The Daily Beast Podcast

Why Trump Isn't Joking About Canceling Midterms

Congressman Seth Moulton joins Joanna Coles for a no frills, clear account of the Venezuela crisis — and why he believes the administration is lying to Congress at every turn. From chaotic briefings where officials dodge questions, to Republican colleagues privately admitting they would be outraged if a Democrat did the same, Moulton argues the United States has no real plan, only escalation. He connects the timing to distractions over healthcare premiums and the Epstein files, criticizes Democratic leaders for failing to level with voters, and makes the case for generational change, age limits, and his own Senate run — while warning that a weakened Congress and normalized “crazy” are far more dangerous than most Americans realize. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

What Being Mocked Really Does to Trump: Wolff

Michael Wolff joins Joanna Coles to examine how Nicolás Maduro’s dance mocking Trump became a genuine trigger for the president — and why humiliation lands harder than policy. Wolff explains how Trump turns foreign affairs into personal vendettas, and when Maduro refuses the deals, dances, and laughs, it pierces Trump at the level of ego, not ideology. Also, the conversation widens to Trump’s fixation on the MOCA test as proof of competence, the way distraction becomes a governing tactic, and how figures like Mark Kelly are pulled into the narrative to shift attention, rewrite the stakes, and keep the spotlight where Trump needs it most, namely away from Epstein. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

How Trump's Big Moment Left Him Exposed: Rothkopf

David Rothkopf joins Joanna Coles to explain why Trump’s move in Venezuela looks less like foreign policy and more like a heist. Rothkopf walks through the rushed effort to topple Maduro, the boastful talk about “running” Venezuela, and the alarming reality that there was no plan for what came next — who governs, who controls the oil, or how any of it ends. Together, they examine what Rothkopf calls Trump’s “mafia doctrine”: kidnap the leader, seize the resources, ignore the law, and dare the world to respond. It’s chaotic, risky, and deeply consequential — for Venezuela, for America, and for everyone watching what comes next. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Why Ailing Trump Is Paranoid About Mental Decline

Dr. John Gartner joins Joanna Coles to explain why Donald Trump’s worsening paranoia, erratic behavior, and visible health problems point to a dangerous mix of malignant narcissism and possible frontotemporal dementia. Drawing on clinical practice and the shift toward observable diagnostic criteria, Gartner argues that Trump’s public performances reveal more than enough: the “25th time” fixation, the aspirin theories, the right-side weakness, and the drifting, rambling speeches. The conversation ends with a stark question: What happens when a country is governed by a man whose greatest vulnerability is his own deteriorating mind? ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Why Melania's Case Terrifies Team Trump: Wolff

Michael Wolff joins Joanna Coles to probe the growing mystery around Melania Trump — the first lady who rarely appears, rarely speaks, and yet increasingly shapes the atmosphere around Donald Trump. Wolff explores why Melania’s absence feels deliberate, how lawsuits and the threat of depositions have sharpened attention on her, and why Trump’s team appears determined to keep her out of reach of process servers and cameras alike. Wolff examines why discovery terrifies Trumpworld more than accusation, why Melania’s distance reads like leverage, and how one reluctant witness can destabilize a carefully managed narrative. If the quietest person in Trump’s orbit may also be the one who knows the most, what happens when the courts — not the campaign — decide who gets to ask the questions? ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.