Power Play

The sparks flew in the first U.S. presidential debate Tuesday night between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. How will the encounter shape the final stretch of the campaign to the Nov. 5 election — and what does it mean for the rest of the world? 

Host Anne McElvoy talks to POLITICO’s Global Editor-in-Chief John Harris, a doyen of debate coverage, about Harris's goading of Trump and whether it marks a shift in the campaign. She is joined by John B. Emerson, a prominent Californian Democrat, who has raised funds for Kamala Harris in her home state. Having served in the Clinton administration before becoming the U.S. ambassador to Germany, Emerson discusses the impact of the debate on America’s allies. 

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Ehud Olmert, the prime minister of Israel between 2006 and 2009, believes Britain’s suspension of some of its arms exports is a “mistake” that won’t affect the country’s military campaign in Gaza and may prove a wasted opportunity for PM Keir Starmer to influence events in Gaza.

Talking to host Anne McElvoy, Olmert criticizes Britain's decision and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu's conduct of the war. They also discuss whether the race for the White House will impact events in the Middle East. Later, Anne is joined by POLITICO Europe's opinion editor and veteran reporter on the region, Jamie Dettmer, to reflect on Netanyahu's record of survival and what America makes of Britain's change of tack.

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With the U.S. presidential debate now confirmed, our guests explain the tips and tricks that could help Donald Trump or Kamala Harris win their first head-to-head encounter on Sept. 10 — and why there has been a pre-debate row over format and mics.

Host Anne McElvoy is joined by Brett O’Donnell, a veteran expert on preparing candidates for debate on both sides of the pond, having coached Republicans Mitt Romney, John McCain and George W. Bush, as well as prepping Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson for their televised tussles in the U.K.

POLITICO’s Rachael Bade, co-author of our Playbook in Washington, reveals which way the political winds are blowing, following last week’s momentous Democratic National Convention and how the rival  Trump-Harris campaigns are preparing for the forthcoming debate.

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Kamala Harris wound up the Democratic National Convention in Chicago by staking her claim to be the next president of the United States. Does the Democrat have the momentum to beat Donald Trump?

Moments after the Harris finale at the DNC, host Anne McElvoy sat down with John Harris, POLITICO's global editor-in-chief, and Eugene Daniels, White House correspondent and co-author of POLITICO's D.C. Playbook. They discuss Harris' pitch and what she needs to do in the next weeks of a closely fought race.

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Live on stage at the CNN-POLITICO Grill in Chicago, host Anne McElvoy talks to U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.

The Illinois senator — a decorated war veteran — has fiercely defended the military record of Tim Walz, the running mate of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, against Republican criticism that he exaggerated his service. Here at the DNC, Duckworth discusses Harris' economic plans and talks passionately about her use of IVF as a row deepens with Republicans over fertility treatment. She goes on to say that Harris will "kick [Trump's] butt" when they meet in their televised debate next month.

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She’s the “queen of Europe” and her reign is set for another five years. Ursula von der Leyen’s reelection as president of the European Commission comes amid the war in Ukraine and a rise of the far right. She is a figure who seeks to bring calm to political storms. But could the outcome of the race for the White House change that? 

Host Anne McElvoy talks to two of POLITICO’s keenest observers of the transatlantic relationship, Editor-in-Chief Jamil Anderlini and Jakob Hanke Vela who is heading to Washington to launch POLITICO's new DC Decoded newsletter, linking Washington and Berlin. 

Later, she'll speak to a VDL insider — Virginijus Sinkevičius served as European commissioner for environment until two weeks ago and is now a member of the European Parliament and a vice president of the Green group.

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Kamala Harris' sudden elevation to likely Democrat nominee has transformed the race for the White House. As President Biden passed the baton, can she beat a resurgent Donald Trump?

Host Anne McElvoy talks to the doyen of American constitutional experts, Philip Bobbitt, about the significance of the Biden transition to Harris. As Lyndon Baines Johnson's nephew, he has a personal connection with the last time a president stood aside — in 1968 — a year that rocked the Democratic Party.

Later, she explores how this week has galvanized the race with John Harris, POLITICO's global editor-in-chief, and Ryan Lizza, host of POLITICO’s "Deep Dive" podcast and co-author of POLITICO Playbook.

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It's been an eventful few days at the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Donald Trump and his running mate, J.D. Vance, are preparing to take the stage for their set-piece speeches. How will they set the tone for the election campaign?

Inside the convention center, host Anne McElvoy talks to Hogan Gidley, press secretary during Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign, about the key messages the former president will be hoping to land with voters in the battleground states that will determine the race.

Later she's joined by POLITICO's A-Team to take the temperature of a dramatic week: John Harris, global editor-in-chief, and Eugene Daniels, POLITICO’s White House correspondent and co-author of POLITICO Playbook. Daniels has also just been appointed president of the White House Correspondents’ Association for 2024-25.

