The Daily Beast Podcast

Michael Wolff and Daily Beast executive editor Hugh Dougherty trace what they argue is a dramatic turning point for Donald Trump as collapsing poll numbers, a grinding Iran conflict, and mounting political backlash leave him increasingly isolated and searching for new loyalists in unexpected places. From Wolff’s explosive reporting on Trump’s growing friendship with disgraced Hollywood director Brett Ratner to the bizarre White House ballroom obsession, the episode connects Trump’s personal fixations, grievance politics, and fear of failure into what Wolff calls the clearest view yet inside Trump’s unraveling mindset. They also unpack a jaw-dropping new “weaponization” settlement fund that critics say resembles a presidential slush fund, the return of the Greenland controversy, rising evangelical pressure over abortion, and the lingering shadow of Jeffrey Epstein as Wolff previews shocking new revelations from his Epstein Diaries series.
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David Rothkopf and Daily Beast executive editor Hugh Dougherty break down the growing signs of political and personal collapse surrounding Donald Trump, from brutal new polling numbers and deepening economic anxiety to accusations of corruption, authoritarianism, and a White House increasingly lashing out at critics. The conversation moves from Trump’s legal maneuvers and mounting scrutiny over his finances to the administration’s attacks on the press, evangelical power plays in Washington, and what Rothkopf describes as Trump’s simultaneous political and physical “free fall.” Along the way, they unpack the GOP’s loyalty to a weakening president, the culture of grievance and grift driving MAGA politics, and the fears inside Washington that Trump’s behavior is becoming more erratic as pressure closes in from every direction.
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Rep. Jamie Raskin speaks to Sarah Ewall-Wice about what he calls a “completely lawless situation” inside Donald Trump’s second term, laying out allegations of political slush funds, crypto corruption, pardons for allies, and the weaponization of government power for personal profit. Raskin argues that Trump has transformed the presidency into a machine for enriching himself and rewarding loyalists, comparing the administration to “The Sopranos” as he details billion-dollar deals tied to foreign governments, January 6 pardons, and what Democrats see as an unprecedented assault on democratic norms. The conversation also turns toward Trump’s mental fitness, the 25th Amendment, fears surrounding presidential war powers, and the growing push among Democrats to investigate the White House if they regain control of Congress, with Raskin warning that the country is now facing what he describes as a full-scale civic emergency.
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Michael Wolff and Daily Beast executive editor Hugh Dougherty unpack Trump’s bruising return from China, where the man who built his political identity around confronting Beijing now finds himself accused of capitulation, spinning shaky victories while China emerges stronger than ever. Wolff gets inside Trump’s mindset as mounting crises close in at once: a worsening Iran conflict with no clear exit, rising inflation and gas prices, ICE raids fueling backlash inside and outside MAGA, explosive questions about Trump family business dealings, and a White House culture driven by grift, loyalty tests, and surreal characters like Natalie Harp shadowing the president with a portable printer full of praise. From Trump Mobile phones reportedly made in China to Kash Patel scandals and billion-dollar settlement controversies, the episode maps out an administration trapped between performance and collapse while Trump searches for a way to declare victory in situations even his closest allies can’t explain away.
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David Rothkopf and Daily Beast executive editor Hugh Dougherty break down Donald Trump’s lackluster China trip, the explosive fallout from his Iran crisis, and the growing signs that the president is struggling to maintain control on the world stage. From tense meetings with Xi Jinping to Trump’s angry outbursts aboard Air Force One, the conversation tracks a presidency that increasingly looks weakened, isolated, and consumed by chaos. Rothkopf details how China dictated the terms of the summit, why Trump came home empty-handed on Taiwan, trade, and Iran, and how the president appeared both physically and metaphorically diminished beside Xi as America’s stature seemed to shrink alongside him. The episode also digs into Trump’s public meltdowns, mounting questions about his mental decline, and why even some longtime observers now believe the Trump era is entering its final unraveling.

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