The Playbook Podcast

It takes a lot to rip the news cycle away from President Donald Trump. But yesterday, that’s precisely what happened. Shortly after the president unveiled a major new trade deal with the U.K. — something the White House was eager to shine attention on — white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney. Meet the new pope: Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost, now known as Pope Leo XIV. And just as soon as his name was uttered, he was dragged into a partisan battle over his real or imagined personal politics. POLITICO national political correspondent Adam Wren joins Playbook deputy e...

Last night, President Donald Trump teased an announcement the White House had been waiting for: Trump’s first trade deal since his sweeping tariffs upended the global economy. Who answered Trump’s call? The United Kingdom, the latest chapter in the so-called “special relationship” between the two nations. What does it mean for Trump, for the economy, for the US-UK alliance and for Europe as a whole? Playbook managing editor and author Jack Blanchard and POLITICO White House bureau chief Dasha Burns discuss. 

This morning, Vice President JD Vance will speak at a meeting of world leaders convened in Washington by the Munich Security Conference. The speech is amid a backdrop of rising tensions between India and Pakistan, a Russia-Ukraine war that is dragging on, and seemingly endless tensions between Israelis and Palestinians. Back home, officials are bracing both for Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome Powell’s decision on whether to cut interest rates — and President Donald Trump’s reaction to the announcement. Playbook managing editor and author Jack Blanchard and POLITICO White House bureau chief Dasha Burns unpack what they’re watching...

Today, President Donald Trump will meet with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on the heels of his recent electoral victory. It’s their first time face to face, even as backlash to Trump in Canada helped propel Carney to power. Is it possible that the two men could actually find some middle ground? Playbook managing editor and author Jack Blanchard and POLITICO White House bureau chief Dasha Burns discuss what to watch for as the two leaders face off.

If one issue has defined President Donald Trump’s second term, it is the economy. Markets continue to deal with tariff-induced whiplash, and people around the country are bracing for higher prices to hit home. But rather than denying the possible hits to people’s wallets, Trump has taken to projecting a new message: settle for less. Playbook managing editor and author Jack Blanchard and POLITICO White House bureau chief Dasha Burns discuss. Plus, what’s next for Secretary of State Marco Rubio?

Mike Waltz is out as national security adviser (and in as UN ambassador). Elon Musk is eyeing an exit from DOGE. And President Donald Trump continues to plow ahead, now past his first 100 days in office. Do you see all of this action as the fruit of a busy, ambitious administration or as, well, chaos? The White House’s political fortunes may rise or fall depending on which answer prevails among the American electorate. POLITICO national political correspondent Adam Wren and Playbook deputy editor Zack Stanton discuss.

More than 100 days into his presidency, Donald Trump isn’t quite ready to claim the economy as his own. The latest GDP figures are underwhelming, markets are still dealing with tariff-induced whiplash and inflation fears are widespread. At what point does the economy become Trump’s for credit or blame? And how is the White House approaching messaging on economic issues at this uncertain moment? Playbook deputy editor Zack Stanton joins managing editor and author Jack Blanchard to discuss it all.

In marking his 100th day in office yesterday at a rally in Michigan, President Donald Trump wasn’t just looking backwards — he was projecting forward a vision for how he plans to sell his message to the public and what exactly his case to the American people will look like in 2026 and beyond. During a 90-minute speech, Trump flaunted his successes and downplayed his shortcomings — and the MAGA faithful lapped it up. But what about the rest of America? How will they respond to his message over these next 100 days? Playbook managing editor and author Jack Blanchard and POLITICO White...

Today, President Donald Trump marks the 100th day of his second term, a head-spinning period of time that has upended the global order, pushed the bounds of executive power, rattled the economy and reshaped American politics. What mattered, what didn’t and what comes next? POLITICO White House bureau chief Dasha Burns joins Playbook managing editor and author Jack Blanchard to unpack it all.

As President Donald Trump gears up to mark his 100th day in office, his administration is beset by challenges. Polls show his approval rating at a historical low for this stage in a presidency. Markets are volatile,  no new trade deals have yet been brokered and Americans’ economic outlook has darkened. His immigration agenda is stymied by the court system, with the threat of a larger legal confrontation in the wings. Where do things go from here? And will the White House take this moment as an inflection point or a chance to redouble their efforts? POLITICO White House bur...

The annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner is here and Washington is again beset by navel-gazing — that much is not a surprise. But something seems different this year. It’s not just that the president is skipping the affair. It’s not just that the relationship between the White House and the free press is combative. It’s that there’s been a fundamental change in the way the administration approaches the media. And in that, one woman plays a starring role: White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. POLITICO national politics correspondent Adam Wren joins Playbook deputy editor Zack Stanton to d...

President Donald Trump promised a deal to end Russia’s war in Ukraine in one day. Nearly 100 days into his presidency, it remains elusive — and Trump is now ramping up the pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to accept a deal that many observers see as overly favorable to Russia. What is Ukraine to do? What’s at stake for Europe? And how does it all play out from here? Ahead of a series of key meetings between Trump, his emissaries and European leaders, Playbook managing editor and author Jack Blanchard and POLITICO White House bureau chief Dasha Burns discus...

The White House is attempting to stabilize the economy amid market fluctuations and the complexities of trade negotiations with more than 30 countries. But how long can Trump world say they're making progress with little to show for it? White House bureau chief Dasha Burns joins Playbook managing editor and author Jack Blanchard to discuss. Plus, the latest on the drama at the Pentagon.

This morning, we’ll get a better look at the state of the world economy through the International Monetary Fund’s World Economic Forecast. All signs point to a relatively grim prediction, due in no insignificant part to the tariffs President Donald Trump has leveled against nations around the world. White House bureau chief Dasha Burns joins Playbook managing editor and author Jack Blanchard to discuss. Plus, the latest on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s future.

Just how much trouble is Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in? That question is set to dominate Washington today. Last night, former top Pentagon spokesman John Ullyot published an op-ed in POLITICO Magazine detailing chaotic conditions at the Pentagon and predicting President Donald Trump will oust Hegseth. Plus, the New York Times reports on a second Signal group chat in which Hegseth shared details about the attack plan for Yemen — and this one included Hegseth’s wife and brother. So — how’s this story going to develop today? Playbook managing editor and author Jack Blanchard and White House bureau chief Dasha Bu...

While new developments in the saga of Kilmar Abrego Garcia — the man wrongly deported from Maryland to a notorious mega-prison in El Salvador — are certain to drive the day, there’s a bigger meta-story going on. It’s about Trump’s war on institutions — from the court system (as in the Abrego Garcia case) to higher education to law firms to the independent media. With Washington’s attention turning to next week’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner, we’re joined by POLITICO Magazine’s resident Trumpologist, Michael Kruse, to talk through Trump’s relationship with the press — arguably the longest-lasting and most imp...

Everyone is dispensable in Trump world, but don’t expect the president to get rid of his commerce secretary even when the going gets tough. Trump and Lutnick’s storied friendship goes far beyond business. Even with the tariff rollout proving chaotic, the chances Trump ousts his closest friend from his cabinet are slim. Capitol bureau chief and senior Washington columnist Rachael Bade joins Playbook managing editor Jack Blanchard to dig in.  

A court hearing in Maryland yesterday kicked off a two-week legal sprint that could shake America’s system of checks and balances. On its surface, the wrongful deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia is a story about immigration policy and government power. But dig deeper, and the stakes for the rule of law are profound. Senior legal affairs reporter Josh Gerstein joins Playbook managing editor and author Jack Blanchard to discuss the implications of the hearing and what to expect next.

On its face, the Oval Office meeting yesterday between President Donald Trump and President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador centered around the illegal deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia — the Maryland resident who is still locked away in a Salvadoran mega-prison despite the Supreme Court’s ruling that the administration “facilitate” his release. But below that surface-level issue is a standoff over the rule of law: whether the administration still feels bound to operate in good faith and comply with court rulings that go against its political agenda. Senior legal affairs reporter Kyle Cheney joins host Steven Overly to unpack the deta...

In the two-plus months since Robert F. Kennedy Jr. took the helm at the Department of Health and Human Services, the agency has been shaken to its core — data collection has been halted, research has been cut, and more than 10,000 employees have been laid off. POLITICO White House reporter Adam Cancryn joins host Steven Overly to unpack what is happening and why it matters. Plus, Meta’s antitrust trial begins today, and President Donald Trump will meet with the president of El Salvador to discuss immigration.

With Trump’s chaotic tariff moves shocking markets and spurring vast uncertainty about the economic outlook, Democrats see a political opening. Could the issue — so central to Trump’s political fortunes in 2024 — suddenly become his kryptonite? And what precisely are Democrats doing to make that happen? POLITICO national politics correspondent Brakkton Booker joins Playbook deputy editor Zack Stanton to talk it through. Plus, SCOTUS says the Trump administration must “facilitate” the return of a man erroneously deported to a mega-prison in El Salvador.

The U.S. is engaged in a trade war — just not the one many people expected. Yesterday afternoon, President Donald Trump backpedaled on most of the steep tariffs that took effect only hours earlier, pausing them for 90 days to allow time to negotiate potential deals with other nations. One big exception? China, which he announced will now be subject to a 125%. tariff. How did we get here, and what comes next? White House bureau chief Dasha Burns joins Playbook author and managing editor Jack Blanchard to unpack what happened and why. Plus, Speaker Mike Johnson delays the budget vote in...

At 12:01 this morning, President Donald Trump’s massive tariffs against China, Vietnam, Japan, and other countries took effect. The new policies are sure to impact not only the country’s economy, but also the dynamics among Republicans on Capitol Hill. White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns joins Playbook author and managing editor Jack Blanchard to unpack what’s at stake and where things go from here.

United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will be in the hot seat today as he testifies in front of the Senate Finance Committee, where he's expected to defend President Donald Trump's global tariff hike. Trump has sent mixed messages about whether his new tariffs are permanent or up for negotiation, although there are some signs that Trump is entertaining offers. Meanwhile, tensions with China are flaring. Trump told Beijing to withdraw its reciprocal tariffs by today, or else he’ll hike tariffs on China by another 50 percent. POLITICO trade reporter Daniel Desrochers breaks it all down with host Steven Ov...

The stock market is already showing the impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs — and there’s no sign the pain will stop any time soon. Wall Street banks are ratcheting up their predictions of a recession this year, global markets continue to nosedive and meanwhile, Trump administration officials fan out across media with mixed messages about what it all means. POLITICO White House reporter Megan Messerly joins host Steven Overly to unpack it all and where things go from here.

The major story today is still the economic after-effects of Trump’s globe-reshaping cascade of new tariffs. Yesterday, they sent markets tumbling head over heels with major losses — the biggest one-day wipeout in value since the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. POLITICO economics correspondent and Capital Letter columnist Victoria Guida joins Playbook Deputy Editor Zack Stanton to break it down. Plus, Playbook London reports that President Donald Trump could hold another phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin as soon as today, and here in Washington, Capitol Hill is intently focused on the Senate’s vote-a-rama session that’s expect...

Buckle up. In a major announcement after markets closed yesterday afternoon, President Donald Trump unleashed a major wave of tariffs against America’s trading partners throughout the world. Today, as allies respond in kind with tariffs targeting the U.S., all eyes will be on the markets as investors react to the new economic reality. Even so, a whirlwind of news occupies Washington, from Elon Musk’s potential future (or not) in the Trump administration, to new revelations about national security adviser Mike Waltz’s use of Gmail and Signal for government work. POLITICO’s White House bureau chief Dasha Bu...

This morning, many Democrats are waking up feeling something they haven’t experienced since Donald Trump’s election in November: optimism. Yesterday, Democratic-backed Judge Susan Crawford won election to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, ensuring a liberal majority that some Dems hope could throw out district maps that favor the GOP. Meanwhile in Florida, Republicans won two special elections for the House, but with margins that hint at the makings of a national Democratic wave heading into the 2026 cycle. Playbook deputy editor Zack Stanton joins Playbook author and managing editor Jack Blanchard to unpack what this all means for Trump, Elon...

The first major electoral tests of the Trump era are here: In two special elections in Florida and a statewide race in Wisconsin, voters will head to the polls and offer the first meaningful glimpse of the prevailing winds heading into the 2026 cycle. In normal times, Republicans would handily win both seats up for grabs in Florida, but as politics bureau chief and senior political columnist Jonathan Martin tells host Steven Overly, the Democrats shouldn’t be counted out just yet. We walk through what to watch for and how it’s likely to shape the narrative in Washington in t...

After several days dominated by a single story — Signalgate — the new week brings a series of major stories that will drive the narrative here in Washington. One of those comes from Wisconsin, where a high-profile battle for control of the state supreme court has become the unlikely center of the political universe. With north of $100 million spent, tomorrow’s election presents the first and most meaningful electoral test of the new Trump era — even as the race itself has turned into something of a referendum on conservative billionaire donor Elon Musk. POLITICO Morning Score author Andrew Howard joins Playbook deputy e...

