Washington Week

Friday Nights on PBS

Michael Scherer

Michael Scherer is a national political reporter for The Washington Post. He previously served as the Washington Bureau Chief for TIME Magazine.

Most Recent Appearances

President Trump at war with his critics

August 17, 2018

Former CIA director's security clearance revoked.
President Trump rattles global markets and cracks down on immigration, EPA chief’s future remains uncertain

April 6, 2018

A trade war, crackdown on immigration and turmoil in the Trump administration.
Where does the gun debate go from here?

February 23, 2018

The conversation around the gun debate continues.
What did the Nunes memo reveal?

February 2, 2018

After President Trump authorized the release of a previously classified memo alleging the FBI and the Justice Department abused the government’s surveillance powers, the panelists discussed the aftermath and what the consequences of a White House at
HHS Secretary Tom Price resigns, Puerto Rico slowly responds after hurricane and GOP releases tax plan

September 29, 2017

Price resigns after spending over $400K on private planes.
President Donald Trump strikes a deal with Democrats

September 8, 2017

Our panelists discussed if the president’s alliance with Democrats could spark a Republican rebellion.
Steve Bannon’s out at the White House, aftermath of white nationalist protests in Charlottesville

August 18, 2017

President Donald Trump’s administration made headlines again with the exit of chief strategist Steve Bannon Friday. The panelists also discussed what led to the violence in Virginia, how elected officials responded, and where America goes next.
White House in crisis mode after Donald Trump Jr.'s emails with Russian lawyer

July 14, 2017

Donald Trump Jr.'s email detailed a June 2016 meeting with a Russian attorney.
Health care policy, politics and consequences

June 30, 2017

What is the state of health care in America?
U.S. will withdraw from Paris climate change agreement

June 2, 2017

Trump says he wants to renegotiate the global climate change.
New bombshells in Russia investigations hit Trump administration

May 19, 2017

A White House official named a person of interest in Russia probes.
Donald Trump's first 100 days

April 28, 2017

The president is learning on the job that governing isn't as easy as he thought it would be.
Do U.S. missile strikes in Syria mark a change in Trump’s national security priorities?

April 7, 2017

The U.S. military fired 69 cruise missiles at targets in Syria.
Health care reform indefinitely on hold and wiretapping investigations raise questions of Trump’s credibility

March 24, 2017

Republicans cancel planned vote on health care after failing to get the votes to pass it.
AG Jeff Sessions under fire amid new questions about Trump administration ties to Russia

March 3, 2017

Sessions recuses himself from investigations into Russia's meddling in the election.
Trump administration considers next steps after court upholds travel ban freeze

February 10, 2017

The 9th Circuit rejects Trump bid to reinstate travel ban.
Trump briefed on intel report blaming Putin for election meddling and Congress returns to debate Obamacare

January 6, 2017

U.S. intelligence agencies tell the president-elect Russia was behind election-related cyberattacks.
The Trump Transition: A deep dive into his unconventional cabinet picks

December 9, 2016

What do Trump's cabinet choices signal about his key policy priorities?
FBI reviews newly found Clinton emails as candidates make final pitch to voters

October 28, 2016

Eleven days before the election, the FBI is reviewing new Clinton emails.
Trump's comments about women caught on tape as candidates prepare for second debate

October 7, 2016

In one month and after two more debates, the 2016 presidential election will be in the history books.
Washington Week in Colorado: Trump and Clinton debate national security as polls tighten

September 9, 2016

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton debate who will be the best commander in chief as polls get closer.
Election 2016: Separating the conventional from the unconventional

August 12, 2016

Donald Trump sparks another political firestorm, but is his campaign catching on with voters?
Trump and Clinton prep for conventions, terror in Turkey, and SCOTUS rules on abortion

July 1, 2016

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton start the search for VPs, terror breaks out at the Istanbul airport, and SCOTUS leans left on a historic abortion ruling.
The General Election Begins: Clinton clinches nomination, Obama endorses and Trump criticized by GOP leaders

June 10, 2016

Hillary Clinton makes history, Bernie Sanders keeps fighting and Donald Trump takes fire
Trump Clinches Republican Nomination, Clinton's Email Troubles Continue and Obama’s Historic Visit to Hiroshima

May 27, 2016

Donald Trump surpassed the 1,237 delegates needed to clinch the Republican nomination while Hillary Clinton continues to deal with fallout over her private email server.
Can Trump unify the Republican Party? Paul Ryan "not ready" to back Trump, Clinton calls Trump "loose cannon"

May 6, 2016

The presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump will meet with Congressional Republicans to unify the GOP.
New York state of mind: Clinton, Sanders debate in Brooklyn; Trump says GOP nominating system is "rigged"; Ryan rules out run

April 15, 2016

Republican and Democratic White House hopefuls descend on New York ahead of Tuesday's primary.
Washington Week in Milwaukee: Analysis from the Site of the Democratic Debate and the Narrowing Republican Field

February 12, 2016

We examine the state of the 2016 presidential campaign from the site of the PBS NewsHour debate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Executive Action on Guns, North Korean Nuclear Threat and Countdown to Iowa & NH

January 8, 2016

Obama proposes changes to curb gun violence, North Korea claims h-bomb test and Donald Trump takes aim at Clinton and Cruz
Widespread Backlash to Donald Trump's Proposed Muslim Ban

December 11, 2015

Donald Trump grabs the headlines with a proposed ban on Muslim visitors as the Republican Party figures out how to respond.
Biden Weighs White House Run, Trump Spars With Media and Obama’s Post-Vacation Agenda

August 28, 2015

Talk grows stronger of Biden’s potential run for the presidency, Democratic candidates meet in Minneapolis, Trump continues to squabble with the media, and Obama focus on the Iran deal.
House Votes Down Trade, More Troops to Iraq, Shaping Obama's Legacy and 2016 Frontrunners

June 12, 2015

Democrats disagree about trade, 450 troops to train Iraqis, Obama's last quarter and Jeb Bush & Hillary Clinton

Recent Stories

Trump’s focus on pleasing his most ardent supporters raises questions about reelection strategy

The Washington Post

December 29, 2018

President Trump’s headstrong refusal to reopen the federal government without new border wall funding has set him on a risky and defiant path for 2019, relying on brazen brinkmanship to shore up his base support and protect him ahead of a challenging
‘Takes all of the oxygen out’: Trump further divides political map for 2020

The Washington Post

November 19, 2018

As the final votes from the midterm elections rolled in last week, it became clear that President Trump’s near-constant campaign presence helped transform the American political map — effectively erasing lighter shades of red and blue.
For Democrats, a midterm election that keeps on giving

The Washington Post

November 10, 2018

In the early hours of election night on Tuesday, a consensus began to take hold that the vaunted Democratic blue wave that had been talked about all year was failing to materialize.
In Trump country, Republican candidates this year fall flat

The Washington Post

October 15, 2018

Midway through another raucous arena rally last week, President Trump offered a revealing aside about Rep. Lou Barletta, the Republican he recruited to jump into Pennsylvania’s Senate race.
New York congressman facing insider trading charges suspends reelection bid

The Washington Post

August 11, 2018

Indicted Rep. Chris Collins (R-N.Y.) announced Saturday that he would not run for reelection this fall as he battles federal charges for insider trading.
GOP declares victory in a U.S. House race in Ohio that’s still too close to call

The Washington Post

August 8, 2018

Republicans declared victory late Tuesday in a still-unresolved race for a solidly red congressional district in Ohio, which exposed growing concern over the vulnerabilities in President Trump’s governing coalition.
As 2018 elections near, potential 2020 presidential candidates jockey for money

The Washington Post

July 30, 2018

Democrats preparing presidential runs in 2020 are waging aggressive fundraising campaigns this year, meeting with wealthy donors over private meals and spending millions of dollars to build up their online donor networks.
Trump cites as a negotiating tool his policy of separating immigrant children from their parents

The Washington Post

June 16, 2018

President Trump has calculated that he will gain political leverage in congressional negotiations by continuing to enforce a policy he claims to hate — separating immigrant parents from their young children at the southern border, according to White
GOP worry over McCain’s Senate seat fading daily

The Washington Post

May 26, 2018

Republican fears that Sen. John McCain’s battle with cancer could make it harder for the GOP to keep its Senate majority have receded, with a crucial election deadline just days away.
Razor-thin Senate majority, bloody primary fights hamstring GOP

The Washington Post

April 20, 2018

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is scrambling to reassert control over a Republican Party hamstrung by a razor-thin governing majority and riven by increasingly bloody primary fights.
Paul Ryan’s GOP swept away by a Trumpian revolution he could neither contain nor control

The Washington Post

April 12, 2018

As he announced his exit from public life, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan tried hard to show appreciation for the man who took the Republican Party from his grasp and transformed it into something else.
Trump’s easy campaign promises run into the difficulties of reality

The Washington Post

April 5, 2018

An emboldened President Trump is discovering that the policies he once described as easy fixes for the nation are a lot more complicated in reality — creating backlash among allies, frustrating supporters and threatening the pocketbooks of many farmi
Trump’s emerging trade war threatens House Republican seats

The Washington Post

April 4, 2018

Republicans have a new reason to worry as they struggle to hold their House majority in November’s midterm elections: The price in China of U.S. sweet cherries, raw almonds and frozen pig forelegs.
Texas voting: 2018’s first primary points to liberal enthusiasm

The Washington Post

March 7, 2018

Democratic voters showed up in force in Texas on Tuesday for the nation’s first primary of the year, providing fresh evidence that liberal enthusiasm could reshape even deeply Republican states come November.
More governors willing to consider gun law changes after Florida shooting

The Washington Post

February 26, 2018

A growing bipartisan number of state governors have joined calls for a reconsideration of gun laws and school safety measures after the mass shooting in Parkland, Fla., a sign that resulting legislative changes could extend far beyond Florida in the
Fla. GOP lawmakers move ahead on raising age minimum for buying assault rifles

The Washington Post

February 23, 2018

Florida Republican lawmakers are moving forward with a proposal to raise the minimum age for purchasing assault rifles in the state from 18 to 21 despite the opposition of the National Rifle Association.
McConnell urges Mississippi governor to consider Cochran Senate seat

The Washington Post

February 2, 2018

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has asked the governor of Mississippi to consider appointing himself to the Senate if ailing Republican Sen. Thad Cochran resigns from office, according to two people familiar with the conversations.
State of the Union gives Trump the chance to ‘act presidential,’ at least for a night

The Washington Post

January 30, 2018

Every now and again, President Trump chooses to embrace the office of the presidency, with all its pomp and power, if only to prove that he can. The moments rarely last long, but they are notable when they arrive — at an international gathering in S
Schumer’s to-do list: Fix DACA, win the Senate, manage Trump

The Washington Post

January 29, 2018

Until the government shutdown last week, Senate Minority Leader Charles E.
‘It’s the economy, stupid’: GOP prepares to sell tax law as its 2018 survival strategy

The Washington Post

January 23, 2018

Republicans this fall will be hoping that Bill Clinton was right about at least one thing.
‘Yesterday morning, he was key. Today, I’m not sure’: Bannon’s allies start to abandon him

The Washington Post

January 5, 2018

Former White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon’s hopes of leading a revolt in the Republican Party this year suffered a severe blow Thursday as his allies rebuked and abandoned him following a nasty public break with President Trump.
Voters head to the polls in contentious Senate race in Alabama

The Washington Post

December 12, 2017

Alabama voters headed to the polls Tuesday for a pivotal special election in which allegations of inappropriate behavior against Republican candidate Roy Moore have created a unique opportunity for Democrats in the typically ruby-red Deep South.
Shelby bucks his party and president to oppose Moore for Senate

The Washington Post

December 11, 2017

Since the surfacing of allegations of Moore’s sexual misconduct, Shelby has publicly bucked President Trump and the rest of Alabama’s statewide Republican leaders by vocally opposing Moore’s candidacy, which he warns could hurt the state he has spent
Roy Moore deploys legal threats over ads in Alabama’s Senate race

The Washington Post

December 7, 2017

Former Alabama Supreme Court chief justice Roy Moore is turning to the law in the final days of his Senate campaign, making a flurry of demands, sometimes backed by legal threats, that appear designed to redirect the public focus of the race.
Trump breaks another party norm with renewed support for Roy Moore

The Washington Post

December 6, 2017

Donald Trump tore up yet another page in the Republican rule book this week with his full-throated re-endorsement of U.S.
President Trump led an aggressive charge Monday on behalf of embattled Senate nominee Roy Moore, with the Republican National Committee rejoining Moore’s side in Alabama weeks after cutting ties with him following allegations of sexual misconduct.

