WSJ Opinion: Potomac Watch

Donald Trump moves to pause workplace enforcement in two industries that rely on migrant labor, saying his aggressive policy "is taking very good, long time workers away." But days later the White House seems to reverse course. Plus, Texas and the Justice Department quickly settle a lawsuit that will block a 2001 law letting Dreamers pay in-state tuition at public colleges. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 17 June 2025

As Israel continues its aerial assault on Iran and its nuclear facilities, Paul Gigot speaks with Foundation for Defense of Democracies CEO Mark Dubowitz about Donald Trump’s contribution to Israel’s initial surprise attack. They also discuss the possibility of regime change and how the United States can help Israel eliminate Iran as a nuclear threat.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 16 June 2025

After stunning Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities and military chain of command, Donald Trump calls the operation "excellent" and says that Tehran should agree to a nuclear deal, "before there is nothing left." Why did Israel act now? How much capability does Iran have to retaliate? And how will MAGA voters react to Trump's support of Israel's military action? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 13 June 2025

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is using the protests in Los Angeles to cast himself as leader of the resistance to Donald Trump. Will he gain politically? Plus, more demonstrations are planned for major cities across the nation this weekend, even as the President ramps up his deportation plans.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 12 June 2025

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. removes all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, alleging ethics concerns and conflicts of interest. Do those claims hold water, or is RFK Jr. merely feeding vaccine skepticism? Plus, Donald Trump says the U.S. has reached a trade deal with China. What are the details? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 11 June 2025

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer seeks testimony from top White House advisers and Biden's physician, while Donald Trump suggests his predecessor's executive actions might be void if Biden didn't personally sign them. Plus, Kilmar Abrego Garcia is brought back from El Salvador, as the Supreme Court directed, to face federal criminal charges. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 10 June 2025

Donald Trump sends in the National Guard as demonstrations over his deportation agenda explode in California. Could Trump use the Insurrection Act as a response and will Gavin Newsom use the ugly incidents as a springboard for his own political aspirations? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 9 June 2025

Donald Trump and Elon Musk part ways on the GOP's big beautiful bill, but as their spat turns personal, how might it affect the legislative debate in the Senate and the package's political prospects? Plus, the Supreme Court issues unanimous rulings on so-called reverse discrimination and whether Wisconsin can deny a religious tax exemption to Catholic Charities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 6 June 2025

Paul Gigot speaks with former Sen. Phil Gramm about what free trade has done to American manufacturing, the political and economic damage that Donald Trump’s volatile tariff policy could have during the 2026 midterm elections, and his new book, “The Triumph of Economic Freedom: Debunking the Seven Great Myths of American Capitalism.”   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 5 June 2025

As the GOP's tax-and-budget bill moves to the Senate, it gets a new opponent in Musk, who slams it on social media as a "disgusting abomination." How might the Senate improve the bill, since the alternative is a $4.5 trillion automatic tax increase amid a shaky economy? Plus, Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dismisses a nuclear deal, by insisting on uranium enrichment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 4 June 2025

The daring Ukrainian attack reportedly involved sneaking drones into Russian territory, far from the front lines, until they were activated to strike Vladimir Putin's parked bombers. How much might this success affect the dynamic at the front lines? And as drone warfare changes the nature of the Ukraine conflict, is America paying attention to its own possible vulnerabilities? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 3 June 2025

Paul Gigot talks to law professor John Yoo about Donald Trump's attack on the Federalist Society and Leonard Leo, what's motivating the President, and what it means for the President's second-term judicial nominations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 2 June 2025

In an Oval Office farewell, he touts the work of his Department of Government Efficiency, while saying it will continue without him. How much has DOGE accomplished, and why did it fall short of the initial promises? Plus, the Supreme Court issues a unanimous ruling in favor of a railroad project that regulators finally approved after a 3,600-page environmental study. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 30 May 2025

After the U.S. Court of International Trade strikes down some of Donald Trump’s tariffs as a violation of his authority as president, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit pauses the decision pending further arguments. So what happens next, and will Trump win on appeal to the Supreme Court? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 29 May 2025

He raises the idea of a 50% tax on imports from the European Union, then announces a pause two days later. Meantime, he says that Apple might face a 25% tariff on iPhones made in India, though is it economically feasible to manufacture them in the U.S.? Plus, the Trump administration changes its tone on the purchase of U.S. Steel by Japan's Nippon Steel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 28 May 2025

As Russia continues its air bombardment of Ukraine, he takes a tougher rhetorical line, saying that Putin is "playing with fire." But if his peace negotiations go nowhere, is Trump prepared to resupply the Ukrainians with U.S. weapons and air defenses? Plus, Sen. Lindsey Graham argues for a bill, which has 82 co-sponsors, to ratchet up sanctions on Russian energy exports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 27 May 2025

The Trump Administration moves to revoke Harvard's ability to enroll noncitizens on student visas, but it's temporarily blocked by a federal judge. Does the Ivy League school have a good case that this is mere retaliation by President Trump? Plus, the Supreme Court splits 4-4 on St. Isidore, the religious charter school, while signaling an end to so-called independent federal agencies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 23 May 2025

The Republican tax-and-budget package squeaks through the House, 215-214, after late negotiations by the speaker to placate GOP fiscal hawks and SALT deduction enthusiasts. What are some of the highlights and lowlights of the 1,000-page bill, including on tax cuts, defense spending, food stamps, and green subsidies? And how much is the Senate likely to revise? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 22 May 2025

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

Transcribed - Published: 21 May 2025

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

Transcribed - Published: 20 May 2025

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

Transcribed - Published: 19 May 2025

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

Transcribed - Published: 16 May 2025

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

Transcribed - Published: 15 May 2025

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

Transcribed - Published: 14 May 2025

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

Transcribed - Published: 13 May 2025

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

Transcribed - Published: 12 May 2025

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

Transcribed - Published: 9 May 2025

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

Transcribed - Published: 8 May 2025

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

Transcribed - Published: 7 May 2025

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

Transcribed - Published: 6 May 2025

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

Transcribed - Published: 5 May 2025

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

Transcribed - Published: 2 May 2025

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

Transcribed - Published: 1 May 2025

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

Transcribed - Published: 30 April 2025

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

Transcribed - Published: 29 April 2025

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

Transcribed - Published: 28 April 2025

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

Transcribed - Published: 25 April 2025

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

Transcribed - Published: 24 April 2025

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

Transcribed - Published: 23 April 2025

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

Transcribed - Published: 22 April 2025

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

Transcribed - Published: 21 April 2025

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

Transcribed - Published: 18 April 2025

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

Transcribed - Published: 17 April 2025

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

Transcribed - Published: 16 April 2025

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

Transcribed - Published: 15 April 2025

Paul Gigot interviews Dartmouth economist Douglas Irwin on why Trump's tariffs are unlike any other in U.S. history, how they will change the global trading system, and what to do about the special case of China. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 14 April 2025

House Speaker Mike Johnson narrowly passes a budget outline, letting the GOP begin writing its "one big beautiful bill." But now comes the hard part: agreeing on the details of tax cuts and spending reductions. Plus, Donald Trump signs an order to make America's showers great again, but will manufacturers seize the opportunity to sell fixtures with more nozzles and water flow? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 11 April 2025

Donald Trump places a 90-day pause on the so-called reciprocal tariffs levied on countries around the world, but hits China with an even higher rate. What is his strategy for dealing with Xi Jinping, and what will he demand from friends and foes during negotiations?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 10 April 2025

Donald Trump's trade wars are roiling global business and financial markets, with China and the EU moving to retaliate. Yet only a handful of Republicans in Congress are pushing back, despite the GOP's past support for an open economy. Plus, the disruption raises pressure on Capitol Hill to pass a tax bill, and listeners write in with questions about the president's tariff strategy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 9 April 2025

The Supreme Court lifts an order preventing swift removal of alleged gang members under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. Yet the majority of the Justices take no position on the merits of using that law, while they also emphasize the requirement of due process. Meantime, an appeals court says the White House must seek the return of a man mistakenly sent to a prison in El Salvador. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 8 April 2025