January 18, 2021 - PBS NewsHour full episode

With President Trump's looming impeachment trial in the Senate, some are asking what kind of access he should have to intelligence briefings after leaving office. Susan Gordon, the former principal deputy director of national intelligence, joins Nick Schifrin to discuss whether Trump should be cut off after leaving office, insider threats in the military, and political appointments at the NSA.

President-elect Biden plans for a number of executive actions once in office, including issuing a federal mask mandate, extending a pause on federal student loan payments and interest, rejoining the Paris climate agreement and rescinding the travel ban on some Muslim countries. Yamiche Alcindor joins Judy Woodruff to discuss.

In our news wrap Monday, opposition leader Alexei Navalny will spend 30 days in jail after a Russian court hearing in Moscow, the U.S. neared 400,000 deaths from COVID-19, President-elect Biden names his choices to lead two major regulatory bodies, and hundreds of migrants bound for the U.S. are at a standstill in southeastern Guatemala.

The poet who will carry on a tradition and present her new work, "The Hill We Climb" at the inauguration this week is already quite accomplished at the age of 22. Jeffrey Brown talked to Amanda Gorman to learn more, as part of our ongoing arts and culture series, "CANVAS."

Each day the U.S. is averaging more than 130,000 hospitalizations and more than 3,000 deaths. States reported more than 23,000 deaths over last week alone. That's about 25 percent higher than at any point in the pandemic. Vaccinations remain a key hope, but distribution is slow and disorganized in many places. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a critic of the rollout, joins William Brangham to discuss.

NPR’s Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report join Judy Woodruff to discuss the latest political news, including President Trump's legacy, President-elect Biden's first days in office, and how Biden will be received by Republicans.