Texas Dems are stuck on identity politics with Senate race at stake

Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code KCRW at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/kcrw  The way President Trump saw it in his State of the Union address, our nation is getting stronger, safer and more affordable for American families. Polls paint a different picture where far more people think the economy has gotten worse, not better in Trump’s second term.  The president insists he has more levers to pull, including tariffs, despite the fact that the Supreme Court just shot his tariff policy down. We’ll talk about that defeat for Trump in court – what it says about the court’s makeup, and whether we should take this decision as a major check on presidential power.  Speaking of checks – we talk about the outrage over the way the gold medal-winning U.S. men’s hockey team responded in a congratulatory presidential phone call. There’s also outrage over a comment by California’s governor that struck some as racist. We examine when outrage is truly meaningful in this political climate – and who decides – with Mo Elleithee on the left and Sarah Isgur on the right. Producer: Leo Duran Host: David Greene  Guests:  Mo Elleithee, executive director at Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service - @MoElleithee Sarah Isgur, senior editor at The Dispatch - @whignewtons

The fallout from the millions of pages released from the Epstein Files has now reached the British royal family with the arrest of former Prince Andrew. In business and academia, many major figures have stepped down. However American politicians named in the files have faced few consequences. Why is that, and what are some of the larger political implications of the Epstein Files? Also, President Trump is preparing his State of the Union address. Our panelists give their recommendations for what he should focus on and how Democrats can most effectively respond. Plus, the fight over voting rights in Congress and at the state level. Republicans in Washington are trying to pass national voting rules, while Democratic states are actively pushing back. Producer: Leo Duran Host: Susan Davis  Guests:  Mo Elleithee, executive director at Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service - @MoElleithee Mike Dubke, veteran GOP communications strategist and advisor. He was the White House Comms Director under Donald Trump in 2017 - @MikeDubke

This week, Congress ended a partial government shutdown, approving funding for several federal agencies through September. The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees I.C.E and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, was not among those agencies. Democrats say they won’t fund the D.H.S without restrictions on federal immigration agents. In this shifting political landscape, how will congressional Republicans respond? We’ll discuss the Democrats’ demands. How might congress realistically check President Trump’s immigration enforcement policies, given the violent and seemingly indiscriminate tactics we’re seeing in Minneapolis and nationally? With the midterms looming, will it be possible for the two parties to come together and compromise? Speaking of elections, President Trump this week repeated a call to “nationalize” elections, saying Republicans should “take over” voting in 15 states. Are free and fair elections under threat?  Here's the Carter-Baker Commission report.  Producer: Robin Estrin Host: David Greene  Guests:  Mo Elleithee, executive director at Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service - @MoElleithee Sarah Isgur, senior editor at The Dispatch - @whignewtons

Protests and skirmishes between Minnesota residents and federal agents are still ongoing after the second shooting of a US citizen in Minneapolis this month. Thirty-seven year old ICU nurse Alex Pretti was killed by Border Patrol agents while filming immigration operations in the city. Following a weekend of inflammatory comments by DHS secretary Kristy Noem and other members of the Trump administration, the president has looked to turn the temperature down. He deployed ‘Border Czar’ Tom Homan to take command of operations in Minneapolis. The experienced immigration official acknowledged that “certain improvements could and should be made” to immigration enforcement in the area. But Homan insisted that more cooperation from state and local officials would be necessary before a reduction in federal presence.    It remains to be seen whether the tonal shift or any changes in operations will be effective in the Twin Cities region. The situation has raised concerns among Congress that legislative action may be necessary. Senate Democrats worked toward a deal with the White House to avoid a government shutdown over DHS funding. While some initial framework has been drawn up, the two sides will continue negotiating new guardrails for ICE and Border Patrol. Will Congress step up for a rare check of the Oval Office? Plus, we’ll answer listener questions about where executive power and America’s position as a world leader stand after a tumultuous start to 2026.

President Trump’s contentious relationship with NATO seemed set to reach its peak at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland. European leaders formed a united front against his belligerence over American control of Greenland in recent weeks. The floating of a military attack or new tariffs on NATO members who opposed the move appeared to doom the longstanding alliance. However, upon his arrival, the president walked back any threats of military force and announced that there would be no new tariffs after working out a new agreement with NATO secretary general Mark Rutte. But does that mean the partnership between NATO and the US is back on steady ground? This week marked the first year of the president’s second term in the oval office. It was an eventful year full of legal challenges, deployments, deals  and concepts of deals. The focus in the White House was on the execution of President Trump’s policies on border security and the economy. We’ll look back at how those policies have played out, and discussed what stood out about his first 12 months back in power. Recent social media posts from the White House have come into the spotlight for their controversial language. Critics say the posts are a show of support for far right nationalist ideology. What’s driving the official government accounts to sounding so much more Trump-like than in his first term?