The Briefing with Jen Psaki

Jen Psaki looks at Donald Trump's callous disregard for Americans who are struggling to cover living costs while he learns that "affordability" is an important political buzzword but all of his policies only make things more expensive.Senator Ruben Gallego talks with Jen Psaki about the Republicans' cruel leverage tactics in the fight to manipulate Democrats into supporting a budget that will hurt tens of millions of people. Republicans have set up the argument to pit people who need food assistance against people who need health care subsidies. Earlier, Republican Senate Leader John Thune said the quiet part out loud when he disparaged Americans who need food and health care assistance, injecting further divisiveness into the debate.Jen Psaki shares breaking news that the Supreme Court has agreed to a Trump administration request to temporarily block a lower court judge's order to resume full SNAP payments until the case can be heard by a circuit court. Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, one of two groups presenting a coalition of states suing the Trump administration over SNAP cut, joins to discuss. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki looks at some bizarre Republican hot takes explaining their poor performance in this week's elections, with addressing the cost of living in America coming almost as an afterthought.Jen Psaki reports on the lengths Donald Trump's weaponized Justice Department went to in order to try to make an example of Sean Dunn, a Washington, D.C. resident who threw a sandwich at a Border Patrol officer. But in the end the jury would not play along and found Dunn not guilty.Morris Katz, a senior advisor to the Mamdani campaign, talks with Jen Psaki about the importance of keeping candidates authentic and running a campaign that suits the district instead of following a universal blueprint. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the aftermath of an Election Day disaster, Donald Trump struggled to accept the reality of the fallout from his painful policies, though he did at least acknowledge that the shutdown of the federal government weighed against Republicans. Senator Chris Murphy joins Jen Psaki to discuss whether the clear message from voters is enough to motivate Republicans to re-open the government. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro talks with Jen Psaki about the Democrats' resounding victories in the first elections of Donald Trump's second term, and points out that while there were differences between the Democratic candidates, one unifying element is that they all campaigned on solutions to specific problems voters are dealing with.And New Jersey Governor-election Mikie Sherrill joins to discuss her electoral victory and what issues in her campaign resonated the most with voters. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki offers a special preview of Tuesday's elections, including the important race for governor of Virginia with Jen Palmieri, former communications director for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, Larry Sabato, director fo the University of Virginia Center for Politics, and political analyst Anthony Coley. Jim DeBoo, senior advisor to Governor Gavin Newsom, joins for a special focus on Prop 50 redistricting in California. New York City Comptroller Brad Lander discusses the energy and appeal of Democratic upstart and New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani. And Pennsylvania State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta discusses the out-of-the-spotlight state supreme court race in Pennsylvania that has major national implications. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki shows Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson and Vice President JD Vance explaining out loud that the reason they don't want to fund food assistance to millions of Americans is because if they do, Democrats will have even less incentive to vote for the Republicans' budget bill, in effect admitting that they're deliberately causing pain to people they know Democrats care about as leverage to get their way on a bad budget bill.House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries talks with Jen Psaki about Republicans trying to use the pain of tens of millions of Americans going without food as a means of manipulating Democrats to vote for their bad budget bill, and points out the irony that while Donald Trump has never met a law he didn't think he could ignore, he is trying to use the law as an excuse to avoid funding the food assistance program SNAP.Curiously coinciding with a fictional TV movie about U.S. nuclear readiness, Donald Trump has taken a sudden interest in testing U.S. nuclear capability and, against conventional good judgment, has announced that interest out loud in public. Mark Hertling, former commanding general of United States Army Europe, joins Jen Psaki to discuss how nuclear issues are addressed when they're handled by a competent administration, and why it's a bad idea for U.S. leaders to muse about the possibility that the nuclear arsenal doesn't work. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki shares reporting on the suspension of two federal prosecutors after they submitted a sentencing recommendation for January 6 rioter Taylor Taranto after his conviction on charges unrelated to the insurrection. The recommendation was refiled with alterations made in the references to January 6 and Donald Trump.Jen Psaki relays reporting from "Retribution," the new book from Jonathan Karl, ABC News chief White House correspondent, which offers a look behind the scenes at how Donald Trump put together a Cabinet full of wildly unqualified sycophants. Sen. Ben Ray Lujan talks with Jen about shutdown drama in the Senate today as Republicans are freaking out that Democrats aren't caving like they usually do and Americans are suffering as a result of Trump's indifference and Republican deference to Trump.Captain Dylan Blaha joins to discuss Trump's abuse of the National Guard. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Maine Senate race was rocked this month when revelations about the Democratic frontrunner Graham Platner threatened to completely upend the Democratic primary to select a candidate to try to unseat Susan Collins. Jen Psaki had Platner back on The Briefing to ask him directly about past offensive internet comments, a tattoo identified as being associated with Nazism and the state of his campaign in the wake of a tumultuous month.Graham Platner, an upstart outsider who appears to still be leading the Democratic primary race for a chance to unseat Maine's Republican Senator Susan Collins, talks with Jen Psaki about weathering scandal on the campaign trail and succeeding as a Democratic candidate despite considerable resistance from powerful figures within the Democratic Party. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In a move seen as a test run for intimidation tactics during the midterm elections, Donald Trump is reportedly sending poll watchers to a few polling places around the United States. Rick Hasen, professor of law and political science at UCLA, explains why the steps Trump is taking this year may only be a dress rehearsal for how he intends to disrupt the 2026 election which could cost him control of Congress.Even though incompetence and corruption are endemic in the Trump administration and can often explain the shoddy work of Trump staffers, the poorly supported legal cases against James Comey, Letitia James, and Adam Schiff reveal that these cases are less about winning and more about trying to drag people who Donald Trump doesn't like through the mud. Michael Schmidt, investigative reporter for the New York Times, talks with Jen Psaki about the point of these political prosecutions being to smear the subjects, not actually win the cases. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki observes that as Donald Trump gets more comfortable with his autocrat persona, the traits that made him a societal laughing stock all his life are coming to define his leadership style. And the mockery he has become has so diminished him that his opponents are emboldened to get in the way of his demolition of the United States.Donald Trump's lackeys in Congress are trying to support his effort to exact revenge on the public servants who tried to hold him to account. Former special counsel Jack Smith is a prominent name on Trump's enemies list, so it's not surprising that Congressional Republicans would try to discredit him with their investigating-the-investigators hearings. Former federal prosecutor Andrew Weissmann talks with Jen Psaki about why Jack Smith is smart to agree to participate in the hearings on the condition that they be public. Jen Psaki addresses questions posed at the White House press briefing, giving more honest and direct answers than the White House is willing to offer on questions ranging from Donald Trump's desecration of the White House to Trump's pardoning of a crypto-criminal business associate. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki reacts to Donald Trump's demolition of the White House's East Wing to make room for his vanity project ballroom, and takes heart in the increasing, and increasingly creative, ways that Americans are pushing back against Trump's authoritarian overreach. Rep. Jamie Raskin explains the maneuver Donald Trump is trying to pull off by getting the lawyers he installed at the top of the DOJ to agree to have the Justice Department pay him $230 million, the laws Trump is trampling, as well as what Congress can do to stop him if Democrats regain control of the House in 2026.In what may be the most important story in the country right now, Democrats and democracy advocates are finding ways to counter Republican efforts to rig the 2026 midterm elections by gerrymandering states with Republican legislatures to take the voice away from Democratic voters and ensure Donald Trump's uninterrupted power by keeping the House in the hands of spineless sycophants. Jen Psaki explains. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It has been weeks since Adelita Grijalva was elected to represent Arizona's 7th congressional district in Congress, but because Grijalva would represent the deciding vote to force a vote on the release of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation files, Mike Johnson has found every excuse he can to postpone swearing Grijalva into office so she can officially begin work on behalf of her constituents. Now Arizona is out of patience and has sued Johnson directly for denying representation in Congress to the American voters who elected Grijalva. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes joins Jen Psaki to discuss.Fresh from the massive success of Saturday's "No Kings" protest, many people are asking what comes next. Ezra Levin, co-founder of Indivisible, talks with Jen Psaki about how the No Kings movement can make productive use of its momentum, and the launch of the "No Kings Alliance" for rapid response activism.Jen Psaki reports on Paul Ingrassia, Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Office of the Special Counsel, who managed to stay in good standing with Republicans despite a long string of scandals, but ultimately withdrew his himself from the confirmation process after new reports, which he disputes, that he once described himself as having a 'Nazi streak,' an accusation that cost him too many Republican votes to sustain his nomination. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ahead of the premiere of her new documentary, "Andrew Young: The Dirty Work," Rachel Maddow talks with Jen Psaki about parallels between the activism of the civil rights movement and the anti-Trump "No Kings" protests that are sweeping the nation. As Donald Trump continues to push his anti-immigrant agenda, viral videos of ICE agents abusing people have steadily increased in number, prompting a growing public outcry for accountability for agents terrorizing neighborhoods and breaking local laws. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker talks with Jen Psaki about reports that he is looking into holding law-breaking ICE agents responsible.Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani, talks exclusively with Jen Psaki about how he plans to stand up to Donald Trump and protect the city from Trump's abuses if he becomes mayor. Mamdani also addresses issues of religion and intra-party Democratic politics. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki looks at ways Republicans are trying to avoid accountability for Donald Trump's failures by rigging the election system to take power away from voters who would reject them.As the federal government shutdown drags on, House Speaker Mike Johnson does not appear motivated to use his uniquely powerful position to resolve the crisis. Nor does he seem inclined to swear in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva who recently won a special election. Grijalva and Rep. Robert Garcia talk with Jen Psaki about how Mike Johnson's political games are hurting Grijalva's constituents in Arizona and why the only real reason for Johnson's delay is to hold off a vote on a discharge petition to force a vote on releasing the Epstein investigation files.Federal workers are unbowed in their resistance to Donald Trump even as Trump has devoted his second term to making their lives miserable. Senator Andy Kim tells Jen Psaki that federal workers he has talked to tell him that Donald Trump's attempt to use the federal government shutdown as an excuse to fire more federal workers is plainly false because they've lived through Trump gunning for them since his second term began. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki is on a mission to show us how the Democratic party can use this political moment to fight and win again. On Season 2 of her podcast, “The Blueprint,” she interviews the people reshaping the party, starting with Texas Congressman Greg Casar, Chair of the Progressive Caucus.The first two episodes of “The Blueprint with Jen Psaki” are available now, and will continue to drop every Wednesday, from now through mid-November. Stay right here to listen to a special preview. And for the full episode, search for “The Blueprint with Jen Psaki” and follow the show. Plus, subscribe to MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts for ad-free listening. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki looks at the myriad conflicts of interest and outright corruption by the Trump administration while taxpayers foot the bill for his self-serving deals and federal workers scramble to live without getting paid because of Trump's government shutdown.Jen Psaki points out how the combination of Donald Trump's poor sourcing of information and weak comprehension skills suggest he doesn't understand what is happening in his own administration. But when the facts are self-evident, perhaps a more reasonable explanation of Trump's behavior is that he simply doesn't care.House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi talks with Jen Psaki in an exclusive interview about California Democrats' enthusiasm for Prop 50 to redistrict the state and increase the number of likely Democratic districts in a bid to counter Republican states redistricting to try to rig the midterm election to maintain Donald Trump's control of Congress. Not only is Pelosi bullish on a win for Prop 50, but she is confident that Democrats wil "win big" in the midterms. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki shares reporting from ABC News that the indictment of New York Attorney General Lititia James by Donald Trump's former personal lawyer Lindsey Halligan caught Trump's attorney general, Pam Bondi, off guard, raising questions about whether she has fallen from Trump's favor despite her devotion and sycophancy. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse joins to discuss Bondi's job performance and why she may have been left out of the loop on such a prominent case that is so important to Trump.Jen Psaki looks at how the effectiveness and increasing popularity of anti-Trump protests have driven some Republicans into hiding while Trump's closest acolytes have begun pushing weird lies and mischaracterizations of the events in the hopes of undercutting their energy. Tennessee State Rep. Justin Pearson joins to discuss the principles at stake and the importance of remaining steadfast against Donald Trump's overreach. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

With the indictment of New York Attorney General Letitia James by Donald Trump's Justice Department, Trump's pattern of political prosecutions is undeniable. Rep. Dan Goldman, a former federal prosecutor, talks with Jen Psaki about the damage Trump's malicious prosecutions are doing to the U.S. legal system, and why it's more important that ever for members of the legal community to defend the rule of law from Donald Trump's abuses and distortions.Former federal prosecutor Preet Bharara talks with Jen Psaki about the many flaws in the legal cases being brought against people Donald Trump bears a grudge against, and points out that because they're only motivated by Trump's ire and vanity, there is no reason to expect them to end with the adversaries he has already named out loud for the DOJ to go after.For reasons only he can know, House Speaker Mike Johnson thought it would be a good idea to take questions from the public in the midst of presiding over a government shutdown. Among the uncomfortable encounters Johnson endured was a man who accused him of lying about illegal immigrants draining Medicaid. Johnson challenged the man to "look at the documents," so Jen Psaki did just that. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki shows House Speaker Mike Johnson's pattern of avoiding having to address any issues that might cast Donald Trump in a poor light by pretending they are "not in his lane," not relevant to his position in Congress and therefore he can't speak on them. But when asked about Bad Bunny performing at the Super Bowl, Johnson wasted no time leaving his lane to speak his mind.New reporting from the Wall Street Journal says that Donald Trump's social media post demanding that Attorney General Pam Bondi prosecute his political enemies was meant to be a private direct message. Former federal prosecutor Preet Bharara talks with Jen Psaki about the DOJ's case against former FBI Director James Comey and how Trump's sloppy posting will not only be used against him, but could turn up more improper communications in discovery.Jen Psaki exposes the facts that undermine a fake surveillance scandal that Republicans like Lindsey Graham, Josh Hawley, and Chuck Grassley are pretending to be outraged about so they can push a re-writing of the history of January 6 and what the subsequent investigation turned up. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki points out Attorney General Pam Bondi's strenuous efforts to avoid having to answer for anything happening within the department she leads, which is a problem throughout the Trump administration and is particularly acute in Trump himself, who not only famously refuses to take responsibility for anything but seems to have no real idea what is going on with the things he's supposed to be in charge of.Jacob Soboroff, MSNBC senior national correspondent, reports from the Chicago suburbs about how Donald Trump's anti-immigrant enforcers are targeting even the most benign members of the community, sparking outrage and defiance. Virginia Giuffre once described Ghislaine Maxwell as worse than Jeffrey Epstein and the puppetmaster who pulled Epstein's strings. Her brother and sister-in-law talk with Jen Psaki about Donald Trump's weird hedging on whether he could pardon Maxwell. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki points out examples of Donald Trump not being aware of what his own administration is doing, or of the fallout of his own actions, raising questions about whether Trump understands the political consequences of the harm he is causing the American people with his shutdown of the federal government. Rep. Dan Goldman joins to discuss.Kat Abughazeleh, Illinois congressional candidate, talks with Jen Psaki about the violence and brutality ICE is inflicting on protesters and members of the media who are demanding greater transparency and humanity in the treatment of immigrant detainees. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As public displays of Donald Trump's erratic behavior seem to be increasing in frequency and intensity, and the stakes for the fate of the country seem increasingly dire, more public figures are speaking out about whether Trump is not well enough to serve. Rep. Madeleine Dean, who was caught on camera confronting House Speaker Mike Johnson about Trump's condition, talks with Jen Psaki about her concerns.With Donald Trump using the federal government shutdown to allow his OMB director Russel Vought to run amok slashing jobs and federal programs, Shalanda Young, former director of the Office of Management and Budget, is speaking out about the willingness of congressional Republicans to give up their constitutional power to Donald Trump's abuses.Jen Psaki reports on how Donald Trump's trade war, combined with his weird favoritism for his international buddies like Argentine President Javier Milei, has resulted in brutal economic conditions for American farmers. Not only is Trump devastating their businesses, but Trump's policies are hurting their living expenses and particularly their health care costs. Senator Amy Klobuchar joins to discuss. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen's Version: Jen Psaki addresses questions raised in the White House briefing room with real answers instead of the Trump administration's distortions and spin, including the bizarre claim that Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner is donating his time to world peace by inserting himself into the affairs of countries that have given him billions of dollars.Maryland Governor Wes Moore talks with Jen Psaki about Donald Trump's bizarre presentation to a gathering of U.S. military leadership, including Trump's suggestion that U.S. cities be used as military training grounds. Moore points out that members of the military follow orders, except when those orders are unlawful.And Senator Elizabeth Warren talks with Jen Psaki about Democrats' insistence on protecting Americans' health care before considering any cooperation with Republicans on a budget vote. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As the federal government heads into shutdown, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries talks with Jen Psaki about Democrats' openness to bipartisan negotiations but criticizes his Republican colleagues for using a "reckless rubber stamp" when it comes to Donald Trump.Donald Trump's secretary of war, Pete Hegseth, summoned all of the U.S. military's top leadership to an extremely unusual meeting in Quantico, Virginia, only to subject them to weird, self-indulgent speeches from Hegseth and Trump. Lieutenant General Russel Honoré, U.S. Army (retired), talks with Jen Psaki about the bizarre event and Donald Trump's poor understanding of how the U.S. military works. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

George Conway, president of the Society for the Rule of Law, and Liz Oyer, former Department of Justice pardon attorney, talk with Jen Psaki about the myriad flaws and shortfalls in the Trump Justice Department's case against former FBI director James Comey.New files turned over from the estate of Jeffrey Epstein to the investigators with the House Oversight Committee contain the names of close associates of Donald Trump. Rep. Ro Khanna talks with Jen Psaki about the ongoing pressure campaign to release the Epstein legal documents.The coming vote in California on Prop 50, redistricting to counter the Texas gerrymander meant to help Trump retain power over Congress through the midterm election, has brought a wave of advertising both for and against the measure. Jen Psaki takes a closer look at how those ads are being paid for and finds the two sides are not the same. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Former federal prosecutor Andrew Weissmann talks with Jen Psaki about the legal issues inherent in the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey, and the procedural steps that have been skipped in Donald Trump's rush to have his political enemies prosecuted. Weissmann points out that having a trial that gives Comey a platform to mount a defense may be a move Donald Trump comes to regret.Senator Tim Kaine talks with Jen Psaki about the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey, and what seems like glaring weaknesses in the apparently politically motivated case. Senator Kaine notes that Attorney General Pam Bondi says they are still following the facts, suggesting that means they don't already have the facts for a conviction. Who's next in Donald Trump's revenge tour? Jen talks with White House correspondent Vaughn Hillyard. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

While it was generally understood that Donald Trump's installation of his own personal lawyer, Lindsey Halligan, as U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia to replace the abruptly departed Erik Siebert, was related to his stated desire that his personal enemies be criminally prosecuted, it wasn't entirely clear until today's MSNBC report on the expectation of an indictment of former FBI Director James Comey what was really going on. Jen Psaki reports on Trump's disdain for Comey and his frighteningly direct tactic of assigning unquestioning loyalists to attack his enemies.Jimmy Kimmel returned to his late-night TV show, not only defiant, but before a significantly larger audience, a reflection of the broad support he has received after the Trump administration tried to bully the corporations that carry his show into taking him off the air. Terry Moran, former ABC News senior national correspondent, talks with Jen Psaki about Donald Trump's miscalculation about the importance of free speech to Americans.And the Trump administration sank to a new low as former Trump lawyer turned DOJ attack dog is dabbling in Sandy Hook conspiracy theories with Alex Jones. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Donald Trump managed to take it personally when an escalator at the UN General Assembly stopped working while he was on it. Jen Psaki takes the opportunity to observe another instance of the "Donald Trump rage cycle," and points out that the thin-skinned president's petty tyrades are less intimidating the more people learn to stand up to him.Jen Psaki revisits MSNBC reporting from the weekend about the FBI investigating Trump border czar Tom Homan until the investigation was suddenly dropped, and reviews a litany of cuts to the government's anti-corruption capacity.The pressure campaign against Disney/ABC appears to have worked, and Jimmy Kimmel is to return to the airwaves, but many Americans won't be able to make the choice to watch him or not on their own because Nexstar and Sinclair, the media conglomerates that own their local ABC station, may have a financial interest in appeasing Donald Trump rather than serving local communities. FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, the lone Democratic appointee on the commission, joins Jen Psaki to discuss the dynamics at play. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki reports on the negative reactions of some surprising Republicans to the Trump administration's use of political intimidation to silence Donald Trump's critics. Along with the few Republicans who have opposed Trump on covering up Jeffrey Epstein's crimes, the unquestioning obedience Trump enjoys from his party may be showing cracks. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

With Donald Trump saying the quiet part out loud about who should be allowed to speak in the United States, Jen Psaki follows the money through the corporate powers that are helping the Trump regime reshape American media in order to protect their financial interests.Meanwhile, Congressoinal Democrats intend to investigate potential conflicts of interest by media conglomerates looking to appease Donald Trump for business reasons.Stacey Abrams joins to dicuss what people can do to push back on Trump's power grab."The moment you hear 'public interest,' it should ring the bell." Russian dissident Garry Kasparov, founder and chairman of the Renew Democracy Initiative, talks with Jen Psaki about what it looked like as Russia's democracy gave way to autocracy under Putin, and parallels he sees with the Trump regime now. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker reacts to breaking news that Disney's ABC television network has capitulated to strong-arming by the Trump administration to remove Jimmy Kimmel from the air, and encourages Americans to not only push back on Disney, but to remain steadfast in standing up to Donald Trump's intimidation tactics. Former federal prosecutor Preet Bharara weighs in on the legal perspective, and Rep. Dan Goldman joins to discuss Donald Trump's power overreach.Jen Psaki reports on a Senate health committee hearing in which Republicans were trapped trying to maintain the Trump administration's anti-vaccine attitude in the face of well-informed testimony from former CDC officials, including Republican-confirmed former CDC Director Susan Monarez, pushed out by Trump's HSS secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Dr. Debra Houry, the CDC's former chief medical officer, who also testified at today's hearing, joins to discuss the lack of scientific rigor and transparency from Trump's new health officials. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz talks with Jen Psaki on the day that he had declared his candidacy for reelection. Walz offers harsh words on Donald Trump for his response to shootings in Minnesota, including the fatal shooting of Democratic politician Melissa Hortman, as well as the deployment of the National Guard to American cities, and Trump's handling of the economic challenges Americans are facing.Jen Psaki reports on FBI Director Kash Patel's credulity-straining Senate testimony today and shares new MSNBC reporting that FBI agents are being diverted from human trafficking and child predator cases to work on Trump's immigration agenda.Jen Psaki looks at how the Trump administration is taking an active opposition to free speech in the United States in the wake of the murder of Charlie Kirk, with Donald Trump going so far as to suggest to a reporter that treating Trump "unfairly" is "hate." To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki looks back at past examples of political violence in the United States and how political leaders addressed the country with calls for unity and cooler heads, with examples from John Boehner to Utah Governor Spender Cox, who spoke this morning at a press conference announcing that the suspect in the shooting of Charlie Kirk is in custody. Senator Tina Smith discusses the dire state of politics in the U.S.While the suspect in the Kirk shooting is in custody, Kash Patel's poor performance leading the FBI did not go unnoticed. Andrew Weissmann joins to explain how the FBI is supposed to work in normal times under normal leadership.Donald Trump has named Memphis as the next target of his military policing plan. Tennessee State Rep. Justin J. Pearson expresses his vehement opposition to what Trump intends to do.NATO suffered significant alarm when Russia sent drones into Poland in what is widely seen as a test of NATO readiness. Donald Trump seemed more inclined to excuse Vladimir Putin than to rally with allies, Jen Psaki explains.And a CDC panel assembled by Trump HHS secretary and vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy will decide whether they endorse the new booster, which will determine whether residents of as many as 16 states are able to access the vaccine this season. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As the manhunt continues for the person who shot and killed conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Alicia Menendez talks with Vaughn Hillyard, MSNBC senior White House correspondent, Ken Dilanian, MSNBC justice and intelligence correspondent, and Marc Santia, MSNBC investigative correspondent, about progress in the investigation so far.Senator Amy Klobuchar talks with Alicia Menendez about how the increase in political violence and threats toward political figures has legislators not only looking for increased security but also for a way to alter the tone of political discourse in the United States.Utah officials hold a press conference in which they release new video and enhanced photos in an appeal to the public for help finding the person who shot adn killed Charlie Kirk. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Senior White House Correspondent Vaughn Hillyard, who has covered Charlie Kirk's ascent in conservative politics, joins Jen Psaki to provide insight into Charlie Kirk’s rise and influence within the MAGA ranks and young conservatives. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Donald Trump and his Republican acolytes defy credulity with their bizarre denial that Trump's page in Jeffrey Epstein's birthday book is somehow a 22-year-old forgery, but as Jen Psaki points out, that isn't the only unbelievable story Trump is trying to push to escape a reality that makes him look really bad. In the latest edition of "Jen's Version," Jen Psaki addresses questions asked at the White House press briefing, including what Donald Trump meant by "if a man has a little fight with the wife they say this is crime," as he complained about the crime getting in the way of his claim that Washington D.C. doesn't have any more crime.Texas State Rep. James Talarico, fresh from declaring his candidacy to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate, talks with Jen Psaki about the role of "love thy neighbor" religion in his politics, and the fight he wants to help bring to bear against Donald Trump's Republicans. Senator Adam Schiff joins to talk about Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein, and Wes Moore discusses his decision to run for reelection as Maryland's governor. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In an exclusive, extended interview, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker talks with Jen Psaki about Donald Trump's threat to blitz Chicago with ICE agents, supported by the deployment of National Guard troops. Pritzker discusses what tools he has to push back, what Chicago residents can do, and what else he thinks Donald Trump has in mind while he normalizes military on the streets of U.S. cities.Rep. Jamie Raskin alerts viewers that the House Judiciary Committee will be releasing an "explosive" report early next week about the extent to which the Trump administration has undermined federal anti-human trafficking efforts.Jen points out the shocking degree to which Donald Trump is not living up to his economic promises, and to make matters worse he is actively dismantling consumer protections established during the Biden administration. And Martin Sheen will be Nicolle Wallace's guest at this year's MSNBC Live event. Tickets are still available. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Senate Finance Committee was not gentle with Donald Trump's HHS secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., grilling him on his perspectives on vaccines and often catching him in contradictions. Jen Psaki shares highlights of some of Kennedy's more frustrating lies, and the efforts of senators to call him out.As Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, levels accusations of mortgage fraud against Donald Trump's political enemies, a new report from ProPublica shows that three members of Trump's own Cabinet have the same kind of mortgages that are the basis for Pulte's fraud accusations against Democrats. Jen Psaki explains how the facts contradict Pulte's claims of non-partisanship.States that value science and data and good health are not waiting around for the Trump administration to come to its senses as long as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the Health and Human Services secretary, so they're taking the responsibility on themselves. Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey talks with Jen Psaki about how she is securing vaccine access for her state, and why states will have to do more on their own in the absence of federal leadership. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The role of Jeffrey Epstein abuse survivor Virginia Roberts Giuffre in demanding accountability for Epstein and his accomplices, and keeping the case in the spotlight even as powerful forces attempted to make the case disappear, cannot be overstated. Sky and Amanda Roberts, brother and sister-in-law of Virginia Roberts Giuffre, talk with Jen Psaki about the challenges Giuffre faced, and her legacy as other survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse are speaking out and demanding the release of the files related to Epstein's criminal investigation.Despite every poll showing support, all but a few Republican members of Congress are resisting releasing the files from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. Rep. Ayanna Pressley discusses her frustration with Republicans who won't put action to their words of support for Epstein's victims.While Donald Trump's HHS secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismantles the CDC, states are taking it upon themselves to continue to support a robust vaccine regime to keep preventable diseases at bay. Not all states, however. Florida today announced it is ending mandates for all vaccines. Senator Jon Ossoff discusses with Jen Psaki, and for the first time calls for the resignation of Secretary Kennedy. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki shares Donald Trump's seemingly self-contradicting answer to a question about internet rumors that he had been out of the public eye for several days because he had died. But Trump has plenty of other reasons to want to hide from the American public.Jen Psaki shows how Donald Trump's unpopular and illegal agenda is suffering one legal loss after another in court challenges, and talks with Norm Eisen, executive chair of the Democracy Defenders Fund, and Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, about the effectiveness of keeping Trump's feet to the legal fire.And Jacob Soboroff delivers a powerful report about an 18-year-old honors student deported to Guatemala where she is threatened by the exact type of gangs that Donald Trump claims to be fighting with his indiscriminate deportation policy. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ian Bassin, co-founder and executive director of Protect Democracy, and former federal prosecutor Kristy Greenberg, talk with Jen Psaki about a federal appeals court finding that Donald Trump's tariffs are illegal, and other legal problems the administration is having with overreach, like Jeanine Pirro humiliating herself with her failure to match an indictment to her tough talk on the sandwich-throwing activist.Donald Trump has made clear his intention to dismantle FEMA and shift responsibility for disaster preparedness and response to states. As he makes progress toward that goal, FEMA staffers are raising the alarm that the plan is flawed and the U.S. is not ready to meet the demands of a major disaster. James Stroud, a FEMA statistician, joined his colleagues in signing a letter to Congress, alerting them to urgency of the situation, and was subsequently suspended by petty Trump for speaking out.The parents of 16-year-old Adam Raine cite responses from ChatGPT among the reasons for his suicide after they discovered messages from the A.I. bot offering advice instead of triggering alerts that are meant to discourage these kinds of ideas. Jay Edelson, attorney for the Raine family, talks with Jen Psaki about the responsibility they believe OpenAI, the parent company of ChatGPT, has for their son's death.Congressional Democrats and some Republican allies are already planning press events and subpoenas to put the Jeffrey Epstein case back into the spotlight when Congress returns from summer recess. Rep. Jared Moskowitz discusses with Jen Psaki. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, who resigned in protest from his position as director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, talks with Jen Psaki about the valuable work being done by the people at the CDC, and how the Trump administration, through HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is corrupting the CDC with unscientific attitudes and agendas.Jen's Version: Jen Psaki answers questions posed in today's White House press briefing, without the Trump administration's spin, and doubles down on her criticism of the Trump White House for taking no action to prevent gun violence and instead wasting time on "bad faith back-and-forth."Plus, Philadelphia D.A. Larry Krasner on Donald Trump's use of the military as domestic police, and Graham Platner on challenging Susan Collins for Maine's Senate seat. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki addresses the horrific shooting at a Catholic school in Minneapolis and the shocking gun statistics in the United States that "should make everyone angry." Psaki points to new gun legislation that passed under the Biden administration after a mass shooting at a supermarket, and reminds viewers that anger can turn into activism, activism can turn into pressure, and pressure can change laws.Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey talks with Jen Psaki about the horrific shooting at Annunciation Catholic School that has left his community in shock and grief. Frey calls for Americans to recognize the victims of today's shooting not as somebody else's kids, "think about them as your own," and encourages a loving perspective but also real action to address America's gun problem. The Trump administration is attempting to remove CDC Director Susan Monarez from her position after only two weeks in the Trump-appointed, Republican Senate-confirmed job. The conflict over Monarez's resistance to Trump HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s anti-science whims and conspiracy theories has apparently set of a series of other high-profile departures, leaving a vacuum at the top of the CDC and the Trump administration looking foolish. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki shares samples of the gross, sycophantic fawning of Donald Trump's Cabinet members at a group meeting that leaves little wonder why Trump thinks "a lot of people say" he should be a dictator. His own Cabinet already treats him like one.Jen Psaki reports on Donald Trump's director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, who is using his access to federal housing data to accuse Trump's political enemies of mortgage fraud, perhaps ignoring the irony that Trump is a notorious fraudster, or perhaps because of it. Senator Elizabeth Warren joins to discuss what the FHFA is meant to do, and what is really going on with Pulte's obeisance to Trump.Jen Psaki reports on the devastating poll results that have Donald Trump rightly concerned about Republican control of Congress after 2026, and which are likely why he is appointing wild election conspiracy theorist Heather Honey to be deputy assistant secretary for election integrity, and is begging states with Republican-controlled legislatures to help him rig voting districts.Iowa Democrat Catelin Drey breaks the state's Republican supermajority with a Senate special election win. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

With Texas poised to pass a redistricting bill to help Donald Trump rig the midterm elections in his favor to retain control of Congress, Democrats are taking the fight to Trump. Trump's renewed engagement with Vladimir Putin on the war in Ukraine has made a new priority of the return of Ukrainian children stolen by Putin. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Despite his deep delusions to the contrary, Donald Trump turning Washington, D.C. into a police state is making life and business in the District worse, thanks in large part to the team of bad faith bunglers Trump has assembled to carry out his will. While Trump's acolytes appear eager to help him weaponize the DOJ and law enforcement against his political enemies, their incompetence mostly yields embarrassment. The best possibility for a consistent ceasefire in Ukraine is if a coalition of outside countries deploy a NATO-like force to enforce it, argues former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor. Texas State Rep. Nicole Collier is essentially imprisoned in the State Capitol because she won't agree to being monitored by police, so they won't unlock the doors to allow her to leave. Oklahoma's MAGA superintendent of public schools is working hard to make his state the most poorly educated in the nation by prioritizing right-wing ideological standards instead of fact-based scholastics. And Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is probably wishing her spokesperson didn't invoke the church when offering a retort about Noem mooching a free apartment from the Coast Guard. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Expectations for the outcome of Donald Trump's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin were low, but few people anticipated that in addition to producing no agreement, the meeting would be followed by a low-energy 12 minute press presentation with no details given and no questions taken. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Despite efforts to lower expectations for his big meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump still managed to underperform with nothing to show for the meeting, which was followed by a "press conference" with no details and no questions taken. Jen Psaki is joined by her MSNBC colleague Nicolle Wallace, former U.S. ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul, and former deputy national security advisor, Ben Rhodes discuss what happened and what it all means. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Donald Trump's use of federal forces to crack down on residents of Washington, D.C. is not well received. Neither is the crackdown by federal immigration authorities on immigrant school children. Gavin Newsom has presented his counter to Donald Trump's gerrymandering scheme by offering to voters a new district map that would only be triggered if Texas changes their map first. Jen Psaki takes a closer look at the Christian nationalist extremists who have a concerning amount of influence on members of the Trump administration. Michael McFaul offers a preview of Trump's Friday meeting in Alaska with Vladimir Putin. And Alex Jones has lost another court case and it another stop closer to losing all of his business assets to pay for the Sandy Hook Elementary judgment against him. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Donald Trump cements his dictator identity by rewriting U.S. history to his liking, tampering with museum exhibits, and deploying the U.S. military against Americans in the name of crime fighting. Democratic members of Congress try to hold ICE accountable for terrible conditions at its internment prisons, but HHS is getting better at hiding its tracks and its abuses. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s deranged ideas about vaccines are not only hurting the preparedness of the United States to address new diseases, but are making MAGA followers hostile to a scientific community that is only dedicated to helping people. And Ivanka Trump is organizing a cage fight at the White House for the nation's 250th anniversary. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The truth of Donald Trump's deployment of the National Guard to police Washington, D.C. is evident in the demographics of other cities he claims to want to target. Governor Wes Moore makes it clear that he is not interested in playing along with Trump's stunt if Trump tries to move on to Baltimore. Moore also says that redistricting in his state is possible if Donald Trump persists in trying to rig the 2026 election with red state gerrymandering.Plus, Jen Psaki answers White House press briefing questions, minus the Trump White House spin, and the best outcome to hope for from Trump's Friday meeting with Vladimir Putin is that Trump doesn't do too much damage.Follow us on Bluesky at @briefingwithpsaki.bsky.social‬...and on Threads at @thebriefingwithpsaki To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.