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Reince Priebus is one the Republican Party's veteran power brokers. He served Donald Trump as his first White House chief of staff and chairs the host committee at this year's Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

As Republican delegates gather in the aftermath of a dramatic couple of days, host Anne McElvoy speaks to Priebus live on stage at the CNN-POLITICO Grill. They discuss the attempted assassination, its impact on the party and the significance of his choice of a vice presidential running mate.

Later, Anne talks to POLITICO's Global Editor-in-Chief, John Harris, about the surreal atmosphere at the convention and what it means for the race for the White House.

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Fresh from his landslide victory, Britain’s new Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, has flown to Washington to join other leaders of NATO countries as they meet for the alliance’s 75th anniversary summit.

As the war in Ukraine takes another ugly turn following a week of heavy Russian bombardment, can NATO turn the tide of the losses? Host Anne McElvoy talks to General Patrick Sanders, who has recently left his role as head of the British Army, about the challenges facing NATO, why the UK needs to increase its defense budget and the new government's proposed defense pact with the EU.

They also discuss his proposal for military service, which caused a storm earlier in the year and at the recent general election, as well as mental health in the military.

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It's all change in the U.K. Labour's historic landslide election victory beckons a different kind of leadership for Britain on the world stage after 14 years of Conservative rule.

Keir Starmer, who stepped into his new job as PM, will have little time to define his approach to the wars in Ukraine, the Middle East and contend with a more assertive China. Host Anne McElvoy talks to Jonathan Powell, who was Tony Blair's long-serving chief of staff in Downing Street and former diplomat, about how the new prime minister is likely to forge key relationships around the world.

She's also joined by POLITICO's editor-at-large in Washington, Matt Kaminksi and POLITICO Europe’s editor-in-chief, Jamil Anderlini to discuss what Starmer’s victory means for the U.K's European and transatlantic relations.

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The recent shift to the right in the European Parliament election doesn't bode well for the continent's dwindling band of social democratic leaders, one of the most prominent of whom, former Finnish PM Sanna Marin, was shown the door by voters last year.

Finland is a country of renewed prominence due to its proximity to Putin's Russia — which led Marin to apply to join NATO, ending decades of Finnish neutrality. Host Anne McElvoy talks to Marin about Putin’s war in Ukraine, her warning that Europe needs to do more to meet the challenges posed by big tech, and why the continent needs more female leaders. Marin also leaves the door open to returning to elected politics, with a "never say never" mantra.

The conversation was recorded in front of a live audience at the recent Copenhagen Democracy Summit, which took place before the European election.

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Election fever is gripping both sides of the North Atlantic. As Britain heads into the final weeks of a long election campaign, French voters face a snap parliamentary election. The Biden-Trump race for the White House draws ever closer. One man who knows about how to run a campaign is Jim Messina — known in Washington as "the fixer."

Messina is the mastermind behind President Obama's re-election campaign in 2012 and David Cameron's surprise victory for Britain's Conservatives in 2015. In this week's edition, host Anne McElvoy asks him what advice he would give to President Biden as he prepares for the first televised debate with Donald Trump next week — and to Rishi Sunak, who's leading the Conservatives to what may be an historic defeat in the U.K.

Messina says parties on both sides of the pond need to "shut up and listen to voters" about their concerns on immigration and the economy. "Voters are so much smarter than anyone gives them credit for," he tells McElvoy. "If you have bad ingredients, you're not gonna make a perfect cake," he adds — saying that a disciplined campaign can only achieve so much.

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It takes a brave — some may say reckless — leader to call a general election when trailing in the polls by 20 percent.

With three weeks to go to polling day on July 4, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s gamble looks like it will backfire, possibly spectacularly so, with perilous consequences for the country's oldest political party, the Conservatives. For one of the most powerful members of his Cabinet, the Chancellor — Britain's top finance minister — Jeremy Hunt, it means a fight for his political life.

Host Anne McElvoy joins him on the campaign trail in his Surrey constituency, a place which used to be rock solid territory for the Conservatives. Hunt concedes that voters feel "battered" by the cost of living crisis and "quite understandably hold the guys at the top to account."

Anne is also joined by POLITICO's deputy U.K. editor Rosa Prince for her reflections on the state of the campaign and Hunt's warning that a vote for Nigel Farage's Reform UK party could mean an "even bigger majority for Labour."

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The conviction of Donald Trump in a criminal trial in New York has electrified the race for the White House. But will it make a difference to how the arguments will play out in the campaign — especially on what the contest means for the rest of the world?

K.T. McFarland is a leading supporter of Trump’s campaign, a MAGA Republican who served as his deputy national security adviser. She’s an influential voice on defense and foreign policy in Republican circles. Host Anne McElvoy talks to McFarland about how she thinks Trump could resolve the war in Ukraine and his plans to bring Putin's regime to its knees by weaponizing the price of oil.

