Inside with Jen Psaki

As courts rebuke ICE violence in Minneapolis, and Donald Trump doubles down on corrupting the Justice Department by opening investigations into Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, Americans are watching everything that is taking place and are not liking what they see. Jen Psaki looks at how the tide has turned on Trump after his obnoxious handling of what used to be his strongest issue, immigration. Many Americans don't realize that Donald Trump has sent so many ICE agents to the Twin Cities area that they are literally everywhere, and of course, they are not a benign presence. St. Paul, Minnesota Mayor Kaohly Her talks with Jen Psaki about what life is like in a Donald Trump police state and how neighbors are trying to help and protect each other from the malevolent presence of Trump's federal enforcers. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Donald Trump's ICE force is not only not making life better for the residents of Minneapolis, it seems to be trying to pick a fight. Today, Trump, who is notoriously unable to keep the thoughts in his head from escaping out of his mouth, suggested he would invoke the Insurrection Act to suppress the unrest that he provoked. Miles Taylor, former chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security during Donald Trump's first term, talks with Jen Psaki about why he is certain Trump will invoke the Insurrection Act, and tells stories from Trump's first term that make sense of Trump's second term behavior.After another incredible (as in, not-credible) White House press briefing, Jen Psaki steps in to address some of the questions that were not handled correctly by Donald Trump's press secretary, Karoline Leavitt.Donald Trump and his Cabinet acolytes continue to insist on the righteousness and professionalism of Trump's ICE enforcers terrorizing Minneapolis, even as Americans see endless accounts and videos of the reckless brutality the residents of Minneapolis are enduring. Elliott Payne, Minneapolis city council president, talks with Jen Psaki about the reality on the streets of his city. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

With Donald Trump already doubling down on the trauma and terror he is inflicting on the Minneapolis community with his federal ICE police force, he took a step further away from American values and the First Amendment with a F.B.I. raid on the home of a journalist, ostensibly to search for evidence in the prosecution of a suspected leaker of federal secrets. Jen Psaki reacts.Senator Elissa Slotkin organized a video of elected officials with military backgrounds reminding serving members of the U.S. military that they are obligated to disobey illegal orders. Donald Trump took the message personally and has been using the federal government to exact a vendetta against the people in the video ever since. Most recently that has meant Trump's weaponized Justice Department conducting "investigations." Senator Slotkin discusses with Jen Psaki.  MS NOW reporter Jillian Frankel reports live from the scene of a chaotic clash between federal agents and protesters in Minneapolis following reports by the city's social media account of "a shooting involving federal law enforcement." To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki reports on new polling that shows Americans are very aware of the deadly ICE shooting of a Minnesota mom and are not buying into Donald Trump's tactic of trying to blame the victim of the shooting. At the same time, Trump's DOJ deciding not to investigate has triggered a rash of resignations, and a non-stop flow of videos of ICE agents brutalizing residents of Minneapolis, including Americans, is further souring public opinion on the job Trump has ICE doing.Assistant attorney general for civil rights, Harmeet Dhillon, decided not to investigate the deadly ICE shooting of Minneapolis mom Renee Nicole Good, triggering shocked outrage not only from Americans who watched videos of the shooting, but also from prosecutors within the Justice Department. Stacey Young, former DOJ official, talks with Jen Psaki about why the Justice Department refusing to do its job is extremely uncommon, and also an abdication of the department's role in American governance.Donald Trump's petulance over not being able to manipulate interest rates to his own political advantage risks economic catastrophe for the United States as Trump has deployed his weaponized Justice Department to try to intimidate Fed chair Jerome Powell. Senator Elizabeth Warren joins Jen Psaki to discuss how the situation came to be and what's at stake.And the nation is still outraged over ICE shooting and killing a Minnesota mom, and that outrage is only intensifying as videos of other ICE abuses have been spreading across the internet. Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost talks with Jen Psaki about what Congress can do to take some power away from Kristi Noem's Department of Homeland Security. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Just two days after the deadly ICE shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis, several videos, shot from different perspectives have been released to the public, including video taken by the shooter, which many on the political right claim supports the argument that the ICE agent was defending himself when he shot and killed Good in her car. Jen Psaki synchronizes several videos for a closer analysis of what the shooter's video actually shows, and what the videos tell us about what Good was doing when she was killed.Senator Amy Klobuchar talks with Jen Psaki about the challenges her state has dealt with recently in the national spotlight and how the people of Minneapolis are dealing with the killing of a mother of three by an ICE agent, as well as potential solutions in the Senate to address Donald Trump's abuse of the immigration issue and the ICE agents making residents less safe and more afraid. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Listen to this special invitation from Rachel Maddow and sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to take advantage of a 3-month free trial!With MS NOW Premium, you can get our entire suite of podcasts – everything from “The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell” to “The Best People with Nicolle Wallace” – all ad-free. As a subscriber, you also get early access to select shows, plus exclusive bonus content – like a new episode of “Rachel Maddow Presents: Burn Order,” out Friday. Sign up right here, then search “Burn Order” to listen to that Premium episode.There's a lot in store for 2026. So to celebrate the new year, we're giving away 3 months free if you sign up by the end of January! It's just $2.99/month or $29.99/year after that. Thanks for listening! To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani talks with Jen Psaki about the need to hold ICE agents, including the one who shot and killed Minneapolis mother Renee Good, to the same justice as everyone else in America. Mamdani also highlights a new universal childcare initiative in New York, proving that government can still work for good outcomes and doesn't have to be all terror and chaos like the Trump administration produces.Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro talks with Jen Psaki about how a well run government coordinates at all levels, from federal to local, instead of the havoc and terror Donald Trump's federal agents are committing while gaslighting communities and making people less safe. Shapiro criticizes JD Vance for being the embodiment of the "chaos, cruelty and corruption" that defines the Trump administration. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey talks with Jen Psaki about how his city is dealing with the deadly shooting by a federal ICE agent, his vehement opposition to how immigration agents are terrorizing communities, and the distortions the Trump administration is pushing even as Americans have seen multiple videos of the shooting. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer shares his reaction to the deadly shooting by a federal ICE agent of a woman in Minneapolis, condemning the Trump administration's anti-immigrant overreach, and lamenting the corruption of previously stalwart agencies like the FBI, which has been tasked with investigating the shooting.Former national security advisor Jake Sullivan discusses the mess Donald Trump has made in Venezuela and Trump's dubious claims about Venezuela's oil. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki proposes that Donald Trump is motivated by a the rush of making himself feel powerful, which explains why so many of his actions don't appear to have rational, principled justifications, and also why so many of his actions have no follow-up plan for dealing with the messes he makes.House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi talks with Jen Psaki about Democrats keeping their focus on improving Americans' quality of life while Donald Trump spends billions of taxpayer dollars on random schemes in South American countries. Pelosi points out that Vladimir Putin is a common through-line in Trump's international actions that are otherwise hard to explain. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee apparently thought they could help Donald Trump's cause by attacking former special counsel Jack Smith in hearing. Their failure in that endeavor is evidenced by them trying to bury the transcript of Smith's deposition over the New Year's holiday when as few people as possible were paying attention. Michael Feinberg, former FBI official, talks with Jen Psaki about Smith's clear explanation of Donald Trump's criminal culpability. It should come as no surprise to anyone that criminal president Donald Trump is in regular conflict with the law, which means the best place to stop him is in the courts. California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who sued the Trump administration 52 times last year, talks with Jen Psaki about why the rule of law is Donald Trump's most successful opponent.Many Democratic candidates are hearing from voters that simply moving on from Donald Trump or thwarting his agenda is not enough. Voters want accountability and they want the damage Trump has done to the United States to be undone. Rep. Eric Swalwell talks with Jen Psaki about Democrats taking a more aggressive stance on how to treat Trump if they can regain control of parts of the federal government.While Marjorie Taylor Greene's split from Donald Trump is uncommon, her doing so while maintaining "America First" and "MAGA" bona fides, and while Trump flakes on Epstein files promises and botches other key issues, signals a weakening of Trump's grip on the Republican Party that may not even survive the duration of his second term. Robert Draper, journalist for the New York Times, discusses with Jen Psaki. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As the U.S. military remains mostly opaque on the details of ongoing aggression against Venezuelan targets, Donald Trump lack of filter and braggadocious inclinations mean there is little holding him back from blurting about a recent U.S. attack. Margaret Donovan, former federal prosecutor and former Judge Advocate General officer, and MS NOW senior national security reporter David Rohde discuss what is known about what the U.S. is doing in Venezuela and whether the Trump administration is reverse engineering legal justifications for its actions.With the arrest of Pastor Joe Campbell earlier this month on child sex abuse charges, the women who have spent decades seek justice for abuse they accuse Campbell of committing may be closer to that goal. Abuse survivor Phaedra Creed talks with Antonia Hylton about her feelings about Campbell's arrest, the effort it took, and insights her experience offers for women who were abused at the hands of Jeffrey Epstein and his associates.The ongoing release of Jeffrey Epstein-related files continues to raise more questions than answers. Rep. Suhas Subramanyam joins to discuss.Cesar Vazquez discusses progress in protecting his neighbors in California from the abuses of ICE. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki looks at the many ways Donald Trump is using his time in office to enrich himself from the very start of his second term in office. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki reports on some of the new discoveries in the latest tranche of files released in the Epstein document collection, as well as new questions raised by what is being concealed by inappropriate redactions and the slow-paced release of material from Donald Trump's Justice Department. Rep. Ro Khanna joins to discuss what is still missing from the release and what materials will actually address the question of who worked with Epstein and participated in his abuses. Jen Psaki remarks on some of the weak explanations given by CBS News management for spiking a 60 Minutes story about a Donald Trump deportation scandal. Former ABC News senior national correspondent, Terry Moran, joins to discuss the situation and the bigger picture concerns about Donald Trump and his billionaire supporters slowly transforming the free media in the United States into a subservient, supporting wing of the Trump administration.John Brennan, former director of the CIA, joins Jen to talk about Donald Trump's warped perspective on national security.Annie Farmer and Jennifer Freeman talk with Jen about how survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse are deal with the slow roll out of Epstein documents to the public.  To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Former federal prosecutor Andrew Weissmann, and Julie K. Brown, investigative reporter for the Miami Herald, talk with Jen Psaki about the Justice Department's failure to comply with a law requiring the full release of the Epstein documents. Brown points out that much of the new document release consists of material that was already in the public domain. Weissmann explains different ways the DOJ can be held to account for failing to meet the law's requirements, not the least of which is actual criminal prosecution, with a statute of limitations exceeding the longevity of Donald Trump's term and his protection.Sky and Amanda Roberts, brother and sister-in-law of outspoken accuser of Jeffrey Epstein Virginia Giuffre, talk with Jen Psaki about their frustration with Donald Trump's Justice Department for failing to follow the law requiring the release of all of the Epstein documents, and their determination to continue to fight for the truth to come out and for those involved to be held to account.  To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki shares her first reaction and offers some corrections and clarifications to Donald Trump's address to the nation. MS NOW's Catherine Rampell and senior White House correspondent Vaughn Hillyard join with further fact-checking an analysis.Senator Mark Kelly shares his reaction to Donald Trump's address to the nation, describing Trump as "angry and desperate and defensive," and mocking the ridiculous intersection of math and Trump's dishonest exaggerations. Kelly also discusses Trump's military escalation with Venezuela.And reporter Chris Whipple talks with Jen about his blockbuster piece in Vanity Fair based on 11 interviews with Donald Trump's chief of staff, Susie Wiles. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki shares highlights and insights from a new Vanity Fair article based on interviews with Donald Trump's chief of staff, Susie Wiles. The article not only shows that there are no "adults in the room" at Trump's White House, but shows Wiles to be so incompetent that agreeing to interviews with a reporter looks like a really bad idea.Rep. Adam Smith, top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee talks with Jen Psaki about the lack of information and evasiveness by the Trump administration in explaining to Congress the reasoning behind Donald Trump's increasing belligerence toward Venezuela and the clear risk of plunging the United States into another forever war.With a new release of Epstein documents set for this Friday, Donald Trump and his supporting Republicans are getting anxious, but Rep. Robert Garcia isn't sure how much Friday's release will contain.Another looming deadline as the year comes to an end is the expiration of health care subsidies. Rep. Brendan Boyle explains that the best hope that Republicans will act to prevent millions of Americans from losing their healthcare is that enough angry voters make Republicans more afraid of them than they are of Donald Trump. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Donald Trump's prosecutors tried and failed a third time to indict New York Attorney General Letitia James, who has repeatedly humiliated Donald Trump by exposing fraud in his organizations. Abbe Lowell, attorney for James, talks with Jen Psaki about the egregiousness of the politically motivated case, and the possibility of a counter suit over the DOJ's abuse of power.Rep. Hakeem Jeffries talks with Jen about the upcoming midterms, Donald Trump's unpopularity, and Indiana Republicans rejecting Trump's push to boost the number of Republican districts to help him preserve power in Congress.Senator Rev. Raphael Warnock talks with Jen Psaki about the looming health care crisis if Republicans continue to be unable to produce a solution to extent Obamacare subsidies, and the factors that are contributing to the housing crisis in the U.S. that Republicans in charge of Congress are also unable to address.Senator Adam Schiff discusses the upcoming release of Epstein investigation documents.   To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki introduces viewers to Rachel Maddow's new podcast, "Burn Order," about Japanese internment in the U.S. during World War II, and points out that unlike Americans of that era, Americans now are being much more outspoken in support of immigrants and in condemnation of Donald Trump's anti-immigrant policies. Rachel Maddow joins to discuss Trump's use of anti-immigrant scapegoating as a means of giving himself more power.Rachel Maddow talks with Jen Psaki about Donald Trump's cluelessness regarding U.S. aggression toward Venezuela while the administration's explanations change and don't make sense. Maddow notes that what appears to be happening is a regime-change war to get access to Venezuela's oil.Senator Jon Ossoff joins Jen to discuss the recent string of Democratic candidates outperforming expectations set in 2024.And Senator Ruben Gallego discusses another Democratic upset win, this time for mayor of Miami. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki reviews the myriad scandals, disgraces, and bad news stories that are plaguing Donald Trump and his administration, and the familiar playbook of gaslighting, distraction, and lies that Trump is deploying with decreasing effectiveness. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear talks with Jen Psaki about the factual gap between Donald Trump's bizarre economic boasts and the reality that Americans are living with in an economy burdened and distorted by Trump's tariff policy.Even as Donald Trump tries to move on to fresher scandals, questions about the new U.S. practice of blowing up boats in the Caribbean Sea and Trump's threats to start a war with Venezuela remain pressing. Rep. Chris Deluzio discusses.And Ben Smith, editor-in-chief of Semafor, talks with Jen about Donald Trump's heavy hand in shaping a new media oligarchy with the help of his son-in-law Jared Kushner.  To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki looks at the myriad ways Donald Trump and members of his administration are indulging reckless, juvenile ideas with no one pushing back to force a re-thinking. Miles Taylor, former chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security during Donald Trump's first term, joins to share his experience of why it's so bad that there are no grown-ups in the White House in Trump's second term.Rep. Adelita Grijalva talks with Jen Psaki about being confronted with aggression from border agents when she tried to get answers about an ICE raid taking place on a beloved local restaurant in her district, despite identifying herself to them as a member of Congress.Also Jeh Johnson, former top lawyer at the Pentagon discusses the U.S. blowing up boats and killing people in the Caribbean Sea.And Michael Feinberg, former FBI field ops section chief talks about the terrible job Kash Patel is doing as director of the FBI. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Rep. Jim Himes, ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee was one of only a few legislators in a classified briefing on the September 2nd bombing of a boat in the Caribbean Ocean. Himes was able to watch the full, unedited video of the attack and hear testimony from Admiral Frank M. Bradley, the Navy commander who oversaw the operation. Himes spoke with Jen Psaki about the shocking details of the video and what he learned that contradicts some of the key elements of the Trump administration's story about what happened.Pete Hegseth's Pentagon has turned its press corps into a group of pliant acolytes, but that hasn't prevented a steady stream of important reporting on U.S. military affairs.And a grand jury declined to indict New York Attorney General Letitia James, foiling Donald Trump's vendetta-driven DOJ again. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki rounds up reporting and developments from just the past 24 hours that paint Donald Trump's secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, into an even tighter corner, not the least of which is a newly uncovered video from 2016 in which Hegseth talks about war crimes and troops not following illegal orders, the same message he has been criticizing Democrats for delivering in a recent PSA video.Newly released photos and videos of Jeffrey Epstein's island estate have made Donald Trump's nightmarish news week even worse. Rep. Jamie Raskin discusses the steady progress being made on releasing the Epstein investigation files despite Trump's efforts to suppress them.The special election in Tennessee's Seventh District may seem like a typical Republican win in a solidly Republican district, but political experts see a grave vulnerability for Republicans nationwide in the much narrower margin of victory by Republican candidate Matt Van Epps. Faiz Shakir, executive director of More Perfect Union, and Brendan Buck, former senior advisor to Republican House speakers, talk with Jen Psaki about how the outcome of the Tennessee has changed the political landscape looking ahead to the 2026 midterms.  Rep. Ilhan Omar sings the praises of her Somali-American community and reminds Americans of what Donald Trump is neglecting and failing at in his job while he works himself up insulting Somalia. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tennessee State Rep. Aftyn Behn shocked the political world with a disproportionately strong showing in a special election in a congressional district that Republicans would expect to win by a large margin, as Donald Trump did just a year ago.Senator Mark Warner, ranking Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, reiterates his call for Donald Trump secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, to step down as scrutiny of whether he ordered a war crime intensifies over the U.S. blowing up boats in the Caribbean.Jen Psaki looks at how Donald Trump's erratic behavior and struggles to stay awake during meetings is adding to questions about Trump's fading vitality, including a recent MRI that remains unexplained. Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic candidate for Senate who is also a physician, joins to discuss. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Rachel Maddow's new series lays bare one of the most shocking decisions in American history. It's story that reveals how an executive order authorizing the mass roundup of innocent Japanese Americans came to be, the powerful players who engineered it, and the burn order that tried to erase it from history.Stay right here to listen to a special preview of “Rachel Maddow Presents: Burn Order.” And for the full episode, search for “Burn Order” and follow the show. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki rounds up the latest reporting in the investigation of a shooting in Washington, D.C. that has left two members of the West Virginia National Guard in critical condition. Ken Dilanian, MS NOW justice correspondent, shares new reporting on Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the 29-year-old Afghan national who came to the U.S. through a program for Afghan citizens after the United States ended involvement in Afghanistan.Hakeem Jeffries, top Democrat in the House, reacts to the shooting of two members of the National Guard in Washington, D.C., and discusses with Jen Psaki the possibility of getting enough votes for a discharge petition to force a vote on health care subsidies. A discharge petition would overrule Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson the same way House Democrats with a handful of Republicans forced a vote on the release of the Epstein files.Donald Trump won Tennessee's 7th Congressional District by 22 points last year, so Republicans may have expected an easy win in a special election coming this Tuesday, December 2. Instead, new polling shows the Democratic candidate, Aftyn Behn, all but closing the gap with Republican opponent Matt Van Epps. Behn talked with Jen Psaki about the success of her campaign and what she is hearing from voters. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki checks in on "some of the most incompetent people this country has ever seen," some of the higher profile members of Donald Trump's administration, and finds they have not grown to fill their positions and remain a source of humiliation for Trump.Glenn Kirschner, former federal prosecutor and former Army JAG prosecutor, talks with Jen Psaki about why Donald Trump's secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, is wrong for how he is treating Senator Mark Kelly, and why "you must obey lawful orders, but you must disobey unlawful orders" is foundational to serving in the U.S. military.  To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Right-wing, Trump-supporting media had so thoroughly demonized New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani that it seemed all but a certainty that Donald Trump would play his part and make a show of his disdain for the young upstart upon their meeting at the White House. Instead, Trump was nothing short of fawning and even affectionate. How were Trump supporters (and political observers) so wrong in their expectations of the historically fickle Trump? Ali Velshi discusses with Rev. Al Sharpton and Molly Jong-Fast.Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, once a MAGA firebrand, who has come under fire from Donald Trump for her support for the release of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation files, announced through a video on her online social account that she would resign her seat in Congress on January 5, 2026. MS NOW senior White House correspondent Vaughn Hillyard discusses the unexpected announcement with Ali Velshi. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Donald Trump has made flouting the law and daring anyone to challenge his ability to do so a hallmark of his second term, but a new video reminding Americans of the limits of Trump's power has him in a red-faced tantrum. The video consists of several members of Congress who are veterans of the military and intelligence services pointing out the fact that members of the military are not required to follow illegal orders.Donald Trump called for the deaths of Democratic members of Congress who are military and intelligence service veterans who participated in a video reminded members of the military that they should not follow illegal orders, prompting hundreds of death threats to those legislators and making additional security for their protection necessary. Despite vociferous concern about violent political rhetoric in the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination, Republican condemnation of Trump has been light. Rep. Chris Deluzio and Rep. Maggie Goodlander talk with Jen Psaki about preserving legal and moral clarity in the face of Trump's lawlessness and threats.Jen Psaki explains how the political revenge prosecution of Adam Schiff by two of Donald Trump's lackeys, Ed Martin and Bill Pulte, has not only fallen apart as a legal case, but has flipped on Trump's investigators, who now find themselves the subjects of a new Justice Department investigation. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki reports on breaking news that Donald Trump has signed the Epstein Transparency Act after House Speaker (and Trump sycophant) Mike Johnson failed to keep Congress inert against Trump's deepening political unpopularity. Even devoted lackey Pam Bondi may not be able to keep the Epstein files from the public any longer.Jen Psaki points out Donald Trump's over-the-top treatment of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, as well as Trump's passionate defense of the Saudi leader against difficult questions from American journalists. Though Trump denies any conflicts, it is difficult to imagine a better explanation for his behavior. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Epstein survivor Sharlene Rochard tells Jen Psaki in an exclusive interview tonight that the people to whom she was trafficked include well-known names and some names that "have not been out there yet." Rochard explains how she was brought to "model parties" at Mar-a-Lago as a girl in her early teens, and discusses working with Sky and Amanda Roberts and survivors of Epstein's abuse to bring his associates to justice.Epstein survivor Sharlene Rochard and Sky and Amanda Roberts, brother and sister-in-law to Virginia Roberts Giuffre, talk with Jen Psaki about the passage of the Epstein Transparency Act and why they are still ready to fight in case Donald Trump attempts to stonewall the release of the Epstein files, even as they take some comfort from today's long-fought victory. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Trump struggles to find excuses and distractions in the face of unrelenting questions about his association with Jeffrety Epstein, leaving his Republican sycophants uncertain of what talking points to mimic. Jen Psaki shares new bombshell reporting from Pro Publica on the unseemly ties between Department of Homeland Security insiders and companies paid hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars to create video advertisements, including one that thanks Donald Trump for his immigration crackdown.Texas State Rep. James Talarico talks with Jen Psaki about why an increasing number of people in the faith community are speaking out against Donald Trump as his already notoriously compromised character is compounded by the cruelty of his anti-immigrant policies and his disturbing association with sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Donald Trump and his defenders have responded to the newly released tranche of Jeffrey Epstein documents by seeking to discredit any references to Trump that they contain, including by exposing the redacted name of Epstein victim Virginia Roberts Giuffre and treating her cherry-picked remarks as if they exonerate Trump of any wrongdoing. Sky and Amanda Roberts, Giuffre's brother and sister-in-law, talk with Jen Psaki about their outrage at Trump defenders trying to hijack her story for their political purposes while ignoring the crimes and the survivors seeking justice. Jen Psaki shares how a particularly damning photo of former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor with Jeffrey Epstein victim Virginia Roberts Giuffre and Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, which both Maxwell and Mountbatten-Windsor had insisted was fake, appears to be authenticated by an e-mail released by Epstein's estate.    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Rep. Adelita Grijalva, now official a member of Congress after waiting 50 days for Republican House Speaker to agree to swear her into office, talks with Jen Psaki about how Johnson's obstruction "has highlighted the corruption," and the need for a law that requires new members be seated promptly without relying on the good faith of the House speaker.Jess Michaels, a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse, talks with Jen Psaki and Rep. Adelita Grijalva about what it means that there are now enough signatures to force a vote in the House on the release of the DOJ's Epstein investigation files, not only for what they may reveal about Donald Trump, but for their potential to help bring justice to the many women who were abused by Epstein and his friends.What a day to be the White House press secretary! Jen Psaki offers some assistance to beleaguered Trump White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt who spent today's press briefing side-stepping and non-answering questions raised by new documents released by the Jeffrey Epstein estate about the relationship between Epstein and Donald Trump.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki reacts to the collapse of Democratic resistance in the shutdown fight and the fact that no Democratic Senate candidates support the deal, while Republicans remain in abject disarray. The angry reaction to the Trump administration's poorly conceived economic ideas, including a 50-year mortgage that is seen as a gift to big banks, has Donald Trump scrambling even with his own base. Stephanie Ruhle joins Jen Psaki to talk about why the Trump administration's ideas are impractical.Jen Psaki explains how Republican theatrics over being included in federal investigations of Donald Trump's effort to subvert his 2020 election loss has led to the inclusion of a retroactive legal provision in the new spending bill. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki looks at Donald Trump's callous disregard for Americans who are struggling to cover living costs while he learns that "affordability" is an important political buzzword but all of his policies only make things more expensive.Senator Ruben Gallego talks with Jen Psaki about the Republicans' cruel leverage tactics in the fight to manipulate Democrats into supporting a budget that will hurt tens of millions of people. Republicans have set up the argument to pit people who need food assistance against people who need health care subsidies. Earlier, Republican Senate Leader John Thune said the quiet part out loud when he disparaged Americans who need food and health care assistance, injecting further divisiveness into the debate.Jen Psaki shares breaking news that the Supreme Court has agreed to a Trump administration request to temporarily block a lower court judge's order to resume full SNAP payments until the case can be heard by a circuit court. Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, one of two groups presenting a coalition of states suing the Trump administration over SNAP cut, joins to discuss.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki looks at some bizarre Republican hot takes explaining their poor performance in this week's elections, with addressing the cost of living in America coming almost as an afterthought.Jen Psaki reports on the lengths Donald Trump's weaponized Justice Department went to in order to try to make an example of Sean Dunn, a Washington, D.C. resident who threw a sandwich at a Border Patrol officer. But in the end the jury would not play along and found Dunn not guilty.Morris Katz, a senior advisor to the Mamdani campaign, talks with Jen Psaki about the importance of keeping candidates authentic and running a campaign that suits the district instead of following a universal blueprint. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the aftermath of an Election Day disaster, Donald Trump struggled to accept the reality of the fallout from his painful policies, though he did at least acknowledge that the shutdown of the federal government weighed against Republicans. Senator Chris Murphy joins Jen Psaki to discuss whether the clear message from voters is enough to motivate Republicans to re-open the government. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro talks with Jen Psaki about the Democrats' resounding victories in the first elections of Donald Trump's second term, and points out that while there were differences between the Democratic candidates, one unifying element is that they all campaigned on solutions to specific problems voters are dealing with.And New Jersey Governor-election Mikie Sherrill joins to discuss her electoral victory and what issues in her campaign resonated the most with voters. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki offers a special preview of Tuesday's elections, including the important race for governor of Virginia with Jen Palmieri, former communications director for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, Larry Sabato, director fo the University of Virginia Center for Politics, and political analyst Anthony Coley. Jim DeBoo, senior advisor to Governor Gavin Newsom, joins for a special focus on Prop 50 redistricting in California. New York City Comptroller Brad Lander discusses the energy and appeal of Democratic upstart and New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani. And Pennsylvania State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta discusses the out-of-the-spotlight state supreme court race in Pennsylvania that has major national implications.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki shows Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson and Vice President JD Vance explaining out loud that the reason they don't want to fund food assistance to millions of Americans is because if they do, Democrats will have even less incentive to vote for the Republicans' budget bill, in effect admitting that they're deliberately causing pain to people they know Democrats care about as leverage to get their way on a bad budget bill.House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries talks with Jen Psaki about Republicans trying to use the pain of tens of millions of Americans going without food as a means of manipulating Democrats to vote for their bad budget bill, and points out the irony that while Donald Trump has never met a law he didn't think he could ignore, he is trying to use the law as an excuse to avoid funding the food assistance program SNAP.Curiously coinciding with a fictional TV movie about U.S. nuclear readiness, Donald Trump has taken a sudden interest in testing U.S. nuclear capability and, against conventional good judgment, has announced that interest out loud in public. Mark Hertling, former commanding general of United States Army Europe, joins Jen Psaki to discuss how nuclear issues are addressed when they're handled by a competent administration, and why it's a bad idea for U.S. leaders to muse about the possibility that the nuclear arsenal doesn't work. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Psaki shares reporting on the suspension of two federal prosecutors after they submitted a sentencing recommendation for January 6 rioter Taylor Taranto after his conviction on charges unrelated to the insurrection. The recommendation was refiled with alterations made in the references to January 6 and Donald Trump.Jen Psaki relays reporting from "Retribution," the new book from Jonathan Karl, ABC News chief White House correspondent, which offers a look behind the scenes at how Donald Trump put together a Cabinet full of wildly unqualified sycophants. Sen. Ben Ray Lujan talks with Jen about shutdown drama in the Senate today as Republicans are freaking out that Democrats aren't caving like they usually do and Americans are suffering as a result of Trump's indifference and Republican deference to Trump.Captain Dylan Blaha joins to discuss Trump's abuse of the National Guard. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Maine Senate race was rocked this month when revelations about the Democratic frontrunner Graham Platner threatened to completely upend the Democratic primary to select a candidate to try to unseat Susan Collins. Jen Psaki had Platner back on The Briefing to ask him directly about past offensive internet comments, a tattoo identified as being associated with Nazism and the state of his campaign in the wake of a tumultuous month.Graham Platner, an upstart outsider who appears to still be leading the Democratic primary race for a chance to unseat Maine's Republican Senator Susan Collins, talks with Jen Psaki about weathering scandal on the campaign trail and succeeding as a Democratic candidate despite considerable resistance from powerful figures within the Democratic Party. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In a move seen as a test run for intimidation tactics during the midterm elections, Donald Trump is reportedly sending poll watchers to a few polling places around the United States. Rick Hasen, professor of law and political science at UCLA, explains why the steps Trump is taking this year may only be a dress rehearsal for how he intends to disrupt the 2026 election which could cost him control of Congress.Even though incompetence and corruption are endemic in the Trump administration and can often explain the shoddy work of Trump staffers, the poorly supported legal cases against James Comey, Letitia James, and Adam Schiff reveal that these cases are less about winning and more about trying to drag people who Donald Trump doesn't like through the mud. Michael Schmidt, investigative reporter for the New York Times, talks with Jen Psaki about the point of these political prosecutions being to smear the subjects, not actually win the cases. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.