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Power Play
Taking listeners inside the minds of those who wield power.
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32. Putin wants to divide the US and Britain. Is it working?
31:54"America will always defend democracy in its hour of need. We tell our allies: we will stand with you. We tell our adversaries: don’t mess with us." The words of U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer struck a rare note of bipartisanship as Congress finally approved a multi-billion dollar package of support to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. For America’s allies, there was a collective sigh of relief. No more so than at the British Embassy in Washington, where host Anne McElvoy presents this week's special episode of Power Play. She talks to the outgoing ambassador, Karen Pierce, about whether the so-called "special relationship" will endure, despite the potential changes of government in Washington and London later this year and the spectre of war around the globe.Anne is also joined by John Harris, POLITICO's global editor-in-chief, to mark a weekend of political showmanship and intrigue culminating in the annual White House Correspondents' dinner.
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31. Israel-Iran conflict: Biden and Trump vie for answers
31:30How will responses to the confrontation between Israel, its allies and Iran redefine the line that divides Donald Trump and Joe Biden?Host Anne McElvoy talks to Kim Darroch, the former British ambassador to Washington and former U.K. national security adviser, about the scenarios facing President Biden and what Trump might do if he returns to office. They also discuss the options available to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in responding to Iran's failed attack.They are joined by Nahal Toosi, POLITICO’s senior foreign affairs correspondent in Washington, who has been reporting on this week's dramatic developments.
30. Trump's world view: How he'd deal with Russia, China, Iran and the Middle East
32:29This week marked the grim six-month milestone since the Hamas terror attack on Israel and the ensuing counter-attack on Gaza, which has led to a mounting death toll and a humanitarian crisis that has divided world opinion.While President Joe Biden's White House struggles to help end the bloodshed, what would his opponent — Donald Trump — do differently if he were voted into office later this year? Host Anne McElvoy talks to the Heritage Foundation's Robert Greenway, who knows more than most about Trump’s approach to the Middle East as the architect of the Abraham Accords — and may well be part of his inner team if the former president returns to power in November. As a key adviser in the previous administration, Greenway discusses how a second Trump presidency would deal with the Middle East, Iran, Russia and China.
29. America’s battle against disinformation in the era of AI
26:24In the wake of a devastating Islamist terror attack in Moscow, the dark arts of spreading disinformation are again in focus as Russia’s President Vladmir Putin pins blame for the assault on Ukraine.As a widening array of countries and malign actors spread fake news and analysis, real life consequences are all too clear. How can democracies like the United States and its allies confront information warfare from their adversaries in the era of artificial intelligence?Host Anne McElvoy talks to James Rubin, who leads the Global Engagement Center within the U.S. State Department. Reporting to Antony Blinken, the secretary of state, his job is to disentangle propaganda and disinformation targeting the United States and its allies around the world.Power Play will return after the Easter break with the next edition on April 11.
28. Labour’s David Lammy on Trump, ‘visionary’ Margaret Thatcher and his bid to be the UK’s next foreign secretary
31:48With the specter of a famine and a possible ground incursion of Rafah looming, Israel's allies are fretting. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned of an impending catastrophe in Gaza. Yet Benjamin Netanyahu says “no international pressure will stop Israel” from achieving its war aims. The wars in the Middle East and Ukraine and uncertainty about who will be calling the shots in the White House next year are testing European foreign ministers — and those vying for their jobs. Nowhere more so than in Britain’s Labour party, which is under closer scrutiny as it looks likely to form the next U.K. government.Host Anne McElvoy talks to Labour's David Lammy about the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, cultivating friendships across the aisle in Washington and paying tribute to Margaret Thatcher.
27. Meet the mayor from Florida who wants to be Trump's VP
30:16Now that Donald Trump is all but certain to lead his party into November’s presidential election in the U.S., it’s make up your mind time for Republicans – are they with him or not? One of them is a big gun in Floridan politics, the Mayor of Miami, Francis Suarez. Suarez earned a national profile by briefly entering the race for the White House last year before dropping out as the Trump bandwagon rumbled on. He’s gained wider attention for his efforts to lure companies to Miami, with an eye on turning the city into a crytpo hub and the next Silicon Valley. In this week's episode, host Anne McElvoy sits down with the mayor in his waterfront offices in Miami. They discuss his recent endorsement of Donald Trump, the changing character of the Republican Party and the crisis on America's Southern border. Suarez also responds to allegations of impropriety in his administration.
26. Biden's State of the Union and Trump rematch | Interview with POLITICO's global editor-in-chief
31:48From Maine to California, Super Tuesday is the biggest date in the calendar for the United States primary election — a third of delegates for the Republican and Democratic conventions have been chosen. While Donald Trump didn’t quite manage a clean sweep, the former president looks all but certain to face Joe Biden in November — now that the only other contender for the Republican crown, Nikki Haley, has pulled out. As President Biden makes his final State of the Union address before the election, it’s shaping up to be an epic rematch of 2020 ... with even higher stakes at home and abroad. From Washington, host Anne McElvoy brings together two of POLITICO's finest minds on the state of play in this year's race for the White House. She's joined by John Harris, global editor-in-chief and co-founder of POLITICO, who's observed many Super Tuesdays; and Josh Gerstein, senior legal affairs reporter, who's following the race being played out in the courts.