Political Gabfest - Gabfest Reads | The Presidency as Pure Pleasure

John Dickerson interviews Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan about their new book Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump. Drawing on extensive reporting from inside the White House, they explore how Trump's second term differs radically from his first, from his decision-making process to the people surrounding him and his relationship with power, money, and the presidency itself. Unlike his first term, when he felt under siege, Trump now operates from absolute confidence.

He's surrounded by loyalists and flatterers, getting information through a curated ecosystem that includes Fox News, Truth Social, and aides like Natalie Harp ("the human printer") who fetch him what he asks for, regardless of its accuracy. His decision-making is reactive and gut-driven, shaped by what people want to tell him. Meanwhile, his family and inner circle are making unprecedented wealth from the presidency, and Trump himself, who equates money with intelligence, is richer than ever. With Supreme Court immunity, total command over his party, incomparable wealth, and an administration of unequivocal supporters, Trump appears completely in his element: free to exercise power exactly as he wishes, being praised constantly, and getting richer by the day.

Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Podcast production by Nina Porzucki.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Det här avsnittet är hämtat från ett öppet RSS-flöde och publiceras inte av Podme. Det kan innehålla reklam.

Avsnitt(4878)

Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts - By the People | Who Owns the Constitution?

For the better part of two centuries of U.S. history, the American people understood that they—and not the Supreme Court—were the final arbiters of the Constitution. But in recent decades, nine unelec...

18 Juli 41min

Slate Money - What’s A.I. Doing to Our Energy Bills?

This week: New York Gov. Kathy Hochul put a statewide moratorium on building A.I. data centers. Felix Salmon, Elizabeth Spiers, and Emily Peck discuss the decision and how the rush to build data cente...

18 Juli 53min

What Next: TBD | Tech, power, and the future - A.I. Vs. Eh, I’m Walkin’ ‘Ere!

Ah, New York—where it’s hot, loud, and the air is barely breathable. So it’s not especially surprising that Governor Kathy Hochul is opting out of adding to all of that and announcing a moratorium on ...

17 Juli 4min

What Next: TBD | Tech, power, and the future - Game Over for Video Games?

Is Microsoft laying off 3,200 employees from the Xbox division just a new boss coming in and pruning an overgrown asset, or is it a sign that console gaming is coming to the end? Guest: Jason Schreie...

17 Juli 28min

Political Gabfest - I'm His Lawyer

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss how the confirmation hearing for Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is yet another example of Trump trying to force Congress to bend...

16 Juli 58min

What Next - Will My Lettuce Give Me Diarrhea?

America is one nation under the fear of an outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a food-borne illness that has given thousands “explosive diarrhea.” Where did it come from? What can you do to avoid it? And how ...

16 Juli 26min

What Next - Can Anyone Stop Todd Blanche from Becoming AG?

Todd Blanche’s hearing to become US Attorney General has begun. With a resume that includes the president’s $1.8 billion slush fund and, uh, the “handling” of the Epstein files, what could they possib...

15 Juli 24min