The Chuck ToddCast: Meet the Press
Chuck Todd, Meet the Press
Podcast
Episodes
Listen, download, subscribe
Interview Only w/ Leigh Ann Caldwell - Trump 2.0 Has Made Capitol Hill Irrelevant
Chief Washington correspondent for Puck News, Leigh Ann Caldwell joins the Chuck ToddCast to unpack how Washington looks different when covered from outside the constraints of legacy media—and why independent journalism may be better suited to capture the dysfunction of Trump’s second term. Caldwell reflects on the groupthink and reaction-driven coverage that defined Trump’s first presidency, the erosion of Congress’s authority in Trump 2.0, and the deep personal animus now defining relationships on Capitol Hill. Together, she and Chuck examine how social media has shaped a younger generation of staffers, why Speaker Mike Johnson may be remembered as one of the weakest in history, and how Congress has willingly made itself irrelevant in the face of executive power. The conversation also digs into healthcare politics, looming shutdown risks, and why Republicans remain unable to act without Trump’s approval—even as he digs in against ACA subsidies out of lingering grievance toward Obama. Caldwell and Todd explore the brewing chaos inside the GOP, from mass retirements and redistricting fights to the staggering cost of House races and the nonstop fundraising grind. The episode closes with a candid assessment of party leadership heading into 2026, why a third Trump impeachment would be a mistake, and why covering Congress—rather than the White House—may now offer the clearest window into where American politics is headed. Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! Go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Leigh Ann Caldwell joins the Chuck ToddCast 01:30 Covering politics as independent media vs legacy media 04:45 There was little ability for original thought doing network news 05:45 Legacy media gets stuck in groupthink 07:30 People blame the Gingrich years for our current political dysfunction 09:00 Covering Trump’s 1st term was asking for reactions to Trump 09:30 Congress has handed away their authority in Trump 2.0 10:15 The personal animus between the two parties is very real 11:30 Young staffers had their politics formed by social media 13:30 Mike Johnson will go down as one of the weakest speakers ever 14:30 Johnson has willingly made congress irrelevant 16:15 Are we underplaying the chances of a January shutdown? 17:30 With premiums set to rise, why couldn’t Dems corner the GOP? 18:15 Dems know healthcare is good politics for them 19:15 Trump is digging in rather than caving on ACA subsidies 21:00 Trump doesn’t want to prop up the ACA because Obama passed it 22:00 Lots of Republicans have “Obama Derangement Syndrome” 23:30 The framework of the ACA came from the Heritage Foundation 24:00 Trump comes close to advocating for single payer healthcare 26:15 Republicans can’t do anything on healthcare without Trump 27:15 Trump is done with congress, thinks he can do everything via EO 29:15 Trump lied and claimed military bonuses came from tariff revenue 30:15 If SCOTUS takes tariff power from Trump, will he go to congress? 31:15 Congress unlikely to hand tariff authority to Trump 32:15 Republican bracing for another 20 retirement announcements 33:45 Texas & California members are mad about redistricting 35:30 House races will likely cost $60 million in 2026 37:00 Members of congress spend 50% of their time fundraising 39:30 Democrats would be stupid to try to impeach Trump a third time 41:00 Which congressional leaders will still be in place in 2027? 42:30 Johnson won’t be speaker in a new congress 43:30 Jim Jordan is the quiet favorite to be the house GOP leader 45:00 It’d be shocking if Chuck Schumer ran again 46:30 DSCC botched their oppo release on Graham Platner 48:45 There are doubts about Jeffries, but unlikely to be challenged 50:30 Schumer & Jeffries botched the NYC mayors race 52:15 Does John Thune have support in the senate? 55:00 Covering the hill is a better beat than the White House See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Chuck ToddCast: Meet the Press RSS Feed
