The White House recently released its budget proposal for 2026, which calls for over $160 billion in cuts to the Centers for Disease Control, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Education, FBI, and federal housing programs like Section 8. Normally, the budget isn’t more than a simple suggestion to Congress. But Russell Vought, Trump’s close advisor who also oversees the federal budget, may have other plans. What is the administration’s endgame? Will Congress simply play along?

After 15 years of steady decline, the U.S. saw a slight increase in the national birth rate last year. However, some demographers and public officials are still concerned about low fertility rates. It’s a worldwide trend that many nations are working to solve. The problem has become a priority for the Trump administration. Can they offer enough incentives to turn things around?

College students have increasingly relied on ChatGPT and other chatbots to help them with school assignments. Some say they want to do the work themselves, but mastering the technology is an easier way to ensure good grades. Is this a troubling trend for learning?

Ex-financier Mark Carney led Canada’s Liberal Party to a nearly 30-point comeback in the polls to win the federal election. The shocking victory was driven by the anger many Canadians felt over President Trump’s taunting of the neighboring nation. Was it a unique circumstance, or could Trump set the tone for more consequential results in foreign nations down the line?

While campaigning, Trump was adamant that he could end the Russia-Ukraine war during his first few days in office. When day 100 came, he reversed course in interviews, saying that his supporters knew those comments were made in jest. Another shift: Trump has been more receptive to Ukrainian demands for the war’s end since Russia’s deadly surprise attack in Kyiv. Can Trump broker a deal in Ukraine? What is the “Trump doctrine” guiding his philosophy?

Comedian Larry David recently released a satirical opinion piece in the New York Times mocking Bill Maher’s dinner with Trump, comparing it to a dinner with Hitler in 1939. While making the case for political satire, KCRW discusses the usefulness of David’s essay.

Daily operations at the Department of Defense have been described as “total chaos” by a former department spokesperson. In a Politico op-ed, recently fired John Ullyot questioned Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s leadership and capability. President Trump defended Hegseth, but reports say the White House might be replacing him. Several of Trump’s cabinet leaders have come under fire for focusing on the more forward-facing aspects of their jobs. Should the day-to-day management of key departments be a concern right now?

Leaders worldwide are expected to gather in Rome this weekend for the funeral of Pope Francis. His leadership of the Catholic Church was regarded as a progressive shift from several of his predecessors, especially around the acceptance of LGBTQ worshippers and the treatment of migrants. He had recently clashed with Vice President JD Vance over Vance’s use of Catholic theology to defend the Trump administration’s immigration policy. KCRW discusses the political legacy of Francis and how the next pope could impact American politics.

How much does the language we use around issues like immigration influence policy? Plus, we answer a listener question on viewpoint diversity.