The Washington Post

December 5, 2017

President Trump led an aggressive charge Monday on behalf of embattled Senate nominee Roy Moore, with the Republican National Committee rejoining Moore’s side in Alabama weeks after cutting ties with him following allegations of sexual misconduct.
Alabama race is neck and neck, with voters divided over Roy Moore allegations, poll finds

The Washington Post

December 2, 2017

Alabama’s closely watched U.S. Senate race is a neck-and-neck contest as voter concerns about personal moral conduct weigh on the candidacy of Republican Roy Moore, according to a new Washington Post-Schar School poll.
Roy Moore vows to ‘take off the gloves’ in the final weeks of Senate campaign

The Washington Post

November 28, 2017

Casting his campaign as a “spiritual battle” against “the immorality of our time,” Alabama Republican Roy Moore vowed Monday to “take off the gloves” in the final weeks of his Senate race so he can establish a clear contrast with his Democratic oppon
Trump boosts Moore in Ala. Senate race despite sexual misconduct allegations

The Washington Post

November 22, 2017

President Trump gave a boost Tuesday to embattled Republican candidate Roy Moore in the Alabama Senate race, warning against a Democratic victory and emphasizing that the former judge “totally denies” allegations of inappropriate relationships with t
We dare defend our rights’: Alabama Republicans standing by Moore reflect state’s tradition of defiance

The Washington Post

November 20, 2017

Moore’s campaign has taken to repeating Alabama’s motto, written in Latin on the state coat of arms in 1923 and translated to “We dare defend our rights,” while Moore backers have repeatedly argued that their state has the right to decide its own fat
Senate candidate Roy Moore does not rule out that he may have dated teen girls when he was in his 30s

The Washington Post

November 11, 2017

Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore declined Friday to rule out that he may have dated girls in their late teens when he was in his 30s, though he said he did not remember any such encounters and described such behavior as inappropriate.
Washington prepares for the unexpected as Russia investigation unfolds

The Washington Post

October 31, 2017

Amid the escalating criminal investigation into Russian involvement in the 2016 election, every corner of the city finds itself preparing for the unexpected.
Moore vs. Strange: Polls open in Alabama Republican primary

The Washington Post

September 26, 2017

In the first skirmish of the coming fight for the soul of the Republican Party, polls have opened in the Alabama special election to replace Attorney General Jeff Sessions in the Senate.
Roy Moore disrupts U.S. Senate race in Alabama — and prepares for new level of defiance in Washington

The Washington Post

September 22, 2017

With the thunder and fire of an old-time revivalist, U.S.
Establishment gears up for Steve Bannon’s war on the GOP leadership

The Washington Post

September 18, 2017

If “war” against the Republican establishment is what former White House strategist Stephen K. Bannon wants, then war is what he will get.
‘Amnesty Don’? Trump tests the faith of supporters with talk of immigration deal

The Washington Post

September 15, 2017

With chants of “build the wall,” warnings of rapists coming from Mexico and an unforgiving promise to deport millions, Donald Trump forged a fundamental bond with millions of frustrated Americans who helped him take over the Republican Party and win
Muted backlash to Trump’s bipartisanship signals warning for GOP

The Washington Post

September 11, 2017

Republicans who dared to cut deals with Democrats have long had to fear retribution from conservative activists like Rick Manning, president of Americans for Limited Government.
Bigots get a boost from the bully pulpit after Charlottesville

TIME

August 17, 2017

Nearly alone among the nation's elected leaders, President Trump saw a nobility of purpose in the fiery procession that began a weekend of street fights in Charlottesville, Va.
Trump's Loyalty Test

TIME

May 18, 2017

The presidency of Donald Trump, in short, has become an acute test for those helping to lead the nation.
As the White House Turns: A Guide to the Shifting Power Centers Among Trump's Top Advisers

TIME

April 14, 2017

The team surrounding the president is among the most conflicted groups in memory.
The Trump Administration Warned Russia About the U.S. Missile Attack on Syria

TIME

April 7, 2017

The Trump administration notified Russia in advance of missile strikes on Syria Thursday night.
Can President Trump Handle the Truth?

TIME

March 23, 2017

"The more the conversation continued, the more the binary distinctions between truth and falsehood blurred."
The Two Contradictory Faces of Donald Trump: President and Provocateur

TIME

March 6, 2017

The President of the United States has two contradictory public faces, and the nation witnessed both last week in all their confusing and disruptive glory.
The Truth Is Out There in 2016. Way Out There.

