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[00:00:04] Welcome to Washington today on CPAN [00:00:06] Radio for Thursday, February 19th, 2026. [00:00:08] President Donald Trump hosts in [00:00:10] Washington the first meeting of the [00:00:12] Board of Peace designed to build on the [00:00:14] Israel Hamas ceasefire and promote [00:00:16] reconstruction of Gaza. [music] The [00:00:18] president says that board members have [00:00:20] committed $7 billion and the US will [00:00:23] give $10 billion [music] to the effort. [00:00:26] Former Prince Andrew in Great Britain is [00:00:28] arrested on suspicion of sending trade [00:00:30] information to [music] the late [00:00:31] convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. [00:00:33] King Charles III in a written statement [00:00:35] saying, "Let me state clearly, the law [00:00:38] must take [music] its course." We'll [00:00:40] talk about all this with C-SPAN's [00:00:41] Westminster correspondent Peter Nolles. [00:00:44] It's day six of the Homeland Security [00:00:46] Department shutdown. We'll talk with [00:00:48] Lisa [music] Mascaro, Associated Press [00:00:50] chief congressional correspondent about [00:00:52] where negotiations over federal [00:00:54] immigration [music] enforcement reform, [00:00:56] a key Democratic demand to reopen the [00:00:58] department stand. Plus, state governors [00:01:01] in Washington DC [music] for the [00:01:02] National Governor's Association winter [00:01:04] meeting are asked about immigration and [00:01:06] customs [music] enforcement in their [00:01:08] states. President Trump travels to Rome, [00:01:10] Georgia to talk about the economy. [00:01:12] Senator Bernie Sanders, independent from [00:01:13] Vermont, kicks off a ballot measure [00:01:15] campaign in California for a one-time [00:01:17] tax on billionaires. [music] And NASA [00:01:20] releases the findings of an [00:01:21] investigation into the Boeing [00:01:23] Starlininer spacecraft malfunction that [00:01:25] [music] turned what was to be a 10-day [00:01:27] mission for two astronauts into a [00:01:29] 9-month stay on [music] the [00:01:30] International Space Station. Associated [00:01:33] Press writing that President Donald [00:01:34] Trump announced Thursday at the [00:01:36] inaugural Board of Peace meeting that [00:01:38] nine members have agreed to pledge a [00:01:40] combined $7 billion toward a Gaza relief [00:01:43] package while five countries have agreed [00:01:45] to deploy troops to take part in an [00:01:47] international stabilization force to the [00:01:50] war battered Palestinian territory. But [00:01:52] $7 billion is only a fraction of the [00:01:54] estimated $70 billion needed to rebuild [00:01:56] Gaza, where a shaky ceasefire deal looms [00:01:59] over Trump's ambitions for his board to [00:02:02] rival the United Nations in solving [00:02:04] world conflicts. Trump also announced [00:02:06] the US was pledging $10 billion for the [00:02:08] Board of Peace, but didn't specify what [00:02:11] the money will be used for. That was [00:02:13] from Associated Press. The Board of [00:02:15] Peace, which President Trump chairs, met [00:02:17] at the US Institute of Peace in [00:02:20] Washington. [00:02:21] >> With the commitments announced today, [00:02:22] the Board of Peace is proving that it [00:02:25] does not just convene countries. It [00:02:28] devises and implements and real [00:02:30] solutions happen. We we've we've come up [00:02:34] with solutions. This is so little talk. [00:02:37] This is very little talk, all action. [00:02:39] First time it was always talk in the [00:02:41] Middle East. People would talk about [00:02:42] peace in the Middle East and then they'd [00:02:44] go home and they'd never even think [00:02:45] about it again. Nothing would happen. [00:02:48] We're providing a model for how [00:02:50] responsible sovereign nations can [00:02:51] cooperate to take responsibility for [00:02:54] confronting problems in their own [00:02:56] regions. The border of peace is showing [00:02:58] how a better future can be built [00:03:01] starting right here in this room. And I [00:03:03] I want to let you know that the United [00:03:05] States is going to make a contribution [00:03:06] of 10 billion dollars to the Board of [00:03:09] Peace. Thank [applause] you. [00:03:15] >> [applause] [00:03:16] >> And we've had great support for that [00:03:19] number. And that number is a very small [00:03:20] number when you look at uh that compared [00:03:23] to the cost of war. That's uh that's two [00:03:27] weeks of fighting. It's a very small [00:03:29] number. It sounds like a lot, but it's a [00:03:31] very small number. So we're committed to [00:03:33] 10 billion dollars. Together we can [00:03:35] achieve the dream of bringing lasting [00:03:37] harmony to a region tortured by [00:03:39] centuries of war, suffering, and [00:03:42] carnage. They say 3,000 years. And [00:03:44] hopefully we can lift up the eyes of the [00:03:46] world to envision how other intractable [00:03:50] conflicts can be settled. So many [00:03:52] conflicts, they'd say, are impossible to [00:03:54] settle. We get them settled. We got of [00:03:56] those eight that we settled, most of [00:03:59] them were said to be not settleable. [00:04:02] And they not only got settled, they got [00:04:04] settled within days. More impossible [00:04:07] problems can be solved as we go along [00:04:09] this very beautiful path. I think it's a [00:04:11] beautiful path. I think it's such an [00:04:13] important day. Even the weather's [00:04:15] beautiful. We walk in, it's beautiful. [00:04:18] Everything's beautiful. But the ancient [00:04:20] wounds can be healed and they are indeed [00:04:23] ancient. This has been going on for so [00:04:24] many centuries that our entire planet [00:04:28] will be a better, safer, more beautiful, [00:04:29] and more peaceful place for us all. [00:04:33] We're going to be working with the [00:04:34] United Nations very closely. We're going [00:04:36] to bring them back. I think the United [00:04:37] Nations has great potential. Really [00:04:40] great potential. It has not lived up to [00:04:42] potential. The eight wars, I never even [00:04:45] spoke to them about one of them, and I [00:04:47] should be speaking to him about all of [00:04:49] them. Someday I won't be here. The [00:04:52] United Nations will be, I think, is [00:04:55] going to be much stronger. The border of [00:04:56] peace is going to almost be looking over [00:04:58] the United Nations and making sure it [00:05:02] runs properly. But we're going to [00:05:04] strengthen up the United Nations. We're [00:05:06] going to make sure it's facilities are [00:05:07] good. They need help and they need help [00:05:10] money-wise. We're going to help them [00:05:11] moneywise and we're going to make sure [00:05:14] the United Nations is viable. And you [00:05:17] have some very good people at the United [00:05:18] Nations can do a good job. But as I [00:05:21] said, it's I've said it for years. [00:05:22] United Nations has tremendous potential. [00:05:24] A lot of people didn't like what I said. [00:05:26] They said, "Oh, you shouldn't say that [00:05:27] because, you know, we don't care about [00:05:30] the United Nations." No, it's really [00:05:31] very important and uh I think it's going [00:05:34] to eventually live up to potential. [00:05:36] That'll be a big day. [00:05:37] >> President Donald Trump speaking at the [00:05:39] first Board of Peace meeting in [00:05:41] Washington DC. NPR writing about it. The [00:05:43] meeting includes dignitaries from [00:05:45] countries including Argentina, Hungary, [00:05:48] India, Pakistan, and Vietnam. Meanwhile, [00:05:50] France and the United Kingdom, which [00:05:52] have not joined the board out of [00:05:54] concerns that Russia could be part of [00:05:55] this new group, sent observers to the [00:05:58] meeting. Israel and Arab states are part [00:06:00] of this board and they too have [00:06:01] representatives at the meeting. There is [00:06:03] no Palestinian representative on the [00:06:05] board. The board of peace meeting was [00:06:07] convened as the ceasefire between Israel [00:06:09] and Hamas and Gaza that President Trump [00:06:11] pushed through last October remains [00:06:13] fragile. Palestinian health officials [00:06:15] say more than 600 people in Gaza have [00:06:17] been killed in Israeli attacks since the [00:06:19] ceasefire began and the next steps of [00:06:22] the plan are still unclear. President [00:06:23] Trump acknowledged the attacks but said [00:06:25] the war was effectively over. He said [00:06:27] there are little flames. That reporting [00:06:29] from NPR. One of the key people behind [00:06:32] the vision to rebuild Gaza is Jared [00:06:35] Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law, [00:06:37] who spoke at today's meeting. [00:06:39] >> We've secured today, even without the [00:06:41] president's, you know, amazing [00:06:42] commitment, over 7 billion. As Mark [00:06:45] said, we don't really have a resource [00:06:46] issue here, although we are going to [00:06:47] need everyone's support. We just need to [00:06:49] be executing and doing this in a good [00:06:51] way. Uh we've dealt with the [00:06:52] humanitarian issue. We've returned the [00:06:54] hostages. But the one final thing I just [00:06:56] want to talk about as well from our [00:06:57] perspective is that um the the the [00:07:00] President Trump in his heart wanted to [00:07:02] get the hostages home, but he also [00:07:04] really wanted to help the people of [00:07:05] Gaza. He saw the suffering that they [00:07:07] were enduring not through fault of their [00:07:08] own because of the bad leadership that [00:07:10] they had, the situation they were born [00:07:11] into. Uh the war was a horrific horrific [00:07:14] situation and I think through this [00:07:15] process uh thanks to Ali and the [00:07:18] committee uh we are now here to fully [00:07:20] support the committee. We are help here [00:07:21] to help the people of Gaza, to lift them [00:07:23] up and give them ever opportunity to [00:07:25] succeed. And we really see this as a [00:07:26] partnership with them uh and with the [00:07:28] Israelis to see if we can create an [00:07:30] environment that could be peaceful, that [00:07:32] could be functional, that can offer [00:07:33] people the opportunity to really live a [00:07:35] better life. And I think you've seen [00:07:36] some of the work today and uh and [00:07:38] hopefully we'll be successful. Like I [00:07:40] said the last one, you know, failure is [00:07:41] not an option and we have to really push [00:07:43] forward and and keep finding ways to [00:07:45] succeed with this. [00:07:46] Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's [00:07:48] son-in-law at today's board of peace [00:07:50] meeting in Washington. He's been working [00:07:52] with Steve Whit. He referred to him. [00:07:54] Whit holds the title of United States [00:07:56] special envoy to the Middle East and [00:07:58] special envoy for peace missions. And [00:08:00] today, President Trump said that Kushner [00:08:02] would get the same title. He said, [00:08:03] "We're making Jared also envoy of peace. [00:08:06] They're both envoys of peace." Al Jazer [00:08:10] writing about the Board of Peace [00:08:11] rebuilding plans in Gaza. The board [00:08:14] refers to the plans as New Gaza and New [00:08:17] Rafa, pledging to first build a h [00:08:19] 100,000 homes in Rafa for 500,000 people [00:08:22] and dedicate $5 billion to [00:08:24] infrastructure. In the longer term, [00:08:26] housing will expand to encompass 400,000 [00:08:28] homes for the entirety of the [00:08:31] population. And apparent AI renderings [00:08:34] for the projects publicized by a [00:08:36] promotional video at the end of the [00:08:37] meeting included sparkling towers, [00:08:39] man-made waterways, and suburban looking [00:08:42] roads and houses. That was from Al [00:08:44] Jazer. Also speaking at today's Board of [00:08:46] Peace meeting in Washington, US Army [00:08:48] Major General Jasper Jeffers, commander [00:08:51] of Special Operations Command, and he's [00:08:53] been tapped to lead the ISF, [00:08:56] International Stabilization Force in [00:08:58] Gaza. [00:08:59] >> It's an honor to be here today as the [00:09:00] ISF commander. The ISF will do two [00:09:03] things. Stabilize the security [00:09:05] environment in Gaza and enable civilian [00:09:07] governance as established by the [00:09:09] National Committee. For the last few [00:09:11] months, we've had a team on the ground [00:09:12] of US military experts preparing the [00:09:14] infrastructure for the ISF. This team's [00:09:17] already operating from a combined joint [00:09:19] operations center that's going to be the [00:09:20] headquarters for the entire ISF. [00:09:23] As you can see on our map, our plan is [00:09:25] for the ISF to be assigned in five [00:09:27] different sectors. Each sector receiving [00:09:30] one ISF brigade. In the short term, we [00:09:33] plan to deploy to the Rafa sector first [00:09:36] in addition to the training of police. [00:09:38] mid-term objective is to continue to [00:09:40] expand sector by sector, all moving to [00:09:43] our long-term 12,000 police and 20,000 [00:09:47] ISF soldiers. I'm incredibly pleased to [00:09:51] announce today that the first five [00:09:53] countries have committed troops to serve [00:09:55] in the ISF. Indonesia, [00:09:58] Morocco, Kazakhstan, [00:10:01] Kosovo, and Albania. My two countries [00:10:04] have committed to train police, Egypt [00:10:07] and Jordan. I would also like to [00:10:09] announce that I have offered and [00:10:11] Indonesia has accepted the position of [00:10:13] deputy commander for the ISF. [00:10:16] With these first steps, we will help [00:10:18] bring the security [00:10:20] that Gaza needs for our future [00:10:22] prosperity and enduring peace. Thank [00:10:24] you. [applause] [00:10:27] Major General Jasper Jeffers, the [00:10:29] commander of the International [00:10:31] Stabilization Force at today's Board of [00:10:32] Peace meeting in Washington. While that [00:10:35] was happening inside, outside there were [00:10:37] protesters. [00:10:38] >> PALESTINE IS OUR DEMAND. [00:10:41] >> PALESTINE. [00:10:43] >> NO PEACE ON STOLEN LAND. [00:10:46] >> NO PEACE ON STOLEN LAND. [00:10:48] >> NO PEACE OF STOLEN LAND. [00:10:50] >> NO PEACE ON STOLEN LAND. [00:10:53] >> BOARD OF EMPIRE. BOARD OF [00:10:55] >> PORT OF EMPIRE. BOARD OF [00:10:58] >> US OF PALESTINE. [00:11:00] >> US [music] OF PALESTINE. [00:11:03] >> BOARD OF EMPIRE. BOARD OF [00:11:06] >> EMPIRE. BOARD OF [00:11:08] >> US OF PALESTINE. US [00:11:12] >> outside the US Institute of Peace [00:11:15] Building, which has since been named for [00:11:17] President Donald Trump, although that is [00:11:19] the subject of a court case in [00:11:21] Washington where today's board of peace [00:11:23] meeting was held. This is Washington [00:11:25] today. Another Associated Press article, [00:11:28] Iran held annual military drills with [00:11:30] Russia on Thursday as a second American [00:11:32] aircraft carrier drew closer to the [00:11:34] Middle East with both the United States [00:11:35] and Iran signaling they are prepared for [00:11:38] war if talks on Thran's nuclear program [00:11:40] fizzle out. President Donald Trump has [00:11:43] said he hopes to reach a deal with Iran, [00:11:45] but the talks have been deadlocked for [00:11:47] years, and Iran has refused to discuss [00:11:49] wider US and Israeli demands that it [00:11:51] scale back its missile program and sever [00:11:54] ties to armed groups. Indirect talks [00:11:56] held in recent weeks made little visible [00:11:59] progress, and one or both sides could be [00:12:02] buying time for final war preparations. [00:12:04] that article from Associated Press. [00:12:06] President Trump referenced the talks and [00:12:08] the threats at today's border of peace [00:12:10] meeting. [00:12:11] >> They've had some very interesting [00:12:13] meetings having to do with, as you know, [00:12:16] Iran is a hot spot right now and they're [00:12:18] meeting and they have a good [00:12:19] relationship with the representatives [00:12:21] Iran and you know, good talks are being [00:12:23] had. It's proven to be over the years [00:12:26] not easy to make a meaningful deal with [00:12:29] her and we have to make a meaningful [00:12:30] deal otherwise bad things happen. But we [00:12:33] have to make a meaningful deal. But they [00:12:34] have a great relationship with the [00:12:36] representatives of Iran. [00:12:38] >> President Donald Trump referring to his [00:12:40] negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve [00:12:43] Whitoff at today's border peace meeting [00:12:45] on Gaza. The Hill reporting that [00:12:47] Congressman Roana, Democrat of [00:12:49] California, and Congressman Thomas [00:12:50] Massie, Republican of Kentucky plan to [00:12:52] move next week to force a vote on a [00:12:55] resolution to require authorization from [00:12:57] Congress before President Trump can use [00:12:59] military force against Iran. In a [00:13:01] closely divided house, the vote could be [00:13:04] very close. That was from the Hill. [00:13:06] President Trump returned to the subject [00:13:08] of Iran's nuclear program and the talks [00:13:12] further on in his speech at the Board of [00:13:14] Peace meeting. [00:13:17] >> It went into Iran and it totally [00:13:19] decimated the nuclear nuclear potential. [00:13:23] And when it did, when it decimated that [00:13:26] uh all of a sudden we had peace in the [00:13:28] Middle East because nobody there was a [00:13:29] black cloud hanging over the Middle East [00:13:31] and if that wasn't done uh that cloud [00:13:34] would have been there and countries like [00:13:36] Saudi Arabia, countries like Qatar, [00:13:39] countries like nobody could have signed. [00:13:40] You would have had that threat. Nobody [00:13:43] could have had you couldn't had peace in [00:13:45] the Middle East. So now we may have to [00:13:47] take it a step further or we may not. [00:13:48] Maybe we're going to make a deal with [00:13:49] you're going to be you're going to be [00:13:50] finding out over the next probably 10 [00:13:53] days. [00:13:54] >> You're listening to Washington today. [00:13:57] New York Times writing. The British [00:13:59] police on Thursday arrested Andrew [00:14:01] Mountbatten Windsor, formerly known as [00:14:03] Prince Andrew, intensifying a longunning [00:14:06] crisis for the monarchy over his ties to [00:14:08] the convicted sex offender Jeffrey [00:14:10] Epstein. The authorities arrested the [00:14:12] former prince on suspicion of misconduct [00:14:14] in public office after accusations that [00:14:16] he shared confidential information with [00:14:19] Mr. Epstein while serving as a British [00:14:21] trade envoy. The arrest underscored a [00:14:23] striking contrast