It’s a fitting end to a week of news dominated by foreign policy hands in Trump world: Yesterday, the White House announced that it is withdrawing Rep. Elise Stefanik’s nomination for UN ambassador. The New York Republican will instead remain in the House as Republicans work to maintain their narrow majority in the chamber. What does that tell us about the outlook for Trump’s agenda? And how does Stefanik return to life on Capitol Hill? Senior Congress editor Mike Debonis joins Playbook deputy editor Zack Stanton to break it all down. Plus, Vice President JD Vance heads...

For a fourth day, the Signalgate ordeal dominates every conversation in Washington — the rare Trump administration controversy with true staying power. What makes this time different? POLITICO cybersecurity reporter Maggie Miller joins Playbook deputy editor Zack Stanton to talk through that and its potential implications for policy and politics in the Trump administration and beyond.

It's been two days since 'Signalgate' took over Washington, and the president’s inner circle continues to deal with its impacts. Despite the administration's public support of National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, some are wondering if he'll eventually fall on the sword. White House bureau chief Dasha Burns joins Playbook managing editor and author Jack Blanchard to discuss.

It was the group chat heard round the world, and it perhaps shouldn’t even exist at all. Yesterday, “The Atlantic” published a piece revealing that some of the Trump administration’s top national security officials were using the commercial messaging app Signal to hold conversations about top-secret war plans — and that they inadvertently leaked those plans by adding “Atlantic” editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg to the chat. POLITICO intelligence reporter Amy Mackinnon joins host Steven Overly to discuss the fiasco and its implications in the U.S. and around the globe.

With both the Senate and the House returning today from a weeklong recess, the race is on to pass a budget bill. And though one of the prevailing recent storylines out of Washington centers on the divides within the Democratic Party, we’re about to have the divides within the Republican Party on full display. Congress reporter Jordain Carney joins host Steven Overly to talk through what to watch for this week on the Hill. That, and all the rest of the news you need to know today.

Democrats want to talk about Elon Musk. Whether voters want to hear that is another question — and one we may get an answer to very soon. In Wisconsin, an April 1 state supreme court race offers a test run of Dems’ new Musk-centric campaign strategy. If it works, you can probably expect to see them use that Playbook in the 2026 campaign. If it doesn’t? Well, then the party may just be as lost as ever. National politics editor David Siders joins Playbook deputy editor Zack Stanton to dig into it. Plus, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez head west o...

President Donald Trump’s multi-front battle on education is in full swing. Today, he’s expected to sign an executive order effectively dismantling the Department of Education; Columbia University faces a deadline to respond to the administration’s demands or else lose $400 million in funding; Penn finds itself under scrutiny as the administration takes issue with its policy on transgender student athletes; and Dartmouth staffs up as it seeks to remain out of the line of fire. POLITICO’s West Wing Playbook author and White House reporter Irie Sentner joins Playbook deputy editor Zack Stanton to discuss.

President Donald Trump is no stranger to pushing the limits. And since reentering the Oval Office, he’s put significant energy into pushing the limits of the law — testing the courts and the legal system in ways rarely before seen in this country. What’s behind that effort, and where does it go from here? Senior legal correspondent Josh Gerstein joins Playbook author and managing editor Jack Blanchard to discuss.

Today, President Donald Trump will talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin about a potential ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Trump, who told reporters over the weekend that significant progress has already been made in peace negotiations, is expected to make certain concessions for a successful deal. Can the two leaders come up with a plan to end the war — or get close to it? And will that plan sacrifice Ukraine’s own goals for the sake of a deal, whatever the costs? POLITICO national security reporter Eric Bazail-Eimil joins host Steven Overly to talk through what he’s watching. Plus, r...

Democrats have been looking inward since November 5, but over the past few days that self-examination has escalated. On Friday, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer led a small group of Senate Democrats to help pass the Republican-backed continuing resolution. In the days since, Schumer has faced frustration from colleagues, with some even calling for his removal. The situation has left those on and off the Hill trying to determine if Democrats can unite around… anything. Congress reporter Jordain Carney joins POLITICO Tech host Steven Overly to discuss. Plus, President Donald Trump defied a federal judge and carried out deportations using a wa...