PBS NewsHour - Politics

On the stand Monday in the fourth week of testimony in Donald Trump's hush money trial was the prosecution's star witness, Michael Cohen. Trump's former attorney and fixer testified that Trump directed him to pay adult film actress Stormy Daniels to bury her story on the eve of the 2016 election and was then involved in the coverup of those payments after he won. William Brangham reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Jury selection began Monday as Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez is set to become the first sitting senator ever tried for conspiracy to act as a foreign agent. The case is expected to last several weeks. Lisa Desjardins previews what's to come. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Since the fall of Roe v. Wade, Republicans have banned abortion in 14 states and restricted it in more. But when given the chance, voters have supported ballot initiatives to protect access to the procedure. This election year, abortion will again be a defining issue. Laura Barrón-Lopéz reports from the battleground of Michigan, where Democrats plan to keep the topic front and center. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

NPR's Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter join Amna Nawaz to discuss the latest political news, including new polls showing President Biden trailing Donald Trump in key battleground states and the former president's historic trial rolls on in New York. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The third week of testimony in former president Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial came to a close Friday in New York with prosecutors saying they may be able to rest their case next week. William Brangham was in the courtroom and reports on what he saw and what comes next. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart and Daily Beast columnist Matt Lewis join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including President Biden's decision to withhold some weapons from Israel, where Donald Trump's criminal trial stands and Republican House Speaker Johnson survives an ouster attempt thanks to Democrats. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The adult film actress at the center of Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial finished her testimony after more than seven hours in total on the stand. Stormy Daniels was questioned by the former president's defense attorney in a tense cross-examination that tried to paint her as an opportunist. William Brangham reports from New York. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In our news wrap Wednesday, GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene failed in her attempt to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson, parts of the Midwest surveyed damage after a night of extreme weather that spawned tornadoes, Russia unleashed a barrage of more than 50 missiles and drones on Ukraine and Live Nation settled nearly all of the wrongful death lawsuits involving the Astroworld festival in Houston. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The classified documents case against former President Trump has been officially, and indefinitely, delayed by Judge Aileen Cannon. To many legal observers, this was considered the strongest, clearest-cut case against Trump. But now, a trial that was supposed to start in two weeks will almost certainly not begin before the election. William Brangham discussed where things stand with Mary McCord. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Stormy Daniels, the adult film actress at the center of the criminal hush money trial against Donald Trump, took the stand Tuesday in New York. In sometimes graphic detail, she described the sexual encounter she alleges she had with Trump and the payment she received from his lawyer to buy her silence. William Brangham discussed the volatile day in court with Andrea Bernstein of NPR. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Two former employees of the Trump Organization were on the stand in New York. Jeffrey McConney and Deborah Tasaroff were involved in the payments that are at the center of the charges filed against the former president in his hush money trial. Donald Trump also received another fine and a tough warning from the judge. William Brangham discussed the latest with Ximena Bustillo of NPR. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

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 Republicans navigate the fallout from controversial remarks made by Donald Trump at a fundraising dinner over the weekend and President Biden continues to deal with a jaded electorate as he wrestles with the political ramifications of the war in Gaza. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

One of former President Trump's most senior aides took the stand during his trial in New York. Hope Hicks served as Trump's press secretary during the 2016 campaign and was his White House communications director. She detailed how Trump handled revelations about alleged extramarital affairs and the payments made to bury those stories. William Brangham discussed more with Andrea Bernstein of NPR. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join William Brangham to discuss the week in politics, including protests against the war in Gaza growing on college campuses and Donald Trump gives the clearest vision yet for what he would do with a second term. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

On the stand Thursday in Donald Trump's hush money trial was Los Angeles lawyer Keith Davidson. He negotiated both the Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal hush money agreements at the center of the case against the former president. William Brangham was in the courthouse and breaks down the latest. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Supreme Court wrapped up oral arguments and has now turned to rolling out decisions in some of the most consequential cases of the year. Those decisions will shape policies nationwide on divisive issues like homelessness and reproductive rights, and some of them could affect the presidential election. John Yang discussed more with NewsHour Supreme Court analyst Marcia Coyle and Joan Biskupic. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Young people between the ages of 18 and 29 make up roughly 20 percent of eligible voters. A majority of them voted for President Biden in 2020 and are typically a reliable vote for Democrats. In Michigan, NewsHour sat down with four young voters to talk about the election. Most of them plan to vote in November but they aren't enthusiastic about their options. Laura Barrón-López reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

We have learned more this week about how former President Trump would govern if reelected. Wednesday in Wisconsin, he again pledged to deport millions of undocumented immigrants. And a wide-ranging interview with Time magazine sparked headlines with some of his most strident words yet about what he would do in a second term. Lisa Desjardins reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders