Fresh from his landslide victory, Britain’s new Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, has flown to Washington to join other leaders of NATO countries as they meet for the alliance’s 75th anniversary summit. As the war in Ukraine takes another ugly turn following a week of heavy Russian bombardment, can NATO turn the tide of the losses? Host Anne McElvoy talks to General Patrick Sanders, who has recently left his role as head of the British Army, about the challenges facing NATO, why the UK needs to incr...
Jul 11, 2024•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast It's all change in the U.K. Labour's historic landslide election victory beckons a different kind of leadership for Britain on the world stage after 14 years of Conservative rule. Keir Starmer, who stepped into his new job as PM, will have little time to define his approach to the wars in Ukraine, the Middle East and contend with a more assertive China. Host Anne McElvoy talks to Jonathan Powell, who was Tony Blair's long-serving chief of staff in Downing Street and former diplomat, about how th...
Jul 05, 2024•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast The recent shift to the right in the European Parliament election doesn't bode well for the continent's dwindling band of social democratic leaders, one of the most prominent of whom, former Finnish PM Sanna Marin, was shown the door by voters last year. Finland is a country of renewed prominence due to its proximity to Putin's Russia — which led Marin to apply to join NATO, ending decades of Finnish neutrality. Host Anne McElvoy talks to Marin about Putin’s war in Ukraine, her warning that Euro...
Jun 27, 2024•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast Election fever is gripping both sides of the North Atlantic. As Britain heads into the final weeks of a long election campaign, French voters face a snap parliamentary election. The Biden-Trump race for the White House draws ever closer. One man who knows about how to run a campaign is Jim Messina — known in Washington as "the fixer." Messina is the mastermind behind President Obama's re-election campaign in 2012 and David Cameron's surprise victory for Britain's Conservatives in 2015. In this w...
Jun 20, 2024•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast It takes a brave — some may say reckless — leader to call a general election when trailing in the polls by 20 percent. With three weeks to go to polling day on July 4, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s gamble looks like it will backfire, possibly spectacularly so, with perilous consequences for the country's oldest political party, the Conservatives. For one of the most powerful members of his Cabinet, the Chancellor — Britain's top finance minister — Jeremy Hunt, it means a fight for his pol...
Jun 13, 2024•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast The conviction of Donald Trump in a criminal trial in New York has electrified the race for the White House. But will it make a difference to how the arguments will play out in the campaign — especially on what the contest means for the rest of the world? K.T. McFarland is a leading supporter of Trump’s campaign, a MAGA Republican who served as his deputy national security adviser. She’s an influential voice on defense and foreign policy in Republican circles. Host Anne McElvoy talks to McFarlan...
Jun 06, 2024•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ahead of the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings, host Anne McElvoy asks Jane Hartley, United States ambassador to the United Kingdom, about the future of the transatlantic "special relationship." Hartley discussed the future of U.S.-U.K. relations in light of the International Criminal Court seeking an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; revealed her surprise at the snap U.K. election called for July 4; and as a close ally of President Biden, explains why his age is...
May 30, 2024•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast Host Anne McElvoy talks to Leonid Volkov, who was Alexei Navalny's long-serving chief of staff and campaign manager, about his mission to provide a democratic alternative to Russian President Vladimir Putin's regime in the Kremlin. They spoke on the stage at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit. The sudden death of Navalny, the most prominent opposition leader in Russia, sent shockwaves around the world earlier this year. He died in suspicious circumstances while being held in an arctic prison colony...
May 23, 2024•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week's edition of Power Play comes from the Copenhagen Democracy Summit, where host Anne McElvoy talks to President Zelenskyy’s closest aide, Andriy Yermak, and former NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen. As Russian forces advance on Kharkiv, delays in weapons deliveries from the U.S. and Europe are proving costly. Now the war has reached a critical moment for Zelenskyy's leadership — and Ukraine. They discuss its ability to withstand Russia's biggest attack yet, a new plan to acc...
May 16, 2024•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast Among the business leaders, philanthropists and other luminaries attending this year's Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles are politicians — looking to set the record straight, with an eye to future opportunities. Power Play host Anne McElvoy joined the Beverly Hills crowd — and talked to Kevin McCarthy, the first Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives to be ousted during a legislative session. McCarthy reflects on his dramatic downfall and lauds the prospect of Donald Trump'...
May 09, 2024•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast Elbridge Colby is a hot pick to be Donald Trump's national security adviser if the former president returns to the White House next year. It's a role which holds huge sway over America's position on the world stage. An influential voice in foreign policy circles in Washington, Colby leads the Marathon Initiative, a conservative think tank grappling with how America confronts an increasingly assertive China — a subject that is testing both Democrats and Republicans. In this week's edition of Powe...
May 02, 2024•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast "America will always defend democracy in its hour of need. We tell our allies: we will stand with you. We tell our adversaries: don’t mess with us." The words of U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer struck a rare note of bipartisanship as Congress finally approved a multi-billion dollar package of support to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. For America’s allies, there was a collective sigh of relief. No more so than at the British Embassy in Washington, where host Anne McElvoy presents this week...
Apr 26, 2024•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast How will responses to the confrontation between Israel, its allies and Iran redefine the line that divides Donald Trump and Joe Biden? Host Anne McElvoy talks to Kim Darroch, the former British ambassador to Washington and former U.K. national security adviser, about the scenarios facing President Biden and what Trump might do if he returns to office. They also discuss the options available to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in responding to Iran's failed attack. They are joined by Nah...
Apr 18, 2024•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week marked the grim six-month milestone since the Hamas terror attack on Israel and the ensuing counter-attack on Gaza, which has led to a mounting death toll and a humanitarian crisis that has divided world opinion. While President Joe Biden's White House struggles to help end the bloodshed, what would his opponent — Donald Trump — do differently if he were voted into office later this year? Host Anne McElvoy talks to the Heritage Foundation's Robert Greenway, who knows more than most abo...
Apr 11, 2024•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the wake of a devastating Islamist terror attack in Moscow, the dark arts of spreading disinformation are again in focus as Russia’s President Vladmir Putin pins blame for the assault on Ukraine. As a widening array of countries and malign actors spread fake news and analysis, real life consequences are all too clear. How can democracies like the United States and its allies confront information warfare from their adversaries in the era of artificial intelligence? Host Anne McElvoy talks to J...
Mar 28, 2024•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast With the specter of a famine and a possible ground incursion of Rafah looming, Israel's allies are fretting. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned of an impending catastrophe in Gaza. Yet Benjamin Netanyahu says “no international pressure will stop Israel” from achieving its war aims. The wars in the Middle East and Ukraine and uncertainty about who will be calling the shots in the White House next year are testing European foreign ministers — and those vying for their jobs. Nowhere more...
Mar 21, 2024•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast Now that Donald Trump is all but certain to lead his party into November’s presidential election in the U.S., it’s make up your mind time for Republicans – are they with him or not? One of them is a big gun in Floridan politics, the Mayor of Miami, Francis Suarez. Suarez earned a national profile by briefly entering the race for the White House last year before dropping out as the Trump bandwagon rumbled on. He’s gained wider attention for his efforts to lure companies to Miami, with an eye on t...
Mar 14, 2024•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast From Maine to California, Super Tuesday is the biggest date in the calendar for the United States primary election — a third of delegates for the Republican and Democratic conventions have been chosen. While Donald Trump didn’t quite manage a clean sweep, the former president looks all but certain to face Joe Biden in November — now that the only other contender for the Republican crown, Nikki Haley, has pulled out. As President Biden makes his final State of the Union address before the electio...
Mar 07, 2024•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast As European leaders gathered in Paris this week, there was a sense of foreboding about the war in Ukraine, and the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is a further reminder of how far the Kremlin will go to suppress its foes. Nowhere is the threat posed by Russia felt more acutely than on Europe’s Eastern frontier — and especially in Estonia, home to a significant ethnic Russian population. In this episode, host Anne McElvoy talks to Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas about the wa...
Feb 29, 2024•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast From the Munich Security Conference, host Anne McElvoy speaks to U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Celeste Wallander, U.S. assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs. News of the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny set the tone for the conference, where securocrats and world leaders gathered to discuss the mounting crises facing decision-makers. Our guests discuss how America and its allies should deal with press...
Feb 18, 2024•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast As security and defense chiefs descend on Bavaria this weekend for the annual Munich Security Conference, can anything be done to dampen down the geopolitical fires around the world? On everyone's lips will be Donald Trump's latest campaign salvo, which has shaken confidence in America’s commitment to the Atlantic defense alliance. The wars in Gaza and Ukraine, along with the crisis in the Red Sea, also top the agenda. Host Anne McElvoy talks to two of POLITICO’s heavy hitters about what to expe...
Feb 15, 2024•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast The largest NATO exercise since the Cold War is underway in the North Atlantic. The most powerful military alliance on the planet is putting on a show of strength — hoping that the Kremlin is taking note. As Congress struggles to agree a new package of American support for Ukraine, can the rest of the alliance share the burden? In this week's edition of Power Play, host Anne McElvoy speaks to the U.K.'s Ambassador to NATO, David Quarrey, about the alliance's readiness for a potential conflict wi...
Feb 08, 2024•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast As Donald Trump’s seemingly unstoppable campaign to win the Republican nomination gathers pace, most eyes in America and the world are moving to the more important contest — between him and Joe Biden. Trump’s resurgence is causing jitters in the Biden camp. He has a small but consistent lead in national polls. Will Biden manage to keep hold of the electoral coalition that brought him to the White House four years ago? Host Anne McElvoy brings together two leading pollsters and party strategists ...
Feb 01, 2024•29 min•Ep 21•Transcript available on Metacast How much attention is Africa receiving as the world remains transfixed by wars in Europe, the Middle East, and as elections in the West loom? This week, host Anne McElvoy talks to the award-winning musician and activist Angélique Kidjo about her campaign to improve education for girls in Africa and to address the humanitarian needs of her native continent. They also discuss the U.K.'s attempts to send illegal asylum seekers to Rwanda. (Spoiler alert: The five-time Grammy winner calls on U.K. Pri...
Jan 25, 2024•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast The focus of the 2024 World Economic Forum at Davos was on rebuilding trust, with artificial intelligence top of the agenda. Since the roll out of AI-powered chat bots, AI has developed a major trust problem among the public. The majority of Americans said last year that the risks of AI outweigh the potential benefits, and in the EU, Europeans were overwhelmingly in favor of restrictions around its use to protect jobs and privacy. Meanwhile, implementation by corporations is steadily growing. A ...
Jan 22, 2024•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast As the World Economic Forum draws to a close in Davos, Power Play rounds off the week with analysis of an eventful week in the Swiss Alps. Host Anne McElvoy brings together a top team of POLITICO's reporters: Alex Ward, national security reporter based in Washington; Nahal Toosi, senior foreign affairs correspondent; and Suzanne Lynch, author of POLITICO's Global Playbook, your must-read each morning to keep up with the latest news from Davos. They discuss China's notable presence this week, Pre...
Jan 19, 2024•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, U.K. Foreign Secretary David Cameron sits down with Anne McElvoy at the World Economic Forum to discuss the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, Britain's role in the Israel-Hamas war, as well as Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine — which he says is his "absolute number one priority." Cameron adds, "One thing we can do is demonstrate during the course of this year that Putin isn't winning." Cameron also addresses U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's controversial policy to send asylum seeke...
Jan 18, 2024•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast Donald Trump's emphatic victory in the Iowa caucuses has been the talking point of many at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. Meanwhile, the accelerating pace of artificial intelligence is also never far from the lips of those attending this year's WEF. In today's edition of Power Play — continuing our special coverage of Davos — host Anne McElvoy explores these two prevailing themes. Anne talks to Anthony Scaramucci, who was briefly White House director of communications under President T...
Jan 17, 2024•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast As the World Economic Forum gets underway in Davos, many of the world's most powerful business leaders, politicians and tech gurus — and even the odd veteran pop star — have arrived in the Swiss Alps hoping to set the agenda for the year ahead. This week we present four episodes of Power Play with an array of interviews and analysis. Today, host Anne McElvoy brings together three of POLITICO's keenest Davos watchers to chart the week ahead. She's joined by Alex Ward, a national security reporter...
Jan 16, 2024•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast After weeks of relative calm, Russian forces ushered in the New Year by pounding Ukrainian cities. While global attention has been gripped by the war in Gaza, it’s a reminder that there is no end in sight to the conflict in Ukraine. This week, NATO ambassadors met in Brussels to reinforce their commitments to help Ukraine’s air defences fend off devastating Russian air strikes, which have killed dozens of people in the last few days. It's a critical moment for Kyiv as continued military and fina...
Jan 11, 2024•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
