Washington Today

Epizode

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  Fmr. Special Counsel Jack Smith before Senate Judiciary Cmte defends subpoenas for GOP phone records after Jan. 6 attack; Tech CEO's meet with Pres. Trump on AI 29.09.2026 1h 2min

  Former Special Counsel Jack Smith tells the Senate Judiciary Committee his investigation proved 'beyond reasonable doubt' that President Donald Trump engaged in 'serious crimes,' but some Republicans on the committee accuse him of weaponizing the Justice Department when he sought records of their phone calls with the President after the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol Building; President Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson meet with the CEOs of technology companies at the White House to discuss the future, and any government or voluntary limitations, of AI (Artificial Intelligence), while the President says he will officially rename it SI (Super Intelligence) by Executive Order; Trump Administration unveils an AI-powered website, America.gov,  designed to be a one-stop-shop for dealing with the federal government and a replacement for the current tens of thousands of government websites; Trump Administration's ban on $1 billion worth of Canadian goods goes into effect, covering dairy products, alcoholic beverages and motor vehicles; Second annual Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Summit is held in Washington, DC; New British Prime Minister Andy Burnham speaks to his first Labour Party Conference about getting the government more involved in delivering vital services to the British people. He says it's a rollback of the privatization movement of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the 1980's. We will talk about that, and the recent apparent foiled terror attack on a base in Great Britain used by the U.S. military, with Peter Knowles, C-SPAN's Westminster Correspondent. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Trump Administration Cuts Fuel Economy Standards; Senate Begins Final Pre-Midterm Work Week 28.09.2026 1h

  The Trump administration rolls back fuel economy standards for cars and light trucks, and the White House announces a new tariff agreement with China. Plus, the Senate begins its final scheduled work week before the midterm elections, lawmakers debate college athlete compensation, and we check in on key races in Iowa, Maine, Ohio and New Jersey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Weekend Edition: President Trump and President XI Summit, Trump Admin. and ACA Rolls, and 2026 Elections 26.09.2026 28min

  In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First: The future of Artificial Intelligence was among the topics in the high-profile summit this week between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. We speak with former Biden Defense Department A-I official Gregory Allen about what's at stake. Then: The Trump administration said this week they will remove several hundred thousand people off the ACA rolls who THEY say fraudulently enrolled. We did into the allegations and the fallout with Paragon Health Institute President Brian Blase – a former economic adviser in President Trump's first term. Finally: Author, columnist, and constitutional Law Professor Kim Wehle discusses Trump administration efforts to influence the 2026 elections – and how the judicial system – including the Supreme Court – is responding. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Chinese Pres. Xi finishes state visit, Pres. Trump says meetings were 'very productive'; Supreme Court OKs federal database to check for U.S. citizenship for voter eligibility 25.09.2026 1h

  Chinese President Xi Jinping finishes a state visit hosted by President Donald Trump with tea at the White House and a trip to the National Archives; this time it is all on network TV, as the White House TV pool is back in operation now that the President has allowed CNN to return to the pool rotation, after a federal judge ordered it; Supreme Court lifts restrictions on the Trump administration use a federal database to identify voters suspected of being non-citizens; North Carolina Senate race is a top one to watch this year. We will hear from Republican nominee Michael Whatley & Democratic nominee Roy Cooper; Pope Leo XIV warns about the dangers of artificial intelligence, in his words, 'losing our humanity amid a paradise of machines invading and conditioning our daily lives'; Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) speaks at the Symposium of Young American Men; former Housing & Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson is at the Family Research Council's Pray Vote Stand Summit; former first Lady Jill Biden and former President Joe Biden speak at a Delaware Planned Parenthood fundraiser. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Pres. Trump hosts Pres. Xi for state visit with no TV pool coverage | Israeli PM Netanyahu speaks to UN | FDA Comm. nominee goes before Senate Cmte 24.09.2026 58min

  CNN, Politico and MSNOW White House reporters are back at the White House after a federal judge put a temporary restraining order on President Donald Trump's attempted ban of those news outlets; President Trump hosts Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the White House for a state visit. President Trump says the two 'have forged a friendship, a truly great friendship, actually, built on mutual respect and the vital interests of our people.' President Xi says '(U.S.-China) competition should be a healthy one and should be kept within bounds'; Senate defeats again an Iran War Powers Resolution to require President Trump to withdraw the U.S. military absent Congressional approval by a vote of 49-50; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas address the United Nations General Assembly; FDA Commissioner nominee Dr. Heidi Overton is questioned at a Senate confirmation hearing about vaccine safety and abortion pill availability; Updates on two bills the Senate could consider before adjourning for the midterm elections: permitting reform and AI data center restrictions; Justice Department holds a forum for victims and relatives of victims of violent crime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Iran's Pres. at UN calls Pres. Trump a bully and says Iran will never 'bend the knee' | Chinese Pres. arrives in DC for state visit | AI company CEO's brief UN Security Council 23.09.2026 56min

  Iran's President tells the United Nations General Assembly his country has been the victim of terrorism by the United States and Israel and the Iranian people will never 'bend the knee' or submit to the 'language of force'; President Trump's Board of Peace meets in New York to unveil a multi-billion dollar plan to rebuild Gaza; Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and says there is interest in a 'limited ceasefire' with Ukraine involving grain shipments and energy-related targets; Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Washington, DC tonight for a state visit; OpenAI CEO Sam Altman & Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei brief the United Nations Security Council on AI safeguards; Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) calls a ProPublica report that the Trump Administration shut down an FBI investigation of an alleged pay-to-play scheme with a defense contractor a 'political hit job'; First Lady Melania Trump launches an initiative to help women entrepreneurs; tonight is the annual Congressional Women's Softball Game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Pres. Trump tells UN he has a 'big decision' whether to 'annihilate' Iran | Former Vice Pres. Harris campaigns for Michigan U.S. Senate Democratic nominee El-Sayed 22.09.2026 59min

  President Donald Trump in a speech at United Nations says he has 'big decision to make' about Iran: cut a deal with them 'that lets them rebuild' or 'annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again'; President Trump also calls Cuba an 'absolutely failed state' that 'will fall' under U.S. pressure, leading the Cuban delegation to walk out; President Trump also meets the new British Prime Minister Andy Burnham for the first time, saying he is man he can do business with; Former President Bill Clinton opens his annual Clinton Global Initiative meeting in New York City, rejecting what he calls 'the politics of brute force driven by zero-sum thinking: in order for me to win, you have to lose'; Kamala Harris, former Vice President and Democratic Presidential nominee, campaigns with Abdul El-Sayed, Democratic nominee for Senator of Michigan; Vice President JD Vance announces an anti-fraud effort targeting over 750,000 enrollments in Affordable Care Act exchanges that he says do not meet eligibility requirements or are not real people, saving $2.2 billion in taxpayer money; Secretary of State Marco Rubio defends President Trump's ban of Politico, MSNOW and CNN reporters from the White House, a day before a First Amendment lawsuit from those news outlets goes before a federal judge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Politico, CNN & MSNOW sue over White House reporter ban & major TV networks suspend pool coverage of Pres. Trump in solidarity with CNN 21.09.2026 59min

  Politico, CNN & MSNOW sue in response to President Donald Trump banning their reporters from the White House, and four major TV networks suspend their shared coverage of presidential events, called a pool, in protest of the president's action; Calls for an independent investigation after an Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shoots an immigrant from Venezuela during a traffic stop in Austin, Texas; Foreign affairs on President Trump's agenda this week with the United Nations General Assembly in New York City and a state visit to Washington, DC by Chinese leader Xi Jinping to discuss trade and AI; Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says a new AI tool will help air traffic controllers manage congestion and reduce flight delays; California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) announces an agreement with Paramount to settle antitrust concerns in the companies over $100 billion merger with Warner Bros. He says more movies will made in the United States; House Budget Committee holds a field hearing in Dallas, Texas on creating a fiscal commission to tackle the U.S.'s over $40 trillion debt; Campaign 2026: Members of Congress with national name recognition travel to other states to help candidates in their party, Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) in Nebraska and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) in New Hampshire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Weekend Edition: Regulating AI, House Adjourns, and Constitution Day 19.09.2026 29min

  In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First: Washington this week was dominated by the debate over regulating A-I amid more threats from tech execs of the dangers if the technology is left unchecked. Politico A-I and tech influence reporter Brendan Bordelon breaks it down for us. Then – despite the AI debate, the House adjourned EARLY this week, kicking off its 7-week recess heading into November midterm elections. We speak with Reese Gorman of the Washington Sun about what happened. Finally: A discussion with Jeffrey Rosen – CEO emeritus of the National Constitution Center -- about the importance of this past Thursday's observance of Constitution Day and the role the founding document is playing in today's political debates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  President Trump bans 'fake news' CNN, MSNOW and Politico from the White House 18.09.2026 59min

  President Donald Trump says he is banning CNN, MSNOW and Politico from the White House for what he calls their 'fake news' reporting; President announces all 50 states will be joining a program to provide prescription drug prices to Medicaid at the same, lower costs paid for the drugs in other countries; President Trump is asked about Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) putting out an ad critical of his immigration policy; Vice President JD Vance campaigns in Iowa for Republicans in close races, including Zack Lahn running for governor against Democratic nominee Rob Sand; Planned protest by artists and their supporters tonight at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts after President Trump's threat to tear the building down if his name is not added to the facade in conjunction with renovations; Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) issues an executive order to create what she calls an 'accountability framework' to increase transparency around proposed data center projects and ensure Virginians are not stuck with highest energy bills. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Bipartisan 'Stop Rogue AI Act' introduced in House; White House top aide says interest rate hikes could cause recession; Fmr. Sen. Kyle (R-AZ) dies 17.09.2026 1h

  A Republican and a Democrat in the U.S. House join forces on a bipartisan bill to confront potential risks of Artificial Intelligence; White House continues to criticize the Federal Reserve and Chair Kevin Warsh for raising interest rates this week. Presidential adviser Peter Navarro calls it a 'monumental mistake' that could push the U.S. economy into recession; Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomes closer ties to Europe even after President Donald Trump threatens more tariffs in response; U.S. Senate votes to advance a college sports regulation bill by a comfortable margin, almost guaranteeing a successful final passage vote next week; Health & Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. tells an anti-vaccine group that he once worked for, Children's Health Defense, that the true risks from vaccines are not known, in part because the government does not have a good enough safety monitoring system; Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Danny Danon says New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) should be arrested for calling for demonstrations when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits next week for the United Nations General Assembly; Former Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) has died at age 84. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) remembering him as 'a wonderful mentor' who 'taught me so much' and 'a highly effective, brilliant Senator, who made countless contributions to the state of Arizona and to our country.' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Fed raises interest rates a quarter point; House passes Lindsey Graham Russia Sanctions Bill; Pres. Trump campaigns in N. Carolina for GOP Senate nominee Michael Whatley 16.09.2026 59min

  Federal Reserve votes unanimously to raise interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point, first hike since 2023 Fed Chair Kevin Warsh says, 'The plain fact is that inflation is too high and has been for too long.' We will talk about the Fed's decision with Julia Shapero, Cryptocurrency and Finance Reporter for The Hill (6); House votes on the Russia sanctions bill related to its war with Ukraine named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC); Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) accuses House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) of cancelling Thursday's legislative session,  sending Members home a day early to campaign for reelection, to avoid having to vote on Massie's resolution to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the war with Iran; Surgeon General Nominee Dr. Nicole Saphier at her Senate confirmation hearing is asked about President Trump questioning the safety of the MMR vaccine; Senate Agriculture Committee passes a 5-year Farm Bill with the crucial vote of Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who returned to Washington after more than three months recovering from health issues; White House AI Czar David Sacks talks about the warnings from the tech leaders about the dangers of artificial intelligence; President Trump heads to North Carolina to campaign for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley; House Problem Solvers Caucus proposes bills to avoid another gerrymandering war as was seen this election cycle by red and blue states. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Attorney General Blanche on Supreme Court blocking Postal Service rules for mail-in ballots; Senate votes not to advance cryptocurrency bill; Pres. Trump says Kennedy Center will be renovated only if his name is added 15.09.2026 1h 1min

  Attorney General Todd Blanche fills in as White House press secretary for today's news conference and is asked about the Supreme Court blocking the Trump Administration's plans to restrict mail-in ballots for the midterm elections; FBI Director Kash Patel tells the Senate Judiciary Committee FBI agents may be sent to the polls on election day; Director Patel is also asked about changes to hiring standards to no longer automatically disqualify applicants who had engaged in prostitution or bestiality; More questions to lawmakers about potential dangers of Artificial Intelligence and whether legislative action is needed, after President Donald Trump called such concerns a 'hoax'; Senate does not vote to advance a cryptocurrency regulation bill amid a dispute over whether there are enough ethical safeguards to prevent elected leaders from profiting off of digital assets; Federal judge rules the Kennedy Center Board cannot put President Trump's name on the building. Then the Board, comprised of the president's allies, votes to close the center for renovations, and the president posts the renovations will not take place unless his name is added because only he can raise the money needed; Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) tells reporters he will not switch to the Republican party; Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has an official Speaker's portrait unveiled in the U.S. Capitol. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Congress Returns to Washington as AI Debate and Midterm Campaigns Take Center Stage 14.09.2026 52min

  Congress returns to Washington with artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency legislation, college sports and Russia sanctions on the agenda. Plus, with 50 days until the midterm elections, we look at key races in Michigan, New Mexico and Alaska. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Weekend Edition: Republican Convention, Polling During Midterm Campaign Season, and Democrats' Strategy into November 12.09.2026 27min

  In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. The first-ever Republican convention took place in Dallas – and the legal fight over mail-in voting dominated the week. We begin with a discussion with Cliff Young of Ipsos Public Affairs who shared fresh polling on the national mood as the midterm campaign season kicks into high gear. Then we dive into the mail-in ballot fight – and other voting issues overhanging the midterm campaign. That conversation with former Trump administration official Ken Cuccinelli now Chairman of Heritage Foundation's Election Transparency Initiative Finally- we sit down with Carlissia Graham – President of the Center for American Progress Action Fund. We talk about how Democrats are viewing the midterm convention – and the party's messaging and strategy heading into November. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  25th Anniversary of September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks 11.09.2026 1h

  Twenty-fifth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, with ceremonies at the Pentagon, where President Donald Trump spoke, at Ground Zero in New York City, where widow Terry Strada criticized the government for not holding Saudi Arabia responsible for the attacks, and at the Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, which included Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA). We also hear from: Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin; candidates for U.S. Senate in Michigan, Republican Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, who is Muslim; a retired New York firefighter at a ceremony in California; Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who was a White House lawyer at the time of the attack; and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Day Two of GOP Midterm Convention in Dallas; Pres. Trump offers $5,000 to all if GOP keeps House & Senate control; fmr. Pres. George W. Bush on 9/11 attack 25th anniv. 10.09.2026 1h

  Day Two of the Republican midterm convention in Dallas, Texas, with the keynote speech from Vice President JD Vance. People are still talking about some of the moment from Day One: President Donald Trump proposing $5,000 for every American adult if Republicans keep control of the U.S. House and Senate and Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) introducing Sen. Dave McCormick (R-PA); Texas U.S. Senate race has been in the spotlight with the Republican convention in Texas; Rhode Island's governor loses the Democratic primary for reelection; President Trump visits the Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington, Texas; United Nations Security Council considers an accusation from the UN nuclear watchdog agency that Iran is failing to comply with its nuclear nonproliferation commitments; A day before the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks, we hear from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) about the rebuilding of lower Manhattan, former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson on the changing threat environment and former President George W. Bush about the Freedom Agenda his pursued after the attacks; White House tribute to the late Turning Point USA leader Charlie Kirk on the anniversary of his assassination. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Republican Midterm Convention begins in Dallas; John Sununu (R) will face Chris Pappas (D) in NH Senate race 09.09.2026 59min

  Republican midterm convention begins in Dallas, Texas. We get a preview from President Donald Trump, a reporter, and two republican congressional candidates from Illinois who are attending, plus the perspective of the chair of the Texas Democratic Party; On the way to Texas, President Trump tells reporters high energy prices due to the war with Iran will not fall until after the midterm elections in November; In New Hampshire, former U.S. Senator John Sununu wins the Republican Senate primary over another former U.S. Senator, Scott Brown, while in the state's first Congressional District race, Stefany Shaheen, daughter of retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), wins the Democratic primary; U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro gets upset when reporters asked about the Reflecting Pool vandalism case, dropped for lack of evidence,  which President Trump wants revived; New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch calls for 'moral clarity' about who were the heroes and who were the terrorists during the September 11, 2001 terror attacks at the unveiling of a memorial of NYPD members who have died from 9/11-related illnesses, ahead of Friday's 25th anniversary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  NYC Mayor orders documents release showing city officials knew post-9/11 attack air was toxic; Canadian retaliatory tariffs take effect; UK bans imports from Israeli West bank settlements 08.09.2026 59min

  New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani orders the release of over 170,000 pages of documents revealing that city officials knew of severe toxic air quality risks at Ground Zero following the 9/11 terror attacks, and President Donald Trump honors 9/11 first responders at a Tunnel to Towers event in front of the White House, ahead of Friday's 25th anniversary; Canadian tariffs of up to 50 percent against $20 billion of imports from the United States take effect. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says, 'I don’t believe in escalating the conflict. But our tariffs are necessary to protect our workers, protect our companies and our communities'; It's election day in New Hampshire, where voters are choosing Republican and Democratic nominees for an open U.S. Senate seat. We get the latest from a New Hampshire Union Leader political reporter; Great Britain bans imports from Israeli West Bank settlements, citing Israel's 'ethnic cleansing' of Palestinians. It is a move praised by some of the UK's allies but opposed by Israel and the U.S.; NATO hosts another meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group to discuss Ukraine's need for anti-missile defenses; Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie Bunch is resigning after disagreements with the Trump Administration about how to present U.S. history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Weekend Edition: Mail-In Voting & Midterms, State of the Economy, and Immigration and Border Security 05.09.2026 34min

  In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First: We dig into the legal back and forth over mail-in voting and what it means for states ahead of this November's elections. That conversation with Dion Nissenbaum of the website "Votebeat." Then: The economy is the number one issue on voters' minds as the midterm elections approach. We speak with financial journalist Roben Farzad – host of the public radio show and podcast "Full Disclosure" - on the recent jobs numbers and what it means for the health of the overall economy. Finally: Immigration and border security is also a big issue in the midterm elections. We chat with Mark Krikorian of the Center for Immigration Studies and Heidi Altman of the National Immigration Law Center about the Trump administration's record so far. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices