The Playbook Podcast

Ghislaine Maxwell is due before Congress today — but don't expect to learn much new. Maxwell, the longtime co-conspirator of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, will sit for a deposition before the House Oversight Committee, where she is expected to plead her Fifth Amendment rights. Still, the appearance is sure to put the Epstein saga back in the spotlight as lawmakers also begin to look over the unredacted files. Playbook's Jack Blanchard and senior legal affairs reporter Kyle Cheney break down what you need to know.

Venezuelan politician and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado says that Venezuela could have a new democratic election in less than a year. The Nobel Peace Prize winner joins POLITICO’s Dasha Burns for “The Conversation” in a compelling interview that occurred exactly one month after the US captured Venezuelan’s authoritarian leader Nicolas Maduro. Machado opens up about her hopes for the nation’s future– and what her own path forward may be.

Plus, progressive political YouTuber Brian Tyler Cohen sits down with Dasha to unpack the increasingly blurry line between journalism and content creation. He also shares what the future of progressive politics will look like in 2026.

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.

Venezuelan politician and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado says that Venezuela could have a new democratic election in less than a year. The Nobel Peace Prize winner joins POLITICO’s Dasha Burns for “The Conversation” in a compelling interview that occurred exactly one month after the US captured Venezuelan’s authoritarian leader Nicolas Maduro. Machado opens up about her hopes for the nation’s future– and what her own path forward may be.

Plus, progressive political YouTuber Brian Tyler Cohen sits down with Dasha to unpack the increasingly blurry line between journalism and content creation. He also shares what the future of progressive politics will look like in 2026.

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.