Left, Right & Center

The Trump administration caught some judiciary backlash last weekend after sending two deportation flights of Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador. While the administration defends the flights under the “Alien Enemies Act,” federal Judge James Boasberg ruled them as unconstitutional. The flights took off anyway, leading to major questions about whether the Trump administration defied court orders to deport immigrants. What precedent does that set if true? Since then, President Trump has called for the impeachment of Judge Boasberg. Will the president impeach judges who rule against him?

Similar leadership struggles are plaguing Congress, with many Democratic lawmakers questioning the fitness of Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Last week, Schumer sent a GOP-backed spending bill to a vote instead of blocking it like he’d originally promised. The bill slashes billions in non-defense spending, and according to some Democrats, gives Trump major discretionary powers over the budget. Still, Schumer defends the decision as the only choice to avoid a government shutdown. With party infighting and historically low favorability polling, can the Democrats unite to fight effectively against Trump’s agenda?

President Trump’s discretionary powers also seem to have spread to the arts. Earlier this week, he made his first visit to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts since their recent changes to the board. Trump had previously named himself chairman of The Kennedy Center after ousting a historically bipartisan board of trustees. During his visit, he likened the state of the Kennedy Center to “open borders and men playing in women’s sports” and promised to change its “radical left” programming. Is Trump spending too much time on the culture wars? 

Last week, federal ICE officers detained a Columbia University student over last year’s Israel-Palestine campus protests. The Trump administration revoked grad student Mahmoud Khalil’s green card, with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt accusing Khalil of “siding with terrorists.” Is the administration infringing on First Amendment rights? 

Federal attention on Columbia University extended beyond the arrest of Khalil. The White House also announced a plan to cancel over $400 million in federal funding for the university over insufficient protections for Jewish students on campus. Education Secretary Linda McMahon claimed that Columbia had abandoned its anti-discriminatory obligation to protect Jewish students on campus. Is the federal government overdoing its oversight on college campuses? 

Both Democrats and Republicans have supported expanding the child tax credit, but you’d never know from how they talk about it. Do politicians still value compromise? Or is it all about the glory?

Earlier this week, Donald Trump took to the U.S. Capitol for this term’s first joint address to Congress. He showed off his executive order accomplishments and chided opponents. The joint address was just short of a victory lap for his and the GOP’s political dominance. Do Democrats have a plan to build a stronger opposition party? 

Trump also carved out speech time to acknowledge his tiff with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Zelenskyy recently gathered in the White House to discuss plans for peace in Ukraine. Things soured, and the Trump administration paused military aid and intelligence sharing for Ukraine. E.U. leaders made plans to support Ukraine in the U.S.’ stead. Does pulling back America’s influence in the conflict make the country look weaker on the world stage?

Trump may have crafted an all-powerful image, but how accurate is that? In the article “MAGA as Master Morality”, author Jeremiah Johnson posits that Trump’s bravado may resonate with voters more than his actions. KCRW also takes a listener question on whether Trump’s presidential powers include changing the price of eggs. 

Donald Trump’s return to office has inspired constant breaking news headlines. This week: The administration faces scrutiny after the Elon Musk-led DOGE team instructed all federal workers to justify their employment via email. Should government workers take the threats seriously? 

Differentiating what’s worth worrying about might be difficult when words like “oligarchy” and “autocracy” get thrown around. Trump may be a polarizing figure, but is he definitionally an oligarch? KCRW examines how messaging affects the national conversation about the presidency. 

Later, the Left, Right, and Center panel takes a listener question about the merits of American bicameral politics over parliamentary systems. Does our current government enable this kind of disconnect between executives and the electorate? Could a parliamentary shift fix our problems?

Before his re-election, Donald Trump promised to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. Earlier this week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio initiated talks between Russia and the U.S. without Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump then took to social media to call Zelensky a dictator who “better move fast.” Is U.S. foreign policy shifting to blending the lines between allies and adversaries?

On American soil, the Department of Justice is facing a massive shakeup. Last week, the DOJ proposed dismissing the corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Adams appeared to change his tune on Trump’s mass immigration crackdowns not long after. As a result, over eight DOJ prosecutors resigned instead of signing off on the dismissal motion. Manhattan U.S. attorney Danielle Sassoon accused the DOJ of a quid pro quo deal in exchange for Adams’ cooperation with the Trump administration. Is the deal unlawful, unethical, or both?

When it comes to getting presidents elected, do political rallies matter anymore? They’re extravagant, in-person information events in a world where most people get their news online.

An inquiry from the Wall Street Journal into a social media account linked to a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffer led to the employee’s resignation from the Elon Musk-led agency. Following an impromptu Twitter poll from Musk and support from Vice President JD Vance, the employee was welcomed back into DOGE. Is the re-hiring a blow against “cancel culture,” or is an empowered right playing a similar game but with new rules?

On the first day of Donald Trump’s second term, he withdrew the United States from the Paris Climate Accord via executive order. He made a similar move in 2017, which drew international backlash, largely on moral grounds. This time around, people worldwide expected the move and gave a more subdued response. Will a revised argument from climate activists break through to conservative leadership in the States?

The president also issued executive orders that ended the printing of pennies and federal efforts to embrace paper straws. Though popular, are these actions timely? 

This week, Trump lobbied for the United States military to oversee the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip and turn it into the “riviera of the Middle East.” He forced a brief trade standoff with Canada and Mexico, paused foreign aid, and tried to freeze federal funding for public loans, grants, and other financial aid. American voters seemed to want Trump’s particular brand of disrupting the status quo, but could that backfire?

KCRW discusses some of the possible motivations behind Trump’s recent actions, including tariffs and the proposed spending freeze. We also explore the arguments surrounding the White House’s economic policy. Is the president still committed to his promise of putting American interests first? 

A massive crash between a commercial airline jet and a military helicopter this week, which reportedly killed 67 people, drew a pointed response from President Donald Trump. He said the FAA’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies played a role in the collision. Was it appropriate for the president to focus on policy following a tragedy?

Trump also zeroed in on Americans’ anger when he visited SoCal following the recent wildfires. He criticized LA Mayor Karen Bass’ cautious approach to allowing citizens back into impacted neighborhoods. Residents have been pleading state officials for a clear action plan. Is the perceived lack of such a response emblematic of the gap in leadership that led to Trump’s re-election?

This week, President Donald Trump got right to business on Inauguration Day, following several additional speaking engagements. He signed executive orders and pardoned over 1,500 people charged with crimes relating to the January 6th insurrection. The use of pardons by Trump on his way in — and Joe Biden on his way out — have raised questions about its potential abuse. Could this set a dangerous precedent?

Trump has moved to end birthright citizenship in the U.S., though attorneys general nationwide are challenging it in court. While it may not be legal now, is there a path for Trump or Congress to change America’s approach to citizenship? Is there a better way to discuss policy around immigration?

A reverend’s plea for mercy at the National Prayer Service drew the ire of Trump. Did the reverend politicize the pulpit? Plus, our LRC panel discusses what mercy could look like from the White House.

Inauguration Day is President-elect Donald Trump’s chance to set the tone for the next four years. Currently, his favorability is the highest it’s ever been. He’s already started political action, including brokering a potential Israel-Gaza ceasefire. Will his second inauguration speech continue to ramp up his new coalition or will it alienate the American people? 

KCRW also answers audience questions on what this new moment could look like. How serious is Trump about expanding the U.S. to Greenland and Canada? And despite being convicted on 34 felony counts, Trump still won over America again. Have citizens given a pass to other presidents who committed wrongdoing?