Washington Monthly

In his first inaugural address, FDR famously told the nation that there was "nothing to fear but fear itself." Fast forward to 2025, and fear is the hallmark of Donald Trump's first 100 days in office. Author and journalist Jonathan Alter contrasts the enduring legacy of FDR to the chaos of Trump. Co-hosted by Washington Monthly Legal Affairs Editor Garrett Epps and Contributing Edit...

Washington Monthly Editor-in-chief Paul Glastris, Politics Editor Bill Scher and Executive Editor for Digital Matt Cooper chat with host Anne Kim about Trump's abysmal progress toward his promise of a new "golden era" for America. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Promises Made and Broken 00:36 Trump's Trade Deal with China 06:10 Evaluating Trump's Promises on Trade 09:33 Gradin...

Lawyer and historian Ira Shapiro, author of three widely-acclaimed books on the history of the U.S. Senate, speaks with co-hosts Garrett Epps and Anne Kim about the Senate's long decline over the last 30 years, the role of former Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in the destruction of the institution, and the need for the Senate to step forward to defend US democracy.

Some Democrats are already talking about the prospect of impeaching Donald Trump, and there's plenty evidence already of the "high crimes and misdemeanors" the Constitution demands. But as Washington Monthly's Bill Scher and Matt Cooper argue, the politics risks of talking up impeachment might be too high at the moment to pursue.

Donald Trump has launched an all-out assault on the nation's largest and most prestigious law firms. While some have chosen to capitulate, others have chosen to fight. Washington Monthly Legal Affairs Editor Garrett Epps and contributing editor Anne Kim discuss the myriad ways in which Trump's attacks on Big Law are unconstitutional and why it's vital for firms to resist.

Trashing the economy and breaking the law - it turns out - are politically unpopular moves. Who knew? Washington Monthly politics editor Bill Scher and Executive Editor for Digital Matt Cooper talk through Trump's latest polls, the most recent laws broken, and the "big, beautiful" budget bill that could ultimately be Republicans' undoing. Moderated by contributing editor Anne Kim...

When the Associated Press refused to call the Gulf of Mexico the "Gulf of America," Donald Trump expelled AP from the White House press pool. Was this legal? Washington Monthly Legal Affairs Editor Garrett Epps and contributing editor Anne Kim walk through the key legal concepts that undergird the First Amendment's freedom of the press and the three things every citizen should know: that governmen...

After another week of bad news, bad polls and adverse court rulings, has the Trump president hit a tipping point in its power and popularity? Washington Monthly Editor in Chief Paul Glastris and Politics Editor Bill Scher debate Trump's future with contributing editor Anne Kim.

Most Americans don't pay much attention to the US territory of Guam, but this tiny island has outsized strategic importance - especially as China considers how, and when, to retake Taiwan. Hosts Anne Kim and Garrett Epps speak with longtime foreign correspondent and author Christian Caryl about the Chinese threat to Guam and whether America is ready for a potential attack.

There's plenty that ordinary citizens can do to push back on the Trump regime. They can protest, they can support legal action, they can lobby elected officials, and, above all, they can stay informed. Co-hosts Anne Kim and Garrett Epps speak with journalist Timothy Noah about his recent piece for TNR on the tactics of successful resistance. Chapters 00:00 The Importance of Marching 06:10 Strategi...

Has Resistance 2.0 finally arrived? Washington Monthly politics editor Bill Scher and Executive Editor, Digital Matt Cooper chat with contributing editor Anne Kim about the impact of last weekend's massive "Hands Off" demonstrations and what the outcome of last week's special elections in Florida and Wisconsin spell for the viability of GOP electoral prospects in 2026.

Now that the Supreme Court has made racial preferences in college admissions illegal, can class-based affirmative action promote equity? Washington Monthly Editor-in-Chief Paul Glastris and Contributing Editor Anne Kim speak with Richard Kahlenberg, the nation's most prominent advocate of economic affirmative action.

In this week's livestream, Washington Monthly Politics Editor Bill Scher and Executive Editor for Digital Matt Cooper chat with host Anne Kim about the political fallout from SignalGate and Donald Trump's reckless imposition of tariffs. "Incompetence" may be the political weapon Democrats need to turn around their political fortunes. Plus, a preview of Tuesday's special elections in Florida and Wi...

Donald Trump's abandonment of Ukraine in favor of Russia and Vladimir Putin threatens to upend the global order. Will Europe emerge as a unified force to defend Western democracies in the absence of American leadership? Washington Monthly editor-in-chief Paul Glastris speaks with Tamar Jacoby, Director of the New Ukraine Project at the Progressive Policy Institute; and Mike Lofgren, author, histor...

Two themes have animated the last week of Trump's presidency: defiance and revenge. Washington Monthly ediitors Matt Cooper and Bill Scher and contributing editor Anne Kim discuss the potential political fallout of Trump's call to impeach judges who disagree with him. They also talk about the rise of Bernie Sanders and AOC as the face of Democratic resistance and the fate of Sen. Chuck Schumer as...

"Abundance liberalism" is catching fire among Democrats as an economic theory that could revive the progressive left and, with it, the Democratic Party's brand. Its major focus is regulatory reforms to free up bottlenecks in the construction of new housing, infrastructure and sources of energy. But is it enough? Washington Monthly Editor-in-Chief Paul Glastris and Editor Nate Weisberg think not. T...

Colleges and universities potentially face unprecedented financial strain under the Trump administration. While the most significant threat is cuts to funding for research, schools also potentially face cuts in financial aid and higher taxes on endowment. Washington Monthly Editor in Chief Paul Glastris and contributing editor Anne Kim speak with higher education finance expert Robert Kelchen, who...

Washington Monthly politics editor and Washington Monthly Editor-in-Chief Paul Glastris join contributing editor Anne Kim for the Monthly's first ever politics livestream, the morning after Donald Trump's first speech to a joint session of Congress. In his speech, Trump doubled down on tariffs and taking Greenland. He demonized immigrants and trans Americans. And by his own account, he's just gett...

In this episode, Anne Kim and Garrett Epps discuss the foundational concepts of U.S. democracy, focusing on the separation of powers and the emerging threat of the "unitary executive" theory. They also discuss the implications of Trump's power grab, including threats to public health, safety and the rule of law. Key moments: 00:00 Foundations of Democracy and Constitutional Challenges 05:05 Separa...

Co-hosts Anne Kim and Garrett Epps speak with Tamar Jacoby, who is living and working in Kyiv as Director of the Progressive Policy Institute's New Ukraine Project. She speaks about the future of Ukraine, the changing face of warfare, and Vladimir Putin's potential ambitions in Europe.

#elections #votersrights #trump #2026 #2028 #elections President Donald Trump has promised drastic changes to election laws, such as requiring proof of citizenship and paper ballots, that could disenfranchise thousands, if not millions, of voters. How serious are these threats? Co-hosts Anne Kim and Garrett Epp speak with Joshua A. Douglas, a law professor at the University of Kentucky J. David Ro...

Federal workers are the latest target of Donald Trump, who vowed in his campaign to shrink the size of government and purge anyone he perceives to be disloyal. Can the civil service be saved? Co-hosts Anne Kim and Garrett Epp speak with Donald F. Kettl, former dean of the University of Maryland School of Public Policy and an expert on public administration.

Massive tariffs. Mass deportations. A looming budget crisis. A politicized Fed. Economist Rob Shapiro speaks with co-hosts Anne Kim and Garrett Epps about what's ahead for the economy as Donald Trump takes office. Chapters00:00 The Biden Economy: A Strong Recovery03:52 Trump's Tariff Plans and Their Implications09:16 The Threat of Mass Deportations16:12 Fiscal Policies and the Deficit20:47 The Fed...

Co-hosts Anne Kim and Garrett Epps continue their conversation with Washington Monthly Editor-in-Chief Paul Glastris about how Democrats can win back working-class Americans. Paul also discusses the shape of "Resistance 2.0" to Trump and the legacy of Monthly founder Charlie Peters.

Paul Glastris, Editor-in-Chief of the Washington Monthly, speaks with co-hosts Anne Kim and Garrett Epps about the latest issue of the magazine, which offers 10 ideas for reviving the fortunes of working-class Americans - and the Democratic Party. Part 1 of a two-part interview.