The Briefing with Jen Psaki

Episode: Trump spirals as shutdown calls for leadership skills he lacks, a problem endemic to his team
Date: October 8, 2025
Host: Jen Psaki (MSNBC)

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the spiraling Trump-led government during a major federal shutdown, highlighting how both President Trump and his administration exhibit an acute lack of leadership and coherent strategy. Jen Psaki examines key examples of evasion, finger-pointing, and legal maneuvering by Trump’s team, especially Attorney General Pam Bondi, and considers the far-reaching impact of the shutdown—from collapsed health care subsidies to unpaid federal workers to militarized crackdowns in cities. The episode features a deeply personal and political conversation with Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and a moving interview with the family of Epstein survivor Virginia Giuffre regarding Trump’s musings about clemency for Ghislaine Maxwell. The episode concludes with on-the-ground reporting about ICE raids in Chicago.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Pam Bondi Stonewalls Congress (00:57–04:42)

• Attorney General Pam Bondi is criticized for a performance before Congress that consisted of evasion, victim-blaming, and personal attacks rather than direct answers—particularly regarding Trump’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein and the DOJ’s handling of a bribe involving Trump’s former border czar.
• Quote [Psaki, 02:40]:
  "First she avoided answering a very specific question. Then she tried to redirect by attacking Senator Whitehouse... she just sat there staring blankly, saying nothing."

Notable Moments & Timestamps

• [01:43] Senator Whitehouse asks Bondi about Epstein-related photographs; Bondi deflects and attacks.
• [03:46] Bondi repeatedly dodges questions about a bribery tape, referring senators to the FBI—a department under her own command.

2. Victimhood Politics and Shutdown Blame (04:43–07:53)

• The GOP, despite having control over the White House and both chambers, repeatedly blames Democrats for the shutdown and refuses accountability, baffling the public and fueling polling backlash.
• Trump’s comments frame airport disruptions caused by the shutdown as “Democrat delays,” vacillating between blaming and minimizing.

Quote [Trump, 07:01]:

"Oh, sure. I mean, it's. They're all Democrat delays."

Commentary by Psaki [07:12]:

"I don't know what to make of that. It's like he's torn between trying to blame Democrats and pretending that everything happening under his leadership is hunky dory."

3. Trump’s Health Care Misinformation & Negotiating Failure (07:53–12:02)

• Trump falsely claims he is negotiating with Democrats to restore ACA (Obamacare) subsidies, only to backtrack.
• Confusing and contradictory statements about furloughed federal workers’ back pay emerge, as Budget Director Russ Vought proposes denying legally-required payments.

Notable Quotes

• [10:22] Trump: "There are some people that really don't deserve to be taken care of, and we’ll take care of them in a different way."
• [11:03] Senate Majority Leader: "I don't know the answer to your question. I haven't seen their legal analysis."

Impact

The administration’s unclear and often contradictory statements reveal a lack of understanding of both legal requirements and the public’s priorities.

4. Senator Mark Kelly on ACA’s Real-World Impact (14:19–21:16)

• Senator Kelly highlights the direct effects of lost health subsidies on Arizona’s (especially rural) working families, recounting stories of constituents facing skyrocketing health insurance premiums and financial ruin.
• Kelly asserts that ending the shutdown requires Speaker Mike Johnson to call the House back to Washington, a step not yet taken.

Quotes

• [15:46] Kelly: "He does understand this a little bit better... these premium tax credits are critical to people’s financial well being, that they could be bankruptcy or they lose their health insurance."
• [19:59] Kelly: "I think they don't care about working-class people, not military, not anyone."
• [20:05] Psaki: "So not only is [Trump] breaking the law, he’s breaking the law that he signed as president in his first term."

5. Refusal to Swear in Adelita Grijalva & the Discharge Petition (17:39–21:16, 29:48)

• Efforts to build a discharge petition for government action are stalled because Speaker Mike Johnson refuses to swear in Adelita Grijalva, depriving the petition of its 218th vote and blocking progress for survivors’ justice and other legislative remedies.

6. Trump & Ghislaine Maxwell Clemency Remarks (23:18–26:59)

• Despite Maxwell’s conviction for sex trafficking, Trump refuses to rule out a pardon, shocking victims’ families.

Trump on Maxwell [24:13–24:36]:

"Well, I'll take a look at it... I have a lot of people have asked me for pardons...I’m going to have to take a look at it. I have to ask DOJ."

• Virginia Giuffre’s family expresses their hurt and outrage at the idea—a sentiment echoed by survivors nationwide.

Sky Roberts (Giuffre’s brother), 25:56:

"Why is this even a conversation? She was convicted of basically running a sex trafficking ring. ... That’s disgraceful. It really is disgraceful, and it’s very hurtful."

7. The Human Cost: Survivors Advocating for Justice (26:59–31:13)

• Sky and Amanda Roberts advocate for survivors, pushing for legislative action and the public release of Epstein/Maxwell client lists, while highlighting that the issue “hurts ... every time you come out and just say, 'Oh well, only a dozen survivors came to Washington.' How many is it going to take?"
• They urge lawmakers and Speaker Johnson to recognize the human toll and act urgently.

Memorable Moment

• Sky Roberts: "These are human lives. These are actual victims and survivors, including my sister and the families ... that is still suffering a great loss." [29:48]

8. Militarized ICE Raids and Insurrection Rhetoric in Chicago (36:14–44:20)

• The Trump administration invokes “insurrection” language to justify National Guard deployments in cities like Chicago, with federal raids escalating and nonviolent residents being “disappeared” into detention by masked agents.
• On-the-ground reporting from Jacob Soboroff details the chilling effects on immigrant communities, including traumatic family separations.

Soboroff, 40:22:

"I'm so sorry to be the one to show you this picture of your mother ... she just wanted to go to the store. She was gonna make some Albondigas, which is basically a meatball stew."

Immigrant Community Experience

• Widespread fear keeps people indoors, disrupts daily life, and underscores the disconnect between administration claims and local community reality.
• Soboroff, 43:18:
  "...People are terrified. Their daily activities are being interrupted by armed and masked federal agents on the street. You don’t have to wait for the National Guard to see militarized federal policing on the streets of Chicago—it is already happening."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Psaki on Republican Accountability:
  "The leaders of the Republican Party who are in charge of everything are acting like they are mere spectators to all of this, like they are not the ones in charge of running the government and negotiating a way to fund it." [11:19]

• Senator Kelly on Real-World Impact:
  "This woman, Robin... could see her premium go from $250 a month to over $1,000 a month. And she said, 'Hey, I'm not looking for a handout. I'm just looking for a hand up.'" [16:32]

• Sky Roberts on Survivor Frustration:
  "I don't think [Speaker Johnson] really sees the human side. He just sees the politics and what's in it for him. And he's got to start humanizing this a little bit more because that hurts." [29:48]

Important Timestamps

• 00:57–04:43: Pam Bondi’s congressional testimony and evasion
• 07:01: Trump calls airport delays “Democrat delays”
• 10:22–11:19: Mixed messaging on back pay and shutdown responsibility
• 14:19–21:16: Jen Psaki interviews Senator Mark Kelly
• 23:18–26:59: Trump muses about Ghislaine Maxwell pardon; survivors react
• 36:14–44:20: ICE raids and militarized policing in Chicago (Soboroff’s reporting)

Tone & Style

Jen Psaki maintains a sharp, informed, and often incredulous tone throughout, balancing news analysis with direct, empathetic conversation. Guests' voices—especially Senator Kelly and the Roberts family—add urgency and emotional resonance.

Summary Prepared For:
Listeners seeking a thorough, engaging recap of this critical episode—detailing the shutdown’s impact, Trump administration accountability failures, and human stories lost in the political fray.