Chuck Todd analyzes the sweeping tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, discussing their historic impact. He argues that free trade has made America safer and more prosperous and predicts significant political backlash for Trump and Republicans. He outlines key political developments to watch in the coming months, highlighting an opportunity for Democrats to regain control in Washington. He also examines how Trump’s promised tax cuts are now at risk, and why his presidency will be even more challenging.

Timeline:

0:00 Introduction

3:20 America has benefitted massively from global trade

4:20 The last time we had a similar tariff regime, it led to WW2

5:48 What political fallout will come from the tariffs?

6:32 Could congress take tariff authority back?

8:25 What to watch for the next 3-6 months

9:18 Trump faces huge blowback from older voters

10:18 The tariffs will tank Trump’s approval rating

11:52 Elected Republicans will be vulnerable

13:36 Trump has no guardrails

15:13 Alienating allies and partners will be incredibly damaging

16:39 The Republican party is courting disaster

19:46 Trump’s tax cuts are in jeopardy

21:05 Getting rid of the tariffs won’t solve the problem

21:50 If Democrats win the house, congress will take the tariffs keys away from the mad king

On episode 2 of the brand-new Chuck Toddcast, Chuck is joined by Jake Sherman, founder of Punchbowl News and one of the most well-connected reporters on Capitol Hill.

But first, Chuck reflects on the results of the special elections in Florida and the Wisconsin Supreme Court race, which showed that the base of the out-of-power party is fired up. He explains why this suggests voters are more inclined to vote against a party rather than for one. He also discusses why the party in question is in desperate need of soul-searching and possible realignment to build a winning coalition.

Then, Jake Sherman joins the conversation to discuss the latest from D.C. They begin by examining Speaker Mike Johnson’s decision to send the House home for the week after a dispute over proxy voting for members of Congress—and why Johnson’s power is tied directly to President Donald Trump. They also explore the revenge-driven mindset that has shaped decision-making on Capitol Hill and the lack of Republican pushback against Trump’s sweeping tariffs.

They dive into how the dynamics of the current Congress differ from those of years past and why some Republicans might view their loss in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race through rose-colored glasses—thanks in part to Elon Musk.

They wrap up by discussing whether Democrats could see a shake-up in leadership and the timeline for passing a tax cut and a debt ceiling extension.

Finally, Chuck wraps up with a listener question in the “Ask Chuck” segment by giving his take on whether the debate around a Trump third term was a smokescreen to knock “Signalgate” out of the news cycle.

Timeline:

0:00 Introduction

2:00 Voters are telling us what they DON’T like

5:00 Democrats need to do some soul searching

9:45 Democrats can’t just be “anti-Trump”

11:17 Jake Sherman joins the show

15:50 Mike Johnson sends the house home

20:30 Is Johnson powerless without Trump?

23:10 Revenge is the mindset of Republicans

25:50 Any appetite in Congress to take back authority from the executive branch?

28:15 Will economic downturn/tariffs scare elected Republicans

31:20 Lack of experience in Trump’s cabinet

38:00 Could we see a deluge of Republican retirements from Congress

41:25 Members of Congress are different now

43:28 Republicans secretly happy they can blame Elon Musk for the Wisconsin loss?

46:28 Would Chuck Schumer win a leadership vote in the Senate?

49:05 Timeline for passing tax cuts/debt ceiling extension?

56:05 Ask Chuck: Was the “Trump third term” debate a smokescreen to knock “Signalgate” out of the news”

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On the debut episode of the newly relaunched Chuck ToddCast, Chuck sits down with Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman.

But first, Chuck reacts to the special election results for US Congress in Florida that saw Republicans Jimmy Patronis and Randy Fine beat out Democrats Gay Valimont and Josh Weil for the seats vacated by Matt Gaetz and Mike Waltz. He also discusses the hotly contested Wisconsin Supreme Court race, where liberal judge Susan Crawford won her race against Brad Schimel, who had millions of dollars of support from Elon Musk.

Then, he and Sen. Fetterman discuss a wide range of important issues, beginning with his message to Democrats who are alarmed by the actions of Donald Trump’s administration. He shares his reaction to the “Signalgate” scandal and his assessment of what went wrong for Democrats in the 2024 election. Fetterman gives his take on Elon Musk and Doge performing massive cuts across the federal government, as well as the looming tariffs that President Trump is threatening to impose on America’s top trading partners. They also try to make sense of the administration’s 180-degree turn on longstanding U.S. foreign policy and the president’s fixation on Greenland. Finally, they discuss the current lack of a true leader for the Democratic Party, the role of billionaires in politics, and whether Senator Fetterman is considering a run for president in 2028.

Timeline:

0:00 Introduction

2:30 Special elections in Florida

8:42 Wisconsin Supreme Court race

14:48 Start of John Fetterman interview

18:00 Aaron Rodgers to the Steelers?

19:00 Message to Democrats that are freaking out

23:44 Reaction to “Signalgate”

27:10 What happened in 2024?

30:44 Elon Musk and DOGE

35:22 America’s 180-degree turn on foreign policy

40:38 President Trump’s fixation on Greenland

44:28 Fetterman’s Mar-A-Lago visit

46:45 Who’s the leader of the Democratic party?

51:04 Influence of billionaires in politics

54:08 Will Fetterman run for president in 2028?

56:09 Do Democrats need to move to the center?

1:01:09 Chuck’s final thoughts on the interview with John Fetterman