A veteran of the first Reagan administration, McFarland reflects on the former president’s legacy 20 years after his death and the state of the Atlantic alliance 80 years on since the D-Day landings in Normandy.

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Ahead of the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings, host Anne McElvoy asks Jane Hartley, United States ambassador to the United Kingdom, about the future of the transatlantic "special relationship."

Hartley discussed the future of U.S.-U.K. relations in light of the International Criminal Court seeking an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; revealed her surprise at the snap U.K. election called for July 4; and as a close ally of President Biden, explains why his age is an asset, not a problem. 

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Host Anne McElvoy talks to Leonid Volkov, who was Alexei Navalny's long-serving chief of staff and campaign manager, about his mission to provide a democratic alternative to Russian President Vladimir Putin's regime in the Kremlin. They spoke on the stage at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit.

The sudden death of Navalny, the most prominent opposition leader in Russia, sent shockwaves around the world earlier this year. He died in suspicious circumstances while being held in an arctic prison colony. Many campaigners, including his widow and closest associates, will not rest until they get answers about what happened.

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This week's edition of Power Play comes from the Copenhagen Democracy Summit, where host Anne McElvoy talks to President Zelenskyy’s closest aide, Andriy Yermak, and former NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen. 

As Russian forces advance on Kharkiv, delays in weapons deliveries from the U.S. and Europe are proving costly. Now the war has reached a critical moment for Zelenskyy's leadership — and Ukraine. 

They discuss its ability to withstand Russia's biggest attack yet, a new plan to accelerate NATO membership — and whether security guarantees from the West can bolster the embattled country's future security. 

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Among the business leaders, philanthropists and other luminaries attending this year's Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles are politicians — looking to set the record straight, with an eye to future opportunities.

Power Play host Anne McElvoy joined the Beverly Hills crowd — and talked to Kevin McCarthy, the first Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives to be ousted during a legislative session. McCarthy reflects on his dramatic downfall and lauds the prospect of Donald Trump's return to the White House.

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Elbridge Colby is a hot pick to be Donald Trump's national security adviser if the former president returns to the White House next year. It's a role which holds huge sway over America's position on the world stage.

An influential voice in foreign policy circles in Washington, Colby leads the Marathon Initiative, a conservative think tank grappling with how America confronts an increasingly assertive China — a subject that is testing both Democrats and Republicans. 

In this week's edition of Power Play, host Anne McElvoy talks to Colby, who served as deputy assistant secretary of defense in the Trump administration, about U.S. strategy towards China, Russia and Europe — and whether America can rely on its traditional allies.

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"America will always defend democracy in its hour of need. We tell our allies: we will stand with you. We tell our adversaries: don’t mess with us." The words of U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer struck a rare note of bipartisanship as Congress finally approved a multi-billion dollar package of support to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.  

For America’s allies, there was a collective sigh of relief. No more so than at the British Embassy in Washington, where host Anne McElvoy presents this week's special episode of Power Play. She talks to the outgoing ambassador, Karen Pierce, about whether the so-called "special relationship" will endure, despite the potential changes of government in Washington and London later this year and the spectre of war around the globe.

Anne is also joined by John Harris, POLITICO's global editor-in-chief, to mark a weekend of political showmanship and intrigue culminating in the annual White House Correspondents' dinner.

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How will responses to the confrontation between Israel, its allies and Iran redefine the line that divides Donald Trump and Joe Biden?

Host Anne McElvoy talks to Kim Darroch, the former British ambassador to Washington and former U.K. national security adviser, about the scenarios facing President Biden and what Trump might do if he returns to office. They also discuss the options available to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in responding to Iran's failed attack.

They are joined by Nahal Toosi, POLITICO’s senior foreign affairs correspondent in Washington, who has been reporting on this week's dramatic developments.

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This week marked the grim six-month milestone since the Hamas terror attack on Israel and the ensuing counter-attack on Gaza, which has led to a mounting death toll and a humanitarian crisis that has divided world opinion.

While President Joe Biden's White House struggles to help end the bloodshed, what would his opponent — Donald Trump — do differently if he were voted into office later this year?  

Host Anne McElvoy talks to the Heritage Foundation's Robert Greenway, who knows more than most about Trump’s approach to the Middle East as the architect of the Abraham Accords — and may well be part of his inner team if the former president returns to power in November. As a key adviser in the previous administration, Greenway discusses how a second Trump presidency would deal with the Middle East, Iran, Russia and China.

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In the wake of a devastating Islamist terror attack in Moscow, the dark arts of spreading disinformation are again in focus as Russia’s President Vladmir Putin pins blame for the assault on Ukraine.

As a widening array of countries and malign actors spread fake news and analysis, real life consequences are all too clear. How can democracies like the United States and its allies confront information warfare from their adversaries in the era of artificial intelligence?

Host Anne McElvoy talks to James Rubin, who leads the Global Engagement Center within the U.S. State Department. Reporting to Antony Blinken, the secretary of state, his job is to disentangle propaganda and disinformation targeting the United States and its allies around the world.

Power Play will return after the Easter break with the next edition on April 11.

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With the specter of a famine and a possible ground incursion of Rafah looming, Israel's allies are fretting. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned of an impending catastrophe in Gaza. Yet Benjamin Netanyahu says “no international pressure will stop Israel” from achieving its war aims. 

The wars in the Middle East and Ukraine and uncertainty about who will be calling the shots in the White House next year are testing European foreign ministers — and those vying for their jobs. Nowhere more so than in Britain’s Labour party, which is under closer scrutiny as it looks likely to form the next U.K. government.

Host Anne McElvoy talks to Labour's David Lammy about the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, cultivating friendships across the aisle in Washington and paying tribute to Margaret Thatcher.

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Now that Donald Trump is all but certain to lead his party into November’s presidential election in the U.S., it’s make up your mind time for Republicans – are they with him or not? One of them is a big gun in Floridan politics, the Mayor of Miami, Francis Suarez. 

Suarez earned a national profile by briefly entering the race for the White House last year before dropping out as the Trump bandwagon rumbled on. He’s gained wider attention for his efforts to lure companies to Miami, with an eye on turning the city into a crytpo hub and the next Silicon Valley. 

In this week's episode, host Anne McElvoy sits down with the mayor in his waterfront offices in Miami. They discuss his recent endorsement of Donald Trump, the changing character of the Republican Party and the crisis on America's Southern border. Suarez also responds to allegations of impropriety in his administration.

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From Maine to California, Super Tuesday is the biggest date in the calendar for the United States primary election — a third of delegates for the Republican and Democratic conventions have been chosen. 

While Donald Trump didn’t quite manage a clean sweep, the former president looks all but certain to face Joe Biden in November — now that the only other contender for the Republican crown, Nikki Haley, has pulled out. 

As President Biden makes his final State of the Union address before the election, it’s shaping up to be an epic rematch of 2020 ... with even higher stakes at home and abroad. 

From Washington, host Anne McElvoy brings together two of POLITICO's finest minds on the state of play in this year's race for the White House. She's joined by John Harris, global editor-in-chief and co-founder of POLITICO, who's observed many Super Tuesdays; and Josh Gerstein, senior legal affairs reporter, who's following the race being played out in the courts.

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As European leaders gathered in Paris this week, there was a sense of foreboding about the war in Ukraine, and the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is a further reminder of how far the Kremlin will go to suppress its foes.

Nowhere is the threat posed by Russia felt more acutely than on Europe’s Eastern frontier — and especially in Estonia, home to a significant ethnic Russian population.  

In this episode, host Anne McElvoy talks to Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas about the war in Ukraine, as it enters its third year, her campaign to be NATO’s next secretary-general and how she feels about being on Putin's "wanted" list.

Kallas also responds to suggestions that Western allies could send troops to Ukraine — and described how seriously she takes Donald Trump’s threat not to defend NATO countries who don't pay up on defense.

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From the Munich Security Conference, host Anne McElvoy speaks to U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Celeste Wallander, U.S. assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs.

News of the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny set the tone for the conference, where securocrats and world leaders gathered to discuss the mounting crises facing decision-makers.

Our guests discuss how America and its allies should deal with pressing conflicts — from Ukraine's stalemate to the war in Gaza, and the specter of a possible Donald Trump return.

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As security and defense chiefs descend on Bavaria this weekend for the annual Munich Security Conference, can anything be done to dampen down the geopolitical fires around the world? 

On everyone's lips will be Donald Trump's latest campaign salvo, which has shaken confidence in America’s commitment to the Atlantic defense alliance. The wars in Gaza and Ukraine, along with the crisis in the Red Sea, also top the agenda.

Host Anne McElvoy talks to two of POLITICO’s heavy hitters about what to expect. Alexander Ward, national security reporter and anchor of "National Security Daily" in Washington; and Suzanne Lynch, author of POLITICO's Global Playbook, appearing in your inbox each morning from Munich.

Power Play's subsequent episode — featuring an exclusive interview with a leading figure in global security — will be released as the conference wraps up this weekend.

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The largest NATO exercise since the Cold War is underway in the North Atlantic. The most powerful military alliance on the planet is putting on a show of strength — hoping that the Kremlin is taking note.

As Congress struggles to agree a new package of American support for Ukraine, can the rest of the alliance share the burden?

In this week's edition of Power Play, host Anne McElvoy speaks to the U.K.'s Ambassador to NATO, David Quarrey, about the alliance's readiness for a potential conflict with Russia, military support for Ukraine from its members and whether talk of a separate European defense capability will become reality.

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As Donald Trump’s seemingly unstoppable campaign to win the Republican nomination gathers pace, most eyes in America and the world are moving to the more important contest — between him and Joe Biden. 

Trump’s resurgence is causing jitters in the Biden camp. He has a small but consistent lead in national polls. Will Biden manage to keep hold of the electoral coalition that brought him to the White House four years ago?

Host Anne McElvoy brings together two leading pollsters and party strategists for their inside analysis of where the race is heading. Jim Hobart is partner at Public Opinion Strategies, who has worked on Republican campaigns; Maggie Omero is principal at the Democratic polling firm GBAO.

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How much attention is Africa receiving as the world remains transfixed by wars in Europe, the Middle East, and as elections in the West loom?

This week, host Anne McElvoy talks to the award-winning musician and activist Angélique Kidjo about her campaign to improve education for girls in Africa and to address the humanitarian needs of her native continent.

They also discuss the U.K.'s attempts to send illegal asylum seekers to Rwanda. (Spoiler alert: The five-time Grammy winner calls on U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to abandon the policy, which she reviles as "another way of slavery.")

Music courtesy of World Economic Forum.

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The focus of the 2024 World Economic Forum at Davos was on rebuilding trust, with artificial intelligence top of the agenda. Since the roll out of AI-powered chat bots, AI has developed a major trust problem among the public. The majority of Americans said last year that the risks of AI outweigh the potential benefits, and in the EU, Europeans were overwhelmingly in favor of restrictions around its use to protect jobs and privacy.

Meanwhile, implementation by corporations is steadily growing. A 2023 AI Adoption Index from IBM and Morning Consult found 73 percent of companies surveyed are actively deploying or exploring AI in their business. AI built on a foundation of trust and transparency could be a catalyst that drives progress for society and the economy, creates jobs for a new era and reshapes the world for the better. But, continued public skepticism in the technology could be a serious roadblock to realizing AI’s future.

On a special branded episode of Power Play, from our sponsor IBM, we explore AI’s trust problem and what business and political leaders can do to rebuild trust in the technology. The episode features Rob Thomas, senior vice president of software and chief commercial officer at IBM, who talks about ways to ensure the deployment of responsible AI, the importance of good data when creating AI models for business, and why policymakers need to ensure that future regulations still allow innovation to flourish.

Power Play is a POLITICO original podcast series.

This special branded episode from IBM was produced by POLITICO Focus.

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As the World Economic Forum draws to a close in Davos, Power Play rounds off the week with analysis of an eventful week in the Swiss Alps.

Host Anne McElvoy brings together a top team of POLITICO's reporters: Alex Ward, national security reporter based in Washington; Nahal Toosi, senior foreign affairs correspondent; and Suzanne Lynch, author of POLITICO's Global Playbook, your must-read each morning to keep up with the latest news from Davos.

They discuss China's notable presence this week, President Zelensky's plea for the international community to refocus on Ukraine's war with Russia and whether American eyes have been distracted by events back home as Donald Trump returns to the fray. We unpack how the business community is grappling with fast-changing technological advances as well as geopolitical uncertainty in a bumper election year. And stay tuned to hear who our team deems as the surprising "hero" of the Davos crowd.

Further reading:

"Why the Davos Smart Set Sounds Dumb," by John Harris

"China snubs Zelenskyy in Switzerland," by Nahal Toosi

"Lawmakers’ short stay in Davos spiked fears of a distracted America," by Alex Ward

"Trump’s ghost stalks Davos," by Suzanne Lynch and Zachary Warmbrodt

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In this episode, U.K. Foreign Secretary David Cameron sits down with Anne McElvoy at the World Economic Forum to discuss the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, Britain's role in the Israel-Hamas war, as well as Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine — which he says is his "absolute number one priority." Cameron adds, "One thing we can do is demonstrate during the course of this year that Putin isn't winning."

Cameron also addresses U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's controversial policy to send asylum seekers to Rwanda to process their applications (known as the Rwanda policy) and reveals more about his return to front-line Conservative party politics, reflects on what it's like to be a former prime minister returning in a different role. "I say that being prime minister for six years was a good apprenticeship for being foreign secretary," he tells Anne.

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Donald Trump's emphatic victory in the Iowa caucuses has been the talking point of many at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. Meanwhile, the accelerating pace of artificial intelligence is also never far from the lips of those attending this year's WEF.

In today's edition of Power Play — continuing our special coverage of Davos — host Anne McElvoy explores these two prevailing themes.

Anne talks to Anthony Scaramucci, who was briefly White House director of communications under President Trump, about the impact technological advances like AI are having on the economy. They also dive into the consequences of the Iowa result for the United States and the rest of the world.

Then Anne talks to James Manyika, senior vice president of research, technology and society at Google, about how the how AI is changing the world before our eyes — a subject he's advised on from the White House to the world’s leading tech companies.

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As the World Economic Forum gets underway in Davos, many of the world's most powerful business leaders, politicians and tech gurus — and even the odd veteran pop star — have arrived in the Swiss Alps hoping to set the agenda for the year ahead. 

This week we present four episodes of Power Play with an array of interviews and analysis. Today, host Anne McElvoy brings together three of POLITICO's keenest Davos watchers to chart the week ahead. She's joined by Alex Ward, a national security reporter based in Washington; Nahal Toosi, a senior foreign affairs correspondent; and Suzanne Lynch, author of POLITICO's Global Playbook, your must-read each morning to keep up with the latest news from Davos.

Together they'll explore a range of topics including how the prospect of a Trump return is impacting discussions, as well as Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's in-person push to regain the spotlight for Kyiv.

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After weeks of relative calm, Russian forces ushered in the New Year by pounding Ukrainian cities. While global attention has been gripped by the war in Gaza, it’s a reminder that there is no end in sight to the conflict in Ukraine. 

This week, NATO ambassadors met in Brussels to reinforce their commitments to help Ukraine’s air defences fend off devastating Russian air strikes, which have killed dozens of people in the last few days. It's a critical moment for Kyiv as continued military and financial support from the U.S. and the EU hangs in the balance.

In this week’s edition of Power Play, host Anne McElvoy talks to Krišjānis Kariņš, Latvia's foreign minister, one of the contenders to become NATO's next secretary-general, about the alliances's plans to combat renewed Russian aggression.

And Anne is joined by Matthew Kaminski, editor at large at POLITICO in Washington, and Jan Cienski, senior policy editor at POLITICO in Europe to hear our own experts delve into the what 2024 brings for Ukraine — and NATO. 

Further reading: "Zelenskyy in Lilliput: Someone Shrunk Ukraine’s War Coalition," by Matthew Kaminski

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As we enter a mammoth election year on either side of the Atlantic, Power Play looks back on the highlights from our interviews in 2023 to set the scene for the big geopolitical stories of 2024. 

In this week's bumper New Year edition, host Anne McElvoy takes a tour through the best of Power Play since the podcast launched last September, talking to some of the most influential figures in the United States, Europe and beyond. 

We'll hear from prime ministers, business leaders, diplomats and generals about major conflicts, fraught elections and tussles over how to address climate change

Guests include John Kerry, Rishi Sunak, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Ron Prosor, Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Mark Carney, Mathias Döpfner, David Petraeus and Keir Starmer.

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In Taiwan, political parties are entering the final stint of a lively campaign as voters prepare to go to the polls in a presidential election on 13 January. With a population of 23 million, Taiwan is at the precarious juncture of the South and East China seas, buffeted by geo-strategic gusts as China maintains its claim on sovereignty. 

In this special edition of Power Play, host Anne McElvoy talks to Vincent Chao, a prominent figure from the incumbent pro-independence party, hoping to win an unprecedented third term, and Alexander Huang, from the principal opposition party, which seeks closer links with Beijing. And Anne speaks to the man who is about to head to Washington to become Taiwan’s top diplomat — Alexander Yui.

To reflect on the interview with the ambassador and look ahead to the final weeks of the election campaign, Anne is joined by Stuart Lau, co-author of POLITICO’s China Watcher newsletter.

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As negotiators from nearly 200 countries enter the final week of climate talks at COP28 in Dubai, all eyes will be on the big players and who moves first.

In this week’s special edition of Power Play from Dubai, host Anne McElvoy talks to one of the most influential figures in the talks — John Kerry, the U.S. special presidential envoy for climate. A close ally of President Joe Biden and veteran of climate negotiations over several decades, the former secretary of state has the ear of this year's controversial host — COP president Sultan Al-Jaber from the UAE.

Kerry also has a domestic audience in mind. He tells Power Play: "The subsidies are crazy and we have them still in the United States. President Biden has said we've gotta get rid of these subsidies. But again ... you have to legislate to do that and we've been pretty gridlocked in our country for a period of time."

To reflect on the interview and look ahead to the finale of this year's COP, Anne is joined by POLITICO climate and energy reporter Zack Colman.

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The diplomatic caravan is rolling into Dubai for this year’s COP — the United Nations' round of global climate talks. Scores of world leaders and luminaries — including King Charles and the pope — from nearly 200 countries are due to attend, alongside an estimated 70,000 delegates.

What are the chances of a meaningful agreement emerging at COP28? In this week’s edition of Power Play, host Anne McElvoy talks to Mark Carney, the U.N.’s special envoy for climate finance and action. He's banging the financial drum for the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy, encouraging CEOs, financiers and leaders to put their money where their mouths are. "Let's see who stands up in the UAE at COP amongst the oil and gas companies and countries and we'll start to judge who's performing and who isn’t," he says as the conference begins.