in the official [00:14:25] responses to the Epstein files. The [00:14:27] British authorities have moved [00:14:28] aggressively to investigate the [00:14:29] possibility of crimes emerging from the [00:14:32] 3 million pages of correspondence with [00:14:34] Mr. Epstein, while the police in the [00:14:36] United States have not. That was from [00:14:38] the New York Times. Congressman Steven [00:14:40] Lynch, Democrat of Massachusetts, spoke [00:14:42] to CNN about this arrest. [00:14:45] >> Well, it offers a great contrast, I [00:14:47] think. Look what the British government [00:14:49] is doing in light of the evidence, and [00:14:52] look what the United States government's [00:14:54] doing. Nothing. Our chief law [00:14:57] enforcement officer is defending and [00:15:00] obstructing the investigation, Pam [00:15:02] Bondi. And and so it has been Congress [00:15:06] in getting subpoenas and then uh passing [00:15:09] bills and and fighting to to get this [00:15:13] information disclosed and and our own [00:15:16] executive, President Trump, Pam Bondi [00:15:20] and others uh are obstructing that [00:15:23] effort. So it is refreshing that that [00:15:26] the British government is coming forward [00:15:28] and actually and and and the king is [00:15:30] actually saying we we need to follow the [00:15:32] law here. I wish our government were [00:15:34] doing the same. [00:15:35] >> Congressman Steven Lynch, Democrat of [00:15:37] Massachusetts on CNN today. President [00:15:40] Donald Trump was asked about the arrest [00:15:42] of the former Prince Andrew as he flew [00:15:44] on Air Force One. [00:15:46] >> Had a question about something big [00:15:48] overseas today. The former Prince Andrew [00:15:50] arrested by the police there. um related [00:15:53] to something with Jeffrey Epstein. Do [00:15:56] you think people in this country at some [00:15:58] point associates of Jeffrey Epstein will [00:16:01] wind up in handcuffs, too? [00:16:03] >> Well, you know, I'm the expert in a way [00:16:04] because I've been totally exonerated. [00:16:06] It's very nice. I can actually speak [00:16:08] about it very nicely. I think it's a [00:16:10] shame. I think it's very sad. I think [00:16:12] it's so bad for the royal family. It's a [00:16:15] very, very sad to me. It's a very sad [00:16:17] thing when I see that. It's a very sad [00:16:19] thing to see it and to see what's going [00:16:21] on with his brother who's obviously [00:16:24] coming to our country very soon and he's [00:16:26] a fantastic man, the king. So I think [00:16:29] it's a very sad thing. It's really [00:16:32] interesting because nobody used to speak [00:16:33] about Epstein when he was alive, but now [00:16:35] they speak. But I'm the one that can [00:16:37] talk about it because I've been totally [00:16:38] exonerated. I did nothing. In fact, the [00:16:41] opposite. He was against me. He was [00:16:42] fighting me in the election, which I [00:16:44] just found out from the last 3 million [00:16:47] pages of documents. [00:16:48] >> Joining us now from London with more on [00:16:50] the arrest of former Prince Andrew is [00:16:53] C-SPAN's Westminster correspondent Peter [00:16:55] Nolles. Thanks again for being with us. [00:16:58] Before we get to the details of the [00:17:00] case, what does this mean for the [00:17:03] British monarchy and the British [00:17:05] government led by the Prime Minister [00:17:06] Kier Starmer? Well, the king has acted [00:17:10] quite decisively in response and his [00:17:14] statement says, "My family and I will [00:17:18] continue in our duty and service to you [00:17:21] all." So, there's a real determination [00:17:24] not to let this extraordinary event to [00:17:28] get in the way. Um and that's that [00:17:33] that's plausible in that the king has [00:17:36] already moved against his brother um at [00:17:41] a number of points stripping him of all [00:17:44] his titles [00:17:46] uh in effect removing him from the royal [00:17:49] family and removing him from Windsor. So [00:17:53] uh today's arrest uh is that uh of a [00:17:57] Norfolk man according to the police [00:18:00] because he had move had to move to [00:18:03] another royal estate in Sandringham in [00:18:07] Norfolk. So he's been distanced already [00:18:10] by the royal family [00:18:12] >> and for the uh government of the prime [00:18:14] minister. I think it it offers one [00:18:17] particular challenge which is this that [00:18:21] Andrew is still in the line of [00:18:24] succession. He is eighth in line to the [00:18:26] throne. Now, nobody supposes that that [00:18:29] would ever come to pass, but it's only [00:18:32] by an act of parliament that he could be [00:18:35] removed from the line of succession. And [00:18:39] until now, the government hasn't seemed [00:18:41] to be too bothered to try and do that. I [00:18:44] think whatever emerges and whether [00:18:46] there's charges brought or not, it's [00:18:49] hard to see that being sustained and [00:18:52] you'd think that um I don't either [00:18:56] Andrew will himself voluntarily remove [00:18:58] himself from the line of succession if [00:19:00] that's possible. Um or there would have [00:19:02] to be action by the government. [00:19:05] >> Just to follow up on that, the prime [00:19:07] minister himself has been under fire [00:19:09] concerning the fallout from the Epstein [00:19:12] files. This just keeps it in in the [00:19:14] limelight. [00:19:16] >> Yes, it does. But it's um [00:19:21] it's it's the same um allegation [00:19:25] that has been presented against um Peter [00:19:28] Mandlesson who was the government's [00:19:31] appointee to be ambassador to Washington [00:19:34] of of uh allegedly passing from a public [00:19:39] office to Jeffrey Epstein. Um, but it [00:19:43] you could say perhaps it will just keep [00:19:46] it in the limelight. But I think this so [00:19:48] overshadows the mand Mandlesson case [00:19:52] that that perhaps it doesn't um create [00:19:56] further difficulties for the government. [00:19:58] >> So what has been revealed so far about [00:20:00] how this arrest took place? What [00:20:02] investigations underway? You said there [00:20:04] are no charges yet. Did the king or [00:20:06] prime minister know ahead of time? What [00:20:08] do we know? What we know is it the [00:20:10] arrests happened at 8:00 and they came [00:20:12] as a surprise. They came as a surprise [00:20:15] to Andrew uh Mount Batton Windsor as he [00:20:18] is now known. They were being told very [00:20:22] uh definitely that the um the government [00:20:24] and the palace and the king did not know [00:20:28] that this was coming. It was a police [00:20:30] operation based on um the the police's [00:20:34] suspicions of an offense. And those [00:20:37] suspicions need to be quite [00:20:39] to be to offer reasonable grounds or of [00:20:44] the suspicion of guilt to and to allow [00:20:46] for an arrest. Otherwise, [00:20:49] the person concerned will be called in [00:20:51] for questioning and the the euphemism [00:20:53] there is helping police with their [00:20:56] inquiries. That's not what happened this [00:20:58] morning. What happened was he was simply [00:21:00] arrested which gave the police the [00:21:03] powers uh to uh search his home, his [00:21:08] previous home in Windsor um and to seize [00:21:11] his electronic equipment. Um it also [00:21:15] means that the police have to act now [00:21:17] quite quickly. Uh one would expect that [00:21:21] Andrew will be released on bail um in [00:21:24] the next few hours. It would be strange [00:21:27] given the circumstances and the nature [00:21:29] of the allegations and suspicions if he [00:21:32] wasn't released on bail, but this all [00:21:35] happened in quite a flurry this morning [00:21:37] around 8:00 in the morning UK time. [00:21:40] >> We're talking with C-SPAN's Westminster [00:21:42] correspondent Peter Nolles in London. [00:21:44] How serious are the potential charges [00:21:47] and what could be the penalty? [00:21:50] >> Um, well, let's start with the penalty. [00:21:52] The penalty, the maximum penalty for [00:21:54] misconduct in a public office is life [00:21:57] imprisonment. Now, I I don't think [00:22:00] anybody could possibly imagine a [00:22:02] sentence so severe being passed if [00:22:05] charges were pressed and if guilt was [00:22:07] found. Um but it is therefore that's an [00:22:11] indication that this is a serious [00:22:13] offense. But he has to pass a number of [00:22:15] tests for um charges to be brought. Um [00:22:20] uh and just to run through them, we you [00:22:22] have to be absolutely sure that Andrew [00:22:24] was in a public office, that he was [00:22:27] operating doing a job on behalf of the [00:22:29] public. Well, he was a trade envoy of a [00:22:32] sort appointed by the crown um for about [00:22:35] a 10-year period. So, uh there would [00:22:39] need to be that test would need to be [00:22:41] passed. Was that a a public office? Um [00:22:46] it's then needs to be found that um he [00:22:50] did I think seriously wrong that what [00:22:52] what what he did um was had serious [00:22:56] consequences that he we'd have to have [00:22:59] known that it was wrong when he was [00:23:00] doing it. Um, so there was then a test [00:23:04] of was he willfully misconducting [00:23:07] himself and willfully is subject to [00:23:11] different legal interpretations and that [00:23:13] he abused the public's trust and that he [00:23:15] didn't have reasonable