Washington Today - podcast cover

Washington Today

Catch up on the biggest stories of the day from Washington with interviews and analysis from leading journalists. Posted weekdays at 6:30 pm ET. From C-SPAN, the network that brings you the "Q&A" podcast.
Last refreshed:
Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.
Download Metacast podcast app
Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more

Episodes

Tom Homan will take the lead in Minneapolis, White House says

It's a snow day in the nation's capital…. Much of the federal government is closed…. The House is in a district work period this week… The Senate is in today… but votes have been postponed until tomorrow because of the weather… Of course, the Senate must pass a 6-bill spending package by Friday at midnight to avoid a government shutdown…. The legislation includes funding for the Department of Homeland Security through September 30th, which several Senate Democrats have said they will not support...

Jan 26, 202618 min

Weekend Edition: Framework Deal on Greenland, Senate Midterm Elections, and Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL) Moves to Impeach DHS Sec. Noem

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. It's been a whirlwind week on the diplomatic front with President Trump announcing a "framework deal" on Greenland after weeks of threats. We speak with Washington Times White House Reporter Jeff Mordock on what the deal entails – and the geopolitical fallout. Then – a preview of the 2026 midterm elections and key SENATE races to watch with Jessica Taylor of the Cook Political Report Finally: Democrat Robin Kelly...

Jan 24, 202629 min

Pres. Trump & VP Vance speak at annual March for Life; British PM Starmer condemns Pres. Trump saying British troops were not on front lines in Afghanistan War

President Donald Trump & Vice President JD Vance speak to the annual anti-abortion March for Life in Washington, DC; Hundreds of businesses in Minnesota close their doors to protest U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations; FBI Director Kash Patel announces the arrest in Mexico of Ryan Wedding, accused major drug trafficker and former Canadian Olympic snowboarder; British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemns comments by President Trump that NATO troops had stayed “a little...

Jan 23, 202659 min

Former Special Counsel Jack Smith defends decision to charge Donald Trump; Pres. Trump launches 'Board of Peace'

Former Special Counsel Jack Smith defends his investigations of, and the criminal charges brought against, Donald Trump in testimony before the House Judiciary Committee; President Trump launches his "Board of Peace," initially proposed to maintain the ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas, but now the president suggests it could expand its scope to bring peace to the world; still not many details from President Trump on a deal he said is being negotiated on Greenland, other than the U.S...

Jan 23, 20261 hr

Pres. Trump on Greenland rules out force, cancels European tariffs, announces deal with NATO; Supreme Court hears case on president firing Fed Board member Lisa Cook

President Donald Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland rules out the use of military force to seize Greenland and again makes the claim that the U.S. must own the island for national and world security, then later, after a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, the president announces a framework deal with NATO on Greenland; Supreme Court hears oral argument in Trump v. Cook, about whether president can fire Federal Reserve Board Member Lisa Cook after she was charged ...

Jan 21, 20261 hr

Pres. Trump marks 1st anniversary of 2nd term; European leaders denounce Pres. Trump's tariff threat to acquire Greenland; Speaker Johnson addresses British Parliament

President Donald Trump holds a news conference at the White House on the anniversary of his second term inauguration, highlighting what he sees as accomplishments over the past year and getting questions about his threat to impose tariffs on European countries opposing his desire for the U.S. to acquire Greenland, as he travels tonight to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where he will meet with leaders of many of those European countries; House Speaker Mike Johnson gives a speech ...

Jan 20, 202658 min

POTUS Trump ties his stance on Greenland to not getting Nobel Peace Prize

U.S. President Donald Trump linked his aggressive stance on Greenland to last year’s decision not to award him the Nobel Peace Prize, telling Norway’s prime minister that he no longer felt “an obligation to think purely of Peace,” in a text message released Monday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 19, 202640 min

Weekend Edition: Tensions in Minnesota & Protests in Iran

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. Tensions continue to mount in Minnesota – and elsewhere across the country -- over the role and tactics of Immigration & Customs Enforcement agents. We spoke with two guests about the protests – and threats of the President to invoke the Insurrection Act in response. FIRST: Chad Wolf - former acting Homeland Security Secretary in the first Trump administration. And Sarah Pierce – who served as a policy analys...

Jan 17, 202631 min

Pres. Trump pulls back on invoking Insurrection Act over Minneapolis anti-ICE protests; Bipartisan Cong. delegation in Denmark to support Greenland territorial integrity

President Donald Trump says he does not see a reason now to invoke Insurrection Act and send the U.S. military to deal with anti-ICE protesters in Minneapolis, but, he says, "If I needed it, I'd use it. It's very powerful"; House & Senate Democrats hold a hearing in Minneapolis to highlight what say are abuses by federal immigration officers carrying out raids in the city; President Trump suggests he may use tariffs against countries that block his efforts for the U.S. to acquire Greenland, ...

Jan 16, 202657 min

President Trump threatens to invoke the Insurrection Act to quell Minneapolis anti-ICE protests; Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado visits DC

President Donald Trump threatens to invoke the Insurrection Act and send troops to Minneapolis as anti-ICE protests escalate following two shootings in the past week involving federal law enforcement officers; Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado meets with President Trump at the White House and a bipartisan group of Senators on Capitol Hill about the future of Venezuela after the U.S. military removed former President Nicolas Maduro; United Nations Security Council holds an emergen...

Jan 16, 20261 hr

Senate Republicans successfully block War Powers Act resolution on Venezuela after two Republicans change votes from last week

Senate Republicans successfully block War Powers Act resolution on Venezuela after two Republicans change votes from last week; Foreign Ministers of Greenland and Denmark meet in Washington with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio about President Donald Trump stated goal of the U.S. controlling Greenland. Danish Foreign Minister says a 'fundamental disagreement' remains, but conversations will continue; President Trump says he has heard it on 'good authority' that the 'kil...

Jan 15, 20261 hr

Supreme Court hears cases on ID & WV transgender student athlete bans; Pres. Trump again says 'help is on the way' to Iranian protesters as death toll climbs

Supreme Court hears cases challenging state law banning transgender girls and women from playing on school sports teams, and according to many news articles, a majority of Justices are leaning towards letting those laws stand; President Donald Trump tours a Ford pickup truck plant in Dearborn, Michigan before speaking at the Detroit Economic Club, as the Labor Department reports inflation in December rose 2.7 percent versus a year ago, 2.6 percent when not considering volatile food and energy pr...

Jan 13, 20261 hr

Weekend Edition: US Operations in Venezuela, January 6 Anniversary

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First, the aftermath of the U-S military operation in Venezuela that toppled President Nicolas Maduro dominated Washington this week. We speak with Republican Randy Fine of Florida – a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee – about the future of U-S involvement in that country. The U-S military strikes and the capture of Maduro has raised all kinds of legal and constitutional questions. We break it all down with...

Jan 10, 202628 min

Prosecutor asks public to send any video of Minneapolis ICE shooting; Pres. Trump meets with oil company executives on investing in Venezuela

Local prosecutor in Minneapolis is asking the public to send her video or other evidence related to the fatal shooting of a woman by an Immigration & Customs Enforcement officer because she is concerned the FBI will not share its evidence with her investigators; Oregon's Attorney General says his office has a good working relationship with the FBI in the now-launched investigation an ICE officer shooting of two people in Portland; Senate Republican leaders visit the U.S.-Mexico border to pro...

Jan 09, 202658 min

Senate advances resolution requiring Congressional approval for further military action against Venezuela; House passes 3 year extension of ACA enhanced premium subsidies

Senate advances a War Powers Act resolution prohibiting President Donald Trump's from taking future military action against Venezuela without Congressional approval; Minnesota's government says it has been told it will no longer take part in the FBI investigation of the fatal shooting of a woman in Minneapolis by an ICE agent; House passes a three year extension of expired Affordable Care Act health insurance enhanced premium subsidies and three more FY2026 federal spending bills; House sustains...

Jan 08, 202659 min

Federal & Minnesota officials differ on what led to ICE officer shooting and killing Minneapolis woman

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shoots and kills a woman in a vehicle in Minneapolis during an immigration-related operation. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says the agent was acting in self-defense against "an act of domestic terrorism." Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) asks protesters to "stay peaceful" and "not riot" and "We can't give them what they want." Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) says the shooting was a reckless abuse of power and ICE needs to get out of his c...

Jan 07, 20261 hr

Pres. Trump & Congressional Democrats present starkly different narratives on 5th Anniversary of January 6, 2021 attack on U.S. Capitol

On this fifth anniversary of attack on the U.S. Capitol, House Democrats reconvene the January 6 investigative committee. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) saying, "Five years ago today, a violent mob brutally attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6. Their mission was to overturn a free and fair election. We will never allow extremists to whitewash their treachery." President Donald Trump blames then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) for, he says, declining his offer of 10,000 National Guard...

Jan 06, 202658 min

Venezuela’s Maduro pleads not guilty in US court appearance

The United Nations Security Council held a meeting regarding the U.S. strikes conducted in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife. Ambassadors representing several Latin American nations--including Venezuela--condemned these actions, saying they violated international law and sovereignty, with some claiming civilians were killed in the operation. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Michael Waltz called the action a "law enforcement operation ... against two indic...

Jan 05, 202647 min

Weekend Edition: Civil Rights, Road Trips, and 2026 & The Trump Administration

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. We'll kick off with conversations with two authors who rounded out Washington Journal's annual holiday authors week series: first up - John Jay College constitutional law professor and civil rights attorney Gloria Browne-Marshall talked about her book, "A Protest History of the United States" Then: author Sarah Kendzior joins us to talk about her book " The Last American Road Trip: A Memoir." Plus: Steve Clemons ...

