Ceasefire deal emerges, but peace may be far off

Despite President Trump declaring the war in Gaza “over,” the situation on the ground is far from certain. Israel has threatened to block some of the humanitarian aid approved in the deal until Hamas fulfills its promise of returning all the bodies of dead hostages. That hasn’t deterred the president from promoting himself as a peacemaker. What’s motivating his aggressive push to take credit for the deal? The Middle East is just one part of Trump’s foreign policy push. Just this week, he agreed to provide $40 billion in relief for Argentina’s struggling economy. However, Americans are hoping he narrows his focus to domestic issues. Recent polling shows that concerns about the economy remain top of mind for most, and there are worries that Trump isn’t focused enough on reducing inflation. Is the administration running the risk of losing touch with voters? Many of us are trying to reckon with a culture that glorifies the “grind” of constant work. Focusing solely on rest and relaxation is one way of pushing back, but what if you overdo it? In the constant search for balance, one writer shares thoughts on “pruning” our lives to provide room for reflection and real connection.

Sharing an episode of On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti. On Point is a rare public space where you hear nuanced explorations of complex topics live and in real time. Host Meghna Chakrabarti leads provocative conversations that help make sense of the world, with urgency, timeliness and depth. In this episode, Meghna talks to Jake Sullivan, who has been working to shape policy for the United States for much of the 21st century. With President Donald Trump back in the White House, Meghna asks Sullivan about the U.S. role in major foreign policy challenges including the war in Ukraine, the war in Gaza, and what’s at stake as Trump changes the direction of the U.S. and our standing in the world. You can hear more On Point episodes at https://link.mgln.ai/leftrightcenter

The federal government shut down this week, leaving thousands of federal employees furloughed. Families who depend on WIC and SNAP could also be at risk if the shutdown prolongs. Since President Trump took office, thousands of federal employees have faced layoffs or resigned themselves.  Conversations around a government shutdown brewed in March, but the final straw for Democrats may have been in August. That was when Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, said the House of Representatives would withhold $4 billion previously allocated for foreign aid. Trump blames Democrats for the shutdown. Which party will get their desired outcome here? Ezra Klein, a New York Times opinion writer, said that a shutdown may be exactly what Democrats need to regain power of the legislative branch. But could it jeopardize the party’s political future? Also this week, President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gathered global military leaders in Quantico, Virginia, sharing their visions for the newly-named Department of War. This comes after 200 National Guard troops were sent to Portland, Oregon because Trump said the city looked like “World War II.” How do active and retired military members feel about orders to enforce the law in American cities?

Since taking office, President Trump has vowed to seek political vengeance on his opponents. He followed up on this by asking Attorney General Pam Bondi to prosecute former FBI Director James Comey, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and Democratic Senator Adam Schiff. Senator Ted Cruz expressed concerns that all this could potentially impact the GOP down the line. How has political retribution defined our current era of politics?  President Trump has advised pregnant mothers to stop taking Tylenol because he believes it could lead to autism in children — despite no scientific proof. Similarly, Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr. strongly opposes vaccines, and claims they’re also linked to autism. He  says that moms who share this belief have been silenced and marginalized. Is the pushback on vaccines a reaction to how regulatory agencies like the CDC handled the COVID-19 pandemic?  This week, a listener asked the Left, Right, and Center panel how to navigate conversations with people we deeply disagree with.

After the assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, both Republicans and Democrats called for unity and understanding — but polarizing rhetoric has continued to escalate. President Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and other White House officials have vowed to target the “radical left” for being politically violent. Democratic officials have warned that the White House may try to use the assassination to suppress speech. Those fears may have been realized when ABC was threatened over late-night host Jimmy Kimmel’s comments about conservatives’ reaction to Charlie Kirk’s killing. Brendan Carr, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, pressured the network to pull Kimmel off the air indefinitely. How do Americans feel about a government agency censoring speech that they don’t agree with? Whose responsibility is it to turn down the temperature when it comes to rhetoric and polarization?  David Greene worked with country singer Ketch Secor of the band Old Crow Medicine Show to produce a music documentary called Louder Than Guns. Greene spent time with Secor, touring across the country and hearing Americans’ reflections on gun violence and gun rights. When FOX News host Trey Gowdy said that Americans should have a conversation about preventing more gun violence, his fellow conservatives said he should be ashamed. How do we stop talking past each other during conversations about guns and create an open dialogue? Are Americans too enraged by each other to ever experience unity? This week, a listener asked Left, Right and Center about America’s history of political violence and if our panel thinks anything has changed.