Jen Psaki draws on her 20 years with a seat at the table – from the campaign bus to the Oval Office – to tackle the most pressing issues of the week, interview ...
Jen Psaki reflects on the eye-popping revelations from the House Ethics Committee about Matt Gaetz, and how it shows that Trump's GOP clearly lives by a different standard -- a lower one. Jen is joined by Rep. Jasmine Crockett and MSNBC host Katie Phang to react to the committee's findings, including whether Gaetz could still be held accountable. Next, Jen is joined by political analyst Brendan Buck and reporter Annie Karni to preview the upcoming fight for Speaker of the House in the wake of the Gaetz bombshell. Then, Jen shares some thoughts on the precarious relationship between president-elect Trump and Elon Musk and how difficult their inevitable breakup may be. Later, Jen is joined by Rep. Jim Himes to discuss whether Musk is using his proximity to the presidency to benefit himself financially and concerns about Musk handling sensitive information. Finally, Jen is joined by Former White House Counsel Bob Bauer and Former Assistant Attorney General Jack Goldsmith to discuss Trump's plans to dismantle government and push the limits of presidential power in a second term.Check out our social pages below:https://twitter.com/InsideWithPsakihttps://www.instagram.com/InsideWithPsaki/https://www.tiktok.com/@insidewithpsakihttps://www.msnbc.com/jen-psaki
--------
33:08
Plan E: Elon Musk Fuels GOP Chaos as Congress Barely Averts Shutdown
Jen Psaki recaps the utter chaos that unfolded on Capitol Hill this past week as Elon Musk's influence over Donald Trump and the House Republican caucus was on full display. Democratic Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries joins Jen to discuss the last-minute scramble in Congress to avert a government shutdown and the challenges of governing in the age of Trump. Next, Jen is joined by Punchbowl Congressional Reporter Melanie Zanona and Republican strategist Doug Heye to discuss Mike Johnson's future as speaker of the house as Trump and some of his allies express doubts about him. Then, Jen breaks down the Musk of it all, as he spreads dangerous misinformation on X and flaunts his massive influence in his bid to bully elected officials. Later, Jen is joined by former U.S. Acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal to react to the House GOP's baseless targeting of Former Rep. Liz Cheney as they kick off Trump's fight for retribution against his political enemies. Finally, March for Our Lives Co-Founder David Hogg joins the show to discuss his candidacy for DNC vice chair and to offer his reaction to the Democratic party passing over Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for the top spot on the Oversight Committee. Check out our social pages below:https://twitter.com/InsideWithPsakihttps://www.instagram.com/InsideWithPsaki/https://www.tiktok.com/@insidewithpsakihttps://www.msnbc.com/jen-psaki
--------
40:50
Fear Factor: The Chilling Effect of Trump's Threats
Jen Psaki examines the culture of fear Trump is trying to create in advance of his second presidential term. She is joined by Senator Chris Murphy to talk about the threat to lawmakers and media outlets, as well as to a society that could become too afraid to speak out. Next, Congressman Eric Swalwell and Former DOJ Advisor Anthony Coley talk to Jen about the ruling by a New York judge rejecting Trump's bid to throw out his criminal conviction. Jen also delves into reports of mysterious drones hovering in the skies above New Jersey this and is joined by White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby to discuss the ongoing investigation. Jen reacts to Trump’s nominee for HHS Secretary RFK Jr.’s plans to end vaccine programs and how it's affecting the public’s growing distrust of vaccines. Jon Favreau of Pod Saves America stands by with his thoughts on the path forward for Democrats and the conversations the party needs to have in order to win again. Check out our social pages below:https://twitter.com/InsideWithPsakihttps://www.instagram.com/InsideWithPsaki/https://www.tiktok.com/@insidewithpsakihttps://www.msnbc.com/jen-psaki
--------
41:13
Loyalty Fee: The Rule of Law Vs. the Rule of Trump
In light of Christopher Wray's intent to resign as FBI Director, Jen Psaki explains Trump's strategy of nominating unqualified people to serve in his cabinet -- ensuring absolute fealty from those who otherwise would be relative unknowns. Jen is joined by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse to discuss the dangers of the loyalty Trump engenders. Next, Jen is joined by author Tim Weiner to his concerns about Kash Patel potentially leading the FBI, explaining why his nomination represents a "disastrous rise of misplaced power." Later, Jen is joined by Representative Ro Khanna to discuss Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy's DOGE plan to reform the government and how he plans to work with the subcommittee on certain issues. Finally, Jen sounds the alarm on RFK Jr's association with radical anti-vaccine figures, including one ally, Aaron Siri, who helped try to revoke the approval of the polio vaccine. Jen is joined by The New York Times reporter, Sheryl Gay Stolberg, who broke the story on Siri to discuss her reporting.Check out our social pages below:https://twitter.com/InsideWithPsakihttps://www.instagram.com/InsideWithPsaki/https://www.tiktok.com/@insidewithpsakihttps://www.msnbc.com/jen-psaki
--------
41:43
Still the Same: Trump Still Promises Political Prosecutions
Jen Psaki explains why Donald Trump’s threats remain just as dangerous after some claim the president-elect has “cooled” his rhetoric around persecuting his political foes. Former US attorney Preet Bharara joins Jen to talk about why Trump doesn’t deserve the benefit of the doubt. Later, Jen is joined by the political panel to discuss how Republicans are overlooking the controversy and allegations against Trump cabinet picks like Tulsi Gabbard, Pete Hegseth, and Kash Patel, and if any Republicans would be willing to vote against them. Jen then delves into Tulsi Gabbard’s sympathy for ousted Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, including new reporting from NBC News revealing that Congressional aides on the House Foreign Affairs Committee did not trust the then-Congresswoman Gabbard with the identity of a Syrian defector. Investigative reporter Dan De Luce and the Executive Director of the Syrian Emergency Task Force, Mouaz Moustafa, talk to Jen about those security concerns. Finally, Governor Jared Polis of Colorado talks to Jen about his decision to buck his party and support some of Trump’s policies. Check out our social pages below:https://twitter.com/InsideWithPsakihttps://www.instagram.com/InsideWithPsaki/https://www.tiktok.com/@insidewithpsakihttps://www.msnbc.com/jen-psaki
Jen Psaki draws on her 20 years with a seat at the table – from the campaign bus to the Oval Office – to tackle the most pressing issues of the week, interview the biggest names in politics, and pull back the curtain on the lives of the people shaping every aspect of American life.