The Daily Beast Podcast

Steve Schmidt returns to the Daily Beast Podcast to discuss the mounting political and ethical scandals surrounding Donald Trump, JD Vance, and the president’s inner circle as the midterm elections approach. Speaking with Daily Beast executive editor Hugh Dougherty, Schmidt takes aim at the alleged corruption surrounding Donald Trump Jr.’s Russian-linked wedding, the kidnapping of Ukrainian children, and the Trump administration’s handling of the war in Iran. He lays out his vision for how Democrats should use congressional power to restore checks and balances, hold officials like Pete Hegseth accountable, and investigate the administration’s actions. Schmidt also weighs in on the Democratic candidates to watch, the growing backlash against MAGA, and the economic pressures threatening to reshape the political landscape.

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Michael Wolff and Joanna Coles look at Donald Trump’s escalating battles with the Supreme Court, the collapse of the Kennedy Center under his control, and his increasingly aggressive response to the AI debate, where Trump has declared that “whoever wins AI wins” while threatening critics and accusing them of conspiracy. They also examine Trump’s rollback of climate protections, his approach to conflict as a political strategy, and the extraordinary allegations surrounding Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding and its Russian connections. Plus, Trump’s threat against Oman, the consequences of burning through missile supplies in Iran, Jared Kushner’s transformation of American diplomacy into a business operation, and what a post-Trump administration could look like if Democrats make major gains in the midterms.

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Joanna Coles and David Rothkopf dive into Donald Trump’s bizarre trip to Ireland, from his increasingly public reliance on aide Natalie Harp to his stunning comments about a united Ireland, before turning to the explosive new revelations surrounding Don Jr.’s Kremlin-linked wedding. Rothkopf traces the Trump family’s decades-long connections to Russian money, boxing, oligarchs, and corruption, arguing that the same forces shaping the president today have been there all along. They also take a look at Trump’s enormous new White House ballroom, the latest battle over the Kennedy Center, and his embrace of what Rothkopf calls a “Doomsday President” agenda—from AI and climate change to pandemics and nuclear weapons. But as the midterms approach, there may finally be a reason for optimism, with a new generation of Democrats—including Georgia Senate candidate Jon Ossoff—offering a potential path out of the Trump era.

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Jacob Weisberg, author of the new book Profiles in Cowardice, speaks with Joanna Coles about the powerful Americans and institutions that once stood up to Donald Trump and what changed when he returned to office. Weisberg explains why Jeff Bezos went from resisting Trump to accommodating him, how Chief Justice John Roberts helped expand presidential power, and why Mitch McConnell may have had the clearest opportunity to prevent Trump’s second term. They also discuss Megyn Kelly’s transformation from a journalist who confronted Trump into a major MAGA voice, the pressures driving business leaders, universities and law firms to capitulate, and the dangerous short-term thinking behind those choices. But Weisberg argues that the story is bigger than eight individuals: courage and cowardice are contagious, and the willingness of institutions to stand together may determine whether they can withstand an increasingly coercive presidency.
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Michael Wolff and Joanna Coles unpack Donald Trump’s trip to Ireland, his apparent struggle to stay awake at a 9/11 memorial, and the increasingly conspicuous signs that the president’s hold on his party may be starting to weaken. They dig into JD Vance’s careful balancing act between loyalty to Trump and positioning himself as his successor, including the growing machinery behind a potential 2028 campaign, before turning to RFK Jr.’s surprisingly commanding performance at the Republican mini-convention and the extraordinary political path that brought him into Trump’s orbit. Ted Cruz also makes his inevitable return, while Trump’s own reaction to the prospect of a Republican successor looms over the entire discussion. Finally, Michael and Joanna take a close look at the new E. Jean Carroll documentary, her decision to come forward, the consequences she faced, and why her story takes on an even more powerful dimension when told in her own words.
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