Washington Today

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Washington Today episodes

May 18 Trump Delays Iran Strike, Senate Budget Fight Intensifies, CDC Confirms American Ebola Case
President Trump says he’s delaying a planned strike on Iran after pressure from Middle Eastern allies to continue diplomatic talks. Meanwhile, Senate Republicans push ahead on their reconciliation bill after key provisions were blocked by the Senate Parliamentarian. Plus — the CDC confirms an American aid worker has tested positive for Ebola amid new travel restrictions tied to the outbreak in Africa, and voters prepare for primary elections in six states.

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49 min
May 16 The Weekly: Trump’s China Trip, Iran War Powers Fight & Senate Shutdown Pay Vote
President Trump travels to China for a high-stakes summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping as tensions over trade, Taiwan, and global security continue shaping Washington politics. Congress debates another War Powers Resolution tied to Iran…while the Senate unanimously votes to withhold lawmakers’ pay during government shutdowns. Plus — the head of the U.S. Border Patrol resigns amid the administration’s immigration crackdown…and President Trump unveils plans for a new “National Garden of American Heroes” in Washington’s West Potomac Park. We also look back at the 1972 shooting of Alabama Governor George Wallace during his presidential campaign.

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29 min
May 16 Weekend Edition: Federal Gas Tax, Career Education and Skilled Trades, and Trump Admin Taking Equity Stakes
In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal.

First: A discussion with Bipartisan Policy Center tax policy director Andrew Lautz about President Trump's proposal to pause the federal gas tax. We'll talk about potential impacts on consumers and tax revenue.
Then: We chat with former Congressman Jason Altmire- President & CEO of Career Education Colleges and Universities – about the role of career education and the skilled trades in today's economy.
Finally: Cato Institute's Tad DeHaven discusses the Trump administration taking equity stakes in private companies and concerns about the federal stock holdings.

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31 min
May 15 President Trump talks about Taiwan, Iran, political prisoners & trade on flight back from China; Hotline's Editor Kirk Bado on GOP primary challenges to Sen. Cassidy
President Donald Trump tells reporters he has 'made no commitment either way' on supporting Taiwan following his summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping; President Trump also spoke on the flight home from China about discussions over the Iran war and closing of the Strait of Hormuz to oil shipments, political prisoners in China, and trade deals;
House soundly defeats a Republican-sponsored amendment to shift almost half a billion dollars from the Pentagon budget for NATO infrastructure to improving U.S. military bases; House passed overwhelmingly the underlying $157 billion spending bill for military construction and veterans affairs, the first of the FY2027 appropriations bills to pass the House; Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) is facing two Republican
opponents in Saturday election primary, one endorsed by President Trump. We will talk about this race and U.S. House redistricting in Louisiana with Kirk Bado, editor of National Journal's Hotline (20); Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) says he will not run for reelection, after his Black-majority district was redrawn by the Republican-controlled Tennessee legislature; Vice President JD Vance speaks at the National Peace Officers Memorial Service on Capitol Hill; U.S. Attorney for DC Jeanine Pirro says she will prosecute parents of teenagers who violate curfew and engage in sometimes-violent 'teen takeovers'; Updates from the Centers for
Disease Control and World Health Organization on the hantavirus outbreak, and a new, deadly Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo; Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) gives a commencement address at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg.

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1 hr
May 14 Pres. Trump meets Chinese Pres. Xi in Beijing; House defeats Iran War Powers Act resolution for third time; U.S. gives another $1.8 billion to UN for humanitarian aid
President Donald Trump meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Trump calls Xi a "great leader" and a "friend," says China wants to help end the Iran war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz and touts that China will buy 200 Boeing jet planes. Xi calls the U.S.-China relationship the most important in the world, but warns disagreements over Taiwan could lead to conflict; CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper tells the Senate
Armed Services Committee the U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran achieved all objectives to "significantly degrade" Iran's military capabilities, but Iran still has some left to threaten ships; House defeats for a third time an Iran War Powers Act resolution brought by Democrats to force President Trump to end the war; U.S. Ambassador to the UN Michael Waltz announces the U.S. will contribute another $1.8 billion in humanitarian aid, on top of $2 billion previously pledged; Vice President JD Vance travels to Bangor, Maine, to discuss his White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud; Senate defeats a Democratic effort to restore a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rule on bank overdraft fees; House passes a Republican-sponsored bill to put restrictions on companies and non-profits that put up money for criminal defendants to post bail; ATF Director testifies before a House Subcommittee about firearms tracing, tracking the movement of guns used in or suspected of being used in crimes, and what happens to that data.

