To the Point

EPA Director Scott Pruitt is undergoing an ethics investigation, but his Obama-Era predecessor, Gina McCarthy, says the real scandal is that he “doesn’t know what he’s doing.” We’ll also tackle the backlash against fired FBI Director James Comey. Can his credibility survive angry public exchanges with President Trump?

Roughly six months ago Swedish author and journalist Bruno Kaufmann set off on a democracy tour. He’s visited more than 20 countries on four continents; his mission was to assess the global state of democracy.

Mark Zuckerberg survived this week’s Congressional grilling. But Facebook still profits on free information: yours and mine. Three experts on big data explain how it works and lay out the risks as well as the benefits. Also, a veteran of Washington’s war games says President Trump is right to want U.S. troops out of Syria

President Trump and Kim Jong Un have revived fears about weapons of mass destruction. But “tactical” nuclear weapons for use on the battlefield are still around, too. Is President Trump--like Barack Obama before him--relaying on a World War II technology ill-adapted to modern threats like cyber warfare? Also, Pulitzer Prize-winner Lawrence Wright on his new miniseries “The Looming Tower” about the FBI, CIA and September 11th.

After the revelations of Russian meddling in the 2016 election, do American voters have faith that this won’t happen again? As the lines between opinion and fact continue to be blurred, how do we learn to navigate the changing information landscape?

Silicon Valley has been the driver of tech innovation that has changed the world. But there’s been a backlash. Other countries are showing the way to transparency, enhanced privacy and consumer protection. In the meantime, will Facebook and Google help protect this year’s U.S. elections from Russian hacking?

Despite controlling the White House and Congress, Republicans have failed to repeal Obamacare. But they are chipping away. Some Democrats advocate universal coverage. So, what’s in store for this year’s midterm elections? Has either side come up with a way to cut costs? To achieve that goal, is it time for doctors to change their focus--away from health care to health itself?

The Trump White House is rife with apparent conflicts of interest. Only Congress or Special Counsel Robert Mueller can determine whether they’re real. What’s at stake for America’s national interest when foreign governments are trying to manipulate Jared Kushner?