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 [email protected]

Episodes

Joe Biden's Decline, the 25th Amendment, and the Political Price

New details about President Biden’s difficulties in office have prompted debate about whether the 25th Amendment could have been invoked to remove him if necessary. But it's doubtful, given the procedure that the Constitution requires. Will Democrats pay a political price for covering for Biden? Plus, his office now says he didn't receive the PSA test for prostate cancer since 2014. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 21, 202524 min

The Feds Charge a Congresswoman With Assaulting an ICE Agent

Rep. LaMonica McIver is accused of striking and impeding federal officers amid a confrontation at a Newark immigration detention facility. She calls the charges "ridiculous," while New Jersey's interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba says her conduct that day can't be overlooked. Plus, the Secret Service interviews James Comey about his “86 47” seashell photo posted on social media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 20, 202526 min

Will Democrats and the Press Own Their Joe Biden Mistakes?

A new book reveals the errors made by Democrats and the media by covering for Joe Biden's mental and physical decline that was obvious to voters. Did their efforts lead to the election of Donald Trump for a second time? Plus, Joe Biden’s cancer diagnosis raises questions about the transparency of medical tests and physicals performed on presidents. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 19, 202524 min

The GOP Holdouts on Donald Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’

The House Budget Committee votes down the Republican reconciliation package, amid a revolt by fiscal conservatives, including Rep. Chip Roy. What are their objections, and does Speaker Mike Johnson have a way to placate them without upsetting a different GOP faction? Meantime, Republican Senators are voicing a range of their own complaints about the House's handiwork. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 16, 202528 min

What Trump's Middle East Trip Says About His Foreign Policy

On a four-day visit to the Middle East, Donald Trump gives a speech on his vision for the region, meets Syria's new leader, and urges Iran toward a better path. What does his agenda say about his view of U.S. foreign policy and the direction of his second term? Plus, how will Trump react to Vladimir Putin's refusal to attend the peace talks with Ukraine that were being held in Turkey? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 15, 202524 min

Trump's Birthright Citizenship Order and the High Court

The Justices prepare to debate Donald Trump's executive order denying citizenship to U.S.-born children of illegal aliens and temporary residents, including those with student or work visas, in a case that challenges a long consensus on the 14th Amendment. Plus, the court will also consider whether federal judges overstep their authority when they issue nationwide injunctions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 14, 202529 min

What's in the House GOP's ‘Big Beautiful’ Tax Bill?

House Republicans outline their plan to extend the expiring 2017 tax cuts and prevent a $4.5 trillion tax increase, but the bill also includes a long list of political giveaways, including President Trump's promised tax exemption for tips and overtime, a tripling of the SALT deduction, and a $1,000 taxpayer contribution to "MAGA accounts" for babies. Is this the new GOP consensus? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 13, 202525 min

The U.S. and China’s Tariff Rollback / Qatar Offers Trump a Jet

The United States and China agree to a 90-day rollback of tariffs, signaling a deescalation in the trade war between the two countries. Is this an economic breakthrough or a tactical retreat by Donald Trump? Plus, the Trump administration is considering accepting a new Air Force One from Qatar, but the potential gift comes with ethical questions attached. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 12, 202525 min

Columbia's Latest Anti-Israel Disruption, as Trump Threatens to Tax Harvard

After campus agitators make another scene at Columbia University, new Acting President Claire Shipman calls the NYPD, which makes about 80 arrests. Meantime, President Trump escalates his confrontation with Harvard University, threatening to take away its tax exemption, as Education Secretary Linda McMahon tells the school that it shouldn't bother applying for future funding. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 09, 202530 min

A Thaw in the Trade War as the U.S. and U.K. Make a Deal

Donald Trump and Keir Starmer announce a preliminary trade deal after the pause on the President’s “Liberation Day” tariffs that caused distress in the financial markets. What does it mean for possible future pacts with Europe and China, and is the U.S.-U.K. agreement a sign of improvisational dealmaking? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 08, 202525 min

The GOP's Huddle on Its 'Big Beautiful Bill'

How much progress are Republicans making, as they keep plugging away on legislation to pass their agenda via the Senate's reconciliation process, avoiding a filibuster? Questions that still divide the GOP are whether to reform Medicaid and the SNAP food-stamp program, and what about the SALT deduction and Donald Trump's promise of no taxes on tips and overtime? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 07, 202526 min

Stranded in Newark? The FAA's Air-Traffic Control Mess

Hundreds of flights through Newark, N.J., have been disrupted, after an incident in which air-traffic controllers reportedly lost radar and communications for a short time. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said planes weren't in danger, but why can't the U.S. fix this outdated system? Plus, 35 Democrats in the House vote to end California's mandate for electric vehicles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 06, 202529 min

Paul Gigot Interviews Jason Riley on 'The Affirmative Action Myth'

Wall Street Journal columnist Jason Riley talks about his book in which he argues that black Americans made faster educational and economic progress before the onset of racial preferences and welfare programs. They also discuss whether it makes sense for colleges to give preferences to students from poor economic backgrounds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 05, 202534 min

Trump's Trade Wars and the Decline in U.S. GDP

The U.S. economy shrank in the first quarter of 2025, according to data released this week, and public companies on their earnings calls have recently warned about tariff effects, slowing consumer spending, and coming price increases. On the other hand, the jobs figures for April look solid. Yet nobody knows whether President Trump's Liberation Day tariffs are coming back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 02, 202527 min

Donald Trump Dismisses Mike Waltz as National Security Adviser

Donald Trump removes national security adviser Mike Waltz and his deputy after the Signal chat controversy. What does the move mean for the administration's foreign policy? Plus, House Speaker Mike Johnson gives an update on the “big, beautiful” spending bill tackling defense spending, student loans, and Medicaid. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 01, 202528 min

The Supreme Court Debates St. Isidore, the Religious Charter School

Does the First Amendment give a church the right to open a religious charter school? Or can states require that charter schools be secular, as part of the government's system of public education? The Justices wrestle with those questions in a case from Oklahoma, which could be a landmark ruling, with consequences for nearly four million students who now attend charters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 30, 202526 min

The FBI's Arrest of Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan

The feds charge a state judge with helping an illegal immigrant evade ICE agents at the courthouse in Milwaukee. Is this an overreach by the Trump administration or a justified response to a violation of the law? Plus, amid President Trump's deal with El Salvador and new confusion about the circumstances of three deported U.S. citizen children, two polls suggest slipping public support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 29, 202526 min

The First 100 Days of Donald Trump 2.0

Donald Trump ends the first 100 days of his second administration with lower approval ratings than at this point in his first term. Are his tariffs and the economy to blame, and what are some accomplishments so far that could inspire optimism for the rest of his time in office? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 28, 202530 min

States Ask to Ban Soda From Food Stamps / Sen. Dick Durbin’s Retirement

Republican governors are pursuing waivers from the Agriculture Department to disallow purchases of candy, soft drinks, and other sweets via the SNAP food-assistance program. Is this commonsense government or burdensome nannyism? Plus, Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin won't seek re-election in 2026, creating a Democratic primary in a blue state that could drift further left. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 25, 202525 min

Trump's Push for a Ukraine Deal / Virginia Schools Go Cellphone Free

After Russian missiles strike Kyiv, killing at least 12, Donald Trump urges Vladimir Putin to “STOP!” Yet the White House is putting most of its pressure on Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, who opposes legitimizing Putin's illegal takeover of Crimea with formal recognition. Plus, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and the Legislatures agree to cellphones in K-12 classrooms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 24, 202526 min

The Supreme Court's Cases on Gender Storybooks and ObamaCare

When a public school adds stories with LGBT themes to its elementary reading curriculum, do religious parents have a First Amendment right to opt out? And did ObamaCare evade a constitutional check when it delegated power to the Preventive Services Task Force? The Supreme Court debates those points in Mahmoud v. Taylor and Kennedy v. Braidwood Management. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 23, 202523 min

Hegseth’s Other Signal Chat / The Supreme Court’s Deportation Order

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faces more scrutiny, after an ouster of top aides and news reports about a second Signal chat group. But Donald Trump says he stands by Hegseth, amid rumors that the White House wants a replacement. Plus, the Supreme Court issues a midnight order halting deportations under the Alien Enemies Act, with a sharp dissent by Justice Samuel Alito. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 22, 202528 min

Paul Gigot and John Yoo on Donald Trump, the Courts and Presidential Power

Donald Trump keeps testing the limits of his executive authority, and courts have been pushing back. Is a constitutional crisis on the horizon? On this episode of Potomac Watch, law professor John Yoo speaks to Paul Gigot about what could be a looming clash between the President and the Supreme Court. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 21, 202528 min

Gov. Greg Abbott's Texas-Size Victory for School Choice

After putting his political capital on the line in GOP primaries, Abbott is close to enacting $10,000 scholarships for 100,000 students, as the bill passes the state House with votes to spare. Plus, New York Sen. Chuck Schumer blocks two of Donald Trump's nominees for federal prosecutor by withholding his "blue slip," but the president says he'll give Jay Clayton an interim appointment Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 18, 202527 min

Will Trump Fire Jerome Powell?

Trump clashes with Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell over the Central Bank’s response to his tariffs. While Powell is expressing concerns, the president wants interest rates cut now. So what’s a stake for the economy, monetary policy and Powell’s tenure? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 17, 202526 min

Harvard Says It Won't Comply, as Trump Freezes $2.2 Billion

The school rejects a list of demands from the Trump administration, including hiring and admissions changes to ensure "viewpoint diversity." Can the White House legally add such strings to federal funds, and could conservatives regret the precedent? Plus, Tax Day is a reminder to the Republicans writing the GOP's reconciliation bill that the revenue code is too complex already. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 16, 202530 min

Trump, El Salvador, and the Deportation of Abrego Garcia

The Supreme Court rules the U.S. should “facilitate” the return of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a migrant deported to a Salvadoran prison, despite an order protecting him from being sent there. But El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele suggests he won't release the man, as the White House argues it's his decision and that U.S. courts can't intervene in a matter of foreign policy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 15, 202527 min
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