Paul Gigot, The Wall Street Journal

WSJ Opinion: Potomac Watch

News EN ↓ 20 episodes

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 pwpodcast@wsj.com

Author

Paul Gigot, The Wall Street Journal

Category

News

Podcast website

www.wsj.com

Latest episode

Jul 10, 2026

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Episodes

Michigan’s Democratic Senate Debate / Trump Fires the Election Assistance Commission 10.07.2026

The next test for leftist Democrats is Michigan's race between Abdul El-Sayed and Rep. Haley Stevens. Plus, Alaska's top court puts Dan J. Sullivan back on the ballot, as Donald Trump ousts the leaders of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Raging Against the Machine, Graham Platner Exits the Maine Senate Race 09.07.2026

Maine Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner announces he’s leaving the race by denying the allegations against him and railing against establishment Democrats. Plus, GOP donor Ken Griffin says he'd support Marco Rubio over JD Vance for president in 2028.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump Calls Iran's Leaders 'Scum' and Says the Ceasefire Is ‘Over’ 08.07.2026

Donald Trump now says talks with Iran are a waste of time, since its leaders are liars and cheats, as the U.S. military hits 80 targets in response to the regime's strikes on ships in the Strait of Hormuz. What are Trump's options for next steps? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Democrats Quit Defending Graham Platner After a New Accusation 07.07.2026

Graham Platner is reconsidering his Senate campaign in Maine after being accused of forcing himself on a woman in 2021. If he drops out soon, Democrats can pick another nominee, but who? And could any replacement beat Republican Sen. Susan Collins? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump’s Red Card Intervention and Mixed U.S. Signals Before the NATO Summit 06.07.2026

The NATO summit kicks off this week in Turkey, with President Trump airing his complaints about European allies and their defense spending. But is the U.S. sending mixed messages about its own military posture in Europe? Plus, Donald Trump shocks the sports world by calling for a review of a red card against U.S. soccer player Folarin Balogun, who is now eligible to play in a major match against B...

Celebrating America’s 250th and Looking Towards an Optimistic Future 02.07.2026

On its 250th anniversary, why does the Declaration of Independence still matter, and what are the threats to the U.S. today?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Socialist Surge Comes to Colorado, as Democrats Nominate Melat Kiros 01.07.2026

Denver's 15-term Rep. Diana DeGette loses her primary to 29-year-old Melat Kiros, a socialist who says 9/11 was inevitable and the U.S. should quit sending Israel even defensive arms. While a few mainstream Democrats are starting to oppose this hostile takeover of their party, most appear willing to accommodate it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Supreme Court Rulings on Birthright Citizenship, Women's Sports, and Political Spending 30.06.2026

The Justices say the 14th Amendment guarantees birthright citizenship, striking down President Trump's order to exclude children of illegal aliens and temporary visitors. Plus, transgender athletes don't have a constitutional right to play women's sports, and a limit on "coordinated" political spending fails the First Amendment..  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Split Supreme Court Decisions on Presidential Power 29.06.2026

The Justices issue four major rulings on executive power, voting law and the Fourth Amendment, with mixed majorities in each one. The Court says Donald Trump can fire the heads of independent agencies like the Federal Trade Commission with one exception--the Federal Reserve. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Supreme Court Rulings on Gun Rights, Immigration and More 26.06.2026

The Justices say 6-3 that the law gives the Trump Administration unreviewable authority to tell immigrants with Temporary Protected Status, including about 360,000 Haitians and Syrians, that they must go home. Plus, Hawaii's law prohibiting guns by default on private property fails the Second Amendment test. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s Donald Trump Versus Senate Republicans on Capitol Hill 25.06.2026

Donald Trump and Senate Republicans clash on war powers and the filibuster, and a recent closed-door meeting was especially testy. Plus, the President delays signing a housing bill until Congress approves the Save America voting bill, which lacks the voters to pass. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New York Democrats Vote to Send Zohran Mamdani's Socialists to Congress 24.06.2026

The state's Democratic primary nominates three more socialist House candidates, including Darializa Avila Chevalier, who says every deportation is wrong, calls proudly to abolish ICE, and wants to pass national rent control. How will mainstream Democrats respond, and could this hard left turn help the GOP win the midterms? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marijuana Users Still Have Gun Rights, the Supreme Court Says 9-0 23.06.2026

The Justices unanimously agree that pot consumption alone isn't enough to justify a loss of Second Amendment rights, though they offer few hints about harder cases involving harder drugs. Plus, will Congress reinforce religious liberty, after a 6-3 ruling against a Rastafarian whose head was shaved by prison guards? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Round One of the U.S.-Iran Talks, and Another British Prime Minister Resigns. 22.06.2026

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer resigns, and his successor Andy Burnham would be the seventh PM in 10 years. What's driving the instability, and what are the lessons for the U.S.? Plus, the U.S.-Iran talks go ahead, despite threats from both sides. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Inside WSJ Opinion’s ‘The Lockdown Dissidents’ 19.06.2026

Why were some scientists blacklisted and censored for questioning the need for lockdowns during the Covid pandemic? And why did some in Washington encourage it? Paul Gigot speaks with the Wall Street Journal's James Taranto and executive producer Michael Pack about the new documentary “The Lockdown Dissidents," the lessons learned and how to avoid repeating the same mistakes.   Learn more about yo...

The Good, Bad and Ugly of Trump's Deal With Iran 18.06.2026

Donald Trump explains that oil and stock prices drove his decision to sign the memorandum of understanding with Iran, in a surprising admission of U.S. weakness. What concessions did the U.S. make to Iran, and what did it get in return.? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Political Fight Over Anthropic's New AI / Trump Pulls Jay Clayton's Senate Confirmation 17.06.2026

The White House effectively bans the advanced Fable 5 model by placing it off limits to foreigners, even ones working at Anthropic. Plus, Donald Trump upends Jay Clayton's confirmation as director of national intelligence, while making new demands that Congress pass the SAVE America Act, a federal voting takeover. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Next Mayor of Washington, D.C., Could Be a Socialist 16.06.2026

As D.C. holds its Democratic primary, the polling leader is Janeese Lewis George, who wants new taxes on businesses, "childcare for all," and more. But President Trump warns that D.C. is ultimately under federal control. Plus, two Dan Sullivans running in Alaska? Here's another ranked-choice voting fiasco. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is Trump's Deal With Iran a Good One for the U.S.? 15.06.2026

Donald Trump and Iran say they've agreed to a ceasefire deal that lets commercial and oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz but delays talks on issues like Iran's nuclear program for another 60 days.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bill Pulte, Jay Clayton and the Surveillance Lapse of FISA Section 702 12.06.2026

After President Trump names Bill Pulte as acting Director of National Intelligence, the House fails to reauthorize the Section 702 surveillance program. What are the risks of letting that intelligence go dark? And now that Jay Clayton has been nominated for the permanent DNI job, how quickly will the Senate move to confirm? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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