The Powers That Be: Daily

Abby Livingston joins Leigh Ann Caldwell to dissect the new Texas redistricting maps—part of a Trump-backed effort to expand the G.O.P. House majority. They dig into the political strategies behind the scenes, how Democrats are likely to respond, and whether Texas is a preview of a broader redistricting push. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc....

Marion Maneker joins guest host Julia Alexander to explore the surging collectibles market, and how that may impact art trading as we know it. Then they dig into the recent earnings reports from Christie’s and Heritage, and why Marion believes the art market’s fundamentals are stronger than the prevailing anxiety might suggest. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: htt...

Eriq Gardner joins Julia Alexander to revisit the lasting fallout from Hulk Hogan’s landmark lawsuit against Gawker—backed by Peter Thiel—and how it reshaped the media industry’s legal risk calculus. Then they turn to Disney’s escalating crackdown on unauthorized Mickey Mouse merch, and what it signals about the new frontier of I.P. enforcement. To learn more about listener data and our privacy pr...

Jon Kelly reunites with Peter to chew over the Trump administration’s official blessing of the Skydance–Paramount merger—and the controversial ‘South Park’ broadside that almost blew it all up. Then they explore ESPN’s potential acquisition of NFL media, and what it could mean for Red Zone diehards and the future of football on Sundays. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices v...

NASCAR commissioner Steve Phelps joins John Ourand for a candid conversation about the sport’s evolving media ecosystem, including new deals with Fox, NBC, and Amazon Prime. Phelps also outlines NASCAR’s experimental growth strategy; explains why he’s not in competition with F1 and IndyCar; and weighs in on the simmering legal standoff with Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan—while making the case for...

Kim Masters joins Peter to discuss how Hollywood insiders are reacting to CBS's abrupt cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert—and whether it’s less about cost-cutting and more about appeasing Trump as David Ellison prepares to take the reins at Paramount. They also explore the implications for the studio’s programming slate and whether a “Trumpier” Paramount is on the horizon. To learn...

Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to examine the political bind facing the G.O.P., as Speaker Mike Johnson chooses to recess the House rather than confront growing demands from his own party to release new information about Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes. They discuss the political calculations behind the move, the pressure mounting on Trump, and why Republicans remain deeply conflicted over the handling—o...

Eriq Gardner joins guest host Julia Ioffe to unpack Trump’s $10 billion defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal over a lewd birthday card he allegedly doodled for Jeffrey Epstein, and which he vehemently denies creating. Eriq explains why this lawsuit is notably flimsy—and why Trump may be aiming for a settlement rather than a public reckoning. To learn more about listener data and our...

Ian Krietzberg joins guest host Julia Ioffe to unpack the class-action lawsuit against the A.I. company Anthropic, and how publishers are drawing a line in the sand when it comes to A.I. models training on their content. They also dig into Trump’s supposed “anti-woke A.I.” action plan and how it ties into the mass sell-off of public lands envisioned in the Big Beautiful Bill. To learn more about l...

Jon Kelly reunites with Peter to unpack Substack’s billion-dollar valuation and its pivot from newsletter darling to multimedia hype darling. Then they dig into the culture-war-infused intrigue surrounding David Ellison’s potential bid for The Free Press, and what it could mean if he folds Bari Weiss into CBS News. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.auda...

In this special episode of The Powers That Be, Leigh Ann Caldwell is joined by Rep. Angie Craig for a Puck Power Breakfast at Ned’s Club in D.C. Craig digs into the crypto-related conflicts dogging the White House, and explains why the current administration’s rural agenda is alienating the very farmers it claims to support. She also opens up about her new political group, Majority Democrats, and...

Julia Ioffe joins guest host Leigh Ann Caldwell to unpack the implications of the sweeping layoffs at the State Department, which have left 1300 staffers out in the cold. Then they examine Marco Rubio’s tenure as Secretary of State, illuminating his emerging role as a key architect of Trump's evolving foreign policy—while sidestepping his actual duty to manage the reorganization of the State Depar...

Abby Livingston joins Leigh Ann Caldwell to cover the most pressing topics underpinning the political landscape: the latest drama with the redistricting efforts in Texas, the Dems’ and G.O.P.’s respective Q2 fundraising trends, and whether Elon Musk is actually gaining any traction with his quixotic third-party ambitions. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://w...

Lauren Sherman joins guest host Julia Alexander to cut through the noise surrounding the Anna Wintour-Vogue succession story—and why the rumors of Jeff Bezos acquiring the storied fashion mag are more fantasy than fact. Lauren also digs into the $10 million sale of a prototype Hermès Birkin bag, and highlights which other luxury bags could reach cult collectible status in the future. To learn more...

Bill Cohan joins guest host extraordinaire Julia Alexander to dissect Bill Ackman’s latest headline-generating antics—this time at a tennis tournament—and the optics of his increasingly erratic behavior. Then Bill breaks down the escalating crisis at Saks Global, where a debt restructuring effort has devolved into intra-creditor warfare, and why Chapter 11 may be on the horizon. To learn more abou...

Jon Kelly joins guest host Julia Alexander to assess Apple’s reported $150 million-a-year offer for F1's U.S. media rights—nearly twice what ESPN currently pays. With ESPN tightening its belt and prioritizing strategic clarity, Apple may have the inside lane. Then they pivot to Linda Yaccarino’s exit from X, and discuss what her retreat signals about the company’s Musk-era dysfunction and long-ter...

Matt Belloni joins guest host Julia Alexander to discuss the high-stakes summer blockbusters that could make or break two battered superhero franchises. With ‘Superman’ poised for a $130 million debut, Warner Bros. Discovery is betting big on a comeback after a string of DC misfires. Meanwhile, Marvel’s ‘Fantastic Four’ reboot carries the burden of reviving a post-‘Endgame’ brand that’s lost its a...

Ian Krietzberg joins guest host Julia Alexander to unpack the firestorm surrounding Grok, Elon Musk’s controversial A.I. agent for his social platform, X. Recent updates to be more “politically incorrect” instead led Grok to unleash a series of anti-Semitic outputs, including references to Hitler. Ian and Julia explore the broader implications of A.I.’s impact on public discourse, platform account...

Dylan Byers joins guest host Julia Ioffe to unpack the fallout from the $16 million CBS–Trump settlement, and what it reveals about the state of press freedom, media ownership, and Trump’s increasingly autocratic playbook. They also tackle the broader crisis in media: collapsing valuations, fragmentation, and the industry’s struggle to push back against Trump’s legal tactics. To learn more about l...

Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Julia Ioffe to break down how congressional Republicans fell in line behind Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, despite flashes of public dissent, as a result of Trump’s rallying force and the fear of political repercussions. They also dig into the Freedom Caucus’s failed rebellion, and whether that signals a striking decline in their influence. To learn more about listener data a...

Jon Kelly joins guest host Julia Alexander to discuss the existential threat that Google’s A.I. tools pose to digital media, highlighting the so-called “Google Zero” phenomenon—a potential extinction-level event for many large-scale publishers. Then they turn their attention to the rise of YouTube and the creator economy, and whether the creator gold rush may finally be reaching its peak. To learn...

Lauren Sherman joins guest host Julia Alexander to gab about Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s celebrity wedding, where vintage and custom fashion upstaged traditional high-end designer gowns. They connect the dots to broader luxury industry headwinds, from China’s spending slump to the rising cachet of secondhand. They also discuss Jonathan Anderson’s successful Dior debut—and why it could mark a p...

John Ourand joins guest host Julia Alexander to unpack the far-reaching implications of Shari Redstone’s $16 million settlement with Donald Trump—starting with what it means for CBS Sports and its likely new steward, Jeff Shell, a media veteran known for using sports to drive growth. They also examine the rise of skinny bundles, the intensifying sports rights arms race, Amazon Channels’ strategic...

Ian Krietzberg joins guest host Leigh Ann Caldwell to break down the eleventh-hour removal of a controversial A.I. provision from the Big Beautiful Bill. Then they discuss the contradictions at the heart of the Trump administration’s A.I. strategy, from its deregulatory stance to its $500 billion bet on the Stargate Initiative—and a looming A.I. policy framework that may favor innovation over envi...

Eriq Gardner joins guest host Leigh Ann Caldwell to discuss the Supreme Court’s brow-raising ruling on birthright citizenship—which, in classic Supreme Court fashion, wasn’t actually about birthright citizenship and instead limited the power of lower courts to issue nationwide injunctions. Eriq and Leigh Ann weigh into the various policy implications, including immigration, foreign aid, and the ne...