Press Club

Mediaite founding editor Colby Hall sits down with Charlamagne tha God, co-host of The Breakfast Club and one of the most unfiltered voices in political media. They get into his straight-line approach to interviewing, why he believes journalists — not politicians — should call out authoritarian behavior, and how he’d press Trump using what he calls “the mirror strategy.” Charlamagne also talks about navigating the president's attacks after his appearance on Lara Trump’s show and why the rise of figures like Zohran Mamdani signals a disconnect between voters and the Democratic establishment.

Mediaite founding editor Colby Hall sits down with Jacqui Heinrich, Fox News’ Senior White House Correspondent and co-host of The Sunday Briefing. They get into Heinrich’s philosophy of asking fair, fact-driven questions across administrations, her effort to avoid “gotcha” theatrics, and how she maintains independence within Fox’s mix of news and opinion programming. Heinrich also talks about the growing presence of influencers in the briefing room, how the White House press corps has evolved amid Trump-era press-access restrictions, and what it’s like to handle public criticism from the president.

Mediaite founding editor Colby Hall sits down with Jonathan Karl, ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent. They discuss Karl’s new book, Retribution, the final installment in his bestselling quadrilogy chronicling Donald Trump’s political saga. Karl reflects on Trump’s unprecedented comeback, the politics of revenge driving his campaign, and what it’s like to cover a president who views the White House as the world’s biggest reality show. They also dig into the state of the media in the “attention economy,” and Karl’s reporting on President Biden’s decision to step aside.

Mediaite founding editor Colby Hall sits down with Jake Tapper, anchor of CNN’s The Lead and author of the bestselling political exposé Original Sin. They discuss Tapper’s explosive reporting on President Biden’s decision to run in 2024, the media’s reaction to revelations about his health, and the fierce backlash from both the left and right. They also delve into his latest book, Race Against Terror, the evolution of post-9/11 justice, and whether Hollywood could bring his real-life thriller to the screen.

Mediaite editor Aidan McLaughlin sits down with Elie Honig, former federal prosecutor and CNN senior legal analyst. They discuss Honig’s new book, When You Come at the King, his sharp criticism of FBI Director Kash Patel’s handling of the Charlie Kirk assassination, and his warnings about how Trump’s second term has eroded legal guardrails.

Mediaite editor Aidan McLaughlin sits down with Scott Jennings, CNN political commentator and GOP strategist, for a wide-ranging interview. They discuss his clashes on CNN, his relentless support of President Donald Trump despite his past criticism of January 6, and more, as well as his unwavering support for Israel throughout the brutal war in Gaza.

Mediaite editor Aidan McLaughlin sits down with Adam Friedland, comedian and host of The Adam Friedland Show, for a tell-all interview. They discuss the new season of his show -- his interviews with Sarah Jessica Parker, Steiny, and Anthony Weiner, how he learned the art of the interview, and what he makes of America's love for comedians who talk politics. They also discuss Trump, the NYC mayoral race, and getting accused of anti-Semitism.

Mediaite editor Aidan McLaughlin sits down with Substack co-founder and chief writing officer Hamish McKenzie for a wide-ranging chat about the platform’s explosive growth, why he believes the traditional media model is broken, and the future of the industry. They also discuss Trump-era attacks on the press, Elon Musk's efforts to buy Substack -- and his subsequent crackdown on the platform -- and what the rise of independent media means for journalism. This episode was produced by Kathryn Wilkens.

Mediaite editor Aidan McLaughlin speaks with veteran foreign correspondent and author Alan Friedman about his new book, The End of America? A Guide to a New World Disorder, why he believes America’s global leadership is crumbling, how Trump is accelerating the fall, and what a looming ‘new world disorder’ means for democracy, the economy, and our daily lives.

Mediaite editor Aidan McLaughlin speaks with the founder of Mediaite, Sirius XM host, and ABC's Chief Legal Analyst, Dan Abrams, about Elon Musk's bombshell claim that Trump hasn't released the Epstein Files because he's implicated in them, why he's been saying for months that Trump's ties with Epstein should be getting more attention, and where Trump and Musk's feud will go from here. In the second half of the episode, Aidan speaks with the author of the new book On Air: The Triumph and Tumult of NPR, Steve Oney, about his decade-long reporting process and Trump's recent threats to public broadcasting.

