The Briefing with Jen Psaki

MS NOW, Jen Psaki

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

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421 episodes
Updated Saturday

Episodes421

Newest first

Saturday · 42 min
Trump HUMILIATED by stunning admission as pool case collapses
Despite Donald Trump's endless talking about the vandalism he said was done to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Poll, U.S. attorney and former Fox News host Jeanine Pirro was forced to drop the Justice Department's case against former Olympian David Hearn and admit that the problem with the pool's liner was the fault of the contactor Donald Trump selected.
Friday · 42 min
Trump weakness at dealmaking leaves him stuck in Iran folly
Whether because of bad advice, manipulation or foolhardiness, Donald Trump apparently thought his military adventure against Iran would be quick and easy, and now reports say he is in a frustrated rage over his own inability to escape the conflict as Americans grow increasingly bitter at the hardships Trump's folly has wrought. Admiral John Kirby, former White House national security communications advisor, joins to discuss the challenge Trump is facing.
Thursday · 41 min
Devastating poll shows Trump's base crumbling
White voters without a college education have been a core component of Donald Trump's base and key to putting him in the White House. But a new poll from CNN shows that group now disapproves of Trump more than approves by 8 percentage points. One insight in the poll is that Americans by a wide margin thing Trump is focused on the wrong priorities. Jen Psaki takes a closer look.
Wednesday · 41 min
'Donald Trump is gonna hate it': Mobile Epstein files museum hits the road
A mobile version of the Epstein files reading room in New York City, with millions of printed pages of notorious pedophile Jeffrey Epstein's records, is set to go on tour, in part to highlight the mishandling of the files by Trump lawyer and attorney general nominee, Todd Blanche. Miles Taylor, former DHS chief of staff under Donald Trump, joins Jen Psaki to discuss the project.
July 25 · 1 hr 59 min
The Briefing with Jen Psaki special coverage of the White House Correspondents' Dinner
Jen Pskai anchors special coverage of the White House Correspondents' Dinner and talks with a panel of guests about the relationship between Donald Trump and the media.
July 24 · 41 min
Trump caves to pushback again; another humiliation in court
Jen Psaki points out that it wouldn't be unreasonable for someone to hear the news that Trump suffered another "subpoena fail" and ask, which one? Most recently, Trump has tried to bully the New York Times after he was embarrassed by reports that his new Qatari jet was not properly outfitted. But as everyone by now has learned, pushback works, and the Times pushed back and Trump is left looking foolish again.
July 23 · 41 min
INSTANT REACTION: Why Trump allies' criminal referral of Jack Smith 'doesn't pass the laugh test'
Jen Psaki reports breaking news that Jim Jordan, chair of the House Judiciary Committee has referred former special counsel Jack Smith to the Justice Department for criminal prosecution. Ken Dilanian, MS NOW justice and intel correspondent, joins to explain why the accusation against Smith "doesn't pass the laugh test."
July 22 · 41 min
Sexting accusations, scandalous behavior not disqualifying for Republicans in the Trump era
Jen Psaki runs through a litany of Republican candidates this election cycle whose gross behavior, from being sexually inappropriate to allegations of domestic violence have not been meaningful enough to the party to force them out of the race the way Democrats have done with compromised candidate. Jim Messina, former Obama campaign manager, and Democratic strategist Chuck Rocha join to discuss what counts as Republican principles in the age of Trump.
July 21 · 41 min
Trump's spin machine fails to hide the ugly truth about war with Iran
Senator Mark Kelly talks with Jen Psaki about Donald Trump's deeply unpopular war against Iran and the effort the Trump administration is putting into covering up and spinning the truth even though the war and its effects are apparent to any American paying attention.
July 18 · 41 min
Trump's dud election speech BACKFIRES; document dump contradicts his complaint
Jen Psaki looks at how Donald Trump's big speech on election security did not get much media attention, even from his most supporting outlets. And the documents he dramatically unveiled were either not new, had already been debunked, or completely contradicted the threat narrative he was trying to stoke. And of course, while some documents contradicted his conspiracy theories about China, others affirmed that he was supported by Russia.
July 17 · 48 min
'CHERRY PICKED': Former officials knock Trump's document dump
Jen Psaki talks with Michael Feinberg, former assistant special agent in charge with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Ken Dilanian, MS NOW justice and intelligence correspondent, and her fellow MS NOW host Chris Hayes about the facts and context behind Donald Trump's criticisms of U.S. election security.
July 16 · 41 min
Trump nominees struggle to avoid saying true things that would upset Trump
Jen Psaki shows the inherent conflict of trying to stay in Donald Trump's good graces while also showing a panel of Senators that your are honest and forthright and will act in the interest of the American people. Jay Claton, Trump's nominee to be Director of National Intelligence, and Todd Blanche, Trump's criminal defense attorney and nominee for Attorney General, both struggled through awkward Senate confirmation hearings in which the things they couldn't say spoke volumes about how (and who)
July 15 · 41 min
Republicans despair as tanking Trump takes them down with him
Senator Jon Ossoff revealed to reporters that his Republican colleagues are privately blaming Donald Trump for setting them up for disastrous results in this year's midterm elections. Jen Psaki looks at the unpopular failures, from the war on Iran to ICE agents run amok that are contributing to this political dynamic.
July 13 · 1 hr 13 min
Jen Psaki in conversation with actor and author Billy Eichner
Jen Psaki talks with actor, producer, writer Billy Eichner, host of the acclaimed "Billy on the Street," about how humor can sustain us during difficult times, and Eichner’s new audio book, “Billy on Billy: An Audio Memoir.”
July 11 · 41 min
Trump suffers the consequences of poor staffing choices
Jen Psaki looks at why Donald Trump is likely regretting staffing his administration based on culture war credibility rather than competence as FBI director Kash Patel's antics appear to have reached critical mass, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is spending energy being upset about beards while being unable to end the war with Iran, and Vice President JD Vance is buying himself a multi-million dollar estate in the midst of a political season in which "affordability" is the biggest theme.
July 10 · 41 min
Trump gets rude awakening on the reality of the limits of his power
Maggie Haberman, White House correspondent for the New York Times and co-author of "Regime Change," shares some of the inside perspective she has gleaned from her reporting, including Donald Trump's fixation on his own power and how the war he started with Iran has shown him the limits of that power.
July 9 · 42 min
Trump makes a fool of himself with mental stumbles at NATO meeting
Jen Psaki rounds up what has been a terrible day for Donald Trump, with a string of court losses and a humiliating collection of mental lapses while speaking in public at the NATO gathering in Turkey.
July 8 · 41 min
Texas GOP Senate candidate Paxton has been voting illegally, report suggests
Texas Attorney General and Republican candidate for Senate, Ken Paxton's marriage fell apart two years ago when his wife accused him of having an affair and she moved out of the house they shared. According to new reporting from the Texas Tribune and ProPublica, the address of that house is still on Paxton's voting registration even though he hasn't lived there for years and does not appear to be going back. Zach Despart, Texas Tribune investigative reporter, talks with Jen Psaki about why Paxto
July 4 · 43 min
We the People America 250: Country at a Crossroads - Part 2
A special celebration of America’s 250th anniversary with Rachel Maddow, Jen Psaki, and Ali Velshi from MS NOW’s live community event in Philadelphia. In this hour, Rachel Maddow interviews civil rights legal stalwart Sherrilyn Ifill, and the panel takes questions from the live audience.
July 4 · 41 min
We the People America 250: Country at a Crossroads - Part 1
A special celebration of America’s 250th anniversary with Rachel Maddow, Jen Psaki, and Ali Velshi from MS NOW’s live community event in Philadelphia. In this hour Ali Velshi presents his acclaimed retracing of 250 years of American history. And Jen Psaki interviews Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.