
June 15, 2026
6/15/2026 | 55m 54sVideo has Closed Captions
Karim Sadjadpour; William D. Cohan; Viktória Serdült; Dan Diamond
Ahead of the G7 conference, Karim Sadjadpour discusses the alleged deal struck between the U.S. and Iran. Elon Musk just became the world's first trillionaire. Financial journalist William D. Cohan explains what this means for the economy. Hungarian journalist Viktória Serdült on the reforms happening in Hungary. Reporter Dan Diamond takes us through Trump's construction projects throughout D.C.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback

June 15, 2026
6/15/2026 | 55m 54sVideo has Closed Captions
Ahead of the G7 conference, Karim Sadjadpour discusses the alleged deal struck between the U.S. and Iran. Elon Musk just became the world's first trillionaire. Financial journalist William D. Cohan explains what this means for the economy. Hungarian journalist Viktória Serdült on the reforms happening in Hungary. Reporter Dan Diamond takes us through Trump's construction projects throughout D.C.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Where to Watch Amanpour and Company
Amanpour and Company is available to stream on pbs.org and the PBS app.

Watch Amanpour and Company on PBS
PBS and WNET, in collaboration with CNN, launched Amanpour and Company in September 2018. The series features wide-ranging, in-depth conversations with global thought leaders and cultural influencers on issues impacting the world each day, from politics, business, technology and arts, to science and sports.Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship>>> HELLO, EVERYONE.
WELCOME TO AMANPOUR AND COMPANY.
HERE IS WHAT'S COMING UP.
THE U.S.
AND IRAN AGREE TO A DEAL, BUT WHAT IS IT ACTUALLY ACHIEVING?
WE WILL DIG INTO THE DETAILS.
AND,.
>>> ELON MUSK HAS MORE MONEY AND WEALTH THAN ANYONE IN HUMAN HISTORY.
>> ELON MUSK'S WORTH SOARS TO NEW HEIGHTS.
WHAT IT TELLS US ABOUT POWER AND EQUALITY IN THE STATE OF THE U.S.
ECONOMY.
>>> YOU CAN SEE ALL AROUND.
THE PEOPLE, STREETS AND EVERYONE WANTS CHANGE.
>> THE CHANGING FACE OF HUNGARY.
I SPEAK TO A LONGTIME JOURNALIST ABOUT PRIME MINISTER PETERS AWAY FROM THE LEGACY OF STRONGMAN VIKTOR ORBAN.
>> IT'S NOT THESE THINGS ARE GETTING FIXED, BUT ONE PERSON IS DECIDING HOW TO FIX THEM AND THAT DOESN'T SIT WELL WITH A LOT OF AMERICANS.
>>> REPORTER DAN DIAMOND SPEAKS TO MICHELLE MARTIN ABOUT THE MANY BUILDING PROJECTS ACROSS WASHINGTON, D.C.
>> ♪ >>> AMANPOUR AND COMPANY IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE ANDERSON FAMILY ENDOWMENT, JIM ATWOOD AND LESLIE WILLIAMS, CANDACE KING, SYLVIA A AND SIMON B POYNTER PROGRAM ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM.
THE STRAUS FAMILY FOUNDATION.
THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND .
CHARLES ROSENBLUM.
MONIQUE AND WARSHAW, PATRICIA YUEN COMMITTED TO BRINGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.
>>> WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM, EVERYONE.
I'M SITTING IN FOR AMANPOUR.
LEADERS FROM SOME OF THE WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL NATIONS ARE GATHERING TODAY IN FRANCE FOR THE G-7.
THE SUMMIT COMES JUST AFTER THE U.S.
AND IRAN SAY THEY STRUCK A TENTATIVE DEAL TO END HOSTILITIES AND OPEN A VERMOUTH.
>> IS ALREADY PARTIALLY OPENED, AS YOU KNOW.
HUNTING FOR A COUPLE OF MINES THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY FOUND.
SHIPS ARE STARTING TO GO OUT NOW AND FRIDAY.
IT WILL BE COMPLETELY OPEN.
>> SO FAR, THE DEAL HAS NOT BEEN MADE PUBLIC ON BOTH SIDES HAVE OFFERED CONFLICTING ACCOUNTS OF WHAT WILL FOLLOW A SIGNING CEREMONY ON FRIDAY.
TO ADD TO THE UNCERTAINTY, THE AGREEMENT DOESN'T RESOLVE PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT LONG- TERM ISSUE, IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM AND ITS EXISTING HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM.
THOSE NEGOTIATIONS ARE MEANT TO BE DEALT WITH IN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS.
FOLLOWING ALL OF THIS CLOSELY AND IS A SENIOR AT THE ENDOWMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND JOINS ME NOW FROM WASHINGTON.
GREAT TO HAVE YOU BACK ON.
GIVEN THAT THE NUCLEAR ISSUE WASN'T ADDRESSED, IT WAS NOTABLE AND INTERESTING TO HEAR PRESIDENT MACRON AND HIS REMARKS SAYING THAT THIS FIXES THE NUCLEAR ISSUE, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY EXACT CONCRETE DETAILS AS TO HOW IT DOES THAT.
FROM EVERYTHING YOU'VE GATHERED AND WHAT YOU HEARD FROM YOUR SOURCES, ASIDE FROM THE SIGNING CEREMONY ON FRIDAY, WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT WHAT CHANGES IN TERMS OF THE U.S.
CONFLICT WITH IRAN NOW?
>> WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS ESSENTIALLY GO FROM WHAT HAS BEEN A HOT WAR OVER THE LAST FOUR MONTHS BACK TO A COLD WAR CONFLICT WITH IRAN.
THIS ISN'T A RESOLUTION.
STILL, MAJOR SOURCES OF TENSION BETWEEN AMERICA AND IRAN, WHETHER IT'S IRAN'S NUCLEAR AMBITIONS, MISSILE PROGRAM, REGIONAL PROXIES AND REVOLUTIONARY IDENTITY HAVE NOT CHANGED AND AS YOU ALLUDED TO, IT WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT TO RESOLVE NUCLEAR DISPUTE OVER 60 DAYS, BUT I THINK AS PRESIDENT MACRON WAS GETTING TO, THIS WAS A CONFLICT, WHICH DISRUPTED THE GLOBAL ECONOMY AND WITH THE EXCEPTION OF RUSSIA, WHICH MADE A LOT OF MONEY OVER THE LAST FOUR MONTHS, BECAUSE OF THE DISRUPTION AND GLOBAL OIL TRADE, THE ENTIRE WORLD ONE OF THE CONFLICT TO BE DONE WITH.
>> AS FOR THE VERMOUTH, HOW LONG IT WOULD BE TOLL-FREE.
IRANIAN NEWS SOURCES SAY THAT IT ONLY APPLIES TO THE FIRST 60 DAYS.
PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYS IT'S PERMANENT GOING FORWARD THAT IT IS PARTIALLY OPEN NOW AND IT WILL BE FULLY OPENED ON FRIDAY.
IS IT IRAN'S INTEREST TO KEEP THE STRAIT FULLY OPEN AT LEAST THROUGH THE NEXT 60 DAYS?
>> SO, AS YOU PUT YOUR FINGER ON THIS, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE ONE OF THE MAJOR SOURCES OF CONTENTION, BECAUSE IRAN DOESN'T WANT TO GO BACK TO THE OF THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ BEING INTERNATIONAL WATERWAY.
THEY WANT IT TO BE NOT ONLY FIXED REVENUE STREAM FOR THEM , BUT ALSO DETERRENT AGAINST FUTURE ATTACKS THAT THEY CAN THREATEN AND MAYBE EVEN ACT ON CLOSING THE STRAIT IF THEY ARE ATTACKED AGAIN BY THE UNITED STATES AND ISRAEL.
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS SAID THAT THE STRAIT WILL BE FREE AND OPEN .
IRAN'S OFFICIALS SAID SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
ONE OF THE MANY REASONS WHY THIS ALL YOU SIGNED VIRTUALLY HAS IT REALLY RESOLVED REASONS WHY WE GOT INTO THE WAR.
>> THE TEXT SHOULD BE RELEASED FOLLOWING THE OFFICIAL SIGNING, WHICH IS SLATED FOR FRIDAY.
WHAT WILL YOU BE WATCHING FOR IN TERMS OF TRIPWIRES BETWEEN NOW AND THE OFFICIAL SIGNING ON FRIDAY?
>> SO, IF YOU COMPARE THE POTENTIAL MOU TO THE OBAMA NUCLEAR DEAL THAT WAS SIGNED IN 2015, THAT IS AN INCREDIBLY DETAILED DOCUMENT THAT WAS OVER 150 PAGES, WHICH HAD A BIG GRANULAR DETAIL ABOUT IRAN'S RESPONSIBILITIES.
FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THIS IS A MUCH SHORTER DOCUMENT.
AGAIN, MAJOR SOURCES OF CONTENTION ABOUT WHAT IRAN HAS AGREED TO ON THE NUCLEOPHILE.
WHAT IS IT GETTING IN TERMS OF SANCTIONS AND IRAN ONCE ECONOMIC RELIEF UP FRONT, UNITED STATES SAYS THAT IT WILL ONLY GET ECONOMIC RELIEF UPON PERFORMANCE.
IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME THAT BY FRIDAY WE WILL HAVE ANY MORE CLARITY.
>> WHAT IS THE PERFORMANCE ACTUALLY?
WHAT IS THE BENCHMARK FOR WHAT IRAN'S PERFORMANCE NEEDS TO BE BEFORE SOME OF THE FROZEN FUNDS COME THEIR WAY?
>> SO, PRESIDENT TRUMP'S BENCHMARK IS TO DO BETTER THAN THE NUCLEAR DEAL OF 2015.
WHAT THAT ESSENTIALLY MEANS IS FIRST OF ALL HE NEEDS TO GET OFF IRAN'S HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM.
THE 400+ KILOGRAMS OF HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM, WHICH THEY CALL NUCLEAR DUST, WHICH HE INSISTED ON NOW.
HE SAYS HE WANTS THE U.S.
TO GO IN THERE THEMSELVES AND RETRIEVE THAT.
I THINK HE HAS DOWNSIZED HIS AMBITIONS AND CONTENT WITH IRAN DILUTING THAT HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM, WHICH IS ON THE QUESTION OF URANIUM ENRICHMENT.
THE OBAMA NUCLEAR DEAL ALLOWED IRAN TO ENRICH URANIUM AT A VERY LOW LEVEL.
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS TRYING TO GET IRAN TO CEASE ENRICHMENT OF URANIUM FOR FIVE, 10 OR 15 YEARS.
THAT WILL BE A TALL ORDER AND IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IRAN IS PREPARED TO SEEK GROUND ON THAT.
THE SECOND QUESTION IS, WILL THE COST OF THE WAR VINDICATE ANY DEAL?
IF YOU WANT TO CONTRAST TO THE PALMA -- OBAMA NUCLEAR DEAL, PROVIDED A RUN ABOUT 1.5 OR 1.7 BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN SANCTIONS RELIEF AND ECONOMIC RELIEF, BUT THIS TIME AROUND, TRUMP HAS LAUNCHED A COSTLY WAR PERHAPS COSTING AMERICAN TAXPAYERS MORE THAN $100 BILLION AND HE IS TALKING ABOUT IRAN -- OFFERING IRAN SIGNIFICANTLY MORE ECONOMIC RELIEF AND IN EXCHANGE FOR A DEAL, WHICH COULD BE PERHAPS A MODERATELY BETTER, SO NOTHING I HAVE SEEN SO FAR JUSTIFIES OR VINDICATES THE ENORMOUS PRICE TAG OF THE WAR.
>> WHAT WE HAVE SEEN THE IRANIANS DO IS COUPLE THE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE U.S.
AND ISRAEL AND IRAN WITH THE CONFLICT BETWEEN HEZBOLLAH AND ISRAEL IN LEBANON, AND PRESIDENT TRUMP THROUGH A NUMBER OF INTERVIEWS GIVEN WITH REPORTERS OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS HAS EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION WITH PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU AND SOME ACTIONS TAKEN BY ISRAEL IN RESPONSE TO HEZBOLLAH STRIKES AND THIS REALLY PUTS ISRAEL IN A BOX, BECAUSE NOT ONLY ARE THEY NOT TO THIS PARTICULAR DEAL, BUT THERE IS AMBIGUITY AS TO WHAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO ORDER WON'T BE ABLE TO DO AS FAR AS CEASE-FIRE AND IT HOLDING.
PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID TODAY THAT HE WILL HAVE TO STRAIGHTEN OUT THE LEBANON THING AND WE HAVE TO HAVE A LITTLE TALK WITH HEZBOLLAH.
HE SEEMS TO BE DOWNPLAYING THIS, BUT HOW MUCH OF AN ISSUE IS THIS NOW FOR IRAN?
COULD THEY ACTUALLY BE THE ONES CALLING THE SHOTS AS IT RELATES TO THAT ONGOING CONFLICT?
>> THIS WILL BE A SOURCE OF LIKELY TENSION BETWEEN AMERICA AND ISRAEL, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T SEEN IRAN EXERCISE REAL RESTRAINT OVER HEZBOLLAH.
HEZBOLLAH ATTACKS ON ISRAEL CONTINUE.
THE ISRAELIS SAY THE ROCKET MISSILE FILE FROM THE NORTHERN BORDER AND WE ARE GOING TO RESPOND.
AS YOU ALLUDED TO, PRESIDENT TRUMP IS ANGRY FOR RESPONDING, BECAUSE IRAN IS INSISTED THAT IRAN AND HEZBOLLAH BE INCLUDED AS PART OF THE CEASE-FIRE, SO HISTORICALLY AMERICAN PRESIDENTS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN LOCKED UP SOLIDARITY WHEN AN ISRAELI LEADER IS RESPONDING AGAINST -- ATTACKS AGAINST HEZBOLLAH.
THIS TIME, YOU SEE A TENSION BETWEEN PRESIDENT TRUMP'S INTEREST IN WANTING TO RESOLVE THE WAR AND PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU'S INTEREST IN WANTING TO RETALIATE AGAINST HEZBOLLAH.
>> WE HAVE HEARD PRESIDENT TRUMP WHO DID MOMENTS AGO THERE IN FRANCE MAKING IT CLEAR THAT IT IS IN HIS WORDS REGIME CHANGE THAT THIS IS THE THIRD LEADERSHIP THAT HE HAS BEEN DEALING WITH AND HE CALLS THEM VERY STRONG AND SMART BY ALL MEASURES THAT THESE ARE THE HARDLINERS OF THE HARDLINERS HERE THAT ARE NOW CALLING THE SHOTS HERE AND SOME DECISION- MAKERS.
THERE IS REPORTING THAT THE SPEAKER OF THE PARLIAMENT WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN THE SIGNING.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF REPORTS ON THE RISE AND HE IS THE REVOLUTIONARY GUARDS CHIEF THERE.
WHEN IT COMES TO THE IRANIAN PEOPLE THEMSELVES, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR WHAT THE NEXT 60 DAYS OR NEXT FEW MONTHS WILL LOOK LIKE FOR THEM UNDER THIS PARTICULAR LEADERSHIP, GIVEN WITH THE PREVIOUS DID IN SLAUGHTERING TENS OF THOUSANDS?
>> AS YOU SAID, THIS IS AN EQUALLY BRUTAL IDEOLOGICAL REGIME, WHICH IS COMMITTED TO STAYING IN POWER AND COMMITTED TO WHAT I CALL VISION 1979 TO THE REVOLUTIONARY IDENTITY.
NOW, FOR SOME IRANIANS, THEY WELCOMED THE PAUSE IN THIS CONFLICT AND THE LIFTING OF THE U.S.
BLOCKADE, BECAUSE IT WILL BEING -- BRING PEOPLE ECONOMIC RELIEF.
FOR MANY IRANIANS, IT HAS BEEN DISILLUSIONING TO EXPRESS THE LAST 4 TO 6 MONTHS, BECAUSE IN JANUARY, WHEN THERE WAS POPULAR UPRISING AND MASSACRE, PRESIDENT TRUMP REASSURED THAT HELP WAS ON THE WAY AND HE ENCOURAGED THEM TO TAKE TO THE STREETS AND I SAW A QUOTE FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP YESTERDAY SAYING THAT HE DOESN'T REALLY CARE ABOUT THE REGIME CHANGE AND HERE RESPECTS AND WANTS TO WORK WITH THEM, SO I THINK THAT IT'S JUST ANOTHER REMINDER FOR PEOPLE IN IRAN.THERE ARE NO FOREIGN SAVIORS.
THEIR FAITH IS IN THEIR OWN HANDS.
>> I REMEMBER PRESIDENT TRUMP'S WORDS AT THE START OF THE YEAR FOLLOWING THOSE MASS PROTESTS, THEN SAYING THAT HELP IS ON THE WAY.
I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT FOR SO MANY OF THOSE IRANIANS THAT THIS IS THE HELP THAT THEY WERE ASKING FOR.
KAREEM, WE WILL HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE.
THANK YOU.
>>> WALL STREET, UNIMAGINABLE LEVELS OF WEALTH WERE REACHED ON FRIDAY.
THE IPO SPACEX WAS TRULY HISTORIC MAKING CEO ELON MUSK THE WORLD'S FIRST TRILLIONAIRE AT LEAST ON PAPER.
THIS WEALTH AND POWER CONCENTRATED IN THE HANDS OF ONE MAN IS STAGGERING.
WHAT DOES IT TELL US ABOUT THE HEALTH OF THE U.S.
ECONOMY?
FOR YEARS, AMERICAN BUSINESS AND FINANCE HAVING WORKED ON WALL STREET BEFORE WRITING ABOUT IT EXTENSIVELY, INCLUDING IN HIS UPCOMING BOOK MONEY TO BURN.
COFOUNDER AND COLUMNIST AND JOINING ME FOR MASSACHUSETTS.
BILL, GREAT TO HAVE YOU ON THE PROGRAM.
A LOT TO GET IN HERE.
BEFORE THE SPACEX IPO, AT THIS PARTICULAR EVALUATION, YOU ARE SUGGESTING THAT THIS WOULD PUT ELON MUSK IN A DIFFERENT STRATOSPHERE AND FINANCIAL FORCE THAN ANY OTHER CEO OR BUSINESS LEADER OR BILLIONAIRE.
BY DEFINITION, HE HAS DONE JUST THAT AND WOULD BE ON PAPER, THE WORLD'S FIRST TRILLIONAIRE.
DESCRIBE TO US WHAT THAT SIGNALS.
>> WELL, VERY INTERESTING QUESTION.
MAYBE IT'S A MOMENT TO TAKE A PAUSE AND REFLECT ON WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE ONE SINGLE MAN BE WORTH ON PAPER ANYWHERE -- ANYWAY IN EXCESS OF $1 TRILLION.
TODAY, GIVEN THAT SPACEX'S STOCK IS UP ANOTHER 13% AND THE COMPANY IS NOW WORTH TWO POINTS REALLY AND -- 2.3 TRILLION GIVEN ALL OF HIS OTHER HOLDINGS AND IS LISTED AT ABOUT 1.1 TRILLION.
MANY OF US BEYOND OUR STRUGGLING TO GET OUR MINDS AROUND BILLIONAIRES.
WE HAVE BEEN LIVING WITH BILLIONAIRES NOW FOR 30 OR 40 YEARS.
THE AMOUNT OF THE BILLIONS THAT HAVE ACCUMULATED IN THE HANDS OF TOP 10 WEALTHIEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD IS HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
THAT ALREADY REQUIRES A LOT TO GET YOUR MIND AROUND.
IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS, WE ARE PRESENTED WITH THE IDEA THAT ELON MUSK ONE SINGLE MAN IS WORTH $1.1 TRILLION.
IS THAT A SIGN FROM ABOVE THAT WE SHOULD PAUSE AND REFLECT?
WE ARE ALSO IN THE MIDDLE OF AN AFFORDABILITY CRISIS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, SO THE FACT THAT ONE MAN IS WORTH THIS MUCH MONEY SHOULD BE MAY BE A MOMENT TO REFLECT AND PAUSE ABOUT WHETHER THIS MIGHT BE A PROBLEM WITH THE WAY WE ACCUMULATE WEALTH IN THE COUNTRY.
>> THIS IS ALL ON PAPER.
NOT TO SAY HE'S NOT A VERY RICH MAN EVEN PRIOR TO THE IPO, BUT IT IS THE LARGEST IN HISTORY.
$75 BILLION WERE RAISED AT A $1.77 TRILLION EVALUATION FOR A COMPANY WE SHOULD NOTE, NO CLEAR PROFIT AT THIS POINT.
AS A BANKER, IS IT REAL VALUE?
>> WELL, VALUE IS A JUDGMENT CALL.
AS YOU AND I BOTH KNOW, WALL STREET IS VERY GOOD AT THESE MOMENTS OF CREATING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF HYPE, WHETHER GOOD OR BAD AROUND NOT ONLY THIS PARTICULAR COMPANY SPACEX, BUT OTHERS COMING DOWN THE PIKE.
ANTHROPIC, AI COMPANY, OPEN AI, ANOTHER AI COMPANY AND JUST RAISED $80 BILLION FOR GOOGLE/ALPHABET FOR THEIR AI BUILD.
THIS IS AN EXTRAORDINARILY SUM OF MONEY AND WALL STREET IS VERY GOOD AT THIS FOR THE UNDERWRITING OF WALL STREET BANKS MADE MORE THAN 500 MILLION.
THEY MADE $111 MILLION EACH IN FEES FOR TAKING RISKS THAT MAY BE THERE WERE RISKS.
I DON'T KNOW.
MAYBE A SECOND OR TWO THAT THERE WERE RISKS.
THAT IS AN EXTRAORDINARY AMOUNT OF MONEY.
THIS IS WHAT WALL STREET IS SET UP TO DO.
WALL STREET IS VERY GOOD AT THIS.
ARE WALL STREET BANKS ARE THE ENVY OF THE WORLD AND THAT'S WHY OTHER COMPANIES COME HERE TO GO PUBLIC AND RAISE THESE VAST SUMS OF MONEY.
IS THERE SOMETHING UNETHICAL ABOUT IT OR UNFAIR ABOUT IT OR UNEQUAL ABOUT IT?
THAT IS A QUESTION WE SHOULD BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT.
>> YOU MENTIONED THE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS THAT SO MANY, NOT JUST THE U.S., BUT AROUND THE WORLD.
U.S.
ECONOMY SEEMS TO STILL BE HOLDING QUITE STRONG.
THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE REMAINS RATHER LOW AT THIS POINT.
WHILE WE ARE NOT SEEING 2008 FINANCIAL CRISIS LEVELS, WE ARE SEEING THE ECONOMY CONTINUE TO BE THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY AND FOCUS FOR AMERICAN VOTERS AND THEY EXPRESSED THAT IN THE LAST ELECTION AND WE SIT IN POLL NUMBERS NOW.
TOP 1% NOW HOLDS ABOUT ONE THIRD OF ALL U.S.
WEALTH, WHICH BRINGS US BACK TO THE GILDED AGE LEVELS.
A NUMBER OF STOCK MARKET AND ECONOMY SWINGS.
WHERE DOES THIS ONE AT THIS POINT RATE?
ARE YOU CONCERNED AT ALL ABOUT HITTING A PEAK BUBBLE?
>> WELL, THE ONE TIME ONCE SPOKE ABOUT IRRATIONAL EXUBERANCE LEADING UP TO THE 2008 FINANCIAL CRISIS, I CERTAINLY FEEL LIKE WE'RE IN A PERIOD NOW OF IRRATIONAL EXUBERANCE SQUARED OR ON STEROIDS.
PEOPLE HAVE ONCE AGAIN LOST THEIR MINDS ABOUT RISKS POTENTIALLY OUT THERE.
WHEN YOU PRICE SPACEX AS A COMPANY AT $2.3 TRILLION TODAY AND ONLY ONE GOOD BUSINESS, WHICH IS STAR LINK, WHICH MAKES SEVEN OR $8 BILLION OF PROFIT A YEAR, BUT HARDLY JUSTIFIES $2.3 TRILLION EVALUATION.
YOU UNDERSTAND HOW THE HYPE MACHINE WORKS.
THIS IS WHAT WALL STREET DOES SO WELL AND WHO USUALLY GETS HOLDING THE BAG OF THESE SITUATIONS RETAIL INVESTORS WHO GET IN AT THE END, LIKE TODAY, TOMORROW AND YESTERDAY.
AT SOME POINT, THE REALITY CATCHES UP WITH COMPANIES.
THE REALITY MEANS THAT PROFITABILITY, FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE AND IF IT DOESN'T JUSTIFY THE EXTREME VALUATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN POSTED ON THESE COMPANIES, THEN THEY RETURN TO EARTH.
NO PUN INTENDED.
I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE SPACEX RETURN TO EARTH AT SOME POINT IF IT DOESN'T START PUTTING UP SOME MASSIVE PROFITABILITY NUMBERS.
>> YOU MENTIONED RETAIL INVESTORS, SPACEX HANDED 30% OF THIS TO IPOs AND PENSION FUNDS.
ONE COULD ARGUE THAT PERHAPS IT'S GIVING THE EVERYDAY INVESTOR A BITE OF THE APPLE.
ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE IS CONCERN ABOUT POTENTIAL RISK IN THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT SOME OF THESE TENSIONS COULD POTENTIALLY LOSE, ESPECIALLY, AS YOU NOTE, THERE IS A CHANCE GIVEN THIS IS NOT A PROFITABLE COMPANY YET AND IT COULD COME BACK TO EARTH.
HOW DO YOU VIEW THIS?
>> THAT MAKES ME VERY UNCOMFORTABLE.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING I WOULD INVEST IN AND I CERTAINLY ENJOY THE BEAUTIFUL PICTURES OF THE ROCKETSHIP'S TAKING OFF THAT WERE IN.
I HAVE JUST SEEN TOO MANY TIMES, ESPECIALLY IN RECENT YEARS WHERE HYPE KICKS IN AND THE HYPE MACHINE GOES INTO OVERDRIVE AND EVERYBODY GETS EXCITED ABOUT IPO.
NEXT THING YOU KNOW, THE IPO IS COMPLETELY LOST AND IT IS LOFTY STATUS AND IT'S NOT UNHEARD OF TO SEE SUCH STOCKS LOSE 99% OF THEIR VALUE.
WHO GETS BURNED IN THOSE INSTANCES?
RETAIL INVESTORS WHO GOT IN ONCE THE STOCK WAS PUBLIC, BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T GET IN BEFORE.
WHO MAKES A BUNDLE?
ALL OF THOSE INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS AND VENTURE CAPITAL FIRMS AND PRIVATE EQUITY FIRMS THAT INVESTED BEFORE THE IPO THAT ARE NOW REAPING THE REWARDS.
A NUMBER OF THEM ARE LOCKED UP, YES.
A LOT OF IT IS ON PAPER THERE HOPING TO PROBABLY GET OUT AS SOON AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN.
IT'S THE RETAIL INVESTORS WHO GET EXCITED.
I GET IT.
EVERYBODY LOVES GET RICH QUICK SCHEME.
WALL STREET IS BETTER AT HYPING UP STOCKS THEN THE COMPANY PROBABLY ARE OUTPERFORMING TO JUSTIFY THE VALUATIONS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN.
>> YOU TITLED YOUR 2011 GOLDMAN SACHS BOOK, MONEY AND POWER, HOW ONE FIRM CAME TO RULE THE WORLD.
MUSK, WHAT COULD ARGUE COULD GO IN RUN FURTHER.
STAR LINK, PENTAGON AND UKRAINE AND MANY COUNTRIES DEPEND ON IT AND INSIDE SEAT AT THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT AND WE HAVE SEEN WHAT HAPPENED WITH HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH DONALD TRUMP AND HIS WORK AT DOGE WITH THAT RELATIONSHIP IMPLODING AND THEY SEEM TO BE BACK ON GOOD TERMS.
IS THAT MORE DANGEROUS, DO YOU THINK?
THE POWER ONE MAN YIELDS VERSUS AN INSTITUTION.
>> INFINITELY MORE DANGEROUS.
GOLDMAN SACHS, AS YOU KNOW, WILL OCCASIONALLY HAVE FORMER PARTNERS WHO END UP IN GOVERNMENT AND POSITIONS OF POWER.
SECRETARY TREASURY, ET CETERA.
ELON MUSK WAS COSPLAYING GOVERNMENT EXECUTIVE WITHOUT ANY MANDATE, EXCEPT INCREDIBLY DISRUPTIVE AND HE DID THAT FOR A FEW MONTHS AND CAUSED A LOT OF DISRUPTION AND HURT AND PAIN BY CLOSING ALL SORTS OF VERY IMPORTANT BENEFITS AND PARTS OF THE GOVERNMENT THAT WERE PROVIDING SERVICES, LIKE USAID AND DISAPPEARS AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW HE'S RUNNING SPACE X, WHICH IS ONE OF THE COMPANIES.
OF COURSE, TESLA, WHICH IS ANOTHER COMPANY THAT YOU COULD ARGUE IS EXTREMELY OVERVALUED.
THE QUESTION IS, IS IT JUSTIFIABLE IN THIS DAY AND AGE FOR ONE MAN TO HAVE SO MUCH WEALTH AND POWER?
HE IS LITERALLY UNTOUCHABLE AND THERE'S NOTHING ANYBODY CAN DO -- IF HE WANTS TO MISBEHAVE, WHAT CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT HIM FROM MISBEHAVING OR BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR HIS MISBEHAVING?
THE ANSWER WE ALL KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY IS NOTHING.
>> WHAT IS THE CORRECT RESPONSE?
YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN MORE SYMPATHETIC TO THE IDEA OF FREE MARKETS AND YOU COVERED THEM WHILE YOU HAVE BEEN A BANKER AND AS A JOURNALIST, AS WELL WHERE WE SEE IMMEDIATE RESPONSES FROM WASHINGTON ELECTED OFFICIALS NOT SURPRISING.
DEMOCRATS, LIKE ELIZABETH WARREN, BERNIE SANDERS CALLING FOR A WEALTH TAX AND CANDIDATE SAYING THAT THE GOAL SHOULD BE THAT ELON MUSK SHOULD BE THE FIRST AND ONLY AND LAST TRILLIONAIRE.
REPUBLICANS SEEM TO BE MORE MUTED ABOUT THIS AND I IMAGINE IT'S A GREAT PLATFORM TO RUN ON, BUT THEY ARE EMBRACING FREE MARKETS.
HOW DO YOU VIEW IT?
>> I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME SORT OF WEALTH TAX CONFIGURED, BECAUSE I THINK IT HAS GOTTEN OUT OF CONTROL THIS GROUP OF 10 OR 20 PEOPLE AT THE TOP OF THE BILLIONAIRES INDEX ARE JUST AMASSING HUGE AMOUNTS OF WEALTH AND OBSCENE AMOUNTS OF WEALTH MORE THAN ANY PERSON COULD EVER JUSTIFY HAVING OR NEEDING IN THERE COZYING UP TO THE PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES TO BE COZY UP TO.
HE WAS SURROUNDED BY TECH BILLIONAIRES, WHICH CONTINUES TO THIS DAY, INCLUDING LAST NIGHT AT THE CIRCUS ON THE WHITE HOUSE LAWN, SO I THINK IT'S TIME TO CONSIDER THAT PEOPLE LIKE SENATOR WARREN ARE TALKING ABOUT DOING AND IT'S NUANCED AND HAS TO BE DONE CAREFULLY, BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO UPSET WHAT IS AN INCREDIBLE MACHINE OF RAISING CAPITAL FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED IT AND CAN PAY FOR IT.
>> WE WILL LEAVE OUR VIEWERS WITH A PICTURE OF WHAT $1 TRILLION ACTUALLY IS PRETTY TWICE THE GDP OF ELON MUSK'S NATIVE SOUTH AFRICA.
IF IT WERE DIVIDED BY EVERY PERSON ON EARTH, EVERYONE WOULD HAVE $122.
IF HE SPENT 1 MILLION PER DAY, IT WOULD TAKE HIM 3000 YEARS TO SPEND $1 TRILLION.
HE IS NOW WORTH MORE THAN THE NEXT FIVE BILLIONAIRES COMBINED TO PUT THAT INTO PERSPECTIVE.
WILLIAM, GREAT TO HAVE YOU ON.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>>> NOW, HUNGARY.
COUNTRY THAT USED TO BE DARLING OF THE MOVEMENT UNTIL APRIL WHEN PETER OUSTED TRUMP'S ALLY THE PRIME MINISTER VIKTOR ORBAN.
HAS GOTTEN TO WORK ON REFORMS, WHICH UNLOCKED FROZEN EU FUNDS AND PUSHING FOR TERM LIMITS THAT COULD BLOCK OR POND FROM RETURNING TO POWER.
FOR HIS PART, THE PARTY ISN'T CHANGING COURSE.
JUST THIS WEEKEND RE-ELECTING VIKTOR ORBAN AS PARTY LEADER FOR ANOTHER YEAR.
HUNGARIAN VOTERS MAKING OF THEIR GOVERNMENT SO FAR?
HUNGARIAN JOURNALIST JOINED ME.
WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM.
IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU ON.
IT HAS BEEN TWO MONTHS SINCE PETER HAS WON HIS PRIME MINISTER OUSTING VIKTOR ORBAN WHO WAS SWORN IN LAST MONTH AND IN TERMS OF WHAT WE HAVE SEEN TRANSPIRE SINCE, LET'S BEGIN WITH UKRAINE.
BECAUSE PETER MAGYAR STRUCK A DEAL WITH KEITH THAT NOW CLEARS THE WAY FOR EU ACCESSION TALKS AND CLAIMS THAT HE DID SOMETHING IN THREE WEEKS TIME THAT VIKTOR ORBAN COULDN'T DO IN 10 YEARS , BUT HE HAS ALSO FLOATED A REFERENDUM AND 10 TO 15 YEAR TIMELINE IN TERMS OF JOINING THE EUROPEAN UNION.
IS HE HELPING CLEAR UKRAINE'S PATH OR IS THIS A POLITE SLOW WALK?
>> IT IS CERTAINLY A BIG BREAKTHROUGH FOR UKRAINE.
DEFINITELY CAUTIOUS LIKE HUNGARIAN AND UKRAINIAN RELATIONS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN STRAINED, SO IT'S NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF VIKTOR ORBAN, BUT IT'S ALSO A DECADE-LONG STRAIN BETWEEN THE COUNTRIES BASED UPON MINORITY RIGHTS OF HUNGARIANS LIVING IN THE PART OF UKRAINE.
THAT WAS FURTHER STRAINED BY VIKTOR ORBAN CAUSING RUSSIA.
CERTAINLY, IT IS A BREAKTHROUGH OF WHAT PETER DID, WHAT HE DOESN'T WANT TO SEEM TOO EAGER TO HAVE UKRAINE.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY MANY HUNGARIANS WOULD OPPOSE.
THAT IS THE REASON WHY IT CERTAINLY SHOWS THAT HE IS WILLING TO OPEN NEGOTIATIONS WITH UKRAINE IN THE EUROPEAN UNION AND RIGHTS AND MORE LIKELY WHAT VIKTOR ORBAN DID.
AS YOU SAID, HE IS WALKING A SLOW PATH AND CERTAINLY SAID THAT HE WANTS TO FIRST SEE THAT NEGOTIATION CLUSTERS HAVE BEEN CLOSED.
AFTER THAT ONE, A REFERENDUM WITH HUNGARIAN PEOPLE.
