Two Blocks from the White House

The FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off this week. With Canada, Mexico and the United States co-hosting, America and Israel at war with Iran, plus midterm elections around the corner, it's an undeniably political world event. In this episode, Washington correspondents Katie Simpson, Paul Hunter and Willy Lowry dive into the politics of sport and ask: Can Trump ride the World Cup wave?

It’s the 250th anniversary of America’s independence, and so far planned celebrations range from a UFC fight at the White House to a concert series featuring 90s rapper Vanilla Ice. But with musical acts dropping out citing polarization, tension over the ongoing Iran war and sky-high gas prices, Washington correspondents Katie Simpson, Paul Hunter and Willy Lowry ask: How do you have a birthday party if no one’s in the mood to celebrate?

From a $1.8 billion US fund for Donald Trump allies, which some critics call a 'MAGA slush fund', to retribution for Republicans who have spoken out against him, the U.S. president is pushing his personal agenda amid declining approval ratings and with the midterm elections right around the corner.

This week on Two Blocks from the White House, Washington correspondents Katie Simpson, Paul Hunter and Louis Blouin ask: How far can Donald Trump go before paying the political price?

The final episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert airs this week. It’s being called the end of an era, and some critics say the cancellation of the iconic late night talk show represents a broader attack on dissent during Donald Trump’s second administration. This week Washington correspondents Katie Simpson, Paul Hunter and Willy Lowry ask: What, if anything, does Colbert’s cancellation say about the state of free speech in Trump’s America?

From UFOs to 'missing scientists', fringe ideas and conspiracy theories have come to the forefront during U.S. President Donald Trump’s second administration. This week, Washington correspondents Katie Simpson, Paul Hunter and Willy Lowry dig into the long history of conspiracy theories intersecting with American politics. Has Trump made conspiracy theories mainstream?