The Briefing with Jen Psaki

Latest Episodes:

Paranoid freak-out, excessive drinking: Report describes erratic Kash Patel leading FBI Apr 18, 2026

Show notes

Sarah Fitzpatrick, staff writer for The Atlantic, talks with Jen Psaki about her new reporting about a bizarre freak-out by FBI director Kash Patel when he thought being unable to log into his work computer meant he'd been fired by Donald Trump, and episodes of excessive drinking that alarmed his FBI colleagues.

Rep. Greg Casar discusses Congressional Democrats taking a new interest Jared Kushner's potential conflicts of interest while he negotiates with Iran on behalf of the United States.

Jen Psaki looks at examples of behavior by Donald Trump that would have had right-wing politicians and commentators apoplectic with outrage if President Obama had done the same, and the shameless hypocrisy of critics of President Obama's deal-making with Iran who have been silent about what Donald Trump is reportedly considering.

Mary Moriarty, county attorney of Hennepin County, Minnesota, talks about her pursuit of criminal charges against an ICE agent who drew his weapon on two civillians.

And Martin Barron, former executive editor of the Washington Post, talks with Jen Psaki about the challenges faced by the media in covering Donald Trump.

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The writing is on the wall: Trump lashes out in desperation as support drains away Apr 17, 2026

Show notes

Jen Psaki looks at the political signs, from special elections to fundraising totals, that Donald Trump's political favor is fading fast and he has buried himself in messes he doesn't know how to fix.

Jim Messina, former campaign manager for Barack Obama, talks with Jen about the strategy Democrats should be pursuing to maximize their advantage while Donald Trump's unpopularity weighs down Republican candidates.

Rep. Pat Ryan and Rep. Chris Deluzio talk with Jen Psaki about Donald Trump's mismanagement of his war of choice in Iran and the bizarre distraction of Pete Hegseth's obnoxiousness.

New Jersey Congresswoman-elect Analilia Mejia joins Jen to discuss the political winds that helped her win her special election.

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Iran takes Donald Trump down a peg with costly lesson in compromise Apr 16, 2026

Show notes

Jen Psaki looks at the complicated financial entanglements Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and fellow real estate developer Steve Witkoff have in the Middle East where the interests of the United States may diverge from those of countries like Saudi Arabia which wields significant financial influence over the two top U.S. negotiators assign to resolve Trump's war with Iran.

Donald Trump is learning the hard way that Iran is not interested in unconditional surrender, which is forcing Trump to accept that the only way he's getting out of his disastrous war with Iran is to find a compromise. Former national security advisory Jake Sullivan discusses with Jen Psaki.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear talks with Jen Psaki about the yawning gap between the actual teachings of Jesus Christ and the Christian values they inform, and the selfish, violent cruelty with which Donald Trump conducts himself and his administration.

Harry Dunn, former Capitol Hill police officer, and Glenn Kirschner, former federal prosecutor, join with Jen to discuss the Trump administration's desire to clear the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers of their January 6 charges, and the remarkable number of pardoned January 6 insurrectionists who have been charged with yet more crimes.

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Trump becomes a parody of himself as he runs out of answers and his base erodes Apr 15, 2026

Show notes

Jen Psaki looks at how Donald Trump and his team of apologists have run out of answers and excuses for high consumer prices and high gas prices in particular, and the burden that is putting on other Republicans. And then, as if he hadn't lost enough support for his anti-immigrant campaign of terror, starting an unnecessary war, and causing a huge spike in gas prices, Trump compared himself to Jesus.

Donald Trump's sharing of an image depicting himself as Jesus Christ healing the sick has turned a spotlight on Trump's general immorality and made a mockery of his Christian supporters. Senator Reverand Raphael Warnock joins to discuss with Jen Psaki.

Senator Adam Schiff joins to discuss Donald Trump floundering on Iran and to share his reaction to the allegations of sexual misconduct against Eric Swalwell.

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Artemis II Splashdown ...Plus, Hapless Vance heads to Pakistan saddled with Trump's Iran folly Apr 11, 2026

Show notes

Former NASA astronauts Jim Bagian and Dr. Mae Carol Jemison are joined by Ali Velshi, Moses Small and Josh Einiger to talk with Jen Psaki about the concusion of the Artemis II mission as the astronauts emerge from their Orion spacecraft.

With the global economy in upheaval and his domestic approval dropping like a rock, Donald Trump is sending his number 2, JD Vance to Pakistan to try to make a deal with the Iranians that allows Trump to get out of the war he started with Iran with as few embarrassing concessions as possible. Adm. John Kirby (ret.), former Pentagon press secretary, and Robert Malley, former special envoy for Iran, talk with Jen Psaki about the challenges Vance will face.

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Melania Trump stages bizarre announcement denying links to Jeffrey Epstein despite evidence Apr 10, 2026

Show notes

Jen Psaki wonders at the motivation of First Lady Melania Trump to make a sudden, surprise speech denying any past relationship with notorious sex trafficking pedophile and Donald Trump's long-time friend, Jeffrey Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. The first lady even went so far as to make denials that are directly contradicted by evidence in the public domain. Why? And why now?

Rep. Robert Garcia joins to discuss the strangeness of Melania Trump's sudden interest in the plight of Epstein's victims.

Former Secretary of State John Kerry talks with Jen Psaki about the mistakes Donald Trump is making in his approach to Iran, and the "massive credibility gap" the United States has to overcome if it wants to be taken seriously by Iran in future negotiations after the way Trump has conducted things so far.

And Jen Psaki exposes Donald Trump's staggering hypocrisy in accepting foreign-made steel for his White House ballroom project after making the promotion of American steel a basic part of his domestic politics.

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'Complete catastrophe': Trump faces widespread consequences for Iran blunder Apr 09, 2026

Show notes

Jen Psaki looks at the discrepancy between Iran's view of the ceasefire agreement with the U.S. and Israel, and the Trump administration's boasts, as well as how much the agreement illustrates that many of Trump's goals for the war remain unfulfilled.

Journalist Bob Woodward shares his insights about Donald Trump and his administration

Jen Psaki helps Donald Trump's press secretary Karoline Leavitt answer some of the tough questions about the Iran ceasefire deal from today's White House briefing, and Rep. Jim Himes, ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, talks about the consequences of Trump war on Iran for America's interests around the world.

Shawn Harris, former Democratic congressional candidate for Georgia’s 14th District, joins to talk about his significant overperformance in an extremely red district and where he's taking his campaign next.

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Iran outmaneuvers Trump; cuts deal that leaves U.S. worse off than pre-war Apr 08, 2026

Show notes

Donald Trump managed to avoid having to follow through on his ghastly threat to commit genocide in the war he started with Iran by agreeing to a tentative deal that opens the Strait of Hormuz, albeit with costs and conditions. Senator Mark Kelly joins Jen Psaki to discuss how profoundly Trump has messed up with his war of choice against Iran.

Donald Trump was able to head off his own foolhardy threat of apocalypse with a temporary deal that leaves the United States worse off than when he started his war of choice against Iran, but the deal comes too late for the growing number of critics, including among his own supporters, who want to see him removed from office. Maryland Governor Wes Moore joins Jen Psaki to discuss.

David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker, joins to discuss new insights into how Donald Trump decided to go to war against Iran.

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Trump struck dumb as realities of war make a mockery of his bluster Apr 04, 2026

Show notes

Donald Trump has put a lot of energy into boasting about U.S. military dominance over Iran, including eliminating Iran's ability to shoot down planes. As is the case with so much of Trump's talk, reality has shown him to be ill-informed, lying, or both.

Donald Trump's fixation on the sensational aspects of warfare and his shallow understanding of setting goals are keeping his mission in Iran directionless and confusing. Veteran Pentagon journalist Barbara Starr, David Noriega, MS NOW national reporter and Lt. Col. Amy McGrath discuss.

Rep. Seth Moulton joins to discuss how Donald Trump's griftiness is wroking in overdrive now that he has started a war with Iran.

Rep. Madeleine Dean explains why JD Vance is a poor choice for "fraud czar."

And David Miliband, president & CEO of the International Rescue Committee, explains why Donald Trump's war on Iran could result in a major disruption of the world's food supply.

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In ironic twist, Epstein files apparently cost Bondi her job even as she shielded Epstein associates Apr 03, 2026

Show notes

Even though she was unfailingly loyal to Donald Trump, a quality that would be thought to keep her job secure, Pam Bondi reportedly did not sufficiently protect Donald Trump from public awareness of his involvement with notorious pedophile and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, so Trump has fired her. So despite disgracing herself by shielding Trump and other Epstein associates and turning her back on Epstein's victims, it was Bondi who suffered public disgrace and lost her job because of her own release of the Epstein files.

Rep. Ro Khanna joins to discuss Donald Trump's Jeffrey Epstein problem, and Rep. Joe Neguse talks about how Congress can protect the Justice Department when Trump's priority seems to be corrupting it.

The bombing by the United States of a bridge in Iran and Donald Trump's repeated threats to destroy Iran's power plants and water infrastructure raise questions of how close Trump will come to committing war crimes in Iran, or even whether he already has. Former national security advisor Ben Rhodes responds.

In a closed door speech the White House apparently accidently published and then deleted (but not before it was downloaded and reshared), Donald Trump declared the inability of the federal government to provide for things like daycare when his priority is military strength, not the welfare of the American public. Senator Chris Van Hollen joins to discuss.

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