Episodes

  • February 21, 2025: Will DOGE bite Republicans?

    February 21, 2025: Will DOGE bite Republicans?
    Feb 21 2025
    Warning signs are flashing for congressional Republicans as President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency project escalates its slash-and-burn approach to federal budget cuts. In deep-red Georgia, a raucous town hall forum last night portends potential problems for the GOP. In Washington, Republicans on the Hill back-channel with the White House as fear spreads about political blowback from the cuts. And as DOGE readies the butcher’s block for federal agencies popular with voters, there’s no sure sign of how this all plays out. POLITICO aviation reporter Oriana Pawlyk joins Playbook deputy editor Zack Stanton to walk through the implications of a new round of cuts targeting the FAA, and what it could mean for passenger safety.
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    8 mins
  • February 20, 2025: Washington’s newest power couple

    February 20, 2025: Washington’s newest power couple
    Feb 20 2025
    Day in and day out, the most consequential stories in Washington right now seem to include two key players. One is obvious: President Donald Trump. The other is Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest man and Trump’s largest political benefactor. As their partnership remaps power in Washington, journalists on the frontlines scurry to crack the biggest story in the nation’s capital — and figure out what we perhaps misunderstand about the dynamics driving both Trump and Musk. National politics correspondent Adam Wren talks it through with chief Playbook correspondent Eugene Daniels. Plus, despite a curveball from Trump, the Senate’s vote-a-rama is still on … for now.
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    8 mins
  • February 19, 2025: Trump and Musk head to Hannity

    February 19, 2025: Trump and Musk head to Hannity
    Feb 19 2025
    In last night’s interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, President Donald Trump and Elon Musk tried to rehab Musk’s image and reinforce that Trump runs the show. Beyond that, not much else happened. As White House reporter Irie Sentner tells chief Playbook correspondent Eugene Daniels, it was the lack of significant news that made the hour memorable. Plus, the Senate eyes vote-a-rama, and all the rest of the news you need to know today.
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    9 mins
  • February 18, 2025: Who holds the keys to Ukraine‘s future?

    February 18, 2025: Who holds the keys to Ukraine‘s future?
    Feb 18 2025
    The biggest story in Washington today isn’t even in Washington. Today, top officials from the U.S. and Russia will meet in Saudi Arabia to talk about a future peace plan for Ukraine. But, officials from Ukraine will be missing at the table. National security reporter Robbie Gramer joins chief Playbook correspondent Eugene Daniels to discuss how this is playing with Europe and the weekend’s Munich Security Conference.
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    10 mins
  • February 14, 2025: One ‘big, beautiful bill’ takes one big leap forward

    February 14, 2025: One ‘big, beautiful bill’ takes one big leap forward
    Feb 14 2025
    Late last night, the House Budget Committee approved GOP leadership’s voluminous one-bill budget plan — a giant step toward fulfilling President Donald Trump’s policy agenda, but one that sets them up for collision with the Senate GOP’s two-bill approach. But launching it out of committee may have been the easy part. Where do things go from here? POLITICO Capitol bureau chief and “Corridors” columnist Rachael Bade joins Playbook deputy editor Zack Stanton to walk through it all. Plus, the Trump administration axes thousands of government employees, and the Justice Department sees major resignations after ordering prosecutors to drop bribery charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
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    11 mins
  • February 13, 2025: Why the Trump-Modi meeting matters

    February 13, 2025: Why the Trump-Modi meeting matters
    Feb 13 2025
    Today, President Donald Trump will host Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House — the latest high-stakes meeting between the leaders of the world’s two largest democracies. On the agenda? Tariffs, immigration and the future of the global balance of power. POLITICO’s Washington-based China correspondent Phelim Kine breaks it all down with chief Playbook correspondent Eugene Daniels. Plus, it’s a make-or-break moment for the House GOP’s budget plans.
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    11 mins
  • February 12, 2025: Dueling budgets and DOGE fights

    February 12, 2025: Dueling budgets and DOGE fights
    Feb 12 2025
    There’s one thing dominating the discourse in Washington today: Money. Dueling Republican budgets face big days on Capitol Hill, new inflation numbers drop this morning and President Donald Trump could unleash his latest salvo of tariffs. Meanwhile, the economic world is bracing itself for the Bureau of Labor Statistics to come under scrutiny from Elon Musk and his DOGE team. Economic policy correspondent Victoria Guida joins Playbook deputy editor Zack Stanton to walk through it all.
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    9 mins
  • February 11, 2025: Trump’s bureaucracy bulldozer

    February 11, 2025: Trump’s bureaucracy bulldozer
    Feb 11 2025
    In the few weeks since President Donald Trump returned to office, Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency panel has implemented significant changes within the federal government. Strong favorability ratings over the weekend are reported to have boosted morale within the White House, leaving them feeling emboldened. But as DOGE eyes new agencies to audit, how far can this bureaucracy-wrecking ball go? White House reporter Megan Messerly joins Playbook deputy editor Zack Stanton to talk it through. Plus, Trump implements further tariffs on aluminum and steel. All that, and the rest of the news you need to know today.
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    8 mins