The Beat with Ari Melber

May 12, 2026; 6pm; The Department of Justice has subpoenaed Wall Street Journal reporters over Iran coverage. MS NOW's Ari Melber reports and is joined by Marty Baron, former executive editor for The Washington Post. Plus, House Democrats ramp up their investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. Democratic Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi joins. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

May 11, 2026; 6pm; MS NOW’s Ari Melber reports on the clash over President Donald Trump’s DOJ making a second bid to build a case against former FBI Director James Comey. Plus, Nicolle Wallace joins to discuss her recent interview with Comey, marking his first interview since being indicted for a second time. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Award-winning actor Jeff Goldblum talks to MS NOW’s Ari Melber in this candid, sprawling and sometimes goofy conversation, as the two discuss Goldblum’s work with directors such as Steven Spielberg and Wes Anderson, his many iconic roles, what he loves about jazz, and having his “weirdness” affirmed. This interview aired in 2022. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

May 7, 2026; 6pm; Donald Trump was confronted about whether he is dangerously pre-occupied with vanity projects and self-glorification at a time of war. MS NOW’s Ari Melber reports and is joined by Chai Komanduri, Michelle Goldberg, Joyce Vance and Eugene Robinson. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

May 7, 2026; 6pm; Donald Trump is calling for the prosecution of Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries. Also, a handwritten note purportedly written by Jeffrey Epstein in jail shortly before his death has been unsealed by court order after nearly 7 years, raising new questions about his death. MS NOW’s Ari Melber reports and is joined by Rev. Al Sharpton, Maya Wiley, Benjamin Weiser and Paul Mecurio. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

May 6, 2026; 6pm; Congress grilled Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on the Epstein files, in which he is named over 200 times. MS NOW’s Ari Melber reports and is joined by Nancy Erika Smith, Emily Bazelon, Ruth Ben-Ghiat and Jason Johnson. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

May 5, 2026; 6pm; Donald Trump is struggling to contain the fallout from the war he started in Iran, with reports undercutting his claims about Iran's nuclear timeline. MS NOW’s Ari Melber reports and is joined by Mike Barnicle, Molly Jong-Fast, Andrew Weissmann and Fab Five Freddy. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

May 4, 2026; 6pm; Six months from the midterms, the sputtering economy and an unpopular war are dragging down Donald Trump. MS NOW’s Antonia Hylton reports and is joined by Jelani Cobb, E.J. Dionne, Maya Wiley, Kristen Clarke and Jenn Budd. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

May 1, 2026; 6pm; President Trump’s war in Iran is facing historic disapproval. MS NOW’s Ayman Mohyeldin reports and is joined by Molly Jong-Fast and Jared Bernstein. Plus, Mohyeldin covers ongoing turmoil inside President Trump’s Justice Department. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

April 30, 2026; 6pm; The Atlantic reports that Trump allies say he's "begun thinking about himself less as a peer of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln," and more as an addition to the trifecta of "great men," Alexander the Great, Julius Cesar and Napoleon Bonaparte. MS NOW's Ayman Mohyeldin reports and is joined by The Atlantic's Ashley Parker. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

April 29, 2026; 6pm; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testified before the House Armed Services Committee, marking his first hearing since the Iran war began. MS NOW's Melissa Murray reports and is joined by Admiral John Kirby. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court’s conservative supermajority struck down a Louisiana voting map as unconstitutional, finding that lawmakers “illegally used race when drawing a new majority-Black district.” To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

April 28, 2026; 6pm; The Trump Justice Department has charged former FBI Director James Comey again, following the dismissal of his first indictment. MS NOW’s Antonia Hylton reports, and is joined by Hofstra University’s James Sample and former U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance. Plus, the Trump administration is once again targeting Jimmy Kimmel. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

April 27, 2026; 6pm; MS NOW's Antonia Hylton reports on President Trump's attacks on the media following the shooting outside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Molly Jong-Fast and Robert D'Amico join. Plus, Hylton breaks down new reports of chaos at President Trump's DOJ. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

BONUS: Acclaimed author and professor Francis Fukuyama discusses his seminal works “Trust” and “The End of History” and how they apply today, and to an era of mounting distrust and conspiracy theories in the new Trump era, in this extended conversation with MS NOW's Ari Melber. Fukuyama also analyzes Elon Musk’s “oligarch” politics, and shares his passions beyond academia - woodworking and drone building. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

April 24, 2026; 6pm; The DOJ has closed its probe into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, clearing the way for Trump's new pick, Kevin Warsh, to lead the bank. MS NOW's Ari Melber reports and is joined by Ty Cobb, former Trump former White House attorney during the first Trump administration. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

April 23, 2026; 6pm; MS NOW's Ari Melber reports on how the Iran war and economic fallout are under-cutting President Trump's support on the right. Plus, Warner Bros shareholders have voted to approve the controversial merger with Paramount. Matt Belloni, a founding partner of Puck News, joins to discuss. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

April 22, 2026; 6pm; In a striking admission, longtime Trump loyalist Tucker Carlson is apologizing for helping elect Donald Trump. MS NOW's Ari Melber reports and is joined by Will Sommer, senior reporter at The Bulwark. Plus, President Trump’s approval rating plunges to 33%, marking a new low in his second term. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

April 21, 2026; 6pm; President Trump’s loss of support is becoming visible even on the far right, with Tucker Carlson going further than his past criticism and now apologizing for helping elect Trump. MS NOW's Ari Melber reports and is joined by Alex Wagner and political strategist Morris Katz. Plus, Trump comes under renewed scrutiny over his handling of the economy and the Iran war. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

April 20, 2026; 6pm; MS NOW’s Ari Melber reports on the latest developments in the Iran war and its impact on the economy. Political Strategist Chai Komanduri and Fordham University's Christina Greer join. Plus, music executive Kevin Liles joins to discuss justice reform, creative freedom & rap lyrics in court. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this podcast extra, listen to Jay McInerney on The Beat, plus a special digital conversation with Ari Melber in Times Square, where he discusses his new book and his social life in New York City. Plus, revisit McInerney’s past appearances on The Beat. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.