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Two big things are happening in Washington today, and each involves a separate controversial figure. On Capitol Hill, the House is set to vote on closely watched legislation to release the files from the investigation into the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. It is far from the first time Epstein has been at the center of activity on the Hill, but President Donald Trump’s U-turn to encourage Republicans to vote for the release has taken much of the drama out. At the White House, Trump will welcome Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the first time since the killing of Jamal Khashoggi. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns walk through what to expect, plus Trump’s latest affordability pitch.

President Donald Trump is aiming to grab control of the news cycle after a tumultuous turn over the past couple of weeks. The White House wants to be laser-focused on affordability messaging — but things aren’t that simple. On Tuesday, the House is poised to vote on legislation calling for the release of the Epstein files. Many Republicans were already expected to join Democrats on the vote, and now Trump is telling them to do so after initial resistance. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns tee up what to expect, the latest on Trump’s engagement with Venezuela and Trump’s ire toward Indiana.

Rep. Seth Moulton (D–Mass.) is not one to shy away from criticism of his own party. He made waves in the past when he insisted that the Democrats’ approach to dialogue on transgender issues was stifling. Moulton has also been vocal about the need for generational change in an aging Washington.  This time, the Massachusetts congressman is speaking out about the deal that ended the longest government shutdown in history. And how Senate Democrats missed an opportunity to extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies “If Republicans were somehow gaining advantage here, if the polling was shifting in their favor, if they had done well in the elections last week, then I might say,’Okay, I get it. It doesn't seem like this strategy is working, so let's give up,’” says Moulton. “But Schumer has just snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.” Moulton is a veteran who served four tours in Iraq as a Marine Corps infantry officer. He’s also challenging Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey for his seat in the 2026 midterms, facing competition from Rep. Joe Kennedy III in the process.  “Senator Markey is a good guy,” says Moulton. “He served the country for half a century. I mean, he's been in office longer than I've been alive. He and I agree on many of the issues. He says the right things, he has great press releases, but how much has he actually gotten done?” In this week’s episode of The Conversation, Moulton talks with POLITICO’s Dasha Burns about how Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is failing his party, why age needs to be a major consideration for lawmakers and how Senate Democrats could have done more to guarantee access to affordable healthcare. Plus, POLITICO’s Senior Congressional editor Mike DeBonis joins Dasha to discuss how the shutdown finally came to an end, which party ended up better off afterwards and how this event may shape Congress in the year to come. CORRECTION: An earlier version of this podcast misstated that former Rep. Joe Kennedy III is running against Sen. Ed Markey in  2026. Kennedy ran against Markey in 2020 but has not announced plans to run against Markey in 2026.

Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin stepped into the spotlight when she delivered the Democratic response to President Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress earlier this year, and has remained there ever since. Now, on a mission to help rebuild the Democratic Party, Slotkin is hearing from people across the country just how deep the fractures go. Playbook’s Adam Wren and national politics reporter Samuel Benson dig into the existential threats facing both parties, and how the hot-button issues playing out in Washington are reverberating across the West.

President Donald Trump last night signed a short-term funding bill that officially reopened the government. But when one door opens, so does a large can of worms. As lawmakers returned to the Capitol on Wednesday morning, a new collection of Jeffrey Epstein emails were made public, and their references to Trump reignited a storyline that dominated headlines earlier this year. Now, with Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.) finally sworn in, a dramatic vote on the release of the Epstein files is on its way. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns walk through what to expect, and what it all means for Trump.

The record-breaking government shutdown is on track to end after 43 days. But lawmakers are returning to Washington with both parties sorting out internal dilemmas. Democrats are dealing with the intra-party strife that eight caucus members triggered when they joined Republicans to reopen the government. And Republicans are reckoning with the future of the party once Donald Trump leaves office as a confluence of hot-button issues exposes a series of rifts. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns break down the discord, plus what to expect as the House convenes for the first time in weeks.

There is a growing sense of unease within the Trump administration over the ceasefire in Gaza, with new documents obtained by POLITICO revealing a White House beset with questions over how to move to the subsequent phases of the peace deal. The collection of documents paint a vivid picture of the myriad hurdles that could complicate — or even tank — the effort. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns unpack the reality that the documents display, which runs counter to the rhetoric that President Donald Trump deploys.

A 60-40 procedural vote in the Senate on Sunday night is putting the 40-day government shutdown on track to find an end date this week if all goes according to plan. While the shutdown may be coming to an end, another dramatic fracas is spinning off from it. The eight centrist Democrats who voted with Republicans, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, are now at the center of intra-party ire. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns unpack what happens now, and what the deal means for both sides.

New Jersey’s governor-elect Mikie Sherrill and James Blair, the political director for the Trump 2024 Campaign and the RNC, break down the lessons learned from this week’s Democratic sweep  Election Night 2025 was a sweet one for Democrats nationwide. Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani won the New York City mayoral race. Former congresswoman Abigail Spanberger clinched the Virginia gubernatorial contest. California Governor Gavin Newsom’s Prop 50 initiative passed, paving the way for redistricting reform across the country. And, by a double-digit margin, Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) is now the Governor-elect of New Jersey. The Navy helicopter pilot-turned federal prosecutor defeated Republican Jack Ciattarelli with a campaign focused on standard issues like capping energy costs and cutting administrative bloat. In this week’s episode of The Conversation, Governor-elect Sherrill chats with POLITICO’s Dasha Burns about her campaign strategy, navigating New Jersey’s electoral landscape, and the need for Democrats to reclaim their reputation with working-class Americans. Plus, James Blair, political director for President Trump’s 2024 campaign and the RNC, sits down with Dasha to break down what Tuesday night’s Democratic sweep means for the GOP’s battle plans going into the 2026 midterms. 

As Republicans continue reeling from the resounding losses they faced across the country on Tuesday, one glaringly obvious lesson has emerged: the party needs a plan for how to win when Donald Trump isn’t on the ballot. In 2024, the president demonstrated a unique ability to attract typically disengaged voters to the polls. But the inroads that Trump built with this coalition failed to hold for Republicans in key off-year races on Tuesday. Playbook’s Adam Wren and White House reporter Megan Messerly discuss where the party turns ahead of the midterm elections and beyond. Plus, movement to end the longest shutdown in history may be materializing.

There is a lot that President Donald Trump wants to talk about today. He wants to talk about drug prices and rare earth minerals, among other things. But the only thing anyone else in Washington wants to talk about are the dramatic election results on Tuesday, when Democrats put on a dominating display. Trump is blaming the losses on his name being absent from the ballot, and on the shutdown, for which he blames Democrats. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns discuss Republicans’ path forward, and how the longest government shutdown in history figures into the equation.

If last night was any indication, Democrats may have regained some spark. The party pulled off wins in various races around the country. From Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani’s decisive win over Andrew Cuomo in the New York mayoral race to the more centrist Democrat victories in the Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial races, the left came out on top. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House bureau chief Dasha Burns discuss what lessons—if any—the party as a whole can learn from the success.

Election Day is here and even though some of the races look predictable, plenty of questions abound: Will Zohran Mamdani’s Democratic socialist agenda carry him to victory in New York City over Andrew Cuomo, who received an eleventh-hour endorsement from President Donald Trump? How close will the margins be in the New Jersey governor’s race? Which other races should you be watching? Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns break down all the marquee matchups that could provide a glimpse into the midterms. Plus, the government shutdown is set to become the longest in U.S. history later today.

There’s one day of campaigning left before Election Day in states like New York, New Jersey and Virginia for contentious mayoral and gubernatorial races, plus a redistricting referendum in California that will help decide control of Congress. The case on the constitutionality of President Donald Trump’s tariffs is before the Supreme Court this week — but Trump won’t be there. Plus, the government shutdown enters its 34th day, without a compromise in sight. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns walk through a big week in Trump’s Washington.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) hasn’t been in Congress for very long, but she’s transformed the way that Democrats are communicating with voters and energized her colleagues in the party.  Crockett is known for her willingness to frankly engage with Republican counterparts from Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green all the way to President Donald Trump. And while some critics in the Democratic Party worry that her way of messaging might alienate swing voters, Crockett says her fellow Democrats are recruiting her to stump for them all over the country. “I think at the end of the day, whether you agree with my style or disagree with my style, I think people respect me for my authenticity,” says Crockett. “They never feel like they're getting someone different. They feel like they know exactly who they're getting.” In this week’s episode of The Conversation, Rep. Crockett chats with POLITICO’s Dasha Burns about what her colleagues think about her messaging style and the strategies that Democrats need to pursue for victory in the midterms and beyond. She also offers insight into her plans for a possible Senate run. Plus, Jane Coaston, host of Crooked Media’s “What A Day” podcast, joins Dasha to talk about the nuances of daily news coverage choices and how mixing politics with sports-like fandom can be a recipe for disaster. 

President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney have been off touring Asia, seeking to firm up partnerships and open up trade with countries across the region. While Trump has already returned home, Carney is wrapping up his sojourn soon. White House reporter Megan Messerly and Ottawa Bureau Chief — and host of the new Playbook Canada podcast — Nick Taylor-Vaisey walk through what each leader is expecting to come from their trip, plus the interesting way Canada is feeling the effect from the shutdown.

Minutes before President Donald Trump headed into his long-awaited and widely watched meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, he took to Truth Social to announce that the U.S. would “immediately” begin testing nuclear weapons. The U.S. has not conducted a test of nuclear weapons in more than three decades. But it’s unclear how much of a practical play this announcement by Trump was or whether it was largely wielded as a negotiating tactic with other nuclear powers. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns dig into the nuclear news, and the government shutdown that Trump is returning to today.

President Donald Trump is winding down his trip across Asia. Today, he meets with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung for what many are expecting will be thorny trade talks. But in a way, everything now is a precursor to the big finale of the trip: Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns walk through what to expect. Plus, eyes are fixed on Fed Chair Jerome Powell again for his interest rate announcement later today.

President Donald Trump met with new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for the first time — with plenty of pomp — as he continues his trip around Asia. But while the president rubs elbows with dignitaries across the globe, Washington is facing day 28 of the government shutdown. Will lawmakers make any progress before the looming Nov. 1 cliff? Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns discuss.

Eight days remain until Election Day. Despite the off-year slate, a handful of races around the country are making headlines in tightening gubernatorial races and redistricting efforts. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House reporter Megan Messerly discuss what voting in Virginia, New York, New Jersey and California could tell us about how both parties are approaching next year’s midterms — and beyond. Plus, President Donald Trump is in Japan to meet with the new prime minister.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is known for being a firebrand when it comes to his conservative, small-government principles. He’s also known for being a longtime supporter of President Donald Trump, despite taking issue with some of the president’s policies. But Paul takes issue with being what he says is the only Republican willing to stand up to Trump and his latest moves which, according to Senator Paul, fly in the face of GOP principles and campaign promises. Most recently, he was concerned over his Republican colleagues’ hesitation to confront Trump about his now-former nominee to lead Office of the Special Counsel, Paul Ingrassia. Ingrassia withdrew from the Senate confirmation process earlier this week after POLITICO’s reporting on texts that showed him making racist and antisemitic remarks. “I hear a lot of flack from Republicans and they want me to do it. They say, ‘Oh, well, you're not afraid of the president. You go tell him his nominee can't make it,’ says Paul, who chairs the Senate Homeland Security Committee. “I'm just tired of always being the whipping boy.” In this week’s episode of The Conversation, Paul joins POLITICO’s Dasha Burns — just hours after he was snubbed from a presidential luncheon — to talk about this GOP fear of confronting Trump, support for House colleague Rep. Thomas Massie, the administration's latest foreign policy moves, the Epstein files and a “farmageddon” that may be on the horizon. “If I'm given the choice of President Trump versus Harris or versus Biden, without question, I choose President Trump over and over again,” says Paul. But that doesn't mean I'm going to sit back and just say, ‘Oh, I'm leaving all my beliefs on the doorstep. I'm no longer going to be for free trade. I'm no longer going to be for balanced budgets. I'm no longer going to be opposed to killing people without trials, without naming them, without evidence.’ No, I have to remain who I am.” Later in the show, Dasha speaks to epidemiologist and public health professor Katelyn Jetelina, the founder of the Substack “Your Local Epidemiologist." They discuss what it’s like being a health communicator in the time of MAHA and why she thinks public health is nearing ‘system collapse.’

President Donald Trump is headed to Asia later today for a trip filled with a host of meetings on the agenda. Most notably, Trump will meet in person with Chinese President Xi Jinping next week for the first time since 2019. Playbook’s Adam Wren and White House reporter Megan Messerly discuss what to expect, and what makes this trip the riskiest of Trump’s second term.

President Donald Trump finds himself in the middle of two dizzying news cycles — one abroad and one back home. The White House has leveled new sanctions against Russia, with the goal of ending the war in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Trump is demolishing the East Wing of the White House to build his grandiose ballroom as he reshapes Washington in his own image. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns discuss how each of these moves underlines the extent of Trump’s unique position and power during his second presidency.

Paul Ingrassia’s nomination to lead the Office of Special Counsel is off. The withdrawal of Ingrassia’s nomination comes after POLITICO reported on text messages that showed Ingrassia say he has “a Nazi streak,” and that the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday should be “tossed into the seventh circle of hell” — which quickly caused several Republican lawmakers to voice their opposition. It marks one of the very few instances when the Senate has stood up to Trump. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House reporter Megan Messerly discuss what the episode means for Trump and what it could tell us about the rest of the Republican Party.

President Donald Trump is once again testing the limits of the Justice Department. Today, lawyers representing Rep. LaMonica McIver will attempt to have the case against the New Jersey Democrat thrown out. McIver’s legal team is calling the charges political prosecution and saying she qualifies for legislative immunity — which is exactly what the Supreme Court granted Trump last year. Will Trump tally another unprecedented legal win? Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns discuss the implications. Plus, Hill Republicans are set to flock to the White House today for lunch with the president on day 21 of the government shutdown, and Trump’s pick to lead the Office of Special Counsel is in hot water.

President Donald Trump is set to meet with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the White House today — but that is far from his only order of foreign policy business this week. The push to end Russia’s war in Ukraine is ramping up, the work on holding the Gaza peace deal together continues and Trump’s going further in the Caribbean. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns cover the range of affairs that continue to test Trump 2.0’s diplomatic mettle. Plus, the government shutdown stretches to the 20-day mark.

Nationwide, state and local officials are pushing back against President Trump’s plans to send the National Guard into various Democratic-run cities for crime and immigration enforcement support. One of the top Democrats leading the resistance is Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.  Trump has recently said that he believes Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson should be arrested for what he believes is mismanagement of the Windy City. “Should we have a president who is threatening to jail his political opponents with no evidence of any wrongdoing, just that we oppose what he's trying to do to our country, which is to militarize our cities and turn us into an authoritarian regime?” Pritzker says. “I don't think that any American thinks that we ought to be jailing people just for their views.” In this week’s episode of The Conversation, Pritzker joins POLITICO’s Dasha Burns to denounce the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement strategy, combat the administration’s narratives surrounding cities like Chicago, and discuss the future of the Democratic Party. Plus, Fox News Senior White House Correspondent Jacqui Heinrich comes on to talk about the difference between covering the Trump and Biden administrations, her role on the White House Correspondents Association board and the Pentagon’s attempts to impose new restrictions on reporters there.

President Donald Trump today is meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with the two expected to discuss arms as Russia’s war in Ukraine continues. The meeting follows a phone call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which the two leaders agreed to soon meet again in person. Playbook’s Adam Wren and POLITICO White House and foreign affairs correspondent Eli Stokols discuss what to watch out of the Zelenskyy meeting, plus what DNC Chair Ken Martin told Adam about the Democratic Party and how Zohran Mamdani fared in last night’s New York City mayoral debate.

Monday will mark nine months since Inauguration Day, and President Donald Trump’s second term is only gaining momentum. Since January, Trump has bent the justice system to his will, sent the military into U.S. cities and challenged seemingly every precedent. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns discuss how Trump has wielded power so far, and what to expect in the months ahead.

The Supreme Court today will hear arguments in a case that could gut the Voting Rights Act, which would drastically reshape next year’s midterms. Some conservatives argue that consideration of race in drawing district lines is discriminatory and unconstitutional. But advocates warn that without the Voting Rights Act, minority populations would not have adequate representation in American politics. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House reporter Megan Messerly walk through the potential outcomes, and what they mean. Plus, the latest on the Middle East ceasefire and the disappearing Pentagon press pool.

President Donald Trump is back in Washington today after a visit to Israel, where he delivered a speech touting the ceasefire that he helped broker. Now that the groundwork is laid, what’s next? Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House reporter Megan Messerly walk through the path forward for the region, with much of the hard work still left to sort out. Plus, the latest phase of the U.S.-China trade war kicks in as of this morning, and on the 14th day of the government shutdown, significant movement (still) looks unlikely.

Dan Rayfield is Oregon’s attorney general — and the latest state-level politician to be thrust into the national spotlight by a legal clash with the Trump administration. In this instance, it’s over the federal government ordering troops into Portland, where protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement have been deemed rebellion by the president.  I would invite anybody to come to Oregon and I think it's pretty clear that there isn't an invasion going on in Oregon,” Rayfield says. “Sometimes I'll joke the only rebellion going on right now is when I tried to feed my son a vegetable.” The AG explained that his opposition to Trump’s proposed deployment is because, in his view, the president’s stated reasons for doing so aren’t based on the facts — or in the best interest of the people of Oregon.“If you want to deploy the military, if you want to federalize the National Guard, I'm okay with that if you have the right facts for it.,” Rayfield says. “We should give any president some deference, but when you have zero facts to base it on, that's when you've got to draw the line.” In this week’s episode of The Conversation, Rayfield talks with POLITICO’s Dasha Burns about how he’s trying to defend states rights by fending off the Trump administration’s attempted National Guard incursion in Portland, the reality of what’s happening in the city, freedom of speech and how progressive policies have drawn outside attention to the state in recent years. Plus, blogger and activist Vani Hari — better known as “The Food Babe” — joins the show to talk about her influence on HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and how she hopes to help the MAHA agenda become reality.

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas based on the Middle East peace plan pushed by President Donald Trump was ultimately landed after Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff joined the key negotiators this week to push the plan over the finish line. Playbook’s Adam Wren and POLITICO national security reporter Eric Bazail-Eimil walk through how it all came together, what to watch in the days and weeks to come and how things could still fall apart.

President Donald Trump last night announced that Israel and Hamas both signed off on the first phase of his peace plan. This isn’t just a momentous occasion for the people of Israel and Gaza, but it is also an opportunity for Trump to take a victory lap. White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns spoke with Trump last night and joins Playbook’s Jack Blanchard to discuss the implications and what comes next.

Former FBI Director James Comey is set to be arraigned this morning. The move, though hardly unexpected, marks a defining moment in the history of the justice system after President Donald Trump repeatedly pressed for Comey’s prosecution. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns break down where things go from here. Plus, National Guard troops are poised to deploy to another major U.S. city. And on the eighth day of the government shutdown, do Democrats have the upper hand?

Attorney General Pam Bondi is on Capitol Hill today for a high-profile hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Among those poised to grill Bondi is Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), who claims he is being targeted as an enemy of President Donald Trump. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns walk through what to watch from Bondi’s appearance. Plus, Trump says he’s not wholly opposed to invoking the Insurrection Act, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will be at the White House today.

Communities in Chicago and Portland spent the weekend adjusting to President Donald Trump’s decision to send in the National Guard — but some of his moves are hanging in legal limbo. In Egypt, representatives from Hamas, Israel and the U.S. are set to hold talks on a Middle East ceasefire. Back in D.C., signs of a shutdown resolution are nowhere to be found as it stretches to six days. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns unpack it all.

Kevin Hassett is the director of the National Economic Council and arguably the economist closest to President Donald Trump. Right now, he’s also one of the top advisers tasked with explaining the economic fallout of the government shutdown and forging a path forward. Hassett joins POLITICO’s Dasha Burns for this week’s episode of The Conversation, where he talks about the shutdown standoff on Capitol Hill, when Americans should start feeling the benefits of Trump’s big tax bill and how the trade wars may affect the midterms.  “The really striking thing is that the place where the tariff policy effects should be the worst is the time right now where we have almost 4 percent growth and low inflation,” Hassett says. “We're very, very optimistic about how this policy is working and what it's gonna look like.” And, Hassett digs into the buzz surrounding whether or not he will be Trump’s pick to replace Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.  Plus, Shark Tank judge and investor Kevin O’Leary comes on the show to explain why he’s bullish on the TikTok deal news, bearish on the federal government’s investment in Intel and how he’s grading Trump 2.0’s economic performance so far.

It’s day three of the federal shutdown, and the Democrats are struggling to come up with a coherent and unifying message. Meanwhile, Republicans are encountering a shutdown-inspired divide of their own — this one centering on the role of OMB Director Russ Vought, and the political popularity (or lack thereof) of some of his undertakings. Playbook’s Adam Wren and POLITICO White House reporter Megan Messerly discuss the state of play as the shutdown shows no signs of abating.

Washington may not agree on much at the moment, but there’s a broad consensus on at least one thing about the federal shutdown: There is, at this moment, no end in sight. Today, it’s all but certain that Republicans and Democrats will continue to lob barbs — and subpar memes — at one another. Meanwhile, outside the Beltway, Americans will feel the day-to-day consequences of an unfunded government. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and Dasha Burns discuss the state of play. Plus, President Donald Trump’s Gaza proposal faces an uncertain future, while Trump’s military push into major cities looks to continue.

Overnight, the federal government shut down as its congressionally approved funding lapsed. How long will it last? Who will the American public hold responsible for it? And what is going to happen to the government while a prospective solution gets sorted out? Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and POLITICO White House bureau chief Dasha Burns walk through every angle.

Barring a last-minute deal, the federal government will shut down at midnight tonight. And at this hour, the two sides seem as far apart as ever. A meeting at the White House saw Democratic and Republican leaders dig in their heels and emerge while aiming fire at one another, confident that they can spin a shutdown as the other side’s fault. What does President Donald Trump think about all of it? Our very own Dasha Burns spoke with him last night and brings us the latest. Plus, Dasha and Jack Blanchard walk through what the president also had to say about his plans for the Middle East, and parse Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s big military meeting at Quantico today.

First came Los Angeles. Then, Washington, D.C. Now, President Donald Trump’s ongoing federal crackdown on big cities comes to Portland, Oregon. Last night, the city and state filed suit to block Trump from deploying 200 members of the Oregon National Guard to the City of Roses. But in an era when the confrontation is the point, that’s a fight Trump is perfectly willing to have. Playbook’s Adam Wren and Dasha Burns walk through Trump’s Portland push and what it portends for other major cities. Plus, we’re two days away from a federal government shutdown, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits the White House today as Trump pushes a new ceasefire plan.

James Talarico is a Texas state representative who’s recently announced his candidacy for US Senate. He’s a Democrat, but not afraid to criticize some aspects of his party.  “National Democrats have talked about defending democracy or protecting institutions,” he said. “But, this democracy of ours doesn't work for a lot of people in this country. It doesn't work for a lot of people in Texas…. This is a deeply broken political system. And I'm not interested in defending it.”  Talarico joined POLITICO’s Dasha Burns this week for an episode of The Conversation, in a wide-ranging conversation about his candidacy, his faith and what Democrats can learn from Beyoncé.  Talarico caught national attention when he flipped a state House district outside Austin in 2018, and has grown in prominence on social media, where he boasts millions of followers on TikTok and Instagram. The former school teacher who’s studying to be a pastor is joining a crowded race to try to turn a Senate seat blue in Texas. His faith has been one of the central aspects of his campaign. “My faith is why I went into public service. My granddad was a Baptist preacher in South Texas [and he] told me that Jesus gave us these two commandments to love God and love neighbor, which means that your faith is inherently public, right?,” he said. “That means that your faith should impact how you treat people out in the world. And really politics is just another word for how we treat our neighbors at the most fundamental level.” When it comes to immigration, a Texas issue in the national spotlight, Talarico offered a metaphor to explain his approach. “People have a desire for a sane immigration system, a secure border that can ensure public safety and can ensure that the people coming here are coming to contribute to our communities and not threaten our communities,” he said. “We should treat our southern border like our front porch. We should have a giant welcome mat out front, and we should have the lock on the door.”

Last night, federal prosecutors in Virginia charged former FBI Director James Comey with obstruction and making a false statement to Congress. It comes just days after President Donald Trump publicly demanded that Attorney General Pam Bondi more aggressively pursue criminal charges against Comey and other political enemies. What does it mean for the rule of law and where does Trump’s retribution campaign go from here? Playbook’s Adam Wren and POLITICO White House reporter Myah Ward unpack it all.

President Donald Trump has found his next big foreign policy project: Peace in the Middle East. And where that’s a goal hat has vexed generations of presidential administrations, Trump believes he can force a breakthrough with a bit of help from his friends in the region. On Tuesday, Trump met with eight leaders of Arab or Muslim-majority nations in New York. Today, he welcomes Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to the White House to talk about a nascent 21-point plan for peace in Gaza. Could Trump succeed where so many others have failed? Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and Dasha Burns unpack it all. Plus, Trump’s efforts at lawfare drastically escalate.

With just days left before a federal funding lapses, a government shutdown is looking more and more likely. There’s no deal in sight that would deliver the Democratic votes to make it through the Senate, top congressional leaders aren’t talking to one another and the race is on to pre-assign blame. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and Adam Wren sort through what you need to know with T-minus seven days remaining. Plus: President Donald Trump makes an abrupt — and potentially hugely consequential — shift on Ukraine. And: Are Democrats too focused on the rear-view mirror instead of the road ahead?

President Donald Trump is set to address the United Nations General Assembly in New York today, and there’s no shortage of topics he could wade into. There’s Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, a smattering of U.S.-brokered peace deals, the outlook for beleaguered international institutions and new attempts to reset and remake the global order. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and POLITICO White House reporter Megan Messerly walk through what to expect. Plus, the far-reaching fallout from Trump’s autism announcement is only beginning to be understood.

President Donald Trump and dozens of top administration officials and aides spent Sunday at Charlie Kirk’s stadium-sized memorial service in Arizona. Trump called Kirk “our greatest evangelist for American liberty” and a “martyr” for American freedom, while drawing at least one stark contrast between himself and the late conservative Christian activist. “He did not hate his opponents. He wanted the best for them. That’s where I disagreed with Charlie,” Trump said. “I hate my opponents, and I don’t want the best for them.” That portends turbulence ahead, as Trump returns to Washington eager to press the Justice Department to prosecute his political enemies, readies a major announcement on autism and gears up for a battery of meetings at the U.N. General Assembly. Playbook’s Jack Blanchard and Adam Wren unpack what to know as the week begins.

Sriram Krishnan is a venture capitalist who once served as general partner at Andreessen Horowitz. Now, he serves as White House Senior Policy Advisor for AI, where he has helped to develop President Trump’s American AI Action Plan.  In a live interview with The Conversation host Dasha Burns at POLITICO’s AI & Tech Summit, Krishnan discussed what it takes for the United States to win the AI race, how the White House wants to keep “wokeness” out of government-funded AI, and how artificial intelligence will be harnessed, regulated, and contested in the years ahead.  “We want to make sure that our ecosystem has market share, and if [China’s] Huawei gets market share that means revenue, that means usage, it makes their chips better, it makes them set up to start exporting to other countries,” Krishnan said. Krishnan explains that the era of artificial intelligence is still very new, and while it closely resembles the early days of the internet, the Trump White House is working to make sure everyday Americans can make good use of the technology. “What I think about is how do we get more of what people here are seeing, which is AI making your lives better, making your work better and figuring out how to get us to economic prosperity.”  Plus, Playbook managing editor and in-house UK expert Jack Blanchard breaks down the significance of Trump’s unprecedented second state visit to Great Britain and the president’s close relationship with prime minister Keir Starmer.