He was impeached and indicted for his alleged role in the Jan. 6 Capitol attack; what's the impact on former President Donald Trump three years after it happened?
Plus, immigration reform or rhetoric? The challenges facing President Biden's reelection efforts as border crossings reach new record highs in December.
TMJ4'S Chief Political Reporter Charles Benson talked about the week's big political stories with NBC moderator of Meet the Press, Kristen Welker.
The Iowa caucus is set for Jan. 15. Former President Trump is the dominant front runner for the Republican presidential race.
Are the events of Jan. 6 already baked in with voters or is there a lot of uncertainty for Trump in 2024?
“Donald Trump is heading into the Iowa caucus in an incredibly strong position. We cannot overstate that he has a lead of nearly 40% over his nearest rival, said Welker. We have seen Governor Ron DeSantis. We've seen Nikki Haley really start to sharpen their attacks against in recent days but less than 10 days away. So, a lot of strategists are saying is this too little too late in terms of January 6th."
President Biden believes Jan. 6 was a threat to democracy and a key issue in a likely rematch between Trump and Biden in 2024.
"We've of course seen President Biden take this strategy on before, we've seen it in 2020. In the midterms, as well, it has proven effective and I think the big question, is will it be effective this time around?"
Another big campaign issue and a vulnerable one for President Biden is border security.
Speaker Mike Johnson and 60 House Republicans visited the southern border Wednesday to talk about border security and immigration reform.
Welker sees risks and rewards in ongoing negotiations with the White House on border security that is combined with a broader aid package for Ukraine and Israel.
“When you talk to strategists on both sides of the aisle, they say this is actually a political gift for President Biden, if he can strike a deal with Republicans, he may wind up infuriating parts of his base, said Welker, if he agrees to some of the Republican demands on the border."
"However, it could be appealing to moderates to independents in a general election and that could help him come back in some of these key battleground states where he is now trailing former President Trump."
Watch Kristen Welker every Sunday on Meet the Press at 8am on TMJ4.