excuse. So it it [00:23:18] has to pass quite a substantial uh range [00:23:21] of tests for this to come through as [00:23:24] charges which could then be brought in a [00:23:26] prosecution. And we may not know whether [00:23:28] the charges are brought for some weeks [00:23:30] to come because um the evidence is now [00:23:33] being gathered. And it has to be said [00:23:36] that Andrew has until now always denied [00:23:40] any wrongdoing in terms of his [00:23:43] relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Now, [00:23:46] I'm not sure that he's that any of these [00:23:48] allegations have been put to him, but [00:23:50] that was in connection with other [00:23:53] allegations and suspicions, and he's [00:23:55] always strenuously denied any [00:23:57] wrongdoing. [00:23:58] >> Andrew is a former prince, but you said [00:24:00] he's still in line to the throne. Put [00:24:03] this in historical context. What is the [00:24:06] relationship in Great Britain between [00:24:08] the monarchy and the civil authorities? [00:24:11] Well, the [00:24:13] yeah the the the law is the king. The [00:24:15] king is the law. So if if charges were [00:24:18] brought and if it came to trial, then [00:24:21] the prosecutors would be doing so in the [00:24:24] name of the king. Um it's always um Rex [00:24:28] and before that it was Regina versus the [00:24:31] defendant in a criminal case. So the [00:24:35] king the prosecutors would be bringing [00:24:38] uh charges on behalf of the king against [00:24:41] his own brother and that's just uh there [00:24:45] is no historical comparator for that. [00:24:48] This is quite uh extraordinary. uh there [00:24:52] there hasn't been nothing like this has [00:24:53] happened since the restoration of the [00:24:55] monarchy Charles II and prior to that [00:25:00] the only times that um brothers got in [00:25:04] trouble with their elder brother the [00:25:06] king well were in medieval times and uh [00:25:11] treason trials and uh and so forth. So [00:25:14] there isn't a there isn't there simply [00:25:16] isn't a point of comparison for this. [00:25:19] Um, one thing to be said is that in the [00:25:23] UK there are very tight reporting [00:25:26] restrictions on criminal cases. So the [00:25:30] police don't say much, don't expect [00:25:32] video of the police answering questions [00:25:35] about this case. They're not going to. [00:25:38] And there that's how it always works. [00:25:40] They haven't even named uh Andrew as the [00:25:43] person in custody. they've simply said a [00:25:46] man in his 60s from Norolk. Um so the [00:25:52] the the amount of speculation that's [00:25:55] available to the public about the case [00:25:59] about the allegations and so on is very [00:26:01] very tightly controlled and that's so in [00:26:04] all criminal cases uh nothing unusual no [00:26:07] special treatment here for that. Peter [00:26:11] Nolles, C-SPAN's Westminster [00:26:12] correspondent, joining us from London. [00:26:15] Thank you very much. [00:26:16] >> Thank you. [00:26:16] >> Former Prince Andrew Andrew Mountbatten [00:26:18] Windsor, younger brother of King [00:26:20] Charles, was released from custody, [00:26:22] remains under investigation following [00:26:24] his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in [00:26:26] public office. According to the British [00:26:29] police, Congresswoman Melanie Stanbury, [00:26:32] Democrat from New Mexico, writing on X, [00:26:33] "If a prince can be held accountable, so [00:26:35] can a president." All of the actions in [00:26:39] Great Britain and here in the United [00:26:40] States stemming from the release by the [00:26:42] Justice Department of 3 million files [00:26:44] related to Jeffrey Epstein. Yesterday, [00:26:46] the House Oversight Committee deposed [00:26:49] Les Wexner, person associated with [00:26:51] Jeffrey Epstein. That deposition has now [00:26:54] been released in its entirety runs about [00:26:56] 5 hours. Here is one minute of it. [00:26:58] >> Mr. Wexner, is it your testimony today [00:27:02] that your conversations with Mr. Epstein [00:27:06] were predominantly focused on your [00:27:08] business relationship with him. [00:27:10] >> That'd be very accurate. That would be [00:27:12] very accurate. What common interests did [00:27:14] you share with Mr. Epstein outside of [00:27:16] work? [00:27:19] >> None. [00:27:21] >> So, you didn't have any personal [00:27:24] relationship with Mr. Epstein [00:27:25] whatsoever? [00:27:28] I I don't think I ever went to lunch or [00:27:31] dinner or a movie or had a cup of coffee [00:27:34] with Jeffrey Les Wexner, billionaire [00:27:37] living in Ohio. That's where the [00:27:38] deposition by the House Oversight and [00:27:40] Government Reform Committee was done [00:27:42] yesterday and the video released today [00:27:44] runs 5 hours. We have it at c-pan.org. [00:27:48] Washington Today continues in a moment. [00:27:51] Friday on [music] C-SPAN Ceasefire. As [00:27:53] governors gather in Washington for the [00:27:55] National Governor's Association winter [00:27:56] [music] meeting, the conversation [00:27:58] continues. This week, affordability and [00:28:01] healthcare, tensions [music] between the [00:28:03] bipartisan National Governor's [00:28:04] Association and President Trump [00:28:06] following their annual [music] meeting [00:28:08] and immigration enforcement highlighting [00:28:11] different approaches from Republican and [00:28:13] Democratic governors. Joining our [00:28:15] bipartisan [music] discussion, North [00:28:17] Dakota Republican Governor Kelly [00:28:18] Armstrong and Delaware [music] [00:28:20] Democratic Governor Matt Meyer. Watch [00:28:23] Ceasefire Friday at 7:00 p.m. and 1000 [00:28:26] p.m. Eastern and Pacific only on C-SPAN. [00:28:32] And if you ever miss an episode of [00:28:34] Ceasefire, it is available as a podcast [00:28:36] at cement.org and wherever you find your [00:28:38] podcasts. [00:28:43] Welcome back to Washington today, [00:28:44] available as a podcast, wherever you get [00:28:46] your podcast and on the free C-SPAN now [00:28:48] mobile app. A few more headlines. This [00:28:51] [music] was from a press release. House [00:28:52] Democratic Leader Hakee Jeff and Senate [00:28:55] Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer today [00:28:56] announced that Governor Abigail [00:28:58] Spanberger [music] of Virginia will [00:29:00] deliver the Democratic response to [00:29:02] President Trump's State of the Union [00:29:04] address on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. [00:29:06] [music] [00:29:07] The leaders also announced that Senator [00:29:08] Alex Padi of California will deliver the [00:29:10] Spanish language response [music] to the [00:29:12] speech. And the Washington Post, [00:29:14] writing, "A federal arts commission on [00:29:16] Thursday voted to approve President [00:29:17] Donald Trump's planned White House [00:29:19] ballroom even as a federal judge [00:29:21] considers whether to halt the project. [00:29:23] And outside architects and watchdog [00:29:25] groups say it's too large. The [00:29:27] Commission on Fine Arts, [music] which [00:29:29] Trump has packed with allies, including [00:29:31] his 26-year-old executive assistant, [00:29:33] [music] voted unanimously to approve the [00:29:35] design of the nearly 90,000 square foot [00:29:38] building, which would [music] be the [00:29:39] most significant change to the White [00:29:40] House complex in decades. That was from [00:29:43] the Washington Post. The article also [00:29:45] says the National Capital Planning [00:29:46] Commission [music] [00:29:47] will be meeting to consider the ballroom [00:29:49] project the first week of March. And if [00:29:50] it's approved by that commission, above [00:29:52] [music] ground construction could start [00:29:54] as early as April. President Trump [00:29:56] posting on Truth Social today. Great [00:29:58] accolades were paid to the building's [00:30:00] beauty and [music] scale as he talked [00:30:03] about the 6 vote to approve it. It's day [00:30:06] six of the Homeland Security Department [00:30:08] shutdown with congressional Democrats [00:30:10] and congressional Republicans in the [00:30:11] White House still reportedly in [00:30:14] negotiations starting with Democratic [00:30:16] demands for reform of federal [00:30:17] immigration enforcement as a condition [00:30:20] for funding. We spoke with Lisa Mascaro, [00:30:22] Associated Press chief congressional [00:30:24] correspondent. Well, you know, we're [00:30:26] approaching the first full week here of [00:30:28] the shutdown of the Department of [00:30:29] Homeland and Security, and it seems like [00:30:31] there's no real quick end in sight. Um, [00:30:34] over the weekend, the Democrats [00:30:36] presented the White House with their [00:30:38] latest offer. The White House and the [00:30:40] Democrats have been trading offers back [00:30:42] and forth and um it was immediately [00:30:45] rejected by the White House. The press [00:30:47] secretary, Caroline Levitt, called it a [00:30:49] very unserious proposal and blamed [00:30:52] Democrats for the shutdown. Um on [00:30:56] Wednesday, uh House Democratic leader [00:30:58] Hakee Jeff was here at the capital and [00:31:02] uh he said no, it's the Republicans's [00:31:04] fault this shutdown and he said the ball [00:31:06] is in the White House's court to come [00:31:08] back with a better offer. The Democratic [00:31:10] leader Jeff though also said that the [00:31:13] the demands that the Democrats are [00:31:16] making, they want to rein in ICE and [00:31:18] impose some new limitations on these [00:31:21] immigration enforcement activities. He [00:31:23] said those remain lines in the sand. [00:31:26] >> Has the White House made any concessions [00:31:28] to their offer to Democrats? [00:31:30] >> You know, we don't know a lot of the [00:31:32] details of what's being passed back and [00:31:35] forth. Um there have been though some [00:31:38] indications of areas where they might [00:31:40] have some common ground, but also areas [00:31:42] where they remain far far apart. Um, of [00:31:45] course, in the underlying bill that was [00:31:48] not approved, that what, you know, was [00:31:50] just the reason for the standoff, there [00:31:52] was some money in there for these body [00:31:55] cameras that the Democrats are demanding [00:31:57] that the enforcement um the law [00:32:00] enforcement uh immigration enforcement [00:32:02] officers wear. Um, so there is some [00:32:05] agreement that the uh immigration [00:32:07] officers would wear these body cameras, [00:32:09] but the next steps really are are too [00:32:12] far for the White House. The Democrats [00:32:14] say they want the facial masks uh that [00:32:16] the officers are wearing to come off. [00:32:19] The Democrat slogan is uh you know [00:32:21] cameras on masks off. They said the [00:32:24] officers should operate like any other [00:32:27] police off you know operation in the [00:32:29] country. Um Tom Hman the borders are [00:32:32] there at the Department of Homeland [00:32:33] Security says no he he wants the [00:32:36] lawmaker or the excuse me the ICE [00:32:38] officers to be able to continue wearing [00:32:40] those masks. Um he says it protects [00:32:43] their identity so that they don't get [00:32:45] harassed in the public. There are other [00:32:47] issues where the two sides remain far [00:32:50] apart. Um if you want, we can go into [00:32:52] those. The Democrats are demanding they [00:32:55] want um the enforcement officers to [00:32:57] obtain judicial warrants if they're [00:32:59] going to enter private property. Right [00:33:02] now they're largely uh relying on these [00:33:05] administrative warrants. And they want [00:33:07] restrictions on what they call sensitive [00:33:09] locations. They don't want the [00:33:11] immigration officers to be going into [00:33:14] schools and hospitals and churches or in [00:33:17] the upcoming midterm election into [00:33:19] polling places. All of that's on the [00:33:22] table and it doesn't look like they're [00:33:24] getting any closer to an agreement. [00:33:26] >> Okay. So, why is this considered a [00:33:27] partial shutdown of DHS and what [00:33:30] agencies in the department are being [00:33:31] most affected? [00:33:33] >> Yeah, that's a really great question. [00:33:34] And so unlike the big federal shutdown [00:33:36] we saw in fall where all most all of the [00:33:39] government was was uh without its [00:33:41] regular funding right now what's [00:33:44] happened is uh just the department of [00:33:46] homeland security is operating without [00:33:48] its regular funding. Um but you know [00:33:50] most of the homeland securityurities [00:33:52] employees there's some 200 I think [00:33:55] 70,000 employees are what's deemed [00:33:57] essential. So they stay on the job um [00:34:01] and many are just going to be going [00:34:02] without pay until uh the funding gets [00:34:05] restored. So these are your um TSA [00:34:08] operators at the airports. This is FEMA, [00:34:12] the Federal Emergency Management Agency [00:34:14] that responds to disasters, of course, [00:34:17] the Coast Guard um and the Secret [00:34:20] Service. Um but the core uh dispute is [00:34:25] over another aspect of homeland security [00:34:27] which is these immigration and customs [00:34:30] enforcement division and also the [00:34:33] customs and border patrol. Um a lot of [00:34:36] those operations are able to really keep [00:34:38] running because Congress last year [00:34:42] passed that uh Trump's big beautiful [00:34:44] bill, you know, that big uh tax cuts and [00:34:48] uh spending reductions. And as part of [00:34:51] that big bill, they funneled just [00:34:53] billions and billions of dollars over to [00:34:55] the Department of Homeland Security, [00:34:57] almost really more than doubling its [00:34:59] budget. And a lot of that money was set [00:35:02] aside for this uh administration's, you [00:35:05] know, so-called mass deportation [00:35:06] operation. And so they've been able to [00:35:08] hire in lots more uh officers in ICE in [00:35:13] Border Patrol to really carry out this [00:35:16] immigration enforcement that we're [00:35:18] seeing all over, you know, the streets [00:35:20] of Minneapolis and elsewhere across the [00:35:22] nation. [00:35:23] >> In the last few seconds here, Congress [00:35:25] is back on Monday with the partial [00:35:26] shutdown still in effect. So it's likely [00:35:28] to last at least through Tuesday when [00:35:30] the president is scheduled to give the [00:35:31] State of the Union address. How and when [00:35:33] do you see this wrapping up and could it [00:35:35] possibly get resolved before the current [00:35:37] shutdown record which is 43 days and it [00:35:40] was set last year. [00:35:42] >> It's a really good question. We really [00:35:43] just don't know the answer to that. It [00:35:45] does look like it's going to drag on. [00:35:47] However, um leader Jeff did tell us [00:35:50] after his press conference uh Wednesday [00:35:53] that Democrats are looking into ways to [00:35:56] p potentially fund some of the other [00:35:58] aspects of homeland security. So, the [00:36:01] TSA, the the airport, you know, folks, [00:36:04] the FEMA operations, could they, you [00:36:07] know, put forward the legislation they [00:36:10] have um and and try to push that that uh [00:36:13] legislation forward with support from [00:36:15] Republicans to to, you know, reopen [00:36:18] those parts of government, but um you [00:36:21] know, it's not clear that Republicans [00:36:22] would be willing to do that right now [00:36:24] either because they want, you know, sort [00:36:26] of the full the full package. So there [00:36:28] are those uh doors opening for next [00:36:31] week, but we don't have any outcome of [00:36:34] that yet. [00:36:35] >> Lisa Mascaro is with the Associated [00:36:37] Press. Thanks for joining us today. [00:36:39] >> You bet. Thank you. [00:36:40] >> Federal immigration enforcement was also [00:36:43] discussed today by state governors who [00:36:45] are in Washington DC this week for the [00:36:46] National Governor's Association winter [00:36:48] meeting. Governor Andy Basher, Democrat [00:36:50] of Kentucky, was at the Center for [00:36:52] American Progress. I've served as the [00:36:55] chief law enforcement officer in [00:36:57] Kentucky for four years. I've led law [00:36:59] enforcement groups. I've worked with law [00:37:01] enforcement from the federal to the [00:37:03] local level. As governor, we want run [00:37:05] the training for local law enforcement [00:37:08] and and you are technically the head of [00:37:10] the Kentucky State Police. Uh what we [00:37:12] see with ICE is an outofcontrol [00:37:16] law enforcement organization. Uh they [00:37:19] have a [00:37:22] [applause] [00:37:23] they have an American body count. They [00:37:26] have at least two officers being [00:37:27] investigated for perjury. They are not [00:37:30] doing officer involved shooting [00:37:32] investigations that are standard all [00:37:33] across the country that occur after [00:37:35] every single shooting that are so [00:37:37] important so that people have confidence [00:37:40] uh in their law enforcement. Their [00:37:42] tactics aren't just aggressive. They are [00:37:44] so overly aggressive compared to any [00:37:47] other law enforcement group in the [00:37:48] nation. You see how far out of line they [00:37:51] are and their leadership [00:37:53] immediately coming to judgment [00:37:56] >> about altercations, immediately labeling [00:37:58] people as domestic terrorists before [00:38:00] they ever even know is grossly [00:38:03] irresponsible. So, we've got to retrain [00:38:05] every single ICE officer. The idea that [00:38:08] they think that they can barge into an [00:38:10] American's home with an administrative [00:38:12] warrant means they're getting really bad [00:38:14] advice and training as it is right now. [00:38:17] Um, if they are going to be out in [00:38:19] public, they need different training on [00:38:20] how you deal with the public because the [00:38:23] way they're doing it, no other law [00:38:24] enforcement organization ever would. [00:38:26] Why? Because the other law enforcement [00:38:28] organizations are trying to respect the [00:38:30] Constitution and our individual rights. [00:38:33] And so I think that this is a massive uh [00:38:37] challenge that needs to be fixed and [00:38:39] fixed as quickly as possible because [00:38:40] what we've seen in Minnesota and Chicago [00:38:43] will continue in other places if the [00:38:46] current leadership continues and if they [00:38:49] are not fully retrained. [00:38:50] >> Yeah, I think that's such an important [00:38:52] point when you think about ISIS's [00:38:54] interventions with the fourth amendment, [00:38:56] the fifth amendment, and even the first [00:38:58] amendment. It's really a question of [00:38:59] whether they will follow the [00:39:00] Constitution like every other law [00:39:02] enforcement. [00:39:03] >> The idea that ICE uh instead of what [00:39:05] they say they're doing, going after [00:39:07] dangerous criminals, and by the way, if [00:39:10] they know about dangerous criminals in [00:39:12] Kentucky, while they're being retrained, [00:39:14] send us the information. [00:39:16] >> We'll go get them and we'll do it right. [00:39:18] And you know what? we'll be able to get [00:39:19] the conviction because we won't barge [00:39:22] into somebody's house [00:39:23] >> without the judicial warrant that you [00:39:25] would need so that the evidence can can [00:39:28] later be be used. But you just think [00:39:30] about the first amendment and ICE is now [00:39:33] trying to get people's uh identity from [00:39:35] social media who are criticizing them. [00:39:38] That's your American right. Uh ICE even [00:39:41] tweeted back at me [00:39:43] when I was on the the view saying [00:39:45] exactly what I am today. And what I [00:39:47] learned is ICS is so tough it watches [00:39:50] the view. [laughter] [00:39:54] >> Governor Andy Basher, Democrat from [00:39:56] Kentucky at the Center for American [00:39:58] Progress in Washington in conversation [00:40:00] with its president and CEO Nerra Tanden. [00:40:03] He was also there to discuss his [00:40:04] upcoming book on faith titled Go and Do [00:40:07] Likewise: How We Heal a Broken Country. [00:40:10] State's newsroom writing about it. The [00:40:12] Trump administration has hijacked faith, [00:40:14] the Democrat said, leading to harm [00:40:16] instead of helping people. He pointed to [00:40:18] the repercussions of the major tax cuts [00:40:20] and spending package Republicans passed [00:40:22] last year that paid for tax cuts by [00:40:25] making changes to food assistance and [00:40:27] health care that will result in millions [00:40:29] of people losing access to safety nets. [00:40:32] That was from the state's newsroom [00:40:34] article. Governor Mike DeWine, a [00:40:36] Republican from Ohio, also in Washington [00:40:38] for the National Governor's Association [00:40:39] winter meeting, spoke today about [00:40:41] federal immigration enforcement. He was [00:40:43] at a Politico governor's summit. He was [00:40:46] asked specifically about the estimated [00:40:48] 15,000 Haitians in Springfield, Ohio, [00:40:51] whose TPS, temporary protected status [00:40:53] has been revoked by the Trump [00:40:54] administration, although that's on hold [00:40:56] as a federal court challenge continues. [00:40:59] do I expect to see something uh you know [00:41:02] like Minnesota or some you know problem [00:41:05] and so you know we have spent a lot of [00:41:07] time working with the Springfield police [00:41:09] we've worked with the sheriff's office [00:41:12] >> in Ohio we don't have a state police as [00:41:14] you know highway patrol and we will we [00:41:17] will back up the local police and look [00:41:20] whether I like the policy or not [00:41:22] >> we're Ohioans we follow the law and [00:41:24] we're going to follow the law uh and I [00:41:26] have every confidence that the [00:41:28] Springfield police will do a good job. [00:41:30] That the sheriff will do a good job. [00:41:32] Sheriff's deputies will do a good job. [00:41:33] Our highway patrol will do a good job. [00:41:36] >> Um, our [00:41:37] >> our job, our job is to keep keep the [00:41:41] peace [00:41:42] >> and we we will do that. Frankly, you [00:41:45] know, we expect ICE, if they come in, to [00:41:47] follow good police protocols. If they do [00:41:50] that, um, you know, we're going to be [00:41:52] able to work our way through it. people [00:41:54] have the right to demonstrate if that's [00:41:55] what they want to do, but nobody has the [00:41:57] right to interfere uh with a federal [00:41:59] officer uh physically. So, we're going [00:42:01] to we're going to keep the peace and I I [00:42:03] am confident uh that things are going to [00:42:06] work out okay no matter what happens. Do [00:42:08] >> you have confidence in Secretary No [00:42:10] overseeing that operation? [00:42:12] >> Look, um I I think that what happened in [00:42:15] Minnesota was a signal uh to to to a lot [00:42:18] a lot of people. Um they didn't like [00:42:21] what they saw. Um, you know, I I think I [00:42:25] rather state it this way, Jonathan. I [00:42:27] rather [clears throat] stay it the way [00:42:28] of what we expect. [00:42:29] >> You have comments in top. I [00:42:30] >> I expect I expect um that the [00:42:36] ICE if they if they come in and first of [00:42:38] all, we don't know if they're going to [00:42:39] come in. Even even if the TPS is taken [00:42:41] away, we've not been told at all that [00:42:44] they're going to come in. I will make [00:42:45] that very very clear. I mean, they've [00:42:47] told us we don't have any orders. we [00:42:49] don't have any indication that we're [00:42:51] going to come in. But they've also said [00:42:53] that that that that could change. [00:42:55] >> But [00:42:57] you following good police protocol is [00:43:01] really important. I mean, for example, [00:43:03] our highway patrol men and women are [00:43:06] told in their training, you don't stand [00:43:08] in front of a car. [00:43:09] >> Yeah. [00:43:09] >> Nothing good is going to happen. You [00:43:11] don't reach in reach your arm in uh and [00:43:14] try to control the driver because again, [00:43:16] nothing good. [00:43:18] We just expect we just expect that kind [00:43:20] of policy to be followed. Um and that's [00:43:25] uh that's what we we expect. [00:43:26] >> But it's not been conveyed to you that [00:43:28] ISIS coming at some point. [00:43:29] >> Absolutely not. Absolutely not. It's not [00:43:31] it's not clear at all. We have we just [00:43:33] try to be prepared for matter of what [00:43:34] happens. [00:43:35] >> Governor Mike DeWine, Republican from [00:43:37] Ohio at a Politico governor's summit in [00:43:40] Washington DC interviewed by Jonathan [00:43:42] Martin, the politico politics bureau [00:43:44] chief and senior political columnist. [00:43:47] NBC News reporting the Department of [00:43:49] Homeland Security committed to spending [00:43:51] more than $144 million on guns, [00:43:54] ammunition, other weapons during the [00:43:56] first year of the Trump administration [00:43:58] in a quote drastic increase in [00:43:59] resources, according to a report [00:44:01] released Thursday by Senator Adam [00:44:03] Schiff, Democrat from California. [00:44:05] Another Associated Press article, the [00:44:07] National Governor's Association is [00:44:08] pulling out of an annual meeting at the [00:44:10] White House after President Donald Trump [00:44:12] declined to invite two Democratic [00:44:13] governors under cutting one of [00:44:15] Washington's few remaining bipartisan [00:44:17] organizations. Trump is still expected [00:44:19] to meet with governors at the White [00:44:21] House on Friday, but the event will not [00:44:23] be facilitated by an organization [00:44:25] founded more than a century ago to help [00:44:27] state leaders from both parties advocate [00:44:30] for their interest in Washington. The [00:44:32] Republican president had refused to [00:44:34] include Democratic governors Jared Polus [00:44:36] of Colorado and Wes Moore of Maryland [00:44:38] and recently blasted them on social [00:44:40] media as not worthy of being there. That [00:44:42] was from AP Governor Moore. The National [00:44:45] Governor's Association vice chair was [00:44:48] asked about this today at the Politico [00:44:50] summit alongside the NGA chair, Governor [00:44:53] Kevin Stit, Republican from Oklahoma. [00:44:56] Governor Stit, uh, you have been in the [00:44:59] headlines a lot this week going back and [00:45:01] forth, uh, with the White House about [00:45:02] whether they will host, uh, the [00:45:04] governors, whether it will be an NGA [00:45:06] event. Should we expect you at the White [00:45:07] House tomorrow or Saturday? [00:45:10] >> Yeah, absolutely. I'll be there. Um, and [00:45:12] and you know, the NGA is bigger than one [00:45:14] meeting. Um, and but I tell all my [00:45:16] cabinet secretaries and when Biden was [00:45:18] in office and now President Trump, um, [00:45:21] we have to have a good relationship with [00:45:22] the federal government. And so all the [00:45:24] cabinet secretaries uh about three times [00:45:26] a year I have my department of [00:45:28] transportation and secretary of a make a [00:45:30] trip to DC to make sure they have a [00:45:32] great relationship with our federal [00:45:34] counterparts. Uh 40% of the dollars that [00:45:37] come into states traditionally are from [00:45:40] the federal government whether it's [00:45:41] roads and bridges or education healthc [00:45:44] care related items. And so that's very [00:45:47] important that if we need waiverss, if [00:45:49] we need to win some ties, um we had a [00:45:51] good relationship when Buddha Judge was [00:45:53] there at the transportation secretary [00:45:54] and we have a great relationship now. Um [00:45:57] so I'll be there and uh and certainly [00:46:00] representing the state of Oklahoma. It's [00:46:02] what I'm elected to do. It's what he's [00:46:03] elected to do. And so we we will have, [00:46:06] you know, conversations with uh with our [00:46:08] federal counterparts. [00:46:09] >> Governor