The Playbook Podcast

The U.S.-Iran ceasefire is “over.” But how are Republicans responding to these renewed strikes and what does this all mean for the midterms? Meanwhile, the clock is ticking on the bipartisan Housing bill. The question on everyone’s mind: will Trump sign it? Plus, an update on the saga unfolding in Maine as Democrats scramble to find their next Senate nominee.  For more new...

In a video statement, Graham Platner announced that he is suspending his campaign for the U.S. Maine Senate race. Since the aftermath of POLITICO’s report on sexual assault allegations against Platner, Maine Democrats tentatively approved a nominating convention to identify their replacement, and a band of hopefuls are already raising their hands. ...

The political fallout continues after POLITICO's reporting on sexual assault allegations against Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner. On this episode, host Jack Blanchard and White House reporter Myah Ward get into what this means for Democrats as they head into a highly contested seat for the 2026 midterms. Meanwhile, President Trump is still at the&nbsp...

A woman who dated Maine U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner has accused him of sexual assault, in reporting exclusive to POLITICO. Platner denied the allegations, calling them "troubling, serious, and false." Today on the Playbook Podcast, host Jack Blanchard in conversation with the reporters who broke the allegation explores what this all means for Platner, th...

Donald Trump heads to Turkey for the NATO summit, where there’s plenty of questions about defense spend, Ukraine, and the future of Greenland. POLITICO White House reporter Megan Messerly gives us the rundown on what she’s looking out for this summit.  Plus, the Qatari-gifted jet serving as Air Force One makes its first int...

As America marks 250 years since its founding, award-winning documentarian Ken Burns joins Dasha to reflect on what history can teach us about this political moment. In this wide-ranging interview, Burns discusses what lawmakers misunderstand about the founding of our nation, what George Washington would think of Donald Trump, and whether the American experiment can survive the next chapter. Have...

What does MAGA make of the Democratic Party's insurgent wing? POLITICO White House reporter Megan Messerly shares insights from her interview with former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon. Meanwhile, the Bureau of Labor Statistics will release their jobs report this morning. The White House is hoping for a boost in data, but will that matter if the numbers don’t square up with consumer sen...

Results from the Rockies have rolled in, and it’s another big night for the insurgent Democratic candidates. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court wrapped up its term with major rulings, so what do they mean for the midterm elections? And, once again, a handful of hardliner Republicans froze the house floor, leading to several canceled votes and an early two-week recess for lawmakers.  Follow POLITICO here...

The Supreme Court is scheduled to deliver end-of-term decisions for several high-profile cases including birthright citizenship, state bans on transgender athletes in women's sports, and campaign finance limits. Meanwhile, Trump envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are in Qatar today for technical talks about the MOU with Iran and the contested Strait of Hormuz. Plus, a preview of Colorado's pri...

Colorado voters head to the Primary polls on Tuesday. And there's one big question Democrats are wondering nationally: what's next for insurgent candidates? Meanwhile, the U.S. and Iran agree to another ceasefire. Will this one last longer than the last ? And after a week filled with surprises, can the Republicans finally get some business done in the House this week ahead of the Fourth of July? F...

Dasha sits down with Finnish President Alexander Stubb in Helsinki for a wide-ranging conversation on NATO, Russia's war in Ukraine, Iran and the future of America's relationships with allies around the world.  Stubb, who has developed an unusually close personal relationship with Donald Trump, discusses how he approaches the president behind closed doors, why he believes Ukraine has the uppe...

House Speaker Mike Johnson patches things up with Trump after the president canceled the signing of a bipartisan housing bill on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Democrats of all ilk prepare for the Colorado primaries next week, where newcomer Melat Kiros challenges Rep. Diana DeGette. And a sneak peek at how Gov. Wes Moore...

Is the roof collapsing on the Democratic Party? The New York primaries are fueling questions around where the party is headed as insurgent candidates gain ground. Meanwhile, after President Trump refused to sign the bipartisan housing bill into law, House Speaker Mike Johnson gears up for an afternoon meeting with the president. And it’s&...

Playbook Podcast host Jack Blanchard and POLITICO White House reporter Megan Messerly sit down for a primary postmortem. It’s a big win for Democratic Socialists – so what do New York’s results reveal about the Democratic establishment? At the same time, even everyone wants to be a political outsider, big money still packs a punch. Plus, Trump’s off to ...

It’s primary day, again. On this episode of the Playbook Podcast host Jack Blanchard sits down with POLITICO Albany bureau chief Nick Riesman to get the scoop on what’s moving in the Empire state. President Trump and New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani are both testing their political clout amid a rising tide of populis...

NATO Chief Mark Rutte heads to Washington to meet with President Trump as tensions simmer over defense spending. Meanwhile, Iran negotiations had a shaky start on Sunday after Israeli strikes on Lebanon and Trump’s continued threats against Tehran. And the White House is weighing the future of AI regulation as talks with An...

Jack Schlossberg joins Dasha to talk about his campaign for New York’s 12th congressional district, his viral online persona and why he thinks Democrats need to be more “controversial” in the Trump era.  Schlossberg discusses what he says Democrats got wrong in 2024, why he believes attention is political power, how the party can reach young male voters, and why he sees himself as part of a n...

The G7 summit has wrapped and Trump signed the Iran MOU at the Palace of Versailles — yes, that Versailles. Politico’s Myah Ward was on the ground at the G7 all week and shares how much Iran and the U.S. dominated conversation at the summit. Plus, not all Republicans are  happy with the MOU and some are pointing blame at JD Vance for a bad deal. And across the Atlantic, Britain may get its seventh...

President Donald Trump is expected to speak later this morning, likely touting the Iran agreement. This comes after Bloomberg published an unconfirmed draft of the memorandum that raises some serious questions. Later today, Fed Chair Kevin Warsh will preside over his first Open Market Committee meeting, where news will likely paint a less than peachy vision of high inflation rates. Speaking of pea...

In Georgia’s Republican primary runoff, will Trump’s endorsement of Rep. Mike Collins secure his GOP nomination in a high-stakes bid to unseat Sen. Jon Ossoff? Meanwhile, Gov. Gavin Newsom is accusing Trump of weaponizing the DOJ to investigate him and his wife. Plus, ten years after Hillbilly Elegy launched his public rise, Vice President JD Vance is back with a new book, Communion: Finding My Wa...

President Donald Trump heads to the G7 Summit in France today after reaching a peace agreement with Iran last night. But what is in the deal, and is it worth the paper it's written on? Amid these geopolitical developments, a media spectacle on the South Lawn as Trump celebrated his 80th birthday with the White House’s first ever UFC match.  Follow POLITICO here:     ➤ X: https://x.com/politico/  ➤...

At POLITICO’s Energy Summit, Dasha presses EPA administrator Lee Zeldin on rising gas prices, the war in Iran, Trump’s energy dominance agenda, coal, AI data centers, and whether the EPA has a responsibility to address climate change. Zeldin defends his approach, arguing that the EPA can protect the environment while growing the economy and rejects the idea that his agency should lead the fight ag...

TACOs are back. President Trump announced yesterday that he will nominate Jay Clayton, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan, to be the next director of national intelligence. This comes after pushback on the Hill to acting director Bill Pulte, a top Trump housing official. Meanwhile, just hours after declaring strikes on Iran for a third night in a row, Trump canceled the attacks, citing a breakthrough...

Tumult stirs in the White House as an increasingly frustrated President Trump tightens his inner circle. Abroad, another night of U.S. strikes on Iran is testing whether Trump's long-promised path to a peace deal remains viable. Plus, beneath the surface of the FIFA World Cup inaugural games, tensions grow between Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney....

Voters in Maine have decided: controversy-plagued Democrat Graham Platner will face Sen. Susan Collins in the fall. Meanwhile in South Carolina, Sen. Lindsey Graham defeated MAGA challenger Mark Lynch, avoiding a runoff election. And with a key inflation report due later this morning, Morning Money newsletter author Sam Sutton joins the Playbook Podcast to preview the latest Consumer Price Index (...