The Lincoln Project’s Secret War Plan—Revealed!

Dr. John Gartner, former Johns Hopkins professor and co-host of the podcast ‘Shrinking Trump,’ joins the Beast’s Joanna Coles to deliver a chilling diagnosis: Donald Trump is showing signs of dementia layered on top of malignant narcissism. Drawing on decades of clinical expertise, Dr. Gartner explains how Trump’s declining language, erratic gait, and disturbing anecdotes point to brain deterioration that makes him not just unpredictable but uniquely dangerous in office. Coles presses him on how Trump’s narcissism compares to King Charles’ public persona, whether his cabinet and family are retreating from his volatility, and what it means when a leader with nuclear codes also displays symptoms of mini-strokes and confabulation. From Hitler’s psychology to Bill Clinton’s benign narcissism, this episode explores how power amplifies paranoia, cruelty, and decay—and asks the starkest question of all: as Trump weakens physically and mentally while tightening his grip on authority, how far can Trumpism go before it breaks America? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

21 Sep 202542min

Trump chronicler Michael Wolff joins the Beast’s Joanna Coles to explain why Donald Trump has chosen now to formalize his assault on the media. From the president’s feud with Jimmy Kimmel and Disney’s quiet capitulation, to Wolff’s surreal late-night ice cream with Trump in Beverly Hills, and even his own face projected onto Windsor Castle, this episode traces the strange intersections of power, ego, and greed. Along the way, they explore how MAGA’s loyalty to Trump is being tested by Trump’s ongoing Epstein scandal and his administration's formal push to silence free speech, evidenced by a dramatic drop in Trump’s approval ratings. Is Trump’s control over culture and politics starting to fray, or only tightening in new ways? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

19 Sep 202536min

Trump chronicler Michael Wolff and the Beast’s Joanna Coles unpack the president’s awkward state visit to Britain. From King Charles’ white-tie dinner with Trump and Rupert Murdoch, to the firing of U.K. ambassador Peter Mandelson over his own Epstein entanglements, to Labour leader Keir Starmer’s desperate attempt to turn the trip into a political win, the pageantry collides with scandal at every turn. With Epstein, Epstein, Epstein still haunting Trump’s every move, can royal pomp and photo ops really save him or just magnify the shadows trailing behind? And why was Wolff’s own face suddenly projected 200 feet high onto Windsor Castle? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

18 Sep 202541min

Star columnist David Rothkopf joins the Daily Beast’s Joanna Coles and Executive Editor Hugh Dougherty to discuss Trump’s week of cascading crises. From Kash Patel’s reckless tweets and FOX News appearances that have corroded FBI trust, to the internal purges and morale collapse that now haunt the Bureau, the hosts probe how Trump’s allies are weaponizing chaos to tighten their grip on power. They examine the killing of Charlie Kirk and the way Trumpworld is turning Kirk’s memorial into a MAGA rally. At the same time, Utah’s Spencer Cox emerges as an unexpected counter-voice inside the Republican party. And with Trump preparing for a gilded U.K. state visit—shadowed by the specter of Jeffrey Epstein and royal unease—the conversation asks: is this just spectacle, or the architecture of Trumpism’s next power grab? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

16 Sep 202549min

Trump chronicler Michael Wolff joins the Beast’s Joanna Coles to unravel Donald Trump’s response to Charlie Kirk’s killing. They examine how Trump rushed to blame the left before facts were known, appears to have dodged any real grief, and may still be haunted by his own brush with assassination. From a Trump’s droopy face appearing at this week’s 9/11 memorial, to cracks with RFK Jr., a cabinet unease over inflation, and Epstein’s “birthday book” resurfacing, it’s been another chaotic week for the president. They also discuss the FBI’s fumbling search for Kirk’s killer and how its apparent incompetence has fueled conspiracy theories and social media attacks across the political divide. They explore how these events reveal a leader trapped by ghosts of the past. And they ask whether Trump is running from Kirk’s death or from himself. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

14 Sep 202537min

The Daily Beast's unmissable columnist David Rothkopf joins Joanna Coles to dive into what he calls one of Donald Trump’s most chaotic weeks yet. The 79-year-old president has been jeered at by protesters across a dining table, faced mounting health concerns, dealt with the assassination of his acolyte, Charlie Kirk, while abroad, his foreign policy has stumbled. Rothkopf, CEO of TRG Media and a foreign policy expert, argues Trump looks increasingly fragile, physically and politically, as allies squirm with embarrassment and rivals like Putin and Xi Jinping test his weakness. Coles and Rothkopf examine America’s rising tide of political violence, driven by alienated young men and a culture awash in guns, and note Utah Governor Spencer Cox’s surprising emergence as a voice of civility. With Trump leaning on inept advisers, losing grip on his narrative, and facing international mistrust, Rothkopf asks whether we are witnessing not just the decline of a president, but the slow unraveling of Trumpism itself. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

13 Sep 202534min

Trump chronicler Michael Wolff and the Beast’s Joanna Coles unearth Donald Trump’s bizarre entanglements with Jeffrey Epstein. From a birthday book signed by Trump to a shady mansion deal, to an $83 million judgment and claims of FBI informants, the hosts unpack the evidence, denials, and contradictions. They explore how Trump’s excuses collapse under scrutiny and why his ties to Epstein keep resurfacing. With Epstein’s letters and Trump’s own words raising fresh questions, the story only grows darker. And our hosts ask whether Trump’s connection to Epstein is a liability he can ever escape. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10 Sep 202544min

Independent journalist Don Lemon joins the Beast’s Joanna Coles for a wide-ranging conversation unpacking Trump’s health issues, the MAGA movement’s big problem, and the night RFK Jr. had dinner with Don Lemon. The two dive into Trump’s public appearance at the U.S. Open and ask what the mysterious blue object clenched in his mouth, seen in a candid photo, is. The two also take apart JD Vance’s rise, calling him the kind of “DEI hire” conservatives pretend to hate. They dig into the contradictions of his wife Usha’s background, the role Black Americans played in securing rights for immigrant communities, and why Trump still manages to suck all the oxygen out of every room. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

9 Sep 202547min