The Trump Administration and Congress: A Conversation with Senator Chris Van Hollen

Podcast Episode

The Trump Administration and Congress: A Conversation with Senator Chris Van Hollen

Senator Chris Van Hollen joins Aaron David Miller for a special episode of Carnegie Connects to explore the changing balance of power between Congress and the executive branch, and lawmakers' influence over foreign policy.

By Aaron David Miller and Chris Van Hollen

Published on Dec 9, 2025

It’s no coincidence that the framers—reflecting the importance of the legislative branch—laid out the responsibilities and powers of Congress in Article I, with the executive second, and the judiciary third. And yet as 2025 draws to a close, the role of Congress seems overshadowed by the other branches.

What’s happened to skew the balance of power the founders intended? Does Congress still matter when it comes to shaping domestic policy and constraining the aggrandizement of presidential power? And on foreign policy, traditionally the purview of the executive branch, what role can, and should, Congress play? Join Aaron David Miller as he engages Senator Chris Van Hollen, who sits on the Budget, Appropriations, and Foreign Relations Committees, on the next Carnegie Connects.

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

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