Washington Today

Elon Musk calls the budget reconciliation bill that contains a lot of the President and Congressional Republicans' tax & spending agenda – the one known as the One Big Beautiful Bill -- "massive, outrageous, pork-filled" and a "disgusting abomination"; Some Senate Republicans see it that way, as well, and it could jeopardize passage. Meetings are reportedly scheduled this week to try to work it out; Education Secretary Linda McMahon testifies about proposed budget cuts at her department, including zeroing out programs designed to help those from disadvantaged communities access higher education; White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is asked about a report that the FEMA Acting Administrator said at a staff meeting that he did not know there was a 'hurricane season'; Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) calls for an investigation after one of his staff members was put in handcuffs by Homeland Security Department officers who entered the congressman's office in NYC, they said to look for rioters. The Congressman says they had invited immigration rights advocates who had witnessed federal agents detaining migrants outside courtroom in the same building; more reports

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The Senate is back in town today and ready to take up the Republicans' budget reconciliation bill. It's the same bill the House passed before Memorial Day weekend, but it faces a possibly rocky path in the Senate. The suspect in Sunday's attack in Boulder, Colorado appeared in court today, charged with 16 counts of attempted murder, plus a federal

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In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First, a discussion with former Republican Congressman Chris Gibson on his new book "The Spirit of Philadelphia" – about reviving bipartisanship and civic engagement in American politics. Then, Dr. Richard Besser from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation joins us– to talk about HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Junior's "Make American Healthy Again" agenda - and changes to public health policy. Finally, NAACP president & CEO Derrick Johnson discusses the 5th anniversary of the killing of George Floyd – and reaction to Trump administration policies so far.

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Elon Musk, Former head of Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) joins the President Trump in the White House Oval Office on his final day as a government employee; President Trump accuses China of violating a trade agreement from a few weeks ago that led to the lowering of high tariffs on both sides while negotiations continued on a longer-term deal; Supreme Court allows the Trump administration to take away temporary legal protections from over half a million immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela; former President Joe Biden talks to reporters about prostate cancer diagnosis after speaking at a Memorial Day service in Delaware. Today is also the 10th anniversary of the death of his son, Beau Biden; Russian Ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebenzia tells the Security Council that any ceasefire with Ukraine must include the West pausing sending weapons to Ukraine; Bernard Kerik, former NYC Police Commissioner who rose to national prominence after the September 11th,

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White House is calling on the Supreme Court to intervene after a federal trade court struck down many of President Donald Trump's tariffs because the president exceeded his legal authority when he put them in place. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt say, "America cannot function if President Trump, or any other president for that matter, has their sensitive diplomatic or trade negotiations railroaded by activist judges"; State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce is asked about Secretary of State Marco Rubio's statement that the U.S. will start “aggressively” revoking the visas of Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields; Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC reopens a week after the two Israeli Embassy staff members were shot and killed by a suspect who says he did it in support of Palestinians. The ceremony includes Jewish, Muslim & Christian clergy mourning the victims and condemning the attack; from the Bitcoin conference in Las Vegas, an SEC Commissioner on the role of the government in regulating cryptocurrency, and a son of President Trump on why the Trump family is investing in crypto.

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President Donald Trump responds to a nickname some on Wall Street have given him to describe his tariff policy that includes the word 'chicken'; President is asked about Elon Musk saying he disappointed with the amount of spending in the budget reconciliation 'one big beautiful bill' passed by the House; Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy calls for more spending on upgrading air traffic control systems, as he gives an update from Newark Airport; Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA) and Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) hold town hall meetings; Vice President JD Vance promotes cryptocurrency at a Bitcoin conference in Las Vegas; latest on the Trump Administration pause on international student visas; interim U.S. Attorney for DC Jeanine Pirro is sworn in; United Nations Security Council holds a meeting on the troubled new attempt to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza.

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Great Britain's King Charles III opens the Canadian parliament in Ottawa by declaring, "As the anthem reminds us, the True North is indeed strong and free." Associated Press calls it "a speech widely viewed as a show of support in the face of annexation threats by U.S. President Donald Trump"; on Wall Streets, stocks climb after President Trump says he will delay 50 percent tariffs on the European Union; Special Presidential Envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg talks about the president's frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the war in Ukraine; State Department is asked about reported food aid riots in Gaza at a distribution center run by a new organization supported by Israel and the U.S.; Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) announces a run for governor instead of reelection as senator; Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-MD) returns from El Salvador where he was not able to visit in prison with deported Kilmar Abrego Garcia; Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) outlines how the District will cut its spending by hundreds of millions of dollars this year to meet a congressional mandate; Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) speaks at the funeral of the late Congressman Gerald Connolly (D-VA); remembering former Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY), who has died at age 94.

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In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First, a conversation with Dr. Georges Benjamin of the American Public Health Association. We'll talk about changes the Trump administration is making to public health, under the leadership of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Then, Congressional Republicans and President Trump are taking aim at Biden administration energy initiatives and tax credits in their so-called "big, beautiful bill." We'll talk about what's on the chopping block with Sara Chieffo from the League of Conservation Voters. Alsoin that Republican tax cuts and spending package are BILLIONS in new spending for immigration enforcement. We'll chat with Julie Kirchner from the Federation for American Immigration Reform about the specifics.

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A federal judge puts on hold the Trump Administration order to Harvard not to accept any international students after the school refused to turn over information about those students' political activities; President Donald Trump threatens to impose a 50% tariff on the European Union and a 25% tariff on smartphones from Apple and Samsung not made in the U.S.; President signs Executive Orders to promote nuclear energy; Vice President JD Vance tells the graduates of the U.S. Naval Academy the administration has "reversed course" in U.S. foreign policy and there will be "no more undefined missions" and "no more open-ended conflicts"; UN Secretary General Antonio Gutteres speaks about humanitarian situation in Gaza saying Israel is allowing only a "teaspoon of aid" to enter "when a flood of assistance is required"; DNC considers ousting Vice Chair David Hogg, but not for his stated goal of challenging some Democratic incumbents in primaries; two more commencement addresses in Maryland: Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) at Bowie State University

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House Republicans pass the budget reconciliation 'one big beautiful' tax cut and spending cut bill by one vote after an all-night debate and daybreak vote; FBI is investigating as an 'act of terror' the shooting death of two Israeli Embassy aides outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC by a man who shouted "free, free Palestine"; Make America Health Again (MAHA) Commission releases a report on what is causing chronic disease, especially in children; Democrats criticize President Trump's dinner tonight with the top investors in his meme

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