January 14, 2019 - PBS NewsHour full episode

On Monday, President Trump denied being a Russian agent after The New York Times reported the FBI opened a counterintelligence investigation into whether he was acting on Russia’s behalf. He called the FBI officials who launched the inquiry “scoundrels” and “dirty cops.” But questions remain about his interactions with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Nick Schifrin reports.

NPR’s Tamara Keith and Amy Walter from the Cook Political Report join Judy Woodruff to discuss the latest polling on the government shutdown, which indicates that a majority of Americans blame President Trump for the stalemate, but an increasing proportion favor building his wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

On Monday, President Trump said he is hesitant to declare a national emergency to fund a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, and that Congress should resolve the "simple" disagreement that's keeping the government partly closed. He also said he had rejected a proposal by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., to reopen the government temporarily. Yamiche Alcindor reports on the shutdown's latest impacts.

President Trump promoted his trade policies Monday at the American Farm Bureau Federation. But the government shutdown has hurt farmers seeking loans needed for upcoming crop seasons, and certain provisions in the newly signed Farm Bill cannot be administered until USDA offices reopen. Farm Aid’s Joe Schroeder joins John Yang to discuss how the shutdown has come at a "tough time to be a farmer."

For decades, restaurant kitchens have been spaces dominated by men. Award-winning chef Edward Lee is trying to change that, founding the Women Chefs of Kentucky Initiative to diversify the culinary industry and train more female chefs for leadership roles. Renee Shaw of Kentucky Educational Television reports on how Lee is trying to cultivate "great activists for the next generation" of cooking.

The New York Times reports that the FBI launched a counterintelligence investigation into whether President Trump was working on behalf of Russia after Trump fired FBI director James Comey. Today, the president denied being under Russia's influence. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., tells Judy Woodruff whether he believes Trump and what we still don’t know about Trump’s meetings with Vladimir Putin.

Tens of thousands of teachers in Los Angeles went on strike Monday after months-long contract negotiations stalled. It’s the first strike in that huge school district, which extends 700 square miles, in three decades. Special correspondent Mary MacCarthy talks to Judy Woodruff about the teachers’ demands for more staff and higher pay and how schools, students and parents are reacting.

Questions remain about President Trump's meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as about Trump's broader ties to Russia. To analyze why the corresponding counterintelligence investigations are 'unprecedented,' Judy Woodruff sits down with Andrew Weiss, a former National Security Council staffer, and David Kris, previously the Justice Department's top national security official.