On the Washington Week Extra, New York Times Magazine writer at large and National Geographic contributing writer Robert Draper discusses his latest book, "To Start a War: How the Bush Administration Took America into Iraq.”

Washington Week (audio) | PBS

The Washington Week Bookshelf: “To Start a War” by Robert Draper

President Trump has been eager to project optimism about the COVID-19 pandemic but has faced scrutiny from reporters. In an interview aired this week with Jonathan Swan of Axios, the president responded to rises in death rates by saying “it is what it is,” while insisting the White House is doing everything it can to combat the virus. Meanwhile, in Congress, Democrats and the White House could not agree to a new round of stimulus or an expansion of the $600 supplement to unemployed Americans that expired last week. The panel discussed the president’s response to the coronavirus crisis, the fate of a deal in Congress and the potential candidates to serve as Joe Biden’s vice-presidential pick.

President Trump defends his administration’s COVID-19 response

On the Washington Week Extra, 60 Minutes Correspondent John Dickerson discusses his latest book, “The Hardest Job in the World: The American Presidency.”

“The Hardest Job in the World: The American Presidency”

Postponing election day, as suggested by President Trump Thursday, cannot be done without an act of Congress. But is this very suggestion a threat to democracy? The panel discussed the latest from the 2020 campaign and Capitol Hill, as the economy suffers a record drop and Congress fails to extend the $600 unemployment benefit.

President Trump stokes fears about election security

On the Washington Week Extra, the panel discussed the life and legacy of Congressman John Lewis, who passed away July 17, 2020.

Remembering civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis

President Trump’s plan to send thousands of federal officers into cities sparked outrage as the number of Americans who have tested positive for COVID-19 passed 4 million this week.

President Trump orders federal agents into cities as COVID-19 deaths rise

Watch the Washington Week Extra for the latest on the 2020 Senate campaign. Jonathan Karl also discussed his Washington Post editorial about White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany’s briefings.

Could Democrats win back the Senate in November?

The 2020 race for the White House is heating up. President Trump lashed out at Joe Biden, making false claims about his opponent’s platform and saying Biden would “abolish the suburbs.” The panel also discussed the president’s uneasy relationship with his own public health officials as cases of virus surge and the White House pushes to reopen schools.

President Trump attacks Joe Biden as COVID-19 cases spike

Few reporters know the Supreme Court like Joan Biskupic, CNN legal analyst and author of "The Chief: The Life and Turbulent Times of Chief Justice John Roberts. Join her and Yamiche Alcindor of the PBS NewsHour to learn more about the high court’s ruling on President Trump’s financial records.

The Supreme Court rules on President Trump’s tax returns

President Trump commuted longtime confidant Roger Stone’s sentence Friday as COVID-19 cases surged across the country. The panel discussed the questions before leaders in Washington this week: will they encourage schools to reopen as early as next month? And will they pass another round of stimulus funding?

President Trump commutes Roger Stone’s sentence and pressures schools to reopen

On the Washington Week Extra, presidential historian Kate Andersen Brower discusses her newest book Team of Five: The President’s Club in the Age of Trump.

The Washington Week Bookshelf: “Team of Five: The Presidents Club in the Age of Trump”

President Trump is speaking Friday night at Mount Rushmore, ahead of Independence Day. The visit captures this president at this moment: turning to symbols from the past and rallying his base as his campaign faces mounting challenges. The panel also discussed reporting from multiple news organizations that Russia offered bounties to the Taliban to kill American and coalition troops in Afghanistan.

President Trump’s Declaration of Grievance

Want even more #WashWeekPBS? Watch the Extra where the panel discussed allegations that Trump administration political appointees pushed the Department of Justice to drop a case against Trump ally Roger Stone and the latest news from the 2020 campaign trail.

DOJ Official alleges political interference in the case of Roger Stone

The coronavirus pandemic is spreading rapidly in many states, with more than 40,000 new cases on Thursday alone, and spikes in Florida, Texas, and California. This week the panel discussed how some Republicans may break with President Donald Trump on how to safely reopen the country. They also discussed how police reform efforts following the death of George Floyd have has stalled on Capitol Hill.

Coronavirus infections spike and President Trump’s polls sink

The panel discussed the two opinions issued by the Supreme Court this week - upholding workplace protection for LGBTQ individuals and dismissing an attempt by President Donald Trump’s administration to disband the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program - and the significance of those rulings by a court considered relatively conservative.

Supreme Court surprise rulings challenge notion of a strictly conservative bench

For 50 years, Washington Week has been the most intelligent and up to date conversation about the most important news stories of the week. Washington Week is the longest-running news and public affairs program on PBS and features journalists -- not pundits -- lending insight and perspective to the week's important news stories.

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