Morning Wire: “The View From Pod Force One with Miranda Devine”
Date: November 23, 2025
Host: John Bickley (with Georgia Howe)
Guest: Miranda Devine, New York Post columnist and host of Pod Force One
Episode Overview
This episode dives into the inner workings of Donald Trump’s second term through the lens of Miranda Devine, host of the podcast Pod Force One. The conversation explores the personalities and dynamics within the Trump White House, the evolution of Trump's leadership style, the media’s shifting tone in response to a landmark peace deal, and the administration's major policy challenges and strategic priorities going forward.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Launch & Concept of "Pod Force One"
[04:15]
- Miranda Devine introduces Pod Force One as a behind-the-scenes diary of Trump’s second presidency, providing “off the daily news pace” interviews that explore what makes Trump tick and offering insights not usually caught by mainstream coverage.
- Quote:
“It was really Donald Trump, a conversation between Donald Trump and my editor in chief, Keith Poole ... it's a take on Air Force One because we were hoping to make a sort of a almost like a diary of Donald Trump's presidency, his second term ... more exploring what makes him tick.”
— Miranda Devine ([04:25])
Unusual Insights Into Trump's Past
[05:07]
- Trump’s parents had him aptitude tested as a child; to his father’s disappointment, he tested as a musical genius and briefly took flute lessons.
- Memorable Moment:
Devine laughs about Trump’s embarrassment over flute lessons, revealing a lesser-known humanizing detail about the former (and current) president.
Cabinet Dynamics & Internal Culture
[05:40 - 08:21]
- Despite many strong personalities (“so many alpha males”), there is real unity in Trump’s cabinet, though tensions and occasional “periodic eruptions” (including a physical altercation between Elon Musk and Scott Besant) do occur.
- Trump maintains an “open door policy,” fostering camaraderie and direct access.
- Many cabinet members share a surprising psychological commonality: childhood trauma, especially involving their fathers around age 12 (e.g., loss, injury, family financial collapse). Devine theorizes this may have contributed to their drive and resilience as adults.
- Quote:
“One of the things that I have discovered and I want to write a column about this is that of, I think it's like 7 out of 10 or out of 12 [cabinet members] have had the same childhood experience ... something tragic and dramatic happened with their father when they were around 12 years old."
— Miranda Devine ([07:23])
Trump’s Second Term: Contrast and Evolution
[08:43]
- Trump has become more confident in wielding presidential authority, learning from his first term and the Biden interlude. He is now “imposing his will” energetically and efficiently.
- The pace is relentless (“everyone is working on Trump time”), and key staff like Chief of Staff Susie Wiles are credited for managing both Trump's ambitions and the well-being of his young team.
- Quote:
“He also had four years to look at how Joe Biden was screwing everything up ... He has very little time. So everyone is working on Trump time. People half his age have run ragged, but they all seem to be rowing in the same direction.”
— Miranda Devine ([08:43]) - On Susie Wiles:
“He calls her the ice maiden. She's tough as nails, incredibly competent, but also very kind ... She tries to make sure anything that irritates him, she neutralizes before it becomes a problem.”
— Miranda Devine ([09:50])
Media Reaction to the Trump-Brokered Middle East Peace Deal
[11:12]
- Devine notes a remarkable, temporary shift in media coverage following Trump’s historic peace deal, with even traditional critics in “liberal broadsheets” and cable news offering rare praise, lacking their usual snark.
- Some in Biden’s camp, notably Secretary Blinken, have tried to take credit, but the consensus is the deal was uniquely Trump’s achievement.
- Quote:
“I was amazed seeing all these headlines of all these liberal broadsheets that were positive about Donald Trump. And I thought, where's the snark? ... all these very strong Trump critics just giving him unalloyed praise.”
— Miranda Devine ([11:12])
Foreign Policy: Looking Ahead
[12:40]
-
The administration faces mounting challenges with China (“the elephant in the room”).
-
On Russia & Ukraine, Trump is expected to aggressively pursue a settlement involving Putin and Zelensky, as Russia’s economy falters and Putin makes conciliatory gestures post-Gaza deal.
-
Quote:
“I think that Zelensky and Ukraine has sort of set the table for Donald Trump to come in and try again to make a hard bargain with Putin.”
— Miranda Devine ([13:23])
Notable Quotes & Timestamps
- “Pod Force One ... was hoping to make a sort of a almost like a diary of Donald Trump's presidency, his second term ... more exploring what makes him tick.” — Miranda Devine ([04:25])
- “There are those sorts of periodic eruptions, but ... around the Resolute desk were several cabinet members and ... just being his sort of ebullient self ... that's the kind of presidency that he runs. He has an open door policy.” — Miranda Devine ([06:34])
- “Seven out of ten or out of twelve have had the same childhood experience ... something tragic and dramatic happened with their father when they were around 12.” — Miranda Devine ([07:23])
- “He is making sure that he uses the authority he has as commander in chief to impose his will on the entire world and the country ... everyone is working on Trump time.” — Miranda Devine ([08:43])
- “Morning Joe, David Ignatius, all these very strong Trump critics just giving him unalloyed praise and saying, well, you know, Joe Biden tried, but he just wasn't able to pull it off.” — Miranda Devine ([11:22])
- “I think China is a big challenge. It's sort of the ... elephant in the room. Meanwhile, in Russia ... I think that Zelensky and Ukraine has set the table for Donald Trump ... to make a hard bargain with Putin.” — Miranda Devine ([12:40])
Memorable Moments
- Trump’s musical aptitude test story and flute lessons ([04:25], [05:07])
- The revelation of a physical confrontation between Elon Musk and the commerce secretary outside the Oval Office ([06:05])
Episode Flow & Structure
- [04:15] Introduction to Miranda Devine and background on Pod Force One
- [05:07] Trump’s childhood and the flute anecdote
- [05:40 - 08:21] Cabinet dynamics, unity, and psychological insights
- [08:43] Evolution of Trump’s approach in his second term
- [11:12] Media’s reaction to the Middle East peace deal
- [12:40] Foreign policy priorities: China, Russia, Ukraine
- [13:44] Concluding remarks
Tone
The episode maintains a tone of behind-the-scenes frankness and enthusiasm, blending insider anecdotes with political analysis. Devine’s commentary is candid, reflective, and occasionally lighthearted, especially in personal stories and descriptions of cabinet personalities.
For listeners new and old, the episode illuminates the changing White House culture, the personal histories shaping today’s leaders, and how Trump’s second presidency is defining itself on the world stage and in the eyes of a sometimes-surprisingly receptive media.