The Powers That Be: Daily

John Ourand joins Peter to discuss MLB commissioner Rob Manfred’s decision to posthumously reinstate Pete Rose and restore “The Hit King’s” Hall of Fame eligibility decades after his lifetime ban. Did Manfred’s recent visit with Donald Trump play any role in the decision? John also breaks down his week at the upfronts in New York, where networks leaned into their sports deals to woo advertisers.

Abby Livingston joins Peter to dig into the mounting buzz surrounding “Original Sin,” the new book from Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson chronicling, in their words, Joe Biden’s decline inside the White House. Abby also unpacks the latest drama inside the D.N.C. as they move to oust their Gen Z vice chairman David Hogg—and the persistent Republican rift over Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.”

In this special edition of The Powers That Be, Leigh Ann Caldwell hosts Republican Senator Jim Banks for a far-reaching conversation about tariffs, the road to the midterms, and how the G.O.P. is aiming to avoid a repeat of 2017’s political misfires. Banks also outlines the party’s strategy to counter China’s rising influence—and insists that under Trump’s leadership, Republicans are more unified than ever.

Bill Cohan joins Peter to unpack Trump’s erratic trade war with China, the ripple effects on the markets, and the chatter on Wall Street about whether MAGA insiders might be profiting from advance knowledge of tariff announcements. Bill also discusses the $400 million jet the Qataris have gifted Trump, as well as the president’s various meme coin and crypto dealings.

Jon Kelly joins Peter to dig into the likelihood that David Zaslav will spin CNN out of Warner Bros. Discovery, and whether both companies would be better off solo. They also explore what’s behind Biden’s media tour, as Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson prepare to publish a book detailing “the cover up of Biden’s decline in the White House.”

Eriq Gardner joins Peter to examine Trump’s increasingly ominous fixation on sports—from launching a federal task force for the 2028 World Cup to a commission aimed at fixing college athletics and a bid to host the NFL Draft in Washington. As Eriq notes, each of these initiatives are fraught with legal and regulatory obstacles—not to mention the threat of a D.E.I. crackdown. Eriq also unpacks Ted Cruz’s recent meeting the Roger Goodell over the league’s anti-trust exemption and the NFL’s continued push away from broadcast television and into streaming.

Matt Belloni swings by the pod to break down Trump’s head-spinning announcement that he’s prepared to slap tariffs on overseas film and TV productions. With Hollywood hitting the panic button, Matt explains why the film industry has bypassed Los Angeles as more shoots head to Europe, Canada, and the U.K. But is there actually a political solution to Hollywood’s problems?

Marion Maneker joins Peter for a deep dive into the art fair circuit as it hits a fever pitch this week. Marion unpacks the explosion of events on the calendar, whether demand can keep up with the pace, and why Endeavor’s Ari Emmanuel just placed a high-stakes bet on Frieze. Then, he draws the line between fairs and auctions—and why the distinction matters.

Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to break down the “big, beautiful bill” that Speaker Johnson is trying to muscle through a fractured Congress on a tight deadline. As Leigh Ann explains, despite Trump’s support, Republicans are growing restless with Johnson and worry he might not deliver in time to sell the bill’s economic and political upside to voters.

Jon Kelly reunites with Peter to dig into HBO’s Zaslav era, and break down their pivot away from the “everything for everybody” strategy as they navigate the streaming landscape in Netflix’s shadow. Then the duo discuss whether Peacock’s $27 billion gamble on the NBA will pay off.