Alex Ossola

Thanks for listening.

Hey, What's News listeners.

It's Sunday, January 11th.

I'm Alex Osola for The Wall Street Journal.

This is What's News Sunday, the show where we tackle the big questions about the biggest stories in the news by reaching out to our colleagues across the newsroom to help explain what's happening in our world.

On today's show, what we can expect this year from the Trump administration's domestic agenda.

Since starting his second term, President Trump has been busy.

His policies have upended global trade and relationships with foreign leaders.

Trump kicked off the year with an aggressive operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of its president, Nicolas Maduro.

But for many Americans, it's Trump's domestic agenda that's top of mind.

They're worried about a softening job market and high prices, which could play a major role in this year's midterm elections.

So what does 2026 have in store?

I chatted with WSJ White House reporter Natalie Andrews and Washington coverage chief Damian Palletta about the president's domestic priorities and their political predictions for the year ahead.

Natalie, what was the mood in the White House wrapping up 2025?

Damian, what's your sense of the vibe in Washington more broadly and of how voters are feeling?

One of the things that Trump did in 2025 was, of course, tariffs.

He made this a key part of his economic policy.

And at least so far, it seems like the economic impact has been less than what a lot of people had feared back at Liberation Day in April.

Damian, what can we expect from Trump this year on tariffs?

Damian, Natalie mentioned affordability.