June 21, 2019 - PBS NewsHour full episode

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Judy Woodruff to discuss the week’s political news, including President Trump’s response to the conflict with Iran and controversy around former Vice President Joe Biden’s comments about working with segregationists.

A day after President Trump said he had called off a planned airstrike against Iran shortly before it was due to occur, governments of both countries were preoccupied with the conflict, which represents the closest Iran and the United States have come to war in 30 years. Judy Woodruff talks to special correspondent Reza Sayah, reporting from Tehran, about the reaction and “anxiety” among Iranians.

Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., is the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and one of the key lawmakers to be briefed by the White House on the administration’s options for dealing with Iran. He talks to Judy Woodruff about whether canceling a planned strike on Iran was the correct choice, President Trump’s decision-making process and the consequences of the maximum pressure campaign.

“Be More Chill,” a Broadway musical written by Joe Tracz and scored by Joe Iconis, explores the emotional rollercoaster of growing up -- with a magical twist. The show’s release comes on the heels of several other successful musicals about teen angst, but its viral path to popularity sets it apart. Jeffrey Brown reports on how the story achieved unexpected success and why it feels so relatable.

President Trump says he approved an airstrike against Iran in retaliation for the downing of a U.S. drone, only to call it off last-minute upon deciding the potential for casualties was too high. Now, some former senior military and diplomatic officials are questioning the president’s decision-making process. Nick Schifrin reports.

The Associated Press details grave conditions inside a Texas migrant detention facility where 250 infants, children and teenagers were being held without adequate food, water or sanitation during a recent visit. Warren Binford, a law professor at Willamette University, joins William Brangham to share her firsthand account, what Border Patrol agents think and what's next for these children.

According to President Trump, the U.S. military was ready to launch an airstrike against Iran as a response to their shooting down an unmanned U.S. drone when he called it off. He laid out differing timelines for his decision-making, but Trump was consistent in attributing the attack's cancellation to his worry over potential Iranian casualties. Judy Woodruff talks to Yamiche Alcindor for more.

President Trump caused a flurry by announcing he canceled a planned military strike on Iran only minutes before it was scheduled to occur. Will the U.S. will be seen as weak or indecisive as a result? Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, talks to Judy Woodruff about Trump’s “anguish” over the choice and what Risch hopes Iran will learn from the incident.