The Washington Post’s Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin and James Hohmann gather for a weekly in-depth conversation about politics and power. From presidential candida...
On this episode, President Trump has called Washington’s D.C. a ‘rat-infested…sh—hole’. Over $1 billion in city funding earmarked for 2025 has been held up by Republican lawmakers and the federal workforce is being decimated. Today, the gang is joined by local reporters Meagan Flynn and Emily Davies to make sense of the Trump administration’s complex and at times combative relationship with the nation’s capital. Washington’s federal workforce is reeling, with mass layoffs already announced and implemented across government agencies. The Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, continues to create fear, chaos and confusion amongst government employees. Plus, Trump signs an Executive Order aimed at shuttering the Department of Education. We tell you what that means, and why it matters. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/03/20/trump-presidency-news/?utm_source=podcasts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=can-he-do-thathttps://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2025/03/20/trump-executive-order-education-department-close/?utm_source=podcasts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=can-he-do-thathttps://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2025/03/20/trump-education-department-executive-order/?utm_source=podcasts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=can-he-do-that
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30:29
Trump, Putin and Alien Enemies
On this episode, Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin, James Hohmann, and immigration reporter Maria Sacchetti discuss the deportation of hundreds of alleged Venezuelan gang members to a prison in El Salvador without due process under the Alien Enemies Act, a rarely invoked law from the 18th century.In response to a court placing a restraining order on the deportations, the President called for the judge to be impeached, Trump and his allies' defiant tone against the judiciary drew the ire of Chief Justice John G. Roberts in a rare public rebuke.Plus, reaction to President Donald Trump’s high-stakes call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as they negotiated the terms of a potential cease-fire in Ukraine.
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29:49
How Trump fell in love with crypto
On this episode, Rhonda Colvin, James Hohmann, and JM Rieger take a closer look at President Donald Trump’s transformation from vocal crypto critic to now spearheading the U.S. government’s full-throated embrace of cryptocurrency and digital commodities.Trump’s new love of crypto was on full display during White House Crypto Summit on March 7, led by crypto and artificial intelligence czar David Sacks. The Trump administration, along with tech industry leaders, touted deregulation, a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and a Digital Assets Stockpile, executive orders and legislation.Plus, Sam Bankman-Fried lobbies for a pardon from prison on Tucker Carlson’s podcast and reaction to the White House’s surprise decision to withdraw their Center of Disease Control and Prevention nomination, former congressman Dave Weldon, who found out as he was driving to the Capitol to testify.
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26:08
JD Vance and the shutdown dance
On this episode, The Washington Post's Rhonda Colvin, James Hohmann and JM Rieger explain why Washington is once again under the cloud of a looming government shutdown – and why fiscal conservatives might have to hold their noses and vote to keep the government open.Plus, how Vice President JD Vance is finding a role for himself as a go-between for members of Congress who want access to the White House.
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29:35
Trump at war
In this episode, The Washington Post's Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin and James Hohmann decode President Trump's efforts to redefine America's role on the world stage – from seemingly starting trade wars with China, Mexico and Canada to straining alliances with Europe that have defined American foreign policy since the Second World War.Plus, what is Trump really trying to accomplish – and is he playing chess, with a longer strategy in mind, or just checkers?
The Washington Post’s Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin and James Hohmann gather for a weekly in-depth conversation about politics and power. From presidential candidates to members of Congress to the judicial system, Sidebar dives deep on the topics and people at the forefront of the political conversation.
The crew sits down each Thursday (with the occasional breaking news episode) to discuss what has happened that week, and what’s coming up the next week – with guest appearances from Washington Post reporters.
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