Chuck Todd begins with the flooding disaster in Texas and why America’s toxic political landscape makes preparing for extreme weather events unlikely, if not impossible. He also reacts to Elon Musk launching the “America Party” and expresses doubts about Musk’s motives, while applauding the idea of launching a viable third party. Finally, he blasts Florida governor Ron DeSantis for vetoing funding for a veterans program over a personal gripe with another Florida lawmaker. Then, directors Cecilia...
Jul 07, 2025•1 hr 50 min•Ep. 49
Chuck Todd begins by reacting to Paramount agreeing to settle Trump’s bogus 60 Minutes lawsuit and explains why it’s demoralizing for journalists and delegitimizing for corporate owned media. He also dives into the news that Trump has cut off weapons shipments to Ukraine despite a large majority of Americans supporting Ukraine and why it makes strategic sense to do so. Then, Chuck is joined by Florida gubernatorial candidate David Jolly for an in-depth conversation about Florida's evolving polit...
Jul 03, 2025•1 hr 36 min•Ep. 48
Chuck Todd begins by reacting to the senate passing Trump’s signature piece of legislation: “The Big Beautiful Bill.” He reviews the excuses and rationales given by the senators who had expressed issues with the bill but still voted for it, and explains why the fear of Donald Trump’s wrath is enough to get lawmakers to fall in line and explains why the bill’s passage is emblematic of the broken state of Congress. Then, Chuck is joined by political scientist and Eurasia Group president Ian Bremme...
Jul 02, 2025•1 hr 43 min•Ep. 47
Chuck Todd reacts to the news that North Carolina senator Thom Tillis won’t seek reelection, why harassment from the Trump team led to his decision, and why his decision gives Democrats another opportunity to pick up a senate seat in the 2026 midterm elections. He also highlights the path for Democrats to win the senate in 26’ and cautions Republicans about the potential of a Democratic president abusing their power in a similar way to Trump. Then, Chuck sits down with renowned pollster Kristen ...
Jun 30, 2025•1 hr 55 min•Ep. 46
Chuck Todd examines Zohran Mamdani's stunning primary victory as a seismic shift for the Democratic Party, analyzing how the young progressive candidate's win represents a broader rejection of establishment politics and legacy candidates. The discussion explores the Democratic establishment's lukewarm response to Mamdani's victory, their history of imposing flawed candidates on voters, and the growing disconnect between party leaders and their base. The conversation delves into whether the Democ...
Jun 26, 2025•1 hr 52 min•Ep. 45
Chuck Todd begins with Zohran Mamdani’s stunning victory over Andrew Cuomo in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary. He points to Mamdani’s cost of living messaging and youth as major factors in the victory, but cautions the party against embracing the “socialist” label, and wonders whether the party establishment will embrace or shun Mamdani. Then, Chuck is joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas, who shares his deeply personal journey of living as an undocumented...
Jun 25, 2025•1 hr 58 min•Ep. 44
Chuck Todd begins by reacting to President Donald Trump’s decision to order airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. He explains that diplomacy was still on the table, that Israel backed him into a corner, and why he believes that Kamala Harris would have made the same decision if she was president. He highlights the potential ways Iran could strike back, and debates whether this move actually will make the world safer. He also examines the state of the New York mayoral primary and why the Democ...
Jun 23, 2025•1 hr 58 min•Ep. 43
Chuck Todd is joined by former North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory for a wide-ranging conversation about the state of American politics and governance. McCrory, who describes himself as a Reagan conservative, discusses how modern politics has become trapped in rigid left/right binary thinking and reflects on his experience managing civil unrest during the 2016 Charlotte riots. The conversation explores the breakdown of civil discourse, the infiltration of legitimate protests by anarchists, and t...
Jun 20, 2025•58 min•Ep. 42
Chuck Todd begins by reflecting on the 10th anniversary of Trump descending his golden escalator and the profound impact he’s had on both our politics and culture since. He argues that Trump has had the greatest impact of any president since FDR, why Trump’s “fake it til you make it” persona appeals to voters and believes the negative impacts Trump has had on society will last for decades. He also highlights the anniversaries of the Watergate break-in and the OJ Simpson chase, and the lasting im...
Jun 19, 2025•1 hr 40 min•Ep. 41
Chuck Todd reacts to the bizarre limbo President Donald Trump has put the country and world into as he weighs bringing the United States military into the conflict between Israel and Iran. Chuck weighs the benefits and risks of such a move, explains why Israel can’t end Iran’s nuclear program without the U.S. and why Trump is treating foreign policy like reality TV. He provides some updates and analysis on several primaries and special elections across the country, and concludes by answering lis...
Jun 18, 2025•45 min•Ep. 40
Chuck Todd begins with a solemn observation… that the world and country are both in a very unstable and combustible moment and needs President Donald Trump to offer stable leadership to help turn the temperature down… but is likely incapable of, or unwilling of doing so. He also reflects on Trump’s role in creating an environment ripe for political violence and why he believes we’re living in an Orwellian moment where it’s hard to know what to believe. Then Chuck sits down with Mike Pesca, host ...
Jun 16, 2025•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 39
Chuck Todd criticizes the controversial military birthday parade planned by Trump in Washington, D.C., which marks both the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary and Trump’s 79th birthday. He calls out the event as a politicization of the military, a costly spectacle ($25–$45 million) that could have been spent addressing critical social needs such as homeless veterans, Medicaid funding, or infrastructure repair. He takes particular issue with the military personnel being vetted for political loyalty to...
Jun 12, 2025•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 38
Chuck Todd reflects on his recent conversation with Steve Bannon and proposes his theory for what Donald Trump and his MAGA movement's populism is really tapping into not just in America, but as a global phenomenon. Chuck says that the Democrats have an opportunity to position themselves as an opposition party that taps into the American populace's skepticism of concentrated power, and that if the current Democratic leadership isn't equipped to navigate the moment, they could set themselves up t...
Jun 11, 2025•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 37
Chuck Todd reacts to Donald Trump’s escalating conflict with the state of California and Governor Gavin Newsom over the ICE raids and protests. Chuck warns that if Trump makes good on his threats to arrest Newsom, he could make him a powerful martyr. He also weighs in Barack Obama’s lack of presence for the Democrats while they struggle with a leadership vacuum. Then Chuck sits down with Jamie Shor and Sky Sitney, the co-founders of DC/DOX, Washington D.C.'s premier documentary film festival now...
Jun 10, 2025•1 hr 36 min•Ep. 36
Chuck Todd begins with the apparent de-escalation of the feud between Donald Trump and Elon and why the power imbalance between the two meant that Elon would be forced to back down. Then, he explains why Trump is deliberately manufacturing a crisis by federalizing the National Guard and sending them to LA to deal with protests over ICE raids. He calls it a “political trap” set by Stephen Miller and that the administration has chosen to use California as a political punching bag. He also weighs i...
Jun 09, 2025•1 hr 45 min•Ep. 35
Chuck Todd reacts to the escalating feud brewing between Donald Trump and Elon Musk after Elon’s departure from the administration. He warns the audience… NOBODY can predict where this will go from here. Timeline: 00:00 Trump and Elon attack each other on social media 01:00 Trump threatens to terminate Elon’s government contracts 01:20 Elon accuses Trump of being in the Epstein files 02:30 Trump and Elon think they’ve bought each other's loyalty 04:15 Trump and Elon are basically the same guy 05...
Jun 05, 2025•11 min•Ep. 34
Chuck Todd begins by trying to make sense of the Elon Musk vs. Donald Trump public feud and why Trump will likely be muted in his criticism. Chuck also weighs in on the NYC mayoral race, why Andrew Cuomo shouldn’t be allowed to run this soon after resigning in disgrace and why voters were deprived of closure in the Cuomo scandal. Then, Chuck sits down with Lindsey Williams Drath, CEO of the Forward Party, to explore the challenges and opportunities facing America's newest third-party movement. W...
Jun 05, 2025•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 33
Chuck Todd begins by analyzing whether Donald Trump or Joe Biden will be a bigger political liability for their respective parties in the 2026 midterms. He also examines the trend of urban vs rural voters happening worldwide and reacts to some newsworthy quotes from American politics Then, he welcomes Jane Coaston to the podcast for a wide-ranging conversation that spans college football, media, and politics. They dive deep into how conference realignment is reshaping college sports, discussing ...
Jun 04, 2025•1 hr 38 min•Ep. 32
Chuck Todd reacts to Elon Musk leaving the Trump Administration and discusses the valuable lessons to be learned from Elon’s tenure. Chuck also reacts to the recent pardons by Donald Trump and explains why they are bad for the country. Then he discusses the problems with the “big, beautiful bill”. Then, Chuck is joined by Amanda Litman, co-founder and president of Run For Something , to discuss the future of Democratic leadership and the urgent need to recruit a new generation of candidates. The...
Jun 02, 2025•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 31
Chuck Todd starts with new polling showing Trump’s damaging down ballot effect on the Republican party and highlights some key races for the upcoming midterm elections. Then, he sits down with New York Times reporters Michael Schwirtz and Jane Bradley to discuss their explosive investigation into Russia's sophisticated "spy factory" operation in Brazil. The reporters reveal how they uncovered a years-long Russian intelligence program that used Brazil as the perfect cover to create false identiti...
May 29, 2025•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 30
Chuck Todd opens with two issues he calls “dead rail” issues; issues that voters care about but don’t vote on… campaign finance reform and the national debt. He explains why both parties aren’t incentivized to address either issue, and provides a brief update on the latest developments for the upcoming midterm and presidential elections. Then, he sits down with acclaimed television writer and producer Debora Cahn, the creative force behind both "The West Wing" and Netflix's hit series "The Diplo...
May 28, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 29
Chuck Todd begins by examining whether Democrats have lost by enough to force meaningful change or if they're simply tinkering around the edges. He covers Trump's recent controversial moves, including hosting dinners for his memecoin buyers and politicizing his West Point commencement speech, while exploring how "whataboutism" and Trump creating a culture of fear have become pervasive in our political discourse. Chuck analyzes new polling data on potential Democratic matchups and discusses why b...
May 26, 2025•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 28
Chuck begins with house Republicans struggling to pass their “Big Beautiful Bill” and reflecting on the president’s ability to influence the culture versus imposing on the culture. Then, Chuck welcomes Spencer Kornhaber, staff writer at The Atlantic to discuss his piece on contemporary pop culture and its perceived decline in quality. They dive into the impact of streaming algorithms impacting music discovery, revealing that old music now earns three times the streams of new releases as algorith...
May 22, 2025•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 27
Chuck Todd begins the episode with an examination of the election landscape starting with the California gubernatorial race and a demographic breakdown that indicates Democrats could perform very well in both 2025 and 2026. Then, is joined by businessman Stephen Cloobeck, who discusses his candidacy for California governor as the "only non-traditional candidate" in the race. Cloobeck offers sharp criticism of the Harris/Walz presidential campaign, which he characterizes as "tone deaf," while pro...
May 21, 2025•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 26
Chuck Todd welcomes Congressman Ritchie Torres for a wide-ranging conversation that begins with a tour of New York's 15th district and the unique challenges of representing one of America's most diverse urban areas. Torres offers candid insights on governance, highlighting how term limits disadvantage legislators compared to lobbyists. The conversation shifts to the current political landscape, with Torres expressing deep concerns about President Trump's approach to his second term, arguing that...
May 19, 2025•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 25
Chuck Todd opens with a personal reflection on his father's connection to Vietnam before welcoming distinguished guests Ambassador John Negroponte and filmmaker Brian Knappenberger to discuss the new documentary series Turning Point and the lasting impacts of the Vietnam and Iraq wars on American politics and society. The conversation explores how Vietnam fundamentally shifted America's perception of itself, with Ambassador Negroponte sharing his firsthand experiences from the conflict. They exa...
May 16, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 24
Chuck Todd opens with a critical analysis of President Trump's approach to governance, suggesting that while his Middle East trip may yield positive results, his administration is missing crucial opportunities for bipartisan cooperation. He argues that Trump's executive order on prescription drugs lacks substance without legislative backing and that the president should "get caught trying" bipartisanship on issues where common ground exists. He also explores Putin's refusal of peace talks as a p...
May 15, 2025•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 23
Chuck Todd opens with a blistering analysis of America's current political landscape, arguing that both major parties are fundamentally weak and surviving only through their duopoly of ballot access. He examines the potential for political realignment, questioning whether MAGA and establishment Republicans might fracture and if figures like Senator John Cornyn would fare better as independents. Chuck doesn't hold back on the Biden administration either, calling out what he sees as selfishness fr...
May 14, 2025•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 22
Chuck opens with an analysis of President Trump's controversial upcoming Middle East trip, focusing on reports that Trump will receive a luxury Boeing airplane as a gift from Qatar. He characterizes this as potentially "the most corrupt bargain a president has ever made," questioning the ethics and legality of such an arrangement while examining Trump's pattern of personal enrichment in office. The discussion extends to Trump's cryptocurrency ventures, the growing influence of Gulf states in Ame...
May 12, 2025•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 21
Chuck opens with an analysis of growing global tensions, including armed conflict between India and Pakistan, and the power vacuum created by America's retreat from its traditional leadership role. He discusses Joe Biden's recent BBC comments on foreign affairs and the potential for Vladimir Putin to test NATO's Article 5 commitment in the Baltics, suggesting that increased global conflict may be on the horizon as China and Russia fill the void left by the United States. Then he’s joined by the ...
May 08, 2025•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 20
