POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing - POLITICO

Latest Episodes:

April 29, 2025: Day 100 Apr 29, 2025

Show notes

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.

April 28, 2025: Trump nears a historic benchmark Apr 28, 2025

Show notes

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 bureau chief Dasha Burns joins Playbook managing editor and author Jack Blanchard to discuss.

April 25, 2025: The Karoline Leavitt effect Apr 25, 2025

Show notes

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 discuss his new profile of her, how the 20-something emerged as a prominent member of Team Trump and what it all means for Washington.

April 24, 2025: Trump ratchets up pressure on Zelenskyy Apr 24, 2025

Show notes

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 discuss what to expect.

April 23, 2025: The White House tries to calm the markets Apr 23, 2025

Show notes

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.

April 22, 2025: Trump’s ‘chaos’ strategy vs. the global economy Apr 22, 2025

Show notes

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.

April 21, 2025: New Hegseth controversy roils Washington Apr 21, 2025

Show notes

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 Burns break it down.

April 18, 2024: Trump's messy breakup with mainstream media Apr 18, 2025

Show notes

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 important relationship of his decades in public life — and why it has soured so dramatically. All that, and the rest of the news you need to know today.

April 17, 2025: Inside the Lutnick-Trump alliance Apr 17, 2025

Show notes

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.

April 16, 2025: The making of the next big SCOTUS showdown Apr 16, 2025

Show notes

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.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing – POLITICO

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected