Best Playbook Daily Briefing Podcasts (2025)

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July 23, 2025: The Epstein crisis reaches escape velocity 12:48

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23h ago12:48

12:48

For more than two weeks, the Jeffrey Epstein saga has blotted out the sun in Washington. But it’s only now — with the House heading out for a monthlong recess as GOP leaders adjourn the chamber rather than allow a floor vote that would hasten the release of the Epstein files — that the storyline is threatening to break out of the bubble and follow …

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July 22, 2025: The questions that could decide 2026 10:19

2d ago10:19

10:19

With no new enterprise journalism published recently on the “Epstein files” front, President Donald Trump’s allies are catching their breath. Democrats are riding what could be a sugar high, having already cost the House GOP some votes this week. But as the aperture widens, are Republicans actually finding themselves in better shape than convention…

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July 21, 2025: Dems close the ‘attention gap’ 10:40

3d ago10:40

10:40

As the Epstein storm bears down on the White House, some of the same dynamics that contributed to the president’s rise to power now threaten his administration. Among them is the attention economy, which has utterly transformed American politics — and which Trump's innate grasp of helped him secure a second term. Now, with 2024 behind them, have De…

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From 'The Conversation': Sen. Eric Schmitt on being a White House whisperer and Senate budget reformer 42:04

4d ago42:04

42:04

Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt is a lawyer, former state attorney general and a skilled navigator of the old — and new — wings of the Republican Party. He also has another title: White House whisperer. Schmitt joins POLITICO’s Dasha Burns to talk about his closeness with the Trump administration, driving the Senate’s $9.4 billion rescissions bill, his …

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July 18, 2025: Trump, Epstein and ‘another wonderful secret’ 9:46

6d ago9:46

9:46

The longtime friendship between Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein came in for a close-up in a much-anticipated Wall Street Journal report last night that detailed a long-ago “bawdy” birthday greeting the future president sent to the future convicted sex offender. Immediately, Washington was ablaze with chatter — about the reporting, about the White …

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The MAGA-Epstein Drama, Explained 21:38

6d ago21:38

21:38

President Donald Trump is facing serious backlash from the MAGA world over his handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case. CNN senior correspondent Donie O’Sullivan explains why Epstein looms so large in the MAGA-verse—and why this controversy isn’t likely to die down soon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…

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July 17, 2025: Trump’s Epstein woes go mainstream 11:16

7d ago11:16

11:16

The Jeffrey Epstein news cycle is here to stay. And that’s increasingly frustrating President Donald Trump, who has grown accustomed to being able to exert control over the news cycle for much of the past decade. There’s a policy side to this, of course, as a number of prominent Republicans and MAGA figures are calling for a special counsel to inve…

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July 16, 2025: Trump’s Epstein conundrum 10:57

8d ago10:57

10:57

There’s a glut of action from Republicans throughout Washington — from new economic messaging from the White House to a big rescissions vote in the Senate to a new crypto bill in the House. But the big topic of conversation in D.C. continues to be the DOJ’s non-release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. That’s frustrating President Donald Trump, who has…

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July 15, 2025: A political Bizarro World 15:43

9d ago15:43

15:43

What do Republicans need to do to outperform expectations in the coming midterm elections? According to new polling obtained exclusively by Playbook, the answer may in part rest in touting their support for a facet of Obamacare. Meanwhile, Democrats see a split among progressives in a major House primary today in Arizona, and the party seems to be …

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July 14, 2025: Why Trump’s Epstein headache won’t go away 16:29

10d ago16:29

16:29

For years, prominent voices from Trump world have agitated for the release of all files in the case of Jeffrey Epstein, the wealthy and well-connected financier and convicted sex offender who died by suicide in prison. Which is a big part of the reason why the blowback is so ferocious to last week’s announcement from AG Pam Bondi that no further do…

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From The Conversation: Trump's Border Czar Tom Homan 1:05:21

11d ago1:05:21

1:05:21

Tom Homan, Trump’s border czar, is a longtime immigration law enforcement official now tasked with helping implement the administration’s massive deportation campaign. In a wide-ranging interview with POLITICO’s Dasha Burns, Homan explains what will be done with the $170 billion recently passed by Congress to help the effort, defends the tactics of…

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July 11, 2025: Welcome to phase two of the Trump presidency 14:59

13d ago14:59

14:59

There has been a quiet shift in President Donald Trump’s Washington. Halfway through the first year of his second term, Trump can boast a list of successes, most recently the passage of the sweeping Republican megabill. Now, Washington’s attention is starting to pivot to the midterms. And what comes next for the president is less clear. He won’t be…

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Behind the Scenes of Trump’s Comeback 24:48

13d ago24:48

24:48

Investigative reporter Josh Dawsey is co-author of a new deep dive into last year’s historic election, 2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America. He shares some of the most striking moments in the book — from Trump’s trip to the Fulton County Jail to take his mugshot to the buzzing scene at Mar-a-Lago days before his ina…

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July 10, 2025: Has Trump had enough of Putin? 12:27

14d ago12:27

12:27

Today, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Malaysia, where the ASEAN Foreign Ministers summit is underway. On its surface, the Rubio-Lavrov meeting isn’t necessarily notable. But it comes as a seismic shift is underway in President Donald Trump’s approach to Russia and Ukraine — and as he seems to…

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July 9, 2025: SCOTUS aids in MAGA's DC makeover 14:23

15d ago14:23

14:23

Yesterday, the Supreme Court eased the way for President Donald Trump to proceed with his plans to fire tens of thousands of federal workers by executive order. The implications for Washington — and the nation — are vast. But will the win — and the ensuing makeover of the bureaucracy — satisfy a disgruntled MAGA base? Playbook author Jack Blanchard…

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July 8, 2025: MAGA turns on its own 16:05

16d ago16:05

16:05

After a few weeks during which things seemed to go more or less as the Trump administration had hoped, MAGA world is suddenly in revolt. Yesterday, the Justice Department announced that it would not release any further documents pertaining to its investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, the notorious sex offender and wealthy financier whose 2019 death f…

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July 7, 2025: Tariffs, Texas, treaties and Trump 16:40

17d ago16:40

16:40

For President Donald Trump, it’s a week of tests on several fronts. After deadly floods in Texas, his administration’s cuts to the NOAA and National Weather Service are receiving new scrutiny, with many critics calling for investigations into what went wrong — and wondering how to prevent more disasters in the coming hurricane season. Meanwhile, as…

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Rahm Emanuel on the ‘Rigged System’ and the American Dream 32:08

20d ago32:08

32:08

Rahm Emanuel isn't shy about criticizing his own party. He also isn’t shy about his potential political ambitions. He’s made it clear he’s considering a potential 2028 presidential run. He shares how he’ll make that decision, what he brings to the growing field of potential candidates and why he thinks Dems shouldn’t talk about democracy without al…

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July 3, 2025: Trump barnstorms into July 4 11:20

21d ago11:20

11:20

As Congress wrestles over the GOP’s megabill package, President Donald Trump heads to Iowa for a major rally on the eve of the July 4 holiday. Playbook’s chief correspondent Dasha Burns joins author Jack Blanchard to talk through the ghosts of rallies past, what to watch for this time around and what some people misunderstand about Trump’s connecti…

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July 2, 2025: Crunch time for Trump’s megabill 14:58

22d ago14:58

14:58

The GOP’s massive reconciliation package heads back to the House this morning after narrowly crawling to passage in the Senate yesterday. But it looks much different than the last time the chamber considered it: To get through the Senate, the bill underwent an major makeover that drastically increases the deficit and could complicate the voting mat…

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July 1, 2025: The strategy behind ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ 14:01

23d ago14:01

14:01

While the GOP megabill continues to be the main event in Washington, President Donald Trump heads to Florida and the latest hotspot in his immigration crusade: “Alligator Alcatraz.” That’s the moniker of a new detention camp deep in the Florida swamplands that will house undocumented immigrants. It’s not just a facility, of course: It’s an attempt …

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June 30, 2025: Fresh fissures for the GOP megabill 15:50

24d ago15:50

15:50

It’s crunch time on Capitol Hill as the clock winds down for the sweeping Republican-backed reconciliation bill ahead of President Donald Trump’s self-imposed July 4 deadline. At stake is the crux of his legislative agenda, with massive real-world implications for millions of Americans on topics ranging from health coverage to taxes to food assista…

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June 27, 2025: The megabill’s moment of truth 10:21

27d ago10:21

10:21

President Donald Trump firmly believes the GOP’s megabill can pass through Congress and land on his desk by July 4. But with just one week to go before that self-imposed deadline, the sweeping legislation faces a congressional obstacle course, with Republicans across Capitol Hill fighting over facets from Medicaid cuts to government spending to fed…

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What Mamdani’s Win Means Beyond New York 28:57

27d ago28:57

28:57

Zohran Mamdani pulled off a major political upset over Andrew Cuomo in this week’s New York mayoral primary. CNN senior reporter and New York City native Edward-Isaac Dovere explains how Mamdani was able to secure the victory and what Democrats more broadly can learn from his surprise success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.…

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June 26, 2025: What’s the truth about the Iran strike? 14:17

28d ago14:17

14:17

Freshly back from the NATO Summit, President Donald Trump’s attention is now focused squarely on one thing: selling the Iran strike as an unmitigated success — regardless of what intelligence assessments say. Today the administration will focus on trying to shift the narrative — casting questions about the efficacy of the strikes as a slap in the f…

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June 25, 2025: A political earthquake in NYC 15:36

29d ago15:36

15:36

Two stories from opposite sides of the globe have huge political implications today. First, in New York City, outsider candidate Zohran Mamdani pulled off a historic upset, defeating former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary for mayor. The seismic victory is sending shockwaves throughout American politics, with center-left Democrats gritti…

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June 24, 2025: Trump’s ceasefire victory lap 14:30

30d ago14:30

14:30

President Donald Trump heads to the Netherlands today for the 2025 NATO Summit. The Iran-Israel conflict was already set to be a major focus. But Trump’s announcement Monday night of a ceasefire between the countries has reshaped the conversation altogether. Will the summit be an opportunity for Trump to flex on the global stage, or will he be rece…

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June 23, 2025: The U.S. bombed Iran. What now? 16:03

1M ago16:03

16:03

On Saturday night, U.S. forces bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities in what the Pentagon termed “Operation Midnight Hammer.” The consequences, which will likely be far-reaching, are only beginning to come into view. Does President Donald Trump want regime change in Iran? How would he square that pursuit with his America First pledges? What will …

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June 20, 2025: Is the ‘MAGA civil war’ real? 11:34

1M ago11:34

11:34

One story continues to dominate the conversation in Washington: the possibility of a U.S. strike in Iran. But even as the commentariat focuses on its potential geopolitical implications, its potential implications for American politics are no less real. President Donald Trump’s MAGA base is split over what to do. Does Trump risk hemorrhaging suppor…

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Political Violence Is Rising. What Can We Do? 20:35

1M ago20:35

20:35

The killings and attempted killings of two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses are raising alarms about an apparent uptick in political violence in America. Robert Pape, the director of the Chicago Project on Security and Threats, has studied political violence for 30 years, and he argues the country is in the midst of what he calls an “era of vi…

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June 18, 2025: Trump’s choice on Iran 11:51

1M ago11:51

11:51

With the U.S. on the cusp of potentially joining Israel’s fight against Iran, foreign policy experts in Washington are scrambling to game out the various scenarios. And as POLITICO senior foreign affairs correspondent and Compass columnist Nahal Toosi tells Playbook author Jack Blanchard, the options available to Trump and the possible outcomes fro…

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June 17, 2025: Trump’s Middle East dilemma 15:37

1M ago15:37

15:37

President Donald Trump is unexpectedly back in Washington today, cutting his G7 trip short amid a spiraling situation with Iran. Yesterday, Trump made an ominous Truth Social post suggesting “everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran” — words that immediately provoked a fiery response from some of his usual supporters, who see the threat of such …

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June 16, 2025: Trump takes on the G7 15:50

1M ago15:50

15:50

After a weekend of nationwide protests, a military parade and a political assassination, eyes in Washington are now aimed north at Canada, where President Donald Trump is attending the G7 summit. Today, he will meet with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney as well as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Chief Playbook correspondent Dasha Burns …

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June 13, 2025: Israel strikes Iran 9:25

1M ago9:25

9:25

Last night, Israel launched a major military campaign against Iran in what it billed as a “preemptive” strike on the nation’s nuclear capabilities. But this is only the beginning: Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said the operation will “continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat.” And with the Trump administration already in talks wi…

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Is the LA Protest Response Trump's 'Playbook?' 23:43

1M ago23:43

23:43

Tensions over President Trump’s immigration enforcement reached a boiling point this week. CNN correspondent Priscilla Alvarez explains how Los Angeles became a political flashpoint and why the administration’s move to call in the National Guard and the Marines to respond to anti-ICE protests there was a long time in the making—and could be a playb…

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June 12, 2025: Newsom v. Trump 13:25

1M ago13:25

13:25

California and the Trump administration face off in federal court today over President Donald Trump’s deployment of military troops to Los Angeles in a legal battle that could determine the limits of presidential power — and whether troops might be deployed to other cities, too. Chief Playbook correspondent Dasha Burns and author Jack Blanchard tal…

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June 11, 2025: The Trump-Newsom clash heats up 13:54

1M ago13:54

13:54

As protests against ICE raids in Los Angeles continue, so does the standoff between California Gov. Gavin Newsom and President Donald Trump. In a dramatic eight-minute address last night, Newsom laid into Trump, touting the federal intervention and militarization of its response as a threat to the rule of law. Meanwhile, Trump suggested yesterday t…

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June 10, 2025: Federal forces flood L.A. 15:24

1M ago15:24

15:24

As protests against ICE raids continue in Los Angeles, President Donald Trump is flexing his power in a way the nation hasn’t seen in decades, deploying 4,000 National Guard troops and roughly 700 Marines in the city. California Gov. Gavin Newsom calls the moves a provocation, labeled Trump an “authoritarian” and called the mobilization of the Mari…

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June 9, 2025: Fire and ICE 16:27

1M ago16:27

16:27

As anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles grow and, in some instances, turn violent, President Donald Trump has deployed the California National Guard — the first time in 60 years a president has activated a state’s National Guard domestically without the consent of that state’s governor. California Gov. Gavin Newsom says Trump is irresponsibly ratchetin…

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New from Politico: Rahm Emanuel joins The Conversation 43:36

2M ago43:36

43:36

Listen to the latest episode of Politico’s new podcast, The Conversation with Dasha Burns. Rahm Emanuel has had just about every job in politics under the sun: congressman, White House chief of staff, U.S. ambassador, Chicago mayor, and more. “I’m pretty pragmatic about politics and almost cold to a point in my analysis,” he tells White House burea…

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June 6, 2025: The Trump-Musk divorce gets ugly 11:01

2M ago11:01

11:01

The gloves are off between Donald Trump and Elon Musk, and Playbook’s Zack Stanton and Adam Wren have all the explosive details. Today, Trump White House officials are due to have a call with Musk in an attempt to lower the temperature. That comes after Musk went nuclear against Trump, making shocking allegations about the president and badmouthing…

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The Big Contradiction of Trump’s Trade War 25:27

2M ago25:27

25:27

From China talks to “TACO,” CNN’s Chief Domestic Correspondent Phil Mattingly helps navigate the latest twists and turns of President Trump’s tariffs and explains why we may be in the “eye of the hurricane” of this trade war. Have a question or a guest you'd like to hear from? Let us know. Email us at [email protected] or give us a cal…

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June 5, 2024: Trump’s after-hours hat trick 15:59

2M ago15:59

15:59

In a trio of announcements last night, President Donald Trump unveiled a new travel ban barring entry into the U.S. by residents from of 12 nations, a fresh attempt to block Harvard-enrolled international students from entering the country and an investigation into the so-called “auto pen” scandal, alleging that White House aides unconstitutionally…

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June 4, 2025: Musk vs. MAGA 12:26

2M ago12:26

12:26

The moment has finally arrived: Elon Musk turned his chainsaw on the Trump White House yesterday in a blitz of X posts taking aim at the president’s reconciliation bill. Calling it an “abomination” and vowing retribution against those members of Congress who back it, Musk’s posture amounts to not only a stunning (but nascent) split between Trump’s …

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June 3, 2025: Trump turns the screws 13:52

2M ago13:52

13:52

President Donald Trump is calling. Will Senate Republicans answer? As the GOP homes in on the votes needed to pass the all-important reconciliation bill through the upper chamber, the president is escalating both his outreach to and pressure on holdouts. But what the White House is saying and what those last few Senate Republicans really want may b…

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June 2, 2025: Antisemitic attack spurs new immigration debate 15:15

2M ago15:15

15:15

Yesterday in Colorado, a man shouted “Free Palestine” as he attacked a group of elderly demonstrators who had gathered to peacefully advocate for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. The episode is at once the nation’s latest paroxysm of antisemitic violence and the newest flashpoint in the debate about immigration: the alleged assailant was re…

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New from Politico: The Conversation with Dasha Burns 45:36

2M ago45:36

45:36

Listen to the first episode of Politico’s new podcast, The Conversation with Dasha Burns. Dr. Mehmet Oz, former TV host and Pennsylvania Senate candidate, is one of America’s most famous physicians. Now he’s running the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which means he’s in charge of programs that provide health care for about half of all …

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May 30, 2025: How 2026 looks from a key battleground 14:12

2M ago14:12

14:12

It’s a swing state with an open U.S. Senate seat, several competitive House races, an open gubernatorial seat — oh, and a potential leading 2028 candidate serving as governor. You may call it a political wonk’s dream; we call it Michigan. This week, as the battleground state’s political stars descended on idyllic Mackinac Island, the trends that wi…

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‘Resist and Reform’: Former Harvard President on Trump’s Attacks 25:25

2M ago25:25

25:25

The ongoing feud between President Trump and Harvard University is heating up as the White House attempts to ban the university from enrolling international students. Harvard President Emeritus Larry Summers shares his insights on the clash and explains why the White House’s actions could hinder efforts to reform Harvard’s flaws. Learn more about y…

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May 29, 2025: Trump vs. the courts — again 17:20

2M ago17:20

17:20

President Donald Trump’s tariff agenda has largely relied on one central claim: that America faces a national emergency that justifies the president taking extraordinary measures. Yesterday, a federal court blew a hole in that rationale in a ruling striking down his tariffs on dozens of U.S. trading partners while teeing up yet another looming Supr…