PBS Washington Week with The Atlantic - Full Show Washington Week with The Atlantic full episode, 2/6/26
Feb 7, 2026
Liz Landers, PBS NewsHour White House correspondent, reports on administration actions and press interactions. Michael Shearer, The Atlantic White House correspondent, analyzes constitutional and intelligence angles. Jonathan Karl, ABC News chief Washington correspondent and author, covers Trump strategy and political risks. They discuss calls to nationalize elections, federal limits on voting, Tulsi Gabbard’s role in security, and GOP midterm strategy.
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Federal Takeover Clashes With Constitution
- Trump’s call to “nationalize” elections would mean federal takeover attempts focused on places he lost.
- The Constitution assigns election administration to states, limiting executive power over voting.
Targeting Lost Locales, Not Nationwide Reform
- Trump framed nationalizing as taking over voting in 15 places he believes were crooked.
- Analysts say he aims at locales he lost, especially majority-minority cities like Philadelphia and Detroit.
Use Legislation, Not Executive Seizure
- Lawmakers should consider the SAVE Act as the formal avenue Trump’s team points to instead of an executive takeover.
- The SAVE Act would impose nationwide changes like strict voter ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements.
