The Briefing with Jen Psaki

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. 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.