The Circus

With a power shift in the House of Representatives and score-settling on the Congressional agenda, hosts John Heilemann, Mark McKinnon and Jenn Palmieri go beyond the headlines for an informative, inside look at the fluctuating political spectacle and the issues impacting us all.

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  E1The Year of Living Dangerously

  Feb 26, 2023· 28m

  The Circus is in Poland tracking President Biden as he stuns the world with a visit to the embattled capital of Ukraine to mark the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion. Host John Heilemann talks with National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan about the covert trip to Kyiv and the monumental challenges of confronting a nuclear armed Russia. Back in the U.S., Mark McKinnon speaks with Bush White House veteran Nicole Wallace, while Jennifer Palmieri sits down with former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Admiral James Stavridis.

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  E2Off to the Races

  Mar 5, 2023· 28m

  The Circus is on the ground in Florida, South Carolina, Maryland and New Hampshire to mark the unofficial kick-off of the Republican Party's presidential nominating contest. The week begins as a leading potential candidate, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, launches his book tour and ends with CPAC, the annual conservative gathering that’s friendly territory for former President Donald Trump, who’s already in the race. John Heilemann, Jennifer Palmieri, Mark McKinnon and guest host Tim Miller examine the fault lines already emerging in the party.

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  E3Kevin's House

  Mar 12, 2023· 28m

  The Circus heads to Capitol Hill to cover the new Republican-controlled House of Representatives. John Heilemann, Mark McKinnon, and Jennifer Palmieri follow two freshman members of Congress, Republican Mike Lawler of New York and Democrat Maxwell Frost of Florida, as they navigate a week dominated by Tucker Carlson's coverage of January 6th, hearings on the Biden Administration, and a fight that threatens to tip America over a fiscal cliff.

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  E4Fake News?

  Mar 19, 2023· 28m

  The Circus examines the $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems against Fox News. John Heilemann speaks with legendary First Amendment attorney Floyd Abrams, Mark McKinnon with prominent journalists, and Jennifer Palmieri with Trump voters about the case.

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  E5Wheels of Justice

  Mar 26, 2023· 28m

  This week The Circus examines the multiple investigations facing Donald Trump that could lead to the first indictment of a U.S. president. Jennifer Palmieri speaks with former Justice Department prosecutor Andrew Weissmann about the hush-money probe. Mark McKinnon charts Michael Cohen’s journey from Trump fixer to star witness with Vanity Fair reporter Emily Jane Fox. John Heilemann talks with New York Times reporters Michael Bender and Katie Benner about the myriad investigations and their political fallout.

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  E6Nothing but the Truth

  Apr 2, 2023· 29m

  This week The Circus examines the historic indictment of Donald Trump, the nation's first former president to face criminal charges, and tracks the legal and political fallout from the bombshell development. In addition, John Heilemann and guest host Andrew Weissmann discuss the two special counsel probes focused on Trump, Mark McKinnon speaks with Mike Pence after the former VP was ordered to testify in one of those inquiries, and Jennifer Palmieri looks at the investigation into Trump’s election interference in Georgia.

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  E7Exhaustion, Depression and Dread... Oy Vey

  Oct 8, 2023· 28m

  Hosts John Heilemann, Mark McKinnon and Jenn Palmieri go behind the scenes of the wildest political show on earth for an unbiased, inside look at the stories beyond the headlines.

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  E8Piercing The Bubble

  Oct 15, 2023· 28m

  In the wake of the shocking terrorist attack in Israel, The Circus tracks the political fallout as Republican presidential hopefuls respond to the ongoing crisis.

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  E9The Crucible

  Oct 22, 2023· 28m

  The Circus examines President Biden's high profile wartime trip to Israel, a nation reeling in the wake of the terrorist attack by Hamas. Meanwhile, House Republicans struggle to elect a new speaker, two weeks after ousting Kevin McCarthy.

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  E10The Thing of His

  Oct 29, 2023· 28m

  The Circus explores the legal threats facing former president Donald Trump as he seeks a return to the White House. Former Mueller team prosecutor Andrew Weissmann joins as guest host.

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  E11The A.I. Election

  Nov 5, 2023

  The Circus examines the impact of AI on the 2024 election, as world leaders convene an AI Safety Summit. The Circus team, along with guest host Jordan Klepper, explore the myriad concerns, including AI-enabled disinformation and deep fakes.

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  E12Life During WartimeFinale

  Nov 12, 2023· 29m

  Hosts John Heilemann, Mark McKinnon and Jenn Palmieri go behind the scenes of the wildest political show on earth for an unbiased, inside look at the stories beyond the headlines.

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  E1On the Brink

  Mar 6, 2022· 29m

  The Circus returns with the world on edge following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. John Heilemann reports from on the ground in neighboring Poland with U.S. Ambassador Mark Brzezinski. Jennifer Palmieri is at the White House with Press Secretary Jen Psaki immediately following President Biden’s first State of the Union address. Plus, Alex Wagner examines the escalating standoff between Presidents Biden and Putin and Mark McKinnon looks at the political tensions on Capitol Hill amidst the evolving crisis.

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  E2The Escalation Ladder

  Mar 13, 2022· 29m

  With the situation on the ground in Ukraine growing increasingly dire, The Circus explores what more the U.S. and its allies can do. As Secretary of State Antony Blinken travels to Estonia, John Heilemann speaks with Prime Minister Kaja Kallas about fears Putin could strike a NATO nation next. Plus, Mark McKinnon explores President Biden’s response with Senator Mitt Romney; Alex Wagner interviews Ukrainian parliament member Oleksandra Ustinova; and Jennifer Palmieri speaks with officials about the threat Putin now poses to the world.

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  E3The Information War

  Mar 20, 2022· 29m

  As Russia escalates its assault, Ukraine’s President delivers an impassioned address to Congress. Jennifer Palmieri and Mark McKinnon are on Capitol Hill speaking with lawmakers immediately after Zelinsky’s emotional plea to “close the sky” over Ukraine. Plus, Alex Wagner and John Heilemann examine the information war, including the sophisticated Russian disinformation campaign infiltrating American media and Putin’s draconian crackdown on dissent and free speech inside Russia.

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  E4The Nuclear Option

  Mar 27, 2022· 29m

  As President Biden travels to Brussels for an emergency NATO summit, The Circus examines Russia's threats of using nuclear weapons. Jennifer Palmieri speaks to Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby about the U.S. response to Putin's nuclear saber-rattling; John Heilemann games out war simulations with one of the world's foremost experts on nuclear weapons, Zia Mian; and Alex Wagner assesses Putin's motives with former Russian Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev.

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  E5The Home Front

  Apr 3, 2022· 29m

  The Circus tracks the dramatic developments out of the House committee investigating the forces behind the violent January 6 insurrection. Jennifer Palmieri and Mark McKinnon speak with members of the committee after voting to hold two of former President Donald Trump's aides in contempt; Alex Wagner talks with Bob Woodward and Robert Costa on their bombshell reporting about the White House call log from the day of the Capitol attack; and John Heilemann examines the growing pressure on the Justice Department to investigate Trump's activities.

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  E6There Will Be Blood

  Apr 10, 2022· 29m

  As the President’s historic nominee for the Supreme Court is confirmed, The Circus examines Biden’s successes, failures and plunging poll numbers. John Heilemann, Alex Wagner, Mark McKinnon and Jennifer Palmieri dig into the dissatisfaction within the Democratic base and the party’s prospects for the midterms; Representatives Stephanie Murphy and Ted Lieu share their differing strategies for Democrats to keep control of Congress; and The Circus speaks with the White House team behind Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s momentous confirmation.

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  E7Keystone Chaos

  Apr 17, 2022· 29m

  he Circus is on the ground in the critical swing state of Pennsylvania to cover one of the most consequential Senate races in the nation. John Heilemann, Alex Wagner, Mark McKinnon and Jennifer Palmieri report on the heated competition as former president Donald Trump weighs in with a surprise endorsement. Republican and Democratic candidates speak with The Circus about the final, frantic weeks of the primary.

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  E8Tip of the Spear

  Apr 24, 2022· 29m

  The Circus travels to Florida as Governor Ron DeSantis signs controversial laws on education, gender, and abortion. John Heilemann, Alex Wagner, Mark McKinnon and Jennifer Palmieri explore how the Sunshine State has become the central battlefield of an American culture war that includes a conservative effort to strike math textbooks due to “prohibited topics,” the fallout from the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law, and a rapidly escalating feud between Disney and state Republicans.

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  E9Not in Kansas Anymore

  Sep 25, 2022· 29m

  The Circus returns amid the critical midterm election season with voters across the nation energized in unprecedented ways by the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. John Heilemann goes behind the scenes with Vice President Kamala Harris as she campaigns for reproductive rights in a swing state that could determine control of the Senate. Jennifer Palmieri and Mark McKinnon are on the ground in Michigan to report on how the end of Roe is impacting one the nation's marquee gubernatorial races.

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  E10Rule of Law

  Oct 2, 2022· 30m

  The Circus examines the myriad legal threats facing former President Donald Trump. Mark McKinnon speaks with journalists Susan Glasser and Peter Baker, authors of a new book detailing the Trump administration. Jennifer Palmieri sits down with Sarah Matthews, the former White House Deputy Press Secretary who testified before the January 6th Committee. John Heilemann speaks with legal experts Andrew Weissman and Neal Katyal to discuss the implications of the wide range of investigations into Trump.

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  E11State of Denial

  Oct 9, 2022

  The Circus travels to Arizona, a key battleground in the upcoming midterm elections and the epicenter of election denial. Jennifer Palmieri, John Heilemann, Mark McKinnon and guest host Tim Miller travel the state, where every top Republican candidate has echoed former President Donald Trump's false claim that the 2020 election was fraudulent, exploring what's at stake if election-denying candidates win office and control of the state's election system.

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  E12Buckeyes and Bulldogs

  Oct 16, 2022

  Buckeyes and Bulldogs

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  E13This Land is Greene-Land

  Oct 23, 2022· 28m

  The Circus is on the ground in Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's Georgia district, examining her meteoric rise within the Republican party. The team also catches up with her Democratic opponent to discuss his longshot strategy to head off her re-election.

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  E14The Main Event

  Oct 30, 2022· 28m

  The Circus is on the ground in Pennsylvania analyzing the impact of the highly anticipated Senate debate. Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz looks to gain ground while questions swirl about Democratic Lt. Gov. John Fetterman's health.

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  E15Here Comes the Flood

  Nov 6, 2022· 28m
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  E16RiptidesFinale

  Nov 13, 2022· 59m

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Season 5 takes on the most consequential story of our time: the 2020 Presidential election, with in-depth, behind-the-scenes coverage of the biggest political stories each week, including President Donald J. Trump's impeachment trial, and more.

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Season four explores the shifting power dynamics on Capitol Hill as Democrats take control of the House, and covers the escalating drama around President Trump’s legal entanglements and continued scrutiny from Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

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Season three reveals the high-stakes impact of the White House's headline grabbing dramatics throughout our divided states of America.

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Season two pulls back the curtain on the Trump administration, revealing the intense, inspiring and infuriating stories behind the headlines.

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Season one pulls back the curtain on the 2016 presidential race, revealing the stories behind the headlines.

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