William Brangham

In our news wrap Saturday, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 16 people in Lebanon and Gaza, a patient in California is being treated for a new form of mpox first seen in eastern Congo, prosecutors allege Sean “Diddy” Combs is trying to obstruct justice while awaiting trial in jail, and a much-hyped boxing event between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul was marred by Netflix streaming glitches.

In a major victory for President-elect Trump, Republicans will now control both chambers of Congress after the House was called for the GOP this past week. But this trifecta doesn't guarantee smooth governing, as narrow margins could make passing major legislation difficult. Casey Burgat, legislative affairs program director at The George Washington University, joins William Brangham to discuss.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has long held a strong pro-Israel stance, one that’s deeply rooted in his evangelical Christian faith. Now, as Trump’s pick to serve as ambassador to Israel, he could be integral in shaping U.S. diplomacy in the Middle East. William Brangham speaks with historian Daniel Hummel about the connection between evangelicals and their support for Israel.

The Department of Justice asked a federal judge to force Google to sell off its popular web browser, Chrome. It comes after an antitrust case this past summer that found Google had illegally maintained a monopoly in online search. William Brangham discussed the potential impacts both for the company and the internet with Bobby Allyn of NPR.

Texas school board officials have approved new course materials that schools are incentivized to incorporate into their classrooms. Called “Bluebonnet Learning,” parts of these materials include religious lessons that critics say undermine religious freedom, and could isolate non-Christian students. William Brangham explores the issue with Texas Tribune education reporter Jaden Edison.

At the U.N. climate talks in Azerbaijan, negotiators struck a deal at the last moment. Wealthy nations pledged $300 billion a year by 2035 to help developing countries deal with the impacts of climate change and to help their transition to cleaner energy. It’s nowhere near the $1 trillion a year that many experts and analysts say is needed. William Brangham discussed more with Manish Bapna.

NPR’s Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter join William Brangham to discuss the latest political news, including the major federal felony cases against President-elect Trump are dropped, Trump's success with young men and the electoral gender divide.

President-elect Trump continues to round out his Cabinet, including some key economic appointments. He's chosen billionaire hedge fund manager Scott Bessent for treasury secretary and for commerce, he's chosen Howard Lutnick, the CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald and a big backer of tariffs. William Brangham discussed what these choices mean for Trump's agenda with David Wessel.

President-elect Trump is wasting no time when it comes to making good on his promise to impose tariffs on foreign nations. He announced he would slap major new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China on his first day in office. The economic consequences of the tariffs could be enormous, involving multiple industries, goods and groceries. William Brangham discussed more with economist Mary Lovely.

President-elect Trump selected a critic of COVID-19 lockdowns and mandates to lead the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Jay Bhattacharya is known for co-authoring the Great Barrington Declaration, a 2020 manifesto that advocated allowing COVID to spread in order to achieve herd immunity. It was widely criticized by top health officials. William Brangham discussed more with Dr. Jennifer Nuzzo.