As Americans celebrates the country's founding, we examine the presidency. How is a president’s leadership measured over time, and how do cultural moments change our historical perception? We offer insight from C-SPAN's Presidential Historians Survey. 'The Framers would not recognize the modern presidency.’Promises made. Promises kept?C-SPAN’s Presidential Historians Survey 2021

What makes a president a good (or bad) leader?

The Washington Post’s Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin and James Hohmann gather for a weekly conversation about former president Donald Trump’s ongoing legal troubles. As trials loom in New York, Florida, Georgia and Washington, D.C., the team will break down the most important – and historic – twists and turns, all as Trump seeks a second term as president.

The crew will sit down each Thursday (with the occasional breaking news episode) to discuss what has happened that week, and what’s coming up the next week – often with guest appearances from Washington Post reporters. Listen in to see how you can submit your own questions for the team to answer.

News

Politics

True crime

The Washington Post's Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin and James Hohmann discuss the fallout from former president Donald Trump's New York trial, in which he was found guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. In the week since his conviction, Trump has raised a huge amount of money, and received the public backing of most prominent elected Republicans. He's scheduled to be sentenced on July 11. 
 And looming over all of it is the Supreme Court, which can't overturn Trump's New York conviction, but is still weighing his appeal that he should be immune from federal prosecution for crimes allegedly committed while president. 
 Plus, the crew provides an update on the other legal cases Trump still faces. 
 Keep track of all of the Trump cases in The Trump Trials newsletter.

Fallout

On this bonus episode, the crew reacts to the guilty verdict against Trump on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a hush money payment to an adult-film actress. The Washington Post's Libby Casey and James Hohmann, with Rhonda Colvin outside the Manhattan courthouse, are joined by special guests Dan Balz, chief correspondent, and Robin Givhan, senior critic-at-large. 
 Plus, will Trump go to jail? Can he still run for president – and can he vote for himself? 
 Read more in The Trump Trials newsletter, or follow our ongoing coverage here.

Guilty

This week, the crew discusses the closing arguments from both the prosecution and defense in Trump's New York trial. Justice Department reporter Perry Stein joins Libby Casey and James Hohmann in the studio, while Rhonda Colvin reports from outside the Manhattan courthouse. 
 Plus, what were the legal instructions that Justice Juan Merchan gave the jury? 
 And when there's a verdict, join us on WashingtonPost.com for live video coverage. A new episode of The Trump Trials: Sidebar will publish soon after the verdict is read, and you can keep up with The Post's ongoing coverage in The Trump Trials newsletter.

Jury's out

This week, the crew dives into the strongest parts of the prosecution's case against former president Donald Trump in his New York Trial – and the parts of the case that might not be as strong. 
 Law enforcement reporters Shayna Jacobs and Devlin Barrett join the show to break down what will happen after the jury returns from a full week off from the trial: Final arguments, jury instructions, and then jury deliberations. 
 Plus, what are the possible outcomes when the jury returns a verdict? 
 Follow more of The Washington Post's coverage of Trump's New York trial here. You can also sign up for The Post's weekly Trump Trials newsletter here.

Verdict incoming

This week, the crew discusses former Trump attorney Michael Cohen's testimony and cross-examination by defense lawyers – and whether Cohen ended up being the star witness prosecutors hoped for. 
 Law enforcement reporter Tom Jackman joins the show to discuss what he's seen in court, whether the jury is likely to believe Cohen's testimony, and the tight-rope Justice Juan Merchan has walked in trying to control Trump. 
 Plus, a whole host of Republican politicians have attended court this week to support Trump. Why are they there, and what are they accomplishing? 
 Follow more of The Washington Post's coverage of Trump's New York trial here. You can also sign up for The Post's weekly Trump Trials newsletter here.

What makes a president a good (or bad) leader?

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