Mediaite editor Aidan McLaughlin speaks with The Washington Post's media critic Erik Wemple about what's going on behind the scenes at the paper, what's behind its latest pivot, and what the future looks like for The Post. They also cover President Trump's relationship with Fox News and the recent appointment of Jeanine Pirro as D.C.'s interim U.S. attorney. In the second half of the episode, Aidan talks with Mediaite founding editor Colby Hall about a series of controversial pardons issued this week by Trump, and how the media is reacting to them.

Mediaite editor Aidan McLaughlin speaks with CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios' Alex Thompson about their new book, Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again. They discuss media coverage of the former president's diminishing capabilities, the lengths to which his staff went to preserve Biden's public image, and the promotion of their book despite networks like Fox News refusing to have them on-air. Aidan also talks with Mediaite founding editor Colby Hall about MAGA outrage at Trump's own FBI.

Mediaite editor Aidan McLaughlin speaks with The Economist's Middle East correspondent Gregg Carlstrom about the war in Gaza and why Trump should push Israel to end it. They also cover Trump's recent Gulf tour, his lifting of sanctions in Syria, and his $142 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia. In the second half of the episode, Aidan talks with Mediaite founding editor Colby Hall about the heated debate surrounding a new book on Joe Biden from Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson.

Mediaite editor Aidan McLaughlin speaks with Jonathan Lemire, a contributing writer at The Atlantic and a co-host of MSNBC's Morning Joe, about Trump's media crackdown, how to effectively cover him, and his first 100 days in office. In the second half of the episode, Aidan talks with Mediaite founding editor Colby Hall about this week's biggest media and politics stories.

Mediaite editor Aidan McLaughlin speaks with Trey Yingst, the chief foreign correspondent at Fox News, about covering the war in Gaza, the biggest misconceptions about the Israel/Palestine conflict, and why he feels it's essential to both protect and provide media access to Palestinian journalists. He also talks about taking heat for covering the killings of civilians in Gaza, how he reports the death toll numbers, and being in Tel Aviv on October 7th.

Mediaite editor Aidan McLaughlin speaks with CNN's Harry Enten about Trump's recent polling loss with independents, the crisis facing the Democratic party, and his predictions for the 2026 midterms. They also discuss Elon Musk's sinking support in the polls and what it's like being a data-driven journalist. In the second half of the episode, Aidan speaks with Mediaite's founding editor Colby Hall about how the media has been covering the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the man the Trump administration mistakenly deported to El Salvador.

Mediaite editor Aidan McLaughlin speaks with former Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd about Trump's tariffs and the resulting cracks in the MAGA ecosystem, his departure from NBC, and his outlook on the future of cable news. They also speak about his newest media venture and how Fox News has changed over the years.

Mediaite editor Aidan McLaughlin speaks with veteran reporter Noah Shachtman about the Trump Justice Department's weaponizing dropping of the charges against New York mayor Eric Adams, why he believes it's never been easier to steal secrets from the U.S. government, and the FBI's massive use of resources to comb through Jeffrey Epstein case files. They also speak about his career as the former editor-in-chief of Rolling Stone and The Daily Beast, and now a contributor to many large publications.

Mediaite editor Aidan McLaughlin speaks with CNN Pentagon correspondent Natasha Bertrand about 'Signal-gate,' where National Security Advisor Michael Waltz added journalist Jeffrey Goldberg to a Signal chat where Pete Hegseth and others discussed classified military plans. She discusses the chaos Hegseth has unleashed on the Pentagon and the Trump administration's subsequent denials. In the second half of the episode, Aidan speaks with Mediaite founding editor Colby Hall about how the media has been covering this bombshell week in Washington.

Mediaite editor Aidan McLaughlin speaks with Alex Isenstadt, the author of the new book Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump's Return to Power about his reporting process, his recent move from Politico to Axios, and his behind-the-scenes insights into Trump's 2024 campaign. He also speaks with Frank Pine, executive editor of major newspapers including the New York Daily News and the Boston Globe, about their lawsuit against OpenAI.