The Briefing with Jen Psaki

The Briefing with Jen Psaki

Jen Psaki tackles the biggest issues of the week and features one-on-one interviews with newsmakers.

Episodes

May 8, 2025 46 mins
Jen Psaki takes a closer look at how Elon Musk is benefitting from the understanding that doing business with Musk's companies is a way to curry favor with the United States government. And while Trump's trade war makes basic necessities more expensive for new American families, Trump's own family (and business associates) are cashing in on their proximity to the president of the United States as they make deals abroad.
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Jen Psaki looks at how concerns about inexperienced and unqualified members of Donald Trump's cabinet are coming to fruition as crises develop in national air traffic as well as national security and Trump's secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, are struggling to meet the demands of their positions.
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Jen Psaki welcomes Governor J.B. Pritzker, who gave a speech yesterday in New Hampshire lambasting Trump, criticizing “do-nothing” Democrats and calling for mass mobilization against the growing number of unprecedented attacks the Trump administration has launched against migrants, universities, and the American economy. They discuss the administration’s stance on migrants, which hits home for Pritzker personally, as the child of U...
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Jen Psaki reflects on the tumultuous and chaotic first 100 days of Donald Trump’s presidency, as the country faces so many crises of his own making.  Senator Adam Schiff returns to discuss the recent polling showing low approval ratings on nearly every issue, from the economy to the Kilmar Abrego Garcia case. They later discuss the Acting US Attorney for Washington DC, Ed Martin, who is awaiting senate confirmation and what Democra...
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Jen Psaki delves into the storm brewing at the Pentagon, amid a wave of firings new revelations that embattled Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared sensitive information on another signal chat. Veteran journalist Bob Woodward reflects on Hegseth's apparent incompetency, as well as the increasingly reckless actions of an unaccountable president. Later, 25-year-old vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, David Hogg, joins t...
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As Trump stokes fear to leverage his power, Jen Psaki weighs the cost of obeying his demands against the reward of resisting. Congressman Jamie Raskin joins the show to help to break down the ways in which the courts, lawmakers and the American people are standing up to Trump. Later, Jen welcomes former Russian chess champion Garry Kasparov to reflect on the ways that Americans can prevent the country from backsliding into dictator...
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Jen Psaki breaks down the dangerous impact of Trump's actions on tariffs and immigration, explaining that while more people are outraged by the economic damage of tariffs, it's also important to pay attention to Kilmar Abrego Garcia's wrongful deportation and its implications. Jen is joined by Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries to discuss the turmoil Trump has caused on both fronts, including the unamerican prospect of deporting Ame...
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Jen Psaki breaks down the disparate impact of Donald Trump's on-again, off-again tariffs, revealing how the wealthy capitalized on the president's stock tip hours before he announced a big reversal on his tariffs this week. Kentucky's Governor Andy Beshear joins to discuss the real world implications of Trump's unpredictable and inconsistent economic policies, which are set to blow a "huge hole" in family budgets. Next, Jen is join...
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Amid the ongoing economic fallout of Trump's tariffs, Jen Psaki is joined by Senator Elizabeth Warren to discuss the profound impact on American families, as well as Congress's ability to revoke the president's authority. They also discuss how widespread outrage over Trump's agenda has mobilized thousands to take to the streets in protest. Later, fired former pardon attorney Elizabeth Oyer and Rep. Jamie Raskin join to discuss the ...
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Jen Psaki breaks down a hopeful week for Democrats, which included hundreds of thousands of Americans in both red and blue districts pouring into the streets to protest Donald Trump, Cory Booker’s record breaking 25 hour speech, and a win for  liberal judge in the Wisconsin’s Supreme Court race against the heavily-funded MAGA  favorite. Jen also explains why Trump’s tariff debacle is more than just a “little disturbance,” forecasti...
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Jen Psaki breaks down the calculation behind Donald Trump’s recent talk of an unconstitutional third term, which is just one of the many shiny objects he’s dangled before the press corps to distract from the scandal of Signalgate. Congressman Dan Goldman joins Jen to discuss why Trump’s musings about holding onto the White House beyond 2028 warrant our attention. Later Representative Jason Crow, a veteran and outspoken critic of Mi...
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Amid the fallout from the Trump’s administration’s self-induced security breach, Jen Psaki breaks down why the looming questions about Pete Hegseth’s judgement and character have only grown in the last week. Senator Amy Klobuchar addresses Hegseth’s competence and reacts to the latest in the Signalgate scandal, and Representative Pat Ryan joins to discuss the various ways the administration has attempted to spin their wrongdoing. J...
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Jen Psaki speaks to Jeffrey Goldberg, editor in chief of The Atlantic, about how he was mistakenly included on a group chat of high-ranking Trump officials discussing secret war plans. Goldberg reflects on being a firsthand witness such an unprecedented leak and reacts to the backlash from Secretary Pete Hegseth. Later, Senator Adam Schiff gives insight into how Congress is reacting to Goldberg’s revelation and how both Republicans...
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Jen Psaki breaks down Donald Trump's unprecedented assault on the judicial branch of government, explaining how the administration's defiant attitude toward the court breaks with that of former presidents who were dealt tough rulings in the past. Representative Jamie Raskin joins to discuss the implications of their defiance, and the danger the administration poses to due process under the law. Next, Jen is joined by the chair of t...
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Jen Psaki is joined by former Senator Jon Tester and former Mayor of New Orleans Mitch Landrieu to discuss the devastating effects of Trump’s government funding bill, which has slashed funding and staffing for both FEMA and NOAA, and the impact on red states suffering from recent tornado damage. NBC News Justice Reporter Ryan Reilly gives his reaction to what he witnessed in the courtroom earlier today after Trump defied a judges b...
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In the wake of Senator Chuck Schumer's decision to advance a Republican Government funding bill, guest host Michael Steele delves into new poll numbers that may come as a wakeup call to complicit Democrats in Congress. Tim Miller and Molly Jong Fast join to discuss the fallout over Schumer's approach and why Democratic voters want the party the fight back harder against Trump's drastic actions. As Republicans cower and hide from an...
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Guest host Michael Steele outlines the ways in which Donald Trump sees himself as a king, and what it means for the country. He is joined by incoming MSNBC Senior Washington Correspondent Eugene Daniels and Former Representative Joe Walsh to discuss the clashes between un-elected co-president Elon Musk and Trump's top officials. Next, Michael is joined by Former Air Force Intelligence Officer Denver Riggleman and Retired USMC Lt. C...
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Jen Psaki explains that while Trump will offer his own version of how the country is doing tomorrow in his address to a joint session of Congress, it's important to trust what you've been seeing with your own eyes. She is joined by Dan Pfeiffer and Ben Rhodes to preview what to expect from Trump's speech as he continues to cozy up to Russia and gut the federal government. Next, Jen is joined by Chrystia Freeland, who's in the runni...
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Jen Psaki delves into the fiasco that transpired in the Oval Office on Friday, revealing an ominous sign that foreshadowed the spectacle of Donald Trump and JD Vance teaming up before the cameras to belittle and denigrate President Zelenskyy of Ukraine. She's joined by David Remnick of The New Yorker and Michael McFaul, the former US Ambassador to Russia, to discuss the administration's attempt exploit Zelenskyy on false pretenses ...
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Jen Psaki outlines the recent pushback against Donald Trump and Elon Musk from world leaders and even some of his own appointees. She is joined by Julia Ioffe of Puck News and Representative Eugene Vindman to discuss Trump's continued embrace of Putin as he pushes false claims that Ukraine started the war with Russia. Next, Jen is joined by NBC News Justice Correspondent Ken Dilanian and conservative attorney George Conway to discu...
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