WSJ Opinion: Potomac Watch - podcast cover

WSJ Opinion: Potomac Watch

Paul Gigot, The Wall Street Journalwww.wsj.com
From the award-winning opinion pages of The Wall Street Journal, Paul Gigot, Kim Strassel, Bill McGurn and Kyle Peterson discuss the latest from Washington. Get critical perspective and the analysis you need on developments from the nation’s capital. Join them every weekday. Send your feedback to pwpodcast@wsj.com
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Episodes

Trump Fires Kristi Noem / The Iran War and U.S. Munition Stocks

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is out, after a damaging appearance before the Senate, as Donald Trump names Markwayne Mullin to replace her. Will the DHS personnel change also affect ICE policy? Plus, does the U.S. have enough air-defense interceptors to maintain deterrence while finishing the job in Iran? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 06, 202629 min

Can Iran's Regime Survive the War?

Paul Gigot interviews Hudson Institute Middle East expert Michael Doran, who says the military campaign is going well for the U.S. and Israel. But the aftermath is far from certain as Donald Trump aims for 'regime transformation' rather than a revolution. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 05, 202630 min

Marijuana and Guns at the Supreme Court / Cornyn, Paxton and a Texas Runoff

Federal law prohibits users of illegal drugs from owning guns, but does this violate the Second Amendment? The Justices debate that question, with a focus on how the Founders handled "drunkards." Plus, James Talarico wins the Democratic Senate nod in Texas, as John Cornyn and Ken Paxton head to a GOP runoff. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 04, 202628 min

The Texas Senate Primary: Cornyn, Paxton, Crockett and Talarico

Democrats hope surging voter enthusiasm will turn Texas blue this fall, but candidate quality matters. On the Republican side, Sen. John Cornyn faces a stiff challenge from Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is loud but has liabilities. Democrats also have contrast of personalities in Jasmine Crockett vs. James Talarico. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 03, 202626 min

How Long Does Donald Trump Have to Achieve His War Aims in Iran?

A joint operation by the United States and Israel on Iran leads to the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with Donald Trump promising more strikes over the next four to five weeks. Will this lead to regime change in the region, and what will it take for the President to declare a strategic victory? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 02, 202629 min

The DHS Shutdown Drags On / Trump's Plan for Powering AI Data Centers

Federal workers with TSA airport security and the Coast Guard are receiving partial paychecks, after Democrats again refuse to fund the Department of Homeland Security without major reforms to ICE. Plus tech firms prepare to visit the White House, as Donald Trump tells them to generate their own electricity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 27, 202626 min

Will the U.S. and Iran Go to War?

Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner begin a round of indirect talks with Iranian officials over the country’s nuclear program and ballistic missiles. President Trump says he wants a diplomatic solution, but has he effectively made his case to the American people if he decides to launch a possible strike on Iran? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 26, 202631 min

The Moments That Stood Out in Trump's State of the Union Address

Donald Trump declares victory on the economy, frames the Democratic Party as extreme, and offers praise for JD Vance and Marco Rubio, in one of the longest State of the Union speeches in recent times. But what's the agenda that Republicans can carry into the midterms? Plus, Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger delivers a Democratic response that starts with affordability, yet her party’s nominees in November might be moving further left. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Feb 25, 202626 min

Did China Secretly Test a Nuke? / The FDA Reversal on an mRNA Flu Shot

American officials say they believe China held a nuclear test in 2020, and President Trump reserves the right to do the same, as the New Start arms-control treaty with Russia hits its expiration date this month. Plus, the Food and Drug Administration summarily rejects a flu vaccine from Moderna, before changing course. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 24, 202627 min

Scott Lincicome on Where the Trump Tariff Wars Are Going Next

Now that the Supreme Court has struck down Donald Trump's "emergency" tariffs, will the government refund the billions of dollars it unlawfully collected? And as Trump turns to other tariff authorities, how much will he be limited by the guardrails written into those laws? The Cato Institute’s trade expert Scott Lincicome discusses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 23, 202627 min

Donald Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ Tariffs Lose 6-3 at the Supreme Court

The Justices strike down the President's "emergency" tariffs, ruling that a law called IEEPA doesn't give him limitless power to tax imports on a whim. But will Trump try to reimpose his tariff policy using other laws, or is the GOP quietly breathing a sigh of relief, as the 2026 midterms near amid mixed economic signals? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 20, 202627 min

Zohran Mamdani's Tax Ultimatum Is a Threat to Soak the Middle Class

To raise taxes on the rich, New York's Mayor wants help from Albany and Gov. Kathy Hochul. And if they refuse? Mamdani now says he'll jack up property taxes by nearly 10%. But isn't overspending the problem? Plus, the Congressional Budget Office offers an estimate for federal deficits over the next decade: $24 trillion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 19, 202627 min

Marco Rubio Speaks to Europe in a Different Tone Than JD Vance

Secretary of State Marco Rubio offers tough love to U.S. allies in a speech at the Munich Security Conference, in contrast to Vice President JD Vance last year. Will this be the GOP's choice once Donald Trump leaves office? Plus, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez gets tripped up on Taiwan, and another U.S. aircraft carrier nears Iran. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 18, 202625 min

The EPA Ends the 'Endangerment' Finding, a Linchpin of U.S. Climate Regulation

The Environmental Protection Agency rescinds its 2009 assertion that it can regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act, because they "endanger" public health. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin says this means cheaper cars and no more EV mandates, but is it going next to the courts, and maybe the Supreme Court? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 17, 202624 min

Democrats Pick a Shutdown Fight, as the ICE Surge Ends in Minneapolis

Congress skips town without funding the Department of Homeland Security, as a partial shutdown nears for the TSA and more, while border czar Tom Homan winds down immigration raids in Minnesota. Plus, does President Trump see his vulnerability, with voters now telling pollsters that Joe Biden did a better job? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 13, 202627 min

The January Jobs Numbers Exceed Expectations

The January jobs report shows a rebound in the labor market after a lousy 2025. Will it continue, and what does it say about the prospects for growth in this election year? Plus, the U.S. House stages a bipartisan revolt against Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 12, 202621 min

New Jersey Democrats Choose a Nominee Who Says 'Abolish ICE Now'

Analilia Mejia, a former political director for Bernie Sanders, wins a Democratic primary in a suburban House district, while Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger starts her tenure from the left. Are these signs of where the Democratic Party is going, and what does it suggest about the midterms, such as the Senate race in Texas? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 11, 202625 min

Texans Race to Sign Up for School Choice. Will Mississippi Take Note?

About 60,000 families apply in mere days, as Texas opens enlistment for its new education savings accounts, or ESAs. That's a big success, after Gov. Greg Abbott bet political capital to pass the program. Meantime, the Mississippi Senate derails an ESA bill passed by the state House. Will Gov. Tate Reeves try again? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 10, 202625 min

Jimmy Lai Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison, but Can Trump Intervene?

Amounting to essentially a death sentence for Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong publisher is sentenced to 20 years in prison for violating China’s national security law. What can Donald Trump do when he meets with Xi Jinping during his visit to China later this year? Plus, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi leads her Liberal Democratic Party to victory. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 09, 202626 min

Trump Calls to ‘Nationalize’ Elections, as the GOP Debates Tightening Voter ID

Donald Trump says the federal government should "take over the voting" in many places, drawing pushback from Republicans, who argue that the Constitution creates a decentralized system. Plus, Congress weighs a bill to require citizenship checks in voting, meaning many driver's licenses wouldn't qualify as ID. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 06, 202627 min
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