POLITICS WITH A POLITICAL PANEL.

>> Kaomi: INDEED.

WE'RE GOING TO START, THOUGH, TONIGHT WITH NATIONAL POLITICS.

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAD A BUSY SECOND WEEK IN WASHINGTON, D.C. A FUNDING FREEZE WAS ANNOUNCED.

A COURT RULING PAUSED IT.

THE ADMINISTRATION WITHDREW IT.

THAT WAS ALL AT THE BEGINNING OF A WEEK THAT HAS INCLUDED MULTIPLE SENATE CONFIRMATION HEARINGS, A TRAGIC AIRCRAFT DISASTER NEAR REAGAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, AND THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF TARIFFS AGAINST CANADA AND MEXICO SET TO START ON SATURDAY.

KATHRYN PEARSON TEACHES POLITICAL SCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA.

WELCOME BACK, PROFESSOR.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Kaomi: WOW, UM, YOU KNOW, STEVE BANNON USED TO SAY THEY WOULD FLOOD THE ZONE IN THE FIRST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WITH STUFF.

AND I'M WONDERING, IS THIS IN A SENSE WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE SECOND TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, THIS STRATEGY THAT THIS FLURRY OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I MEAN, THE MODERN PRESIDENCY, WE ALWAYS SEE A LOT OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS, BUT THIS IS REALLY UNPRECEDENTED AND IT IS A STARK CONTRAST TO EIGHT YEARS AGO.

I MEAN, DAY ONE WE HAD SO MANY AND THEY CONTINUE IN ADDITION TO THE MEMORANDUM FROM THE O.M.B.

AND JUST PRESS CONFERENCES AND STATEMENTS AND IT'S CAUSING A LOT OF CHAOS WITHIN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WITHIN STATE GOVERNMENTS.

AND NOT REALLY SURE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

THERE'S THE EFFORT TO RESHAPE THE FEDERAL WORKFORCE, CHANGE ECONOMIC POLICY WITH UPCOMING TARIFFS AND TARIFF THREATS.

A LOT IS HAPPENING.

>> Eric: LET'S COMPARE THIS TO A PRIZE FIGHT BOXING MATCH.

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS PUSHING TO SEE HOW FAR IT CAN GO, AND CONGRESS, PARTICULARLY REPUBLICANS HO NOW CONTROL THE SENATE, ARE SAYING, HOW MUCH CAN WE PUSH BACK?

>> WELL, IT'S COMPLICATED BECAUSE ON THE ONE HAND THERE REALLY IS A SEPARATION OF POWERS STRUGGLE.

PRESIDENT TRUMP IS REALLY TRYING TO EXPAND THE POWER OF THE PRESIDENCY IN ADDITION TO SORT OF EXECUTE HIS POLICIES.

AND -- BUT THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF COURSE ARE CONTROLLED BY REPUBLICANS.

SO ON THE ONE HAND, CONGRESS WANTS TO ASSERT ITSELF.

ON THE OTHER HAND, IN TODAY'S POLITICAL SYSTEM, THE PARTY IN POWER REALLY SEES ITSELF AS A TEAM.

AND SO EVEN AS SENATE MAJORITY LEADER JOHN THIEWN, YOU KNOW, HE'S AN INSTITUTIONALIST, HE ALSO IS A LOYAL REPUBLICAN AND CERTAINLY THAT IS ALL GOING TO BE ON DISPLAY WITH SORT OF THIS MID-MAY POTENTIAL SHUTDOWN HAT REPUBLICANS NEED TO DEAL WITH, POTENTIALLY WITH DEMOCRATIC VOTES.

AND THEN PUTTING TOGETHER THIS RECONCILIATION PACKAGE.

THE RECONCILIATION BILL IS GOING TO BE THE VEHICLE THAT MOVES FORWARDS ALL OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S POLICIES WITH REPUBLICANS, BECAUSE AS A RECONCILIATION BUDGET BILL, IT ONLY REQUIRES 51 VOTES.

BUT IT'S GOING TO BE HARD FOR REPUBLICANS TO GET THERE.

>> Kaomi: I WONDER AS A PERSON WHO STUDIES CONGRESS, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> THERE'S -- FROM REPUBLICANS, THERE IS NOT A HOLE LOT OF PUSHBACK.

I MEAN, WE SAW ON THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE HEGSETH'S VOTE.

THERE WERE THREE REPUBLICANS THAT VOTED NO.

THAT'S THE MAXIMUM NUMBER THAT CAN VOTE NO.

>> Kaomi: DOES THIS SET A BAD PRECEDENT MAYBE FOR THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH?

>> I THINK IT DOES AS A SCHOLAR OF POLITICS BECAUSE CONGRESS HAS THAT VERY IMPORTANT ROLE IN OUR SYSTEM AND WITH THE PRESIDENT TRYING TO EXPAND THE POWER OF THE PRESIDENCY, IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE, A, HAT THE COURTS DO IN TERMS OF SO MANY OF THESE DECISIONS, EXECUTIVE ORDERINGS, FIRING OF CIVIL SERVANTS, THAT'S GOING TO GO TO THE COURTS, WHAT WILL THE FEDERAL COURTS DO, AND THEN ULTIMATELY WHAT WILL CONGRESS DO.

>> Eric: PRESIDENT TRUMP BEGINS AS A LAME DUCK.

HE'S NOT RUNNING AGAIN IN 2028, WE THINK.

AND HOW SHORT HONEYMOON DOES HE HAVE, OR CAN HE GO THROUGH THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS IN THE COURTS AND BYPASS CONGRESS.

>> I THINK THE REAL DATE AND, YOU KNOW, WE CERTAINLY SAW THIS WITH TRUMP'S FIRST -- THE FIRST TWO YEARS, BIDEN'S FIRST TWO YEARS, OBAMA'S FIRST TWO YEARS, YOU KNOW, THAT FIRST MIDTERM ELECTION, YOU KNOW, THE PRESIDENT'S PARTY OFTEN LOSES CONTROL OF ONE OF THE CHAMBERS.

AND WITH CURRENTLY A ONE-SEAT MARGIN, THAT'LL GROW WITH SOME OF THESE SPECIAL ELECTIONS, BUT THE HOUSE IS -- THIS IS THE NARROWEST MARGIN FOR REPUBLICANS IN CONTEMPORARY HISTORY, AND SO 2026, JUST BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT IS A REPUBLICAN WILL THEREFORE BE A GOOD YEAR FOR DEMOCRATS.

YOU KNOW, WE SEE THAT NO MATTER WHICH PARTY IS IN POWER, IT'S A BETTER FOR THE OUT PARTY.

AND SO I THINK THE TRUMP TEAM AND PRESIDENT TRUMP REALIZES HE'S GOT TWO YEAR.

>> Kaomi: GOING BACK TO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PRESIDENT AND CONGRESS, WHERE DO YOU THINK THE LINES ARE THAT THE PRESIDENT WOULD CROSS THAT WOULD EVEN MAKE SOME REPUBLICANS NERVOUS?

>> I THINK THAT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION.

AND I'M NOT SURE.

BECAUSE I WOULD HAVE -- SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE ALREADY HAPPENED I MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT WOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN THOSE LINES.

FIRING CIVIL SERVANTS, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT OESN'T HAPPEN.

BUT YET WE'RE NOT HEARING OF ANY CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS ABOUT THIS.

SO SOME OF HESE EXECUTIVE ORDERS THAT SEEM SORT OF PATENTLY UNCONSTITUTIONAL, I MEAN, THAT'S FOR THE COURTS TO DECIDE, BUT WE'RE NOT HEARING CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS PROTEST.

>> Eric: AND THE DEMOCRATS ARE JUST CASTING AROUND FOR A ROLE HERE?

>> THE DEMOCRATS ARE IN A TOUGH POSITION BECAUSE THEY DON'T CONTROL EITHER CHAMBER AND PUBLIC SENTIMENTS TOWARDS DEMOCRATS IS NOT VERY STRONG.

>> Eric: 37% APPROVAL.

AND AMONG MEN, IT WAS 20%, SOMETHING.

>> RIGHT, SO DEMOCRATS ARE NOT ANY GREAT PLACE EITHER.

DEMOCRATS I THINK ARE TRYING TO GET A MESSAGE OUT, BUT THE MEDIA ISN'T REALLY COVERING IT BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH TO COVER WITH THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.

THAT, YOU KNOW, SORT OF STAY TUNED IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.

>> Eric: THANKS FOR SHARING