The Daily Beast Podcast - Paranoid Trump's Vile Racial Slur for Cuffed Sen.

Episode Date: June 13, 2025

Joanna Coles unpacks global chaos colliding with American absurdity: a California senator thrown to the ground, Israel striking Iran, and the man in charge of U.S. diplomacy? Trump’s golf buddy Steve Witkoff. Who else to make sense of this than Michael Wolff, the chronicler of Trump’s chaos. Wolff dives into Trump’s racist tirade after the arrest of Senator Padilla, and how Gavin Newsom accidentally became the face of Democratic leadership—thanks to Trump himself. Plus, Wolff paints a jaw-dropping picture of Trump’s “phone monologues,” Witkoff’s terrifying Middle East power grab, and why American politics now runs on height, hair, and real estate credentials. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I'm Joanna Coles. This is the Daily Beast podcast. What an event for week. On Wednesday, we had Governor Newsomon explaining what was happening in California. And hundreds of you responded with extraordinarily thoughtful, smart comments about him. And many of you saying this is what the future of the Democratic Party's leadership looks like. I think it was more than just his local fan base. It felt like many of you thought this is what leadership looks like, someone who talks to both sides, who's calm, who's reasonable, and who's saying, come on Donald Trump arrest me. And you will notice, of course, that Donald Trump has not yet arrested him, despite his threats, because he understands that that would be an immediate opportunity. I don't think he wants to give to his opposition. Who better to break all of this down with, plus the most recent developments from the Middle East of Israel bombing the nuclear and military facilities in Iran, then of course the man who

lives inside Donald Trump's head with him, Michael Wolfe. Michael, just to remind you, has authored four books on Donald Trump. He talks to many of the people around Trump. He's regularly listening to what's happening in the White House when he can hear above the jack hammers, of course this week tearing up the lawn for Trump's Mar-a-Ago-style patio. So let's get straight into it. Michael, what is happening? Michael, good morning. I've missed you. And where to begin? We've got... And I can't believe the world marches on. We take a few days break from each other. I know. What is the state of affairs? California in lockdown. Gavin Newsom now elevated to the national stage.

And Israel going into attack nuclear and military sites in Iran. Pete Hegzeth on his way to the Middle East, as you're comfortably. in the Hamptons and I'm in London. And let's just add Elon forgotten. Remember that? Yeah. Remember Elon? Remember Elon dropping the Epstein bomb? And also tariffs, whatever happened to tariffs?

So where do we begin? What are people saying in the corridors of the White House when they can hear themselves above the jackhammering of the lawn being torn up? Actually, what I've heard is Trump on the phone. The phone in Trump is this incredibly interesting relationship because he's like an open faucet. He thinks that he says it on the telephone. Who's he on the telephone too? I would say that he has a sort of a core group of a dozen who he's frequently calling

and then added to that probably at any given time another dozen. who come up for some, for, for any reason. They call him. It doesn't make any difference. But he says the same thing to everyone. It is not as if he has a few people who he is, who he has this confidential conversation with. It's just everyone. Anyone who's on the phone is functionally interchangeable with anyone else who might be on the phone, who might have his phone number.

He doesn't listen to them. they're kind of irrelevant and he just goes on and they, if they're smart, repeat it back to him and then they can have a frequent phone relationship with him. But what he's saying is, and I think he was, I would interpret this as he was a little unsettled by the Padilla thing, which God knows he should. So this is Senator Padilla, Anthony Padilla, being arrested at a Christy Nome press conference. And the pictures were were disturbing.

I mean, he's thrown down on his... California Senator, I mean, which, you know, so a major political figure in the United States. In California. Well, in, and by virtue of it being California, a major, you know, a major national figure. But actually, Trump is saying, so Trump saw these pictures.

and then has been on the phone saying to people, hey, hey, but, you know, nobody's ever heard of this guy, as though that's an excuse. And then has gone on to say, and he looks like an illegal. So there we have this Trump, the open faucet saying what is, you know, I mean, clearly he has given no second thought to. This is just his visceral response. Nobody's ever heard of him. So, of, you know, of course, of course that might be, you know, that we can, we can, we can take the blame off the ice agents because they haven't heard about of this guy. But does you understand the images look really bad? Well, I think this is Trump understanding that.

He's looking for, he's now rationalizing this. just the fact is that he's rationalizing this in some way, which might brand him as a complete racist once more, although I'm sure he doesn't particularly care about that. And also in that relative Trump thing, if you are not famous, if you are famous, that would obviously put you in a different category and ICE agents would not have tackled you. But because nobody Padilla is actually a relatively new senator from California. Nobody knows about this person. So therefore, yeah, I'm perfectly understandable that the ICE agents would tackle him.

And of course, he looks like an illegal. He's also, by dint of him sending in the National Guard and looking for a fight in California, elevated Governor Newsom to the national stage. he addressed the nation. On Tuesday night, on Wednesday, he gave us an exclusive interview. This suddenly makes him look like the lead Democrat. Was that intentional? Do you think on behalf of Trump?

No. And again, as I have said so many times, nothing is intentional in Trump world. Right. Cause is always divorced from effect. And he will soon be rallying against Newsome. I mean, he already is. And he will be furious that Newsom has become a national, more of a national figure. And then at the same time, he will take credit for that.

Newsom only exists because of me. He wouldn't be in this position, except I've put him in this position. But he won't say that in a negative sense. This will be in a positive sense. I deserve all the credit for Newsome and maybe I should be paid something. Right. Newsom should pay him for making him even more famous because he's the executive producer of our lives at the moment. I was very curious at the comments that we got tons of comments on YouTube after the governor's interview, incredibly positive, all saying this is what leadership looks like, someone calm, someone who's willing to talk to both sides. This feels like a good moment for the governor.

I would say. I mean, it's like a moment handed to him. You know, it's curious because I went, during the Biden-Trump debate in Atlanta, you might remember all those years, all those years ago. Yeah. Okay. But that was an interesting moment because the singular stand out at that debate. I was I was there on the, on the floor in the spin room was Newsome. And it was a moment that you could see. This is a person who is running for president, either if not now. And I suspect he would have been delighted to have run in 2024. But clearly in the future. I mean, just was all of the other Democrats seemed to be relative pygmies against this guy who took all the air out of the out of the room, not least because he's significantly taller than everyone. And, you know, in a curious matchup with Trump, they're both very tall and they both have these heads of hair, which is the first thing that you notice about both of them in probably

one of the more significant virtues in American politics. Well, Gavin Newsom seems like a celebrity. I mean, I'm very curious that he stayed a little detached from Hollywood celebrity. which can often bring you down as someone who's wanting to run. He seems to stay in Northern California more than he shows up in L.A. Yeah, no, no, no. I mean, I think he's clearly, he's clearly triangulating every part of this. He clearly sees this as his, as his opportunity, as do many other people, it should be, it should be clear. And so the Newsome trajectory to watch is between here and the midterms. How much does he become that, the high profile Democrat to begin to lead that campaign?

Remember, there is no high profile Democrat now. Well, there are going to be, I'm sure, other Democratic governors who very much hope that Donald Trump will send the National Guard into their state, so they also get a national platform. I don't want to sound cynical about it, but this is, as you say, the Democrats are looking for someone to emerge and this has given Governor News and the opportunity. Okay, so let's go on to what's happening in the Middle East, which is literally a scenario playing out that the Pentagon would use as one of the scenarios for the start of World War 3. Israel bombing or trying to take out Iran's nuclear and military facilities, Iran responding. Pete Hegzef, of all people, the former Fox News host now in charge of the Department

of defense is on his way over. So he'll be showing up as American boy doll with all his various stars and stripes accessories. To what extent do we think that Donald Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Whitkoff, has got any of this under control? Well, let's begin with, I mean, he has none of this under control, but let's let's go to the to the overriding fact, which is that Whitkoff is basically the man in control. He is our man in the Middle East. He has been given that portfolio. And really is, even beyond Marco Rubio, who's the Secretary of State,

Whitkoff is in charge. He is running the show. So let's talk about Whitkoff. And it's it's it's it's just mind-bott staggering that we are talking about Wittkoff. I mean, Wittkoff is a, you know, not very profile, not very high profile, not very interesting real estate guy from New York, who's as all real estate guys in New York has moved to Florida. And, you know, I mean, all. I mean, real estate guys are, you know, some, I mean, let's, to call them intellectually limited is a, actually, they would probably take it as a compliment.

But. Well, do you say he used to own the Woolworth Building? Yes. I mean, he owns a large swath of downtown Manhattan or a large swath. He owns several buildings in downtown. But his real credential. is that he's a golf buddy. That's how he knows Trump principally.

That's the source of their relationship. Is that they are golf buddies, constant golf buddies. Now, Whitkoff is, I'm casting about for the word, a dummy. I mean, he doesn't really know anything. He has no diplomatic experience. He has no experience beyond New York. York real estate, which is one of the more parochial disciplines in business and finance and in American life. What relevance it has to anything else besides real estate, I'm not,

I'm not sure. But Whitkoff is just a famous, you know, within Trump circles is known, you know, eyes go up as of famous Trump lackey. He's there. He's, you know, he has a plane too, which is very important in the Trump in the Trump world. So when Trump's plane on the campaign trail broke down, which was happening all of the time, then Whitkoff would send in his plane to rescue Trump. And so that was a that was a that was a big a big a big plus in the Trump in the Trump column. And also we might point out that that Whitkoff's son is in the crypto business with with Trump's sons.

So, you know, so why is the Middle East going up in flames? I think that there are a myriad of reasons, but put Steve Whitkoff among them. Michael, hold on a second. We just need to go for some messages. We love our sponsors, but we're back with Michael Wolfe talking, of course, about Donald Trump. Does Donald Trump understand what's at stake here? Does he just want to, I mean, I'm not even sure how to frame the question, because I know you're going to say, of course not. But, But what is Trump's play here? I mean, to be fair to Steve Wickoff, when he first showed up, there was some sense that he had some negotiating skill because post October the 7th, he was able to negotiate or help negotiate the first ceasefire and the release of, I think, 30 hostages.

But since then, we've had a series of ceasefires which have just gone up in smoke. Yeah. And I'm not even sure just because Steve Whitkoff was. Trump's man on the scene at that place. And that was really, by the way, as you recall, Steve Whitkoff interposed himself because Joe Biden was still president among the Democrats. So I think Steve Whitkoff had nothing to do with that. He was a guy. He was just kind of, duh. Yeah. I mean, really, really, really, not a bright guy, not someone who you would, who you would, in any sphere of thought, say, oh, this is a person who could add value to this incredibly

complicated situation. So his only real virtue is that he has, you know, he has the president's ear. He can call up Trump. But Trump brings very little to this, to this situation. So we have two people who really don't add any value to solving the problem. or to, I mean, let's not, you know, solving the problem is too large for anyone, but for, but for lessening the risks in this situation. Are there still civil servants in the State Department that can handle this?

Do you think Marco Rubio is much use here? Well, I think that Marco Rubio is not a dummy. He does have experience in this. He is, you know, among this cast of characters, you would say, oh, you know, you would hope that Marco Rubio has a hand. I don't think Trump particularly listens to Marco Rubio. You know, he's one of those, you know, he's one of the people. he was one of the cabinet people put in in in place largely because you have to put someone in place but with very little relationship to to to Trump Trump doesn't know him doesn't trust them

doesn't make any different just doesn't listen to him and I mean listen to him not because he doesn't have something something he said just because Trump doesn't listen the the voice goes constantly actually with Steve Whitkoff you might say Trump occasionally listens to him. He just has nothing to say. Right. So even when he is listening, the person talking has nothing to say. And of course, Steve Wittkoff has also been dispatched by Donald Trump to deal with Putin, claimed after his first meeting with Putin, that they had a great understanding that they were good friends now. That also doesn't seem to have come to Pocke. No, and I think it's a thing. I mean, Steve Wittkoff has

stepped into this, you know, into, I mean, he is in some way the leading player in, in, in America's foreign policy at this point. And nobody really, I think in certainly in any substantial way, has focused on the fact that he is among the least qualified people ever to take a position in the execution of America's foreign policy. What is he doing in this role? That is as preposterous as, dare I say, Donald Trump being the president of the United States. Well, a fact that we're going to celebrate or that America is going to celebrate tomorrow with the great birthday parade, which a lot of people are saying is far too expensive. And it may have seemed to Donald Trump like a very good idea to have a birthday parade after all the King of England, has one. In fact, he's also having one tomorrow, whether

household cavalry will ride around. It's called Trooping of the Color. It's an annual thing for the monarch's official birthday. But this suddenly looks like less of a good plan given what's going on in the Middle East and given what's going on in California. Well, I'm not sure it looks like less of a good plan to Trump. Although he has been going around the White House, there's a big fear that nobody's going to turn out for this parade. Oh, interesting. You're going to have the military down the street and nobody there watching it. So they're now trying to get, make sure people get out.

They're trying to bus in the Trump base. And he's setting expectations for this, which is like, you know, there's going to be a million people. I mean, it's Trump, Trump numbers. The inauguration crowd all over again. Exactly. So two things will happen. he'll be furious that the crowds are sparse and then he'll announce that the crowds are

unprecedented in size. What should people be looking out for during the birthday parade? If people are sitting at home watching this, what should they be? First of all, where is Donald Trump going to be for the birthday? I don't know. Because obviously in Britain, have the balcony on Buckingham Palace, which is made for, precisely made for occasions like this. And you have the fly past at the end of it. And now we have the Little Princes making faces, which has added much hilarity to the event. But we don't know where the Trumps will be watching this from.

We do not. We do not know if Melania will be by his side. And in what cold pose she might take, if she is indeed by his side. or how big the brim of her hat will be. So he'll be rushing around inflating the crowd size. Carolyn Levitt will be, obviously, supporting that. And there will be protests across America. Exactly. I mean, but the thing is, I mean, I'm not sure that there is going to be much, much to see, except the expense as it goes down the street.

But there is the context behind this, which is alarming, which is that this is someone without the faintest idea of the long tension between civilian and military authorities and the intricate balance between force and process in a democracy. He does not know, and let's emphasize this, the purpose and the place of the military in American life, which is why they are now in. L.A. I wonder if this is compensatory to the military parade for his own bones spurs and the fact that he could never, he never show. You know, it's so weird his, his, his relationship here. I mean, he goes around saying, and this began, began certainly in, you know, as soon as he got to the White House in 2017, you know, of talking about my troops, my military. And then going on about the expense of my. troops in my military and why don't we get more value out of them? Why can't we use them for other things? And then at the same time, you know, he was, you know, he has never had a good relationship with, with any of the generals around him, sometime a terribly toxic relationship. But it's always then, why are these people, who are these people? And at one point in,

I think in 2017, the first year, he went around saying, saying, how much do these guys get paid? Why would they do this? Because they don't actually get paid very much. So he's both proprietary and disdainful at the same time. You know, again, without any real sense or appreciation of what the military does, of what it's supposed to do, of where it is. is when you think about the American government and American democracy. And of course, the ones that did work for him banded together in a campaign for the Democrats saying, whatever you do, do not reelect. No, no, I mean, if you're in the military, I mean, if you've been in proximity to him,

it's really, I think, alarming. I mean, first thing, you know, the modern military is very, you know, conscientious in and disciplined in a procedural way. They're very data-minded. So whenever any issue comes up, you know, the PowerPoint comes out and it's you get a pretty deep dive on any issue. Well, the PowerPoint comes out 90 seconds later, Trump is out of the room. Okay, Michael, big birthday parade tomorrow, chaos in the Middle East.

and chaos in downtown L.A. Can we reprise our conversation after the birthday parade and discuss the actual size of the crowds? We certainly can't. Okay. And for those who want to catch you minute by minute, I want to refer them to Michael Wolfe, NYC on Instagram, where they can see you in your natural habitat,

the glorious gardens of the Hamptons, where your wife, Victoria, pops up from time to time where your children do with a charming, domestic scene, which I'm sure grounds you in this... Well, a little peaceful environment helps at the moment. It does. And I feel I should point out to regular readers and observers of this podcast that you have once more been slammed by the White House. Stephen Chung says you're still blithering and you're widely discredited due to your blatant lies and fabrications. And then he goes on to add,

you're an imbecile of the highest order and your Trump derangement syndrome, adult brain has caused him to lead a miserable existence. I actually think your existence looks rather good. Anyway, let's check back in. I will be looking for crowd size and I will be looking to see any of the trumps where they will be and what they will be dressed in. And let's hope we're still here to discuss it on Sunday or Monday. I'm confident.

Well, well, well, Michael is going back to. his garden, but we will both, of course, be fixated on the crowd size of the birthday parade tomorrow. And I wonder what Steve Whitkoff is thinking, does he wake up every morning thinking I can't believe that I'm now having to resolve this crisis in the Middle East? Or does he wake up thinking, well, I wonder where I'll take my plane today. I love being a billionaire. I love being a golf buddy of Donald Trump and how lucky am I to be in this position? It's impossible to know. But we'll be back with Michael Wolfe and he will shed more light on this extraordinary moment in history. If you have been, thank you for listening.

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