Jan 03, 202634 min

FBI says it stopped an ISIS-inspired terror attack in North Carolina; Israel calls NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) antisemitic

FBI says it 'thwarted a potential' New Year's Eve terror attack in North Carolina and the suspect was 'directly inspired to act by ISIS'; President Donald Trump & top officials in Iran threaten each other as deadly street protests continue in Iranian cities; As Somalia's Ambassador to the United Nations takes over the rotating UN Security Council presidency, a reporter asked him about President Trump's criticisms of Somalia-Americans linked to alleged public program fraud in Minnesota; New Y...

Jan 02, 202657 min

America250 Commission Chair on New Year's Eve special celebrations; House Republicans schedule hearings on Minnesota public assistance program fraud

On New Year's Eve, America250 Commission Chair Rosie Rios talks about the special celebrations tonight related to the U.S.'s 250th birthday in 2026, New York City & New Orleans are among the cities increasing their New Year's Eve security and world leaders issue New Year's messages; House Republicans schedule a hearing looking at Minnesota social welfare programs fraud, inviting both Republican state lawmakers and Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) to testify; number of Jeffrey Epstein-related files the J...

Dec 31, 202549 min

NYC Mayor-elect Mamdani makes more cabinet appointments; federal investigation of alleged social services fraud in Minnesota expands

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani announces new members of his incoming administration, including Deputy Mayor for Health & Human Services; States receive the first allotments from a $50 billion federal rural health care fund; Federal investigation into alleged multi-billion-dollar fraud of Minnesota state services expands, with some Republicans calling on Democratic Gov. Tim Walz to resign. We will talk about it with Axios breaking news reporter Herb Scribner (16); U.S. pledges $2 bi...

Dec 30, 202542 min

Weekend Edition: Author Series w/ Trymaine Lee, Greg Lukianoff, & Casey Burgat

In this weekend's episode, three segments from the Washington Journal's annual Holiday Author Series this past week. First: a conversation with journalist, documentary filmmaker, and MS Now contributor Trymaine Lee on his book "A Thousand Ways to Die: The True Cost of Violence on Black Life in America" Then: Free speech advocate Greg Lukianoff -- President & CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression -- discusses his book "The War on Words." Finally: George Washington Univers...

Dec 27, 202547 min

Pres. Trump & First Lady take NORAD Santa Tracker children's calls; Justice Dept says it will take several more weeks to release all Epstein files

On Christmas Eve, President Donald Trump & First Lady Melania Trump take children's NORAD Santa Tracker calls and speak to U.S. military servicemembers overseas; Members of Congress of both parties post their holiday greetings; Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) releases his annual Festivus Report on Government Waste. He says he has identified $1.6 trillion worth; Bipartisan group of Senators sign a letter calling for an audit of the Justice Department's slow release of the Jeffrey Epstein files, they sa...

Dec 24, 202551 min

UN Security Council meets on U.S. military actions against Venezuela; Supreme Court blocks Nat'l Guard deployment to Illinois

United Nations Security Council holds an emergency meeting on U.S. military actions against Venezuela; European leaders stand with Greenland in response to President Donald Trump latest moves toward his stated goal of having the U.S. own the island; Supreme Court turns down President Trump plan to plan to deploy National Guard troops in Illinois and Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) joins faith leaders to condemn what they call 'chaos' that federal immigration agents were sowing with their operations in Minn...

Dec 23, 202549 min

Trump unveils ‘Golden Fleet’ of Navy battleships, touts them as ‘more powerful than any' ever built

President Donald Trump announced a new fleet of ships Monday, known as the "Golden Fleet," as he revealed he approved plans for two new "very large battleships." Trump said the new ships would be "100 times more powerful than any battleship ever built," in an address from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 22, 202533 min

Weekend Edition: ACA Subsidies, Polling and Pessimism Among Young Americans, and President Trump's Executive Order on AI Regulations

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First: A discussion with Republican Congressman Mike Lawler of New York on his confrontation with Republican leadership for not acting on expiring ACA subsidies. Then: a conversation with John Della Volpe – polling director at the Harvard Institute of Politics. We'll talk about the Institute's latest youth poll – showing growing pessimism among young Americans about the direction of the country. Finally: we'll ta...

Dec 20, 202526 min

DOJ releases first batch of, but not all, Epstein files; Pres. Trump signs deals with more drug companies to cut prices; Sec Rubio holds year-end news conference

Justice Department released the first batch of files on the late sex offender and accused trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, but Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche say not all of the files will be released by today's deadline as required under law; President Donald Trump announces deals with nine pharmaceutical company to lower drug prices; President travels to North Carolina for a speech on affordability and to support Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley; Federal court hearing in the last su...

Dec 19, 20251 hr
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android