America in Focus

Mar 09 2025 337 ep. 12 mins 11

America in Focus Podcast artwork

The podcast bringing you the most important stories out of Washington D.C. from TheCenterSquare.com. Join us as we dive into the top headlines and provide insightful commentary and analysis.

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Sanctuary City Mayors Deflect, Defend Policies Under Lawmaker Questioning

Mar 09 2025 9 mins

(The Center Square) – Four sanctuary city mayors who spent millions of state and federal taxpayer dollars to accommodate illegal immigrants denied that blocking federal agents from deporting criminal migrants violated federal law at a committee hearing Wednesday. Republicans on the House Oversight and Government Reform committee grilled Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Boston Mayor

Trump Walks Back Tariffs on Mexico, Canada for Another Month

Mar 08 2025 7 mins

(The Center Square) – Stocks sunk Thursday afternoon despite President Donald Trump's decision to grant major exceptions to the 25% tariffs he put on Mexico and Canada earlier this week. All three major U.S. market indexes were in the red by the time of Trump's afternoon bill signing. Trump said Thursday in the Oval Office that steel and aluminum tariffs were on track for next we

Trump ‘Just Getting Started’ as He Talks Border, DOGE, Tariffs, More

Mar 07 2025 6 mins

(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump addressed both the House and Senate Tuesday evening in a wide-ranging speech at about the six week-mark into his second term in office. Trump’s remarks come amidst a series of executive orders, a successful border crackdown, new tariffs, tumultuous foreign policy, and some lawsuits threatening to halt part of his progress. The presid

Lawmakers Debate DOGE Cuts to Foreign Aid, Shuttering of USAID

Mar 01 2025 7 mins

(The Center Square) – While expert witnesses gave divided views on the shuttering of the U.S Agency for International Development (USAID), lawmakers sparred Wednesday during a House Oversight subcommittee hearing over the alleged corruption within the independent agency. Democrats on the Subcommittee on Delivery on Government Efficiency argued that the closing of USAID’s operat

House Republicans’ $4.5 Trillion Budget Resolution Overcomes Odds, Passes

Feb 28 2025 7 mins

(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump’s tax cuts, border, defense, and energy promises are one step closer to enactment after the U.S. House narrowly passed its $4.5 trillion budget resolution Tuesday night, officially kickstarting the budget reconciliation process. Following hours of Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., convincing Republican holdouts to commit, a brief cancella

DOGE Says It Has Saved Taxpayers $55 Billion So Far

Feb 22 2025 7 mins

(The Center Square) – The month-old Department of Government Efficiency led by billionaire Elon Musk has saved American taxpayers $55 billion, according to the latest update from the group. Its ‘Wall of Receipts’ on its new website catalogues where the department has made cuts and how much those cuts are worth. The biggest line item on ‘the wall’ is one from the Departmen

Southwest Border Apprehensions Drop By 85%, at Ports of Entry by 93%

Feb 21 2025 7 mins

(The Center Square) – In the first 10 days of the Trump administration, apprehensions dropped by 85% between ports of entry at the southwest border, according to new data published by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. From Jan. 21 through Jan. 31, 2025, the number of U.S. Border Patrol apprehensions along the southwest border dropped by 85% compared to the same period in 2024.

Trump Signs Order Forcing Agencies to Work With DOGE

Feb 15 2025 9 mins

(The Center Square) – Billionaire Elon Musk joined President Donald Trump in the oval office Tuesday as the president signed an executive order requiring federal agencies to work with Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE. The order will require federal agencies to work with DOGE to significantly reduce their labor force. A White House fact sheet, first repo

Inflation Rises in Latest Data

Feb 14 2025 6 mins

(The Center Square) – Prices rose more than expected last month, newly released inflation data shows. The Consumer Price Index, a leading marker of inflation, rose 0.5% in January, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The January increase contributed to a 3% increase in the last 12 months, the highest level since June. The rising cost of shelter drove much of the inc

‘Illegal Takeover’ of USAID Operations by Trump, Musk Draws Ire From Democrats

Feb 08 2025 7 mins

(The Center Square) – Foreign aid has become the newest target of the Department of Government Efficiency, with President Donald Trump reportedly planning to merge the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) with the State department. Trump has already made Secretary of State Marco Rubio the acting administrator of USAID and halted the agency’s work via a for