Washington Today

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell says he expects President Donald Trump’s tariffs to raise inflation and lower growth but there is a “highly uncertain outlook” and it is "too soon to say" what the Fed will do with interest rates; Wall Street takes another big hit today; Senate debates the Republican budget blueprint with tax cuts, spending cuts, energy, border and defenses policies. Democrats are unified in their opposition. An all-night voting session expected tonight before final passage early Saturday; We get congressional reaction to the overnight firing by President Donald Trump of the head of the National Security Agency and his deputy; Secretary of State Marco Rubio is asked about the status of the Russia-Ukraine war ceasefire talks at the NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels; former Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris gives her assessment of the Donald Trump Administration.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump says his new tariff plan is “going very well” and “markets are going to boom, the stock is going to boom, the country is going to boom," as stock markets fall and foreign leaders pledge retaliatory action; U.S. Ambassador to China nominee David Perdue testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee about trade with China in light of the new tariffs; U.S. Senate starts work on the Budget Resolution, the legislative vehicle for enacting the republican agenda of tax cuts, spending cuts, border security, energy promotion and increased defense spending; Secretary of State Marco Rubio attends a NATO foreign Ministers meeting in Brussels, saying the U.S. is still fully engaged with the national security alliance; two resolutions to block some U.S. arms sales to Israel fail in the U.S. Senate; New York City Mayor Eric Adams says he will run for reelection not as a Democrat, but as an independent.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump announces tariffs on what he is calling 'Liberation Day'; Senate to vote on overturning president's 'national emergency' on fentanyl used as legal basis for imposing tariffs on Canada; interview with CQ/Roll Call legal affairs reporter Michael Macagnone on Supreme Court case involving South Carolina barring Planned Parenthood from Medicaid if the organization provides abortion services (23); Republicans celebrate two wins in Congressional special elections in Florida, while Democrats are happy by a victory in a contest for Wisconsin State Supreme Court judge, where the losing candidate was heavily financed by billionaire Elon Musk; Education Secretary Linda McMahon meets with House Democrats about Trump Administration plans to close the Department and they both end up outside at the same news conference; special assistant to Health & Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. explains the rationale for reducing that department's workforce by 20,000.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair nominee Lt. Gen Dan Caine (ret) tells the Senate Armed Services Committee he never wore a red MAGA hat as President Trump claims; Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) pushes his resolution to repeal the president's emergency declaration that has allowed his tariffs on Canadian goods, a day before the president will unveil more tariffs; Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) gives a marathon speech on the Senate floor to emphasize his opposition to President Trump's policies; Senate Republican version of Budget Reconciliation looks a little different than the House Republican version. We will talk about it with Wall Street reporter Richard Rubin (23); a handful of House Republicans join Democrats to vote down an House Republican leadership effort to block a vote on a resolution – from a House Republican – to allow proxy voting for Members of Congress who are new parents; First Lady Melania Trump speaks at the International Women of Courage Awards ceremony at the State Department; JFK movie director Oliver Stone calls for reopening the investigation into the assassination of former President Kennedy at today's House Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets hearing.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Global markets saw sharp swings today in advance of President Trump's tariff announcements that are expected tomorrow. The S&P 500 finished up just over half a percent after

being down over 1 percent this morning and after one of its worst losses of the past couple

of years last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also ended up higher after

initially falling. White House press secretary talked about the market response

today. Congress is back to work this week in the Senate. Republicans aim to begin drafting their budget plan by Wednesday and are utilizing the reconciliation process to avoid collaborating with Democrats. This comes on the eve of special elections in two states:

Wisconsin and Florida… both seen as early referendums on the Trump agenda.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First, as tax season gets into high gear – a conversation with Nina Olson – who previously served as IRS Taxpayer Advocate.  We discuss DOGE's impact on the functioning of the Internal Revenue Service - and the privacy of taxpayer data. Then, Shai Akabas of the Bipartisan Policy Center discusses the debt limit so-called "X-date" as Congressional Republicans begin their budget reconciliation process.  Finally we talk with Benji Backer – founder of the American Conservation Coalition about his new push to make environmentalism NON-partisan. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vice President JD Vance visits a U.S. military base in Greenland, accusing Denmark of

"under-investing" in Greenland 'security architecture" against threats from Russia, China and other nations and that is why President Donald Trump has been saying America needs to have Greenland; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the U.S. will enhance its military alliance with the Philippines as it aims to “reestablish deterrence” to counter “China’s aggression” in the

Indo-Pacific region; President Trump speaks with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney about tariffs, while uncertainty on that front and a new inflation report that is higher than expected,  leads to another drop in the stock market; Health & Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. travels to West Virginia to discuss his battle to reduce chronic disease, encouraging governors to ask for waivers to the SNAP nutrition assistance program to no

longer include soda; there are two special congressional elections in Florida next Tuesday in seats previously held by Republicans. We will talk with Mitch Perry, Senior Reporter for Florida Phoenix about the chances of Democratic upset victories. (40)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Health & Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. announces a reorganization and downsizing of his department, calling the current setup a “sprawling bureaucracy; President Donald Trump & Attorney General Pam Bondi announce the arrest in Virginia of a top leader of the MS-13 gang, who they say is an undocumented immigrant from El Salvador; Secretary of State Marco Rubio is asked about a Tufts University graduate student from Turkey in the U.S. with a student visa who was detained in Boston for allegedly for supporting Hamas; President Trump withdraws the nomination of Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) for U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations over concerns about the super-thin House Republican majority and the need for every vote in upcoming legislative battles; President Trump's announcement a 25 percent tariff on imported cars and auto parts is being criticized by virtually every foreign leader. We will talk about it with Brett Samuels. (38) The Hill's White House report; Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee holds a hearing on the investigation of the midair deadly collision

near Reagan National Airport between a commercial plane and Army helicopter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reaction to Atlantic magazine publishing texts of Trump Admin. group chat on Houthi military strikes; President Trump imposes a 25% tariff on imported cars and light trucks; NPR & PBS CEOs testify before House DOGE Subcommittee; NTSB Chair before House Appropriations Subcommittee on the effects of Elon Musk-led cuts in the government workforce; Supreme Court hears a case challenging the constitutionality of FCC fee subsidizing telecom for poor, rural areas, libraries, schools; memorial service in Tucson, AZ for late Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ).

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump stands by National Security Adviser Waltz in fallout over journalist added to group chat on military plans against Houthis, while DNI Gabbard & CIA Dir Ratcliffe tell Senate Intelligence Committee no classified material was revealed; White House announces Russia & Ukraine have agreed to a ceasefire in the Black Sea; Mike Huckabee, nominee for U.S. Ambassador to Israel, testifies before Senate Foreign Relations on his past statements supporting Israeli settlements in the West Bank; Speaker Johnson & Senate Majority Leader Thune on Budget Reconciliation negotiations; Social Security Commissioner nominee Frank Bisignano goes before the Senate Finance Committee.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices