US Politics Daily

Episodes

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  Trump on AI: "I Don't Mind Guardrails" 09.11.2026 5m

  In his 60 Minutes interview, President Trump said the risks of artificial intelligence can be managed and that he 'doesn't mind guardrails,' signaling openness to working with Democrats on safeguards. Reuters reports the shift from a president who has favored letting tech companies police themselves. This episode covers what guardrails could mean, the China question, and whether the new Congress can turn an opening into a law.
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  The Epstein Files Vote: Massie's 218-Signature Push 09.11.2026 5m

  Rep. Thomas Massie says he will gather the 218 signatures needed for a discharge petition to force a House vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act II, which would let survivors and state attorneys general sue the Justice Department over withheld records. The petition sits at 216 signatures, two short, and the House returns Monday. This episode covers the mechanism, the seven-day clock, and the narrow window before the session ends.
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  Los Angeles' New Mayor: Raman's First 100 Days 09.11.2026 5m

  Councilmember Nithya Raman defeated incumbent Mayor Karen Bass 52.1 to 47.9 percent to become Los Angeles' next mayor, the first challenger in more than two decades to unseat a sitting mayor. She takes office December 14 with specific promises: halving street encampments before the 2028 Olympics, replacing the LAPD chief, and a nightlife czar. This episode covers her first-100-days agenda and the fights already waiting for her.
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  Deb Haaland Makes History: America's First Native Woman Governor 09.11.2026 5m

  Deb Haaland, a citizen of the Pueblo of Laguna and former Secretary of the Interior, defeated Republican Gregg Hull by about 57 to 43 percent to become the first Native American woman ever elected governor of a US state. She takes office January 1, 2027, alongside Lt. Gov. Stephanie Garcia Richard, in New Mexico's first all-women executive team. This episode covers the history behind the first, from a 1948 voting-rights case to the governor's mansion.
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  Scalise vs. Jordan: The Race to Lead a Smaller House GOP 09.11.2026 5m

  House Republicans vote Tuesday by secret ballot to choose their next leader, with Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan running to lead a minority of roughly 177 seats against about 258 Democrats. Speaker Mike Johnson announced he will not seek the job, and President Trump says the White House will stay out of the contest. This episode covers the two candidates, their pitches, and the party's first verdict on the midterm defeat.
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  Jeffries' "Hard Yes": The Hegseth Impeachment Vote Comes Monday 09.11.2026 5m

  House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Sunday he is 'a hard yes' on impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, turning Rep. Thomas Massie's eight-article privileged resolution into a live question. Massie plans to force a floor vote within two legislative days when the House returns Monday, and the math is close: 217 votes carry it. This episode covers the charges, the procedure, and what impeachment would and would not do.
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  "Too Tough": Trump's Immigration Walk-Back After the Midterm Losses 09.11.2026 5m

  President Trump told 60 Minutes his deportation policy was 'too tough,' admitting his administration took people with good jobs whose only offense was entering the country illegally. The New York Post reports the admission followed Republicans losing the Hispanic vote in the midterms. This episode covers the walk-back, the split inside the White House, and why an admission without a policy change is only a sentence.
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  The Alaska Wait: Ranked Choice, November 18, and the Last Senate Seat 08.11.2026 5m

  Democrat Mary Peltola leads Senator Dan Sullivan by 637 first-choice votes in Alaska, with about 70 percent counted and the ranked-choice tabulation not until November 18. If she prevails, the Democratic Senate majority grows to 55. This episode covers the wait, the ranked-choice system, and what the last Senate seat would change.
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  The Oversight Blitz Takes Shape: Musk, Miller, and the Hegseth Question 08.11.2026 5m

  Representative Robert Garcia, in line to chair House Oversight, said Sunday that Democrats will investigate Elon Musk's role in the DOGE firings and Stephen Miller's immigration crackdown, while Jeffries said Democrats would support a measure to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Attorney General Todd Blanche signaled the administration is prepared to fight back. This episode covers the oversight agenda and the confrontation ahead.
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  One Million Signatures Against Jeffries: The Speaker Fight Inside the New Majority 08.11.2026 5m

  A Change.org petition urging House Democrats to choose a speaker other than Hakeem Jeffries has passed one million signatures, up from 380,000 two days earlier. Jeffries remains the presumptive choice, with leadership elections November 18-19 and the full House vote January 3, 2027. This episode covers the petition, the pressure on members, and the fight over what the victory meant.
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  Mississippi's 2,574-Vote Margin: The Ballots Still Out and the Dates That Decide It 08.11.2026 5m

  Democrat Scott Colom leads Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith by 2,574 votes in the AP count, with about 30,000 ballots still to be counted and the race uncalled. Mail ballots must arrive by Tuesday, November 10, counties certify by Friday, November 13, and Mississippi has no recount law. This episode covers the remaining ballots, the county-by-county count, and the dates that will decide it.
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  The Price at the Pump: Fuel, the Iran War, and the Voters' Verdict 08.11.2026 5m

  Trump himself said it was largely true that the Iran war cost Republicans, because it drove the gasoline up, and he would do it again. With diesel averaging $6.29 a gallon on Election Day, fuel prices and the war were the pocketbook issues that decided the midterms. This episode covers the price at the pump, the war's costs, and what the new Congress can and can't do about them.
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  The 60 Minutes Interview: Cabinet Changes, Hegseth, and Sunday Night 08.11.2026 5m

  President Trump sat down with 60 Minutes correspondent Ross Douthat in his first interview since the midterm losses, taped Friday morning and airing Sunday at 7 p.m. ET. He hinted at "a few" Cabinet changes, expressed confidence in Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, and defended the Venezuela operation. This episode covers the interview, the Wiles exit, and what the shake-up signals.
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  Is MAGA Over? The Movement Turns on Itself After the Rout 08.11.2026 4m

  Reuters reports the MAGA movement is turning on itself after the worst Republican defeat in decades, with supporters in Dallas saying "Trump has cost us" and stolen-election claims going quiet. Trump doubled down instead of changing course, promoting Stephen Miller to chief of staff. This episode covers the reckoning, the numbers, and why the movement's future is now an open question.
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  Maine's Upset: Troy Jackson Ends the Collins Era 08.11.2026 5m

  Democrat Troy Jackson has defeated five-term Republican Senator Susan Collins in Maine, ending a Senate career that began in 1997, with the Associated Press calling the race at 1:02 a.m. on Wednesday, November 4th. Jackson, a former logger and former Maine Senate president, was chosen as the replacement nominee just two weeks before the election after Graham Platner withdrew, and he is the first Democrat to win a Maine Senate seat since George Mitchell in 1988. This episode covers the upset, the swap, and what Collins's defeat says about the wave.
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  The Popular Vote Story: 56 Percent, the Biggest Democratic Share Since 1974 08.11.2026 5m

  Democrats won 56 percent of the national House popular vote to 43 percent for Republicans — the largest Democratic share in a midterm since 1974 — with about 125 million Americans voting. The raw gap was roughly 15 million votes: just over 64 million for Democrats, just over 49 million for Republicans. This episode covers what the popular vote says about the wave, why it is not the same as a governing mandate, and how both parties will argue over what 56 percent means.
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  The First Muslim Senator: El-Sayed's Win and the New Senate 08.11.2026 5m

  Democrat Abdul El-Sayed has won Michigan's open Senate seat, defeating Republican Mike Rogers by 52.4 percent to 45.6 percent, and will become the first Muslim ever elected to the United States Senate. The 42-year-old physician and former Detroit health director beat Haley Stevens in the August primary, then won anyway after Stevens withdrew her endorsement days before the election. This episode covers the race, the campaign over who El-Sayed is, and what his win says about the Democratic Party's progressive wing.
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  The Tariff Clock: January 10, APEC, and the China Test 08.11.2026 4m

  The wider tariff truce with China runs until January 10th, 2027 — exactly one week after the new Congress convenes on January 3rd. The U.S. Trade Representative publishes new Section 301 measures on Monday, November 9th, and the APEC leaders' meeting follows in Shenzhen on November 18th and 19th. This episode covers the tariff clock, the calendar ahead, and why the election changed who governs trade policy without changing Washington's bipartisan consensus on China.
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  The Jobs Report the New Congress Inherits: 165,000 Jobs and a 4.1 Percent Rate 08.11.2026 5m

  The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Friday that employers added 165,000 jobs in October, more than double what economists forecast, while unemployment edged down to 4.1 percent and average hourly earnings rose to $38.00. But part-time work for economic reasons jumped by 339,000 and the broader U-6 joblessness measure rose to 7.9 percent. This episode covers the report, the revisions, and why Tuesday's consumer price report is the next number to watch.
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  The Defense Bill Left Behind: The NDAA the Lame Duck Must Finish 08.11.2026 5m

  When the outgoing Congress returns on Monday for its lame-duck session, the most important unfinished business is the fiscal year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act, the must-pass bill that sets military pay and defense policy. Government funding also expires on December 11th, leaving the lame duck two deadlines at once before the new Congress is sworn in on January 3rd. This episode covers the bill, the calendar, and the unusual politics of a handover lame duck.