WSJ Opinion: Potomac Watch

Donald Trump declares victory on the economy, frames the Democratic Party as extreme, and offers praise for JD Vance and Marco Rubio, in one of the longest State of the Union speeches in recent times. But what's the agenda that Republicans can carry into the midterms? Plus, Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger delivers a Democratic response that starts with affordability, yet her party’s nominees in N...

American officials say they believe China held a nuclear test in 2020, and President Trump reserves the right to do the same, as the New Start arms-control treaty with Russia hits its expiration date this month. Plus, the Food and Drug Administration summarily rejects a flu vaccine from Moderna, before changing course. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information a...

Now that the Supreme Court has struck down Donald Trump's "emergency" tariffs, will the government refund the billions of dollars it unlawfully collected? And as Trump turns to other tariff authorities, how much will he be limited by the guardrails written into those laws? The Cato Institute’s trade expert Scott Lincicome discusses. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for...

The Justices strike down the President's "emergency" tariffs, ruling that a law called IEEPA doesn't give him limitless power to tax imports on a whim. But will Trump try to reimpose his tariff policy using other laws, or is the GOP quietly breathing a sigh of relief, as the 2026 midterms near amid mixed economic signals? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for informatio...

To raise taxes on the rich, New York's Mayor wants help from Albany and Gov. Kathy Hochul. And if they refuse? Mamdani now says he'll jack up property taxes by nearly 10%. But isn't overspending the problem? Plus, the Congressional Budget Office offers an estimate for federal deficits over the next decade: $24 trillion. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information...

Secretary of State Marco Rubio offers tough love to U.S. allies in a speech at the Munich Security Conference, in contrast to Vice President JD Vance last year. Will this be the GOP's choice once Donald Trump leaves office? Plus, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez gets tripped up on Taiwan, and another U.S. aircraft carrier nears Iran. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for inform...

The Environmental Protection Agency rescinds its 2009 assertion that it can regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act, because they "endanger" public health. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin says this means cheaper cars and no more EV mandates, but is it going next to the courts, and maybe the Supreme Court? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about ou...

Congress skips town without funding the Department of Homeland Security, as a partial shutdown nears for the TSA and more, while border czar Tom Homan winds down immigration raids in Minnesota. Plus, does President Trump see his vulnerability, with voters now telling pollsters that Joe Biden did a better job? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our c...

The January jobs report shows a rebound in the labor market after a lousy 2025. Will it continue, and what does it say about the prospects for growth in this election year? Plus, the U.S. House stages a bipartisan revolt against Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertis...

Analilia Mejia, a former political director for Bernie Sanders, wins a Democratic primary in a suburban House district, while Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger starts her tenure from the left. Are these signs of where the Democratic Party is going, and what does it suggest about the midterms, such as the Senate race in Texas? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for informa...

About 60,000 families apply in mere days, as Texas opens enlistment for its new education savings accounts, or ESAs. That's a big success, after Gov. Greg Abbott bet political capital to pass the program. Meantime, the Mississippi Senate derails an ESA bill passed by the state House. Will Gov. Tate Reeves try again? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information abou...

Amounting to essentially a death sentence for Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong publisher is sentenced to 20 years in prison for violating China’s national security law. What can Donald Trump do when he meets with Xi Jinping during his visit to China later this year? Plus, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi leads her Liberal Democratic Party to victory.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See p...

Donald Trump says the federal government should "take over the voting" in many places, drawing pushback from Republicans, who argue that the Constitution creates a decentralized system. Plus, Congress weighs a bill to require citizenship checks in voting, meaning many driver's licenses wouldn't qualify as ID. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our c...

U.S. negotiators profess optimism, as Vladimir Putin feels more economic pressure from sanctions amid staggering casualties. But land and security guarantees for Ukraine are still sticking points.    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Border czar Tom Homan says 700 immigration officers are leaving Minnesota, and those that remain will get body cameras, while Congress gives itself mere days to negotiate a funding bill with ICE reforms. Plus, the government publishes three million pages of Epstein files, with victim details inadvertently left unredacted. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for informatio...

As a U.S. aircraft carrier arrives in the Middle East, President Trump goes back to negotiating with Iran. But what does the U.S. want in a deal, now that Iran's nuclear sites are rubble, and will Trump help the country's protesters? Plus, new figures show Americans are living longer, which is good news with political lessons. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for infor...

With Donald Trump citing education, looks, and thoughts on cutting interest rates, Kevin Warsh emerged as his choice for chairman of the Federal Reserve. Will Senator Thom Tillis stick to his promise to block any nominee until the Jerome Powell investigation concludes? Plus, Republicans lose a reliable state Senate seat in Texas, which could indicate Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement is backf...

Washington is again racing to avoid a government shutdown, as Democrats seek changes to federal immigration enforcement, such as requiring agents to carry body cameras and prohibiting them from wearing face masks. Plus, Tom Homan tells Minneapolis he's working on a plan to de-escalate the federal surge there. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our c...

The lawsuit in California involves a young woman who says addictive use of social sites led to anxiety and body-image problems. But can she prove causation, does Section 230 immunity stand in the way, and is this the right role for the courts? Plus, Australia's ban on users under 16 has deactivated five million accounts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information...

"Just give us your criminals," Donald Trump says he told Gov. Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey, and could this be a starting point for compromise? Yet the local jail, run by Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt, doesn't honor ICE detainers, and Minneapolis has a broad "sanctuary" law that bans police from helping. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our...

Florida and Virginia are the latest states to consider drawing new House maps before November, as a New York judge orders a redo for the Staten Island district of Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis. Plus, amid a measles outbreak in South Carolina, a top CDC official dismisses such cases as the "cost of doing business." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information a...

Another shooting in Minneapolis further polarizes the debate over President Trump's authorization of ICE operations in Minnesota. Can state and federal government officials work together before there is more chaos and violence in the streets? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Former special counsel Jack Smith says he has no real regrets about how he handled his indictments of Donald Trump. Really? Plus, the Justice Department gives a subpoena to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, as a House committee calls to hold Bill and Hillary Clinton in contempt for refusing to testify on Jeffrey Epstein. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about ou...

The President backs down from his early threats by announcing an agreement has been reached about the future of Greenland. But what does it entail? Plus, Trump introduces the members of the Board of Peace, but concerns linger about his invitation to Vladimir Putin to join. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data fo...

Donald Trump's effort to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, citing an alleged mortgage violation, goes before the Justices, who have already signaled they see the Fed as different from other independent agencies. Plus, the Court also hears a challenge to Hawaii's law banning guns by default in many private stores. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information...