Power Play

POLITICO
  • 3.7 (964)
  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Power Play is POLITICO's new weekly transatlantic podcast hosted by renowned British journalist Anne McElvoy. It takes listeners inside the minds of those who wield power to better understand the choices they face. The show features guests at the top of their fields in government, business, civil society and more — accompanied by the expert analysis of journalists across POLITICO's newsrooms globally, giving listeners the inside take on the most significant issues raised by the guest, as well as the implications. Read our show notes here: https://www.politico.eu/power-play-podcast/

  1. APR 10

    How the US-China trade war will do 'enormous damage' to the world

    In a dramatic twist, President Trump announced an abrupt reversal of the tariff policy that had spooked the markets and threatened to upend world trade. While many trading partners have been given a temporary reprieve, Washington’s tit for tat with Beijing has reached new heights. Where does it leave the credibility of the Trump administration? Host Anne McElvoy talks to Jason Furman, former U.S. President Barack Obama’s top economic adviser and chair of his Council of Economic Advisers. He’s currently the Aetna Professor of the Practice of Economic Policy jointly at Harvard Kennedy School and the Department of Economics at Harvard University. She's also joined by Nahal Toosi, POLITICO’s senior foreign affairs correspondent, who has been closely following the machinations of Trump’s new tariff regime.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    21 min

  2. APR 3

    Sen. Mark Kelly notches up his feud with Elon Musk

    United States President Donald Trump’s "Liberation Day" of tariffs on foreign imports has roiled the markets and caused upset across the Atlantic. But is there anything opposition Democrats can do to curtail an all-powerful president? Host Anne McElvoy talks to Sen. Mark Kelly, former NASA astronaut and naval officer, who is one of the few prominent Democrats taking the fight to the Trump administration with gusto. Kelly’s criticism of the president’s approach to Ukraine turned into an ugly spat with Elon Musk, who called him a "traitor." The politician from Arizona sits on the Senate's influential Armed Services and Intelligence committees, where he’s been probing senior officials in the administration about leaked Signal messages detailing a recent U.S. combat mission. They discuss "Signalgate," the impact of tariffs on the American and global economy, and how the Democrats can recover from last year's election defeat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    25 min

  3. MAR 27

    Germany’s next leader could be a 'loose cannon.' Is that good news for Europe?

    Germany entered a new political era this week as the Bundestag met for the first time since last month's pivotal general election. Does the country's leader-in-waiting, Friedrich Merz, have what it takes to reassure a fractious nation worrying about its fading status as an economic giant and lead Germany toward smoother transatlantic relations? Some question whether he has the political skillset to provide firm leadership. Host Anne McElvoy talks to Gordon Repinski, POLITICO’s executive editor in Germany and host of the Berlin Playbook podcast, and Jennifer Wilton, editor-in-chief of the daily newspaper Die Welt. They survey the challenges facing Merz as he tries to forge a grand coalition between his Christian Democrat party and the Social Democrats. A sluggish economy, a growing defense budget and the war in Ukraine loom large as Merz prepares to take over the Chancellery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    25 min

  4. MAR 20

    Trump and Musk take on the judges. Will they win?

    United States President Donald Trump has been rebuked by the chief justice of the Supreme Court for his attacks on judges who have ruled against his flurry of executive orders. Elon Musk has joined the fray by calling this a "judicial coup." Is this the road to a full-blown constitutional stand-off? Host Anne McElvoy talks to Matthew Platkin, Attorney General of New Jersey, and prominent thorn in the Trump administration’s side. Platkin is spearheading a coalition of Democratic law-enforcement officials from more than 20 states, resulting in lawsuits attempting to thwart the president’s executive orders to revoke birthright citizenship, stop a sweeping freeze on federal funding and challenge an attempt to dismantle the Department of Education. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    26 min

  5. MAR 13

    How can Trump push Putin toward peace?

    The United States-Ukraine plan for a temporary ceasefire has turned up the heat on Russian President Vladimir Putin. What are Donald Trump's next moves if Putin either refuses to accept the deal or places unacceptable demands on Ukraine and its allies? Host Anne McElvoy talks to Kurt Volker, who has a particular insight into Trump’s thinking on Ukraine. Volker was the U.S. special representative during his first administration and America’s ambassador to NATO under President George W. Bush. They discuss how any ensuing negotiations might play out and whether a meaningful peace deal can be achieved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    21 min

  6. MAR 6

    Zelenskyy ally: Trump is being used by Putin

    Will Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s olive branch to Donald Trump be enough to secure Ukraine’s future — and his own? After his bruising encounter with the U.S. president in the Oval Office, Zelenskyy issued an eleventh-hour missive and said he was ready to sign the minerals deal and "work fast to end the war." Host Anne McElvoy speaks with one of the most senior politicians in Ukraine, Oleksandr Merezhko, Foreign Affairs Parliamentary Committee chair and staunch Zelenskyy ally, who argues that Trump is "being used by Putin" in his attempts to force a deal and call for fresh elections in Ukraine. She is also joined by POLITICO Europe’s Opinion Editor Jamie Dettmer from Kyiv on the fast-moving realpolitik being played between Ukraine, the U.S. and European capitals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    22 min

  7. FEB 27

    Trump ally Dan Crenshaw: Europe needs to boost its defense or 'shut up'

    The French president and British prime minister have been to the White House to urge President Donald Trump not to abandon Kyiv as negotiations with Russia loom. Trump's attacks on Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky and his administration's approach to the Western alliance have caused consternation among European capitals. This week, host Anne McElvoy talks to Dan Crenshaw, a Republican congressman representing the Second Congressional District in Texas and an ally of President Trump. A former Navy SEAL, Crenshaw served in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he lost an eye to a bomb blast in the province of Helmand. He was in London to attend the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship conference, where right-wing thinkers from Europe and the U.S. gathered. They discuss Trump's position on Ukraine, Russia and the Western alliance as well as transgender rights in the U.S. military. Crenshaw argues that Europe needs to mount a more aggressive defense posture or "shut up" about the need for American support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    25 min

  8. FEB 20

    Europe is dealing with Trump all wrong, according to his former national security adviser

    President Donald Trump’s quick-fire approach to ending Russia’s war against Ukraine has left European allies worried they are being sidelined by the United States administration, as Washington and Moscow conduct direct negotiations. It has also caused a crisis in European capitals about the future of NATO, created in the wake of World War II to uphold security in Europe and protect it from a Russian threat. Now, it’s America that looks as if it's turning its back on NATO and Europe — in search of a grand bargain with Moscow. Host Anne McElvoy talks with John Bolton, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations who also served as national security adviser under Trump, and Sanna Marin, Finland’s prime minister from 2019 to 2023, who led the country to its NATO accession. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    28 min
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About

Power Play is POLITICO's new weekly transatlantic podcast hosted by renowned British journalist Anne McElvoy. It takes listeners inside the minds of those who wield power to better understand the choices they face. The show features guests at the top of their fields in government, business, civil society and more — accompanied by the expert analysis of journalists across POLITICO's newsrooms globally, giving listeners the inside take on the most significant issues raised by the guest, as well as the implications. Read our show notes here: https://www.politico.eu/power-play-podcast/

Information

  • Channel
    POLITICO
  • Creator
    POLITICO
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2025
  • Episodes
    90
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © POLITICO
  • Show Website
    Power Play

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