
Politics War Room with James Carville & Al Hunt
Master political strategist James Carville and revered journalist Al Hunt convenes a war room each week to discuss the battle for the soul of the nation! Join them as they gather the sharpest minds from across the country to see who has the most compelling case for the American people on the issues that matter most.
Latest episodes

Jun 26, 2025 • 1h 1min
315: How To be An Opposition with Senator Chris Murphy
VOTE FOR THE WORST OF THE TRUMP ADMIN
James and Al welcome Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy to lay out the implications of our attack on Iran’s nuclear sites, explore the risk of blowback in the face of regime change, and investigate the role of Israel and our domestic MIC in our foreign policy. They also examine the threats Trump’s budget bill poses to the country, particularly those who rely on social programs. Then, our hosts discuss Mamdani’s win in the NYC Mayoral primary, and what his triumph over former NY Governor Andrew Cuomo means for the future of the party and who its voters will ultimately support.
Email your questions to James and Al at politicswarroom@gmail.com or tweet them to @politicon. Make sure to include your city– we love to hear where you’re from!
Watch Politics War Room & James Carville Explains on YouTube @PoliticsWarRoomOfficial
More from James and Al:
Get text updates from Politics War Room and Politicon.
Watch Politics War Room & James Carville Explains on YouTube @PoliticsWarRoomOfficial
Get updates and some great behind-the-scenes content from the documentary CARVILLE: WINNING IS EVERYTHING, STUPID by following James on X @jamescarville and his new TikTok @realjamescarville
James Carville & Al Hunt have launched the Politics War Room Substack
Check Out Andrew Zucker’s New Politicon Podcast: The Golden Age
Check Out Kimberly Atkins Stohr’s New Politicon Podcast: Justice By Design
Get More From This Week’s Guest:
Senator Chris Murphy:
Twitter | Website | Senate.gov
Please Support Our Sponsors:
3 Day Blinds:
For their buy 1 get 1 50% off deal, head to 3DayBlinds.com/warroom
Miracle Made:
Upgrade your sleep with Miracle Made! Go to TryMiracle.com/warroom and use the code WARROOM to claim your FREE 3-PIECE TOWEL SET and SAVE over 40% OFF.

Jun 19, 2025 • 1h 23min
314: Middle East Redux with Professor Vali Nasr
Watch Politics War Room & James Carville Explains on YouTube @PoliticsWarRoomOfficial
James and Al castigate Trump’s narcissistic military parade and contrast his authoritarian impulses with the protestors standing up for democracy. Then, they welcome Iran expert, Professor Vali Nasr, to discuss Iranian-US relations, Israel’s attacks, and the staying power of the Ayatollah’s regime. In their conversation, they explore the potential responses we might see following attacks on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, how things got to this point, and if there is any potential for a deal under Trump. They also look at the consequences of a drawn-out war with a large, militarized country, and what it would take to finally have normalized relations.
Email your questions to James and Al at politicswarroom@gmail.com or tweet them to @politicon. Make sure to include your city– we love to hear where you’re from!
More from James and Al:
Get text updates from Politics War Room and Politicon.
Watch Politics War Room & James Carville Explains on YouTube @PoliticsWarRoomOfficial
Get updates and some great behind-the-scenes content from the documentary CARVILLE: WINNING IS EVERYTHING, STUPID by following James on X @jamescarville and his new TikTok @realjamescarville
James Carville & Al Hunt have launched the Politics War Room Substack
Check Out Andrew Zucker’s New Politicon Podcast: The Golden Age
Check Out Kimberly Atkins Stohr’s New Politicon Podcast: Justice By Design
Get More From This Week’s Guest:
Professor Vali Nasr:
Foreign Affairs | Twitter | State Department | Johns Hopkins SAIS | Author
Please Support Our Sponsors:
Royo:
Go to eatroyo.com and use our promo code PWR for 20% OFF!
Trust & Will:
Trust & Will can help you take control of protecting your family’s future. Go to trustandwill.com/WARROOM for 20% off.
Quince:
Get 365-day returns and free shipping on high-quality, stylish, and affordable clothing you’ll wear for years to come when you go to quince.com/warroom
Naked Wines:
To get 6 bottles of wine for $39.99, head to nakedwines.com/warroom and use code WARROOM for both the code and password.

Jun 12, 2025 • 1h 12min
313: Z-Big with Ed Luce
Watch Politics War Room & James Carville Explains on YouTube @PoliticsWarRoomOfficial
James and Al dissect the political forces engaged in the battle for L.A. being waged between California and the Trump Administration, exposing the authoritarian tactics deployed against MAGA’s political opposition. Then, they welcome Financial Times Editor Ed Luce to discuss the legacy of Zbigniew Brzezinski by comparing his diplomatic approach to that of Henry Kissinger, and reviewing the aftermath of the West’s Cold War policies. While exploring their relationship, they weigh the lessons that can be learned from their historic interactions and how they might influence the future of global security and international relations.
Email your questions to James and Al at politicswarroom@gmail.com or tweet them to @politicon. Make sure to include your city– we love to hear where you’re from!
More from James and Al:
Get text updates from Politics War Room and Politicon.
Watch Politics War Room & James Carville Explains on YouTube @PoliticsWarRoomOfficial
Get updates and some great behind-the-scenes content from the documentary CARVILLE: WINNING IS EVERYTHING, STUPID by following James on X @jamescarville and his new TikTok @realjamescarville
James Carville & Al Hunt have launched the Politics War Room Substack
Check Out Andrew Zucker’s New Politicon Podcast: The Golden Age
Check Out Kimberly Atkins Stohr’s New Politicon Podcast: Justice By Design
Get More From This Week’s Guest:
Ed Luce:
Financial Times | Twitter | Author of “Zbig" & Many Other Books
Please Support Our Sponsors:
Zbiotics:
Get back into action after a night out with 15% off your first order of Zbiotics when you go to zbiotics.com/pwr and use code: PWR
Fay Nutrition:
Listeners of Politics War Room can qualify to see a registered dietitian for as little as $0 by visiting FayNutrition.com/WARROOM

Jun 5, 2025 • 1h 7min
312: The Haves & The Have-Yachts with Evan Osnos
Watch Politics War Room & James Carville Explains on YouTube @PoliticsWarRoomOfficial
James and Al celebrate the daring attack by Ukrainian forces against the Russian Air Force and put Trump through the wringer for his treatment of vets and the military while neglecting our allies. From there, they look at how Democrats can take advantage and welcome journalist Evan Osnos. Together, they expose the perils of wealth inequality in our new Gilded Age, explore what the policies addressing current class imbalance would look like, and discuss how to take power back from the oligarchy when people like Elon are seemingly being given the keys to the castle (or at least the White House).
Email your questions to James and Al at politicswarroom@gmail.com or tweet them to @politicon. Make sure to include your city– we love to hear where you’re from!
More from James and Al:
Get text updates from Politics War Room and Politicon.
Watch Politics War Room & James Carville Explains on YouTube @PoliticsWarRoomOfficial
Get updates and some great behind-the-scenes content from the documentary CARVILLE: WINNING IS EVERYTHING, STUPID by following James on X @jamescarville and his new TikTok @realjamescarville
James Carville & Al Hunt have launched the Politics War Room Substack
Check Out Andrew Zucker’s New Politicon Podcast: The Golden Age
Check Out Kimberly Atkins Stohr’s New Politicon Podcast: Justice By Design
Get More From This Week’s Guest:
Evan Osnos:
Twitter | The New Yorker | Brookings Institution | Website | Author
Please Support Our Sponsors:
Magic Spoon:
Get $5 off your next order of delicious protein-packed Magic Spoon at magicspoon.com/warroom
Beam:
Sleep better with Beam’s best-selling Dream Powder and get up to 40% off for a limited time when you go to shopbeam.com/warroom and use code: WARROOM
Harvest Hosts:
For 20% off your order, head to HarvestHosts.com and use code WARROOM

May 29, 2025 • 1h 8min
311: Deadly, Dangerous, Decline with Larry Summers
Watch Politics War Room & James Carville Explains on YouTube @PoliticsWarRoomOfficial
James and Al welcome former Harvard University President and U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers to defend the university system against Trump and his attacks on science, offer the system some tough love by laying out the policies that have lowered their public perception, and explain why their actions contribute to the extreme reputation of Democrats. They also highlight how the economy has historically performed far better under liberal administrations and the ways Trump’s corruption undermines his political legitimacy. Then, James and Al discuss optimizing messaging for 2026 and why the media should investigate Trump’s apparent cognitive decline.
Email your questions to James and Al at politicswarroom@gmail.com or tweet them to @politicon. Make sure to include your city– we love to hear where you’re from!
More from James and Al:
Get text updates from Politics War Room and Politicon.
Watch Politics War Room & James Carville Explains on YouTube @PoliticsWarRoomOfficial
Get updates and some great behind-the-scenes content from the documentary CARVILLE: WINNING IS EVERYTHING, STUPID by following James on X @jamescarville and his new TikTok @realjamescarville
James Carville & Al Hunt have launched the Politics War Room Substack
Check Out Andrew Zucker’s New Politicon Podcast: The Golden Age
Check Out Kimberly Atkins Stohr’s New Politicon Podcast: Justice By Design
Get More From This Week’s Guest:
Fmr. US Treasury Secretary Larry Summers:
Twitter | Harvard | Website | World Bank | US Dept. Of Treasury
Please Support Our Sponsors:
3 Day Blinds:
For their buy 1 get 1 50% off deal, head to 3DayBlinds.com/warroom
Naked Wines:
To get 6 bottles of wine for $39.99, head to nakedwines.com/warroom and use code WARROOM for both the code and password.
NPR:
Tune in and listen now to the NPR Politics Podcast, only from NPR – wherever you get podcasts.

May 22, 2025 • 1h 4min
310: It’s The Keystone State For A Reason with Rep. Brendan Boyle
Watch Politics War Room & James Carville Explains on YouTube @PoliticsWarRoomOfficial
James and Al give their take on the growing news surrounding Biden’s health problems in the final days of his presidency and reemphasize why they were calling for a fresh face to represent the party before welcoming Congressman from PA, Brendan Boyle. They discuss the dangers of the Republican budget, lay out its failure to constrain costs in light of DOGE cuts, and highlight how it has also ignored the desires of the Republican electorate. Then, they delve into the best action items that Dems can focus on going forward, celebrate Philadelphia’s sports teams, and look at the bigger picture surrounding the intersection of sports and politics.
Email your questions to James and Al at politicswarroom@gmail.com or tweet them to @politicon. Make sure to include your city– we love to hear where you’re from!
More from James and Al:
Get text updates from Politics War Room and Politicon.
Watch Politics War Room & James Carville Explains on YouTube @PoliticsWarRoomOfficial
Get updates and some great behind-the-scenes content from the documentary CARVILLE: WINNING IS EVERYTHING, STUPID by following James on X @jamescarville and his new TikTok @realjamescarville
James Carville & Al Hunt have launched the Politics War Room Substack
Check Out Andrew Zucker’s New Politicon Podcast: The Golden Age
Check Out Kimberly Atkins Stohr’s New Politicon Podcast: Justice By Design
Get More From This Week’s Guest:
Rep. Brendan Boyle:
Twitter | House.gov | Website | FaceBook | Instagram
Please Support Our Sponsors:
Fay Nutrition:
Listeners of Politics War Room can qualify to see a registered dietitian for as little as $0 by visiting FayNutrition.com/WARROOM
Quince:
Get 365-day returns and free shipping on high-quality, stylish, and affordable clothing you’ll wear for years to come when you go to quince.com/warroom
DeleteMe:
Get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you text WARROOM to 64000. Message and data rates apply.

May 15, 2025 • 1h 9min
309: Politics NOT As Usual with Senator Angus King
Watch Politics War Room & James Carville Explains on YouTube @PoliticsWarRoomOfficial
James and Al call out how Trump continues catering to authoritarians around the world and stand up for diversity-focused policies in the military and civil service before welcoming Independent Senator from Maine, Angus King. They discuss the dangers of Trump’s guardrail-free presidency, looking at whether the administration will protect Medicaid for the millions of Americans who rely on it, the effect of DOGE on government spending, and how the new administration’s priorities affect the coming budget battle. They also examine if Trump’s foreign policy reflects our national priorities and explain the impact of his changes on the future of international relations.
Email your questions to James and Al at politicswarroom@gmail.com or tweet them to @politicon. Make sure to include your city– we love to hear where you’re from!
More from James and Al:
Get text updates from Politics War Room and Politicon.
Watch Politics War Room & James Carville Explains on YouTube @PoliticsWarRoomOfficial
Get updates and some great behind-the-scenes content from the documentary CARVILLE: WINNING IS EVERYTHING, STUPID by following James on X @jamescarville and his new TikTok @realjamescarville
James Carville & Al Hunt have launched the Politics War Room Substack
Check Out Andrew Zucker’s New Politicon Podcast: The Golden Age
Check Out Kimberly Atkins Stohr’s New Politicon Podcast: Justice By Design
Get More From This Week’s Guest:
Senator Angus King:
Twitter | Senate.gov | Campaign Site
Please Support Our Sponsors:
Harvest Hosts:
For 20% off your order, head to HarvestHosts.com and use code WARROOM
Miracle Made:
Upgrade your sleep with Miracle Made! Go to TryMiracle.com/warroom and use the code WARROOM to claim your FREE 3-PIECE TOWEL SET and SAVE over 40% OFF.
Zbiotics:
Get back into action after a night out with 15% off your first order of Zbiotics when you go to zbiotics.com/pwr and use code: PWR

May 8, 2025 • 41min
308: Time For A Democratic Schism with Rep. Ro Khanna
Watch Politics War Room & James Carville Explains on YouTube @PoliticsWarRoomOfficial
James and Al rip the Trump family’s use of crypto for personal enrichment, chastise the Democrat elites, and call for bottom-up activism to help the party build an enduring majority before welcoming Silicon Valley Rep. Ro Khanna. They discuss the need for unified messaging when there is a risk of intra-party strife after the election loss, the importance of party discipline, and how to address immigration and the economy going forward. They also emphasize the danger of trusting Republicans on the economy over the Democrats, and explain why our policies consistently outperform theirs.
Email your questions to James and Al at politicswarroom@gmail.com or tweet them to @politicon. Make sure to include your city– we love to hear where you’re from!
More from James and Al:
Get text updates from Politics War Room and Politicon.
Watch Politics War Room & James Carville Explains on YouTube @PoliticsWarRoomOfficial
Get updates and some great behind-the-scenes content from the documentary CARVILLE: WINNING IS EVERYTHING, STUPID by following James on X @jamescarville and his new TikTok @realjamescarville
James Carville & Al Hunt have launched the Politics War Room Substack
Check Out Andrew Zucker’s New Politicon Podcast: The Golden Age
Check Out Kimberly Atkins Stohr’s New Politicon Podcast: Justice By Design
Get More From This Week’s Guest:
Congressman Ro Khanna:
Twitter | Website | House.gov
Please Support Our Sponsors:
Beam:
Sleep better with Beam’s best-selling Dream Powder and get up to 40% off for a limited time when you go to shopbeam.com/warroom and use code: WARROOM
Magic Spoon:
Get $5 off your next order of delicious protein-packed Magic Spoon at magicspoon.com/warroom
DeleteMe:
Get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you text WARROOM to 64000. Message and data rates apply.

May 1, 2025 • 1h 20min
307: 100 Days Of Trump with Ryan Lizza
Watch Politics War Room & James Carville Explains on YouTube @PoliticsWarRoomOfficial
James and Al unmask the disastrous impact of Trump’s first 100 days on our economy and democratic principles, call for a revitalization of America’s global leadership, and lay out the need for our media to push back against Executive Branch excesses before welcoming the founder of Telos.news, veteran D.C. journalist, Ryan Lizza. They discuss the legacy media’s struggle to cover Trump, the pernicious influence of the corporations dominating the media economy, how independent journalism can move our politics forward, and call out the censorship of the new media voice rising to challenge the status quo.
Email your questions to James and Al at politicswarroom@gmail.com or tweet them to @politicon. Make sure to include your city– we love to hear where you’re from!
More from James and Al:
Get text updates from Politics War Room and Politicon.
Watch Politics War Room & James Carville Explains on YouTube @PoliticsWarRoomOfficial
Get updates and some great behind-the-scenes content from the documentary CARVILLE: WINNING IS EVERYTHING, STUPID by following James on X @jamescarville and his new TikTok @realjamescarville
James Carville & Al Hunt have launched the Politics War Room Substack
Check Out Andrew Zucker’s New Politicon Podcast: The Golden Age
Check Out Kimberly Atkins Stohr’s New Politicon Podcast: Justice By Design
Get More From This Week’s Guest:
Ryan Lizza:
X | Telos.News | Instagram
Please Support Our Sponsors:
Naked Wines:
To get 6 bottles of wine for $39.99, head to nakedwines.com/warroom and use code WARROOM for both the code and password.
NPR:
Tune in and listen now to the NPR Politics Podcast, only from NPR – wherever you get podcasts.

Apr 24, 2025 • 56min
306: Nip It In The Bud with Governor Andy Beshear
Governor Andy Beshear, the Democratic leader of Kentucky, shares insights into his state's economic growth amid Trump’s tariffs. He highlights the impact of these tariffs on local industries and the pressing issues surrounding proposed Medicaid cuts, which threaten rural healthcare access. Beshear also discusses strategies for Democrats to succeed in red states while prioritizing community engagement. The conversation emphasizes the importance of balancing political messaging with genuine concern for Kentucky families as they navigate challenges in healthcare, jobs, and safety.