Trump Defends East Wing Demolition

The East Wing of the White House, and the 123 years of American history it embodied, is now reduced to rubble. This comes as the cost of the ballroom, and with it opportunities for donors to curry favor with the President rise. Perspective from former Trump campaign adviser David Urban, former senior adviser to President Obama David Axelrod, and CNN Presidential Historian Tim Naftali.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Trump is defending the demolition of the White House’s East Wing. Months ago, he said the construction "won’t interfere with the current building." We're Keeping Them Honest. Plus, presidential historian and Rice University history professor Douglas Brinkley gives his take on the extensive project to build a ballroom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New reporting that the President is asking the Justice Department to pay him $230 million in taxpayer money for prosecuting him.  With one catch, top Justice officials have to sign off on it. The good news for the president: he appointed them, and one's his former defense attorney in the case. Plus, the co-author of Epstein survivor Virginia Roberts Giuffre's posthumous memoir, on their collaboration, and the chilling revelations in the book.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He's up for a big job in the Trump administration but perhaps not for long: a new report of deeply disturbing text messages allegedly sent by Paul Ingrassia to a group of fellow Republicans. The Senate's top republican, Majority Leader John Thune, has just weighed in. Plus, with French authorities racing to find several priceless treasures before they are broken up and fenced, all we are learning about how four daring thieves broke into the Louvre and made off with them, including video of them in the act. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Expelled from the House, convicted of fraud, sentenced to prison, and now George Santos is getting sprung by a president who says he was "somewhat of a rogue." Plus, after meeting with Ukraine's president, and talking by phone with Putin, President Trump now says that both sides should claim victory and stop the fighting where they are. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former Trump national security adviser John Bolton was indicted today on charges of mishandling classified information, the third critic of the President to be federally charged in less than a month. Plus, Chef José Andrés on the lifesaving work his group is doing in Gaza, with Hamas gunmen seeking retribution against Palestinians they accuse of collaboration, and hunger a daily reality.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After the U.S. conducted yet another strike on a boat alleged to be trafficking drugs off the coast of Venezuela, the President confirms he authorized a CIA action inside Venezuela, and now he says he'll stop drugs from there by sea and by the land. Plus, a new report on racist texts by members of Young Republican groups , and the Vice President's claim that it's just, "what kids do." Turns out they're not kids--and they are texting about loving Hitler and calling other Americans "the watermelon people." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

An ultimatum from Defense Secretary Hegseth to reporters: sign this pledge or lose access to the Pentagon. Find out which news organizations refused to sign and why. Plus, CNN investigates how scammers are stealing millions of dollars from victims using crypto ATMs and see how the companies who own those machines are fighting as they try to claw back what police seize in those transactions.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A historic day, more than two years in the making as hostage families are reunited with their loved ones. In Gaza, more than 1,700 held without charges by Israel, were released. Families are now reunited in the hopes that the war is now truly over. Plus, former President Obama sounds off on President Trump's second term, and how he says the guardrails of our democracy have been deliberately damaged. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The latest on a massive blast at a military explosives plant in Tennessee that officials say has left 19 dead or missing, and law enforcement is treating it as a crime scene.Plus, the Trump administration following through on its threat to lay off federal employees during the shutdown. Tonight, the President saying he's targeting people who are "Democrat-oriented." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices