November 5, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode

For decades, coal was more than an industry in Pike County, Kentucky. It was a way of life, powering homes, paychecks, and a deep sense of identity. But as the economy shifts, residents there are also grappling with growing political divisions within their community. Judy Woodruff reports in the latest installment of her series, America at a Crossroads.

Democrats dominated election night as economic anxieties and discontent with President Trump’s leadership weighed heavily on Republican candidates. Geoff Bennett discussed the implications with Democratic strategist Ameshia Cross and Republican strategist Whit Ayres.

Election night saw resounding wins for Democrats across several states. But how did the winning coalition come together? Amna Nawaz took a deeper dive into the results with Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter.

President Trump's sweeping tariff plan may be on shaky ground after a Supreme Court hearing focused on his authority to impose the measures. Several justices on the court questioned the legality of the tariffs and how much power the president has to broadly enact his agenda. Amna Nawaz discussed more with PBS News Supreme Court analyst and SCOTUSBlog co-founder Amy Howe.

In our news wrap Wednesday, federal officials say the wing of a UPS cargo plane caught fire and its engine fell off just before it crashed after takeoff in Louisville, Secretary of State Rubio briefed House and Senate leadership about the Trump administration's strikes on alleged drug boats and a raid involving a toddler is raising questions about the tactics being used by immigration agents.

Democratic state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi is the winner of Virginia's lieutenant governor's race, defeating former conservative talk radio host John Reid. Hashmi joined William Brangham to discuss the issues that fueled her victory and those that powered Democratic gains across the country.

In the first major elections since President Trump's return to office, Democrats celebrated election wins from coast to coast. New York City's next mayor will be democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, and two moderate Democrats will be the governors of New Jersey and Virginia. The elections made history in many ways, and were very much a referendum of Trump and his policies. Liz Landers reports.

Wednesday marks day 36 of the government shutdown, setting a record for the longest in U.S. history. After Democrats’ strong showing on election night, President Trump conceded that his party is shouldering the blame for the shutdown. Geoff Bennett spoke with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries about what comes next.