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1 hr
May 13 Senate confirms Kevin Warsh as Fed chair; House leaders react to Pres. Trump saying, ‘I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation' amid talks to end Iran war
Senate confirms Kevin Warsh as Federal Reserve Chair, 54-45, mostly along party lines except Se. John Fetterman (D-PA) voted yes; House leaders react to President Donald Trump saying he does not "think about Americans' financial situation" when negotiating with Iran over a deal to end the war; Senate defeats for a seventh time an Iran War Powers Act
resolution offered by Democrats to force the President to bring the war to a conclusion; President Trump lands in Beijing, China. He meets President Xi Jinping on Thursday; Vice President JD Vance announces new anti-government spending fraud initiatives, including a nationwide six-month moratorium on Medicare hospice or home health providers and warning states to actively investigate Medicaid fraud or risk losing funding; House debates whether to allow year-round sales of E15, a blend of 85% gasoline & 15% ethanol; CIA whistleblower tells the Senate Homeland Security Committee that Dr. Anthony Fauci, former head of the National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases intentionally tried to cover-up the COVID-19 pandemic's origins in a Chinese lab; House marks National Police Week; Former NBA player Jason Collins, first openly gay athlete in the four major American sports, has died. He spoke at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.

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1 hr 1 min
May 12 Iran war pushes inflation to 3-year high; Pres. Trump starts trip to China; FDA Comm. Dr. Makary resigns; Ship operator in Key Bridge collapse indicted
Labor Department says inflation in April was 3.8 percent year over year, highest in three years, with the Iran war driving up energy and food prices; Senate leaders weigh in on President Trump's proposal to suspend the federal gas tax as the average for a gallon hits $4.50; Pentagon Comptroller Jay Hurst testifies to House & Senate Appropriations subcommittees that the war with Iran has cost so far $29 billion. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth & Gen. Dan Caine, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff also testify about the Trump Administration's war strategy; President Trump heads to China for a visit with President Xi Jinping on the war with Iran, trade, AI and Taiwan, among other issues; $1 billion added for security upgrades to President Trump's White House ballroom reportedly gets a chilly reception from Senate Republicans; FBI Director Kash Patel is questioned at a Senate subcommittee hearing about news reports alleging a pattern of unexplained absences and excessive drinking; Criminal indictments are announced against the companies that operated the ship that crashed into and collapsed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore in 2024, killing six workers; FDA Commissioner Dr. Martin Makary says he is resigning; Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) does an impersonation
of the late President John F. Kennedy setting the goal of going to the moon, complete with a Boston accent, to celebrate the recent Artemis II mission.

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1 hr 2 min
May 11 Trump Says Iran Ceasefire on “Life Support” as Congress Returns for Surveillance, Immigration Fights
President Trump says the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran is on “massive life support” after Iran’s latest counterproposal to end the war.
Media reports say Tehran’s offer included demands for war reparations…control over the Strait of Hormuz…an end to U.S. sanctions…and the return of frozen assets.
Iran also sought to keep nuclear talks separate from negotiations over the Strait.
The president called the terms “simply unacceptable.” He spoke to reporters at the White House today — we’ll play some of what he said.
Congress is back in town this week after a weeklong recess…with Republicans looking to use the reconciliation process to fund immigration enforcement without Democratic support.
Also on tap this week: an extension of the nation’s warrantless surveillance powers, set to expire June 15th.
And the 17 Americans who were aboard a cruise ship with a hantavirus outbreak are back in the U.S. today…where they’ll be quarantined and monitored.
One passenger has tested positive for the virus. Another is experiencing mild symptoms.
Health officials say the risk of a large-scale hantavirus outbreak remains low. We’ll hear from them coming up.

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51 min
May 09 The Weekly: Iran Conflict, Trump Influence, and Redistricting Fights Shape the 2026 Midterms
This week on The Weekly, tensions with Iran remain front and center — as President Donald Trump insists a ceasefire is holding, even as U.S. and Iranian forces exchange strikes in and around the Strait of Hormuz and questions grow in Congress over presidential war powers.
A major redistricting ruling in Virginia. The Supreme Court of Virginia strikes down a voter-approved referendum, restoring the state’s congressional map and dealing a setback to Democrats as the fight over control of the House intensifies nationwide.

And — Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick faces scrutiny on Capitol Hill over his past ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

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31 min
May 09 Weekend Edition: John Bolton on the war in Iran, Rising National Debt, and Mental Health Policy in the United States
In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal.
First: A discussion about the Trump administration's handling of the War in Iran, with the National Security Adviser in the FIRST Trump administration - John Bolton.
Then: Concord Coalition executive director and former Democratic congresswoman Carolyn Bourdeaux discusses the rising national debt and a new government report stating it has surpassed 100% of GDP for the first time since World War II.
Finally: with May being Mental Health Awareness Month - a conversation with psychologist and former Republican Congressman Tim Murphy about where mental health policy is falling short in the U.S.
But we begin with John Bolton, former Trump National Security Adviser, who discusses the War in Iran and the proposed "Memorandum of Understanding" to end the conflict.

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34 min

About Washington Today

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Catch up on the biggest stories of the day from Washington with interviews and analysis from leading journalists. Posted weekdays at 6:30 pm ET. From C-SPAN, the network that brings you the "Q&A"…