The Daily Beast Podcast

On this episode of The New Abnormal, Molly Jong-Fast and Andy Levy debate which Republicans testifying at the Jan. 6 hearings can be considered ‘good guys.’ Spoiler alert, not Bill Barr according to Andy. Molly also breaks down the ‘psychology’ of Jared Kushner based on his performance testifying. Plus! The Nation columnist Jeet Heer explains to Molly why Democrats shouldn’t trust Liz Cheney and CNN national security reporter Zachary Cohen points out one of big question marks on the Jan. 6 timeline that the committee is trying to piece together: What happened when Donald Trump was in the dining room? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse is not pleased with Mitch McConnell’s handling of dark money. He came on the pod to explain why he’s pinning the lack of dark money legislation on McConnell as well as what’s happening with climate change legislation. Plus, author Wes Moore tells TNA co-host Molly-Jong-Fast why he’s running for Governor of Maryland and what he wants to change. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Daily Beast's Chief Content Officer Joanna Coles unpacks the two biggest reality shows of our time: Britain's royal family and Donald Trump's presidency. First she lifts the lid on what's really going on in the White House and Mar-a-Lago with the Beast's Executive Editor Hugh Dougherty and finds out who's been voted off the island, who's been pitted in a brutal head-to-head contest and why Warren Buffett just delivered a stinging rebuke with a personal sting in the tail. Then Coles turns to the Beast's European Editor-at-Large Tom Sykes for revelation after revelation about the British royals. Why is Prince Harry really pleading for reconciliation with his father, King Charles? And why is the California exile hinting that someone wants him dead like his mom, Princess Diana—and who exactly does he mean? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Daily Beast Podcast is as wildly exciting, energizing, and entertaining as the topics it covers. Hosted by Joanna Coles, Chief Content Officer of the Daily Beast, every episode brings you more of the people, politics, and pop culture coverage you need straight from the Daily Beast newsroom. Amazing conversations have included Amber Ruffin, Tiffany Haddish, Mika Brzezinski, Don Lemon, John Oliver and more! New episodes every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. If you’re not already a subscriber to The Daily Beast, it’s easy! Just go to thedailybeast.com to sign up. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Head to https://biologica.com/BEAST to take the Quick Hormonal Life Stage Quiz and get up to 32% off your first subscription order. #ad Joanna Coles speaks with journalist and author Anand Giridharadas about Donald Trump, the Epstein files, and the powerful network he calls the “Epstein class” — a web of billionaires, politicians, professors, royals, financiers, and cultural elites who protected each other while ordinary people paid the price. Giridharadas argues that Trump’s Iran escalation may have conveniently shifted attention away from explosive revelations tying the president and other influential figures to Jeffrey Epstein’s orbit, while exposing what he describes as a deeper culture of elite impunity in America. From Prince Andrew’s downfall to Jeffrey Epstein’s enduring influence over Wall Street, academia, and global power brokers, the conversation digs into why so many people stayed silent, how the rich shield each other from accountability, and what real justice would actually look like for the survivors at the center of the scandal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ready to reach your goals? Visit https://hims.com/DAILYBEAST to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you. #ad Michael Wolff and Joanna Coles unpack a strange new chapter in the Trump orbit as Melania Trump publishes a cliché-ridden Mother’s Day op-ed, sparking questions about whether the first lady is quietly building a business identity separate from Donald Trump himself. From Melania’s “strategic absences” and growing concerns within White House to Wolff’s update on his legal battle with the first lady, the discussion moves through media capitulation, Trump’s escalating attacks on ABC and the press, and a startling Virginia court decision that could reshape the 2026 midterms by giving Republicans a major structural advantage. The episode also explores Britain’s political upheaval under the rise of Nigel Farage, mounting fears that Trump can manipulate the electoral system despite worsening political headwinds, and the eerie details surrounding Epstein’s death and purported suicide note, which Wolff says sounded disturbingly Trumpian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michael Wolff and Joanna Coles dive headfirst into the chaos consuming Donald Trump’s world—from the unraveling Iran conflict and Trump’s desperate declarations of “victory” to the political panic spreading from Washington to Westminster. Wolff compares Trump’s crumbling Middle East strategy to his increasingly performative marriage with Melania, while Coles unpacks how Jeffrey Epstein’s shadow is now destabilizing British politics and weakening Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The two also dissect Trump’s obsession with revenge, the bizarre loyalty he still commands inside the Republican Party, and the surreal spectacle of Usha Vance and Cheryl Hines starring in what may be the most uncomfortable political podcast ever created. Along the way: Rudy Giuliani’s tragic downfall, RFK Jr.’s increasingly strained marriage, Trump’s looming China trip, and the growing sense that the people orbiting Trump always end up paying the price. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joanna Coles speaks with Rep. Seth Moulton in a blistering, no-holds-barred conversation on the escalating crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, Moulton warns the U.S. is losing ground to Iran while accusing the Trump administration and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth of catastrophic missteps, legal overreach, and dangerous misinformation. He slams Trump as acting like a petulant child and becoming an increasing threat to U.S. troops, national security, and the economy, while unpacking the fallout from abandoning the Obama-era nuclear deal and the growing risk of a nuclear-armed Iran. From the reality behind so-called “ceasefires” to dysfunction in Washington, Moulton connects global instability to domestic political failure, outlines his Senate ambitions, and argues Democrats must embrace a new generation ready to confront AI, economic anxiety, and a rapidly shifting world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michael Wolff and Nico Hines, the Daily Beast’s Global Editorial Director, dissect a week where everything around Donald Trump seems to be unraveling at once—starting with the stark cautionary tale of Rudy Giuliani, once “America’s mayor” and now a symbol of what loyalty to Trump can cost, abandoned and politically ruined. From there, they pivot into the escalating crisis with Iran, where Trump’s strategy has left the White House cornered, oil prices surging, and insiders quietly admitting they have no clear way out of a conflict increasingly defined by drone warfare and global instability. The conversation then veers into the surreal overlap of politics and culture, as figures like Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez become unlikely players in Trump’s orbit, turning elite spaces like the Met Gala into symbols of shifting allegiances and reputational risk. Layered on top of it all: brutal new polling showing Trump’s support collapsing—not just with independents, but within his own base—raising the possibility that the very forces that once made him untouchable are now eroding in real time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Save 20% Off Honeylove by going to https://honeylove.com/DAILYBEAST ! #honeylovepod David Rothkopf joins Joanna Coles to assess what he describes as a visibly weakening Trump presidency, with intelligence sources warning of mounting instability inside the White House. Rothkopf argues Trump is “fading” physically and politically as crises escalate abroad—from Iran tensions to the Strait of Hormuz—and pressure builds at home over policy, polling, and party loyalty. Rothkopf examines a strained cabinet, shifting Republican loyalties, and public fractures emerging even among Trump’s strongest allies. As figures like Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth are pulled into increasingly exposed roles, Rothkopf asks whether the system around Trump is starting to hedge—and whether MAGA itself is entering a period of quiet unraveling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joanna Coles and Daily Beast executive editor Hugh Dougherty dive into a jaw-dropping investigation revealing Donald Trump’s relentless late-night posting habits—hundreds of Truth Social rants fired off in the dead of night—raising urgent questions about sleep deprivation, decision-making, and what it means for a sitting president navigating war, plummeting polls, and mounting chaos inside his own administration. From the unraveling strategy in Iran and Pete Hegseth’s bruising congressional testimony, to a stunning Trump polling collapse so severe it “broke the chart,” and a live TV meltdown from Trump defender Scott Jennings, the conversation spirals through a presidency under visible strain, where erratic behavior, internal pressure, and political fallout are colliding in real time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michael Wolff and Joanna Coles examine a White House spiraling under the weight of Donald Trump’s collapsing authority, as disastrous poll numbers sink into the 30s and panic spreads through his inner circle; they trace the quiet unraveling of RFK Jr. as his anti-vax crusade backfires and allies plot a face-saving exit, while a bitter, calculating Tucker Carlson turns on Trump and positions himself for 2028, exposing the raw opportunism driving the movement; all of it unfolds against the grinding uncertainty of the Iran war, a conflict with no clear victory, no public support, and no exit, leaving Trump increasingly isolated, his team turning on itself, and the entire project teetering toward a reckoning that no one inside seems able to control. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Upgrade your wallet today! Get 10% Off @Ridge with code BEAST at https://www.Ridge.com/beast #Ridgepod #ad Representative Jason Crow (D-CO) speaks with Joanna Coles about what he calls a dangerous web of corruption surrounding Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, detailing how a little-known figure, Tim Parlatore, allegedly bypassed vetting, dodged Senate confirmation, and is advising on national security at the highest level. Crow methodically lays out how loopholes were exploited to embed political loyalists inside the Pentagon and connects it all to a broader pattern of pay-to-play politics, military promotions influenced by loyalty over merit, and a war in Iran he argues was launched without a plan, leaving American troops exposed. As tensions escalate in the Strait of Hormuz and questions swirl about backchannel influence, Rep. Crow makes clear his strategy isn’t resignation or impeachment but relentless exposure—aimed squarely at Donald Trump himself—framing this as not just incompetence but a systemic breakdown that could take years to fully unravel. Statements from Tim Parlatore and a Spokesperson for the Office of Congressman Crow can be read here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michael Wolff joins Joanna Coles to dissect a White House in visible disarray, tracing a week where Donald Trump basks in the glow of a royal visit he barely understands while King Charles III delivers a devastatingly elegant rebuke—uniting Congress, charming the room, and exposing a stark contrast in leadership that may linger through the midterms. Wolff argues Trump misses the insult entirely, even as his administration spirals: looming firings, a farcical indictment of James Comey, a ballooning Hormuz crisis choking global oil markets, and a wildly unpopular White House ballroom project that feels like a metaphor for overreach. As Trump doubles down—on vengeance, on war, on spectacle—the question isn’t whether the warning signs are visible, but whether he’s capable of seeing them at all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Save 20% Off Honeylove by going to https://honeylove.com/DAILYBEAST ! #honeylovepod Go to https://zbiotics.com/DAILYBEAST and use code DAILYBEAST at checkout for 15% off your first order of ZBiotics Pre-Alcohol Probiotic Drink. Tom Sykes joins Joanna Coles to unpack a royal visit that was supposed to be a diplomatic triumph, but it somehow also managed to expose the tensions and stresses of a family at war with itself. As King Charles delivers two near-flawless speeches that win bipartisan applause in Congress, charm Donald Trump, and reinforce the fragile U.S.