logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2025
15m 2s

Swamp Notes: Donald Trump’s ‘vendetta ag...

Financial Times
About this episode

Donald Trump has made a lot of enemies over the years. He spent his first week back in the White House going after them — and is reshaping the federal government in the process. The FT’s Washington bureau chief James Politi and US legal and enforcement correspondent Stefania Palma join this week’s Swamp Notes to explain what the president’s first week signals about his plans for the next four years.


Mentioned in this podcast:

Donald Trump vs the ‘deep state’: president’s vendetta agenda takes shape

Trump’s pick for justice department to face scrutiny on vow to prosecute his opponents

Sign up for the FT’s Swamp Notes newsletter here


Swamp Notes is produced by Ethan Plotkin, Sonja Hutson and Katya Kumkova. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s executive producer. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. Special thanks to Pierre Nicholson. 


Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Today
What an AI slowdown could mean for investors
Tech stocks fell yesterday as markets reacted to ongoing talk of an AI apocalypse, industrial America is contending with a fresh wave of supply chain inflation, and foreign investors are now buying more US stocks than government bonds. Plus, China has implemented sweeping new con ... Show More
11m 45s
Yesterday
Fed and BoJ expect rate hikes as US bond market flails
US Treasury secretary Scott Bessent’s interventions in the American bond market haven’t worked so far, but could interest rate decisions from the Federal Reserve and Bank of Japan this week change things? Plus, Russia hit a Ukrainian train line moments after foreign dignitaries t ... Show More
11m 37s
Sep 11
Oil hits $108 ahead of Iran’s meeting with Gulf states
US long-term borrowing costs surged to their highest level in more than two decades, and Gulf foreign ministers plan to meet their Iranian counterpart to negotiate a deal temporarily managing shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Plus, Brics – the developing world’s answer to th ... Show More
11m 1s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2024
Trump 2.0: A Presidency Driven by Revenge
<p>In a special series, “The Daily” examines what a second Trump presidency would look like, and how it would challenge democratic norms.</p><p>This episode focuses on former President Donald J. Trump’s growing plans for revenge, which his allies and supporters often dismiss as m ... Show More
37m 40s
Mar 2025
Trump Harnesses Government To Put Critics On Defense
First: Settling the score. Using threats, retribution and the levers of presidential power, Donald Trump unleashes the federal government on his critics. While Elon Musk pushes the limits. What guardrails remain? Plus: Revolt. Democrats itch for a fight. My new reporting on Hous ... Show More
41m 18s
Aug 2025
Deep Sh!t State: Trump’s Retribution Campaign
As Trump targets the FBI and Justice Department for retribution, Jon is joined by former FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael Feinberg and New York Times FBI and DOJ reporter Devlin Barrett. They explore how high-profile cases have damaged these agencies' credibility, di ... Show More
1h 41m
Jan 2025
Trump 2.0 Arrives in Force
<p>Since his inauguration, President Trump has exercised a level of power that has directly challenged the checks and balances that, on paper, define the U.S. government.</p><p>The Times journalists Michael Barbaro, Maggie Haberman, Jonathan Swan and Charlie Savage discuss Mr. Tr ... Show More
27m 5s
Feb 2025
Trump Announces Sweeping Tariffs On China
First: Trade war. Trump slaps sweeping new tariffs on American adversaries and friends. Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers on what it means for you. Plus: The political blowback and another dizzying week. Trump unveils a strict hiring freeze and FBI purge and a botched fund ... Show More
41m 7s
Sep 2025
Trump denies enemies list, Kimmel’s show restored, ICE officer backlash & more
President Donald Trump is threatening to target his perceived political foes after James Comey’s indictment. The blackout of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is over. An ICE agent’s courthouse confrontation is sparking outrage. New details are emerging about Pete Hegseth’s surprise gathering ... Show More
6m 38s
Nov 2024
Trump 2.0: A Cabinet Full of Surprises and an Awkward Visit With Joe Biden
<p><i>Warning: this episode contains strong language.</i></p><p>In his first week as president-elect, Donald J. Trump moved at breakneck speed to fill out his cabinet with a set of loyalists who were both conventional and deeply unconventional, the U.S. Senate chose a leader who ... Show More
37m 18s