Episodes

  • From Switzerland to Texas

    From Switzerland to Texas
    Feb 17 2026
    Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s top peace negotiating team, is in Switzerland today focused on Iran and Ukraine. The two will first speak with Iranian officials as the Trump administration continues to build up a military presence in the region, and the duo is prepared to move on to speak with Russian and Ukrainian officials to seek an end to the war in Ukraine. Back stateside, early voting in Texas begins on Tuesday, as both parties await the results of their respective primaries ahead of Election Day on March 3. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and Adam Wren dig into the state of peace talks and the stakes for each primary.
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    14 mins
  • Where does Fetterman fit among Democrats? | "The Conversation"

    Where does Fetterman fit among Democrats? | "The Conversation"
    Feb 15 2026
    Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) sat down with POLITICO's Dasha Burns on "The Conversation" for a wide-ranging discussion covering his stance on immigration and ICE, voter ID, Israel and where he sees himself within the Democratic Party.
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    50 mins
  • 2028 runs through Munich

    2028 runs through Munich
    Feb 13 2026
    The Munich Security Conference kicks off on Friday — and it has turned into the marquee venue for Democrats with eyes toward 2028 to burnish their foreign policy bona fides. At least half a dozen Democrats who are tabbed as potential presidential contenders are descending on the conference that has become known as the Davos for the defense world. The rush to Munich follows last year’s gathering, where VP JD Vance stunned attendees — and the world — by torching European leaders in a sharp speech from the stage. Playbook’s Adam Wren and POLITICO’s Chief EU Correspondent and host of the Brussels Playbook Podcast Zoya Sheftalovich break down everything to know about this year’s Munich Security Conference.
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    13 mins
  • Targeting Trump’s tariffs

    Targeting Trump’s tariffs
    Feb 12 2026
    The House voted to block President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada, with six Republicans joining Democrats in the symbolic rebuke. While the future is unclear in the Senate, it amounts to a sharp political slap on Trump’s wrists as Democrats line up more votes against Trump’s tariffs with the midterms approaching and a consequential Supreme Court decision still looming. Meanwhile, Trump offered a fresh threat to Republicans who voted against the tariffs. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House reporter Megan Messerly discuss the vote ramifications.
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    16 mins
  • Bondi's big day

    Bondi's big day
    Feb 11 2026
    AG Pam Bondi is due on the Hill today as a series of storylines swirls around her Justice Department. When she sits before the House Judiciary Committee, she is certain to face questions about DOJ's attempts to investigate and prosecute President Donald Trump's perceived enemies, plus her department's handling of the Epstein files. Playbook's Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns discuss Bondi's approach to the appearance. Plus, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu is headed to the White House.
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    12 mins
  • Hot seat on the Hill

    Hot seat on the Hill
    Feb 10 2026
    The leaders of ICE and CBP, two of the agencies leading President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, will sit for testimony before the House Homeland Security Committee on Tuesday. The venue will provide a platform for Democrats to grill the leaders. But Republicans may be left toeing the line between pressing for accountability and defending the administration’s immigration agenda. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns break down what to expect.
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    13 mins
  • The Epstein saga spins on

    The Epstein saga spins on
    Feb 9 2026
    Ghislaine Maxwell is due before Congress today — but don't expect to learn much new. Maxwell, the longtime co-conspirator of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, will sit for a deposition before the House Oversight Committee, where she is expected to plead her Fifth Amendment rights. Still, the appearance is sure to put the Epstein saga back in the spotlight as lawmakers also begin to look over the unredacted files. Playbook's Jack Blanchard and senior legal affairs reporter Kyle Cheney break down what you need to know.
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    16 mins
  • María Corina Machado on her hopes for Venezuela’s future | "The Conversation"

    María Corina Machado on her hopes for Venezuela’s future | "The Conversation"
    Feb 8 2026
    Venezuelan politician and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado says that Venezuela could have a new democratic election in less than a year. The Nobel Peace Prize winner joins POLITICO’s Dasha Burns for “The Conversation” in a compelling interview that occurred exactly one month after the US captured Venezuelan’s authoritarian leader Nicolas Maduro. Machado opens up about her hopes for the nation’s future– and what her own path forward may be. Plus, progressive political YouTuber Brian Tyler Cohen sits down with Dasha to unpack the increasingly blurry line between journalism and content creation. He also shares what the future of progressive politics will look like in 2026.
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    1 hr