Washington Week with The Atlantic

News and Public Affairs Series / 22 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: S2024 E46

26m 45s

Lawmakers respond as bank failures fuel economic concerns

14m 7s

Two bank failures exposed economic concerns this week. Trying to prevent more collapses, President Biden took the unusual step of promising that all depositors at those banks would be made whole. In Washington, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle want to know what went wrong and why bank management, and their regulators, were caught flat-footed, especially following the 2008 financial crisis.

Republicans divided over Ukraine aid as tensions rise

9m 8s

Tensions between the U.S. and Russia are on the rise after a Russian fighter jet intentionally engaged with a U.S. drone over the Black Sea. It is the most direct confrontation between the two powers since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Back home, Republican presidential hopefuls are divided over what role the U.S. should have in protecting Ukraine.

Republican presidential hopefuls set their sights on Iowa

11m 39s

As former President Trump prepares to visit Iowa on Monday, a new Des Moines Register-Mediacom Iowa poll shows the percentage of Iowa Republicans who say they’d definitely vote for him has dropped more than 20 points since June 2021. Florida Gov. Ron Desantis, who is eying a presidential run, and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who has declared her candidacy, traveled to Iowa this week.

Early battle lines are drawn on the debt ceiling debate

9m 28s

Battle lines are emerging between Democrats and Republicans as the deadline to raise the debt ceiling looms. This as President Biden unveiled his proposed spending plan for the next fiscal year, while previewing his 2024 election priorities. The $6.8 trillion budget would increase spending for the military and social programs and raise taxes on some to reduce future deficits and fund Medicare.

Yamiche Alcindor's goodbye as she departs Washington Week

56s

Friday marks Yamiche Alcindor's final time moderating Washington Week. After two years, she made the difficult decision to step away from the role to focus on commitments to NBC News as a Washington Correspondent and to finish her upcoming memoir.

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.

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