The Playbook Podcast

President Donald Trump is speaking with House Republicans at the Kennedy Center today for what was originally intended to be a rally-the-troops gathering as a pivotal midterm year kicks off. But the topic driving the majority of headlines this week is Venezuela. Questions swirl about what comes next in the country as various corners of the administration divulge different details. Republican lawmakers so far have supported the move — but it’s unclear how long that unity will last. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns break down what to watch out of the meeting. Plus, today is the fifth anniversary of the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.

President Donald Trump is taking hardline stances on a number of countries in the Western Hemisphere and beyond after the U.S. carried out a stunning military operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife. The two are facing narcoterrorism charges and are due to appear in court on Monday. Meanwhile, Trump rattled the saber toward more nations that could see U.S. intervention on the heels of the action in Venezuela. Playbook Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns discuss Trump’s dire messaging and how it fits into his larger “America First” agenda.

Few political stories dominated the headlines and displayed the sharp divisions across the country more in 2025 than redistricting. Under the demands of President Donald Trump, Republicans across the country set out to redraw maps to claw seats into their column as the party tries to protect its slim majority in the House. But Democrats have fought back — with a handful of potential presidential candidates taking up the mantle and positioning themselves to reap the rewards. Playbook’s Adam Wren and politics reporter Andrew Howard break down who came out ahead, and what it means for 2026 and beyond.

Democrats are fretting about a certain candidate profile in red and purple states that’s giving some in the party heartburn. Much of their consternation is over what they view as ultra-liberal positions that are resistance relics of Trump 1.0 — ones they think won’t age well among median voters in states where Democrats already absorbed setbacks. The vetting intensified after Tennessee Democratic state Rep. Aftyn Behn cut into GOP margins in a deep-red district, but still lost as Republicans attacked her position on defunding the police. Playbook’s Adam Wren and politics reporter Andrew Howard discuss what the concerns mean for the midterms.

The coalition that sent Donald Trump back to the White House appears fragile as Republicans search for a successor who can unite the party once Trump exits the stage. New results from The POLITICO Poll reveal ideological fault lines that could threaten to break up the base of voters who any potential Republican presidential candidate will rely on in 2028. Vice President JD Vance, who many believe could be up to the task, tried to quell a round of MAGA infighting at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest. Playbook’s Adam Wren and politics reporter Andrew Howard break down what the current state of the right says about the future of the Republican Party.