>> THE EU COMMISSION FROZEN ,60 MILLION AND RELEASED IT WITHIN JUST WEEKS OF PETER TAKING OFFICE.
THAT IS A REALLY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
HAVE YOU SEEN ANY GENUINE CHANGE IN THE COUNTRY SINCE PETER BECAME PRIME MINISTER SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THE ISSUES THAT THE EU FROZE FUNDING OVER?
>> THAT IS A VERY GOOD QUESTION, BECAUSE ACTUALLY YOU CANNOT REALLY SEE ANY BIG CHANGES IN HUNGARY RIGHT NOW.
IT HAS ONLY BEEN SIX WEEKS SINCE THE NEW GOVERNMENT CAME RECENTLY AND YOU CAN'T EFFECTIVELY EVEN THE LOWS TO BE SUBMITTED TO PARLIAMENT IN SUCH A SHORT TIME, BUT THERE IS CERTAINLY A BILL IN GOVERNMENT TO FULFILL THOSE REQUIREMENTS OF EUROPEAN COMMISSION.
FIRST, THEY SUBMITTED A HUGE DROP TO PARLIAMENT.
ACTUALLY LAST WEEK THAT WOULD CERTAINLY FULFILL MANY REQUIREMENTS THAT MANY EUROPEAN COMMISSION INCLUDING FORMS, INCLUDING STRENGTHENING THE ROLE OF THE SO-CALLED INTEGRITY AUTHORITY THAT WOULD INVESTIGATE CORRUPTION CASES AND IT'S ALSO VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT HUNGARY HAS FORMALLY ASKED TO JOIN EUROPEAN PUBLIC PROSECUTORS, SO THESE ARE VERY BIG STEPS FROM PETER'S GOVERNMENT, BUT THEY REALLY HAVE A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME TO FULFILL LAWS AND REQUIREMENTS NEEDED UNTIL THE END OF AUGUST, SO THEY ARE IN A HURRY AND CERTAINLY NEED MORE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS IN THE COMING WEEKS.
>> IT WAS NOTABLE FOLLOWING HIS VICTORY TO SEE SO MANY EUROPEAN OFFICIALS PUBLICLY CELEBRATE AND CONGRATULATE HIM SAYING THAT NOW HUNGARY IS OFFICIALLY JOINING OR IS A MEMBER AND ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN UNION.
HAS THERE BEEN A SENSE THAT HUNGARY HAS BEEN EMBRACED MORE AS A PARTNER IN THESE LAST FEW WEEKS?
>> CERTAINLY IS BUT IT'S NOT ONLY COMMISSION, BUT PETER MAGYAR HAS VISITED MANY EUROPEAN ALLIANCES.
HE VISITED PARIS, BERLIN AND MANY OTHER EUROPEAN ALLIES VISITED HUNGARY.
IT IS A SIGN OF RELIEF, IN MY OPINION, FROM MANY ALLIES.
>> THERE IS A COST TO PAY, BECAUSE WHILE HUNGARY HAD BEEN ALIENATED FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION AND MUCH OF THE COMMISSION UNDER THE PRIME MINISTER SHIP OF VIKTOR ORBAN, WE KNOW THAT HE WAS VERY CLOSE WITH THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WHERE WE HAVE SEEN SOMETHING ALMOST UNPRECEDENTED IN RECENT TIMES WITH THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES WAS ACTIVELY CAMPAIGNING FOR VIKTOR ORBAN IN THE LAST ELECTION AND THE PRESIDENT CALLING HIM, AS WELL.
WHAT ARE RELATIONS LIKE NOW BETWEEN PETER MAGYAR AND THE WHITE HOUSE?
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
>> I DON'T THINK I WOULD SAY THAT THERE IS ANY OFFICIAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES AT THIS TIME, BUT IF I REMEMBER WELL, PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID THAT HE EXPECTS PETER MAGYAR TO BE A GOOD PRIME MINISTER AND BASICALLY AS I WAS ACTUALLY THERE, VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE WAS GIVING HIS SPEECH AND YOU COULD FEEL IT IN THE AIR THAT THE SUPPORT WAS IMMENSE FOR GOVERNMENT AND EVERYBODY ANTICIPATED THAT AFTER SUCH A HUGE LOSS FOR VIKTOR ORBAN THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME KIND OF BACKLASH OR AT LEAST DISAGREEMENT FROM THE U.S.
ALLIES, BUT SO FAR WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY OF THAT, SO I WOULD EXPECT A PRAGMATIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COUNTRIES.
>> WHAT IS THE ROLE OF VIKTOR ORBAN RIGHT NOW?
HE IS OBVIOUSLY THE OPPOSITION LEADER AND STILL REMAINS THAT.
HE IS STILL RE-ELECTED AS PRESIDENT AND WHEN HE LOST BACK IN APRIL, HE WOULD STILL BE AROUND.
IF YOU WOULD STILL BE AROUND, THEY WOULD BE THERE WATCHING EVERYTHING THAT THE NEW PRIME MINISTER DOES.
HAS HIS POPULARITY CONTINUED TO WANE SINCE HE'S LOST?
>> YES, IT ABSOLUTELY HAS.
I THINK VIKTOR ORBAN BASICALLY VISIBLY SHOCKED BY THE ELECTION.
THEY HAVEN'T REALLY EXPECTED IT.
JUST SEEING THEM ON THE STAGE VISIBLY SHOCKED WAS EVEN SURPRISED TO ME AS A JOURNALIST, BUT THEY ARE STILL AROUND AND BASICALLY AS YOU SAID, VIKTOR ORBAN WAS NOT SURPRISINGLY EXPECTED TO BE RE- ELECTED ON SUNDAY, BUT THAT ALSO MEANS NOT REALLY WILLING TO CHANGE ANYTHING.
THEY HAVEN'T TAKEN THE BLAME FOR THE ELECTION.
THEY HAVEN'T LEARNED THEIR LESSON.
THEY HAVEN'T EVEN CHANGED THEIR SLOGANS.
THEY ARE JUST CAMPAIGNING WITH MIGRATION, CAMPAIGNING AGAINST THE EUROPEAN UNION, SO I HIGHLY DOUBT THAT IS THE RIGHT PATH TO FOLLOW IF THEY REALLY WANT TO RENEW AND GET BACK.
THE LATEST SUGGEST THAT POPULARITY IS AT AN ALL-TIME LOW AND THE NUMBERS HAVE FALLEN TO 1.5 MILLION PEOPLE, WHICH IS QUITE UNPRECEDENTED FOR SUCH A HUGE PARTY LIKE THIS.
>> YES, AND WHEN THAT HAS BEEN IN POWER FOR SUCH A LONG TIME.
IT IS NOTABLE, THE NUMBER OF INSTITUTIONS THAT VIKTOR ORBAN DURING HIS TIME AND POWER HAD MANAGED TO CONTROL, INCLUDING THE MEDIA AND JOURNALISTS, LIKE YOURSELF.
YOU INTERVIEWED MANY JOURNALISTS AND ONE TOLD YOU THAT IN 2020, THE GOVERNMENT CONTROL OF THE PRESS THEY DESCRIBED AS A SNAKE TIGHTENING ITS GRIP WITH EVERY BREATH.
HAS THE GROUP LOOSENED IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS?
>> ACTUALLY, THE DAY OF THE ELECTION WAS A RELIEF FOR MANY INDEPENDENT JOURNALISTS, BUT IT DOES TAKE SOME TIME FOR US TO REFLECT ON THE PAST 16 YEARS.
IT IS PROBABLY HARD TO IMAGINE FOR ANY FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT IN THE EUROPEAN UNION OR UNITED STATES THAT HUNGARY -- DAILY LIFE OF HUNGARIAN JOURNALISTS WAS OBSTRUCTED THAT WAS QUITE UNPRECEDENTED FOR EXAMPLE, BUT AS TIME GOES BY, FORTUNATELY, YOU GET USED TO IT.
NOT INVITED TO INTERVIEWS.
THE FACT THAT THEY WERE NOT INVITED TO PRESS CONFERENCES.
OUR EMAILS HAVE NOT BEEN ANSWERED AND THESE WERE JUST SMALLER OBSTRUCTIONS THE PRIME MINISTER HE IN HIS FAMOUS SPEECH, HE LIKENED HUNGARIAN JOURNALISTS VERY CONSTANTLY.
THAT PROBABLY TAKES SOME TIME TO PROCESS THE PAST 16 YEARS, BUT I THINK, AS I SAID, THERE IS A SIGH OF RELIEF AND WE CAN ACTUALLY FIGURE THE EU GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO AT LEAST HAVE A PARTNERSHIP INSTEAD OF HARASSING IT, WHICH IS A BIG DIFFERENCE.
>> THANK YOU, VICTORIA.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ANALYSIS.
WE APPRECIATE IT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
>>> MASSIVE STRUCTURE STANDS ON THE SOUTH LAWN OF THE WHITE HOUSE AND UNDER IT, UFC FIGHTING RING.
THOUSANDS GATHERED TO WATCH THE FIRST FIGHTS ON PRESIDENT TRUMP'S 80th BIRTHDAY.
MORE SCHEDULED FOR THE 250th ANNIVERSARY OF AMERICA'S INDEPENDENCE.
THIS IS ONE EXAMPLE OF THE PRESIDENT'S CONTROVERSIAL RESHAPING OF HISTORIC LANDMARKS FROM THE DEMOLITION OF THE EAST WING TO PUTTING HIS NAME ON THE KENNEDY CENTER LAST DECEMBER.
THIS WAS REMOVED OVER THE WEEKEND AFTER A JUDGE RULED THE INSTALLATION ILLEGAL.
WASHINGTON POST GENERALIST DIAMOND HAS BEEN CLOSE EYE AND SPEAKS WITH MICHELLE MARTIN ABOUT WHAT THESE PROJECTS REVEAL.
>> THANKS.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
>> MICHELLE, THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> YOU HAVE BEEN PURPORTING FOR MONTHS ON ALL OF THE BUILDING PROJECTS THAT THE ADMINISTRATION THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS INITIATED.
FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIVE IN THE WASHINGTON AREA AND DON'T FOLLOW THIS, GIVE ME THE SHORT LIST OF WHAT COMES TO MIND.
WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HERE?
>> HOW CAN I FORGET THEM?
THE PRESIDENT TORE DOWN THE EAST WING IN OCTOBER TO START BUILDING THE BALLROOM.
AROUND THAT TIME, WE ALSO SAW THE FIRST MOCKUPS OF WHAT WE NOW KNOW IS THE TRIUMPHAL ARCH THAT HE'S TRYING TO BUILD ON THE OUTSKIRTS ESSENTIALLY ON THE BORDER WITH VIRGINIA.
WE SAW IN RECENT WEEKS, PROJECT TO RESURFACE AND RENOVATE THE REFLECTING AND THE PRESIDENT WANTS TO BUILD A STATUARY GARDEN IN ONE OF WASHINGTON'S PARKS.
MICHELLE, THAT'S NOT EVEN COUNTING THE DOZENS OF SMALLER PROJECTS, LIKE RENOVATING FOUNTAINS, CLEANING PARTS OF THE CITY.
SOME OF THOSE THINGS ARE VERY CONTROVERSIAL.
OTHER THINGS ARE MANY THINGS THAT D.C.
RESIDENTS ARE HAPPY ABOUT.
>> THE FOUNTAINS FOR SURE.
I LIVE IN WASHINGTON, SO I SEE IT ON MY NEIGHBORHOOD CHAT BOARD.
I DID LIKE THE FOUNTAIN.
THE GOLF COURSES, PUBLIC GOLF COURSE, TWO PUBLIC GOLF COURSES IN D.C.
AND I THINK ALSO IN MARYLAND, AS WELL.
IS THAT RIGHT?
DO I HAVE THAT RIGHT?
>> THE PRESIDENT IS WORKING TO REDEVELOP SEVERAL GOLF COURSES IN WASHINGTON AND NEARBY MARYLAND.
THE ONE IN WASHINGTON, THAT IS PART OF WASHINGTON WHERE FOR YEARS I HAVE GONE TO RUNNING AND PEOPLE GO BIKING.
THE PRESIDENT WANTS TO TURN IT INTO WORLD-CLASS GOLF COURSE WHERE WE HAVE THIS COURSE THAT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC RIGHT NOW AND THERE ARE TWO COURSES THROUGH THE AIR FORCE BASE THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS ENLISTED JACK NICHOLAS, FAMOUS GOLF PLAYER AND DESIGNER TO COME AND REDEVELOP, TOO.
THAT HAS SPARKED A STANDOFF WITH MUST MORE, MARYLAND GOVERNOR CLAIMING THAT WESTMORE IS GETTING IN THE WAY OF REDEVELOPING GOLF COURSES.
MY COLLEAGUE TALKED TO MARYLAND OFFICIALS WHO SAY THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT TRUMP IS ANGRY ABOUT AND THEY MIGHT NOT JUST BE WORKING AS QUICKLY AS TRUMP WANTS THEM DO, WHICH IS BECAUSE A THEME.
DO ALL OF THESE THINGS, WANTS TO DO THEM AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND PREFERABLY DURING HIS TERM.
>> THAT'S ANOTHER QUESTION I WAS GOING TO ASK.
WHEN YOU TAKE THESE TOGETHER, IS THERE A THEME THAT EMERGES AND A LINE TO ALL OF THIS?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK TRUMP THINKS TO HIMSELF AND TALKS TO HIMSELF AS A BUILDER AT HEART.
THIS WAS HIS CAREER BEFORE HE BECAME A POLITICIAN.
HE ENJOYS IT AND WOULD RATHER DO THIS KIND OF WORK THAN ALMOST ANYTHING ELSE AND WE HAVE REPORTED ON CONVERSATIONS HE HAS HAD IN THE WHITE HOUSE IS TALKING ABOUT IMPORTANT NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE OR HEALTH ISSUE AND IT GETS DIVERTED TO THESE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AND HE WILL WAIVE PEOPLE IN THE OVAL OFFICE AND SAY, TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT I'VE DONE ON THE CAMPUS AND THE CHANGES I HAVE MADE RIGHT OUTSIDE THE OFFICE IN THE NEW COLONNADE FOR INSTANCE HE PUT IN WITH THE CHANGES TO THE ROSE GARDEN WHERE HE IS PROUD OF THESE THINGS AND MAYBE THESE CHANGES NEEDED TO HAPPEN, BUT THEY ARE THINGS THAT TRUMP WANTED TO HAVE HAPPEN AND HE SEES IT AT THE LEGACY THAT HE WILL LEAVE BEHIND AS THE BUILDER PRESIDENT.
>> I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT THAT.
WHEN HE TALKED ABOUT THESE PROJECTS, WHAT DID THEY SAY THEY WERE DOING?
>> IT DEPENDS ON THE PROJECT.
THE WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM, WE WILL START WITH THAT.
THAT HAS CAPTIVATED THE NATION.
WE HAVE SEEN THE REACTION WERE JONATHAN EDWARDS AND I WITH THE FIRST STORY BY THE EAST WING BEING DEMOLISHED.
SINCE OCTOBER, WE HAVE HEARD THOUSANDS OF COMMENTS AND YOU SEE PUBLIC REACTION MAY BE IN THE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE THOUGHTS WITH PART OF THE WHITE HOUSE TORN DOWN.
THERE ARE MEMBERS OF THE ADMINISTRATION WHO SAY, LOOK, WE DON'T THINK WE SHOULD HAVE THIS BIG A BALLROOM, BUT COULD WE USE MORE SPACE?
I DON'T KNOW, MICHELLE, IF YOU HAVE BEEN IN THE WEST WING OR WHITE HOUSE, BUT IT'S KIND OF SMALL.
I THINK THE VISION WAS THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A CASTLE.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE IMPOSING.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO HAVE GRACEFUL SYMMETRY AND SIMPLICITY.
WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP IS TRYING TO ADD A VERY LIGHT LARGE BALLROOM THAT IS TWICE THE SIZE OF THE LIGHTHOUSE MISSION MANSION, THERE ARE FOLKS AND DEMOCRATS AND WE COULD USE SPACE, BUT IS THIS THE AMOUNT OF SPACE OR KIND OF STRUCTURE THAT SHOULD BE BUILT?
PROBABLY NOT.
THE WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM IS ONE AREA WHERE SOME TRUMP OFFICIALS MIGHT OFFER SOME ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THAT IS JUST TOO BIG.
THERE IS A PROJECT LIKE THE REFLECTING POOL, WHICH MOVED VERY QUICKLY IN THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS TO DO AND HE WENT AROUND ALL OF THE NORMAL LEGAL REVIEWS AND TO GET SIGNED OFF FROM CONGRESS AND JUST WENT AHEAD AND DID IT WITH MANY TRUMP OFFICIALS POINTING TO THAT, INCLUDE THE PRESIDENT SAYING, LOOK, THIS IS A PLAYBOOK FOR WHAT HE'S TRYING TO DO.
THESE KINDS OF PROJECTS CAN BE DONE QUICKLY.
THEY COULD BE DONE LESS EXPENSIVE.
THEY CAN BE DONE EFFECTIVELY.
AS OF TODAY AS WE ARE TALKING, IT DOES LOOK GOOD.
THIS IS WHAT TRUMP IS TRYING TO DO.
THE PROJECT DEPENDS ON THE REACTION YOU'RE GOING TO GET.
TRUMP OFFICIALS HAVE LEARNED TO STEM FROM THE TRUMP HANDBOOK ON EVERYTHING, SO IT'S HARD TO GET THEM ON THINGS THAT MIGHT BE SOMEWHAT CONTROVERSIAL TO BE OUT RIGHT CRITICAL.
>> A LARGE PART OF REPORTING IS PROCESS.
IT'S THE WHAT AND ALSO TO HOW.
WHAT IS THE LINE ON PROCESS, WHETHER IT'S THE BALLROOM, ARTS OR REFLECTING POOL OR PUTTING HIS NAME ON THE KENNEDY CENTER, WHICH TECHNICALLY THE BOARD MADE THAT DECISION AND HAND- PICKED THE BOARD AND MADE HIMSELF A CHAIRMAN, SO HERE WE ARE.
THE WAY HE HAS GONE ABOUT THESE THINGS IS ALSO A BIG PART OF THE STORY.
WHAT IS THAT?
>> YOU ARE RIGHT.
TRUMP WANTS TO MOVE AS FAST AS POSSIBLE AND AS EXHAUSTIVELY AS POSSIBLE.
HE WILL CLEAR FEDERAL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT HISTORICALLY WERE APOLITICAL THEY MIGHT HAVE HAD PEOPLE ON THEM FOR YEARS SERVING ACROSS THE MULTIPLE PRESIDENCIES.
THEY HAVE FIGURED OUT THAT IF YOU SAY, FIRE ALL COMMISSIONERS OF FINE ARTS, EXPERTS IN ARCHITECTURE, SCULPTURE AND ART BASICALLY MIGHT HAVE TAKEN A PROJECT LIKE THE WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM AS MONTHS OR YEARS OF QUESTIONS SENT IT BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND SAID THAT THIS IS WAY TOO BIG AND SHOULD BE HALF THE SIZE.
THE REVIEW TEAM DOESN'T EXIST.
THE PEOPLE THAT TRUMP HAS PUT ON THE COMMISSION INCLUDES YOUNG EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT AND INCLUDING PEOPLE WHO SERVE IN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AND THE CHAIRMAN HAS BEEN VERY MUCH AN AMBASSADOR FOR CHART JUDGMENT PRESIDENT TRUMP'S IDEAS.
GOING AROUND THE WORLD AND TALKING ABOUT HOW GREAT HIS BALLROOM WILL BE.
THAT IS A VERY BIG DIFFERENCE.
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS ON THE VERGE OF GETTING WHAT HE WANTS, BECAUSE HE FIGURED OUT THAT IF COMMISSIONS ARE ON HIS SIDE AND FIND LOOPHOLES WHERE HE MIGHT NOT NEED TO GO TO CONGRESS, LIKE SOLICITING PRIVATE MONEY TO PAY FOR THINGS.
THE ONLY OF RESISTANCE IS IN THE COURTS AND IT'S UNCLEAR AS OF NOW WHETHER THE HIGHEST COURT, SUPREME COURT, WILL REIGN IN TRUMP WHEN THE PROJECTS GET IN FRONT OF THEM.
>> YOU POINT OUT THAT THE WHITE HOUSE EXECUTIVE MANSION WHERE A NUMBER OF THESE OTHER PROJECTS IN THE NATIONAL CAPITAL HAVE A VERY INTENTIONAL DESIGN AND IT'S MEANT TO EVOKE MODESTY.
IT IS MEANT TO BE THE OPPOSITE OF KINGLY.
EVEN THE PLANNING OF WHERE THE MONUMENTS OR PLACED OR HOW THEY ARE PLACED IS ALSO PART OF THE LAW AND PROCESS OF THOUGHT AND DELIBERATION.
THE ARCH, FOR EXAMPLE.
IT INTERFERES WITH THE LINES BETWEEN THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL AND ARLINGTON CEMETERY WHERE MANY NATIONS AND MOST IMPORTANT WERE HEROES AND ARE -- FORMER PRESIDENTS ARE INTERRED AND FORMER MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.
I'M WONDERING IF HE'S EVER DISCUSSED WHY HE THINKS HIS VISION IS SUPERIOR TO THAT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE WHOSE DESIGN PRINCIPLES REFLECT OUR MEANT TO REFLECT LARGER COMMUNITY VALUES.
>> WHAT THE PRESIDENT MAINTAINS IS HE IS TAKING SPACES AND PLACES THAT WERE DESIGNED WITH INTENTIONALITY AND MODESTY AND HE IS IMPROVING THEM.
THE PRESIDENT AND HIS TEAM HAVE ARGUED WITH SOME JUSTIFICATION THAT THERE WAS A STRUCTURE ORIGINALLY ENVISIONED FOR THE PLACE THEY WANT TO BUILD THE ARCH.
I THINK I WROTE THE FIRST STORY BACK IN OCTOBER THAT IF YOU GO BACK TO THE McMILLAN PLANT AND I WAS LOOKING AT THIS WITH EXPERTS WITH SOME UNDEFINED THING THAT MIGHT BE IN THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE THAT WE HAVE WHERE NOTHING WAS EVER BUILT.
PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIKE THE TRUMP ARCH, BUT PEOPLE WHO SAY, MAYBE THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING THERE.
THERE'S NOTHING IN THE SPACE.
THE ISSUE ISN'T THAT TRUMP IS BUILDING, BUT IT'S WHAT HE'S BUILDING.
YOU ARE RIGHT THAT THE ARCH, AS WE AND OTHER NEWS OUTLETS HAVE SHOWN, IT WILL BLOCK ABUSE.
THAT'S WHY MILITARY VETERANS HAVE BROUGHT A LAWSUIT.
THE WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM, FOR INSTANCE, SOMETHING TO CHANGE THE INTERACTION OF PEOPLE AS THEY WALK PAST THE WHITE HOUSE GROUNDS AND TRY TO LOOK AT THE WHITE HOUSE MANSION.
I WAS IN COURT ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO AS THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ARGUED IN DEFENSE AND THE FEDERAL JUDGE WHO I BELIEVE WAS APPOINTED BY PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS QUESTING THE LAWYER WHO SAID, IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE VIEW, FIND ANOTHER VIEW AND THE JUDGE HELD UP THE UPPER HAND AND SAID, HOLD YOUR HAND LIKE THIS AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE WHITE HOUSE AND IT WON'T BOTHER YOU.
KIND OF A CRAZY ARGUMENT.
WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO HOLD OUR HANDS IN FUNNY WAYS TO LOOK AT MONUMENTS.
WE SHOULD HAVE A PUBLIC CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT MONUMENTS MIGHT DO AND WHAT THEY MIGHT CHANGE INSTEAD OF GOING FULL SPEED AHEAD ON CHANGING HISTORIC LANDSCAPES OF WASHINGTON.
>> WHO IS PAYING FOR ALL OF THIS?
>> IT DEPENDS ON THE PROJECT AND IT MAY WELL BE THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER.
IN OTHER CASES, IT WILL BE PRIVATE DONORS.
PEOPLE WHO HAVE GIVEN TRUMP A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS, RICH AMERICANS.
AMAZON, WHICH WAS FOUNDED BY JEFF BEZOS, WHICH HE'S THE OWNER OF THE WASHINGTON POST, AMAZON HAS GIVEN MONEY.
GOOGLE HAS GIVEN MONEY.
MAJOR CORPORATIONS THAT MANY CASES HAVE BUSINESS BEFORE THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
WE ARE STILL FINDING OUT WHO'S PAYING FOR THE ARCH, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT MANY PROJECTS WILL DIP IN TO PRIVATE MONEY THAT TRUMP IS RAISING ON HIS OWN.
>> IS THAT LEGAL?
>> WE WILL FIND OUT.
>> I HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THE COURT CASE WITH JONATHAN EDWARDS OVER THE BALLROOM AND JUDGE LEON WHO IS AN APPOINTEE OF REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT WHO IS VERY SKEPTICAL OF THE IDEA OF USING PRIVATE DONATIONS TO PAY FOR THE BALLROOM AND HE CALLED IT A GOLDBERG CONTRAPTION ALLUDING TO ONE OF THOSE FUNNY THINGS WHERE IT EVENTUALLY HAS ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT STEPS AND THE WHITE HOUSE IS ARGUING THAT THEY CAN RAISE PRIVATE DONATIONS AND USE GIFTS BECAUSE OF DIFFERENT.
THE JUDGE APPOINTED BY REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT IS SKEPTICAL.
WILL FIND OUT IF OTHER JUDGES AGREE.
THERE ARE SIMILAR IDEAS TO SAY WHETHER THE STATUARY GARDEN.
THERE HASN'T BEEN FULL TRANSPARENCY OVER WHO HAS PAID WHAT AND SOME OF THIS HAS LEAKED OUT TO REPORTS AND OTHER OUTLETS HAVE FOUND SOME OF THE AMOUNTS OF MONEY, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A FULL LIST OF ALL OF THE DONORS AND WHAT THEY HAVE GIVEN AND WHAT THEY RECEIVED.
IF THEY HAVE BEEN PROMISED ANY SPECIAL ACCESS AND GOT ANY SPECIAL AUDIENCE WITH THE PRESIDENT, THIS IS ESSENTIALLY PAYING TO PLAY AND BUYING THE AUDIENCE WITH THE PRESIDENT, BECAUSE THEY ARE GIVING.
>> LAWSUITS.
HAVE THERE BEEN MANY?
>> EVERY PROJECT RUNS AT LEAST ONE LAWSUIT.
THE BALLROOM LAWSUIT IS THE FURTHEST ALONG.
FEDERAL JUDGE RULED TO HALT THE PROJECT THAT THE ORDER WAS WITH AN APPEALS PANEL AND CONSIDERING WHETHER TO LET THE PROJECT GO FORWARD OR HALT IT AGAIN.
HAVING BEEN IN COURT, THE THREE- JUDGE PANEL AND TWO OF WHOM APPOINTED BY DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTS ARE PRETTY SKEPTICAL OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ARGUMENTS AND THEY WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED TO SEE THE BALLROOM HALTED ONE MORE TIME.
THE LITIGATION AROUND THE KENNEDY CENTER, PRESIDENT TRUMP IN SOME WAYS HAS ADMITTED DEFEAT AND SAYS HE WILL GIVE KENNEDY CENTER CONTROL BACK TO CONGRESS.
THIS COMES AFTER PRESIDENT TRUMP IS DRIVING AWAY MANY ACTS THAT WILL PERFORM AT THE KENNEDY CENTER.
YOU CAN SAY IS WORK IS ALREADY DONE WITH THE KENNEDY CENTER.
THERE IS LITIGATION AROUND THE ARCH AND WHETHER TO PAUSE THE PROJECT.
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SAYS IT'S TOO EARLY TO PAUSE THE PROJECT.
TECHNICALLY, WORK HASN'T STARTED AND THERE HAS BEEN LITIGATION AROUND THE REFLECTING POOL IN THE JOB WAS DONE SO QUICKLY THAT THE JUDGE DIDN'T EVEN GET A CHANCE TO RULE IN THAT CASE.
OTHER EFFORTS THAT TRUMP HAS UNDERTAKEN TO PURSUE CHANGES HAVE ALSO DRAWN LITIGATION.
>> IT'S SO FASCINATING AND I UNDERSTAND THE PRESIDENT AND ALSO HIS SUPPORTERS PARTICULARLY IN THE ADMINISTRATION SAY THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO.
WHEN YOU ACT WITH URGENCY, YOU GET THINGS DONE.
IT IS ALSO TRUE THAT MANY PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC DO GET FRUSTRATED WITH THE PACE OF GOVERNMENT.
DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF WHETHER THE BROADER PART PUBLIC IS PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS?
>> HERE'S WHAT I .2.
VIRTUALLY ALL OF THESE PROJECT ARE OPPOSED BY A MAJORITY OF AMERICANS.
IT'S NOT UNUSUAL THAT A MAJOR WASHINGTON PROJECT MIGHT DRAW A RESISTANCE.
OTHER CHANGES HAVE BEEN OPPOSED .
THIS SOMETIMES HAPPENED.
PEOPLE LIKE THINGS THE WAY THEY ARE AND SOMETHING GETS BUILT AND THEY LIKE THE NEW THING AFTER ALL, BUT IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT THE BALLROOM AND ARCH IN PARTICULAR HAVE DRAWN NEGATIVE REVIEWS IN MULTIPLE POLLS.
WE HAVE ALSO SEEN WAVES OF PUBLIC COMMENT NOT JUST STORIES OF WASHINGTON POST, BUT PEOPLE WEIGHING IN WITH THE FEDERAL COMMISSIONS REVIEWING THESE PROJECTS.
WE DID A STUDY OF THE 35,000 COMMENTS THAT POURED IN ON THE BALLROOM AND 97% PROBABLY IN REALITY CLOSER TO 99% WERE NEGATIVE ON THE PROJECT.
THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER COMMENTARY PERIODS ON OTHER PROJECTS AND OFFICIALS SAID IT'S THE SAME STORY.
UNANIMOUS OR NEAR UNANIMOUS RESISTANCE TO THESE IDEAS.
WE KNOW THE EXERCISES AMERICANS.
THE REASON WHY IS THAT THESE ARE FAMILIAR PLACES.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO CARE ABOUT THE WHITE HOUSE OR NATIONAL MALL, LINCOLN MEMORIAL.
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY.
THESE ARE PLACES THAT HAVE MEANING AND RESIDENCE TO AMERICANS AND IN SOME CASES PEOPLE ABROAD.
THEY ARE SYMBOLS OF THE COUNTRY.
THE FACT THAT THERE MAY BE GETTING RENOVATED OR FIXED IS ONE THING.
THE FACT THAT SPACES ARE GETTING POTENTIALLY PERMANENTLY ALTERED IF HE BUILDS THIS LARGE BALLROOM, THERE ARE DEMOCRATS WHO SAY WHEN HE TO TEAR DOWN ON DAY ONE, BUT I THINK THERE'S A PRETTY GOOD CHANCE THAT IF THE BALLROOM GETS BUILT BY DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTS WILL LEARN TO LIVE WITH IT AND THEY WILL WANT TO USE THE SPACE IN SOME WAYS.
TRUMP HAS FOUND THIS WAY TO IMPOSE HIS WILL AND IT'S NOT THAT THESE THINGS ARE GETTING FIXED, BUT ONE PERSON IS DECIDING HOW TO FIX THEM AND THAT DOESN'T SIT WELL WITH A LOT OF AMERICANS, INCLUDING SOME REPUBLICANS.
>> LOOKING AHEAD, LET'S SAY FOR THE SAKE OF ARGUMENT THAT THEY ARE IN FACT COMPLETED.
DO YOU THINK -- WILL OTHER PRESIDENTS LOOK AT THIS AS A PRECEDENT FOR REMAKING PHYSICAL LANDSCAPE TO THEIR LIKING?
DO YOU THINK THIS IS A PARTICULAR REOCCUPATION OF A PARTICULAR PERSON?
WHAT'S YOUR SENSE OF THAT?
>> I NEVER SAY NO TO ANOTHER PRESIDENT OR SOMEONE LIKE TRUMP.
WHO COULD HAVE IMAGINED TRUMP UNTIL WE GOT TRUMP?
THERE MAY BE ANOTHER PRESIDENT IN THE FUTURE WHO WANT TO FOLLOW A SIMILAR PLAYBOOK, BUT I HAVE TO IMAGINE THAT MOST PRESIDENTS WILL BE MORE RESTRAINED IN HOW THEY DO THINGS AND PROBABLY HAVE A DIFFERENT PRIORITY SET.
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS DEVOTING A LOT OF TIME TO THESE PROJECTS AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANOTHER PRESIDENT WOULD CARE AS MUCH ABOUT THE WALKWAY OUTSIDE THE OVAL OFFICE, FOR INSTANCE.
THE MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, MICHELLE, THERE IS NOW A BIG HOLE NEXT TO THE WHITE HOUSE MANSION.
THERE ARE NO CHANGES TO THE REFLECTING AND MAYBE IT WON'T LOOK GOOD IN 15 YEARS, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T DO THE STUDIES WE SHOULD ON THE NEW BLUE BOTTOM WILL MEAN FOR THE ALGAE THAT GROWS AND REFLECTING POOL.
THIS WILL BE A TIME, I THINK, WHERE PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY NOT TO ACHIEVE ALL PROJECTS, BUT SOME OF THEM AND PUT A PHYSICAL IMPRINT ON THE CITY IN A WAY HE THINKS WILL BE PART OF HIS LEGACY AS PRESIDENT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
>> MICHELLE, THANK YOU FOR HAVING THE AND I'M GLAD TO TALK ABOUT THE WASHINGTON POST REPORTING.
>>> FINALLY, ALL ABOARD THE UNHURRIED TRAIN.
IF YOU ENJOY TAKING THE SCENIC ROUTE, THE TRAIN SERVICES OFFERING A WI-FI FREE SLOW TRAVEL EXPERIENCE.
PASSENGERS CAN RELAX AND REALLY TAKE IN THE BEAUTY OF POLAND'S COUNTRYSIDE LANDSCAPE AND WHAT THIS MORE SPECIAL, TRADITIONAL POLISH FOOD POPULAR DISHES LIKE A SOUR RICE SOUP AND SAUERKRAUT STEW ARE PREPARED IN THEIR KITCHEN AND SERVED IN THEIR 1980s RETRO STYLE DINING CAR.
SO FAR, IT HAS ATTRACTED MANY NOSTALGIC ENTHUSIASTS WHO FEEL TRANSPORTED BACK TO THE TRAIN RIDES THEY TOOK IN THEIR YOUTH.
THAT'S IT FOR OUR PROGRAM TONIGHT.
IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT WHAT'S COMING UP ON THE SHOW EACH NIGHT, SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER AT PBS.ORG/AMANPOUR.
THANK YOU FOR WATCHING AMANPOUR AND COMPANY ON PBS.
JOIN US AGAIN TOMORROW NIGHT.
The Pomp and the Politics of Trump’s D.C. Makeover
Video has Closed Captions
Reporter Dan Diamond discusses Pres. Trumps construction projects throughout D.C. (18m 8s)
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship
New Episode- News and Public Affairs

Top journalists deliver compelling original analysis of the hour's headlines.
New Episode- News and Public Affairs

Today's top journalists discuss Washington's current political events and public affairs.


New Episode
New Episode
New Episode
New Episode
New Episode
New Episode
New Episode
New Episode
Support for PBS provided by:
