PBS News Hour - Politics

Among President-elect Trump's promises for his second term is a pledge to slash federal spending. He appointed Elon Musk, the world's richest man, and Vivek Ramaswamy, a biotech company founder, to run an advisory commission. This week, the pair said they're aiming to cut $500 million in annual spending, but there are big questions about that. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Maya MacGuineas. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including President-elect Trump's initial pick to serve as attorney general backs out of consideration and other controversies surrounding Trump's potential Cabinet. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz has withdrawn from the running as Donald Trump's pick for attorney general. Sexual misconduct allegations against Gaetz fueled intense scrutiny, threatening his chances of being confirmed. Laura Barrón-López reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

With Republicans winning the White House and both chambers of Congress, there's been much discussion within the Democratic Party about what went wrong and what it should do to win back voters. Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio is one of the incumbents who came up short this year and has argued the party needs to do more to champion the issues of the working class. He joined Amna Nawaz to discuss more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

As President-elect Trump prepares for a return to the White House, the aides and allies running his transition team have avoided many of the rules guiding the process. So far, the transition has not collaborated with the General Services Administration, the government agency tasked with handing power from one administration to the next. Laura Barrón-López discussed more with Max Stier. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President elect-Trump's controversial pick for attorney general, former Congressman Matt Gaetz, met with Republican senators on Capitol Hill Wednesday. The meetings come amid mounting pressure on the House Ethics Committee to release a report looking into several allegations against Gaetz, including sexual misconduct. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Claudia Grisales of NPR. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The House Ethics Committee largely operates in secret. Democrats and Republicans are equally represented on the panel regardless of which party is in power. They conduct investigations behind closed doors and generally avoid sharing details outside of finalized reports. The probe of former Rep. Gaetz is straining those norms. Amna Nawaz discussed more with committee member Rep. Mark DeSaulnier. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President-elect Trump's pick of Linda McMahon as Secretary of Education is already raising alarm bells among critics who feel the role should go to someone with more experience in education. But it has also been met with praise by supporters of parental rights and school choice. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Jon Valant of the Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institution. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President-elect Trump has named two more people to his administration: investment banker Howard Lutnick as commerce secretary and Dr. Mehmet Oz to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The noted TV personality and heart surgeon will oversee programs that provide health care coverage to about half of all Americans. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Lev Fasher of STAT News. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President-elect Trump has vowed to make wide-scale changes to the federal workforce by cutting jobs, replacing career civil servants with federal appointees and relocating government offices. We hear from federal government employees across the U.S. and Laura Barrón-López reports on this key part of Trump's policy proposals. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Two weeks ago, many parts of the country saw dramatic political shifts to the right. Even places that were once considered democratic strongholds flipped red. Special correspondent Christopher Booker reports from one such area in Texas near the southern border. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In her new collection of columns from The Wall Street Journal, Pulitzer Prize-winner Peggy Noonan takes readers on a journey through the essence of our nation's character. With her trademark blend of storytelling, historical insight and journalistic rigor, Noonan explores what unites us as a people even in divisive times. She sat down with Geoff Bennett to discuss "A Certain Idea of America." PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Senate returns to Washington facing more tough decisions about controversial nominations by Donald Trump. It comes as the president-elect is also pushing to bypass the Senate entirely in confirming his key appointments. Congressional Correspondent Lisa Desjardins reports and takes a look at the Senate's check on presidential power. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

NPR's Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter join Amna Nawaz to discuss the latest political news, including President-elect Trump's Cabinet picks that are sparking controversy, how voters feel about the economy and the Biden administration's attempts to protect his accomplishments. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In a major victory for President-elect Trump, Republicans will now control both chambers of Congress after the House was called for the GOP this past week. But this trifecta doesn't guarantee smooth governing, as narrow margins could make passing major legislation difficult. Casey Burgat, legislative affairs program director at The George Washington University, joins William Brangham to discuss. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has long held a strong pro-Israel stance, one that's deeply rooted in his evangelical Christian faith. Now, as Trump's pick to serve as ambassador to Israel, he could be integral in shaping U.S. diplomacy in the Middle East. William Brangham speaks with historian Daniel Hummel about the connection between evangelicals and their support for Israel. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President-elect Donald Trump continues to stock his future cabinet with high-profile choices. He tapped one of his rivals in the presidential primary, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, for interior secretary. Political correspondent Lisa Desjardins has more on how Burgum might redefine that role and what we're learning about Trump's other nominees. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President-elect Trump's decision to nominate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the Secretary of Health and Human Services is sparking concern. There are worries too about his history of false statements and beliefs in debunked conspiracy theories. At the same time, he's pushing hard on some major problems that experts say are real. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Dr. Katelyn Jetelina. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Donald Trump is likely to be the first Republican presidential candidate to win the popular vote in the last 20 years. Pre-election polls have consistently underestimated his support since he first ran eight years ago. That's left some folks spending the last week trying to figure out what happened. Geoff Bennett and NPR's Domenico Montanaro discussed what the polls got right and what they missed. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including President-elect Trump's key Cabinet appointments that offer a glimpse of what's to come in his administration and Republicans secure the House, giving them control over Congress and the White House as they prep their agenda for the new year. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President-elect Trump continues to name nominees to his cabinet and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is his pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy was first a Democratic then independent candidate in the 2024 election before dropping out and endorsing Trump. He's also an anti-vaccine activist and has pushed several conspiracies about the COVID-19 virus. Laura Barrón-López reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

House Republicans will maintain their hold on the lower chamber next year, giving the GOP a political trifecta in Washington, controlling both chambers of Congress and the presidency come January. Lisa Desjardins reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

If confirmed as Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard would oversee 18 intelligence organizations including the CIA and NSA. Her nomination could set off a fight since Gabbard has no intelligence experience and is accused of defending dictators and parroting disinformation. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Michael Leiter, former director of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Plans for Trump's return to Washington, and the Republican Party's return to power, are well underway. But for Democrats in the minority, the path forward is not as clear. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York is the House Democratic leader and the author of the new children's book, "The ABCs of Democracy." Jeffries joined Amna Nawaz to discuss more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Donald Trump isn't the only one preparing for his return to the White House. Several Democratic governors are uniting, they say, to protect democracy at the state level during Trump's second term in office. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis announced the launch of Governors Safeguarding Democracy. Pritzker joined Amna Nawaz to discuss more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President-elect Trump announced his picks to lead the bulk of the expansive, American security and diplomatic apparatus. A senator, a soldier-turned-television host and a former member of Congress have been chosen by Donald Trump to lead, respectively, the State Department, the Defense Department and the Directorate of National Intelligence. Nick Schifrin reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

For perspective on President-elect Trump's pick of Pete Hegseth to be Secretary of Defense, Nick Schifrin spoke with James McPherson. He served as under secretary of the Army and as the Army's general council during the first Trump administration. He also had a 25-year career in the Navy and served as that service's top lawyer in uniform. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

While a majority of Black and Latino voters turned out for Vice President Kamala Harris this election, President-elect Donald Trump made significant inroads with both groups. Voter surveys from the Associated Press show Trump won 43 percent of the overall Latino vote, an eight-point increase from 2020. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Pastor Samuel Rodriguez. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President-elect Trump took a victory lap in the nation's capital, bouncing from meetings with House Republicans to President Biden in the Oval Office. It comes as critical roles are being filled, from more members of Trump's cabinet to new leaders in the Senate. Lisa Desjardins reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President Biden hosted President-elect Trump at the White House for nearly two hours on Wednesday, a familiar ritual in the peaceful handoff of power. White House Correspondent Laura Barrón-López reports on the transition meeting. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

A second Donald Trump administration is taking shape, one new appointee at a time. Tuesday, the president-elect tapped more of his closest allies to fill some of the government's top posts. Among them is Sen. Marco Rubio, putting Trump's one-time foe on track to becoming the first Latino to serve as the nation's top diplomat. Laura Barrón-López reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Newly-elected House members won't take their seats until January but they are on Capitol Hill this week for congressional orientation. Republican Congressman-elect Rob Bresnahan is among them. He flipped his district in the northeast corner of Pennsylvania from blue to red. Bresnahan joined Geoff Bennett to discuss more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The 119th Congress will have several members whose elections made history. One of them is Representative-elect Sarah McBride, a state senator who won Delaware's at-large seat in the House. She will become the first openly transgender member of the United States Congress. McBride joined Amna Nawaz to discuss more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

As President-elect Trump's team is taking shape, we're learning more about who will take the lead on energy, climate and the environment. The first announcement on that front is Lee Zeldin, a former GOP congressman who will head the Environmental Protection Agency. Trump has called climate change a "scam" and says addressing it hurts business. William Brangham discussed more with Coral Davenport. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President-elect Trump is quickly picking the people he wants to advise him when he enters the White House again, including who he has chosen to lead his campaign promise of mass deportation. Trump announced Tom Homan will be his "border czar" and Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner, is expected to be his deputy chief of staff for policy. White House Correspondent Laura Barrón-López reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

More than a dozen congressional races have yet to be called as House Republicans are looking to maintain hold of the chamber. If they do, it would lead to Republicans holding a political trifecta over Washington. Lisa Desjardins reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Elon Musk was among Donald Trump's most visible and powerful surrogates on the campaign trail. Now with President-elect Trump, Musk remains within the inner circle, joining calls with world leaders and weighing in on staffing decisions. Amna Nawaz discussed the influence Musk could exert on the next administration and what he stands to gain with Vittoria Elliott of Wired. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

NPR's Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter join Geoff Bennett to discuss the latest political news, including analysis of Democrats' losses in last week's election and the new Trump team taking shape. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Many of Vice President Kamala Harris' rallies in the closing days of the campaign were interrupted by people angry about the mounting death toll in Gaza and Lebanon and the Biden administration's support for Israel. That anger may have been expressed at the polls on Election Day. James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute, joins John Yang to discuss. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

During his campaign, Trump said he wants to get rid of virtually all Biden administration regulations intended to cut carbon emissions and move away from fossil fuels. He's also called for the repeal of the Inflation Reduction Act, Biden's signature climate law. John Yang speaks with Matthew Daly, who covers climate, environment and energy policy for the Associated Press, about what to expect. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders