Washington Week with The Atlantic

Friday marks Yamiche Alcindor's final time moderating Washington Week. After two years, she made the difficult decision to step away from the role to focus on commitments to NBC News as a Washington Correspondent and to finish her upcoming memoir.

The debate over guns in America is again rising after a deadly school shooting in Nashville. Republicans in Washington responded to the tragedy by saying it is too soon to judge while President Biden admitted that he has exhausted all of his executive authority to act on gun violence. Wednesday

Tennessee’s House Republicans made extraordinary moves this week and expelled two of their Black Democratic colleagues for breaking decorum and floor rules. The vote came after Rep. Justin Jones, Rep. Gloria Johnson and Rep. Justin Pearson joined gun protests in the Capitol after the Nashville elementary school shooting.

History was made in New York City this week when, for the first time, a former U.S. president was indicted, arrested and arraigned on criminal charges. Republicans were quick to rush to Trump's defense while the Biden White House chose not to engage.

The arrest of an Air National Guardsman accused in connection with the most damaging release of classified U.S. information in years raises new questions about who is given access to our nation’s most closely guarded secrets.

It’s been a week of legal whiplash in the high-stakes battle over access to mifepristone, the most common form of abortion in the country. The Supreme Court is now involved and temporarily restored access to the drug, giving the high court more time to consider an emergency appeal filed

The Supreme Court goes right up to its deadline and finally weighs in on the widely used abortion pill mifepristone. The court ruling preserves access to the drug and declines restrictions on its use as the lawsuit over its FDA approval continues. The panel discusses how this case and the

Two top leaders in Washington are in a standoff over raising the U.S. debt ceiling and each has potential problems within their parties. Speaker McCarthy said he would raise the debt ceiling into next year in exchange for major spending cuts. President Biden immediately rejected the opening bid calling

After weeks of brinkmanship, posturing, and intense negotiation, President Biden will soon sign into law a bipartisan bill that lifts the country’s debt limit and averts what could have been an economic disaster. The panel recaps the battle and discusses how it could influence future debt negotiations.

The president's son, Hunter Biden, is expected to plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges and will admit to illegally owning a gun. If a judge accepts the terms, he will likely avoid prison time. Outraged House Republicans blasted the agreement and vowed to continue investigating the president

The race for the Republican presidential nomination stepped up this week with former President Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis attacking each other on the campaign trail and two former Trump allies preparing to announce their own presidential bids. It all comes as the former president faces new developments in

Talks on raising the debt ceiling took an unscheduled break Friday as Republican negotiators abruptly walked away from the bargaining table. They said they paused the talks because the White House hadn't moved far enough in the Republican direction on spending cuts. Talks resumed Friday night and the

The field vying for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination is growing. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott filed election paperwork and said his announcement is coming Monday, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to say he’s running on Wednesday. It comes as DeSantis and the current frontrunner, former President

In Washington, it’s crunch time for President Biden and Congressional leaders to reach an agreement on raising the country’s borrowing limit. With less than three weeks to go before the U.S. is expected to run out of money, a second round of talks has been postponed until

CNN courted controversy and fierce debate after former President Trump headlined its latest prime-time town hall. Despite moderator Kaitlan Collins’ best efforts to fact-check Trump in real-time, he used questions from her and an audience of Republican New Hampshire voters to repeat many of his familiar false claims.

Donald Trump is closing in on the GOP presidential nomination, achieving something at this early stage that very few candidates have attained and opening the door for the longest general election season in recent history. But his campaign will play out to a large degree in courtrooms, as it did

Following the New Hampshire primaries, the 2024 presidential election is shaping up to be a rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. But as Biden picks up his campaign, some are wondering whether he is trying to beat the Republican frontrunner at his own game.

After Donald Trump's win in Iowa, more Republicans are coalescing around the former president, some potentially vying to become his vice president. This as Trump looks for another victory in the New Hampshire primary.

President Biden and his administration are increasingly facing an unpredictable world, with the war in Gaza, fighting between Iran and Pakistan and America's military retaliation against the Houthis in Yemen. Those recent conflicts are raising questions about continued support for the war in Ukraine and whether there will

The House Freedom Caucus picked up a win after they pressured Speaker McCarthy to add controversial amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act. That includes bans on racial diversity programs and the military paying for gender-affirming care or covering travel for service members seeking an abortion. But what McCarthy gained

President Biden is back in the U.S. after a historic trip to Europe. He recorded some potentially legacy-building wins, including the expansion of NATO with Finland and Sweden. But Biden left Ukraine wanting by refusing to push for NATO membership for now but reaffirming a pledge it will eventually

Before leaving for his trip abroad, President Biden visited South Carolina, an early Democratic primary state, touting his economic policies and infrastructure investments. Elsewhere on the 2024 campaign trail, the feud between Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former President Trump flared up again, this time after the DeSantis campaign attacked

Just as President Biden is set to meet with top European leaders, he announced the U.S. is providing more aid to Ukraine in the form of cluster munitions. The controversial weapons, banned by some 100 countries, are meant to boost Ukraine's counteroffensive against Russia. But the move

In his first major test as Speaker, Kevin McCarthy secured a notable win by successfully passing his debt limit and spending cuts package in the House. But Democrats reject the bill and the path forward in the high-stakes stalemate over the nation’s debt ceiling is unclear.

President Biden made it official this week, announcing his 2024 reelection bid and setting the stage for a possible 2024 rematch against his predecessor. Former President Trump, the current front-runner for the Republican nomination, immediately went on the attack.

President Biden hosted the controversial prime minister of India looking to counter China’s global influence. It came as tensions between the U.S. and Beijing flared up when Biden referred to President Xi Jinping as a dictator. That was just a day after Antony Blinken's delicate diplomatic

The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg welcomes viewers as he takes over as moderator of Washington Week with The Atlantic.

While the country suffers through a relentless heat wave, a flurry of legal developments has dialed up the temperature on former President Trump. His lawyers met with special counsel Jack Smith’s team, hoping to prevent a federal indictment related to Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn his loss in

This week, all of Washington was alarmed when Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell seemed to freeze up mid-sentence. After nearly 20 seconds, he was helped away from the podium by his colleagues. The 81-year-old later came back, said he was fine, and has continued his work. But questions now linger

For the second time in as many months, the top Republican in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, froze at an event while answering questions from reporters. And a new poll shows three-quarters of the public thinks that President Biden, who is 80, is too old to serve another term as president.

A Georgia judge set former President Trump’s trial date for the day before Super Tuesday. But it’s unclear if a conviction in any of his criminal cases will influence GOP voters.

With growing tensions in the Middle East and the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, it's unclear if the mounting conflicts will spill over into the voting booth. The panel discusses how foreign relations could sway Americans as they head for a potential Biden-Trump rematch this November.

The U.S. retaliated against Iranian assets after three American soldiers were killed in Jordan. Will Iran and the militias it sponsors back down, or is this the beginning of a new phase in the decades-old confrontation between the U.S. and the Islamic republic?

The Supreme Court released a series of historic rulings this week with far-reaching consequences for race, education, and elections in America. For the second year in a row, the Roberts court overturned years of legal precedent and ruled against widespread practice conservatives have long sought to end. This year it

The Supreme Court ended the week with conservative victories on religious rights and the president's student loan forgiveness plan. But a ruling earlier in the week against the controversial independent state legislature theory rejected a Republican-led attempt to have more power over federal elections. The panel discusses the

With the clock ticking down to the November election, former President Donald Trump is facing four criminal trials. This week, more than one judge turned down his attempts to dismiss his cases outright. But a number of delays in these trials is also playing to Trump’s favor.

Mitch McConnell’s announcement he will end his tenure as the longest-serving Senate leader in U.S. history solidifies Donald Trump as the leader of today’s Republican Party. The panel discusses his legacy and what's next for the GOP.

Both President Biden and former President Trump won their respective primaries on Tuesday, but the results revealed vulnerabilities in their 2024 bids for the White House. The panel looks at Biden’s and Trump’s electoral weaknesses and strengths heading into November.

The Ukrainians are outmanned, outgunned and struggling against Russia's military and Republicans in the House are in no rush to help. It raises concerns that should Donald Trump return to office, will abandon Ukraine to Vladimir Putin.

Saturday marks two years since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine. The panel discusses Ukraine's fight for survival, its central place in the global struggle between democracies and autocracies, its battlefield difficulties and worries that aid from the U.S. could end.

Former President Trump was dealt another legal blow Friday when a judge ordered him to pay over $350 million in damages in the New York civil fraud suit. How are the latest developments in Trump’s multiple ongoing trials affecting his 2024 campaign strategy?

After reports that Putin’s top critic Alexei Navalny has died in prison, President Biden lashed out at Russia and called on House Republicans to pass critical funding for Ukraine. This comes days after former President Trump’s criticism of NATO sparked panic in Europe.

Donald Trump exercised his power on the Republican Party by getting Senate allies to reject the bipartisan border deal. It leaves funding for Ukraine, border security and aid to Israel and Taiwan caught up in the vortex of dysfunctional Capitol Hill politics.

The Trump campaign caught a lucky break after a special counsel report raised questions about President Biden’s memory and age. It left Biden angry and bitter about suggestions he’s too old to serve. But how will it impact voters?

House Speaker Mike Johnson is facing the first direct threat to his speakership. GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene filed a motion to vacate against him for working with Democrats to fund the government. The panel discusses whether Johnson can survive or if he will need a deal with Democrats to

U.S. support for Israel and its controversial prime minister has long been a source of domestic political tension, but never like this past month. Sen. Chuck Schumer, the most senior Jewish official on Capitol Hill. broke with Netanyahu publicly and bitterly last week. Now, House Speaker Mike Johnson is

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer issued a stinging rebuke of Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu this week. Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson insists he’s looking for a way to pass aid to Ukraine, even if it risks angering far-right members. The panel discusses these notable moves that could have far-reaching

Thursday night’s State of the Union proved that President Joe Biden, despite his advanced age, can still deliver an impassioned speech. But it’s not yet clear that voters — including many who think he’s simply too old to run — will get on board.

At a Radio City Music Hall event that featured former Presidents Clinton and Obama, President Biden raised $25 million for his campaign. Meanwhile, Donald Trump is selling “God Bless the USA Bibles” for $60 a pop, part of an effort to fund his cash-strapped campaign and pay his legal bills,

The passing of former Sen. Joe Lieberman highlights an era that is long gone in politics. The panel discusses what Jeffrey Goldberg has called the "demise of the centrists."

In the wake of the Congressional special election upset in New York this week, we look back into the "Vault" at parallels to a 1994 special election. Like this year, in which a national issue (Medicare Reform) shaped the debate, in 1994 the issue was Bill Clinton'

On the Webcast Extra: The latest National Journal poll on the debt reduction deal. Who's more skeptical, Democrats or Republicans? Also, will the Supreme Court make history allowing cameras in the courtroom to hear the legal challenges to health care reform? And, Rick Perry turns President Obama'

Might the "Tea Party" enter their own candidates for the 2010 fall elections or by the 2012 election year?

On the Webcast Extra: US soldier serving in Iraq gets booed during the GOP presidential debate. Republican set their sites on the White House and Senate in 2012. Why did the stock market plunge after the Fed Reserve took action to boost the economy this week? President Obama's

On the Webcast Extra: Fighting erupts in Congress and on the campaign trail over student loans. Is this a substantive battle or the latest partisan dustup? Also, does a lack of endorsements hurt Romney's ability to coalesce the Republican Party? Plus, the first criminal charges levied against BP

More from Gwen and the panel on why poop has become an issue in the Pennsylvania Senate race, the anti-establishment sentiment in California, a controversial campaign ad in KY, and the Tea Party's goal of a 'hostile takeover' of the Republican party.

David Broder was the "Dean" of the Washington Press Corp, and a fixture on Washington Week for decades. But the stories he relished the most featured the voices outside of Washington and the issues that mattered most to Americans. He also offered keen insight into the workings and

President Obama addressed a joint session of Congress on his new jobs plan. Will his speech be enough to rally support? Also, analysis on this week's GOP presidential candidates' debate. Plus, our reporters reflect on 9/11 and how it has shaped their lives and America in

On the Webcast Extra: Herman Cain drops out of the GOP race. And as Newt Gingrich rises in the polls, Republicans are beginning to view him as being as electable as Mitt Romney. Plus, President Barack Obama may make a recess appointment for his nominee to the Consumer Financial Protection

In the Washington Week Webcast EXTRA, more on Barack Obama's religion and why Evangelist Franklin Graham says the President was born into the Muslim faith; how the magnitude of the floods in Pakistan is having an impact on the war strategy there and in Afghanistan; an update on

The panel takes your questions on Afghanistan, the Hutaree militia, jobs and health care. Send your questions to washingtonweek@pbs.org to try your hand at becoming the fifth panelist.

On the Webcast Extra: Obama attacks Romney's record at Bain Capital as both try to control Romney's image. National Journal's Political Insiders poll asks if this tactic is effective. And has Obama abandoned bringing people together in favor of more aggressive campaigning?

On the Webcast Extra: After Republican Richard Lugar's defeat, how much power does the Tea Party have? Plus, Mitt Romney came under fire for a bullying incident back in high school. Will this have an effect on how voters perceive him? Also, how dangerous is Yemen?

Gwen and the panel analyze the 5 to 7 dead-heat Senate races that will decide majority rule; the vulnerability of Democratic candidates among blue-collar white male voters; and Democrats alleging foreign money is pouring into GOP campaign coffers.

The panel looks at the results of the National Journal Congressional Insiders Poll: Will spending caps and entitlement reform be attached to the debt limit increase? And analysis of President Obama's moment of candor at a fundraiser and his tough talk on the GOP ahead of his 2012

The panel continues the conversation online with an update on developments from the New York terror plot, more on the 2010 primary elections, the continuing oil spill and the recent Supreme Court nomination. Remember to send your questions to washingtonweek@pbs.org next week to get your answers from the

Did the six-hour debate kill health care reform forever?

The Congress debates the debt ceiling and sides are taken on tax breaks versus spending. How will the same-sex marriage debate play in the 2010 presidential election? Plus, an update on Rick Perry and Sarah Palin's presidential plans. Also, Christine Lagarde begins her new position as IMF Chief

On the Webcast Extra: how big of a deal was the billion dollar mortgage settlement this week? Plus, President Obama reverse decision on Super PACs. Also, notes from CPAC, including Ron Paul's absence, Newt Gingrich's speech, and possible outcomes of the Straw Poll.

Gwen and the panel analyze the results of the National Journal Congressional Insiders poll on bipartisanship in Congress, the dynamics of the new Congress colliding with establishment politics, President Obama heads to Asia and Europe, and the Supreme Court examines immigration and the rights of veterans.

On the Webcast Extra: Deb Fischer surprising won a Senate primary in Nebraska this week. Also, George W. Bush endorses Mitt Romney. Meanwhile, world leaders are converging on Camp David for the G-8 summit. Also, according to the latest unemployment numbers, our workforce is shrinking. Where is everyone going?

On the Webcast Extra: The president meets with the governors and offers options on healthcare while Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin fight over budgets and collective bargaining. Also, a discussion on the Gadhafi family and the identity of the Libyan rebels. Plus, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor create a more active

One year after the September 11 attacks, 18 journalists joined Gwen Ifill in a special one hour Washington Week. We looked back at how the country evolved over the first year post-September 11. In Part 1, we examined how President Bush and the presidency had changed, the approaching war in

On the Webcast Extra: Today's unemployment numbers can be viewed in a variety of ways. How do these different interpretations influence rhetoric on the campaign trail? Plus, the link between educational attainment and unemployment. Also, what is needed to make the new agreement between Afghanistan and the US

On the Webcast Extra: Ahead of next week's tax deadline, President Obama campaigns on the Buffett Rule and candidates release their tax returns. Plus, the politics behind the NRA's claim that President Obama has a strong anti-gun record. Also, whether political mini-scandals weigh on the electorate&

Gwen and the panel take your questions on the health care reform bill and the power structure in the House of Representatives. The panel also discusses Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) and Vice President Joe Biden's trip to Israel.

Despite their "differences," House Speaker Paul Ryan officially announced after weeks of conversation that he will vote for his party's presidential nominee Donald Trump in November because the businessman is best suited to make the Republican agenda a reality. Plus, the unemployment rate fell to 4.

In the latest embarrassment for the agency tasked with protecting the president, two Secret Service agents are being investigated for driving a vehicle into a White House security barricade while under the influence of alcohol. The agents allegedly drove into an active bomb investigation, nearly missing a suspicious package.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid made a surprise announcement Friday that he will not run for re-election in Nevada in 2016 which set off discussions inside the Democratic leadership about who will replace the long-time leader. Also this week, President Obama met with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and announced that

After being under strong pressure from conservatives in Congress to push for tighter government spending, House Speaker John Boehner announced his resignation this week. As he continued his tour around the U.S., Pope Francis came to Washington to address Congress on controversial issues including immigration and climate change.