• Judge hands Hegseth huge defeat on media restrictions as Trump continues to wing it on Iran
    Mar 21 2026

    Jen Psaki shares breaking news that a judge has ruled against Pete Hegseth's effort to restrict the press at the Pentagon from trying to obtain information that isn't explicitly authorized, even if it isn't classified, and talks about the importance of an free news media, particularly in a time of war and with a president who is "lying every time he speaks or is completely out of touch with reality."

    As Donald Trump keeps the U.S. military engaged in Iran without a clear goal, new crises, like the closing of the Strait of Hormuz, means further engagement. Ben Rhodes, former deputy national security advisor, and Robert Malley, former special envoy for Iran, talk with Jen Psaki about how Iran's asymmetric strategy and the global economy at stake could give Trump much more than he bargained for in Iran.

    And Anna Gomez, commissioner with the FCC talks with Jen about why the deal to merge Nexstar and Tegna is a bad idea.

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    43 mins
  • Who is the biggest alleged grifter in the Trump administration?
    Mar 20 2026

    Jen Psaki looks at some of the happy talk the Trump administration is offering about Donald Trump's war on Iran while outward signs suggest things are not going as well as they would have hoped.

    Senator Jon Ossoff talks with Jen about Donald Trump's handling of the war and how constituents are reacting to the economic fallout.

    Rep. Robert Garcia talks with Jen Psaki about questions Democrats in Congress want answered about Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner's role representing the United States in negotiations with countries he has a financial interest in, as well as a new investigation into allegations of impropriety against Corey Lewandowski.

    Amos Hochstein, an expert in global energy markets, explains why the mess Donald Trump has made with his war on Iran is "the worst energy crisis the world has ever seen," and talks with Jen Psaki about how it could get worse and how long it will take to fix it.

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    41 mins
  • OFF THE RAILS: Rand Paul beef with Markwayne Mullin adds surreal layer to bizarre hearing
    Mar 19 2026

    Jen Psaki reports on the confirmation hearing for Donald Trump's pick to replace Kristi Noem to lead the Department of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin. Mullin is already a dubious choice to lead DHS, but a long-running feud between Mullin and committee chair, Rand Paul added a whole new dimension to why he might not be a good choice.

    Jen Psaki reports on director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard's testimony at the Senate Intelligence Committee's worldwide threats hearing, Gabbard was careful not to say anything that would contradict statements made by Donald Trump on his war against Iran, even when directly confronted with her own statements, obvious facts, or the responsibilities of her job.

    Senator Mark Kelly discusses the stakes of Donald Trump staffing important national security positions with unqualified sycophants.

    "She's a liar!" Rep. Maxwell Frost talks with Jen Psaki about what happened behind closed doors at a House Oversight Committee meeting with Donald Trump's attorney general, Pam Bondi, about arranging a hearing, under oath, about the Justice Department's handling of the Epstein documents.

    Senator Mark Warner discusses his concerns about the safety of upcoming elections.

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    41 mins
  • Trump spins weird Iran fantasy narrative contradicted by reports
    Mar 18 2026

    Jen Psaki shares a remarkable litany of instances in which Donald Trump's confident assertions on his war against Iran are directly contradicted by news reports, many of which are sourced to members of Trump's own administration.

    Rep. Jim Himes, member of the House Intelligence Committee, joins Jen to discuss the resignation of a top Trump counterintelligence official who objected to Trump's mischaracterization of Iran's threat to the United States.

    With less than glowing news coming out of Donald Trump war on Iran, Donald Trump and his acolytes, including some in the media, have decided to try to change the news by attacking the messengers. Terry Moran, former ABC News anchor, and Elise Labott, host of "Cosmopolitics" on Substack, talk with Jen Psaki about the important role of an independent press with a leader like Trump in power.

    And Ali Velshi reports in from the big board on primary elections in Illinois.

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    41 mins
  • TV performers leading attack on Iran focus more on image than strategy
    Mar 14 2026

    Jen Psaki looks at press conferences by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, as well as media appearances by Donald Trump and finds that the former TV show hosts are not living up to the seriousness of the positions they hold and are more fixated on creating a successful image for their war on Iran than they are on the details and strategy that would help secure actual success.

