About this episode
The Washington Roundtable discusses President Trump’s deployment of uniformed troops in Los Angeles, the Administration’s attempt to blur the distinction between the military and law enforcement, and this weekend’s parade in D.C. to celebrate the Army’s two-hundred-and-fiftieth anniversary, which also happens to be the President’s seventy-ninth birthday. Plus, the handcuffing of California Senator Alex Padilla at a press conference given by Kristi Noem, the Secretary of Homeland Security. “To suddenly see this guy being thrown around on the ground—it really brought back all of the feelings I’ve had about living in places like Egypt and in China,” says the staff writer Evan Osnos. “When the highest office-holders in the land start to get brutalized, that just tells you that really anybody out there is being treated in much harsher ways.” This week’s reading: “ Donald Trump’s Dictator Cosplay ,” by Susan B. Glasser “ Donald Trump Enters His World Cup Era ,” by Jon Allsop “ Looking for the National Guard in Los Angeles ,” by Emily Witt “ Immigration Protests Threaten to Boil Over in Los Angeles ,” by E. Tammy Kim “ The Farmers Harmed by the Trump Administration ,” by Peter Slevin “ The Victims of the Trump Administration’s China-Bashing ,” by Michael Luo “ The Department of Veterans Affairs Is Not O.K. ,” by David W. Brown To discover more podcasts from The New Yorker , visit newyorker.com/podcasts. To send in feedback on this episode, write to themail@newyorker.com with “The Political Scene” in the subject line. The Political Scene draws on the reporting and analysis found in The New Yorker for lively conversations about the big questions in American politics. Join the magazine’s writers and editors as they put into context the latest news—about elections, the economy, the White House, the Supreme Court, and much more. New episodes are available three times a week. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices