Best Distinctive Personnel Podcasts (2025)

1
'Historic debacle': Trump sets new standard for poor presidential performance; Americans displeased 41:47

4d ago41:47

41:47

Rachel Maddow reviews the many ways in which Donald Trump has made history with the first 100 days of his second term, though none of these achievements are anything to be proud of, and Americans are growing increasingly vocal about their displeasure.By MSNBC

1
Victims of Trump's irresponsible anti-immigrant crusade include American citizens 43:18

2d ago43:18

43:18

Rachel Maddow reports on examples of American citizens caught up in Donald Trump's attacks on immigrants in the U.S., some by accident, some by malicious negligence, and some apparently targeted on purpose.By MSNBC

1
Trump 100 day faceplant: more devastating polling for Trump show Americans reject his policies 43:05

3d ago43:05

43:05

Rachel Maddow shares another collection of polls of Americans about the first 100 days of Donald Trump's second term, with results showing a shocking gap between people who approve versus disapprove. By wide margins, Americans do not like what Donald Trump is doing.By MSNBC

1
Trump gets reckless as his agenda tanks with the American public 43:51

6d ago43:51

43:51

Rachel Maddow reports on the ongoing parade of terrible polling numbers for Donald Trump, and talks with Rep. Jamie Raskin about the Trump administration arresting a judge. Rep. Robert Garcia also joins to discuss deportations, including breaking news that the Trump administration has deported several U.S. citizen children.…

1
Wheels falling off the Trump train before his first 100 days, polls show 42:52

10d ago42:52

42:52

Donald Trump's second term is not even 100 days old and already his standing with Americans has soured, with polls showing opposition on major themes as well as specific issues, and the numbers only get worse as time passes. Rachel Maddow reviews the results of several major polls that show Donald Trump's second term is already falling apart.…

1
Oops!: Trump's first 100 days marked by incompetent screw-ups and frantic walk backs 42:54

11d ago42:54

42:54

Rachel Maddow reviews the main lesson of the first 100 Days of the second Trump administration and highlights how the administration's overall incompetence has made screw-ups and reversals the hallmark of their governing. "Just because they're trying to do really, really bad things doesn't change the fact that they're also just really bad at everyt…

1
Musk tries to blame paid protesters for his wild unpopularity, collapse of Tesla 42:28

12d ago42:28

42:28

After Tesla showed a steep drop in profits and a sliding stock price, Elon Musk was quick to blame fake protesters for manipulating public opinion against him. Rachel Maddow takes a look at the very real protesters and polls of public opinion that suggest that Musk should reconsider the public appetite for destroying the U.S. government and firing …

1
Anti-Trump protests sweep the nation, crossing the threshold of mainstream media attention 43:47

13d ago43:47

43:47

Rachel Maddow surveys some of the many "No Kings" protests that took place in cities large and small across the United States against Donald Trump's push toward autocracy, and notes that unlike previous remarkable protest days, this one was given prominent attention by major news outlets.By MSNBC

1
Lost in the sauce: Stories Trump probably hoped you wouldn't notice while he 'flooded the zone' 42:08

16d ago42:08

42:08

Did you know Donald Trump plans to eliminate Head Start the preschool program? Did you know he gutted Americorps? Have you heard what he did to the National Weather Service? Rachel Maddow rounds up stories that would be huge news in normal times but may have slipped by unnoticed by many Americans in the shadow of Trump's daily wrecking ball spectac…

1
'This should be shocking': Judge torches Trump admin. for neglecting due process for deportees 43:38

14d ago43:38

43:38

Rachel Maddow reads from the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling against the Trump administration as it tries to avoid accountability for mistakenly deporting Kilmar Abrego Garcia without the due process that is foundational to American values.By MSNBC

1
'Criminal contempt' looms over Trump's showdown with courts over deportation fiat 42:47

18d ago42:47

42:47

The judge hearing the case against Donald Trump's deportation flights is losing patience with the administration's excuses and stall tactics, and today raised the specter of holding members of the administration in contempt of court. Lee Gelernt, deputy director of the ACLU's Immigrants' Rights Project, discusses with Rachel Maddow.…

1
'They can't hide the ball': Judge cracks the whip on Trump lawyers in deportation case 47:35

19d ago47:35

47:35

Trump administration lawyers are running out of excuses to avoid being accountable for the rights and whereabouts of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland immigrant father who was improperly deported and sentenced without due process to an indeterminate amount of time in a prison in El Salvador. Rina Gandhi, and attorney for Mr. Abrego Garcia, talks w…