Moore, will you be at the White [00:46:11] House tomorrow or Saturday? [00:46:13] >> Um I I I will not. Um and and but I am I [00:46:18] am very clear that uh you know I will [00:46:22] work with anybody. Um and I think we've [00:46:24] shown that. I mean just a couple weeks [00:46:26] back we uh we you know led a delegation [00:46:28] of Democratic and Republican governors [00:46:30] at the White House uh to focus on the [00:46:32] issue of PJM capping their energy [00:46:34] prices. And it worked because PJM has [00:46:37] come back and said they're going to cap [00:46:38] energy prices for the next four years. [00:46:40] That's a massive win for all 13 states [00:46:43] within the PJM grid. Um, we will work [00:46:46] with cabinet secretaries, agency heads, [00:46:49] etc. Um, but we always want to make sure [00:46:52] that they that it is productive. We [00:46:54] always want to make sure that uh that [00:46:56] the the work that we're doing is going [00:46:57] to advance the interests of the people [00:46:59] of our state. Um, and so as we've uh and [00:47:03] and again, I give a a deep amount of [00:47:05] respect to to Kevin for his leadership. [00:47:08] This has been a very complicated time. [00:47:10] Uh you mentioned in your note to NGA [00:47:12] last night uh that there would be some [00:47:14] alternative programming. Uh what what is [00:47:16] that? Can you take us inside that [00:47:17] alternative program? [00:47:18] >> Well, it's it's just it's reminding all [00:47:21] the governors that the NGA is bigger [00:47:23] than who sits in the White House, right? [00:47:26] That this is a decadesl long tradition [00:47:28] that has existed where governors from [00:47:30] around the country come and we meet [00:47:33] about issues of real importance to all [00:47:35] of us. And so whether we're going to be [00:47:37] talking about issues of immigration [00:47:39] reform, whether we're talking about [00:47:40] issues of energy, whether we're talking [00:47:41] about issues of transportation and [00:47:43] employment, um you know, how we're [00:47:45] thinking about the future of technology [00:47:46] and AI, we've got big issues that we are [00:47:50] working on together. And so it's just a [00:47:52] reminder that there is no person or one [00:47:54] administration that can break that bond. [00:47:57] That bond is stronger than than one [00:47:59] person. [00:47:59] >> Governor Wesmore, Democrat from [00:48:01] Maryland, and Governor Kevin Stit, [00:48:03] Republican from Oklahoma. Moore is the [00:48:05] vice chair of the National Governor's [00:48:06] Association and State is the chair at a [00:48:09] political governor's summit in [00:48:10] Washington. The moderator, Adam Ren, [00:48:13] Politico's senior national politics [00:48:15] correspondent. This is Washington today. [00:48:18] Reuters writing that President Donald [00:48:20] Trump insisted on Thursday his policies [00:48:21] were easing high prices, seeking to [00:48:23] persuade voters frustrated by the cost [00:48:25] of living that he and fellow Republicans [00:48:28] have an effective economic plan ahead of [00:48:29] November's midterm elections. Speaking [00:48:31] at a steel distributor in Rome, Georgia, [00:48:34] Trump touted a growing stock market, his [00:48:36] tariff policy on foreign goods, and [00:48:38] increased foreign investment in the US [00:48:40] economy. That's the reporting from [00:48:41] Reuters. Here's the president. [00:48:43] >> And then I have to listen to the fake [00:48:45] news talking about affordability. [00:48:48] Affordability. [00:48:50] Do you notice what word have you not [00:48:52] heard over the last two weeks? [00:48:54] Affordability. [00:48:56] Because I've won I've won affordability. [00:48:59] I had to go out and talk about it. [00:49:02] But we inherited a mess. We inherited [00:49:06] the worst inflation in history. But I [00:49:09] I'd like to correct it because it's [00:49:12] actually the fake news corrected me. He [00:49:15] ordered he exaggerated. He said it was [00:49:18] the worst inflation in history and it's [00:49:22] only 48 years. [00:49:24] So I apologize for that, Kelly. I [00:49:27] apologize. So, it's the worst inflation [00:49:30] in 48. Actually, I think they're wrong. [00:49:31] I think it is actually in history. We [00:49:33] had the worst inflation in history under [00:49:36] sleepy Joe Biden. He was sleeping while [00:49:39] you were working. [00:49:41] Now, he was sleeping while you were [00:49:43] trying to get a job. You weren't [00:49:44] working. And now we have the most people [00:49:48] working in history. And just recently, [00:49:51] we we crossed two milestones most. They [00:49:55] thought it was totally impossible when [00:49:57] the S&P hit 7,000 points and Dow Jones [00:50:00] surged past 50,000. Again, I was [00:50:03] supposed to do that within four years. [00:50:06] They said he's got a small possibility. [00:50:09] I don't know how many of you people [00:50:10] watch the stock market, but if the stock [00:50:12] market's good, that's good for [00:50:13] everybody. That's good for you, good for [00:50:15] everybody. The stock market hit over [00:50:18] 50,000 for the first time in history. [00:50:21] They said maybe he might be, this is [00:50:23] right after my election in November. [00:50:25] They said, 'You know, Trump's a great [00:50:26] businessman. He might be able to get [00:50:28] 50,000 by the time his term finishes. [00:50:31] No, we did it, Howard, in one year. One [00:50:34] year. [00:50:35] Under the last administration, every [00:50:38] economic policy punished American [00:50:40] workers and businesses like this one [00:50:43] while rewarding those who outsource to [00:50:45] foreign nations. Under the Trump [00:50:47] administration, our policy is the exact [00:50:49] opposite. making it harder to outsource [00:50:53] while rewarding those who invest, hire, [00:50:55] grow, and build right here in the USA. [00:50:59] We don't have countries coming in and [00:51:01] stealing our businesses anymore. They [00:51:02] were coming in for many years. I had it [00:51:05] stopped in my first term. We had a great [00:51:07] first term. We had the greatest economic [00:51:09] numbers we've ever had until now. But [00:51:12] this term, I will say, it's blowing my [00:51:14] first term away. We've slashed a record [00:51:17] number of jobk killing regulations, [00:51:19] cutting [00:51:21] 129 old regulations for every one new [00:51:24] regulation approved. Think of that. [00:51:28] So we approved one and we cut 129. And [00:51:32] what that means is jobs. It's all it [00:51:34] means. We ended the radical left war in [00:51:37] American energy. Now, oil production is [00:51:40] up by more than 600,000 barrels a day, [00:51:43] and natural gas production is at an [00:51:45] all-time high. President Donald Trump at [00:51:48] the Kusa Steel Corporation plant in [00:51:51] Rome, Georgia, part of a series of trips [00:51:54] the White House says the president will [00:51:56] take this year to promote his economic [00:51:58] agenda ahead of the midterm elections. [00:51:59] He's already given speeches so far in [00:52:02] Iowa and Michigan. Associated Press [00:52:04] writing that President Trump's [00:52:05] destination in Georgia suggests he has [00:52:07] something else on his mind, too. He's [00:52:09] heading to a congressional district [00:52:10] previously represented by Marjorie [00:52:12] Taylor Green, a former supporter who [00:52:14] resigned in January after feuding with [00:52:16] the president. It's a special election [00:52:18] to replace her on March 10th. Again, [00:52:21] that was from AP. Los Angeles Times [00:52:23] reports that populist Senator Bernie [00:52:25] Sanders on Wednesday formally kicked off [00:52:26] the campaign to place a billionaire's [00:52:28] tax on the November ballot. Framing the [00:52:31] proposal as something larger than a [00:52:33] debate about economic and tax policy as [00:52:35] he appeared at a storied Los Angeles [00:52:38] venue. The senator is promoting a labor [00:52:40] union's proposal to impose a one-time 5% [00:52:44] tax on the assets of California [00:52:46] billionaires and trusts to backfill [00:52:49] federal healthc care funding cuts by the [00:52:51] Trump administration. That's reporting [00:52:53] from the LA Times. Here's Senator Bernie [00:52:56] Sanders Wednesday night in LA. Brothers [00:52:59] and sisters, [00:53:01] at a time when the wealth and power of [00:53:04] the billionaire class has never been [00:53:06] greater, [00:53:08] we are here today to send a very clear [00:53:13] and profound [00:53:14] message to them and that is enough is [00:53:21] enough. [00:53:23] [cheering] [00:53:30] >> [cheering] [00:53:32] >> The billionaire class cannot have it [00:53:37] all. [00:53:39] This nation belongs to all of us, not [00:53:43] just a handful of billionaires. [00:53:46] [cheering] [00:53:52] >> [cheering] [00:53:54] >> But let me be honest with you and [00:53:57] telling you that what we are dealing [00:54:00] with today at this rally and the whole [00:54:04] concept of attacks on billionaires is [00:54:07] more than economics and it is more than [00:54:11] tax policy. Yeah, I'm sure these guys [00:54:14] don't want to pay a few billion dollars [00:54:15] more in taxes, but for them in many [00:54:18] ways, that is pocket change. What is the [00:54:22] real issue here? The real issue [00:54:25] gets to the very heart of what American [00:54:29] society is becoming. And that is what [00:54:32] you are dealing with right here. And why [00:54:34] I am so proud to be with you in [00:54:37] California tonight. [00:54:42] And what this what this whole issue is [00:54:45] about is that in many respects and this [00:54:49] is not rhetoric. This is in fact what I [00:54:53] think most people now understand. The [00:54:56] billionaire class no longer sees itself [00:55:00] as part of American society. [00:55:03] Do you understand what I'm saying? [00:55:06] They see themselves as something [00:55:09] separate and apart like the oligarchs. [00:55:13] Remember the history we learned in [00:55:14] school. Like the oligarchs of the 18th [00:55:17] and 19th centuries, you know, the kings [00:55:20] and the queens and the zars. These guys [00:55:23] literally believe that they have the [00:55:26] divine right to rule and are no longer [00:55:32] subject to democratic governance. [00:55:35] >> Senator Bernie Sanders, independent from [00:55:36] Vermont at a rally in Los Angeles [00:55:38] Wednesday night. California Governor [00:55:40] Gavin Newsome, a Democrat, told [00:55:42] Bloomberg Television a couple of weeks [00:55:44] ago why he opposes this proposed wealth [00:55:46] tax. I fear the way this has been [00:55:50] drafted and I'm old-fashioned. I [00:55:52] actually seek first to understand before [00:55:53] I'm understood [00:55:55] sometimes [00:55:58] and uh I was burdened by the facts. The [00:56:02] fact is it actually will reduce co uh [00:56:05] investments in education. It will reduce [00:56:08] investments in teachers and librarians, [00:56:11] child care. It will reduce investments [00:56:14] in firefighting and police. [00:56:17] The impact of a one-time tax does not [00:56:20] solve an ongoing structural challenge [00:56:23] that has been exacerbated by the impacts [00:56:27] of HR1. [00:56:30] In fact, what it will do is what the [00:56:32] legislative analyst office said it would [00:56:34] do, which didn't surprise any of us when [00:56:36] they put that out. you would have a [00:56:38] windfall one time [00:56:40] and then over the years you would see a [00:56:43] significant reduction [00:56:46] in taxes because taxpayers will move uh [00:56:50] and that is what I fear at a state level [00:56:52] at a state level [00:56:53] >> right so would you support a national a [00:56:55] national [00:56:55] >> I think you can have that's an [00:56:56] interesting conversation it's a [00:56:58] challenging one too there's some [00:56:59] constitutional issues around takings [00:57:01] there's impact as it relates to the flow [00:57:02] of capital the impacts on the market [00:57:04] which are not inconsequential if you [00:57:06] told me. You're going to have a one [00:57:07] time. Where do you mark to market? How [00:57:09] do you audit? Do we go in and find out? [00:57:12] For those that are in this tax bracket, [00:57:13] when did you buy your Boscot? You sure [00:57:16] it was 1971 or was 1991? [00:57:19] Markets have adjusted. Where's the wine [00:57:21] collection, sir? Let me look again. Hold [00:57:24] on. Mark to market. Wait a second. So, [00:57:26] you haven't sold your stuff. All these [00:57:27] things it gets complicated. I'm not [00:57:29] suggesting I'm not here to belittle it, [00:57:32] argue. I think the imbalance I said at [00:57:33] the state of the state. The imbalance [00:57:35] between the rich and the poor is the [00:57:36] oldest and most fatal ailment of all [00:57:38] republics. That was Plutarch. 2,000 [00:57:41] years ago, 10% of people own twothirds [00:57:43] of the wealth in the United States of [00:57:44] America. This is not working. 30 year [00:57:47] olds never done worse. 30-year-old today [00:57:52] generation in history. This is not [00:57:54] working. You've got to democratize our [00:57:56] economy if you're going to save [00:57:57] democracy. Absolutely. But this proposal [00:58:01] by one local [00:58:04] in SEIU I do not believe is the answer. [00:58:06] >> Will it get to the ballot? [00:58:08] >> Um they have the money. I don't you know [00:58:11] and u we'll see. Yeah. [00:58:14] >> California Governor Gavin Newsome, a [00:58:16] Democrat on Bloomberg television on [00:58:17] January 29th. Wednesday night was the [00:58:20] official launch of the billionaires tax [00:58:22] ballot measure initiative in California. [00:58:25] More from the LA Times article. proposal [00:58:27] has received more expected and unified [00:58:30] backlash from the state's conservatives [00:58:32] and business leaders who have launched [00:58:34] ballot measures that could nullify part [00:58:36] if not all of the proposed wealth tax. [00:58:40] Wall Street today the Dow down 267, [00:58:42] NASDAQ down 70, S&P down 19. The botched [00:58:47] test flight of Boeing's Starlininer [00:58:49] spacecraft, right? CNN, a protracted [00:58:52] saga that kept two astronauts in space [00:58:54] months longer than expected, was a [00:58:56] debacle in league with US space shuttle [00:58:58] disasters that cost crew members their [00:59:00] lives. According to the newly revealed [00:59:01] findings from the NASA investigation [00:59:03] about the ordeal. While the crude [00:59:05] Starlininer mission did not end in [00:59:06] tragedy, the myriad issues discovered [00:59:08] with the Boeing built spacecraft quote [00:59:10] revealed critical vulnerabilities in the [00:59:12] Starlininer's propulsion system, NASA's [00:59:15] oversight model and the broader culture [00:59:16] of commercial human space flight. [00:59:18] According to the report the agency [00:59:20] published on Thursday, reporting from [00:59:21] CNN, the NASA administrator Jared [00:59:23] Isaacman spoke about the report at a [00:59:25] news conference in Washington. More than [00:59:27] 30 scheduled CFT launch attempts created [00:59:30] cumulative schedule pressure and [00:59:32] decision fatigue. Prior OFT thruster [00:59:35] risk was never fully understood. [00:59:37] Corrective actions from OFT1 were [00:59:39] incomplete and flight rationale was [00:59:41] therefore inadequate. [snorts] Witness [00:59:44] statements routinely reflected a belief [00:59:46] that management within the commercial [00:59:47] crew program could only succeed if [00:59:49] Starlininer launched. Now on orbit, [00:59:53] disagreements over crew return options [00:59:55] deteriorated into unprofessional conduct [00:59:58] while the crew remained on orbit. [01:00:00] Witness statements described an [01:00:02] environment where advocacy tied to the [01:00:03] Starlininer program viability persisted [01:00:06] alongside insufficient senior NASA [01:00:09] leadership engagement to refocus teams [01:00:12] on safety and mission outcomes. Now, [01:00:15] post mission, despite the loss of sixth [01:00:17] degree of freedom control and cost [01:00:19] thresholds exceeding a type A mishap by [01:00:22] a factor of over a 100, a mishap was not [01:00:25] declared. Concern for the Starlininer [01:00:28] program's reputation influenced that [01:00:29] decision. Initially, our commercial crew [01:00:32] program investigated itself. Ultimately, [01:00:35] these decisions were inconsistent with [01:00:36] NASA's safety culture, and a subsequent [01:00:39] independent investigation was [01:00:40] commissioned, and the record is now [01:00:42] being corrected. Today, we formally [01:00:44] designate this event a type A mishap to [01:00:46] ensure lessons are fully captured for [01:00:48] future missions. Programmatic advocacy [01:00:51] exceeded reasonable bounds and placed [01:00:53] the mission, the crew, and America's [01:00:54] space program at risk in ways that were [01:00:56] not fully understood at the time [01:00:58] decisions were being contemplated. This [01:01:00] created a culture of mistrust that can [01:01:01] never happen again. And there will be [01:01:03] leadership accountability. [01:01:05] >> NASA administrator Jared Isaacman had a [01:01:07] news conference at NASA headquarters in [01:01:09] Washington about the events that [01:01:10] happened in 2024. More from the CNN [01:01:13] article. Officially, the Starlininer [01:01:15] test flight is now considered a type A [01:01:16] mishap, a designation that NASA defines [01:01:19] as an incident that results in more than [01:01:21] $2 million of damage, the loss of [01:01:23] control or destruction of a vehicle, or [01:01:25] a loss of life. The Colombian Challenger [01:01:28] spatial disasters were also classified [01:01:30] as typeA incident. NASA today also [01:01:33] fueling up its lunar rocket and going [01:01:35] through a launch day walkthrough known [01:01:37] as the wet dress rehearsal for the [01:01:38] Aremis 2 mission that would have four [01:01:41] astronauts go around the moon. The [01:01:43] earliest launch date for that mission is [01:01:44] March 6th. Thanks for listening to [01:01:46] Washington today. Reminder, another [01:01:48] C-SPAN ceasefire program airs Friday at [01:01:50] 7:00 p.m. and 10 p.m. Eastern. Host Asha [01:01:53] Burns will welcome two governors, Kelly [01:01:55] Armstrong, Republican of North Dakota, [01:01:56] and Matt Meyer, Democrat from Delaware [01:01:59] for the National Governor's Association [01:02:01] Winter Meeting Week, a bipartisan [01:02:03] dialogue on top issues facing states and [01:02:06] the country, including affordability, [01:02:07] healthcare, and immigration enforcement [01:02:09] that C-SPAN's ceasefire Friday 7:00 p.m. [01:02:12] and 10:00 p.m. Eastern. Have a good [01:02:14] night.