TIME Magazine

October 7, 2016

In 2016, political debate has become unhinged from reality. And it won’t stop on Election Day.
Melania Trump Uses Phrases From Michelle Obama’s 2008 Convention Speech

TIME

July 20, 2016

Aspiring First Lady Melania Trump earned high praise for her Republican Convention speech Monday night. It was optimistic, compassionate and apparently heartfelt.
Can America Learn to Love Ted Cruz?

TIME

April 7, 2016

He has a plan to take the GOP nomination from Donald Trump. But first he must heal old wounds
Jeb Bush Attacks Trump Hard in Two-Minute Ad

TIME

February 3, 2016

Donald Trump long ago turned Jeb Bush into a “low-energy” punchline. But Bush isn’t done punching back.
Everything Changes When Republicans Debate Without Donald Trump

Time

January 29, 2016

For two whole hours Thursday night, the Republican Party awoke from its 2016 fever dream.
Michael Bloomberg Mulling Presidential Run as Independent

TIME

January 25, 2016

He is "significantly less likely" to run if Hillary Clinton is the Democratic nominee
What You Missed While Not Watching the Republican Debate in Charleston

Time

January 15, 2016

The first Republican debate of 2016 begins with a promise.
Exclusive: Donald Trump Says He Might Have Supported Japanese Internment

TIME

December 8, 2015

Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump told TIME that he does not know whether he would have supported or opposed the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.
The Paris attacks have exposed divisions in the U.S.

TIME

November 18, 2015

Terrorist attacks have a long history of pulling the United States together, with the President playing the dual role of comforter and commander in chief. The horrific attacks Friday on Paris, however, have led to a different result.
Univision’s Jorge Ramos: Reporters Need to Get Tougher on Donald Trump

TIME

August 28, 2015

Days after exchanging heated words with Donald Trump, Univision anchor Jorge Ramos has some words to share with his fellow national political reporters: Do more to make Trump answer the tough questions.
The Donald Has Landed: Deal With It

TIME

August 20, 2015

There are some things you just can’t do in politics, not at the presidential level, anyway. This is a game like any other, with rules honed over decades by the pros in blue blazers clutching focus-group results: Be likable. Don’t make enemies.
Donald Trump Heaps Insults on Lindsey Graham, Jeb Bush, Hillary Clinton, Other Foes

TIME

July 22, 2015

A triumphant and unrepentant Donald Trump launched a barrage of personal attacks and name-calling on his campaign rivals Tuesday, most notably calling South Carolina Sen.
What to Know About the Iran Nuclear Deal

TIME

July 15, 2015

The U.S. and other world powers announced a deal with Iran early Tuesday to curb its nuclear program in exchange for giving the country relief from economic sanctions. Here’s what you need to know.
NSA Program to Collect Phone Records Ends

TIME

June 3, 2015

The National Security Agency will lose the ability to collect and store virtually all of American phone records, after the U.S. Senate voted 67-32 Tuesday to reform the secret intelligence collection programs revealed in 2013 by Edward Snowden.
Why Presidential Candidates Must Answer Hypothetical Questions

Time

May 18, 2015

One big word hides more than it reveals in presidential politics.
The Problem With Hillary Clinton’s Email Record Search

TIME

March 12, 2015

A top lawyer says the procedure Clinton used to identify work-related documents on her email server did not meet best practices
House Republicans Seek to Turn Page on Steve Scalise Scandal

TIME

December 31, 2014

David Duke, a former wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, doesn’t think the third most powerful House Republican needs to apologize for attending one of his meetings in 2002. After all, they share a lot of constituents.
Jeb Bush, Mr. Sunshine

TIME

December 23, 2014

At times like this, Joy is not the most obvious theme to build a presidential campaign around. So it is all the more surprising that Jeb Bush cannot stop talking about that most delightful and fleeting of human emotions.
The Incredible Rise in Campaign Spending

TIME

October 24, 2014

The cost of running for Congress has increased more than 500 percent since 1984. Here's an interactive look at how campaign expenditures have outrun inflation, health care, and even the rising cost of college
A President in Prime-Time Command After 2 Years of Frustration

TIME

September 11, 2014

The central message of Wednesday night’s prime-time reveal of a new U.S. war in the Middle East came a few minutes in. President Barack Obama squared to the camera, slowed his delivery and filled each syllable with all the gravity he had.