1
Making a mockery of Musk: Backlash against dismantling U.S. government focuses on hatchet man 43:00

17d ago43:00

43:00

Rachel Maddow looks at creative new ways activists are mocking and protesting Donald Trump's top campaign donor, Elon Musk, for his central role in butchering the staff and services of the U.S. government.By MSNBC

1
'How is it possible that you have this job?': RFK Jr.'s incompetence becomes too glaring to overlook 43:19

23d ago43:19

43:19

From his cluelessness about critical cuts made to his agency, to his celebration of dangerous quackery, Robert. F. Kennedy Jr., Donald Trump's HHS secretary, is distinguishing himself as not only incompetent but dangerously so, leading a department with lives at stake. Rachel Maddow reports.By MSNBC

1
'The time is now to stand up!': Eric Holder sounds alarm on Trump's war on the rule of law 44:25

24d ago44:25

44:25

Former Attorney General Eric Holder talks with Rachel Maddow about Donald Trump's efforts to intimidate the legal system in the United States and bend it to his will, and emphasizes the importance of the American legal community standing together and pushing back in defense of the rule of law. "The time is now to stand up and do all that we can to …

1
Trump caves on tariffs: One economic indicator made even Trump realize he'd gone too far 42:48

25d ago42:48

42:48

Even with new polling showing significant disapproval among Americans of Donald Trump's handling of the economy, Trump's indifference to tanking the stock market did not waver. But when his ill-considered tariff scheme began to affect the bond market, even Trump knew it was time to dial back his one-man global trade war.…

1
Trump in search of waste need look no further than his own staff 43:13

23d ago43:13

43:13

Rachel Maddow looks at the bizarre, frivolous demands of members of Donald Trump's staff even as vital public services are being cut in the name of waste.By MSNBC

1
Fierce backlash against Trump's agenda seen in sweeping, nation-wide protests 42:18

24d ago42:18

42:18

From small towns to the largest cities, Rachel Maddow reports on the wide diversity of issues being protested in demonstrations across the United States on Saturday, as hundreds of thousands of Americans took to the streets to make their objections to Donald Trump's agenda heard.By MSNBC

1
The ridiculous real story behind the tariff plan that turned Donald Trump into a global disaster 43:04

27d ago43:04

43:04

Rachel Maddow looks at ways to understand the scope of the damage Donald Trump has done to the entire world economy, and reminds viewers where the tariff idea came from that has turned Donald Trump into a one-man global disaster.By MSNBC

1
Needless economic pain from Trump not even worth it if his tariff gambit works: economist 42:15

1M ago42:15

42:15

Betsey Stevenson, former chief economist for the U.S. Department of Labor, discusses the likely consequences for average American consumers of Donald Trumps ill-considered tariffs, and explains why, even in Trump's best case scenario, his tariff gambit is not worth the pain he is imposing on the U.S. economy.…

1
Donald Trump fired the man who likely saved his life; U.S. may never fully recover from Trump's cuts 43:29

1M ago43:29

43:29

Dr. David Kessler, former FDA commissioner and chief science officer of the White House Covid-19 Task Force, talks with Rachel Maddow about the devastating effects of Donald Trump's cuts to HHS, not only in dismantling important services, but compromising U.S. medical and scientific leadership to a degree that may not be recoverable for decades.…

1
Exclusive: Exclusive: Senator Cory Booker reflects on his historic, record-setting speech 46:38

1M ago46:38

46:38

Senator Cory Booker talks with Rachel Maddow about holding the Senate floor for a record-breaking 25 hours and 4 minutes to raise attention to the perils of Donald Trump's agenda and inspire American activism against that agenda as many of his constituents have taken to regular public protests on their own.…

1
Fresh from scandal over group chat attack plans, Hegseth's conduct opens him to ridicule 42:28

1M ago42:28

42:28

Rachel Maddow looks at a string of bizarre headlines about Donald Trump's secretary of defense, Fox News personality Pete Hegseth, whose insistence on surrounding himself with close family while acting in his official capacity speaks poorly of his professionalism.By MSNBC

1
'This is shameful': Trump sows animosity and mistrust abroad, degrading Americans in the process 43:19

1M ago43:19

43:19

Rufus Gifford, former U.S. ambassador to Denmark, talks with Rachel Maddow about the animosity and mistrust Donald Trump is sowing among even allied nations, and the shock of betrayal people around the world are feeling about Americans they'd previously held in high regard but who they do not see pushing back against Trump and standing up for long-…

1
Allies wary of Trump admin's incompetence after scandal over military plan group chat 42:23

1M ago42:23

42:23

Not only has the scandal over Trump officials discussing military plans in a group chat on an insecure commercial platform made the Trump administration look like fools to Americans paying attention, but overseas allies are drawing conclusions about the risk of sharing intelligence with America when its top officials are so careless with sensitive …

1
'Two perfect months?!': Trump's rationalization of insecure group chat scandal backfires 43:00

1M ago43:00

43:00

Donald Trump says the scandal over his top officials discussing secret military plans in an unsecured group chat is just a "glitch" in an otherwise perfect first two months in office. Rachel Maddow looks back to help Trump jog his memory and realize that "perfect" is probably not the best word for what has happened so far in Trump's second term.…

1
War plans group chat scandal fits pattern of Trump's embarrassing weakness on information security 44:20

1M ago44:20

44:20

Rachel Maddow looks at Donald Trump's ridiculously poor track record of mishandling sensitive information, with the scandal of several of his top officials thoughtlessly discussing military plans in an insecure group text raising questions of criminality on top of the widespread outrage over the sheer sloppiness of their actions.…

1
'Holy crap on steroids!': Top Trump officials exposed in shocking, sloppy military security blunder 43:03

1M ago43:03

43:03

Top officials in the Trump administration discussed a military operation in a group chat on a commercially available messaging platform with a random member of the media added to the chat without anyone bothering to look at who else was in the chat. Senator Mark Warner, top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, shares his reaction to the n…

1
Media reports prompt Trump to end plan to brief Musk on secret potential war plans for China 45:50

1M ago45:50

45:50

Rachel Maddow follows up on last night's breaking news that the Pentagon planned to brief Donald Trump's top campaign donor, Elon Musk, on top-secret U.S. plans for a potential war with China, with new reports that Trump says he only learned of the plan from the media and ordered that the briefing not take place. Trump's explanation is not especial…

1
Maddow: Trump admin shows folly of blind obedience to someone who doesn't know what they're doing 48:36

2M ago48:36

48:36

Rachel Maddow reports on the ridiculous, bungled spectacle of the Trump administration's release of unredacted documents related to the JFK assassination. Donald Trump appears to have thoughtlessly announced the release of the documents, and the sycophants who serve him followed his order to the letter, apparently without thinking about what they w…

1
U.S. under Trump backs off countering Russian sabotage campaign in Europe 43:02

2M ago43:02

43:02

Rachel Maddow looks at recent acts of sabotage by Russia in countries that support Ukraine, including what is believed to be the planning stages of detonating a bomb in a cargo plane over the United States. Erin Banco, national security correspondent for Reuters, joins to discuss her new reporting that the U.S. is now taking steps to back away from…

1
Trump is a repeat loser as his slash-and-burn rampage collides with U.S. law 42:30

2M ago42:30

42:30

Rachel Maddow reports on yet another bad day in the courts for Donald Trump as he was made to restore jobs his top campaign donor, Elon Musk, had slashed, and was similarly made to restore USAID, another victim of Musk's DOGE, and lastly, had his anti-trans military policy rejected and was given a lesson in the language of the Declaration of Indepe…

1
Independent Agency CEO: 'DOGE has broken into our building.' 43:25

2M ago43:25

43:25

The U.S. Institute for Peace announced Monday that despite being independent of the executive branch and controlling its own building and the land it sits on, their objections to members of Elon Musk's DOGE team trespassing in their building were overridden by D.C. police. That came after an earlier confrontation in which DOGE was accompanied by th…

1
Trump reportedly keen on law at root of disgraceful chapter in American history 42:50

2M ago42:50

42:50

Rachel Maddow shares the amazing, historic story of how former Senator Alan Simpson and former Representative Norm Mineta partnered on hearings into the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II, and why Donald Trump's reported plan to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which was used to justify Japanese internment, is raising alarm.…

1
'A sham': Federal judge blasts Trump admin on improper firings of federal workers; orders rehiring 42:00

2M ago42:00

42:00

Rachel Maddow reads from the court transcript in which a federal judge blasts the Trump administration's defense of its firing of thousands of federal workers and orders that the jobs be restored, with some harsh words for Trump's lawyers to boot.By MSNBC

1
Outrage and exposure halts Trump's plans for Social Security service cuts 44:27

2M ago44:27

44:27

Rachel Maddow shares video of Rep. John Larson channeling the outrage of his constituents at the anticipation that Donald Trump's top donor, Elon Musk, is intending to destroy Social Security in order to privatize it. The Washington Post reported early Wednesday that Musk was planning cuts to Social Security's telephone customer service, but by the…

1
Trump fires 1,300 at Department of Education; programs expected to suffer with staff gutted 41:55

2M ago41:55

41:55

Plus, House Republicans literally alter time to avoid responsibility for Trump wrecking the economyBy MSNBC

1
Trump puts U.S. at risk with increasing reliance on Musk 43:09

2M ago43:09

43:09

Rachel Maddow shows how the United States under Donald Trump is growing increasingly reliant on Elon Musk, and his Starlink program in particular. But Musk's words and deeds suggest he is not acting for the good of the United States.By MSNBC

1
American scientists take to the streets to protest Trump's cuts 43:44

2M ago43:44

43:44

As Donald Trump guts the programs and agencies behind some of America's greatest scientific achievements and fires the people responsible for those achievements and working on new ones, scientists across the country from every discipline took to the streets in protest to "stand up for science."By MSNBC

1
How one man took on Trump's improper firings and saved the jobs of thousands of people 43:13

2M ago43:13

43:13

Rachel Maddow talks with Hampton Dellinger, former chief of the Office of Special Counsel, about the importance of political independence for his watchdog agency, and his fight against Trump to restore the jobs of improperly fired federal workers.By MSNBC

1
Trump power grab tripped up by distinctly American resistance 42:43

2M ago42:43

42:43

Rachel Maddow reports on the number of Trump cuts, firings and other initiatives that have been reversed, blocked, walked back or reconsidered, and the variety of American institutions, from the courts to the streets, that have contributed to restraining Trump from asserting the full force of his will.…

1
Special coverage of Donald Trump's address to a joint session of Congress 43:52

2M ago43:52

43:52

Rachel Maddow and a panel of her MSNBC colleagues react to Donald Trump's first address to a joint session of Congress of his second term.By MSNBC

1
Trump accidentally builds broad coalition of opponents energized by his unpopular agenda 43:59

2M ago43:59

43:59

Rachel Maddow surveys the varied and widespread protests in opposition to Donald Trump's wanton destruction of the federal government. From weather scientists to immigrants to LGBTQ+ and its allies to consumer advocates to park rangers, each round of firings or extremist executive orders brings a new collection of anti-Trump activists under an ever…

1
'Who's that good for?': Maddow connects the dots on Donald Trump's behavior toward Russia 42:44

2M ago42:44

42:44

Rachel Maddow looks at a string of peculiar behavior by Donald Trump and Trump administration policies that don't seem to have the welfare of the United States as their goal, and wonders who those policies are good for if they aren't good for the U.S.By MSNBC

1
Even Republicans object as Trump DOJ nominees are disturbingly noncommittal on obeying courts 44:36

2M ago44:36

44:36

A bright red line before a country loses democracy entirely is when its government loses respect for the rule of law and feels free to ignore rulings by judges. So when some of Donald Trump's nominees to be senior DOJ officials gave soft answers on whether a president can ignore judges, alarms rang for many senators present, even Republicans. Senat…

1
As measles outbreak turns deadly, RFK Jr. gets the facts wrong 43:17

2M ago43:17

43:17

The measles outbreak in Texas continues to grow and has now claimed the life of an unvaccinated child. In Washington, D.C., at a Cabinet meeting apparently assembled for TV cameras, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s statements about the outbreak were distressingly erroneous.By MSNBC

1
Busted: DOGE humiliated by brutal fact-checking, walks back bogus savings claims 43:52

2M ago43:52

43:52

Elon Musk's DOGE team removed key items from its "wall of receipts" after journalists fact-checked their boasts of billions in savings from cuts to federal programs and exposed sloppy errors and outright falsehoods. Rachel Maddow reports on the walk back taking place shortly after a withering rebuke from a federal judge for not complying with an or…

1
Democrats not immune from voter wrath as pressure to impede Trump mounts 43:16

2M ago43:16

43:16

Rachel Maddow reports on Republican legislators being confronted at town hall meetings by angry constituents who want them to resist Donald Trump's dismantling of the federal government. But Republicans aren't the only focus of voters' outrage as Democratic legislators are being confronted to be more aggressive in obstructing Trump. Rep. Hakeem Jef…

1
Sidelined Trump mostly 'decorative' as Musk remains busy wrecking the government, reaping rewards 44:28

2M ago44:28

44:28

Rachel Maddow notes that while Donald Trump golfs and performs stunts for TV cameras, Elon Musk is hard at work on the project of dismantling the U.S. government. And even though Musk's behavior is so poorly received it is hurting business for his car company, his business interests broadly are reaping rewards from the very government he is destroy…

1
From policy to personnel, Trump scores historically low poll numbers 45:48

2M ago45:48

45:48

Rachel Maddow checks in on new polling data about how Americans are feeling about the first few weeks of the second Donald Trump administration and the numbers are not good for Trump.By MSNBC

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Distinctive Personnel Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen