The scandal-scarred Defense Secretary is hanging on—but for how long? On this episode, Vanity Fair editor-in-chief Radhika Jones, along with executive editor Claire Howorth and Hive editor Michael Calderone, discuss Pete Hegseth’s pugilistic style and tumultuous tenure atop the Department of Defense. Plus, special correspondent Gabriel Sherman joins the conversation to provide perspective from inside Trumpworld and reveals why the president is reluctant to break with his friend from Fox.

Sam Altman didn’t want to be the subject of a biography, suggesting the AI revolution is about more than one person, says Keach Hagey, a Wall Street Journal reporter and author of “The Optimist.” But on this episode, host and Vanity Fair editor-in-chief Radhika Jones, along with executive editor Claire Howorth and Hive editor Michael Calderone, go deep on the man himself, speaking with Hagey about Altman’s progressive politics, friendship with Peter Thiel, feud with Elon Musk, and dealings with Donald Trump, along with his brief exit from OpenAI—aka “The Blip”—and vision for this potentially world-altering technology.

It may seem like an odd time to party in Washington, but journalists and politicos will gather again this weekend at the White House Correspondents Dinner (and slew of late-night soirees and boozy brunches.) Host and Vanity Fair editor-in-chief Radhika Jones, along with executive editor Claire Howorth and Hive editor Michael Calderone, decode this long-running media ritual, which plays out this year as Donald Trump shatters precedents with the press and puts a chill on speech.

When protesters converged this past weekend across America, they seized on two central villains: Donald Trump and Elon Musk. On this episode, host and Vanity Fair editor-in-chief Radhika Jones, along with executive editor Claire Howorth and Hive editor Michael Calderone, discuss how perceptions of Musk have radically shifted from rocket-building billionaire to government hatchet man and right-wing troll. Contributing editor Zoe Bernard joins the show to discuss how Musk’s ethos reflects Silicon Valley and whether his more libertarian views on tariffs could hasten his exit from Washington.

While the Democratic Party is in the doldrums, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders are packing arenas and electrifying crowds with a clear message of opposition to greed and corruption. On this episode, host and editor-in-chief Radhika Jones, along with executive editor Claire Howorth and Hive editor Michael Calderone, discuss the 35-year-old Congresswoman’s political skills, social media prowess, and ability to persevere in the face of right-wing media mockery and violent threats. Michelle Ruiz, who profiled AOC in 2020 for Vanity Fair, joins the show to reflect on that cover story and what’s transpired since.

As “masculine energy” pulses through the manosphere, it’s time to take a look at the women of the right, from Fox News-friendly Trump officials to Gen-Z YouTube talkers to nap dress-clad lifestyle influencers. Host and Vanity Fair editor-in-chief Radhika Jones, along with executive editor Claire Howorth and Hive editor Michael Calderone, unpack what it means to be a MAGA woman today, whether that's wielding power in Washington or amassing followers on TikTok—and what these political and cultural roles say about the state of feminism in America.

Gavin Newsom is taking time away from running the world’s 5th largest economy to… talk to Steve Bannon? On this episode, host Radhika Jones, along with Claire Howorth and Michael Calderone, discuss the California Governor’s outreach to right-wingers through his new podcast, ‘This Is Gavin Newsom,’ and whether he’s effectively countering the MAGA media machine. They also revisit Newsom’s trailblazing decision on gay marriage, along with that infamous rug photo, and explore whether the Govcaster’s chat show could help—or hinder—his chances of one day landing atop the Democratic ticket.

Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, once a Roe-killing conservative darling, triggered the Trump faithful with a post-speech side-eye and ruling against the president who appointed her. On this episode, host and Vanity Fair editor-in-chief Radhika Jones, along with executive editor Claire Howorth and Hive editor Michael Calderone, explore Barrett’s path to the high court, her judicial philosophy and faith, and the right's re-framing of RBG’s replacement as a “DEI” hire. Plus, legal affairs contributor Cristian Farias joins the show to break down how Donald Trump and Elon Musk are causing constitutional chaos—and what role Barrett, and her fellow justices, could play in reining them in.