    Barbara Starr, former CNN Pentagon correspondent, and Brig. Gen. Steven M. Anderson (Ret.) join to discuss how Donald Trump's and Pete Hegseth's attitudes about using the U.S. military is reshaping American military culture.

    Fiona Hill, a former senior director on the National Security Council, talks with Jen Psaki about the many challenges associated with an attack on Iran that experts in the foreign policy community knew and understood well before Donald Trump decided to jump in with both feet and struggle with those very same, known challenges, and how Trump's one-at-a-time style of dealing with other countries leaves him ill equipped to deal with a complex world with overlapping interests.

    Bobby Pulido, Democratic congressional candidate and acclaimed Tejano music star, talks with Jen Psaki about the political atmosphere in Texas and using political judo moves on his opponent's attacks.

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    42 mins
  • Reality calls Trump's bluff as reassurances on Iran effects fall flat
    Mar 13 2026

    Donald Trump has trained his acolytes in politics and media to echo his reassuring buzz phrases about weathering the short term effects of his war on Iran on the energy markets and global economy, but catchy slogans aren't changing the facts of the situation in the Strait of Hormuz and the sudden energy crisis that everyone in the world can see happening in front of their own eyes.

    James Talarico is already running against one of two very flawed Republican opponents to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate, in a race that could determine control of the Senate. But Donald Trump's steadily sinking popularity and politically disastrous policies from his anti-immigrant cruelty to his senseless war on Iran and the economic fallout that Americans are already feeling, have given voters even more reason to consider making this the election that turns Texas blue. Talarico talks with Jen Psaki about the unnecessary challenges Americans are dealing with as a result of Donald Trump's mismanagement of the White House.

    After two attacks in one day that appear to be related to Donald Trump's war on Iran, former CIA director John Brennan talks with Jen Psaki about the domestic national security threats that come with picking a fight with Iran.

    And with Donald Trump pushing for the passage of an election bill, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries talks with Jen about Democratic plans to push back on Trump's effort to manipulate elections, as well as his war on Iran.

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    41 mins
  • 'AMATEUR HOUR': Trump looks foolish before the world with self-evident poor planning in Iran
    Mar 12 2026

    As Donald Trump continues to offer contradictory answers and explanations, his war on Iran is running into some foreseeable problems that were among the reasons attacking Iran was ill-advised in the first place. Ben Rhodes, former deputy national security advisor, and Michael McFaul, former U.S. ambassador to Russia, talk with Jen Psaki about the deadly, expensive mess Donald Trump and his defense secretary, former weekend cable news host Pete Hegseth, are making.

    Jen Psaki points out Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's dismaying preoccupation with his personal image while signs of the mismanagement of Donald Trump's war on Iran multiply, including new reporting that the U.S. was likely responsible for hitting an Iranian school full of children with a missile.

    Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, a member of the House Oversight Committee, talks with Jen about hearing the testimony of Jeffrey Epstein's accountant, which somehow produced more questions than answers.

    And Rep. Chris Deluzio joins the show to discuss how U.S. military veterans are reacting to Donald Trump's second term military adventurism and the degree to which his actions contradict what he campaigned on.

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    42 mins
  • Mixed messages on Iran expose Trump making it up as he goes
    Mar 11 2026

    Jen Psaki points out the weird and wild inconsistencies in the messaging and explanations from the Trump administration about the war of choice Donald Trump started with Iran, why they did it, what they call it, what they're trying to accomplish and how they're going to keep the world economy from crashing while they do it.

    Jen Psaki pins down the various excuses and evasions from the Trump administration as new reporting points to evidence that suggests the United States is responsible for bombing a school in Iran, killing 175.

    Senator Adam Schiff talks with Jen about holding the Trump administration accountable.

    Donald Trump's endorsement of Republican Clay Fuller in a special election to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene in Congress was not meaningful enough to voters in Georgia to clinch the win for Fuller. Instead, Democratic candidate Shawn Harris, a retired Army brigadier general and cattle rancher, not only forced a runoff but got a higher proportion of the overall vote in a crowded field. Harris talked with Jen Psaki about how he interprets his success so far and his strategy heading to the April 7 runoff.

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    41 mins