Podcast
The Beat with Ari Melber
Hosted by Ari Melber, MS NOW · EN
Ari Melber delivers the biggest political and news stories of the day, with interviews and original reporting from around the nation. An Emmy-winning journalist, attorney and former Senate staffer, Melber cuts through the spin and the noise to tell you what's really happening. Real news, every night.
281episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
CBS's Top Anchor: MAGA Owners Helping Kill “60 Minutes”
Jun 200:42:09Summary readyJune 2, 2026; 6pm; MS NOW's Ari Melber reports on growing fears within the GOP that President Trump is damaging the party with scandals and blunders. Legendary Democratic Strategist James Carville joins. Plus, CBS’s top anchor Scott Pelley says MAGA ownership is killing "60 Minutes.” Melber reports and is joined by former FBI General Counsel and former Mueller prosecutor Andrew Weissmann. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
SummaryTrump Admin to Abandon “Slush Fund” Amid Backlash
Jun 100:41:32Summary readyJune 1, 2026; 6pm; MS NOW reports that the Trump administration is planning to abandon its highly controversial $1.8 billion “slush fund.” MS NOW’s Melissa Murray reports and is joined by former SDNY civil prosecutor Maya Wiley and The New York Times’ Molly Jong-Fast. Plus, Murray reports on growing questions about Donald Trump's Wall Street trades. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and Trump biographer David Cay Johnston joins. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
SummaryBONUS: Trump slush fund and Democracy talk with Andrew Weissmann and Maya Wiley
Jun 100:22:46Summary readyBONUS: In this podcast extra, Ari Melber reports on President Trump's slush fund and speaks with Andrew Weissmann about legal ways to stop the unprecedented plot, plus some lighter conversation on law, vocabulary, and his new book. Maya Wiley joins for a separate conversation on Democracy and the significance of “No Kings” protests These new interviews are a Beat bonus from our podcast series “The B-Side.” Real talk and Ari’s extended conversations off air. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
SummaryNYT: DOJ Probes Victorious Trump Accuser E. Jean Carroll
May 2800:41:13Summary readyMay 28, 2026; 6pm; The Department of Justice has opened a criminal investigation related to writer E. Jean Carroll, who accused Trump of sexual abuse and won her civil case. MS NOW’s Ari Melber reports and is joined by civil rights attorney Nancy Erika Smith and former Trump administration official Sarah Matthews. Melber also reports on new revelations involving potential corruption tied to the Trump family and the federal government. ProPublica’s Robert Faturechi joins. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
SummaryTexas Primary Leaves GOP Wary
May 2700:41:58Summary readyMay 27, 2026; 6pm; Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has won the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate. MS NOW’s Ari Melber reports on how his victory is fueling GOP fears within the party. Rev. Al Sharpton and longtime Texas-based political strategist Mark McKinnon join. Plus, acclaimed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson joins to discuss aliens, the universe, and his new book, “Take Me to Your Reader: Perspectives on Your First Alien Encounter.” To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
SummaryGOP Rebuffs WH on 'Crazy' Fund for Criminals
May 2600:41:27Summary readyMay 26, 2026; 6pm; President Trump faces rising prices and plummeting approval ratings. The New York Times’ Molly Jong-Fast and Michelle Goldberg join MS NOW’s Ari Melber to break down the political and cultural fallout, including Stephen Colbert’s final show. Plus, media mogul Tom Freston joins to reflect on launching MTV, the evolution of media consolidation and free speech, and Colbert’s legacy as his late-night era comes to a close. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
SummaryDems 2028 darkhorse? Gov. Andy Beshear talks to Ari about red state wins & life after MAGA
May 2500:42:14Summary readyBuzz is growing around Andy Beshear as a potential 2028 dark-horse candidate. MS NOW’s Ari Melber sat down with Beshear at an event hosted by Common Good for a wide-ranging conversation on how Democrats can take on MAGA, the future of the party, and the road to 2028. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
SummaryTulsi Gabbard resigns as chief intelligence official
May 2200:41:41Summary readyTonight on The Beat: GOP lawmakers speak out against Donald Trump’s “slush fund.” Also, the Trump Justice Department indicts former Cuban President Raúl Castro. Plus, Trump uses billions of taxpayer money for projects. Plus, data centers are linked to environmental issues. And the Ebola response in Africa is hindered by USAID cuts. Rep. Madeleine Dean, Barbara McQuade, Lisandro Perez, Tim O’Brien, Maily Kocinski, and Dr. Vin Gupta join Antonia Hylton. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
SummaryTrump Tests Law by Claiming $1B+ for Convicts
May 2100:41:37Summary readyMay 21, 2026; 6pm; Ty Cobb, who served as a White House lawyer during Trump’s first term, joins MS NOW’s Ari Melber on “The Beat” for a wide-ranging discussion. Plus, Capitol Police officers who defended the Capitol on Jan. 6 are suing the Trump administration. Ari Melber is joined by former Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
SummaryTrump “Thug Fund” Rivals Watergate
May 2100:41:38Summary readyMay 20, 2026; 6pm; MS NOW's Ari Melber delivers a special report and breaks down President Trump's "thug fund." To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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