Anne is then joined by POLITICO’s "Power Panel" to reflect on the interview. Zack Colman is a climate and energy reporter at POLITICO in Washington and Rachel Kyte is visiting professor at the Blavatnik school at Oxford University and co-chair of the Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative.

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Thomas Heatherwick’s designs have become icons in his home city of London, including the eye-catching cauldron at the 2012 Olympic Games and the reimagined Routemaster bus. The British designer's projects have popped up around the world — and not without controversy.

In this week’s edition of Power Play, host Anne McElvoy talks to Heatherwick about his mission to change the way our cities and urban areas are built. His new book "Humanise" implores mayors and town planners around the world to replace "boring" buildings, arguing that they damage our health and the environment. 

Anne is then joined by POLITICO’s "Power Panel" to reflect on the interview. Aitor Hernández-Morales is author of the Living Cities Global Policy Lab at POLITICO Europe, and Jeff Coltin is co-author of POLITICO’s New York Playbook.

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Israel’s most senior diplomat – Michael Herzog, the ambassador to the U.S. – is in the eye of a diplomatic storm in the country that is Israel’s most vital ally. He insists that a ceasefire "would invite the next war."

In this week's edition of Power Play, host Anne McElvoy talks to Ambassador Herzog about Israel's raid on Gaza’s Al Shifa hospital, how long the conflict is likely to last and the U.S.'s discussions with Israel on what happens after the war.

Anne is then joined by POLITICO’s “Power Panel” to reflect on the interview. Jamie Dettmer is POLITICO Europe’s opinion editor, who's reporting from Israel, and Alex Ward, POLITICO’s national security reporter in Washington D.C. and anchor of “National Security Daily.”

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One month after war broke out between Israel and Hamas, the solidarity of European leaders is being tested. Nowhere more so than in Greece, on the EU's southern border, which has traditional ties to Israel and Arab states.

On this week’s edition of Power Play, host Anne McElvoy speaks to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on his concerns about the war in the Middle East, Greece's proximity to the region, and the prospect of increasing humanitarian aid via a sea corridor.

They also discuss Greece's economic revival, relations with Turkey, the challenges of dealing with migrant boat crossings and climate change.

Anne is then joined by POLITICO’s “Power Panel” to reflect on the interview. Jamie Dettmer is POLITICO Europe's opinion editor, and Matt Kaminski is POLITICO’s editor-at-large in Washington D.C.

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Over 100 leading figures from the biggest tech companies and governments across the globe have assembled for Britain’s two-day AI Safety summit. The UK hopes the event will galvanize power players into agreeing common aims to regulate the growth of artificial intelligence.

In this early edition of Power Play, host Anne McElvoy talks to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak about the risks and opportunities posed by AI, as well as other pressing global issues.

Anne is then joined by POLITICO’s "Power Panel" to reflect on the summit, including Steven Overly, host of POLITICO's daily Tech podcast, and Matt Honeycombe-Foster, U.K. news editor.

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As the Middle East crisis deepens, how should the West react to a growing sense of unease about the world order?

On this week's edition of Power Play, host Anne McElvoy speaks to Mathias Döpfner, CEO of Europe's leading digital publisher, Axel Springer (POLITICO's parent company).

His new book, "Trade Trap," calls for a new approach to free trade between democracies. He believes we are experiencing a "war of systems, and it is truly a battle between democracies and autocracies."

Anne is also joined by POLITICO's head of news in Europe, Christian Oliver and Rana Mitter, an expert on U.S.-Asia relations from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

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The carnage on the streets of Gaza and mounting tensions between Israel and its Arab neighbours presented a bleak and chaotic backdrop for President Biden’s impromptu visit to Tel Aviv. Is this a conflict on the brink of exploding across the region? 

In this week’s episode of Power Play, host Anne McElvoy talks to David Petraeus, the former director of the CIA and four-star general who led coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has co-authored a new book, "Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Ukraine," which draws on the lessons of warfare since 1945. His warnings about the prospect of an Israeli ground offensive will raise alarm bells around the world.

Anne is then joined by POLITICO’s “Power Panel” to reflect on the consequences of this week’s events for the U.S., Europe and the wider world. Alex Ward is POLITICO’s national security reporter in Washington, D.C. and Joshua Posaner is POLITICO’s senior defense reporter in Berlin.

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The horrific events unfolding in Israel have sent shockwaves around the world. As the death toll mounts from Hamas' deadly attacks and Israel's retaliatory strikes on Gaza, how will the ensuing conflict alter the power balance of the Middle East and its alliances?

In this week’s episode of Power Play, host Anne McElvoy talks to Ron Prosor, Israel's ambassador to Germany. Prosor has also served as the Israeli Ambassador to the UK and Permanent Representative to the UN.

She also talks to Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, deputy mayor of Jerusalem, to get insight into the mood in a city at the heart of tensions in the Middle East.

Anne is joined by POLITICO’s "Power Panel" to reflect on the consequences of this week's events for the US, Europe and the wider world. Lara Seligman, POLITICO’s defense reporter in Washington DC and Sam Wilkin, policy editor in POLITICO's Brussels newsroom.

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The crisis in the U.S. House of Representatives is resonating far beyond Washington, not least in Ukraine, where the durability of America's commitment to the war effort has been thrown into doubt after future funding was omitted from its recent stopgap funding deal.

Can Ukraine and its allies in Europe go it alone without agreement on further aid from Congress? And is America’s foreign policy shifting away from the days of spreading liberal democracy?

In this week’s episode of Power Play, host Anne McElvoy talks to Michael Froman, president of the influential Council on Foreign Relations in New York. The Council’s recommendations are heeded in the Oval Office, State Department as well as European capitals — a bellwether for America’s approach to the world.

They explore how the U.S. foreign policy establishment is dealing with the war in Ukraine, the rise of protectionism, liberal democracy, China and the prospect of another Trump presidency. Are the days of America acting as the world's policeman over? 

Anne is joined by POLITICO's "Power Panel" to reflect on the choices facing the Biden administration and the impact in European capitals. This week's panel are Heidi Vogt, POLITICO's national security editor in Washington and Nicholas Vinocur, editor-at-large for POLITICO Europe in Brussels.

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The exit of the most powerful player at News Corp has made headlines on both sides of the Atlantic. At 92, Rupert Murdoch has decided to step down as executive chairman, making way for his son Lachlan. But will much change, given Rupert Murdoch's reputation for being close to the action?

In this week's episode of Power Play, host Anne McElvoy talks to Michael Wolff, long-time chronicler of the Murdoch empire and biographer. His latest book, "The Fall: The End of Fox News and the Murdoch Dynasty," is published this week.

They discuss what's at stake for News Corp and Fox and what the change at the top will mean for general elections in the U.S. and the U.K. next year.

Later, Anne talks to POLITICO’s assembled “Power Panel” to chart their way through a fast-changing media and political landscape. She's joined by Jonathan Martin, POLITICO's senior political reporter in Washington, and Emilio Casalicchio, author of London Playbook PM. 

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In this inaugural episode of POLITICO's new global podcast Power Play, host Anne McElvoy talks to the man who hopes to be Britain's next prime minister, Keir Starmer.

In a wide-ranging interview on global affairs, the Labour leader reveals his concerns about China. He warns that the U.K. needs to “wean itself off” China “when it comes to trade, commerce and technology.”

Starmer also tells Anne what he thinks about Donald Trump, Joe Biden, the war in Ukraine and his vision for a "clean energy alliance" around the world.

Later, Anne talks to POLITICO's assembled “Power Panel” from New York City, where the annual U.N. General Assembly is underway. As leaders gather on the international stage, Rosa Prince, the editor of London Playbook and Nahal Toosi, senior foreign affairs correspondent in Washington, D.C. share their analysis of Starmer's thinking about the world and what it might mean for transatlantic relations.

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POLITICO's new weekly transatlantic podcast Power Play is officially coming to your podcast feed on Thursday, September 21!

Hosted by renowned British journalist Anne McElvoy, Power Play takes listeners inside the minds of those who wield power to better understand the choices they face. The show features guests at the top of their fields in government, business, civil society and more — accompanied by the expert analysis of journalists across POLITICO's newsrooms globally, giving listeners the inside take on the most significant issues raised by the guest, as well as the implications.

Be sure to sign up to receive email alerts every time a new episode publishes.

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In an exclusive interview for POLITICO's forthcoming podcast Power Play, Richard Moore, chief of the UK's Secret Intelligence Service — MI6 — speaks to Anne McElvoy about how the culture of agencies like MI6 is changing.

Recorded in Prague, a city that shaped the outcome of the Cold War, Moore shares revealing insights into MI6's approach to Russia, China and other threats to the West. Britain's chief spy explains why he believes the West needs to commit to a battle for freedom and against authoritarian regimes akin to the Prague Spring of 1968.  

They share a personal conversation about how their experiences of the Cold War (Moore as a rising star of Western intelligence, McElvoy as co-writer of the memoirs of a Soviet bloc spymaster) shaped their thinking on handling threats today. They also discuss the impact of AI on intelligence work and how the culture of agencies like MI6 is beginning to change.

We hope you enjoy this taste of what's to come on POLITICO's Power Play podcast, officially launching in September — bringing you inside the minds of those who wield power. Please be sure to subscribe or follow the podcast on your favorite podcast app, and you can sign up to receive email alerts every time a new episode publishes.

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