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The Briefing with Jen Psaki

Jen Psaki tackles the biggest issues of the week and features one-on-one interviews with newsmakers.

MS NOW, Jen Psaki

When Donald Trump boasts that a new steel plant is already under construction in Iowa, who better to check the veracity of that claim than the people in Iowa who live where the plant is supposedly being built? Jen Psaki shares examples of Donald Trump making promises on the campaign trail that have no basis in reality as far as the people most closely connected to the news can tell.Former Senator Doug Jones talks with Jen about Donald Trump preaching to the choir campaign tour.Jen Psaki considers Donald Trump accusation that news organizations are spreading misinformation about national security and takes a closer look at the information Trump is spreading, including an odd claim that Iran had drug factories in their nuclear factories when U.S. bombs blew them up. The White House was not helpful in shedding further light on Trump's claim.Free speech attorney Ted Boutrous talks with Jen about progress in the lawsuit brought by news organizations against the Trump administration over the banning of members of the news media from the White House.Fallon Gallagher, MS NOW legal affairs reporter, talks with Jen about breaking news of a new filing in the White House press ban case.Jen Psaki relays new reporting in The Atlantic about the lengths to which FBI Director Kash Patel will go to win Donald Trump's favor even if it means neglecting the FBI's national security responsibilities or interfering in the midterm elections. 
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Local news busts Trump on empty economic promises

Jen Psaki explains that Donald Trump is hosting another dinner in support of his cryptocurrency meme coin, ignoring the fact that his own followers took massive losses investing in the coin, with many openly disparaging him for it.Rep. Jamie Raskin joins to discuss the myriad ways the Trump administration operates outside of ethical and even legal bounds, and the investigations Democrats are likely to open if they win control of the House.Jen Psaki shares highlights from a new interview Donald Trump gave to Time magazine that shows someone woefully out of touch, misguided on the facts, and tone deaf about his political situation.Jim Acosta, former White House correspondent for CNN, joins to discuss Donald Trump's resentment of a news media that won't adore him.
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Trump meme coin hype sputters as his public approval tanks

September 30, 2026 - Despite the increasingly dangerous global security environment, made even more dangerous by Donald Trump's inexplicable war on Iran and Pete Hegseth's mismanagement of it, Hegseth has devoted his attention to prioritizing a cartoonish image of what it means to be an American servicemember. Michael Steele discusses with veterans Rep. Pat Ryan and Rep. Chris Deluzio.Former congressman and ambassador, Rahm Emanuel, joins to discuss the steady implosion of Ken Paxton's Senate campaign in Texas and the responsibility Donald Trup bears for for putting Republicans at a disadvantage in Texas for the first time in a very long time. Senator Eric Schmitt was warned that the text message he planned to use as a perjury trap for special counsel Jack Smith had not been vetted, but Schmitt was so convinced of his own conspiracy theory about the criminal investigations of Donald Trump that he ignored the warning and ran headlong into humiliating himself in the national spotlight. Capitol Hill reporter Mychael Schnell joins to explain MS NOW's exclusvie reporting and former Senator Claire McCaskill provides her analysis.
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'Clown' Hegseth makes a fool of himself with fixation on superficial priorities

Jen Psaki shares the events at a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee in which Republican Senator Eric Schmitt thought he had caught former special counsel Jack Smith in a perjury gotcha only to be called out for his spectacular failure by Senator Amy Klobuchar who pointed out that Schmitt's blind spot for women's sports led him into what Psaki describes as a "slow-moving self-implosion" leaving Smith unscathed and unflapped.Senator Amy Klobuchar joins Jen to talk about destroying Senator Eric Schmitt's big "gotcha" moment with a simple fact check.Senator Cory Booker joins to discuss the issues facing the Senate and the U.S. government broadly.Rep. Jim Himes, likely chair of the House Intelligence Committee if the Democrats take control of the House with the upcoming midterm elections, talks with Jen Psaki about how Democrats intend to investigate Trump administration corruption like pay-to-play deals if they are able to take control of the House with the coming midterm elections. 
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Smug GOP senator faceplants with humiliating 'gotcha' failure

September 25, 2026 - Jen Psaki holds Donald Trump's boasts about helping Republican candidates on the campaign trail up against the reality that he is being sent to safely Republican districts where he not only won't face pushback from angry American voters, but he won't cause any damage with his politically toxic poll numbers.Pastor Adam Hamilton, Democratic candidate for Senate from Kansas talks with Jen about why his blue campaign is performing so well in such a red state.Marc Elias, founder of Democracy Docket talks with Jen about whether and how much to worry about Donald Trump's efforts to purge voter rolls. Jen Psaki unearths past video of Donald Trump decrying state dinners, especially with China, and contrasts them with Donald Trump's literal red carpet treatment of China's President Xi, embarrassing himself and the United States with his fawning admiration. Former U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan joins to discuss.
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Trump's hypocrisy compounds his humiliation in sucking up to China's President Xi

September 24, 2026 - As Donald Trump ban on members of the media whose coverage he doesn't like continues to play out in court, Jen Psaki points out that the media model Trump seems to most want to emulate is that of the dictators he admires.Peter Alexander, chief national reporter for MS NOW, and Jim Acosta, former chief White House correspondent for CNN, discuss the importance of news organizations staying united in the face of Donald Trump's attacks.Former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirscher talks with Jen about the legal principles behind Donald Trump's failure to defend banning certain members of the media from the White House.Rob Flaherty and Jesse Lehrich, co-hosts of the "Nobody Knows Anything" show, talk with Jen Psaki about the desperation among Republican legislators up for reelection this November trying to distance themselves from Donald Trump as Trump continues to double down on some of his most unpopular positions.
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Psaki: Trump admiration for dictators seen in his attacks on media

September 23, 2026 - Jen Psaki points out that the last time Donald Trump lost his cool and tried to ban a member of the news media from the White House he had just been clobbered by a blue wave midterm and his political power was at a nadir. Polling shows him to be even worse off now than he was then. Jim Acosta, former chief White House correspondent for CNN who successfully challenged being banned from the White House in Trump's first term, joins to discuss why Trump's bad news makes him angry at the news media.Jen Psaki explains that despite the importance of the visit to the United States by China's President Xi, the fuss Trump made to greet Xi was not covered by the TV press pool because of Donald Trump's decision to ban CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House. Jay Carney, former White House press secretary, joins to discuss. Rep. Jamie Raskin joins Jen in the studio to talk about the many ways Donald Trump violates the U.S. constitution, from tearing apart the White House to attempting to interfere in states' elections.
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How we know Donald Trump is freaking out about his disastrous poll numbers

While Donald Trump banning news organizations from the White House because he doesn't like their coverage is objectively inexcusable in the United States of America, Republicans are nonetheless trying their hardest to make excuses for Trump. Jen Psaki dismantles them with facts and context.Jen Psaki shows the many Republican candidates campaigning for the coming midterm elections with a suspiciously similar message about the need for Donald Trump's disastrous Iran war to come to a quick end. But Psaki also points out that many of these Republicans failed to vote for war powers resolutions that would have forced Trump's hand in bringing the war to an end.Jen Psaki shares new video of former President Barack Obama advocating for more people younger than himself to be elected to office and criticizing "old men" who won't make way for a new generation of leaders. Maryland Governor Wes Moore joins to discuss the importance of a younger generation serving in government at a time when new technology is changing Americans' lives at an alarming rate. 
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Psaki lays waste to bogus GOP talking points on press freedom

Jen Psaki reviews the history of American presidents clashing with members of the press but still respecting their First Amendment role, and reports on Donald Trump's declaration that he is banning MS NOW, CNN and Politico from the White House. Trump previously lost a legal challenge to banning a member of the press, and Psaki notes that Trump's war on the free press hasn't prevented the press from continuing to cover him and his administration.Terry Moran and Eugene Daniels join to discuss the relationship between presidents and the press, and Donald Trump's thin skin and petty nature.Kerry Kennedy, President John F. Kennedy's niece, talks with Jen Psaki about Donald Trump's threat to destroy the Kennedy Center, a memorial to her uncle, if Trump is not allowed to also put his own name on it, and points out the contrast between JFK's vision of service to one's country versus Donald Trump's corruption and self-dealing.Texas State Rep. Jon Rosenthal talks about the unexpcted support he is receiving from Republicans after his opponent revealed himself to be too racist even for very the low bar Republicans set.
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Psaki: Trump can't hide by attacking the free press

Jen Psaki looks at Republican candidates who have purged their campaign materials of mentions of Donald Trump or have avoided events with Trump or Trump officials. Some candidates are even speaking out in defiance of Trump despite having previously been supportive. But Trump is too unpopular now to admit that support.Even as Republicans insist that technology companies can police themselves to ensure the public is safe from overstepping artificial intelligence and Donald Trump assures Americans that his firm hand is all that is necessary, the artificial intelligence industry continues to make alarming disclosures about the dangerous capabilities of A.I. and its occasional tendency to do something it supposedly shouldn't be able to do. Ronan Farrow, investigative reporter for the New Yorker, joins to discuss.Rep. Joyce Beatty talks with Jen Psaki about her fight to defend the Kennedy Center from Donald Trump's spitefulness.Sherrod Brown joins to discuss his campaign to retake his old Senate seat for Ohio.And Thomas Hicks and Benjamin Hovland, former U.S. Election Assistance commissioners, talk with Jen about protecting the right to vote and also the practice of voting, and emphasize checking to make sure your registration is up to date.
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Alarming new disclosures highlight dangers of A.I. as Trump turns his back on regulation

Jen Psaki explains how articles of impeachment against Pete Hegseth, filed by Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, put House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Republicans in an awkward position so he ended the session a day early to avoid having to deal with it. This comes as new reports show that the Trump administration is not being forthcoming about the damage Iran is inflicting on U.S. assets. Senator Mark Kelly joins to share his views on the matter.The United States declared measles eliminated in 2000, but Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been working hard to make that no longer the case. Jen Psaki traces Kennedy Jr.'s anti-vaccine activism through his time as Donald Trump's Health and Human Services secretary overseeing a surge in preventable measles cases including several deaths. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, whose state has been hit particularly hard by the measles outbreak, joins to discuss.
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Fear of HEGSETH IMPEACHMENT sends Congress to early vacation

Jen Psaki shares videos of Donald Trump answering questions about artificial intelligence that suggest that he does not actually know what artificial intelligence is, though he certainly seems aware that it is another area in which he can use his corrupt influence to make himself more wealthier.Senator Jon Ossoff talks with Jen Psaki about the myriad issues associated with new artificial intelligence technology and how a competent president who could understand the issue beyond how to exploit his power over it to make himself rich would be addressing the matter and using the tool of government to make sure that the interests and safety of the American public was being served.Senator Adam Schiff joins to discuss FBI Director Kash Patel's testimony in the Senate today and the oversight Democrats hope to conduct if they can take control of the Senate after the midterm elections.
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Psaki: Trump does not sound like he knows what A.I. is

Jen Psaki shares reporting on the sudden departure of fervent Trump acolyte Joe DiGenova, who had been tasked with proving the existence of a grand conspiracy against Donald Trump and failed to secure even a single indictment. Former federal prosecutor Andrew Weissmann joins to share his insights.Barbara Starr, former CNN Pentagon correspondent, shares her reflections on the events of September 11th and its aftermath.Donald Trump's desperation continues to grow with the release of each new poll as results show Trump and the Republican Party falling farther out of favor with the American public. But Marc Elias, one of democracy's greatest legal champions in the Trump era, believes at least one of Trump's desperation tactics, his attack on mail-in voting, will fail at the Supreme Court. Elias joins Jen Psaki to talk about why.Antonia Hylton previews her new show and talks with Jen about visiting the Big Bend region of Texas and talking with regretful Trump voters.
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Another Trump prosecutor quits as another conspiracy theory fails

Jen Psaki talks with House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries about Donald Trump's "phony promise" to give every adult in America $5000 and why Trump is resorting to such a transparent gimmick with the midterm elections looming ever closer.Jen Psaki looks at how JD Vance is trying to distinguish himself from Donald Trump, particularly on Iran policy, while being stuck in the role of making excuses for Trump's poorly considered ideas as he eyes the 2028 presidential race. 
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Trump makes himself a laughingstock with $5000 check pitch; even Fox News calls his bluff

Jen Psaki shares video of Donald Trump weirdly claiming to members of the media that many Republicans did not attend his midterm Republican convention in Texas because there is no enough room for them, even though the event is being held in a massive arena that video shows to have plenty of empty seats.Jen Psaki looks at Republican candidates trying to distance themselves from Donald Trump so his deep unpopularity will do the least amount of damage to their campaigns, even as Trump insists that associating with him and making himself the central focus of the midterm elections is the best strategy for the Republican Party.Mitch Landrieu, former senior advisor to President Joe Biden, and Jim Messina, former campaign manager for Barack Obama, discuss how Republicans are struggling to distance themselves from Trump to avoid being punished by voters because of his unpopularity.State Rep. Gina Hinojosa talks with Jen Psaki about her race for governor of Texas.Following an alarming warning raised by an Anthropic employee resigning in protest over the threat of artificial intelligence to the very survival of humanity, members of Congress are giving more serious consideration to regulating A.I. Rep. Greg Casar talks with Jen Psaki about legislation he is introducing with Senator Bernie Sanders called the Ban Superintelligence Act to make sure A.I. does not get dangerously out of control.
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Trump invents excuses for his 'Trump-a-palooza' dud

Jen Psaki points out that Republicans should rethink their new talking points that 2026 is an election of common sense versus crazy when they are running so many candidates who would seem to fall into the crazy category.Illinois Governor JB Pritzker talks with Jen Psaki about how corruption has become a hallmark of the Trump administration, and why the only road to accountability is with a Congress controlled by Democrats.Jen Psaki looks at new polling showing that Donald Trump's extreme upopularity is driving down the number of people who identify as Republicans and driving up the number of people who identify as Democrats. David Plouffe, former campaign manager for Barack Obama, joins to discuss what this means in terms of the midterm election and whether these numbers will be echoed in voting patterns.
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GOP talking points against 'crazy' lead to immediate embarrassment

Retired U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Nancy Lacore, a Democratic candidate for Congress, and Rep. Chris Deluzio, talk with Jen Psaki about how the House and Senate should be using their oversight responsibilities to hold Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth to account for their shambolic handling of the war in Iran and their mismanagement of the U.S. military, and why Americans need to take Republicans out of power in Congress if they want to restore checks and balances to Trump's power.Jen Psaki looks at how voters in Tarrant County, Texas are livid over a party-line vote to remove dozens of polling sites for this year's midterm elections. And House Democrats are focused on a newly exposed scheme to use the U.S. Postal Service to disrupt mail-in voting. Rep. Robert Garcia joins to discuss efforts by Democrats to shine a bright light on Donald Trump's mail-in ballot scheme to keep voters informed and hold U.S.P.S. officials accountable for any deviations from the law.Troy Jackson, Maine Democratic candidate for Senate, talks with Jen Psaki about messaging in the campaign.
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Blame for Trump's Iran disaster, Hegseth's Pentagon chaos spreads to negligent Congress

Jen Psaki looks at how JD Vance is trying to minimize Donald Trump's war against Iran even as there appears to be a new escalation of fighting and Pete Hegseth is reportedly extending deployments in the Middle East. But as criticism of the administration grows louder, so does criticism of Republicans in charge of Congress as well as military leaders who are not pushing back on Trump's recklessness. Frank Kendall, former Secretary of the U.S. Air Force joins to discuss.Jen Psaki looks at how Elon Musk's tone deafness on issues like data centers and his evident antisemitism, not to mention his image as a villain to many Americans since his disastrous implementation of DOGE at the start of Trump's second term, makes him a likely political liability for Republicans even as he hopes to help them financially. Jesse Lehrich and Rob Flaherty, co-hosts of the "Nobody Knows Anything" show, join to discuss.Rep. Joe Neguse talks with Jen about Donald Trump's efforts to corrupt mail-in voting.Jessica Mackler, president of EMILYs list, talks with Jen Psaki about the life and legacy of Gloria Steinem.
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Vance flounders in public spotlight trying to push Trump's Iran gaslighting

Jen Psaki takes a closer look at how former weekend right-wing cable news host Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump's defense secretary, is gutting the top tiers of the U.S. military while doing a poor job handling Donald Trump's inexplicable war on Iran, and running down the U.S. military with wasteful, ill-considered decisions. Rahm Emanual, former Obama White House chief of staff, discusses the crisis of Pete Hegseth's leadership. 
Rahm Emanual, former Obama White House chief of staff, makes an emphatic case to Jen Psaki that the Democratic Socialists of America are their own party, separate from the Democratic Party, and should be treated as such, including for primary elections.
Priya Sridhar, MS NOW Pentagon correspondent, reports from Thailand on the USS Lincoln coming to port.
Rep. Pat Ryan talks with Jen Psaki about keeping voting secure for Americans and safe from Donald Trump.
  
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Hegseth's Pentagon political purge draws attention to his incompetence, Trump's dereliction

The tech executives who have debased themselves sucking up to Donald Trump and taken advantage of Trump's negligent regulatory attitude are not only feeling direct political pressure over things like addictive algorithms and resource-sucking data centers, but they're recognizing Trump's waning power and the increasingly likelihood that Democrats will not let them off the hook if and when they regain power in the federal government. Rob Flaherty and Jesse Lehrich, co-hosts of the "Nobody Knows Anything" show, join Jen Psaki to discuss.
Marc H. Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League, and Janai Nelson, president and director-counsel of the Legal Defense Fund, talk with Jen Psaki about today's protest march and rally for voting rights in Washington, D.C.
Jen Psaki shares reporting from NOTUS that Donald Trump is working to give a potentially very valuable part of Yosemite National Park to a private developer who has some interesting ties to the Trump administration.  
An exodus of employees from the FBI, either through mass firings or fleeing the disgrace of the Trump administration and Kash Patel has raised the level of desperation for new hires to such a level that personal histories, including criminal histories, that would have previously disqualified applicants are no longer an obstacle to being hired. Michael Feinberg, former assistant special agent in charge with the FBI, discusses with Jen Psaki.
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'Get right with God.': Tech bros panic as post-Trump accountability comes into view

Jen Psaki peels through the layers of a scheme described by a Florida grand jury in which millions of dollars were laundered through charities and ultimately ended up funding political activities. And while the grand jury was not able to identify who to indict in the matter, the people involved, with close ties to outgoing Governor Ron DeSantis, saw their careers advance.
Former Rep. David Jolly, Democratic candidate for Florida governor, talks with Jen about the details of the scheme.
Iowa State Rep. Josh Turek, Democratic candidate for Iowa’s U.S. Senate seat, talks with Jen about a new lobbying scandal in Iowa that has involved his Republican opponent.
Max Lederer and Erik Slavin, the fired publisher and editor-in-chief of Stars and Stripes, talk with Jen about their new legal effort to restore their jobs and preserve the newspaper's independence as Pete Hegseth's Pentagon seems intent on turning it into a propaganda outlet.
Jen Psaki shares New York Times reporting on how Donald Trump Jr. throws his weight around as the son of a corrupt president to influence the legal circumstances of a company and an industry in which he has a financial interest. David Yaffe-Bellany, New York Times crypto industry reporter, joins to discuss his reporting.
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Massive scandal ROCKS Florida politics with major national implications

Jen Psaki talks with David Plouffe, Barack Obama's 2008 campaign manager, about the balance of the congressional elections just a few months away from midterm elections, and the challenge Republicans face carrying the burden of Donald Trump's unpopularity when Trump's only campaign idea is to promote himself.
Taken separately, Donald Trump's bad policies are problematic enough, his petulant tariffs, his foolhardy trade wars, his inexplicable war in Iran, his assault on immigrants, etc. But taken together they are a crippling burden hurting both supply and demand as well as resources and materials for operating farms and businesses. Jen Psaki discusses with Senator Amy Klobuchar, Democratic candidate for governor of Minnesota. 
Senator Mark Kelly joins to discuss the crisis Pete Hegseth has created in the American military. 
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Trump's only campaign idea is a bad one: promoting himself

Jen Psaki relays breaking news that Darline Graham, sister of former Senator Lindsey Graham, is projected to win the South Carolina Republican primary for Seante, overcoming some embarrassing gaffes and apparently benefitting from a strong endorsement from Donald Trump.
Tim Miller, host of the Bulwark podcast, and Jim Messina, former Obama campaign manager, talk about the stakes of the South Carolina Senate race, Trump's extraordinary effort to see his candidate to victory and whether Darline Graham is damaged enough as a candidate to be vulnerable to the very compelling Democratic candidate Annie Andrews.
Jen Psaki talks with former Governor Roy Cooper, Democratic candidate for Senate from North Carolina about the contradiction in Donald Trump paying lip service to affordability while at the same time starting a trade war with Canada that will be a further burden on American consumers.
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Trump Senate pick makes 'empty vessel' a viable political identity

Jen Psaki reports on the firing by Pete Hegseth's Pentagon of the editor-in-chief of the Stars and Stripes military newspaper, as well as one of its reporters, and considers the broader context of the Trump administration's attacks on the free press and Hegseth's particular battle against independent media. Erik Slavin, now former editor-in-chief of Stars and Stripes, and Lara Korte, former Middle East reporter for Stars and Stripes join to discuss with Jen Psaki.
A report from the Center for American Progress shows that despite costing a huge amount of money and making huge human resource demands, Donald Trump's National Guard deployment to U.S. citites like Washington, D.C. has not done what Trump promised. Neera Tanden, president and C.E.O. of the Center for American Progress talks with Jen Psaki about the the evidence that Donald Trump's deployment of the National Guard to fight crime in U.S. cities has been a giant waste of taxpayer money that has not reduced the rate of violent crime in those cities.
Rob Flaherty and Jesse Lehrich , co-hosts of the "Nobody Knows Anything” show, discuss the week's news in politics with Jen Psaki.
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Hegseth's Pentagon goes to war against independent military newspaper Stars and Stripes

Jen Psaki takes a closer look at the bizarre devotion Natalie Harp shows to Donald Trump and her reported behavior that is not at all normal for a presidential aide. And the similarly abnormal role of Jennifer Hegseth, Pete Hegseth's wife, former Fox News producer and awkward shadow in the Trump administration.
Chris Meagher, former chief Pentagon spokesman, and Ned Price, former CIA spokesman, talk with Jen Psaki about the glaring security problems with Donald Trump's aide, Natalie Harp, and Pete Hegseth taking his wife to work with him, and how the relationships undermine the trust of our allies and hurt U.S. national security.  
Abdul El-Sayed joins Jen to talk about his Senate race in Michigan and trying to get his Republican opponent to agree to a debate.
Brandon Dukes, a Democrat who won a special election in Pennsylvania county that Donald Trump won by 18 points, talks with Jen about the keys to his successful campaign. 
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Psaki: Trump administration's 'adult babysitters' are not normal

Jen Psaki looks at the terrible performance of some of the candidates endorsed by Donald Trump, and the lack of help struggling Republicans candidates are getting from Trump, who may be too unpopular to help them even if he was inclined to do so.
Maggie Haberman, White House correspondent for The New York Times and co-author of "Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump," and Dan Pfeiffer, co-host of Pod Save America, join to discuss Donald Trump's waning influence in the Republican Party and his fixation on vanity projects instead of midterm elections, as well as new MS NOW reporting on questions about Trump aide Natalie Harp's security clearance.
Jen Psaki shares highlights from a weird, newly released reality-style show from Donald Trump's transportation secretary, former reality show performer and Fox host, Sean Duffy, featuring Duffy's family and products from the corporations that paid for the production.
Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost discusses his objections to a new crypto bill supported by Donald Trump.
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Distracted Trump gives Republicans a real estate agent when they need a leader

Jen Psaki looks at the collection of shameless and scandal-plagued MAGA candidates running in Florida Republican primary races that leave Trump-era Republican voters wanting for good choices.
Democratic pollster Fernand Amandi and former Obama campaign manager Jim Messina talk with Jen Psaki about why the surprising results of the Florida primary elections point to strong Democratic momentum and a real opportunity for Florida Democratic candidates for the first time in over a decade. Newly nominated Democratic candidate for Senate, Angie Nixon, joins to discuss the key to her "stunning" success despite significantly smaller fundraising and a lower national profile compared to the opponent she defeated.
Jim Acosta, former chief White House correspondent for CNN, joins to discuss ABC suing the Trump admnistration for its attempt to intimidate the network with threats.
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Trump-era GOP produces weak field of candidates as multiple Trump endorsees flop in Florida

Jen Psaki considers Senator Jon Ossoff's charge that Donald Trump doesn't actually want to be president and would rather spend time with his sycophantic aides flying around on his fancy Qatari airplane, and posits that Trump's interest in only the most superficial aspects of the presidency makes his administration more akin to movie production than government.
Senator Jon Ossoff talks with Jen Psaki about Donald Trump's ongoing efforts to use his position at the top of the U.S. government to enrich himself and his family, and how the outrage over that open corruption is feeding Democratic enthusiasm for the coming midterm elections.
Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes joins to talk about defending Arizona elections from Donald Trump's interference.
 
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Psaki: Why it's believable that Trump doesn't actually want to be president

Donald Trump is trying to get around restrictions on the construction of his White House ballroom by arguing that the facility is a military necessity. But as Jen Psaki points out, it's hard to argue the national security purpose of covering everything in gold.
Jen Psaki looks at how Donald Trump's incompetence and mismanagement of his war on Iran has not only wasted physical military resources but has been injurious to service members as well, to the point where family members are having to speak out publicly even as Trump and his sycophants continue to deny there's a problem.
Ben Rhodes, former deputy national security advisor, joins to discuss Trump's disastrous handling of his war against Iran.
Life in the Trump era keeps getting easier for criminal fraudsters. Former Rep. Tom Malinowski talks with Jen Psaki about how Donald Trump is steadily dismantling the tools for catching and prosecuting criminals, and why the news that Trump's Treasury Department will stop enforcing the Corporate Transparency Act is good news for money launderers and drug dealers. 
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Trump's cartoonish devotion to gold backfires in ballroom argument

Jen Psaki criticizes the priorities of outgoing Donald Trump press secretary Karoline Leavitt for avoiding good faith engagement with real reporters' questions while elevating Trump sycophants.
Senator Mark Kelly talks with Jen Psaki about Donald Trump making extreme and expensive demands for changes to aircraft carriers without having any idea what he's actually talking about.
 Jen Psaki shares reporting from the New York Times about hundreds of millions of dollars worth of planes purchased by the Department of Homeland Security that are sitting idle because DHS lacked the foresight to realize the cost of maintaining a fleet of airplanes. John Sandweg, former acting director of ICE, joins to discuss.
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Psaki calls out Karoline Leavitt for failing to serve the American people as Trump's press secretary

Retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral and former White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby joins MS NOW’s Jen Psaki to discuss Donald Trump’s claims that the United States has “complete control” over the Strait of Hormuz and new reporting for The Washington Post that the CIA questioned the credibility of Israeli intelligence about an Iranian threat to Trump that ultimately led to Trump’s secret flight out of Turkey last month.
MS NOW’s Jen Psaki talks to MS NOW Senior Medical Analyst Dr. Vin Gupta about the dangers of Donald Trump’s executive order rolling back federal childhood vaccine recommendations.
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‘Unconscionable’: Trump uses press and his own staff as decoys amid Iran threat

Jen Psaki sets the record straight on extraordinary Democratic enthusiasm in this year's midterm elections, as evidenced by exceptional turnout in the primaries so far, and points out that despite the media's obsession with intra-party competition, Democrats are actually very unified with candidates in even the most contentious primaries supporting each other once the contest is over. And meanwhile, Donald Trump's distortion of the Republican Party is producing seriously flawed candidates.
Senator Jon Ossoff points out that between regular leaks to the press and a White House full of advisors with self-interests and ambitions for 2028, it can hardly be surprising that details of secret protective measures surrounding the president are exposed to the public.
Jen Psaki talks with David Crowley, the new Democratic nominee for governor of Wisconsin after defeating poll-favorite Francesca Hong. While Crowley's victory was a surprise based on polling, he was ready to win and discusses the keys to his success and his plan moving forward to the general election.
 
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Psaki on what national narratives are missing about primary elections so far

Jen Psaki and a panel of her MS NOW colleagues watch the primary election returns in Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Carolina and Connecticut and discuss the intra-party dynamics this primary season.
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Midterm primaries pit the establishment against outsiders

Donald Trump appears to be distancing himself from his own Republican Party, perhaps hoping to avoid association with expected midterm losses, despite being responsible for the unpopularity Republicans are suffering for their association with him. Ben Wikler, former DNC chair, joins to discuss.
How did a long-standing plan by the Department of the Interior to refurbish the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool turn into the mess that would become Donald Trump's highest profile public humiliation (so far)? David Fahrenthold, investigative reporter for the New York Times, talks about his reporting on how the project spun out of control in the most Trumpian ways.
Donald Trump appears not to understand that the resources of the presidency are not his personal property, as his vanity projects are taking an ever-increasing amount of his attention. Now a federal appeals court has shut down construction on his White House ballroom with a reminder that he is not a king. Rep. Jamie Rasking joins to discuss.
Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II talks about how Michigan Democrats are uniting after their contentious primary in which Abul El-Sayed emerged victorious.
 
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Trump abandons ship: GOP left to sink under the burden of a profoundly unpopular president

Donald Trump and his former cable news weekend co-host defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, are reportedly fighting over who is to blame for wasting U.S. military resources and depleting the U.S. weapons stockpile on Trump's inexplicable war on Iran. Hegseth reportedly blamed his deputy. Rep. Pat Ryan, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, joins to discuss Trump's foolhardy prosecution of the war.
Donald Trump's brazen corruption is so much a part of his political identity that it has become an election issue unto itself. And when Senator Tim Scott tries to gaslight the American public into believing Trump is a model of ethics, or when JD Vance tries to pretend prosecuting fraud is an important priority of his, Trump's corruption only makes them look ridiculous. Rep. Ro Khanna joins to discuss.
Mitch Landrieu and Jennifer Palmieri discuss the shifting politics in the American South.
Stacey Abrams joins to talk about resurrecting the protections of the Voting Rights Act.
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Blame game clown show: Trump looks for Iran fiasco scapegoats

Donald Trump's disastrous time in office has left campaigning Republicans with very little to boast about to constituents back home. What they are left with instead is their familiar playbook of culture war scare tactics and divisive distortions to try to scare voters into supporting them. Senator Ted Cruz wasted no time to resort to absurd smears when asked about Democratic Senate candidate from Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed.
One of Donald Trump's endorsed Republican candidates lost the primary election to a guy who was so disfavored to win that news organizations didn't even bother to prepare his photo. But at least that candidate didn't have to drop out of the race in disgrace, which is more than can be said for other Republicans.
Mother Jones has published body camera and interview footage from a child abuse investigation involving Rep. Max Miller. The footage was obtained via a public records request from the City of Bay Village in Ohio, where the investigation took place.
Miller continues to deny the abuse allegations made by his ex-wife, Emily Moreno. The investigation ended with the allegations "unsubstantiated" by police.
Michael Steele plays part of the clip obtained by Mother Jones, where a child protective specialist describes an injury his 2-year-old daughter sustained while in his care.
 
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With nothing to run on, Republicans return to low road 'gutter' politics

Despite Donald Trump's endless talking about the vandalism he said was done to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Poll, U.S. attorney and former Fox News host Jeanine Pirro was forced to drop the Justice Department's case against former Olympian David Hearn and admit that the problem with the pool's liner was the fault of the contactor Donald Trump selected.  
The Wall Street Journal reports that after receiving a gift of a massive ring covered in diamonds and other jewels, Donald Trump made an exception from his tariffs for the diamond industry. Rep. Greg Casar discusses how Donld Trump's corruption and self-dealing, especially in contrast with the higher prices Americans are struggling with, has become a key issue for Democrats to campaign on as midterm elections approach.
Marc Elias, founder of Democracy Docket, joins to discuss Donald Trump's efforts to use voter data to undermine the upcoming midterm elections.
Donald Trump is so bitter about Minnesota Governor Tim Walz that he rejects the suggestion that his inexplicable war with Iran has led to a hacking attack on the water systems of several U.S. states and instead bizarrely insists that Minnesota somehow hacked its own water system. Rep. Seth Moulton joins to discuss Trump's apparent inability to take U.S. national security seriously.
Texas State Rep. Gina Hinojosa joins to talk about how Democrats are surging in Texas and the stakes of the Texas elections for national politics.
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Trump HUMILIATED by stunning admission as pool case collapses

Even as Americans are dealing with the fallout of Elon Musk's devastating cuts to the federal government when Donald Trump let him run amok, with new terrible consequences still coming to light on a regular basis, Musk is reportedly planning on trying to use his vast wealth to influence the midterm elections in favor of Republicans. Polls suggest his involvement may do Republicans more harm than good.
Alex Isenstadt, senior political reporter for Axios, Norm Eisen, founder of Democracy Defenders Action, and Democratic strategist Chuck Rocha discuss the many advantages Democrats are pursuing in the midterm elections.
Stacey Young, an 18-year Justice Department veteran, and Norm Eisen, founder of Democracy Defenders Action, discuss Donald Trump's effort to install his criminal defense attorney as U.S. attorney general.
A new report from Democrats on the Senate Homeland Security Committee shows how Donald Trump's deep cuts to counterterrorism agencies and repurposing of law enforcement resources to investigate his political enemies, his personal conspiracy theories and political pet projects has undermined important counterterrorism measures put in place after 9/11. Former CIA director John Brennan joins to discuss.
Whether because of bad advice, manipulation or foolhardiness, Donald Trump apparently thought his military adventure against Iran would be quick and easy, and now reports say he is in a frustrated rage over his own inability to escape the conflict as Americans grow increasingly bitter at the hardships Trump's folly has wrought. Admiral John Kirby, former White House national security communications advisor, joins to discuss the challenge Trump is facing.
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Trump weakness at dealmaking leaves him stuck in Iran folly

White voters without a college education have been a core component of Donald Trump's base and key to putting him in the White House. But a new poll from CNN shows that group now disapproves of Trump more than approves by 8 percentage points. One insight in the poll is that Americans by a wide margin thing Trump is focused on the wrong priorities. Jen Psaki takes a closer look.
Jen Psaki reports on the postponement of a Senate committee vote on the nomination of Donald Trump's former criminal defense lawyer, Todd Blanche, to be attorney general. A vote was contingent on Blanche agreeing in writing to drop his pursuit of a settlement with the IRS to fund payouts to January 6 rioters. Trump was apparently not willing to allow Blanche to make that agreement. Senator Adam Schiff joins to discuss.
Jen Psaki talks with Josh Turek, Democratic candidate for Senate from Iowa, in his first interview since being endorsed by former President Barack Obama.
And Maine's Democratic nominee for Senate, Troy Jackson, also joins Jen in the studio.
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Devastating poll shows Trump's base crumbling

A mobile version of the Epstein files reading room in New York City, with millions of printed pages of notorious pedophile Jeffrey Epstein's records, is set to go on tour, in part to highlight the mishandling of the files by Trump lawyer and attorney general nominee, Todd Blanche. Miles Taylor, former DHS chief of staff under Donald Trump, joins Jen Psaki to discuss the project.
Senator John Cornyn was primaried out of his job by a candidate endorsed by Donald Trump, leaving him in the position of being a lame duck with an axe to grind. One way he is expressing his lack of charity for Trump is by insisting that Trump's lawyer-turned-attorney general nominee, Todd Blanche, put into writing that Trump's corrupt slush fund for January 6 rioters and other political allies is totally off the table. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse talks with Jen Psaki about the opposition to Blanche in the Senate.
Abdul El-Sayed, Michigan Senate candidate, talks with Jen Psaki about he stakes in his race and what comes after Donald Trump.
 
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'Donald Trump is gonna hate it': Mobile Epstein files museum hits the road

Jen Pskai anchors special coverage of the White House Correspondents' Dinner and talks with a panel of guests about the relationship between Donald Trump and the media.
Jen Psaki reviews The first stretch of Donald Trump's meandering address to attendees of the White House Correspondents' Dinner and talks with Terry Moran, former senior national correspondent for ABC News, and Eugene Daniels, MS NOW's senior Washington correspondent, about the state of the political media and what is motivating Trump's participation in an event he has previously eschewed.
Jen Psaki points out the awkwardness of the White House Correspondents' Association giving an award to the reporting team that withstood Donald Trump's rage and intimidation after reporting on a weird birthday greeting from Trump to Jeffrey Epstein, while Trump sat on the dais in front of everyone and even shook the hands to the reporters. Rep. Ro Khanna joins to discuss the ongoing investigation in Epstein's crimes and associates.  
Jen Psaki reports on the Trump administration's attempt to minimize the ultimate sacrifice made by four U.S. service members to Doanld Trump's war against Iran by removing them from the list of American casualties in the war. Barbara Starr, former CNN Pentagon correspondent, and retired United States Army Lieutenant General Mark Hertling join to discuss the contentious relationship Trump's Pentagon has had with the media.
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The Briefing with Jen Psaki special coverage of the White House Correspondents' Dinner

Jen Psaki points out that it wouldn't be unreasonable for someone to hear the news that Trump suffered another "subpoena fail" and ask, which one? Most recently, Trump has tried to bully the New York Times after he was embarrassed by reports that his new Qatari jet was not properly outfitted. But as everyone by now has learned, pushback works, and the Times pushed back and Trump is left looking foolish again. Marty Baron, former executive editor of The Washington Post
You may have anticipated that Donald Trump's peace "understanding" with Iran would fall apart and the war would flare back up and oil prices would surge again. But that isn't the whole story. Iran's widening attacks, Houthi attacks on Red Sea vessels, and Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil infrastructure and the ripple effects of that in neighboring countries has made things exponentially worse. And there has been no increase in Donald Trump's competence to deal with any of it. Amos Hochstein, former White House senior advisor, talks with Jen Psaki about how all of the gears are turning.
Andrew Weissmann, former FBI general counsel, talks with Jen about the absurdity of the Jack Smith criminal referral.
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez discusses the difficulty he is having getting the Justice Department to cooperate in his investigation of Jeffrey Epstein's New Mexico ranch.
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Trump caves to pushback again; another humiliation in court

Jen Psaki reports breaking news that Jim Jordan, chair of the House Judiciary Committee has referred former special counsel Jack Smith to the Justice Department for criminal prosecution. Ken Dilanian, MS NOW justice and intel correspondent, joins to explain why the accusation against Smith "doesn't pass the laugh test."
Jen Psaki shows that Donald Trump's spin on his stalled war with Iran is not convincing Americans that it was a good idea, with anecdotes, interviews and polls showing that even supporters who voted for him three times are turning away from him.
Senator Jon Ossoff joins to discuss the gap between Donald Trump's Iran war narrative and the reality Americans can see and are experiencing first hand.
Rep. LaMonica McIver talks with Jen about holding ICE agents accountable for the abuses they commit in pursuit of Donald Trump's anti-immigrant agenda.
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INSTANT REACTION: Why Trump allies' criminal referral of Jack Smith 'doesn't pass the laugh test'

Jen Psaki runs through a litany of Republican candidates this election cycle whose gross behavior, from being sexually inappropriate to allegations of domestic violence have not been meaningful enough to the party to force them out of the race the way Democrats have done with compromised candidate. Jim Messina, former Obama campaign manager, and Democratic strategist Chuck Rocha join to discuss what counts as Republican principles in the age of Trump.
Jim Messina, former campaign manager for Barack Obama, points out that after "cost of living," the number two priority for American voters nationally is "corruption," which is bad news for Donald Trump, with whom corruption has become synonymous.
With tens of billions of dollars already spent on Donald Trump's war of choice against Iran and no clear exit or end game in sight, and the Pentagon running out of money and depleting weaponry at a rapid pace, Donald Trump's secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, asked Senators for more money at a hearing of the Appropriations Committee. Senator Gary Peters talks with Jen Psaki about his frustrations with the Trump administration's aimless war and the failure of the war's leadership to form a plan and execute it successfully.
Senator Cory Booker talks with Jen about holding Trump attorney general nominee Todd Blanche accountable for his weirdly accommodating treatment of Jeffrey Epstein sidekick Ghislaine Maxwell.
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Sexting accusations, scandalous behavior not disqualifying for Republicans in the Trump era

Senator Mark Kelly talks with Jen Psaki about Donald Trump's deeply unpopular war against Iran and the effort the Trump administration is putting into covering up and spinning the truth even though the war and its effects are apparent to any American paying attention.
Terry Moran, former ABC News anchor, talks with Jen about Donald Trump's war on the media and a new low in his intimidation tactics.
Donald Trump's evasion and inaction on accountability for ICE abuses, including shooting Americans dead in the street, is only making Americans more angry and less patient. Senator Amy Klobuchar discusses with Jen Psaki.
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Trump's spin machine fails to hide the ugly truth about war with Iran

Jen Psaki looks at how Donald Trump's big speech on election security did not get much media attention, even from his most supporting outlets. And the documents he dramatically unveiled were either not new, had already been debunked, or completely contradicted the threat narrative he was trying to stoke. And of course, while some documents contradicted his conspiracy theories about China, others affirmed that he was supported by Russia. 
Gabriel Sterling, special projects manager at the Georgia Secretary of State's office, talks with Jen Psaki about lessons learned from Donald Trump's behavior in the wake of his 2020 election loss.
Shortly after Donald Trump's teleprompter operator got in trouble for exploiting his White House position to make money in prediction markets, Americans learned of an even crazier scheme from Trump himself: selling early access to his public statements to financial firms that want an advantage in making stock trades based on how Trump's statements might influence the market. Rep. Jamie Raskin shares his reaction to this and Trump's election speech flop.
Former Homeland Security secretary, Jeh Johnson, talks about the scare tactics Donald Trump's DHS secretary, Markwayne Mullin, is trying to use on election workers in the U.S.
Suzanne Lambert, host of the "Mean But True" podcast, joins Jen to discuss the race for Senate in Georgia.
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Trump's dud election speech BACKFIRES; document dump contradicts his complaint

Jen Psaki talks with Michael Feinberg, former assistant special agent in charge with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Ken Dilanian, MS NOW justice and intelligence correspondent, and her fellow MS NOW host Chris Hayes about the facts and context behind Donald Trump's criticisms of U.S. election security. 
David Rohde, MS NOW senior national security reporter, talks with Jen Psaki about the former federal officials he is in contact with who recognize many of the documents Donald Trump is releasing, and are critical of Trump for excluding information and context that doesn't fit the narrative he is trying to construct about flaws in the U.S. election system.
Senator Raphael Warnock calls Donald Trump a "desperate man" and a "failed president," and points out that while Trump puts on a performance to undermine confidence in the U.S. election system, Americans are struggling with the challenges of life in his economy. Warnock says he knows there are Republicans who realize Donald Trump isn't telling the truth, and calls on them to see past partisanship and speak out against Trump in the name of patriotism. 
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'CHERRY PICKED': Former officials knock Trump's document dump

Jen Psaki shows the inherent conflict of trying to stay in Donald Trump's good graces while also showing a panel of Senators that your are honest and forthright and will act in the interest of the American people. Jay Claton, Trump's nominee to be Director of National Intelligence, and Todd Blanche, Trump's criminal defense attorney and nominee for Attorney General, both struggled through awkward Senate confirmation hearings in which the things they couldn't say spoke volumes about how (and who) they'll serve if they're confirmed.
Senator Adam Schiff talks with Jen Psaki about why Donald Trump's former criminal defense attorney has not been convincing in confirmation hearings to be attorney general that he is not still in service to Donald Trump and can perform in the role of leader of the Justice Department in a way that serves the American people. 
MS NOW's David Rohde and former CIA Director John Brennan talk with Jen about expectations for Donald Trump's Thursday address to the nation and the election conspiracy theories that still consume his thoughts.
Devon Murphy-Anderson, executive director of the Maine Democratic Party, discusses the party's plans for replacing Graham Platner on the ballot in the race against Susan Collins for Senate, and how the recent deadly ICE shooting in Maine has added fuel to already motivated Democratic voters.
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Trump nominees struggle to avoid saying true things that would upset Trump

Senator Jon Ossoff revealed to reporters that his Republican colleagues are privately blaming Donald Trump for setting them up for disastrous results in this year's midterm elections. Jen Psaki looks at the unpopular failures, from the war on Iran to ICE agents run amok that are contributing to this political dynamic.
Senator Ossoff joins Jen to talk about Donald Trump's efforts to undermine Americans' faith in the U.S. voting system.
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg talks with Jen Psaki about why the post-Trump era will not only be a time of repairing the damage Donald Trump inflicted on the United States, but also an opportunity to build the country back in new, better ways. 
Brian Tyler Cohen, joins to discuss his new book, "The Day After: How to wield power in a post-Trump world."
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Republicans despair as tanking Trump takes them down with him

Jen Psaki talks with actor, producer, writer Billy Eichner, host of the acclaimed "Billy on the Street," about how humor can sustain us during difficult times, and Eichner’s new audio book, “Billy on Billy: An Audio Memoir.” 
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Jen Psaki in conversation with actor and author Billy Eichner

Jen Psaki looks at why Donald Trump is likely regretting staffing his administration based on culture war credibility rather than competence as FBI director Kash Patel's antics appear to have reached critical mass, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is spending energy being upset about beards while being unable to end the war with Iran, and Vice President JD Vance is buying himself a multi-million dollar estate in the midst of a political season in which "affordability" is the biggest theme.
Rob Flaherty, former deputy campaign manager for Kamala Harris, and Democratic pollster Molly Murphy discuss the dynamics of the coming midterms.
Jen Psaki rounds up the many ways that Donald Trump is using whatever lever of power he can find to undermine the integrity of elections in the United States, most recently by firing everyone on the Election Assistance Commission. Marc Elias, founder of Democracy Docket explains what Trump is trying to pull.
Donald Trump appears to be trying to distract from his failure to keep his promise to lower gas prices by celebrating the opening of a small chain of discount gas stations. And while everyone appreciates cheaper gas when they can get it, no one trusts that whoever is behind this stunt doesn't have an ulterior motive that ties to another Trump grift.
Rep. Christian Menefee joins to discuss the fight to get answers after ICE shot and killed a man in Houston.
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Trump suffers the consequences of poor staffing choices

Maggie Haberman, White House correspondent for the New York Times and co-author of "Regime Change," shares some of the inside perspective she has gleaned from her reporting, including Donald Trump's fixation on his own power and how the war he started with Iran has shown him the limits of that power.
As a new Washington Post report finds Donald Trump's vanity projects consuming an ever-increasing amount of his attention even as crises at home and abroad would seem to require more of a president's attention, passengers at the Palm Beach Airport did not seem to have their appreciation for Trump improved at all by the airport now being named after him.
Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes talks with Jen Psaki about what it means for the upcoming midterm election and U.S. elections broadly that Donald Trump has fired the last members of the bipartisan Election Assistance Committee, an important resource for elections administration. 
Juan Proaño, CEO of the League of United Latin American Citizens, talks with Jen Psaki about the family of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo seeking justice for his killing at the hands of ICE.
Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows joins to discuss her run for the Democratic nomination to run for Senate in the wake of the implosion of Graham Platner's campaign.
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Trump gets rude awakening on the reality of the limits of his power

Jen Psaki rounds up what has been a terrible day for Donald Trump, with a string of court losses and a humiliating collection of mental lapses while speaking in public at the NATO gathering in Turkey.
Jen Psaki reports on the collapse of Graham Platner's campaign for senator from Maine after another sexual assault allegation became too much for his campaign to bear. Molly Jong-Fast, host of the Fast Politics podcast, joins to discuss Platner's attitude and the considerations the state Democratic Party is going to have to make in replacing him.  
Miles Taylor, former chief of staff for the Department of Homeland Security, joins to discuss using the withholding of federal counterrorism money to manipulate states into giving him their voter rolls.
 
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Trump makes a fool of himself with mental stumbles at NATO meeting

Texas Attorney General and Republican candidate for Senate, Ken Paxton's marriage fell apart two years ago when his wife accused him of having an affair and she moved out of the house they shared. According to new reporting from the Texas Tribune and ProPublica, the address of that house is still on Paxton's voting registration even though he hasn't lived there for years and does not appear to be going back. Zach Despart, Texas Tribune investigative reporter, talks with Jen Psaki about why Paxton may have committed voter fraud, and why that would be an especially rich irony.
Graham Platner's time as Maine Democrats' candidate for Senate appears to be about to end, with another brutal round of reports of sexual impropriety. But Platner has been underperforming as a candidate anyway, so replacing him may be to Democrats' advantage if they can pick a good candidate. But how do they choose a new candidate in the short time they have, and straddle the requirements of mainstream Democratic politics while incorporating the renegade, grassroots spirit that has become a hallmark for a party in transition. Jim Messina, campaign manager for former President Barack Obama, and Amy Walter, publisher and editor-in-chief of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter, talk with Jen Psaki about how the Democratic Party should navigate a potential Platner exit.
Rep. Debbie Dingell joins to discuss the contentious Democratic primary in Michigan.
 
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Texas GOP Senate candidate Paxton has been voting illegally, report suggests

A special celebration of America’s 250th anniversary with Rachel Maddow, Jen Psaki, and Ali Velshi from MS NOW’s live community event in Philadelphia. In this hour, Rachel Maddow interviews civil rights legal stalwart Sherrilyn Ifill, and the panel takes questions from the live audience.
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We the People America 250: Country at a Crossroads - Part 2

A special celebration of America’s 250th anniversary with Rachel Maddow, Jen Psaki, and Ali Velshi from MS NOW’s live community event in Philadelphia. In this hour Ali Velshi presents his acclaimed retracing of 250 years of American history. And Jen Psaki interviews Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.
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We the People America 250: Country at a Crossroads - Part 1

Eric Lipton, New York Times investigative reporter, talks with Jen Psaki about the unprecedented amounts of money Donald Trump and his family is making while he is in office, and Trump's shamelessness about the conflicts of interest earning huge windfalls for his sons.
Joyce Vance and Janai Nelson discuss how far the Supreme Court has strayed from the Constitution and American principles.
Rep. Chris Pappas discusses his race for Senate in New Hampshire and the possibility of Democrats achieving a majority in the Senate in this year's elections.
Beau Bayh discusses his candidacy to be Indiana's secreatry of state and the threat Donald Trump poses to free and fair elections.
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How Trump played his followers for 'SUCKERS' and grabbed big bucks for himself

Vaughn Hillyard, Eugene Daniels, and Scott MacFarlane talk with Jen Psaki about Donald Trump appointing a hatchet man to run amok in the U.S. intelligence community, making cuts based on “deep state” paranoid conspiracy theories.
Rep. Ro Khanna joins the discuss the rise of progressive politics within the Democratic Party.
Liz Oyer, former Justice Department pardon attorney, discusses Donald Trump's reported plans to issue a mass pardon of 250 people, and the dubious choices he makes in who receives those pardons.
Dr. Annie Andrews joins to discuss her race for Senate against Linsey Graham and why she has best shot in years of putting him out.
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U.S. intelligence community freaks out as Trump leads by conspiracy theory

Jen Psaki makes the case that Donald Trump's failed "state fair" and his other calamitous projects at the seat of American government is an encapsulation of his entire presidency, from overblown vanity projects to sketchy budgets to utter incompetence to weaponizing his Justice Department to help feed his cover story.
Jonathan Swan, reporter for the New York Times and co-author of "Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump," talks with Jen Psaki about Donald Trump's declaration that he intends to pardon everyone in his circle, and how that knowledge emboldens his staff to act without fear of any consequence.
Andrew Weissmann, former FBI general counsel, talks with Jen Psaki about former special counsel Jack Smith's extended interview on MS NOW earlier today.
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Psaki: Trump's humiliating disaster on the Mall is his presidency in a nutshell

Jen Psaki takes a closer look at the dubious timing and thin excuses for the billions of dollars financial disclosure forms show Donald Trump made when he returned to the White House.
After financial disclosure forms show Donald Trump taking in billions of dollars while president, Rep. Robert Garcia talks with Jen Psaki about the accountability Democrats intend to bring to the Trump family and his administration if they take back the House in November.
Norm Eisen, founder of Democracy Defenders Action, talks with Jen Psaki about why Donald Trump's is the most corrupt administration in American history.
Former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper talks with Jen Psaki about his campaign for Senate and the issues voters are telling him matter most.
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weisner discusses his campaign for governor and fighting Donald Trump in court.
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Psaki looks under the hood of Trump's 'truly sketchy' profit off the presidency

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez talks with Jen Psaki about the significance of primary victories by Democratic Socialist congressional candidates in New York City and why sitting Democrats would be smart to meet these new potential members as colleagues and not buy into the fear-mongering frenzy the right-wing is stirring up.
JD Vance tried to downplay the significance of the Watergate scandal by declaring that it would be merely a 12-hour scandal today. What he didn't say but what everyone heard is that the reason Watergate would be a smaller story today is that Donald Trump produces scandals bigger than that at a rate faster than the news media can report. Jen Psaki gets reaction from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. 
The same vanity that is making a priority of Donald Trump's pet projects maybe also be their undoing, at least in the case of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool project. New reporting from the New York Times suggests that part of the reason for the out-of-control algae bloom in the pool is that devices meant to treat the water were removed at the same time that Donald Trump wanted to make a pretty spectacle of his UFC birthday celebration of himself. David Fahrenthold, investigative reporter for the New York Times, talks with Jen Psaki about his new reporting and the emerging pattern among projects Trump pushes with no-bid contracts. "The things Trump wants done the most are often the things that are done the least well."
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AOC warns Dems on new progressive candidates: Hear them out.

After years of political party power players like Senator Mitch McConnell trying to take control of national party purse strings to which candidates to help and how to shape the party, all it took was one ruling by the Supreme Court to change the way campaign politics is funded. Jen Psaki talks with Jim Messina, former campaign manager for President Barack Obama about how the Supreme Court's ruling changes the game in terms of how political donations are spent.
Donald Trump has had a long-time fixation on the political power of demagoguing around restricting citizenship and who can be called a citizen of the United States. And despite the plain language of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution, Trump is not alone on the radical right in wanting to expunge birthright citizenship as an American right. Rep. Jamie Raskin and general counsel for the NAACP, Kristen Clarke, talk with Jen Psaki about creeping right-wing tide against birthright citizenship and the significance that today's Supreme Court ruling was too close for comfort.
Rep. Jason Crow talks with Jen about the eyebrow-raising results coming out of tonight's Colorado primaries. 
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Game changer: How the Supreme Court just rewrote the rules of politics

Michael Steele shares a jaw-dropping exchange between Senator Gary Peters and Postmaster General David Steiner in which Steiner admits that a new proposed Trump administration rule would withhold mail ballots from states that do not comply with Trump's voter database demands. Senate Peters joins to discuss.
Mychael Schnell, MS Now congressional reporter, and Scott MacFarlane, chief Washington correspondent for MeidasTouch, discuss Donald Trump making enemies in his own party.
Kristen Clarke, former assistant attorney general for civil rights at the Department of Justice, talks with Michael Steele about how the lop-sided Supreme Court is hollowing out civil rights under the Constitution and what reforms need to be made when power changes hands in Washington.
Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford joins to discuss his race for governor and the issues voters are telling him need to be addressed.
And Adm. John Kirby discusses Donald Trump's Iran mess and how Iran is playing the upper hand in its victory over Trump.
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Postmaster shocks with honesty about Trump's anti-mail ballot scheme

Jen Psaki looks at how Donald Trump failed at what should have been the easiest assignment of his presidency, celebrating the 250th birthday of the United States. And Trump even managed to blow up the signing ceremony for what should have been a no-brainer, bipartisan, American-helping housing bill. But it was in his unhinged tweets that it became clear what was really on his mind.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries discusses last night's primary elections, including the races in New York in which candidates backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani defeated candidates backed by Jeffries.
Jen Psaki explains the difference between the America 250 planning to celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States, and "Freedom 250," which is Donald Trump's vehicle to make America's 250th birthday about himself at to his own benefit. Senator Jon Ossoff joins to discuss how self-dealing corruption has become a hallmark of Donald Trump's presidency.
Senator Elizabeth Warren talks with Jen Psaki about Donald Trump's refusal to sign a bipartisan housing bill that will help Americans struggling with the high cost of living in Trump's economy.
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Trump even fails at the little stuff, haunted by Mamdani's success

Jen Psaki talks with Senator Raphael Warnock about how voters in Georgia are standing up against Republican redistricting and Donald Trump's immigrant prison camp plans as Americans are increasingly aware that the only way to stop Trump is to stand up to him.
Nancy Lacore was serving as a vice admiral in the U.S. Navy when she was fired as part of former weekend cable news host Pete Hegseth's anti-diversity purge of military leadership. But now Lacore is a promising new candidate for Congress, winning the Democratic primary runoff for South Carolina's 1st Congressional District while on the air with Jen Psaki, and with control of the House in the balance, Trump may regret Hegseth's crusade.
MS NOW's Ali Velshi reports from the big board as primary election returns come in.
Lis Smith, former deputy campaign manager for Martin O'Malley, and Morris Katz, Morris Katz, Democratic strategist on the Mamdani and Platner campaigns, discuss the dynamics within the Democratic Party as more liberal candidates win primaries and Trump's unpopularity drives moderate Republicans into an ever-growing tent.
 
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How Hegseth's reckless firing spree could backfire on Trump

MS NOW's Michele Norris interviews former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama about their time in the White House and opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago.
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MS NOW Exclusive | Hope Comes Home: Inside the Obama Presidential Center - Part 2

MS NOW's Michele Norris interviews former President Barack Obama about his time in office and the opening of his new presidential center in Chicago.
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MS NOW Exclusive | Hope Comes Home: Inside the Obama Presidential Center - Part 1

Jen Psaki talks with former speech writers for President Barack Obama, Jon Favreau and Cody Keenan, about the significance of the Obama Presidential Center and how the messaging of hope and hard work contrasts with the bleak mood as Americans endure Donald Trump's corruption and mismanagement.
Former President Barack Obama, in his remarks upon the opening of the Obama Presidential Center, tells the story of the origin of the now-famous quote, "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice," from 19th-century abolitionist pastor Theodore Parker.
Reggie Love, former personal assistant to President Obama, talks about the team of people who worked in the Obama adminiatration. 
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Obama re-ups American values in an age of Trump depravity

Former President Barack Obama has made permanent residence in Donald Trump's head for most of Trump's political life, and now, in the shadow of his failed war on Iran, the contrast between Trump's shortcomings and Obama's accomplishments only add to Trump's burden. Jen Psaki traces the roots of Trump's insecurity about Obama, and talks with House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi.
Senator Jon Ossoff lays into his new Republican opponent, Trumpy Rep. Mike Collins, and responds to Donald Trump's petty name calling with withering criticism of Trump's performance in office.
Jen Psaki shares a clip of MS NOW's Michelle Norris' exclusive interview with former President Barack Obama in conjunction with the opening of his presidential library. The full interview will air as part of a two hour special on Friday, June 19 at 9pm ET on MS NOW.
Valerie Jarrett, CEO of the Obama Foundation talks with Jen Psaki about the opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago.
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DISGRACED by Iran failure, Trump is tormented by Obama's superior skill

Donald Trump's sycophantic FBI director, Kash Patel, has reportedly caused a rift between the FBI and the Secret Service for impulsively posting to social media about an investigation that was still ongoing, part of a pattern of Patel being unable to restrain himself. Patel's embarrassment comes as he is newly accused of making payouts to his inner circle from a taxpayer funded slush fund. Senator Adam Schiff joins Jen Psaki to discuss.
As Republican candidates wrestle over who can be Trumpier than the other, Democratic candidates are focused on the issues that matter to voters. Keisha Lance Bottoms, Democratic candidate for governor of Georgia, talks with Jen Psaki about the asymmetry of the election and why it's important to have reasonable people in leadership positions in the age of Trump.
Ali Velshi tracks another night of election returns. 
Jim Messina, former campaign manager for Barack Obama, and Tim Miller, host of the Bulwark podcast, offer analysis of what the results suggest about the shape of the electorate and the November elections.
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Blurting Kash Patel brings fresh embarrassment to Donald Trump

People gathered in person and online to witness the removal of Donald Trump's name from the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.. The Trump administration made last-ditch efforts to delay the removal. Ultimately, the courts pushed back. Former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirshner joins Jen to discuss.
Following SpaceX's debut trading on the NASDAQ, Jen Psaki breaks down why you may end up boosting Elon Musk's net worth, whether you like it or not. 
Jen interviews Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger to discuss her first six months as governor, redistricting efforts in her state, and more.
Democratic Congressman Adriano Espaillat joins The Briefing following a fiery debate with Mamdani-backed Darializa Avila Chevalier.
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Legal SMACKDOWN: Millions await Trump's name RIPPED from Kennedy Center

Jen Psaki looks at catastrophic polling data about how Americans feel about Donald Trump and his handling of issues like the economy and his war with Iran Jen also shares interviews from MS NOW reporter Alex Tabet with frustrated Trump voters who turning away from Trump.
"They thought he was going to lower costs. They thought he was going to end the wars. They thought he was going to drain the swamp. They thought he was going to release the Epstein files. And now they're feeling pretty disillusioned." Democratic candidate for Senate from Texas, James Talarico, talks with Jen Psaki about how Donald Trump's broken promises and the hardships imposed by Trump's economy are giving his campaign the opportunity to connect with previously inaccessible voters and have a real shot at flipping that Senate seat in November.
Norm Eisen, executive director of Democracy Defenders Fund, talks with Jen about the illegality of Donald Trump's self-indulgent use of federal resources, including the White House, for his personal aggrandizement and birthday celebration.
John Brennan, former director of the CIA, joins to discuss Jay Clayton, Donald Trump's new DNI nominee, and the perils of Bill Pulte serving in the acting-DNI role for even a short period of time.
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MAGA regret: Trump's failed policies, broken promises drive supporters away

A new report from the New York Times exposes the frantic response from Donald Trump's White House to protect Trump from fallout from the revelations in the Jeffrey Epstein files and his association with the notorious sex predator. Rep. Robert Garcia talks with Jen Psaki about what the report's revelations mean for the ongoing congressional investigation.
In addition to bizarrely declaring his love for inflation, Donald Trump also announced that the U.S. is taking Iranian oil. Rep. Emilia Sykes took advantage of the fact that Trump's energy secretary, Chris Wright, was testifying before the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, and pressed Wright to address Trump's statements, leaving the secretary at a loss. 
Democratic candidate for Senate from Maine, Graham Platner talks with Jen Psaki about leaving the past behind and the road ahead to the general election.
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Epstein files release sent White House into CRISIS MODE: New report

Graham Platner, Democratic candidate for Senate from Maine, addresses his supporters in declaring victory in the Democratic primary, thanking them for his support, laying out his vision for the issues he hopes to champion on their behalf in Washington, D.C., and presenting a blistering criticism of Senator Susan Collins, his Republican opponent in the general election.
Ali Velshi, MS NOW chief data reporter, breaks down primary election returns as they are reported.
MS NOW's Alex Tabet shares his reporting on how Maine voters view the Senate primary race.
And Jim Messina, former campaign manager for Barack Obama, and Alex Seitz-Wald, deputy editor of the Midcoast Villager, talk with Jen Psaki about the stakes of the 2026 election and what voters are showing their priorities are.
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'We are ready for change!': Victorious Platner thanks supporters and BLASTS Susan Collins

A report from the non-profit watchdog group Public Citizen points out that while Donald Trump insists that donations are paying for his vanity project ballroom, those donors are being granted federal contracts totaling more than $50 billion.
Ruth Ben Ghiat, author of "Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present,” and Timothy L. O'Brien, senior executive editor of Bloomberg Opinion, discuss Donald Trump's corruption and how his behavior is typical of authoritarians, from trying to put his name and face on everything to going to war against the free press.
The discovery of the screwworm parasite in cattle in Texas has raised alarm about the struggling U.S. cattle industry and the already high price of beef for American consumers. Ali Velshi explains the careful government precautions necessary to protect American livestock from the damaging screwworm, and how Donald Trump threw those precautions out the window. 
Rebecca Cooke, Democratic candidate for Congress from Wisconsin, talks with Ali Velshi about the hardships farmers have endured as a result of Donald Trump's policies and why his words on a visit with Wisconsin farmers rang hollow to anyone actually experiencing the fallout from Trump's tariffs, high fuel prices, cuts to local services and more.
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Report exposes hidden $50 billion price tag on Trump's ballroom

While Democratic candidate for Senate, Graham Platner, has incorporated a story of personal redemption as part of his campaign persona, new details are illustrating just how dark the life was from which he was redeemed. Chris Hayes follows his interview with Platner with a discussion of how compromising the latest revelations are for Platner's candidacy. 
Donald Trump is ready to appoint his own criminal defense attorney as Attorney General, and let slip that he wants the DOJ investigating his 2020 loss to Joe Biden. Senator Alex Padilla joins to discuss.
Former CIA director John Brennan discusses what's at stake with Donald Trump's choice of a sycophant with no intelligence experience to be the new director of national intelligence, and why someone who found a way to weaponize mortgage data against people Donald Trump doesn't like is a dangerous person to give access to America's intelligence products.
Donald Trump already had little room to spare in commanding the loyalty of the House majority, but as his popularity continues to sag and legislators become increasingly aware of the upcoming election and how upset their constituents are, more Republicans are willing to step out of line, including on Iran war power, Ukraine aid, and more sanctions against Russia (which Trump objects to for some reason). Rep. Gregory Meeks joins to discuss.
 
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Trump plays dangerous game with 'little Trump' DNI pick

While it is not unusual for Donald Trump to appoint completely unqualified people to important jobs in his administration, his choice of Bill Pulte, a Mar-a-Lago suck-up who Trump had already gifted the position of director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, to be the new Director of National Intelligence is too far for many Republicans who are already dealing with the burden of association with Trump's unpopularity. Senator Adam Schiff, a former member of the House Intelligence Committee, discusses with Jen Psaki.
Jen Psaki talks with Iowa State Rep. Josh Turek, now the Democratic candidate for Senate, about how Donald Trump's policies, from tariffs to the war with Iran have made the challenges Iowans deal with, particularly Iowa's farmers, more difficult, and how he addresses that in his campaign.
Scott MacFarlane, chief Washington correspondent for MeidasTouch, talks with Jen Psaki about the calamity taking place at CBS News as Trump loyalists eject journalists who resist their editorial influence.
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'Open revolt': Republicans just can't with Trump's ABSURD pick for DNI

Senator Jon Ossoff, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, talks with Jen Psaki about the importance of his Senate race in Georgia to the Democrats' goal of retaking the majority, and shares his heated reaction to the news that Donald Trump is appointing Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, to replace Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence.
Jim Messina, former campaign manager for President Barack Obama's 2012 reelection campaign, and Addisu Demissie,Democratic Party political strategist, talk with Jen Psaki about key themes in Tuesday night's primary elections in New Jersey, South Dakota, Iowa, New Mexico, Montana and California.
Rob Sand, Iowa auditor of the state and Democratic candidate for governor, talks with Jen Psaki about the issues voters are telling him matter to them the most in this election.
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'Single most dangerous' Trump appointee: Ossoff HAMMERS Trump's DNI pick as 'a thug and a hack'

Jen Psaki reviews the fresh string of legal failures Donald Trump has suffered, including a federal judge dropping the hammer on Trump's sketchy IRS "settlement" trick to give himself a $1.8 billion slush fund. Former U.S. attorney Preet Bharara joins to share legal insights.
Rep. Suhas Subramanyam tells Jen Psaki about Pam Bondi's behind-closed-doors testimony about the Jeffrey Epstein files before the House Overnight Committee, saying she repeatedly placed the burden of how the release of the Epstein files was handled on Donald Trump's former criminal defense lawyer and current acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.
Jen Psaki points out that despite lots of promises, Donald Trump is repeatedly failing to secure a deal with Iran, and the terms that are reportedly being considered include monetary concessions that are significantly more than Trump and his allies criticized former President Barack Obama for. Ben Rhodes, former deputy national security advisor to President Obama, and Admiral John Kirby (ret.), former NSC coordinator for strategic communications, join to add further insight.
And Jen surveys the mess Donald Trump has made of Washington, D.C.
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Extended legal losing streak hits Trump where it hurts

Jen Psaki shares reporting from Pro Publica that the White House played a direct role in helping a company in which Donald Trump Jr. is an investor. 
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani talks with Jen Psaki on a range of issues from affordable housing to the New York Knicks and the World Cup, and directly addresses the threat by Donald Trump's Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin that he plans to shut down international flights to sanctuary cities.  
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has endorsed democratic socialist Darializa Avila Chevalier over incumbent Democratic Congressman Adriano Espaillat in the Democratic primary for New York's 13th Congressional District. Mamdani and Avila Chevalier talk about the race with Jen Psaki.
Donald Trump has turned his weaponized Department of Justice on E. Jean Carroll after she twice won massive civil judgements against him. Former federal prosecutor Andrew Weissmann discusses.
And Terry Moran, former senior national correspondent for ABC News, talks with Jen about the right-wing ideologues who have taken over CBS News and are trying to influence its editorial content. 
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In any other administration, this would be grounds for opening an impeachment inquiry

Former Rep. Beto O'Rourk talks with Jen Psaki about why the political conditions in Texas may finally be right for Democrats to start flipping Senate seats.
Donald Trump successfully lured the U.S. media into publishing headlines about another imminent peace deal with Iran over Memorial Day weekend, only for the deal to fall apart yet again and then days later the U.S. is firing more missiles despite the ongoing so-called ceasefire. Robert Malley, former special envoy to Iran, talks with Jen Psaki about the cycle of failure Trump is stuck in and what steps could realistically make progress toward re-opening the Strait of Hormuz and ending U.S. military action in Iran.
Donald Trump is trying to use the 250th anniversary of the United States as an excuse for sloppy spending on rehabilitating the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool while Americans watch him turn the White House grounds into a circus scene. Norm Eisen, executive chair of the Democracy Defenders Fund, talks with Jen Psaki about the impropriety of Trump's vanity projects.
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Iran makes a fool of Trump as another peace deal falls apart; U.S. launches new attacks

As Texas Republicans follow Donald Trump's direction and give a primary victory to deeply flawed candidate, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Jim Messina, campaign manager for Barack Obama's 2012 reelection campaign, and Chuck Rocha, former senior advisor to the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign, talk with Jen Psaki about how the Republican Party's inability to break away from unpopular Trump is setting them up for and even more difficult midterm election.
Ali Velshi offers insights from the election data.
Jen Psaki describes the basic contours of some of the many scandals that make the newly selected Texas Republican candidate for Senate, Ken Paxton, endorsed by Donald Trump, a disastrously difficult candidate for voters to support, even Trump-era Republican voters with a high tolerance for corruption, disgrace and dishonor.
Rep. Greg Casar, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, joins to discuss.
And Senator Cory Booker joins to discuss the potental shift in power in Congress after this year's midterms and how lame duck legislators burned by Trump may haunt him as their terms run out.
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'Captive of the crazy': Trump's dubious primary picks add to GOP's midterm burden

Donald Trump's avalanche of unpopular ideas and failures has Republican senators livid and turning against him. Even senators who have distinguished themselves as enthusiastic suck-ups to Trump are voicing concerns about Trump's slush fund and the hardships Trump's economy is imposing on the American people. Senator Richard Blumenthal joins to discuss.
The $1,776,000,000 that Donald Trump wants to distribute to his criminal political allies does not come from an insurance policy or a corporate entity. It is money from American taxpayers. Andrew Weissmann, former federal prosecutor and author of the newly released "Liar's Kingdom," discusses why Trump's fund shouldn't exist in the first place, even before any debate about who should benefit from it.
Donald Trump's endorsement of Ken Paxton for Senate in Texas may have come too late to avoid the damage of a toxic primary battle. Chuck Rocha, Democratic strategist, and Mark McKinnon, former advisor to George W Bush and John McCain, discuss the Republican mess in Texas and why this year may be when conditions align to favor Democrats.
With Donald Trump's approval rating sinking to historic lows, Rep. Brendan Boyle discusses how Democrats can take advantage of this opportunity. 
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Trump is losing control of the Senate (even some 'bootlickers')

Jen Psaki points out that Republicans in Congress are increasingly losing their motivation to follow Donald Trump through his wildly unpopular vanity projects and destructive policies that are hurting Americans. On top of that are the number of lame duck legislators who ran afoul of Trump and lost primaries because of him and not have the rest of their term to exact payback as members of the "Yolo Caucus."
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse joins to discuss Trump's slush fund as well as bizarre remarks by Jeff Bezos about income inequality and taxing the rich.
Jen Psaki shares video that suggests that Donald Trump was aware of his tax information being leaked months earlier than he claimed in his lawsuit against the IRS, putting him past the statute of limitations for what is ostensibly the basis of his slush fund settlement. Rep. Dan Goldman, former federal prosecutor explains the legal perspective to Jen Psaki and discusses why Trump's slush fund for criminal political allies is legally doomed.
Ben Rhodes, former deputy national security advisor to President Barack Obama, talks with Jen Psaki about the Trump administration's clumsy belligerence toward Cuba.
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Trump's power play is backfiring as betrayed Republicans go rogue

Jen Psaki reports on a wild day in Republican politics as Rep. Thomas Massie was defeated in an insanely expensive Kentucky primary by a Trump-backed challenger. Massie's advocacy for the release of the Epstein files put him at odds with Trump. Senator John Cornyn committed no act of defiance against Trump, and, in fact, debased himself in a desperate appeal for Trump's favor, only to be stabbed in the back when Trump endorsed his exceptionally compromised opponent.
Tim Miller, host of The Bulwark podcast, and Jim Messina, campaign manager for Barack Obama's 2012 campaign, talk with Jen Psaki about the wildly expensive Republican primary in Kentucky in which Trump insisted on supporting a challenger candidate, and the millions the Republican Party sank into the Texas Republican Senate primary before Trump finally endorsed a deeply flawed candidate.
Acting Attorney General and former Donald Trump criminal defense attorney Todd Blanche tried to convince the Senate Appropriations Committee that giving Donald Trump $1.8 billion to distribute to his legally aggrieved political allies is a reasonable thing to do. Senator Chris Van Hollen talks with Jen Psaki about why he wasn't fooled.
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Trump lawyer flops defending slush fund at Senate hearing

Jen Psaki looks at the boasts and promises Donald Trump made on the campaign trail about how he would handle China and President Xi, and compares that to Trump's performance on an actual trip to China.
Former U.S. ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul, and former Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr discuss Donald Trump's underwhelming performance in his meeting with China's Presient Xi.
Rep. Jamie Raskin talks with Jen about insider trading and elected officials, including the president, and what legislators need to do to put an end to it.
And David Fahrenthold, investigative reporter for the New York Times, talks with Jen Psaki about the rash of Donald Trump's vanity projects in Washington, D.C. and the bizarre details of Trump's overhaul of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on the National Mall.
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Trump's campaign tough talk on China EVAPORATES in real world test

Jen Psaki shares new reporting from ABC News that Donald Trump is expected to settle his lawsuit against the IRS in exchange for a $1.5 billion slush fund for people he feels were persecuted by the Biden administration.
Former FBI Director James Comey talks with Jen Psaki about the state of the FBI in the second Trump administration, the effect of Kash Patel's leadership on morale and the resilience of the FBI's culture to survive the deleterious conditions of the Trump administration. 
Senator Chris Van Hollen talks with Jen about legislative efforts to hold members of the Trump administration accountable for rampant corruption.
Jack Schlossberg, grandson of former President John F. Kennedy and candidate to represent New York's 12th Congressional District talks with Jen Psaki about running a modern campaign, his qualification for the job of congressman, his controversial "first cousin once removed," Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his policy ideas should he be elected.
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Comey: 'The FBI is suffering' with Kash Patel as director

Jen Psaki looks at the political convenience of JD Vance's new anti-fraud talking points as he struggles to demonstrate some relevance while the rest of the Trump administration goes to China. But too much attention on fraud is a particularly awkward thing for Trump, who is trying to find a way to force the IRS to give him billions of taxpayer dollars, and while he his own son, Eric, with business interests in China, has joined him in traveling to Beijing. 
Senator Mark Kelly joins to discuss the corruption in the Trump administration and the incompetence of Pete Hegseth.
Jen Psaki rounds up reporting on cost overruns, scheduling delays and quality defects in the work being done on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Despite going on at length about his role in picking the contractor without any bidding and the pool's new color, Trump is now quick to point the finger at "Interior." Rep. Joe Neguse talks with Jen Psaki about Trump's "gross waste of taxpayer resources."
Rep. Ro Khanna joins to discuss Donald Trump's self-dealing.
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SHAMELESS: Vance focuses on fraud with especially bad timing for Trump

Donald Trump's FBI directory, Kash Patel, testified before the Senator Appropriations Committee and faced more questions about reports of excessive drinking. Jen Psaki points out that despite Patel's umbridge in the face of questioning, before he became FBI director, he did not exactly keep his drinking a secret. Michael Feinberg, former FBI assistant special agent in charge, and award-winning journalist Tim Weiner join Jen Psaki to discuss the corrosive effects of Patel's leadership at the FBI.
Rep. Robert Garcia joins to discuss the ongoing fight to get justice for Jeffrey Epstein's victims.
Jen Psaki looks at how Donald Trump's failure to endorse a candidate for Senate in Texas has the top two contenders spending money to tear each other down. Meanwhile, Texas Democrats are fired up and boosting turnout numbers as President Barack Obama campaigns with Senate candidate James Talarico and gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa. Hinojosa joins to talk about the evident enthusiasm among Democratic voters.
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Kash's boozy boasts backfire as drinking questions follow him to another hearing

The Supreme Court's gutting of the Voting Rights Act followed closely by Virginia's supreme court rejecting their new redistricting has taken the wind out of Democratic sails, but the actual math and other political factors still favor Democrats re-taking the House in this year's elections. Dan Pfieffer, co-host of "Pod Save America," and Quentin Fulks, former Harris principal deputy campaign manager talk with Jen Psaki about why Democrats are in good shape to take the House and why the party's focus needs to shift to state legislatures.
Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger joins to discuss Democratic election strategy with Jen.
You may have thought Kash Patel autographing personalized bourbon bottles as FBI director was peak ridiculousness, even for the Trump administration. But Pete Hegseth using U.S. military resources to flatter Kid Rock may have surpassed that standard. And then there is Donald Trump's transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, who has apparently decided that his job is easy enough that he can do it and also star in his own relaity show. Jen Psaki explains it all.
And Scott MacFarlane, chief Washington correspondent for MeidasTouch, discusses ABC's pushbach against Trump's effort to intimidate the news media into giving him the coverage he wants. 
 
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The perspective you're looking for: Democrats still in good shape but gear up for hardball

Jen Psaki shows members of the Trump administration failing desperately to address questions about the price of gas as polling shows an absolutely livid voting public.
Former CIA director John Brennan talks with Jen Psaki about news reports on the war in Iran that contradict Donald Trump's boasts.
Former Attorney General Eric Holder, chair of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, talks with Jen Psaki about how Democrats should and can respond to Southern states eliminating Black congressional representation as quickly as the Supreme Court gave them the opportunity.
 
 
 
 
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Trump team struggles to spin soaring gas prices as panic sets in

Jen Psaki reviews the shocking litany of political targeting by Donald Trump's Justice Department, from investigations and indictments to raids of political opponents led by disgraced FBI Director Kash Patel.
Andrew Weissmann, former FBI general counsel, and Tim Weiner, author of "Enemies: A History of the FBI," discuss the level of disgrace Kash Patel has brought to the by-the-book FBI.
Rep. Jamie Raskin joins to discuss how federal workers can use whistleblower protections to report instances of government corruption to Congress.
Howard Lutnick, Donald Trump's commerce secretary, answered questions about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein at a behind-closed-doors congressional hearing. Democrats who attended the meeting report that Lutnick did not exactly distinguish himself.
And Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton talks with Jen Psaki about bringing accountability to the Trump administration if Democrats take over one or both chambers of Congres.
 
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Psaki reviews a shocking litany of political targeting by Trump's DOJ

Pete Buttigieg, former secretary of transportation and former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, talks with Jen Psaki about the burden of Donald Trump on Republican candidates, even in red states, and how politicians are recalibrating their approach to voters as Donald Trump loses both relevance and any popularity he once enjoyed.
Dr. Amy Acton, Democratic candidate for governor of Ohio, talks with Jen about what she's hearing from voters in her state.
Jen Psaki takes a closer look at how Donald Trump's vanity project ballroom, which no one asked for, has ballooned in cost and has now become a taxpayer burden.
And Chedrick Greene, Democratic candidate for Michigan State Senate District 35, joins Jen to talk about his approach to campaigning and the stakes of his election.
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Life after Trump: Elections show political adjustments as Trump fades from relevance

Donald Trump's corruption and greed have reached a tipping point with the American public to become a campaign focus for many Democratic candidates. Ben Rhodes, former deputy national security advisor to President Obama, talks with Jen Psaki about the politics and also how Democrats can ensure justice is served as Trump's protective power slips.
Donald Trump using his position in the White House to enrich himself and cut deals with taxpayer money for countries and corporations that do him favors is an enduring feature of Trump's corrupt presidency. Jen Psaki and former Obama deputy national security advisor Ben Rhodes discuss the contrast between Trump's greed and the struggles Americans are facing in Trump's mismanaged economy.
Former Senator Doug Jones, who is running to be governor of Alabama, talks with Jen about the rush to redraw congressional districts in southern states after Donald Trump's Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act.
And Rep. Robert Garcia discusses FCC chair Brendan Carr abusing his office to serve as Donald Trump's speech police.
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Trump corruption backlash emerges as key election issue; Democrats plan for accountability

Jen Psaki looks at polling in key midterm Senate races that shows Democrats ahead, tied or within striking distance as Donald Trump's popularity continues to sag to new lows. Graham Platner, who essentially clinched the Democratic nomination for Senate from Maine when his opponent dropped out today, joins to discuss the grassroots energy behind his campaign and the significance of his race to eventual Democratic control of the Senate. "Any road to a Democratic Senate goes through the state of Maine," he says.
Graham Platner, Democratic candidate for Senate from Maine, talks with Jen Psaki about the role Donald Trump plays in his race and with the voters he hopes to make his constituents, and discusses the posture Democrats should take to make the most of any political power they are able to attain in the midterm elections.
J.P. Cooney, former federal prosecutor, talks with Jen about the Trump administration's bad faither prosecution of James Comey.
Tennessee State Rep. Justin J. Pearson talks about defending voting right in the wake of the Supreme Court gutting the Voting Rights Act.
 
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'Shut this White House down': Platner talks strategy to stop Trump

Jen Psaki explains the map at the center of the new Supreme Court ruling that is likely to weaken Black representation in Congress and talks with Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock about what the ruling's real world effects will likely be.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries talks with Jen Psaki about how Democrats plan to address Donald Trump's disasters.
Jen Psaki shares highlights of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth being challenged by Democrats in a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee, and talks with veteran Rep. Pat Ryan about his frustration with Hegseth's answers and attitude.
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'It's the incompetence!': Hegseth roasted by Democrats in congressional hearing

Jen Psaki shares part of King Charles' speech to Congress in which he explains the importance of checks and balances in a functioning democracy to the very people who have abdicated their responsibility to be a check on Donald Trump. 
Senator Mark Kelly joins to discuss Donald Trump's misguided reaction to the security breach over the weekend, and also shares his thoughts on a report that JD Vance is concerned that Donald Trump's war on Iran is expending too much of the U.S. weapons stockpile and not achieving the level of success Donald Trump is boasting about.
Jen Psaki shows Donald Trump making the same joke about how much older he is than Melania as the joke Trump and Melania claim is so offensive that Kimmel should be removed from his job.  
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis reportedly wants a job in the Trump administration when his term as governor ends. Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost explains to Jen Psaki that DeSantis knows Trump well enough to know that the best way to get in Trump's good graces is to show fealty to him, so he has joined the game other Republican governors are playing to rig their states' congressional districts to favor Trump. Frost points out that DeSantis' map is illegal, but also, DeSantis is not making a good faith effort to draw a real congressional district map.
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King Charles schools Trump on democracy in speech to Congress about checks and balances

With a new Fox News poll showing that most American think Donald Trump does not have the mental soundness to serve effectively as president, Jen Psaki looks at the trouble Trump is having even staying awake, and his bad habit of making poor decisions based on the incorrect assumption that everyone will give him what he wants.
White Donald Trump's Justice Department wages a bizarre political prosecution of the Southern Poverty Law Center, Trump seems to be confusing that attack with other political attacks the DOJ has carried out on his behalf. Rep. Dan Goldman talks with Jen Psaki about the DOJ's "insane" case and Trump's weird belief that it will lead to wiping his 2020 election loss "off the books."
Former Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr, and former special envoy for Iran, Robert Malley talk with Jen about the chances for success of the latest round of negotiations between the U.S. and Iran.
Former Rep. Elaine Luria talks with Jen about running for Congress in a newly created district in Virginia.
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Most Americans think Trump is NOT mentally fit for office, Fox News poll says

Jen Psaki looks at the conflicts of interest behind the business deals Donald Trump's sons (and son-in-law) have made with companies that are making millions of dollars from government contracts and the demands of Trump's war on Iran.
Rep. Jamie Raskin talks with Jen Psaki about holding Trump's family members accountable.
Adm. John Kirby (ret.), former Pentagon press secretary, talks with Jen Psaki about what Donald Trump is communicating between the lines while he acts like he feels no pressure and is in no particular hurry to get the U.S. out of his war with Iran.
Senator Amy Klobuchar joins to discuss how Donald Trump's Iran war is affecting her constituents, and the huge amount of money Republicans want to budget for ICE despite the disaster Trump's anti-immigrant campaign has been.
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