
Hosted by The Daily Beast, Joanna Coles · EN

David Rothkopf and Joanna Coles unpack a weekend of political chaos that stretches from the collapsing Iran negotiations to the algae-filled disaster of Trump’s reflecting pool renovation, exposing a presidency built on grift, dysfunction, and spectacle. As JD Vance is dispatched to Switzerland to negotiate an impossible peace deal, Trump’s public undermining of his own vice president becomes a window into the increasingly fragile state of Trump’s inner circle. David and Joanna dive into the bizarre Father’s Day snub of Don Jr. vs Eric Trump and the mounting controversy surrounding Ivanka’s Albanian ambitions. Rothkopf delivers one of his most blistering critiques yet, connecting failed foreign policy, a decaying reflecting pool, and an administration he sees as incapable of governing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jonathan Weber joins Daily Beast executive editor Hugh Dougherty to explain how San Francisco became the proving ground for the forces reshaping American politics, business, and culture. Drawing from his new book, City on the Edge, Weber traces the rise of the tech billionaires who transformed the city, why so many Silicon Valley power players embraced Donald Trump, and how figures like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Peter Thiel, Gavin Newsom, Kamala Harris, and Nancy Pelosi emerged from the same political and economic ecosystem. He also reveals what San Francisco's battles over AI, housing, wealth, and political power tell us about the future of the country—and why the city's next chapter could preview what's coming for every American. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michael Wolff and Joanna Coles examine why Donald Trump may have stumbled into a new political reality as European leaders stop trying to placate him and begin pushing back instead. They unpack JD Vance's increasingly complicated role in the White House, whether he's positioning himself as Trump's heir or setting himself up to take the blame, and what his new book reveals about ambition, faith, and political reinvention. They also break down Trump's latest clash with Giorgia Meloni, the arrival of the lavish Qatari jet, the strange psychology behind Trump's obsession with status, and why even something as trivial as a chair at the G7 becomes a window into his mindset. Plus, they explore what Trump's reaction to the Obama Library opening says about the rival world he still can't escape, and why vulgarity—not ideology—may be the key to understanding his enduring appeal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joanna Coles and Daily Beast executive editor Hugh Dougherty unpack a remarkable week inside Donald Trump's White House, from explosive new reporting on his late-night routines and the startling revelations in Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan's forthcoming book to questions about Melania Trump's absence, mysterious health concerns, and what these private details reveal about the presidency. They also examine the backlash over Trump's botched Reflecting Pool renovation, the sharp contrast between the Obama Presidential Center opening and Trump's own political spectacle, growing signs that world leaders and even Republicans are beginning to push back, and why the cracks in Trump's carefully cultivated image may be getting harder to hide. Save 20% Off Honeylove by going to honeylove.com/DAILYBEAST ! #honeylovepod #ad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michael Wolff and Joanna Coles examine why Donald Trump's critics believe his biggest defeat isn't the war in Iran but the strange obsession now consuming the White House: remaking Washington into a permanent monument to himself. Drawing on fresh reporting from inside the administration, Wolff reveals why Trump is fixated on ballrooms, arches, the Kennedy Center and the National Mall even as foreign policy, the economy and the midterms hang in the balance. They also break down Trump's escalating feud with Senate Republicans, the political gamble behind a UFC spectacle on the White House lawn, and why his drive for personal legacy could be reshaping his presidency more than any policy victory ever could. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Anthony Scaramucci joins Joanna Coles to explain why he believes Donald Trump knows his Iran strategy has failed—even as he doubles down in public—and why the White House is increasingly driven by one man's instincts rather than any real decision-making process. Drawing on his time inside Trump's inner circle, Scaramucci unpacks the psychology behind Trump's denial, the hidden panic among administration officials, why Democrats still haven't found a candidate capable of taking on the MAGA movement, and why the culture war continues to overshadow the economy. He also reveals which Democrat he believes has the best shot at winning the presidency, why Wall Street still leans Republican, and why both parties are failing to connect with the voters who will decide America's future. Get 15% off OneSkin with the code BEAST at https://www.oneskin.co/BEAST #oneskinpod #ad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michael Wolff and Joanna Coles examine Donald Trump's strange relationships with the women closest to him over the course of his 80 years—from Ivana and Marla Maples to the enduring mystery of Melania Trump's absence from public life. They explore how his marriages, obsession with image, and lack of genuine intimacy have shaped the man now occupying the Oval Office, revisiting his connections to Jeffrey Epstein, the world of beauty pageants and models, and the late-night Truth Social posts that have replaced any private confidant. It's a revealing look at the deeply personal patterns that may explain how a president with no visible emotional support system governs as a government of one. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at https://shopify.com/dailybeast #ad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

David Rothkopf and Joanna Coles take apart Donald Trump’s bizarre White House UFC spectacle, his heavily hyped “deal” with Iran, and what they argue is a presidency increasingly defined by spectacle and self-preservation. From accusations of turning the South Lawn into a political carnival, to a blistering debate over whether Trump’s Iran agreement is diplomacy or surrender, the pair connect the dots between foreign policy, political theater, and the looming battles that could define the next phase of his presidency. They also dive into JD Vance’s carefully polished media management, the ambitions driving MAGA’s rising stars, and the deeper cultural and moral questions they believe are shaping America’s future. By the end, what begins as a conversation about a birthday celebration becomes a far-reaching examination of power, loyalty, corruption, and the forces transforming Washington from the inside out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. John Gartner returns to The Daily Beast Podcast to mark Donald Trump’s 80th birthday with a deeply provocative conversation about aging, cognitive decline, power, and the presidency. Speaking with Joanna Coles, Gartner argues that the public is witnessing something far more serious than normal aging, laying out his assessment of Trump’s behavior, speech patterns, late-night social media activity, health concerns, and decision-making as global crises escalate. The discussion explores dementia, malignant narcissism, stress, sleep deprivation, executive power, and why millions of Americans remain drawn to Trump despite mounting concerns from critics. From White House medical visits and cognitive testing to the psychology of leadership and the dangers of unchecked authority, this is an intense and unsettling examination of one of the most consequential figures in modern politics. Visit https://ffrf.us/BEAST or text "BEAST" to 511511 to join or learn more. #ad If you’re ever injured in an accident, you can check out Morgan & Morgan. You can start your claim in just a click without having to leave your couch: https://ForThePeople.com/DAILYBEAST #ad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michael Wolff and Joanna Coles mark Donald Trump entering his ninth decade with a special episode revealing new details about private discussions inside Trump’s circle over his age, health, legacy, and the future of his presidency, culminating in a striking prediction about what may lie ahead during the next two and a half years of the Trump era. On the eve of Trump turning 80, Wolff also traces the astonishing rise of a man who went from a Queens real-estate promoter to perhaps the most famous person on earth. Along the way, they unpack the pivotal moments that built the Trump myth: the excess of 1980s New York, The Art of the Deal, the bankruptcies that never seemed to matter, the reinvention of Trump through The Apprentice, and the presidential campaign that began as a branding exercise before transforming American politics. Drawing on Wolff’s decades of reporting and personal encounters with Trump, including a revealing conversation in which Trump declared his goal was simply “to be the most famous man in the world,” the episode explores the relentless pursuit of attention that has defined his life. If you’re ever injured in an accident, you can check out Morgan & Morgan. You can start your claim in just a click without having to leave your couch: https://ForThePeople.com/TRUMP #ad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices