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Trump’s crackdown comes for Portland Sep 29, 2025

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First came Los Angeles. Then, Washington, D.C. Now, President Donald Trump’s ongoing federal crackdown on big cities comes to Portland, Oregon. Last night, the city and state filed suit to block Trump from deploying 200 members of the Oregon National Guard to the City of Roses. But in an era when the confrontation is the point, that’s a fight Trump is perfectly willing to have. Playbook’s Adam Wren and Dasha Burns walk through Trump’s Portland push and what it portends for other major cities. Plus, we’re two days away from a federal government shutdown, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits the White House today as Trump pushes a new ceasefire plan.

From 'The Conversation': James Talarico on immigration, his faith, and how Democrats are getting it wrong Sep 28, 2025

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James Talarico is a Texas state representative who’s recently announced his candidacy for US Senate. He’s a Democrat, but not afraid to criticize some aspects of his party.

“National Democrats have talked about defending democracy or protecting institutions,” he said. “But, this democracy of ours doesn't work for a lot of people in this country. It doesn't work for a lot of people in Texas…. This is a deeply broken political system. And I'm not interested in defending it.”

Talarico joined POLITICO’s Dasha Burns this week for an episode of The Conversation, in a wide-ranging conversation about his candidacy, his faith and what Democrats can learn from Beyoncé.

Talarico caught national attention when he flipped a state House district outside Austin in 2018, and has grown in prominence on social media, where he boasts millions of followers on TikTok and Instagram. The former school teacher who’s studying to be a pastor is joining a crowded race to try to turn a Senate seat blue in Texas.

His faith has been one of the central aspects of his campaign. “My faith is why I went into public service. My granddad was a Baptist preacher in South Texas [and he] told me that Jesus gave us these two commandments to love God and love neighbor, which means that your faith is inherently public, right?,” he said. “That means that your faith should impact how you treat people out in the world. And really politics is just another word for how we treat our neighbors at the most fundamental level.”

When it comes to immigration, a Texas issue in the national spotlight, Talarico offered a metaphor to explain his approach. “People have a desire for a sane immigration system, a secure border that can ensure public safety and can ensure that the people coming here are coming to contribute to our communities and not threaten our communities,” he said. “We should treat our southern border like our front porch. We should have a giant welcome mat out front, and we should have the lock on the door.”

Trump’s DOJ targets Comey Sep 26, 2025

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Last night, federal prosecutors in Virginia charged former FBI Director James Comey with obstruction and making a false statement to Congress. It comes just days after President Donald Trump publicly demanded that Attorney General Pam Bondi more aggressively pursue criminal charges against Comey and other political enemies. What does it mean for the rule of law and where does Trump’s retribution campaign go from here? Playbook’s Adam Wren and POLITICO White House reporter Myah Ward unpack it all.

Trump’s Middle East mission Sep 25, 2025

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President Donald Trump has found his next big foreign policy project: Peace in the Middle East. And where that’s a goal hat has vexed generations of presidential administrations, Trump believes he can force a breakthrough with a bit of help from his friends in the region. On Tuesday, Trump met with eight leaders of Arab or Muslim-majority nations in New York. Today, he welcomes Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to the White House to talk about a nascent 21-point plan for peace in Gaza. Could Trump succeed where so many others have failed? Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and Dasha Burns unpack it all. Plus, Trump’s efforts at lawfare drastically escalate.

Why you should take a shutdown seriously Sep 24, 2025

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With just days left before a federal funding lapses, a government shutdown is looking more and more likely. There’s no deal in sight that would deliver the Democratic votes to make it through the Senate, top congressional leaders aren’t talking to one another and the race is on to pre-assign blame. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and Adam Wren sort through what you need to know with T-minus seven days remaining. Plus: President Donald Trump makes an abrupt — and potentially hugely consequential — shift on Ukraine. And: Are Democrats too focused on the rear-view mirror instead of the road ahead?

Trump takes UNGA Sep 23, 2025

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President Donald Trump is set to address the United Nations General Assembly in New York today, and there’s no shortage of topics he could wade into. There’s Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, a smattering of U.S.-brokered peace deals, the outlook for beleaguered international institutions and new attempts to reset and remake the global order. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and POLITICO White House reporter Megan Messerly walk through what to expect. Plus, the far-reaching fallout from Trump’s autism announcement is only beginning to be understood.

A telling difference between Donald Trump and Charlie Kirk Sep 22, 2025

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President Donald Trump and dozens of top administration officials and aides spent Sunday at Charlie Kirk’s stadium-sized memorial service in Arizona. Trump called Kirk “our greatest evangelist for American liberty” and a “martyr” for American freedom, while drawing at least one stark contrast between himself and the late conservative Christian activist. “He did not hate his opponents. He wanted the best for them. That’s where I disagreed with Charlie,” Trump said. “I hate my opponents, and I don’t want the best for them.” That portends turbulence ahead, as Trump returns to Washington eager to press the Justice Department to prosecute his political enemies, readies a major announcement on autism and gears up for a battery of meetings at the U.N. General Assembly. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and Adam Wren unpack what to know as the week begins.

Trump AI Advisor Wants 'American AI,' not 'Woke AI' | The Conversation Sep 21, 2025

Show notes

Sriram Krishnan is a venture capitalist who once served as general partner at Andreessen Horowitz. Now, he serves as White House Senior Policy Advisor for AI, where he has helped to develop President Trump’s American AI Action Plan.

In a live interview with The Conversation host Dasha Burns at POLITICO’s AI & Tech Summit, Krishnan discussed what it takes for the United States to win the AI race, how the White House wants to keep “wokeness” out of government-funded AI, and how artificial intelligence will be harnessed, regulated, and contested in the years ahead.

“We want to make sure that our ecosystem has market share, and if [China’s] Huawei gets market share that means revenue, that means usage, it makes their chips better, it makes them set up to start exporting to other countries,” Krishnan said.

Krishnan explains that the era of artificial intelligence is still very new, and while it closely resembles the early days of the internet, the Trump White House is working to make sure everyday Americans can make good use of the technology.

“What I think about is how do we get more of what people here are seeing, which is AI making your lives better, making your work better and figuring out how to get us to economic prosperity.”

Plus, Playbook managing editor and in-house UK expert Jack Blanchard breaks down the significance of Trump’s unprecedented second state visit to Great Britain and the president’s close relationship with prime minister Keir Starmer.

Weight, weight, don’t tell me Sep 19, 2025

Show notes

There's a hot new fitness trend that may offer some insight into the 2026 midterms, according to a new poll. Women who wear weighted vests are the new niche voting group that could be key for both parties to capture. So who has the early edge? Playbook’s Adam Wren and White House reporter Myah Ward dig in. Plus, former Vice President Kamala Harris paints a fiery picture of her 107-day presidential campaign, and the fallout from Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension continues.

Trump’s crackdown comes for Kimmel Sep 18, 2025

Show notes

President Donald Trump is on day two of his U.K. state visit. While Wednesday saw plenty of pomp and circumstance, today will bring the business end. Trump is set to meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and talks about trade and Ukraine are likely to top the agenda. Trump will be back in the U.S. later today, and he’s returning as Washington grapples with two big pieces of news: Disney indefinitely pulled Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show off the air over comments made in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s killing. Meanwhile, Trump said in a post on Truth Social that he is designating the antifa movement a terrorist organization. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House reporter Megan Messerly break it all down.

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