The US President Donald Trump has surrounded himself with colourful and controversial characters. From Steve Witkoff, who once bought Trump a sandwich and is now taking the lead on peace efforts in Gaza and Ukraine, to Howard Lutnick, the tariff tsar.How did they secure their key roles and what effect are they having on the policies of the most powerful nation on Earth?This week, Sam Hawley is joined by ABC presenters and journalists to discuss their best stories and interviews from 2025.Today, Matt Bevan, host of the ABC's If You’re Listening podcast, on the cast of characters in Donald Trump’s orbit.

The US President Donald Trump has surrounded himself with colourful and controversial characters. From Steve Witkoff, who once bought Trump a sandwich and is now taking the lead on peace efforts in Gaza and Ukraine, to Howard Lutnick, the tariff tsar. How did they secure their key roles and what effect are they having on the policies of the most powerful nation on Earth? This week, Sam Hawley is joined by ABC presenters and journalists to discuss their best stories and interviews from 2025. Today, Matt Bevan, host of the ABC's If You’re Listening podcast, on the cast of characters in Donald Trump’s orbit.

The US President Donald Trump has surrounded himself with colourful and controversial characters.&nbsp;From Steve Witkoff, who once bought Trump a sandwich and is now taking the lead on peace efforts in Gaza and Ukraine, to Howard Lutnick, the tariff tsar.How did they secure their key roles and what effect are they having on the policies of the most powerful nation on Earth?This week, Sam Hawley is joined by ABC presenters and journalists to discuss their best stories and interviews from 2025.Today, Matt Bevan, host of the ABC's If You’re Listening podcast, on the cast of characters in Donald Trump’s orbit.

Matt Bevan on the players in Trump’s orbit

ABC News Daily is the podcast that helps you understand the issues affecting your world. Every episode, host Samantha Hawley walks through one story with the help of an ABC colleague or expert in under 15 minutes. When you want coverage you can trust, listen to ABC News Daily.

Key topics of recent episodes include the Donald Trump administration, DOGE, Tesla, insurance costs, recession risks, egg shortages, DeepSeek, neo-Nazis, Putin and Xi, solar batteries, the jobs market, anti-Semitism, and the Israel-Hamas war.

From interest rates, real estate and the housing crisis, to scams and US politics, ABC News Daily brings you facts and analysis you need to understand the biggest news stories.

The podcast covers news from America, with analysis on the Donald Trump administration in the White House. His actions, including massive tariffs on trade, have big implications for global politics and the economy and US journalists and experts will explain what's at stake.

As Australians battle a cost-of-living crisis, ABC News Daily looks at the causes of inflation, rising rental costs, house prices, insurance costs and the price of groceries. Key experts in business and finance join Samantha Hawley, explaining the state of the economy, the unemployment rate and the jobs market.

Whether you rent, own an investment house or apartment, or are repaying a mortgage, ABC News Daily offers unique insights and analysis. When there are big moves from the Reserve Bank (RBA) on interest rates, or remarkable reactions in the ASX or the Australian dollar, guest experts, including economists, explain why.

Look into ABC News Daily's archive to find episodes on electric vehicles (EVs), artificial intelligence (AI), the big banks, supermarkets, TikTok, Ozempic, Tesla, Elon Musk, Twitter, Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, COVID, cyber security, spies, espionage, education, schools, teachers and crime.

ABC News Daily follows developments in the Middle East and the war between Israel and Hamas, with insights into the mindset of Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinians and the role of Iran.

The podcast looks at the latest from Ukraine as Volodymyr Zelensky fights to repel the Russian invaders led by Russia's President Vladimir Putin. As China's Xi Jinping contemplates the future of Taiwan, ABC News Daily will sort fact from fiction.

When scammers target superannuation, your tax return and the ATO, you'll hear advice on what you can do to protect yourself.

As climate change fuelled by greenhouse gas emissions increases the risk of natural disasters, including fires and floods, ABC News Daily brings you fact-based analysis.

The future of electricity generation in Australia is being debated, and as claims are made about the merits of nuclear power, come to ABC News Daily for context around its potential role in replacing or augmenting coal and gas power plants and what it could mean for power bills. The podcast covers the future of renewable / green power generation, including the use of wind turbines, solar and hydro electric power.

The podcast looks at key businesses, including Coles and Woolworths, Qantas, the Commonwealth Bank and the construction, resources and manufacturing industries. When they report record profit, battle unions, or raise prices, the podcast pays attention.

ABC experts including Ian Verrender, Alan Kohler, Laura Tingle, Patricia Karvelas, John Lyons, and Annabel Crabb join Samantha Hawley to step through big issues and current affairs.

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ABC News Daily is the podcast that helps you understand the issues affecting your world. Every episode, host Samantha Hawley walks through one story with the help of an ABC colleague or expert in under 15 minutes. When you want coverage you can trust, listen to ABC News Daily. Key topics of recent episodes include the Donald Trump administration, DOGE, Tesla, insurance costs, recession risks, egg shortages, DeepSeek, neo-Nazis, Putin and Xi, solar batteries, the jobs market, anti-Semitism, and the Israel-Hamas war. From interest rates, real estate and the housing crisis, to scams and US politics, ABC News Daily brings you facts and analysis you need to understand the biggest news stories. The podcast covers news from America, with analysis on the Donald Trump administration in the White House. His actions, including massive tariffs on trade, have big implications for global politics and the economy and US journalists and experts will explain what's at stake. As Australians battle a cost-of-living crisis, ABC News Daily looks at the causes of inflation, rising rental costs, house prices, insurance costs and the price of groceries. Key experts in business and finance join Samantha Hawley, explaining the state of the economy, the unemployment rate and the jobs market. Whether you rent, own an investment house or apartment, or are repaying a mortgage, ABC News Daily offers unique insights and analysis. When there are big moves from the Reserve Bank (RBA) on interest rates, or remarkable reactions in the ASX or the Australian dollar, guest experts, including economists, explain why. Look into ABC News Daily's archive to find episodes on electric vehicles (EVs), artificial intelligence (AI), the big banks, supermarkets, TikTok, Ozempic, Tesla, Elon Musk, Twitter, Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, COVID, cyber security, spies, espionage, education, schools, teachers and crime. ABC News Daily follows developments in the Middle East and the war between Israel and Hamas, with insights into the mindset of Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinians and the role of Iran. The podcast looks at the latest from Ukraine as Volodymyr Zelensky fights to repel the Russian invaders led by Russia's President Vladimir Putin. As China's Xi Jinping contemplates the future of Taiwan, ABC News Daily will sort fact from fiction. When scammers target superannuation, your tax return and the ATO, you'll hear advice on what you can do to protect yourself. As climate change fuelled by greenhouse gas emissions increases the risk of natural disasters, including fires and floods, ABC News Daily brings you fact-based analysis. The future of electricity generation in Australia is being debated, and as claims are made about the merits of nuclear power, come to ABC News Daily for context around its potential role in replacing or augmenting coal and gas power plants and what it could mean for power bills. The podcast covers the future of renewable / green power generation, including the use of wind turbines, solar and hydro electric power. The podcast looks at key businesses, including Coles and Woolworths, Qantas, the Commonwealth Bank and the construction, resources and manufacturing industries. When they report record profit, battle unions, or raise prices, the podcast pays attention. ABC experts including Ian Verrender, Alan Kohler, Laura Tingle, Patricia Karvelas, John Lyons, and Annabel Crabb join Samantha Hawley to step through big issues and current affairs.

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