Washington Today

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First: A preview of this week's "No Kings" rallies taking place across the country this weekend with Joel Payne of the group "MoveOn" – one of the progressive groups organizing the events. Then: A conversation with Mike Brest - defense reporter for the Washington Examiner. We talk about how the shutdown impacted payday for active-duty military members this week – and the new Pentagon press policies which many news organizations are pushing back on. And finally: From long-lines at TSA to canceled or delayed flights - we check in with Reuters Correspondent David Shepardson about the impact the government shutdown is having on air travel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump tells Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at a White House meeting that if the U.S. gives Ukraine long-range Tomahawk missiles, it would escalate the war between Ukraine & Russia; President Trump expresses confidence his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Hungary will go a long way to ending the war in Ukraine; President Trump also talks about Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and recent military tensions; John Bolton, former Trump WH National Security Adviser, turned critic, pleads not guilty today in federal court in Maryland to felony charges of mishandling classified materials; Day 17 of the federal government shutdown, and with House & Senate not in for business, the shutdown will extend into the weekend; Saturday there will be mass protests around the country against the Trump Administration, what organizers call "No Kings" rallies; Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent gives an update on U.S.-China trade negotiations; former Secretaries of State Mike Pompeo & Anthony Blinken tell jokes at the annual Alfred E. Smith Foundation charity dinner in New York City. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump speaks by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin and announces they will meet in Budapest, Hungary in the coming weeks to discuss how to end the war in Ukraine. President Trump will be meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Friday to discuss possibly sending Tomahawk long-range missiles to Ukraine; President Trump also asked about this online post, "If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the Deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"; Venezuela brings the matter of what it calls President Trump's “bellicose” language to the United Nations Security Council, after President Trump confirmed Wednesday that he secretly authorized the CIA to conduct covert action in Venezuela was considering military strikes on Venezuelan territory to combat illegal drug smuggling; U.S. government shutdown is on Day 16 and will go through the weekend, after the Senate rejected for the 10th time a Republican proposal to temporarily fund the government and did not advance a standalone Defense spending bill; Former Trump White House National Security Adviser John Bolton is indicted on federal charges of illegally keeping and transmitting classified material; Democrats push back on Republicans calling the 'No Kings'  protests planned for Saturday around the country 'Hate America Rallies'; President Trump announces new steps designed to expand access to IVF; Border Czar Tom Homan flatly denies he took a $50,000 bribe from FBI undercover agents; President Trump presents models of a proposed Independence Arch he wants to build near the Lincoln Memorial as part of the America's 50th Anniversary in 2026. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

White House Budget Director Russell Vought suggests at least 10,000 federal workers could be fired during the government shutdown, now in Day 15, but a federal judge in California temporarily blocks the layoffs as a violation of the law; Senate again votes down the Republican-drafted temporary government funding bill for a ninth time, with Senate Democrats insisting health care provisions be included; Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accuses China of going back on a trade deal on rare earth minerals, saying, 'China is a command and control economy, and the United States and our allies will neither be commanded nor controlled'; President Donald Trump and FBI Director Kash Patel give an update on anti-crime efforts across the country they call 'Summer Heat'; Supreme Court hears a case on involving a Black-majority Congressional district in Louisiana & the Voting Rights Act whose decision could limit the use of race in drawing legislative maps. We will hear some of the oral argument and talk with The Hill's courts & legal reporter Zach Schonfeld (34); Arizona's Democratic Congressional delegation makes another push to get Congresswoman-elect Adelita Grijalva sworn-in, accusing Speaker Johnson of not doing so to prevent release of federal files on the investigation of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Federal government shutdown reaches Day 14, and Republicans and Democrats seem to be digging in for the long haul; Air traffic controllers union president talks about the first missed full-paycheck for his members; Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell says despite no official economic data due to the government shutdown, the outlook for employment and inflation has not changed much since the September interest rate cuts, suggesting there could  be more cuts this year; President Donald Trump welcomes the President of Argentina to the White House and is asked about the $20 billion the U.S. is using to support Argentina's economy; Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) reacts to the guilty plea and sentence of the man who broke into the governor's residence earlier this year and set it on fire; assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously; former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton presents the annual Hillary Rodham Clinton Awards for Advancing Women in Peace & Security; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defends new Pentagon media policies prohibiting reporters from publishing information not authorized for release, even if it is unclassified. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump proclaims, "dawn of a new Middle East" in a speech to the Israeli Knesset in Jerusalem; world leaders sign the Gaza peace deal; Hamas frees the 20 living Israeli hostages, while Israel released nearly 2000 Palestinian prisoners; U.S. government shutdown is entering its third week with no end in sight.  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, House Speaker Mike Johnson talks about the government shutdown and answers questions from our viewers. Then, a closer look at how the shutdown is impacting federal workers with Randy Erwin -- National President of the National Federation of Federal Employees. And finally, a preview of the new Supreme Court term that began this week. That conversation with SCOTUSblog Co-Founder and Reporter Amy Howe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

White House Budget Office Director Russell Vought announces on X that federal worker layoffs have begun, with the federal government shutdown now 10 days old and expected to continue through the weekend; Conservative commentator Benny Johnson says the Democratic Party is 'mainstreaming violence as a political tool', as he appears with Attorney General Pam Bondi to announce federal charges again a man who mailed a death threat to him and his family; Senate defeats an amendment from Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) to limit President Donald Trump's power to deploy National Guard troops to Chicago and other cities in the name of supporting law enforcement to fight crime and ICE agents carrying out immigration raids; Venezuela's opposition leader wins the Nobel Peace Prize, and the chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee is asked about President Trump's visible campaign for the award; First Lady Melania Trump says she has a regular communication channel with Russian President Putin, and it has helped reunite children separated from their families in the war in Ukraine; former Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D-MI), former Congressional Black Caucus Chair, has died. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former U.S. President Donald Trump discusses a groundbreaking ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which he calls Phase One of his plan, highlighting the anticipated release of hostages. He also addresses National Guard deployments to protect federal agencies amid protests, emphasizing public safety. Following this, New York Attorney General Letitia James faces indictment, with questions surrounding the politicization of justice. Meanwhile, the federal government shutdown enters its ninth day as both parties struggle to reach a funding agreement.

Ella Lee, a courts reporter for The Hill, provides live insights from James Comey's not guilty plea in federal court, discussing the charges and courtroom dynamics. She highlights the trial's January timeline and potential penalties if convicted. Meanwhile, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson responds to federal troop deployments and public-safety concerns, reflecting on the political climate. The podcast also touches on President Trump's claims of left-wing violence at a White House roundtable, amidst the ongoing government shutdown and Senate debates.