Washington Week with The Atlantic

News and Public Affairs Series / 23 Seasons

Washington Week with The Atlantic is the longest-running primetime news and public affairs program on television. The show features a group of journalists participating in a roundtable discussion of major news events and can be found at 8pm ET on most local PBS stations.

Watch Latest: S2025 E22

24m 10s

Haley announces run for president, Biden focuses on economy

16m 27s

As President Biden focuses on the economy and pushes back on GOP demands for negotiations over raising the debt limit, another Republican jumped into the 2024 race. Trump didn't waste time criticizing her announcement, but he's facing other problems, including a Georgia investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

Biden defends handling of aerial objects after criticism

6m 42s

President Biden defended his handling of the Chinese spy balloon and the downing of three other aerial objects. After days of criticism, Biden gave an update and said the three unidentified objects were probably not used for spying.

How the debt ceiling debate may end

15m 13s

For the first time since Kevin McCarthy was elected House speaker, he and President Biden held a one-on-one meeting at the White House. They discussed a long list of priorities, including the ability to avoid a financial crisis. Biden is sticking to his position that he won’t negotiate on the debt limit while McCarthy says Republicans won’t take action without spending cuts.

Will renewed talk of police reform lead to real changes?

8m 19s

This week, hundreds attended the funeral of Tyre Nichols, the 29-year-old Black man who died after being beaten by Memphis police. At the service, Vice President Kamala Harris called for legislation to hold police accountable. Still, any meaningful progress toward passing police reform is an uphill battle.

Biden faces more scrutiny over classified documents

17m 23s

For the second straight week, President Biden is facing scrutiny over his handling of classified documents from his days as vice president and Republicans were quick to pounce after more papers were found. Plus, the U.S. hit its debt limit but House Republicans want to negotiate and say there must be spending cuts before they’ll agree to raise the borrowing cap.

Defeated candidate arrested in case of political violence

6m

A former GOP New Mexico state House candidate was charged with multiple counts in connection with shootings at the Albuquerque homes of four Democratic elected officials. The news comes as officials revealed that U.S. Capitol Police investigated 7,501 threats against members of Congress last year.

How Biden's document controversy impacts Trump investigation

12m 42s

President Biden is dealing with his own classified document controversy after days of revelations and bruising headlines. Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed a special counsel to look into the matter and House Speaker Keven McCarthy said Congress would also investigate it. It comes two months after Garland assigned a special counsel to investigate Trump’s handling of classified documents.

House Republican leaders not calling for Santos to resign

10m 30s

Kevin McCarthy finally realized his dream of wielding the speaker’s gavel. His first week on the job was relatively easy as Republicans passed several party-line bills. But a new split among House Republicans was revealed this week, how to deal with freshman New York Congressman George Santos, who is facing increasing pressure to resign.

The week of failed votes and McCarthy's leadership

15m 55s

The new year has brought new problems to the House, the likes of which this country has not seen in more than a century. But after days of failed votes to elect him the next speaker, Rep. Kevin McCarthy has mounted a comeback after numerous closed-door meetings, concessions and compromises. After flipping several holdout votes, he’s expressing optimism that he'll get the job.

Biden's show of bipartisanship in the divided government

6m 49s

With a week of chaos in the House, the spirit in the Senate has been one of cooperation. This week, President Biden and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell traveled to Kentucky to tout the bipartisan infrastructure act passed last year and the benefits of working across the aisle.

What did the Jan. 6 committee accomplish with its report?

16m 41s

The Jan. 6 committee finally released its full report and a trove of interview transcripts from key witnesses. Along with sending four criminal referrals to the DOJ for former President Trump, the committee said Trump is to blame for the Capitol attack and should be barred from holding elected office again.

How Zelenskyy's trip to Washington impacts debate over aid

6m 39s

Defending democracy abroad was front and center in the nation’s capital this week. On Wednesday, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a wartime visit to Washington. During a meeting at the White House, President Biden pledged to supply Ukraine with the highly sophisticated Patriot missile system. That evening, Zelenskyy addressed Congress which later approved more U.S. aid for Ukraine.

Jan. 6 committee expected to urge charges against Trump

19m 15s

The Jan. 6 Committee is preparing to vote on urging the DOJ to pursue at least three criminal charges against former President Trump. The charges under consideration are insurrection, obstruction of an official proceeding and conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government. Meanwhile, lawmakers scramble to avoid a government shutdown as Kevin McCarthy works to secure the votes to become House speaker.

Biden invests in Africa as China and Russia loom large there

4m 5s

President Biden celebrated signing legislation protecting same-sex marriages and interracial marriages. He also held a three-day U.S.-Africa summit focused on investing more in the continent as China and Russia loom large there. The panel takes a look at why the president is focusing on Africa and how Russia's and China’s influence play into the timing.

Uncertainty in the Senate as Sinema leaves Democratic Party

15m 3s

Sen. Raphael Warnock this week beat his GOP rival Herschel Walker in Georgia’s runoff election, temporarily handing Democrats a 51-49 majority in the Senate. But that advantage was thrown into doubt Friday after Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema left the Democratic Party and registered as an independent. Meanwhile, the Biden administration negotiated the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner from Russia.

Trump faces new legal challenges and Republicans criticisms

8m 4s

President Trump faced another week of legal challenges after his real estate company was found guilty of tax fraud, more classified documents were discovered in a Florida facility he used, and the Jan. 6 committee indicated it would send a criminal referral for him to the Department of Justice. Trump was also the target of GOP criticisms for comments he made about suspending the Constitution.

McCarthy struggles to secure votes to become speaker

17m 11s

House Democrats celebrated this week as they elected a new and younger leadership team. Meanwhile, Republican leader Kevin McCarthy is expected to be the next Speaker of the House, but he has yet to secure the votes needed to be elected to the position as some hardliners in the Freedom Caucus continue to withhold their support.

Jan. 6 committee could soon announce criminal referrals

3m 57s

With only weeks left to complete their work and before Democrats lose power in the House, the January 6 committee met to discuss whether to make criminal referrals to the Justice Department. Members say the probe’s final report will be released later this month. Plus, the founder of the Oath Keepers, Stewart Rhodes, was found guilty of seditious conspiracy for his role in the Capitol attack.

Did anti-LGBTQ rhetoric motivate Colorado Springs shooter?

11m 2s

In Colorado Springs, a gunman opened fire inside an LGBTQ nightclub long considered to be a safe space for the community within the historically conservative city. The panel discusses if recent anti-LGBTQ rhetoric may have motivated the deadly mass shooting.

Some Republicans speak out against Trump's role in the GOP

9m 50s

A rift is growing among Republicans over the party’s current and future leaders. This week, prominent members of the GOP called on the party to put former President Trump behind them after multiple election losses. Still, Trump remains popular among many in the base which will be critical to winning the presidential nomination.

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