The Daily Beast Podcast

Michael Wolff joins Joanna Coles to posit the president’s next astonishing move: Donald Trump’s plan to demolish the West Wing of the White House. They trace how that impulse connects with the East Wing teardown, a $300 million ballroom project, and the greater ambition of remaking the presidency in his image. Along the way, they explore how Trump’s real estate instincts are emerging as his most effective shock-and-awe tactic. With the foreign policy collapse in China, the polling crisis at home, and the disappearance of oversight in Congress, this episode asks: As Trump tears down the White House, what remains of the presidency?

Michael Wolff joins Joanna Coles to reveal Trump’s hasty plan to demolish the East Wing and build a massive Trump Ballroom, his push to bypass political limits, and his obsession with control. They break down Steve Bannon’s wild Trump third-term schemes and Melania’s conspicuous absence on the president's Japan trip. Wolff explains how Trump’s real estate instincts shape his decisions in Washington and why Trump’s once seemingly impossible authoritarian dreams suddenly feel possible in an America where business and political leaders are genuflecting to Trump.

Stephen Miller is the ultimate suck-up, a master of shameless flattery whose influence keeps him at the center of Trump’s orbit. Michael Wolff joins Joanna Coles to unpack how Miller’s relentless devotion to Trump reflects the chaos and destruction in the East Wing. The two also touch on how Wolff’s countersuit against Melania has spurred a bizarre AI-generated TMZ story that falsely claimed he was writing a tell-all about the first lady. They preview their first live ‘Inside Trump’s Head’ event at the Museum of the City of New York, where Wolff promises more revelations about Trump, Epstein, and the ecosystem that enables them.

Michael Wolff joins Joanna Coles to tackle his startling new announcement: a billion-dollar countersuit against Melania Trump. The two dissect Jeffrey Epstein’s well-documented friendship with Donald Trump and connect the dots to Trump’s East Wing demolition, showcasing the president’s strategy for destruction. Wolff and Coles also unpack Stephen Miller’s hardline crusades, exposing the strange psychology that drives one of Trump’s most maniacal members of his inner circle. As the legal walls close in, one question lingers: how much of Trump’s chaos is calculation, and how much is pure compulsion?

Michael Wolff joins Joanna Coles to dig into the one fear that continues to dog Donald Trump, the lingering specter of Jeffrey Epstein. As new oversight leaks reveal redacted names and unreleased evidence, Wolff explains why the Epstein files continue to rattle Trump and shape his thinking. They explore how this aversion affects his decisions, fuels his late-night rants, and exposes cracks in Trumpworld’s loyalty. Why do Epstein’s secrets haunt Trump, and what do his international allies and enemies know?

Michael Wolff joins Joanna Coles to dissect Trump’s euphoric “victory tour” of the Middle East, where he cast himself as a global peacemaker while ignoring protests and chaos at home. Wolff unpacks Trump’s boastful talk of “Tomahawks for peace,” and the widening rift between Trump and his MAGA base. Both wonder why the “no kings” protests aren’t aimed at Epstein and the powerful men who enabled him. As his self-image balloons beyond control, Joanna and Michael ask: has Trump’s triumphalism become its own form of delusion?

Michael Wolff shocks Joanna Coles by abruptly changing his view on Donald Trump’s desire to run for a third term. The veteran Trump biographer now believes that the president has been radicalized by his growing authoritarianism and is now likely to consider running again in 2028. Drawing on insights from inside the White House, they discuss how the Supreme Court’s recent decisions could pave the way for him to subvert the Constitution and maneuver for a third term. Wolff and Coles also explore how Trump monetizes loyalty and power, and ask whether Trump is setting the stage for an unprecedented extension of his influence.

Trump Chronicler Michael Wolff joins the Beast’s Joanna Coles to unpack the Time magazine cover that ignited Trump’s fury and how the slow-walked political prosecutions of his perceived enemies, including James Comey, Adam Schiff, and Chris Christie, spurred Trump to install Lindsey Halligan. Meanwhile, Melania reemerges with her documentary hustle, prompting questions about her new visibility and even her reported communications with Putin. And with new fractures appearing in Trump’s once blindly faithful MAGA movement and fresh enemies on his list, Joanna asks: Is Trump losing control of the world he built or remaking it in his own image once again?

The Beast’s Joanna Coles and Trump Chronicler Michael Wolff dive deep into Donald Trump being snubbed for the Nobel Peace Prize and the forces driving his obsession with recognition. They explore the pivotal role of Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, who balances family loyalty, high-stakes diplomacy, and billion-dollar business opportunities in the Middle East. From navigating complex deals with the Saudis and Qataris to leveraging influence for both profit and power, Coles and Wolff reveal how Trump’s desire for validation intersects with Kushner’s strategic maneuvering. The episode unpacks ambition, risk, and reward at the highest levels, showing how peace, personal gain, and political calculation collide in the Trump crucible.