Podcast Summary

The Briefing with Jen Psaki

Episode: Trump's Old Tricks Fall Flat from Overuse in the Face of Hard Realities
Date: December 10, 2025
Host: Jen Psaki (MS NOW)
Key Guests: Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, Congressman Chris Daluzio, Ben Smith (Semafor)

Overview

Jen Psaki explores how Donald Trump’s well-worn tactics for handling scandals—deflection, gaslighting, and denial—are less effective against mounting scrutiny and hard realities. The episode tackles recent controversies in the Trump administration, including the cover-up of the Epstein files, potential war crimes in Caribbean boat strikes, misleading economic messaging, and an unprecedented media merger shaped by Trump’s influence. Psaki features revealing interviews with Governor Andy Beshear, Congressman Chris Daluzio, and media editor Ben Smith.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump’s Scandal Playbook: Tired Tactics, Diminishing Returns

• Jen Psaki outlines Trump’s typical responses to controversy: deny knowledge, fabricate barriers to transparency, label inconvenient news as “fake”, and flip bad stories into good news (01:14).

  “Every time there’s a story in the news he doesn’t like … he does some version of the following: 1. Says he knows nothing. 2. Makes up a fake reason why info can’t be released. 3. Calls it fake news. 4. Pretends the bad news is good news.” (01:14, Psaki)

• Repeating this pattern, especially regarding his tax returns and recent health cover-ups, backfires—drawing more scrutiny and skepticism.

2. Scandals Unravel: The Epstein Files & Caribbean Boat Strikes

• Epstein Files: Despite promises, Trump refused to release the files, fueling interest and culminating in bipartisan Congressional action to force release (04:02).

  “‘What I just don’t want Epstein to do is detract from the great success of the Republican Party … I don’t understand why the Jeffrey Epstein case would be of interest to anybody. It’s pretty boring stuff.’” (03:33, Trump as quoted)

• Caribbean Boat Strikes Scandal:
  • The administration is accused of illegal airstrikes, including firing on shipwreck survivors—a potential war crime (04:02–05:16).
  • Trump originally claimed openness to releasing strike videos, then reversed course, labeling calls for transparency as “fake news” (06:16). Psaki notes:

    “As they say, there’s a tape for that. There’s always a tape for that.” (06:37, Psaki)

3. Economic Gaslighting: Denial vs. Lived Reality

• Trump’s claims: Continues to insist the economy is thriving with no affordability crisis, despite public anxiety and unchanged inflation (08:09).

  “Well, I’d be very upset with Biden because we don’t have any of those problems. … I think they’re down already. Prices are down under the Trump administration.” (08:09, Trump as quoted) “Most people don’t think this economy is great. Prices are not down, and the latest data … shows that inflation is exactly as high as when Donald Trump took office.” (08:32, Psaki)

4. Electoral Pushback & Changing Political Winds

• Miami mayoral election flips Democratic for the first time in three decades, despite Trump’s campaign—seen as a rejection of his messaging on “affordability as a hoax” (10:47).
• Governor Andy Beshear Interview (13:31–19:59):
  • Harsh critique:

    “Donald Trump was engaged in great inflation … he deserves somewhere between a C minus and an F in this country. His tariff policy is causing prices to go up on everything.” (14:16, Beshear)

  • Farmers harmed by Trump’s tariffs, soybean markets lost to Brazil and Argentina; government bailouts are only stopgaps.
  • Key moment:

    “Trump’s favorite word isn’t tariffs, it’s Trump. And that’s his problem. He cannot see beyond himself.” (16:01, Beshear)

• Democratic strategies: Focus on real economic pain, job creation, and evident governance—contrasted against Republican denials.

5. Congressional Oversight and Calls for Accountability

• Congressman Chris Daluzio interview (25:52–31:30):
  • Bipartisan pressure for transparency on military operations; administration’s refusal to share strike video or legal justification called alarming.

  • “It just, it speaks for itself that they don’t want us in the committee to see it … this is about oversight. … Congress alone decides … there are lots of questions beyond just this strike.” (26:55, Daluzio)

  • Recalls push for military not to follow unlawful orders, and Trump’s extreme response:

    “The president’s response to us saying that was ‘arrest them, hang them, kill them.’ Yeah, that’s crazy.” (30:54, Daluzio)

6. Media Merger Mania: Trump’s Influence on the Press

• Major deals: Netflix’s $72B bid for Warner Bros., Paramount’s $78B rival offer—each entangled with Trump-world (31:59–43:01).
  • Jared Kushner’s investment in Paramount’s bid; Larry Ellison (Paramount owner) directly lobbies Trump; deals allegedly include promises to fire disfavored CNN anchors.
  • Ben Smith (Semafor) Insights (37:51–43:01):
    • Trump is now “the single human being” whose approval is needed for these mega deals.

    “As Semafor reported … Paramount team seems to believe the worst possible tropes about corruption in the Trump administration and are leaning into all the stereotypes.” (34:30, Psaki)

    • Ben Smith:

      “News represents a tiny part of what these companies do … but … the price of acquiring … the Harry Potter franchise … is trying to placate the president, who is … playing a very unusual central role in all these decisions.” (38:04, Smith)

    • The centrality and bluntness of Trump’s interventions in media and the wider economy are unprecedented.

7. Other Notable Stories

• “Bizarre” Administration Initiatives (43:28): Trump cabinet members participate in photo-op pull-ups to unveil an airport fitness initiative—funded by a Biden-era program.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Classic Trump gaslighting pattern (01:14, Psaki):

  “Every time there’s a story in the news he doesn’t like … he does some version of the following: … calls it fake news … pretends the bad news is actually good news.”

• On the Epstein files (03:33, Trump as quoted):

  “I don’t understand why the Jeffrey Epstein case would be of interest to anybody. It’s pretty boring stuff.”

• On the economy (08:09, Trump as quoted):

  “Prices are down under the Trump administration.”
  (Psaki responds: “Most people don’t think this economy is great. Prices are not down.” 08:32)

• Beshear’s rebuke (14:16):

  “Donald Trump was engaged in great inflation … he deserves somewhere between a C minus and an F in this country.”

• Beshear, on tariffs and self-interest (16:01):

  “Trump’s favorite word isn’t tariffs, it’s Trump. And that’s his problem. He cannot see beyond himself.”

• On media mergers and Trump’s sway (34:30, Psaki):

  “The Paramount team seems to believe the worst possible tropes about corruption in the Trump administration and are leaning into all the stereotypes.”

• Ben Smith on media conglomerates (38:04):

  “The price of acquiring … the Harry Potter franchise … is trying to placate the president who is, as you say, playing a very unusual central role in all these decisions.”

• Daluzio on military strikes and oversight (26:55):

  “It just, it speaks for itself that they don’t want us in the committee to see it … this is about oversight.”

• On resistance to illegal orders (30:54, Daluzio):

  “The president’s response to us saying that was ‘arrest them, hang them, kill them.’ Yeah, that’s crazy.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Trump’s cover-up playbook: 00:56–03:33
• Epstein files & public pressure: 03:33–04:02
• Caribbean boat strikes scandal & transparency: 04:02–06:37
• Economic gaslighting & poll denial: 08:04–09:03
• Miami mayoral upset: 10:47
• Governor Andy Beshear interview: 13:31–19:59
• Congressman Chris Daluzio interview: 25:52–31:30
• Media merger story breakdown: 31:59–43:01
• Airport fitness initiative (lighter close): 43:28–45:26

Tone & Style

Jen Psaki delivers incisive commentary with wit, sharp fact-checks, and healthy skepticism—exposing political spin with memorable asides and real-world examples. Guests reinforce this tone, delivering blunt criticism and policy insight grounded in lived experience.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This episode offers a comprehensive look at how Trump's repeated patterns of denial, obfuscation, and gaslighting are losing potency against hard facts—be it economic woes, national scandals, or challenges to media independence—while highlighting the determined pushback from both politicians and the public. The in-depth interviews and current events round-up make clear that reality is catching up with the administration’s old playbook, and key institutions are responding with growing skepticism and scrutiny.