Washington Today

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First, with a federalized national guard and the Marines on the streets of Los Angeles – a conversation with Mary McCord of Georgetown Law about the legal and Constitutional issues surrounding the domestic deployment of the U.S. military. Then, Former NIH Director Dr. Harold Varmus (VARR-muss) discusses how spending cuts to his former agency is impacting the future of federal medical research. And finally we chat with Wall Street Journal trade reporter Gavin Bade on the latest in U.S.-China trade talks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

United Nations Security Council meets on the military exchanges between Israel and Iran. Iran announces it is pulling out of nuclear talks with the U.S. President Trump posts, "Two months ago I gave Iran a 60 day ultimatum to “make a deal”…Now they have, perhaps, a second chance!" Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a migrant who was deported from Maryland to El Salvador, then brought back after an indictment, pleads not guilty in federal court in Tennessee to human trafficking charges. More Republican governors call up the National Guard ahead a weekend of expected protests against Trump Administration policies; Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) talks about the future of his party and young people; former President Bill Clinton and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) give eulogies at today's funeral service of the late Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) is forcibly removed from a news conference in Los Angeles being held by Homeland Security Sec Kristi Noem on federal immigration enforcement operations; three Democratic governors testify before U.S. House Oversight Committee about sanctuary policies to limit local cooperation with Immigration & Customs enforcement; U.S. House passes a bill to rescind $9.4 billion in federal spending on foreign aid and money to support National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS); Senate confirms a new IRS Commissioner, former Rep. Billy Long (R-MO); President Donald Trump signs bills overturning California's rules mandating electric vehicle sales and setting tailpipe emissions standards; President Trump is asked about reports Israel may soon attack Iran. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent questioned at a House committee on a U.S.-China trade agreement announced by President Donald Trump; House considers a resolution to make changes to the tax cut & spending cut Budget Reconciliation bill (aka One Big Beautiful Bill) but Republicans and Democrats disagree about how significant today's vote really is; House also debates a bill to classify fentanyl permanently as schedule one, reserved for the most dangerous drugs; House debates a bill to revoke Washington, DC's "sanctuary city" law; Attorney General Pam Bondi says the Trump administration is not afraid of going further than using the Marine Corps and California National Guard when dealing with anti-federal immigration enforcement protests in Los Angeles, while California Gov. Gavin Newsom says, "Democracy is under assault before our eyes. This moment we have feared has arrived"; FAA Administrator nominee Bryan Bedford testifies before a Senate committee; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is questioned by Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on Ukraine war policy; tonight is the annual Congressional Baseball Game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defends the deployment of hundreds of U.S. Marines to Los Angeles after protests have turned violent and tells a House subcommittee it will cost $134 million to troops on the ground for 60 days; Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass condemns the violence, but also the mass arrests by federal immigration authorities in her city that sparked the protests; President Donald Trump warns any potential protestors at this weekend's military parade in Washington, DC will be ‘met with very big force’; U.S. House debates bill to overturn some DC local laws, including one concerning lack of cooperation with the feds on immigration, so-called 'sanctuary city' status; Health & Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. removes the entire expert panel of vaccine advisers, saying they all are “plagued with conflicts of interest”; National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya is questioned by Senators on proposed deep cuts to NIH medical research grants; U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee says the U.S. is no longer pursuing the goal of an independent Palestinian state. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Trump administration orders about 700 Marines to Los Angeles to support National Guard troops in the wake of protests this weekend over immigration. California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) says he is suing the Trump administration over the deployment of those National Guard troops. Senate Republican leaders are continuing to focus their energy on their budget reconciliation package, while the divisions over Medicaid changes and debt and deficit reduction remain. Meanwhile, House Republicans are starting their efforts this week to lock in as much as $9 billion in spending cuts. We are less than a week away from a military parade marking the 250th birthday of the US Army. 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, Marc Goldwein of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget discusses his organization's recent analysis of the Republican tax cuts and spending cuts bill. Then, a discussion with McCain Institute's Evelyn Farkas about the latest in efforts to forge a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine -- and the future of U.S. involvement. Finally, Former FEMA Chief of Staff Michael Coen discusses FEMA's readiness as the 2025 hurricane season kicks off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Attorney General Pam Bondi on Kilmar Abrego Garcia being returned to the U.S. from a prison in El Salvador to face criminal charges of allegedly transporting undocumented migrants within the U.S; House passes a bill to require proof of U.S. citizenship to get a Small Business Administration loan; President Trump tells various news organizations that he does not plan to speak to Elon Musk anytime soon, and says Musk has 'lost his mind,' a day after the war of words online over spending levels in the budget reconciliation bill in Congress; Labor Department issues its jobs report for May: 139,000 jobs created, a little lower than the month before, unemployment rate stays at 4.2%; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks at the American cemetery in Normandy, France on this 81st anniversary of the D-Day military landing by Allied troops during World War II; veterans, lawmakers and activists attend a "Unite for Veterans" rally in Washington, opposed to what they say are Trump administration's actions harming veterans and the benefits they have earned. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump and Space X & Tesla CEO Elon Musk, former head of the Dept of Government Efficiency, trade online insults and threats, while Musk continues to call for the defeat of the tax cut & spend cut budget reconciliation bill because he says it will increase the nation's debt substantially; Interview with The Hill's Congressional Reporter Alex Bolton on challenges facing the budget reconciliation bill in the Senate (6); President Trump asked about his phone call today with Chinese President Xi Jinping about trade and tariffs and his travel ban on 12 countries, with restrictions on immigration from seven more; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the NATO defense minister's meeting in Brussels speaks about President Trump's goal of NATO countries spending at least 5% of GDP on defense; Jared Isaacman talks about getting a phone call last week from the White House that his nomination for NASA Administrator has been withdrawn.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

White House Budget Director Russell Vought testifies before a House subcommittee on the President's FY2026 budget request and the budget reconciliation bill, the one called the One Big Beautiful Bill on taxes & spending; He disputes a new Congressional Budget Office (CBO) prediction that the House-passed version will add $2.4 trillion in budget deficits over 10 years; Senate is on path to confirm the second highest spot in the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, vice chair for supervision; Tariffs on imported steel & aluminum double from 25% to 50%. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick goes before a Senate subcommittee defending President Trump's tariff policies; FAA Acting Administrator Christopher Rocheleau tells a House panel about the administration's plans to completely rebuild the nation's air traffic control operation; President Trump says he spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the war in Ukraine and nuclear talks with Iran; U.S. vetoes United Nations Security Council Gaza war ceasefire resolution. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices