The Briefing with Jen Psaki

Latest Episodes:

Psaki reviews a shocking litany of political targeting by Trump's DOJ May 07, 2026

Show notes

Jen Psaki reviews the shocking litany of political targeting by Donald Trump's Justice Department, from investigations and indictments to raids of political opponents led by disgraced FBI Director Kash Patel.

Andrew Weissmann, former FBI general counsel, and Tim Weiner, author of "Enemies: A History of the FBI," discuss the level of disgrace Kash Patel has brought to the by-the-book FBI.

Rep. Jamie Raskin joins to discuss how federal workers can use whistleblower protections to report instances of government corruption to Congress.

Howard Lutnick, Donald Trump's commerce secretary, answered questions about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein at a behind-closed-doors congressional hearing. Democrats who attended the meeting report that Lutnick did not exactly distinguish himself.

And Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton talks with Jen Psaki about bringing accountability to the Trump administration if Democrats take over one or both chambers of Congres.

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Life after Trump: Elections show political adjustments as Trump fades from relevance May 06, 2026

Show notes

Pete Buttigieg, former secretary of transportation and former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, talks with Jen Psaki about the burden of Donald Trump on Republican candidates, even in red states, and how politicians are recalibrating their approach to voters as Donald Trump loses both relevance and any popularity he once enjoyed.

Dr. Amy Acton, Democratic candidate for governor of Ohio, talks with Jen about what she's hearing from voters in her state.

Jen Psaki takes a closer look at how Donald Trump's vanity project ballroom, which no one asked for, has ballooned in cost and has now become a taxpayer burden.

And Chedrick Greene, Democratic candidate for Michigan State Senate District 35, joins Jen to talk about his approach to campaigning and the stakes of his election.

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Trump corruption backlash emerges as key election issue; Democrats plan for accountability May 02, 2026

Show notes

Donald Trump's corruption and greed have reached a tipping point with the American public to become a campaign focus for many Democratic candidates. Ben Rhodes, former deputy national security advisor to President Obama, talks with Jen Psaki about the politics and also how Democrats can ensure justice is served as Trump's protective power slips.

Donald Trump using his position in the White House to enrich himself and cut deals with taxpayer money for countries and corporations that do him favors is an enduring feature of Trump's corrupt presidency. Jen Psaki and former Obama deputy national security advisor Ben Rhodes discuss the contrast between Trump's greed and the struggles Americans are facing in Trump's mismanaged economy.

Former Senator Doug Jones, who is running to be governor of Alabama, talks with Jen about the rush to redraw congressional districts in southern states after Donald Trump's Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act.

And Rep. Robert Garcia discusses FCC chair Brendan Carr abusing his office to serve as Donald Trump's speech police.

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'Shut this White House down': Platner talks strategy to stop Trump May 01, 2026

Show notes

Jen Psaki looks at polling in key midterm Senate races that shows Democrats ahead, tied or within striking distance as Donald Trump's popularity continues to sag to new lows. Graham Platner, who essentially clinched the Democratic nomination for Senate from Maine when his opponent dropped out today, joins to discuss the grassroots energy behind his campaign and the significance of his race to eventual Democratic control of the Senate. "Any road to a Democratic Senate goes through the state of Maine," he says.

Graham Platner, Democratic candidate for Senate from Maine, talks with Jen Psaki about the role Donald Trump plays in his race and with the voters he hopes to make his constituents, and discusses the posture Democrats should take to make the most of any political power they are able to attain in the midterm elections.

J.P. Cooney, former federal prosecutor, talks with Jen about the Trump administration's bad faither prosecution of James Comey.

Tennessee State Rep. Justin J. Pearson talks about defending voting right in the wake of the Supreme Court gutting the Voting Rights Act.

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'It's the incompetence!': Hegseth roasted by Democrats in congressional hearing Apr 30, 2026

Show notes

Jen Psaki explains the map at the center of the new Supreme Court ruling that is likely to weaken Black representation in Congress and talks with Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock about what the ruling's real world effects will likely be.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries talks with Jen Psaki about how Democrats plan to address Donald Trump's disasters.

Jen Psaki shares highlights of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth being challenged by Democrats in a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee, and talks with veteran Rep. Pat Ryan about his frustration with Hegseth's answers and attitude.

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King Charles schools Trump on democracy in speech to Congress about checks and balances Apr 29, 2026

Show notes

Jen Psaki shares part of King Charles' speech to Congress in which he explains the importance of checks and balances in a functioning democracy to the very people who have abdicated their responsibility to be a check on Donald Trump.

Senator Mark Kelly joins to discuss Donald Trump's misguided reaction to the security breach over the weekend, and also shares his thoughts on a report that JD Vance is concerned that Donald Trump's war on Iran is expending too much of the U.S. weapons stockpile and not achieving the level of success Donald Trump is boasting about.

Jen Psaki shows Donald Trump making the same joke about how much older he is than Melania as the joke Trump and Melania claim is so offensive that Kimmel should be removed from his job.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis reportedly wants a job in the Trump administration when his term as governor ends. Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost explains to Jen Psaki that DeSantis knows Trump well enough to know that the best way to get in Trump's good graces is to show fealty to him, so he has joined the game other Republican governors are playing to rig their states' congressional districts to favor Trump. Frost points out that DeSantis' map is illegal, but also, DeSantis is not making a good faith effort to draw a real congressional district map.

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Most Americans think Trump is NOT mentally fit for office, Fox News poll says Apr 25, 2026

Show notes

With a new Fox News poll showing that most American think Donald Trump does not have the mental soundness to serve effectively as president, Jen Psaki looks at the trouble Trump is having even staying awake, and his bad habit of making poor decisions based on the incorrect assumption that everyone will give him what he wants.

White Donald Trump's Justice Department wages a bizarre political prosecution of the Southern Poverty Law Center, Trump seems to be confusing that attack with other political attacks the DOJ has carried out on his behalf. Rep. Dan Goldman talks with Jen Psaki about the DOJ's "insane" case and Trump's weird belief that it will lead to wiping his 2020 election loss "off the books."

Former Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr, and former special envoy for Iran, Robert Malley talk with Jen about the chances for success of the latest round of negotiations between the U.S. and Iran.

Former Rep. Elaine Luria talks with Jen about running for Congress in a newly created district in Virginia.

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Trump's sons are fooling no one cashing in on Trump's war Apr 24, 2026

Show notes

Jen Psaki looks at the conflicts of interest behind the business deals Donald Trump's sons (and son-in-law) have made with companies that are making millions of dollars from government contracts and the demands of Trump's war on Iran.

Rep. Jamie Raskin talks with Jen Psaki about holding Trump's family members accountable.

Adm. John Kirby (ret.), former Pentagon press secretary, talks with Jen Psaki about what Donald Trump is communicating between the lines while he acts like he feels no pressure and is in no particular hurry to get the U.S. out of his war with Iran.

Senator Amy Klobuchar joins to discuss how Donald Trump's Iran war is affecting her constituents, and the huge amount of money Republicans want to budget for ICE despite the disaster Trump's anti-immigrant campaign has been.

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Trump's corruption becomes a campaign issue as GOP Congress flunks on accountability Apr 23, 2026

Show notes

As Donald Trump becomes ever more brazenly corrupt, finding ways to use his power over the federal government to enrich himself and his cronies, Americans are realizing the "checks and balances" they learned about in school are not happening because the Republicans controlling both chambers of Congress are doing everything in their power to make sure nothing gets in Trump's way. The result is that giving Congress the ability to hold Donald Trump accountable has become a campaign issue for Democrats. Jen Psaki explains.

Senator Jon Ossoff joins to discuss the importance of Democrats flipping the Senate to ensure accountability for Donald Trump.

Senator Cory Booker talks with Jen Psaki about how Donald Trump's incompetence has created a situation in which he needs skilled, qualified staff to clean up his messes, but is now suffering the consequences of not having hired based on those skills in the first place.

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Trump clobbered by avalanche of bad news capped by critical loss in Virginia Apr 22, 2026

Show notes

Virginia voters agreed to a redistricting plan that could increase the number of Democratic members of the House after this year's midterm elections, helping to balance the rigging Donald Trump tried to push Republican states to do. Jen Psaki points out that the bad news for Trump in Virginia comes in the context of bad news from Iran, bad news on gas prices, bad news on consumer prices, bad news on his tariff plan and more that has Trump on a disastrous political trajectory.

Donald Trump's determination to corrupt the Fed was a key issue in a confirmation hearing before the Senate Banking Committee for Trump's pick to lead the Fed, Kevin Warsh. But as Senator Elizabeth Warren discusses with Jen Psaki, anyone who hoped Warsh would demonstrate some courage and independence to defy Trump in order to make the right decisions for the economy were disappointed to find Warsh too afraid to even name any way he differs with Trump.

Senator Tim Kaine joins Jen to discuss the successful Virginia redistricting vote as well as Donald Trump failing miserably in a battle of wits with Iran.

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