The Current The Brookings Institution

The attack by Trump supporters on the U.S. Capitol "was America at its darkest," says John Hudak, and raised "legitimate serious concerns for not just the operation of the Congress to count electoral votes, but for the continuity of government itself." Hudak examines whether Congress will seek to remove President Trump from power in his final 13 days, how successful it will be if it tries, and whether the Republican Party will reassess where it stands post-Trump.
Show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/398TtN7 
Subscribe to Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to BCP@Brookings.edu, and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter.
The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

Bruce Riedel explains why the departure of President Trump may have led the Saudis and their Gulf allies to rethink their rift with Qatar, and what reconciliation among the Gulf states will mean for the Biden administration's goals for restoring a working relationship with Iran.
Show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/3s1U4bQ 
Subscribe to Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to BCP@Brookings.edu, and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter.
The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

After months of inaction and halting negotiations, Congress's $900 billion COVID economic relief package is "too little, too late." William Gale argues that while the bill makes a good start at getting relief to the American people, it still leaves a lot for the next Congress and Biden administration to address.
Show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/2Je5ZSD
Subscribe to Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to BCP@Brookings.edu, and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter.
The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

Hackers gained access to U.S. government systems in a months-long act of cyberespionage. While the full extent of the security breach is still being determined, Tarah Wheeler explains the third-party software vulnerability that enabled the hack, and what the incoming Biden administration's priorities should be to meet a higher bar for U.S. cybersecurity.
Show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/2WsRJrT 
Subscribe to Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to BCP@Brookings.edu, and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter.
The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

The Trump administration's delay in acknowledging the results of the 2020 election have left President-elect Joe Biden's transition team with even less than the usual 11 weeks to fill thousands of positions and be read in on the procedures and priorities of every government agency and department. Kathryn Dunn Tenpas looks at how the delayed start may affect the incoming Biden administration and their most urgent priorities, such as distribution of a COVID vaccine.
Show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/33YttlI 
Subscribe to Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to BCP@Brookings.edu, and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter.
The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

In its final weeks, the Trump administration has sought to lock in its foreign policy priorities against the efforts of the incoming Biden administration as much as possible. Tom Wright examines what the Biden team will be facing following the Trump administration's unprecedented handling of the transition process, firing of key national security personnel, and significant withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.
Show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/2VVYiD5 
Subscribe to Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to BCP@Brookings.edu, and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter.
The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.