The Daily Beast Podcast: "I Know Who Trump's Going to Fire Next: Wolff"
Host: Joanna Coles (with Anne Applebaum & Peter Pomerantsev)
Date: April 3, 2026
Episode Overview
This episode dives deep into the recent wave of firings in the Trump administration, focusing on the dismissals of Pam Bondi and Kristi Noem, and analyzing the chaotic dynamic inside the White House as stability unravels. Anne Applebaum and Peter Pomerantsev dissect Trump’s pattern of assigning blame during turbulent times, discuss the erosion of discipline with Susie Wiles' reduced presence, and examine the ripple effects of Trump’s approach to crises—both domestically and on the world stage, including his latest controversial speech and his performative appearance at the Supreme Court. They also touch on scandals within Trumpworld, the growing tech-government grift, and the bizarre personal revelations making headlines.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Trump’s Pattern of Firing to Deflect Blame
- Background: After a rare year-plus of stability, Trump has reverted to his signature style of sacking top staff as things spiral, most recently firing Pam Bondi (following Kristi Noem).
- Role of Susie Wiles: Her arrival ushered in stability, but her breast cancer treatment has lessened her White House oversight, enabling Trump’s old habits to resurface.
- Attribution of Blame: Firings are less about job performance and more about Trump's desire to deflect responsibility as "everything is going wrong for him."
"Things are bad, somebody needs to be blamed other than me, me, Donald Trump. So I'm gonna fire somebody." — Anne Applebaum (01:18)
2. Why Bondi? The Domino Effect
- No Single Catalyst: Bondi’s departure isn't tied to a specific failure like the Supreme Court loss or issues with the Epstein files, but to a mood of generalized dissatisfaction.
- Predictions: Applebaum expects more firings—Tulsi Gabbard, RFK Jr., etc.—as Trump grows increasingly desperate and isolated.
"This is just now a set of dominoes. So he goes to, this is a go to move." — Anne Applebaum (06:30)
3. White House Staffing and Post-Administration Futures
- Post-Trump Opportunities: The "taint" of Trump still impacts ex-staffers, though law firms and corporations may be more open than in 2020.
"In the first Trump administration, people left...and no one wanted to hire them. You were kind of tainted by Donald Trump. Is it different now? ...it could get dicey for all of these people." — Anne Applebaum (07:10)
- Humorous Suggestion: "Pam Bondi, you better get your dancing shoes on and limber up." — Peter Pomerantsev (08:57), joking about Bondi following Sean Spicer to celebrity TV.
4. Trump’s Speech: Tone & Substance
- Performance vs. Substance: Trump’s recent address is described as unusually subdued, forced, and short (around 20 minutes).
- Speechwriting Dilemma: Applebaum reflects on the difficulty of scripting for Trump, who frequently deviates and is described as "utterly inarticulate, subverbal."
"You have to supply the words that Donald Trump would say. Imagine that...get into the head of this utterly inarticulate subverbal man." — Anne Applebaum (12:32)
- Desperation & Split Screen: Panel discusses the “split screen” of Trump's rhetoric (victory declarations) versus grim developments on the ground, noting failed regime change and chaos abroad.
"He’s in this position...to declare victory and get out. And that’s what he tried to do last night, to declare victory. What we didn’t anticipate...is that he couldn’t get out." — Anne Applebaum (14:28)
- Lame Duck Weakness: Pomerantsev notes Trump "didn't look like he was enjoying himself", a signal things are "going wrong" (20:19).
5. The Supreme Court: Birthright Citizenship, Performative Protest
- Context: Trump attended arguments over birthright citizenship—a move seen as purely performative, aiming to energize his anti-immigrant base despite having no real legal path.
"This is...performative. I have come to power...by taking this hard hardcore anti-immigration line. That's what I represent...Everything that I do has to represent that. Not that I have to accomplish anything." — Anne Applebaum (29:10)
- Reception: Trump's attendance unified the justices against him; even his own appointees challenged his lawyer.
- John Sauer's Performance: Applebaum defends the Solicitor General's ‘average’ performance while Pomerantsev lampoons it as weak, comparing his voice to RFK Jr.
- Trump’s Outburst: Trump stormed out—both a tantrum and another bit of political theatre.
"The storming out, too, is also performative, of course...That would always be a set piece. When am I gonna go out? How am I gonna go out?" — Anne Applebaum (37:24)
6. Scandal Watch: The “Looning” Saga and Kristi Noem
- "Looning": The panel traces the odd story of Kristi Noem's husband’s OnlyFans habits and the general lack of embarrassment or concern for traditional reputational damage in the Trump circle.
- Blackmail Arguments: Applebaum dismisses the idea Noem could be blackmailed:
"You can't blackmail a narcissist. Impossible." — Anne Applebaum (42:38)
- Wider Dysfunction: Topics include Corey Lewandowski’s alleged unethical use of Homeland Security for personal gain.
7. Tech Industry Grift and Trump’s Open Door Policy
- Federal Tech Procurement as a Gold Rush: The administration is portrayed as “open for business” to tech firms seeking government contracts.
"The entire technology industry is now, the point of it is how do you get the federal government to adopt your products? And if you don't, you're screwed. If you do, you're fathomlessly rich." — Anne Applebaum (47:48)
- Risks of Grift: Grift and dealmaking have become existential for startups:
"We have a kind of a pyramid scheme here that is probably quite dangerous." — Anne Applebaum (50:25)
8. The White House Ballroom and Trump’s Legacy
- Construction Halted: Funding and legal roadblocks have stopped work on Trump’s ballroom (billed as his true legacy project).
- Legacy Discussion: Unlike past presidents, Trump's “legacy” is reduced to this glitzy building project.
"For him, the legacy is the ballroom." — Anne Applebaum (53:14)
- Metaphor: Pomerantsev sums up, "He tears down the east wing under the cover of darkness...but an even better metaphor is he leaves the White House and there is no east wing...Being unable to build his ballroom." (57:20)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On Ongoing Firings:
"This is just now a set of dominoes... now we're back in the... control seat.” — Anne Applebaum (06:30) - On Trump’s Motivations:
"Waging war is a set of declarations...not a complex strategic problem to be solved." — Anne Applebaum (22:22) - On White House Staffers' Future:
"Pam Bondi, you better get your dancing shoes on and limber up.” — Peter Pomerantsev (08:57) - On Trump's ballroom obsession:
"For him, the legacy is the ballroom.” — Anne Applebaum (53:14)
Timestamp Highlights
- 00:00–01:44: Trump’s reliance on firing—reversion to chaos.
- 03:12–06:53: Susie Wiles’ illness & White House dynamic; general panic and inflection point for Trump.
- 07:10–09:03: What comes next for fired officials? (Bondi and others).
- 11:35–14:28: Panel dissects Trump’s national address and underlying desperation.
- 16:55–20:02: Speech content—numbers, tone, and narrative disconnect.
- 26:48–28:07: Description of Trump’s childish rhetoric and psychological enjoyment of violence.
- 29:10–34:00: Trump at Supreme Court—performance, not policy; legal discussion.
- 38:57–42:07: “Looning” explanation and the state of Trumpworld’s scandal culture.
- 46:48–50:03: Tech industry’s government grift and existential stakes.
- 51:50–57:20: Trump’s halted ballroom project and its symbolic implications.
Tone & Character
- Irreverent, sharp, and darkly funny—typical of regular panelists.
- Frequent asides, playful banter (especially about looning, TV appearances, and British vs. American legal culture).
- No holds barred criticism of Trump’s leadership style, staff discipline, and administration's legacy.
For Listeners New & Returning
This episode is essential for anyone seeking an inside-out assessment of the unraveling Trump administration, the perverse incentives in Trumpworld, and the ways in which personalities, performative politics, and scandal have reshaped the structure and reputation of the presidency. The discussion expertly mixes blunt critique with moments of wit, connecting the dots on chaos, legacy, and institutional decay in contemporary American politics.