America is in a dark era of political violence

The Trump administration announced that it will withhold $5 billion in foreign aid that Congress had already allocated. The “pocket rescission” is Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought’s latest move to give the executive branch control over America’s spending. House Democrats call it an unlawful attack on Congress’ power of the purse. The Trump administration has also imposed tariffs and selected U.S. attorneys without congressional approval. How can Congress take back its power? Will Democrats and Republicans work together to prevent a shutdown before federal funding runs out at the end of the month?  The Johnson Amendment (1954) allowed the IRS to remove tax-exempt status from charitable organizations and churches if they endorsed political candidates. Although some outspoken faith leaders disregarded the rule and received no retribution from the IRS, the Trump administration has now created an official carve-out for churches to endorse candidates and keep their tax-exempt status. Proponents of the Johnson Amendment, like including the 1,000 nonprofits that signed a community letter supporting nonpartisanship, believe that the law prevented churches from becoming political agents manipulated by anonymous donors’ tax-free gifts. Others, like the National Religious Broadcasters, say the Johnson Amendment infringed on their First Amendment rights. Will this new leeway degrade the role of churches as nonpartisan centers of community?  Third Way, a left-wing think tank, released a memo urging Democrats to leave behind language they believe repels voters. The list includes words such as “privilege,” “systems of oppression,” “birthing person,” and “Latinx.”  The right has expressed disdain with “wokeness” and language policing.  Progressives adopted these terms to be more inclusive and empathetic, but are they having the opposite effect?

National Guard troops have been on the streets of Washington D.C. for about two weeks, and in June, they were deployed to Los Angeles during anti-ICE protests. Now, President Trump is threatening to send them  to Chicago, which he calls a “killing field.” Some Americans are embracing Trump’s expanded use of the National Guard, while others call him a dictator. According to the Chicago Police Department, homicides have dropped by 31% and shootings by 36% compared to last year, but do lower crime rates actually make Americans feel safer? Will militarized streets bring more security or just the semblance of it?  People in Eagle Pass, Texas, say they feel safer after state and federal officials worked to limit illegal crossings in the border community. But in places like Los Angeles, ICE raids have left some Americans anxious and worried for local immigrants. As President Trump brings his promises on immigration to fruition, will the idea of safety be different in communities like these?  Transgender athletes competing in amateur sports became a lightning rod for debates on LGBTQ+ rights and inclusivity. President Trump captured the fervor of those debates during the election and with several executive orders upon his return to the White House. His administration has sought to sort competitors by their biological sex rather than how they identify. Those who support the ban see it as a way to protect children, but does one group’s sense of safety have to be at the expense of another? 

President Trump says he wants to end mail-in voting and voting machines. The Constitution outlines that state governments manage their elections, but in a post on Truth Social, Trump said that the states simply serve as agents for the federal government. "They must do what the Federal Government, as represented by the President of the United States, tells them, FOR THE GOOD OF OUR COUNTRY, to do," he wrote. Any change to the way Americans vote would need congressional approval. The president has already pushed to solidify a Republican majority in Congress by supporting the redrawing of congressional maps in Texas. That new map could add another five seats for the GOP in the House. Could the president use that majority to end voting by mail? What are the implications of this for American democracy and states’ rights over elections? National Guard troops are still patrolling the streets of Washington D.C.  When Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller visited National Guard troops at D.C.’s Union Station, they faced protestors shouting, “Free D.C.” Miller heckled the activists and said they would compel the administration to ramp up their efforts. Is Trump's use of National Guard troops simply a temporary demonstration of power, or should Americans be concerned that militarized cities will become the norm? In a room full of merchandise near the Oval Office, shelves are lined with “Trump 2028” hats. President Trump gifted some of them to world leaders. The possibility of running for a third term is something Trump has teased since the early days of his second term. Is he just trolling, or should Americans take it seriously?

President Trump promised to address crime in Washington, D.C. following an attack on a former DOGE employee. This week, the president put his plan into action. He ordered the deployment of 800 National Guardsmen to patrol the District. The guardsmen will be joined by members of a number of federal agencies. Is there more to the president’s decision than enforcing law and order? The president will shift his focus from D.C. to Anchorage, Alaska and a meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. The two leaders are scheduled to discuss possible next steps towards an end to the war in Ukraine. Can president Trump negotiate peace without conceding to Russian demands? The Trump administration has worked to push America’s cultural institutions further to the right. But can that shift expand past the halls of power? Is American society really growing more conservative?

President Trump fired the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Erika McEntarfer, after the organization released its July jobs report. Trump claimed that several reports under  McEntarfer had been manufactured to hurt him and his economic agenda. But will the firestorm around the jobs report hurt the credibility of the next commissioner? A pair of House members have called out their respective parties in the last week. Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene and Democrat Sarah McBride shared their critiques on how the parties were spurning voters. Will anyone else in Congress listen? It may be hard to believe, but journalists mess up too. KCRW responds to a listener's comment calling out a critical mistake as we continue to discuss ways to restore journalistic credibility.