-U.K. alliance, Harry and Meghan drop a perfectly timed media bombshell while William and Kate release anniversary images that threaten to eclipse the King at the height of his moment. Sykes, host of The Royalist podcast, pulls back the curtain on the calculated timing, the deepening feud between the brothers, and the simmering power struggle between Charles and William as questions swirl about succession, reconciliation, and control of the monarchy. The conversation reveals a dynasty juggling global diplomacy abroad and dysfunction at home—so can Charles hold the crown together when his own family won’t stop undermining him? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan at https://incogni.com/beast #ad Michael Wolff and Joanna Coles dive straight into the chaos engulfing Trump’s orbit, from the escalating Melania–Jimmy Kimmel feud that’s backfiring inside the White House to the stunning realization among insiders that Melania has shifted from quiet asset to liability, dragging Epstein questions and an unraveling public image back into the spotlight. As King Charles’s high-stakes visit collides with Trump’s ego and obsession with optics, the contrast between royal discipline and White House dysfunction becomes impossible to ignore, especially against the backdrop of a White House Correspondents Dinner thrown into literal and political turmoil. With assassination scares reframed as political currency, media missteps fueling Trump’s grievances, and a presidency increasingly defined by chaos as strategy, Wolff reveals a West Wing gripped by anxiety, miscalculation, and a growing sense that everything—from foreign policy to late-night comedy—is spiraling in ways no one can fully control. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Try QUO for free and get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.quo.com/BEAST David Rothkopf joins Joanna Coles for a breakdown of a surreal and unsettling weekend in Washington, where what should have been a glittering White House Correspondents’ Dinner spiraled into something far darker—and far more revealing about Donald Trump. As details emerge about the attempted attack and the security lapses surrounding it, Rothkopf argues the real “lone wolf” isn’t the would-be assailant but Trump himself, a president who thrives on chaos, weaponizes crisis, and immediately turned the moment into political theater—complete with a self-mythologizing press conference and renewed distractions from mounting crises abroad, including a deadly and destabilizing conflict in the Middle East. With insiders rattled, conspiracy theories spreading, and Trump’s poll numbers slipping, is this just another fleeting spectacle—or a revealing prism into a presidency defined by performance, paranoia, and power at any cost? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Head to https://Biologica.com/BEAST to take the Quick Hormonal Life Stage Quiz and get up to 32% off your first subscription order. #ad Get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan at https://incogni.com/beast #ad Steve Schmidt returns to the podcast to unload a blistering critique of Donald Trump, King Charles III, and the global political order they’re reshaping, arguing the King’s upcoming U.S. visit is not just ill-timed but a historic moral failure tied to Trump’s assaults on democracy and alliances. Speaking to Daily Beast executive editor Hugh Dougherty, Schmidt connects the dots from royal controversies and Jeffrey Epstein to Trump’s late-night social media tirades and questions about his mental fitness, warning of a dangerous erosion of institutional checks at the highest level of power. He predicts a political collapse for MAGA, a brutal electoral reckoning, and an internal unraveling fueled by conspiracy and infighting, while also torching both Republican complicity and Democratic weakness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michael Wolff and Joanna Coles pull back the curtain on the most enigmatic relationship in American politics, dissecting the strange, transactional marriage between Donald and Melania Trump and what it could mean for his presidency as pressure mounts from all sides. From her physical absence from the White House and reported separate life in New York to a calculated push to build her own multimillion-dollar brand, they trace how Melania may be quietly redefining the role of First Lady while distancing herself from her husband’s scandals, including the lingering shadow of Jeffrey Epstein. As Wolff reveals details of his explosive lawsuit and the possibility of forcing sworn testimony, a more volatile question emerges: whether Melania herself has become a political liability, even a potential threat, holding leverage that could shake the foundation of Trump’s carefully constructed image and expose truths his allies would rather keep buried. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Anthony Scaramucci speaks with Daily Beast Political Reporter Sarah Ewall-Wice in a no-holds-barred conversation that rips through the chaos inside Trump’s orbit—from volatile Iran brinkmanship and soaring energy fears to explosive claims of late-night insider calls shaping markets in real time. Scaramucci paints a picture of a president unrestrained and increasingly unpredictable, clashing with allies, sidelining his own vice president, and operating without the guardrails that once kept his impulses in check, while Washington figures scramble to keep up or cash in. As they dig into the unraveling dynamics of power, loyalty, and influence—from Wall Street whispers to White House infighting—the episode builds toward a stark warning about what comes next if the current trajectory holds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices