The Playbook Podcast

As Republicans continue reeling from the resounding losses they faced across the country on Tuesday, one glaringly obvious lesson has emerged: the party needs a plan for how to win when Donald Trump isn’t on the ballot. In 2024, the president demonstrated a unique ability to attract typically disengaged voters to the polls. But the inroads that Trump built with this coalition failed to hold for Republicans in key off-year races on Tuesday. Playbook’s Adam Wren and White House reporter Megan Messerly discuss where the party turns ahead of the midterm elections and beyond. Plus, movement to end the longest shutdown in history may be materializing.

There is a lot that President Donald Trump wants to talk about today. He wants to talk about drug prices and rare earth minerals, among other things. But the only thing anyone else in Washington wants to talk about are the dramatic election results on Tuesday, when Democrats put on a dominating display. Trump is blaming the losses on his name being absent from the ballot, and on the shutdown, for which he blames Democrats. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns discuss Republicans’ path forward, and how the longest government shutdown in history figures into the equation.

If last night was any indication, Democrats may have regained some spark. The party pulled off wins in various races around the country. From Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani’s decisive win over Andrew Cuomo in the New York mayoral race to the more centrist Democrat victories in the Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial races, the left came out on top. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House bureau chief Dasha Burns discuss what lessons—if any—the party as a whole can learn from the success.

Election Day is here and even though some of the races look predictable, plenty of questions abound: Will Zohran Mamdani’s Democratic socialist agenda carry him to victory in New York City over Andrew Cuomo, who received an eleventh-hour endorsement from President Donald Trump? How close will the margins be in the New Jersey governor’s race? Which other races should you be watching? Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns break down all the marquee matchups that could provide a glimpse into the midterms. Plus, the government shutdown is set to become the longest in U.S. history later today.

There’s one day of campaigning left before Election Day in states like New York, New Jersey and Virginia for contentious mayoral and gubernatorial races, plus a redistricting referendum in California that will help decide control of Congress. The case on the constitutionality of President Donald Trump’s tariffs is before the Supreme Court this week — but Trump won’t be there. Plus, the government shutdown enters its 34th day, without a compromise in sight. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns walk through a big week in Trump’s Washington.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) hasn’t been in Congress for very long, but she’s transformed the way that Democrats are communicating with voters and energized her colleagues in the party.  Crockett is known for her willingness to frankly engage with Republican counterparts from Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green all the way to President Donald Trump. And while some critics in the Democratic Party worry that her way of messaging might alienate swing voters, Crockett says her fellow Democrats are recruiting her to stump for them all over the country. “I think at the end of the day, whether you agree with my style or disagree with my style, I think people respect me for my authenticity,” says Crockett. “They never feel like they're getting someone different. They feel like they know exactly who they're getting.” In this week’s episode of The Conversation, Rep. Crockett chats with POLITICO’s Dasha Burns about what her colleagues think about her messaging style and the strategies that Democrats need to pursue for victory in the midterms and beyond. She also offers insight into her plans for a possible Senate run. Plus, Jane Coaston, host of Crooked Media’s “What A Day” podcast, joins Dasha to talk about the nuances of daily news coverage choices and how mixing politics with sports-like fandom can be a recipe for disaster.

President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney have been off touring Asia, seeking to firm up partnerships and open up trade with countries across the region. While Trump has already returned home, Carney is wrapping up his sojourn soon. White House reporter Megan Messerly and Ottawa Bureau Chief — and host of the new Playbook Canada podcast — Nick Taylor-Vaisey walk through what each leader is expecting to come from their trip, plus the interesting way Canada is feeling the effect from the shutdown.

Minutes before President Donald Trump headed into his long-awaited and widely watched meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, he took to Truth Social to announce that the U.S. would “immediately” begin testing nuclear weapons. The U.S. has not conducted a test of nuclear weapons in more than three decades. But it’s unclear how much of a practical play this announcement by Trump was or whether it was largely wielded as a negotiating tactic with other nuclear powers. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns dig into the nuclear news, and the government shutdown that Trump is returning to today.

President Donald Trump is winding down his trip across Asia. Today, he meets with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung for what many are expecting will be thorny trade talks. But in a way, everything now is a precursor to the big finale of the trip: Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns walk through what to expect. Plus, eyes are fixed on Fed Chair Jerome Powell again for his interest rate announcement later today.

President Donald Trump met with new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for the first time — with plenty of pomp — as he continues his trip around Asia. But while the president rubs elbows with dignitaries across the globe, Washington is facing day 28 of the government shutdown. Will lawmakers make any progress before the looming Nov. 1 cliff? Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns discuss.

Eight days remain until Election Day. Despite the off-year slate, a handful of races around the country are making headlines in tightening gubernatorial races and redistricting efforts. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House reporter Megan Messerly discuss what voting in Virginia, New York, New Jersey and California could tell us about how both parties are approaching next year’s midterms — and beyond. Plus, President Donald Trump is in Japan to meet with the new prime minister.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is known for being a firebrand when it comes to his conservative, small-government principles. He’s also known for being a longtime supporter of President Donald Trump, despite taking issue with some of the president’s policies. But Paul takes issue with being what he says is the only Republican willing to stand up to Trump and his latest moves which, according to Senator Paul, fly in the face of GOP principles and campaign promises. Most recently, he was concerned over his Republican colleagues’ hesitation to confront Trump about his now-former nominee to lead Office of the Special Counsel, Paul Ingrassia. Ingrassia withdrew from the Senate confirmation process earlier this week after POLITICO’s reporting on texts that showed him making racist and antisemitic remarks. “I hear a lot of flack from Republicans and they want me to do it. They say, ‘Oh, well, you're not afraid of the president. You go tell him his nominee can't make it,’ says Paul, who chairs the Senate Homeland Security Committee. “I'm just tired of always being the whipping boy.” In this week’s episode of The Conversation, Paul joins POLITICO’s Dasha Burns — just hours after he was snubbed from a presidential luncheon — to talk about this GOP fear of confronting Trump, support for House colleague Rep. Thomas Massie, the administration's latest foreign policy moves, the Epstein files and a “farmageddon” that may be on the horizon. “If I'm given the choice of President Trump versus Harris or versus Biden, without question, I choose President Trump over and over again,” says Paul. But that doesn't mean I'm going to sit back and just say, ‘Oh, I'm leaving all my beliefs on the doorstep. I'm no longer going to be for free trade. I'm no longer going to be for balanced budgets. I'm no longer going to be opposed to killing people without trials, without naming them, without evidence.’ No, I have to remain who I am.” Later in the show, Dasha speaks to epidemiologist and public health professor Katelyn Jetelina, the founder of the Substack “Your Local Epidemiologist." They discuss what it’s like being a health communicator in the time of MAHA and why she thinks public health is nearing ‘system collapse.’

President Donald Trump is headed to Asia later today for a trip filled with a host of meetings on the agenda. Most notably, Trump will meet in person with Chinese President Xi Jinping next week for the first time since 2019. Playbook’s Adam Wren and White House reporter Megan Messerly discuss what to expect, and what makes this trip the riskiest of Trump’s second term.

President Donald Trump finds himself in the middle of two dizzying news cycles — one abroad and one back home. The White House has leveled new sanctions against Russia, with the goal of ending the war in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Trump is demolishing the East Wing of the White House to build his grandiose ballroom as he reshapes Washington in his own image. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns discuss how each of these moves underlines the extent of Trump’s unique position and power during his second presidency.

Paul Ingrassia’s nomination to lead the Office of Special Counsel is off. The withdrawal of Ingrassia’s nomination comes after POLITICO reported on text messages that showed Ingrassia say he has “a Nazi streak,” and that the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday should be “tossed into the seventh circle of hell” — which quickly caused several Republican lawmakers to voice their opposition. It marks one of the very few instances when the Senate has stood up to Trump. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House reporter Megan Messerly discuss what the episode means for Trump and what it could tell us about the rest of the Republican Party.

President Donald Trump is once again testing the limits of the Justice Department. Today, lawyers representing Rep. LaMonica McIver will attempt to have the case against the New Jersey Democrat thrown out. McIver’s legal team is calling the charges political prosecution and saying she qualifies for legislative immunity — which is exactly what the Supreme Court granted Trump last year. Will Trump tally another unprecedented legal win? Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns discuss the implications. Plus, Hill Republicans are set to flock to the White House today for lunch with the president on day 21 of the government shutdown, and Trump’s pick to lead the Office of Special Counsel is in hot water.

President Donald Trump is set to meet with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the White House today — but that is far from his only order of foreign policy business this week. The push to end Russia’s war in Ukraine is ramping up, the work on holding the Gaza peace deal together continues and Trump’s going further in the Caribbean. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns cover the range of affairs that continue to test Trump 2.0’s diplomatic mettle. Plus, the government shutdown stretches to the 20-day mark.

Nationwide, state and local officials are pushing back against President Trump’s plans to send the National Guard into various Democratic-run cities for crime and immigration enforcement support. One of the top Democrats leading the resistance is Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.  Trump has recently said that he believes Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson should be arrested for what he believes is mismanagement of the Windy City. “Should we have a president who is threatening to jail his political opponents with no evidence of any wrongdoing, just that we oppose what he's trying to do to our country, which is to militarize our cities and turn us into an authoritarian regime?” Pritzker says. “I don't think that any American thinks that we ought to be jailing people just for their views.” In this week’s episode of The Conversation, Pritzker joins POLITICO’s Dasha Burns to denounce the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement strategy, combat the administration’s narratives surrounding cities like Chicago, and discuss the future of the Democratic Party. Plus, Fox News Senior White House Correspondent Jacqui Heinrich comes on to talk about the difference between covering the Trump and Biden administrations, her role on the White House Correspondents Association board and the Pentagon’s attempts to impose new restrictions on reporters there.

President Donald Trump today is meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with the two expected to discuss arms as Russia’s war in Ukraine continues. The meeting follows a phone call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which the two leaders agreed to soon meet again in person. Playbook’s Adam Wren and POLITICO White House and foreign affairs correspondent Eli Stokols discuss what to watch out of the Zelenskyy meeting, plus what DNC Chair Ken Martin told Adam about the Democratic Party and how Zohran Mamdani fared in last night’s New York City mayoral debate.

Monday will mark nine months since Inauguration Day, and President Donald Trump’s second term is only gaining momentum. Since January, Trump has bent the justice system to his will, sent the military into U.S. cities and challenged seemingly every precedent. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns discuss how Trump has wielded power so far, and what to expect in the months ahead.