The Conversation with Dasha Burns

Thom Tillis, U.S. senator from North Carolina and former management consultant, speaks plainly about leadership failures in Washington. He calls for tough personnel changes, worries about the Republican Party’s direction, and debates tariffs, NATO tensions, and midterm risks. Short, candid takes on policy, party strategy, and political accountability.

Scott Bessent, former investment manager and U.S. Treasury Secretary, discusses major shifts at the World Economic Forum in Davos. He argues that the U.S. is reordering the global economy by bringing back manufacturing and rebalancing trade. Bessent critiques the global elite consensus and emphasizes the importance of tariffs as negotiation tools. He addresses U.S.-China relations, market signals versus noise, and anticipates a strong economic outlook for 2026. Finally, he advocates for fair trade and job reshoring to strengthen the economy.

Happy holidays! "The Conversation" will return with a new season in January 2026. In the meantime, listen to some of the most memorable moments from the show in 2025 — including our interviews with President Donald Trump, Texas state representative and U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico (D), Trump 2024 and RNC Political Director James Blair, President of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Richard Grenell and Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.).  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bill Gates, co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and a stalwart in global health philanthropy, dives into pressing issues like vaccine skepticism and government aid cuts. He highlights alarming projections that child deaths may rise in 2025 for the first time this century. Gates emphasizes the crucial role of vaccines, discusses engaging with policymakers, and addresses the urgency of restoring health funding. He also explores the impact of AI on diagnostics and delivery while advocating for innovative solutions to the challenges ahead.

In this compelling discussion, Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States, shares his perspectives on critical global and domestic issues. He dives into his negotiations around a possible peace deal in Ukraine and critiques European immigration policies. Trump discusses the situation in Venezuela and highlights the effectiveness of maritime drug interdiction. He further shares insights on America’s economic health, his vision for healthcare reform, and the future direction of the Republican Party.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is no stranger to President Donald Trump’s tariff-forward trade agenda. Greer served as chief of staff to Robert Lighthizer, the U.S. Trade Representative in Trump’s first administration. But now, it’s Greer who’s at the helm of the president’s tariff implementation strategy — one that has drawn both criticism and praise from surprising places.  “I've also had members of Congress come to me, people who maybe weren't fans of tariffs two years ago, and they said, ‘This is actually real money that's coming in that can be used to pay down the debt or pay for other things or finance our reindustrialization,” Greer said. In this week’s episode of The Conversation, Ambassador Greer sits down with POLITICO’s Dasha Burns to explain why trade policy defies political labels, the particulars of how deals are shaping up globally and the strategy behind reconfiguring seven decades’ worth of international policy.  Plus, Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, joins Dasha to explain how the battle for school funding continues to unfold, the intrinsic relationship between education and democracy and why the well-being of students should be at the top of the president’s mind. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Driscoll, the youngest Secretary of the U.S. Army and an Iraq War veteran, discusses his ambitious plans to transform the Army by cutting inefficiencies and embracing advanced technology. He envisions a future of hybrid warfare powered by drones and AI, emphasizing the need for quick adaptation. Meanwhile, Abby Phillip, CNN's NewsNight host, shares insights from her new book on Jesse Jackson, exploring his enduring influence on modern progressivism and the importance of outreach to lost communities. Both guests highlight the intersections of military strategy and political legacy.

Rep. Seth Moulton (D–Mass.) is not one to shy away from criticism of his own party. He made waves in the past when he insisted that the Democrats’ approach to dialogue on transgender issues was stifling. Moulton has also been vocal about the need for generational change in an aging Washington.  This time, the Massachusetts congressman is speaking out about the deal that ended the longest government shutdown in history. And how Senate Democrats missed an opportunity to extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies “If Republicans were somehow gaining advantage here, if the polling was shifting in their favor, if they had done well in the elections last week, then I might say,’Okay, I get it. It doesn't seem like this strategy is working, so let's give up,’” says Moulton. “But Schumer has just snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.” Moulton is a veteran who served four tours in Iraq as a Marine Corps infantry officer. He’s also challenging Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey for his seat in the 2026 midterms — a feat that former Rep. Joe Kennedy III attempted and lost in 2020. “Senator Markey is a good guy,” says Moulton. “He served the country for half a century. I mean, he's been in office longer than I've been alive. He and I agree on many of the issues. He says the right things, he has great press releases, but how much has he actually gotten done?” In this week’s episode of The Conversation, Moulton talks with POLITICO’s Dasha Burns about how Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is failing his party, why age needs to be a major consideration for lawmakers and how Senate Democrats could have done more to guarantee access to affordable healthcare. Plus, POLITICO’s Senior Congressional editor Mike DeBonis joins Dasha to discuss how the shutdown finally came to an end, which party ended up better off afterwards and how this event may shape Congress in the year to come. CORRECTION: An earlier version of this podcast misstated that former Rep. Joe Kennedy III is running against Sen. Ed Markey in  2026. Kennedy ran against Markey in 2020 but has not announced plans to run against Markey in 2026. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Jersey’s governor-elect Mikie Sherrill and James Blair, the political director for the Trump 2024 Campaign and the RNC, break down the lessons learned from this week’s Democratic sweep  Election Night 2025 was a sweet one for Democrats nationwide. Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani won the New York City mayoral race. Former congresswoman Abigail Spanberger clinched the Virginia gubernatorial contest. California Governor Gavin Newsom’s Prop 50 initiative passed, paving the way for redistricting reform across the country. And, by a double-digit margin, Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) is now the Governor-elect of New Jersey. The Navy helicopter pilot-turned federal prosecutor defeated Republican Jack Ciattarelli with a campaign focused on standard issues like capping energy costs and cutting administrative bloat. In this week’s episode of The Conversation, Governor-elect Sherrill chats with POLITICO’s Dasha Burns about her campaign strategy, navigating New Jersey’s electoral landscape, and the need for Democrats to reclaim their reputation with working-class Americans. Plus, James Blair, political director for President Trump’s 2024 campaign and the RNC, sits down with Dasha to break down what Tuesday night’s Democratic sweep means for the GOP’s battle plans going into the 2026 midterms.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) hasn’t been in Congress for very long, but she’s transformed the way that Democrats are communicating with voters and energized her colleagues in the party.  Crockett is known for her willingness to frankly engage with Republican counterparts from Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green all the way to President Donald Trump. And while some critics in the Democratic Party worry that her way of messaging might alienate swing voters, Crockett says her fellow Democrats are recruiting her to stump for them all over the country. “I think at the end of the day, whether you agree with my style or disagree with my style, I think people respect me for my authenticity,” says Crockett. “They never feel like they're getting someone different. They feel like they know exactly who they're getting.” In this week’s episode of The Conversation, Rep. Crockett chats with POLITICO’s Dasha Burns about what her colleagues think about her messaging style and the strategies that Democrats need to pursue for victory in the midterms and beyond. She also offers insight into her plans for a possible Senate run. Plus, Jane Coaston, host of Crooked Media’s “What A Day” podcast, joins Dasha to talk about the nuances of daily news coverage choices and how mixing politics with sports-like fandom can be a recipe for disaster.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices