PBS Washington Week with The Atlantic - Full Show Washington Week with The Atlantic full episode, 1/30/26
17 snips
Jan 31, 2026 
Toluse Olorunnipa, Atlantic staff writer with Minneapolis activism expertise; Zolan Kanno-Youngs, NYT White House reporter; Stephen Hayes, conservative commentator and Dispatch editor; Susan Glasser, New Yorker political journalist. They unpack a pulled ICE operation in Minneapolis, Trump’s shifting tactics and personnel moves, media and legal clashes around protests, and whether foreign or electoral drama reshapes the political spotlight.
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Tactical Retreats Aren't Policy Reversals
- The administration toggles between maximalist moves and tactical retreats to test boundaries and public reaction.
- These retreats rarely signal lasting policy change because underlying advisers and priorities remain intact.
Use GOP Pressure To Force Pauses
- Republicans can still influence the president by raising public or private objections to risky moves.
- Use coordinated pressure to force de-escalation even if permanent policy change is unlikely.
2020 Built Durable Protest Capacity
- Minneapolis activism remains potent because 2020 protests built durable networks and belief in winning reforms.
- Those networks now mobilize around immigration raids and videos of state violence.
