Podcast
The Briefing with Jen Psaki
Hosted by MS NOW, Jen Psaki · EN
Jen Psaki tackles the biggest issues of the week and features one-on-one interviews with newsmakers.
218episodes
Episodes
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Extended legal losing streak hits Trump where it hurts
3d ago00:42:05Summary readyJen 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. 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.
SummaryIn any other administration, this would be grounds for opening an impeachment inquiry
4d ago00:42:10Summary readyJen 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. 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.
SummaryIran makes a fool of Trump as another peace deal falls apart; U.S. launches new attacks
5d ago00:43:15Summary readyFormer 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. 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.
Summary'Captive of the crazy': Trump's dubious primary picks add to GOP's midterm burden
6d ago00:43:10Summary readyAs 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. 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 is losing control of the Senate (even some 'bootlickers')
2w ago00:41:26Summary readyDonald 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. 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's power play is backfiring as betrayed Republicans go rogue
2w ago00:41:02Summary readyJen 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. 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 lawyer flops defending slush fund at Senate hearing
2w ago00:41:13Summary readyJen 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. 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's campaign tough talk on China EVAPORATES in real world test
2w ago00:41:35Summary readyJen 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. 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.
SummaryComey: 'The FBI is suffering' with Kash Patel as director
3w ago00:42:41Summary readyJen 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. 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.
SummarySHAMELESS: Vance focuses on fraud with especially bad timing for Trump
3w ago00:41:03Summary readyJen 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. 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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