The Playbook Podcast

The Winter Olympics are set to get underway this weekend — amid the backdrop of President Donald Trump’s first year of his second term. Though he won’t be attending the event himself, Trump’s repeated forays into foreign policy have amplified tensions between the U.S. and some of the countries whom American athletes will be competing against. VP JD Vance is on the ground leading the U.S. delegation in Italy for the opening ceremonies. Then on Sunday, the Super Bowl has taken on its own political storylines. Playbook’s Adam Wren and national politics reporter Alec Hernández discuss the impact Trump has on these two monolithic events.

Congress is facing a serious crunch to reach a deal on funding the Department of Homeland Security for the remainder of the fiscal year. Democratic demands over reforms that they want to see implemented within ICE are being met with resistance from many Republicans — leaving little space for compromise. If a deal isn’t struck by Feb. 13, the government will see another shutdown. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and Congress reporter Mia McCarthy lay out the state of play in negotiations and deliver a reality check on where things appear to be headed.

Kevin Warsh, who President Donald Trump announced last week as his pick to become the next Federal Reserve chair, has an extensive background that has earned the respect of the financial world. He worked at Morgan Stanley, was a member of the Bush White House and is a Fed alum. He has spoken forcefully about the importance of the Fed’s independence. But Trump has said that he wants loyalty. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns discuss how Warsh’s past might be in conflict with his future post. Plus, the government is reopened — with a new shutdown countdown clock already ticking away.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro is visiting the White House today for a critical meeting with President Donald Trump. Though the two have been publicly at odds with one another in recent weeks, the Oval Office meeting offers a chance for the two leaders to reset — or to see another breakdown. But the trend of Trump welcoming world leaders into the White House appears to be dying down. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns break down the stakes of the confab.

The House is returning today to pick up the pieces of a funding fight that plunged the government into another shutdown. Speaker Mike Johnson is faced with the prospect of getting Republicans in line with a razor-thin majority, while Democrats hash out the reforms that they want to see ICE undertake in the wake of the Trump administration’s unprecedented mass deportation agenda and immigration crackdown. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns break down the debate that’s gripping Congress this week. Plus, Trump’s foray into legacy building — literally — continues.

Senator Thom Tillis calls for the resignation of Kristi Noem and Stephen Miller in a forthright interview with Dasha Burns for “The Conversation.” The North Carolina Republican made his comments after the shootings of two citizens by ICE agents in Minneapolis earlier this year. In a wide-ranging discussion, Tillis talked about tariffs, his hopes for President Trump and his worries for the future of the Republican Party.

President Donald Trump said he will make his pick to take over as the next chair of the Federal Reserve on Friday. The announcement will end months of speculation and intrigue over who Trump wants to lead the central bank — an institution that he has attempted to exert unprecedented pressure on since he returned to office. The shortlist was narrowed down to four names under consideration — but Trump dropped a big hint about his choice on Thursday night. Playbook’s Adam Wren and White House reporter Megan Messerly dig into the dynamics surrounding the decision.

The deadline to fund the government for the remainder of the fiscal year is looming at the end of the week — and there’s an open question whether Congress is barreling toward yet another shutdown. Republicans and Democrats have been haggling this week over funding for DHS following the fatal shooting in Minnesota last weekend amid the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. The first critical procedural vote is slated for today. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and Congress reporter Mia McCarthy break down what to watch for from the Hill.

Republicans and Democrats are searching for the right message on immigration as the fallout from the most recent fatal shooting in Minneapolis continues reverberating across America. Republicans are trying to toe the line between President Donald Trump’s unprecedented immigration crackdown, while Democrats are debating whether to shut the government down amid the furor. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House reporter Megan Messerly break down how each party is approaching the issue and what it means for the weeks and months ahead.

As the furor over this weekend’s deadly shooting in Minnesota continues to unfold, President Donald Trump appears to be shifting his approach. Trump is sidelining some administration officials and bringing in border czar Tom Homan to provide something of a steadier hand as the White House tries to contain the fallout. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns discuss what the shift means for the White House and the situation on the ground. Plus, Trump is headed to Iowa to kick off a midterm-year tour across America.

After another fatal shooting in Minnesota over the weekend, the Trump administration and Minnesota officials are in dispute over the facts. Border Patrol agents shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti on Saturday during an encounter between observers and federal agents. The latest shooting comes less than a month after an ICE officer shot and killed Renee Good. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns discuss the fallout from the incident. Plus, the winter storm that descended around D.C. this weekend has tightened the timeline for Congress to avoid another government shutdown.

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) is making big money moves. In an effort to help flip control of Congress in the midterms, Kelly has used the extra attention that President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s campaign against him to dramatically ramp up his giving and fundraising for competitive candidates, party committees and state parties. But more than anything, Kelly's rising national profile shows Trump has a unique ability to elevate foils. Playbook’s Adam Wren and White House reporter Megan Messerly discuss whether Trump’s instinctual attacks will serve Republicans or Democrats more in the 2028 presidential race.

President Donald Trump is still in Davos, where his Board of Peace is the issue that is driving the conversation at the World Economic Forum. The entity that Trump has proposed to oversee the peace process in Gaza is cause for consternation among many of the countries who received invites to join. But it is that very list of invitees — which includes the likes of China and Russia — that is ruffling feathers among the traditional ally set. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House reporter Megan Messerly discuss the latest upheaval that Trump has brought to Davos. Plus, could there be a breakthrough on a Ukraine-Russia peace deal?

President Donald Trump is arriving in Davos today as the subject of nearly every conversation. Trump’s push to bring Greenland under U.S. control has dominated the discussion at the World Economic Forum, even as the president prepares to deliver a speech before those gathered in Switzerland on Wednesday. While the world will be parsing every word in his address, the real tea leaves to read may come out of Trump’s meetings with world leaders on the sidelines. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House and foreign affairs correspondent Eli Stokols discuss the stakes of Trump’s trip, plus the big case to watch at the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

Today marks one year since President Donald Trump returned to office. In his first year back in the White House, Trump has wielded the power of the presidency in unprecedented ways. But despite many of the achievements that the White House points to from 2025, there are a number of fronts with uncertain horizons in 2026. Trump has spent the first part of the year focused on various foreign affairs — despite voters’ consistent cost-of-living concerns, which are set to dominate the midterm messaging battle. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and Adam Wren take stock of Trump’s return to power and where the president and his team turn now.

President Donald Trump’s signature tariffs are still roiling Michigan, one of the most closely watched midterm states in 2026. Almost nowhere on the map are there more battleground congressional seats, not to mention a Senate seat on a knife’s edge and a three-way governor’s race featuring a wildcard independent candidate polling in the double digits. And that’s before you dig into any number of down-ballot races. Playbook’s Adam Wren and White House reporter Megan Messerly discuss the topic du jour at this week’s Detroit Auto Show and what the impact of Trump’s tariffs could mean for the midterms.

A handful of international fronts are simmering with tension as President Donald Trump’s foreign policy agenda expands. The president seemingly backed off taking action in Iran for now, telling reporters that the situation on the ground had improved. The standoff over Greenland is ramping up. Trump once again shifted blame for the stalled Ukraine-Russia negotiations. And the administration announced a new phase in the Gaza peace plan. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House reporter Megan Messerly break down the stakes for each of Trump’s foreign policy forays.

President Donald Trump is ramping up the rhetoric over Iran. Trump is considering a range of options as the death toll from the crackdown on protests in Iran grows higher. The different responses on the table range from the diplomatic to so-called kinetic options, which could involve the military. But the administration’s recent moves in the Western Hemisphere have hampered some of the immediate options. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House reporter Megan Messerly discuss Trump’s Iran options. Plus, what’s Trump’s end game on Greenland?

The Justice Department’s investigation into Fed Chair Jerome Powell is still sending shockwaves through Washington and beyond. As President Donald Trump prepares to deliver a speech on the economy Tuesday, the headlines are still being dominated by Powell. Scores of Republicans are denouncing the move, and some inside the White House are concerned the push to target Powell is distracting from other issues the administration would rather focus on. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns discuss how the fallout is threatening Trump’s agenda.

Jerome Powell is the latest target of President Donald Trump’s Justice Department. The Federal Reserve chair confirmed that DOJ has opened a criminal investigation into his statements to Congress regarding Fed HQ renovations, marking the latest and sharpest escalation of Trump’s monthslong crusade against Powell. Though Trump denied having knowledge of the investigation, he has long pushed Powell to cut interest rates. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns discuss the ramifications of the inquiry into Powell.