The Daily

The Trump Subpoena

Oct 26, 2022

Luke Broadwater, a Congressional reporter for The New York Times, dives into the unprecedented subpoena of former President Donald Trump amid the January 6th investigation. He explains the legal complexities of compelling a former president to testify and draws on historical precedents of past presidential subpoenas. The conversation explores potential ramifications if Trump refuses to comply and discusses how Truman's past actions could inform his legal strategies. This moment not only tests legal boundaries but also raises questions about presidential accountability.

27:55

Creator website

Episode guests

Luke Broadwater

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Mr. Chairman, Thank You, Liz Cheney

01:17

Intro

5min

Trump's Subpoena: A Historical First

10min

Historical Compliance of Former Presidents with Congressional Subpoenas

4min

Truman's Legacy on Subpoenas and Separation of Powers

9min

Political Controversies and Corporate Actions

2min

A few days ago, when the House committee investigating Jan. 6 issued a subpoena to former President Donald J. Trump, it raised a legal question: Can Congress compel a former president to testify?

The committee’s move, while dramatic, is not without precedent.

What do presidential subpoenas of the past teach us about the moment we’re in, and about what the former president might do next?

Guest: Luke Broadwater, a congressional reporter for The New York Times.

Background reading:

The Jan. 6 committee issued a subpoena to Mr. Trump, paving the way for a potentially historic court fight over whether Congress can compel testimony from a former president.
If the former president fights the subpoena, his lawyers are likely to muster a battery of constitutional and procedural arguments for why a court should allow him not to testify.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

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