Shows / The Daily Punch
The Daily Punch
Weekday mornings, The Daily Punch brings you inside Capitol Hill, the White House and Washington for an unfiltered look at the key players and stakes of all major issues of the day. Power. People. Politics. Hosted by Punchbowl News founders, journalists and best-selling authors Anna Palmer and Jake Sherman.
Episodes
- The Daily Punch
The Future of Housing: State of Play
Special Projects Reporter Shania Shelton joins Deputy Congressional Editor Robert O'Shaughnessy to discuss the ways housing policy is evolving and how…
- The Daily Punch
Inside Trump's self-inflicted FISA crisis
After President Donald Trump derailed congressional efforts to reauthorize FISA Section 702, GOP leaders are making clear that it’s up to the White House to…
- The Daily Punch
The two brawls dominating the Hill this week
From President Donald Trump’s Middle East headaches and a looming FISA showdown to House Republicans gearing up for reconciliation 2.0, it’s a pivotal week on…
- The Daily Punch
Readback: A big moment for AI
Ben Brody breaks down OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's visit to the Hill this past week. This story was featured in The Readback, our weekend digest featuring the best…
- The Daily Punch
The Senate GOP’s rough days
The Senate is in a bad place after GOP leaders just spent 18 hours trying to quell a rebellion from within their own ranks that threatened passage of their $70…
The Daily PunchFly Out Day: Sen. Ted Cruz on his quest to change college sports
Sen. Ted Cruz joined Jake Sherman to unpack the Protect College Sports Act — what it means for student athletes, schools and more. Plus: A deep dive into Texas…
- The Daily Punch
A messy day in store for the Senate
Senate GOP leaders face a brutal day on Capitol Hill. As Republicans try to push through reconciliation and a FISA extension, President Donald Trump’s recent…
- The Daily Punch
AI has a Democrat problem
Top executives from artificial intelligence giants are making regular visits to Capitol Hill. Yet their message seems to have landed on deaf ears with top…
- The Daily Punch
Trump's losing streak
President Donald Trump is suddenly taking losses from his own friends and allies, especially on Capitol Hill. From Trump’s White House ballroom security…
- The Daily Punch
Reconciliation is getting much harder
With five months until Election Day, Congress returns to a tough legislative environment, as lawmakers face a major challenge: two of the president’s key…
- The Daily Punch
Readback: Crisscrossing the Hawkeye State
Max and Laura discuss Iowa Democrats' optimism in the upcoming midterms and what to expect when Congress returns after recess. This story was featured in The…
- The Daily Punch
Iowa could be big for Democrats in '26
Iowa Democrats are dreaming big in 2026, aiming to flip the governor’s mansion, a Senate seat and three House districts. Anna and Jake discuss Max Cohen’s…
- The Daily Punch
Trump's shocking admission about 2026
President Donald Trump made a startling admission on Wednesday while meeting with his Cabinet. “I don’t care about the midterms,” Trump told reporters when…
- The Daily Punch
What Paxton’s victory means
With President Donald Trump’s eleventh-hour backing, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton defeated Sen. John Cornyn in the Texas Senate GOP primary runoff by a…
- The Daily Punch
Inside the burst of secret super PACs
Something strange is unfolding in several crucial House Democratic primaries — mysterious super PACs are quietly emerging. Deputy Congressional Editor Robert…
- The Daily Punch
Thune’s next big headache
Getting the party-line ICE and CBP funding bill back on track is shaping up to be one of the steepest challenges Republican leaders have faced this Congress…
- The Daily Punch
Readback: The war powers vote that wasn't
Punchbowl News Defense Reporter Briana Reilly joins Max Cohen to talk about drama on the House floor as Republicans postponed consideration of Rep. Gregory…
- The Daily Punch
Senate Republicans hit their limit with Trump
With less than six months from Election Day, Senate Republicans are hitting their breaking point over President Donald Trump’s wants and needs. Anna and Jake…
- The Daily Punch
Budget Chair Jodey Arrington on reconciliation 3.0 and his political future
House Budget Committee Chair Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) stopped by the Punchbowl News Townhouse to talk reconciliation, Texas politics and his own political…
- The Daily Punch
Inside the Senate GOP's Trump rebellion
Senate Republicans are preparing to buck President Donald Trump on two of his long-running obsessions: the White House ballroom project and the “weaponization”…
- The Daily Punch
Does Trump care about the GOP majorities?
With less than 24 weeks until Election Day, President Donald Trump seems almost maniacally focused on doing and saying things that could harm the GOP’s chances…
- The Daily Punch
Committee term limits? Not for House Dems
House GOP leaders have pulled the SCORE Act from this week’s floor schedule, according to multiple sources. Anna and Jake discuss what’s next for the proposed…
- The Daily Punch
What Collins and Platner told us in Maine
In Maine, a state that could decide the Senate majority, GOP Sen. Susan Collins is touting her mastery of Washington’s power and influence system, while…
- The Daily Punch
Readback: The GOP’s ballroom security fight
Laura Weiss breaks down how Trump's ballroom plan complicated Republicans’ reconciliation bill that includes money for ICE and Border Patrol. This story was…
- The Daily Punch
How crypto conquered Congress
The crypto industry scored a legislative triumph in the Senate this week, marking a major moment for the future of U.S. capitalism. Congressional Reporter Max…
The Daily PunchFly Out Day: CBC Chair Clarke on Black power in Washington
Congressional Black Caucus Chair Yvette Clarke joins Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer to discuss Republican-led redistricting efforts, why Black Democrats say…
- The Daily Punch
The CBC is at a crossroads
For decades, Black power was on the rise on Capitol Hill. But during the last two weeks, the conservative-dominated Supreme Court and Republican legislators…
- The Daily Punch
Is Trump slipping on the Hill?
Is President Donald Trump losing sway on Capitol Hill? On issue after issue, Republicans are giving Trump the cold shoulder. Anna and Jake discuss the latest…
- The Daily Punch
Is it too little, too late for GOP?
President Donald Trump is finally putting his weight behind legislation to lower the cost of living. Yet his policies are partly to blame for the high prices…
- The Daily Punch
Johnson, Jeffries and the new political order
We start this week, as we often do during the 119th Congress, with Speaker Mike Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Anna and Jake discuss where…
- The Daily Punch
Readback: Talking defense in beautiful Sedona
Defense reporter Anthony Adragna takes you behind the scenes at the Sedona Forum and what the smartest national security minds had to say about the Venezuela…
- The Daily Punch
The $1B for Trump's ballroom is in trouble
The White House’s $1 billion request to secure President Donald Trump’s new ballroom is getting a very frosty reception on Capitol Hill. Senior Financial…
The Daily PunchFly Out Day: North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein on redistricting and Trump's Washington
North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein sits down with Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer to talk about data center impacts, a potential second term and what being close to…
- The Daily Punch
Redistricting winds howl against House Dems
On April 22, House Democrats were riding high from their big redistricting gamble in Virginia. But the last two weeks of the fight have suddenly turned rough…
- The Daily Punch
No drama: Dems want Jeffries as speaker
House Democrats are lining up behind Hakeem Jeffries as the next speaker if Democrats win the majority in November. Anna and Jake discuss. Plus, how President…
- The Daily Punch
Inside the messy Iowa Dem primary
Democrats are banking on a high-stakes, long-shot Senate win in Iowa, but first must get through a contentious June 2 primary that’s only been heating up. Anna…
- The Daily Punch
Why this is a big week for redistricting
There’s a redistricting frenzy breaking out across the South following the Supreme Court’s Callais decision. Anna and Jake discuss the more than a dozen House…
- The Daily Punch
Readback: Inside the House meltdown
Portal author Samantha Handler breaks down the House GOP's chaotic week over the year-round sale of E15 in the farm bill. This story was featured in The…
- The Daily Punch
What we learned from this wild week
What a wild week this was. FISA is revived (for now), DHS reopened after a 75-day shutdown and the House passed a farm bill — even if it will die in the…
The Daily PunchFly Out Day: Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen on how his party needs to change
🦀 Old Bay in hand, Sen. Chris Van Hollen stopped by the Punchbowl News Townhouse to sit down with Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer. They dug into the Voting Rights…
- The Daily Punch
SCOTUS sparks redistricting frenzy
The Supreme Court set off a redistricting frenzy with the release of its decision on Wednesday to defang Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Anna and Jake…
- The Daily Punch
The wheels are coming off the House GOP Conference
In a week that was supposed to set the tone for a furious period of election-year legislating, Speaker Mike Johnson’s House GOP majority is once again the…
- The Daily Punch
It's all unraveling for House Republicans
From dealing with FISA to DHS funding — and even the farm bill — this week is already unraveling for House Republicans. And it’s only Tuesday. Anna and Jake…
- The Daily Punch
House GOP has an impossible week
From FISA to DHS funding, Congress is staring down an absolutely brutal week that will set the tone for the rest of the legislative year. Anna breaks down what…
- The Daily Punch
Readback: Budget mania at the Pentagon
Defense reporter Briana Reilly breaks down the Defense Department’s record-breaking $1.5 trillion FY2027 spending request. This story was featured in The…
- The Daily Punch
Can House Republicans get some momentum back?
House Republicans have been in a rut — failed FISA votes, DHS funding chaos and political headwinds piling up. Now, Speaker Mike Johnson is trying to get some…
The Daily PunchFly Out Day: Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick on being a moderate in today's GOP
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, the House Intel member, former FBI agent and national intelligence subcommittee chair, joins Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer to break down…
- The Daily Punch
The House GOP’s $153M fall ad blitz
The Congressional Leadership Fund, a Speaker Mike Johnson-aligned super PAC, is going big to defend the House GOP majority. Anna and Jake break down CLF’s…
- The Daily Punch
Virginia clears path for Dem majority
Democrats eliminated four GOP-held House seats in Virginia by convincing voters there to undo a redistricting commission put in place just six years ago. Anna…
- The Daily Punch
Thune's pressure test
House Republicans’ FISA debacle and their ongoing refusal to pass legislation to end the unprecedented DHS shutdown is putting a ton of new pressure on Senate…
- The Daily Punch
Republicans face the legislative gauntlet
Republican leaders are entering yet another legislative gauntlet, with just a couple of weeks to pass a pair of high-profile bills despite a badly divided…
- The Daily Punch
Readback: Johnson's FISA failure
Punchbowl News Defense Reporter Anthony Adragna joins host Max Cohen to discuss all the latest FISA drama. Plus, a recap of Anthony's trip to Philadelphia to…
- The Daily Punch
Johnson's FISA flop
An audacious play by Speaker Mike Johnson to pass a five-year extension of Section 702 of FISA failed spectacularly just before 1:30 a.m., leaving House GOP…
The Daily PunchFly Out Day: Virginia Democratic Sen. Warner discusses Iran conflict, redistricting and FISA debate
Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat in the Intelligence Committee, sits down with Jake Sherman to chat about the escalating Iran crisis, Virginia redistricting…
- The Daily Punch
The AI Innovators: The Economy
In our last installment of The AI Innovators, Anna Palmer speaks with Punchbowl News Special Projects Reporter Shania Shelton about how artificial intelligence…
- The Daily Punch
Democrats' massive Israel shift
40 Senate Democrats voted Wednesday to block a U.S. weapons sale to Israel, the latest sign of the party’s growing rift with the Netanyahu-led government over…
- The Daily Punch
GOP drama on both sides of the Capitol
Republicans on both sides of the Capitol are struggling this morning: House Republicans on FISA and Senate Republicans on reconciliation. Punchbowl News…
- The Daily Punch
Johnson, Jeffries and the scandals
In the span of 55 minutes Monday evening, Reps. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) and Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) both announced their resignations from the House…
- The Daily Punch
Welcome back!
Welcome back to Capitol Hill! It’s been an eventful two-week recess and Congress is returning to failed U.S.-Iranian peace talks, a FISA deadline…
- The Daily Punch
Readback: Melania Trump’s shocking press address
Punchbowl News Tech Reporter Ben Brody joins Max to discuss First Lady Melania Trump’s shocking press address this week calling for Congress to keep up the…