistan, a quarter of the world's nations, including the United States, condemn the Taliban's treatment of women and girls, and harboring of terrorists. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices