

The Weeknight
MS NOW, Alicia Menendez, Michael Steele, Symone Sanders Townsend
Alicia Menendez, Michael Steele, and Symone Sanders-Townsend's one-on-one conversations with politicians and newsmakers, and the breaking issues of the day.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 4, 2026 • 41min
'Uncertain Times'
A tense search and rescue unfolds after two U.S. warplanes were downed and a crewmember is missing. Panelists debate motives and military realities behind strikes on Iran and call for negotiations to avoid escalation. The fallout at home includes gas price worries, ethical outrage over betting on a missing servicemember, and chaos from recent firings at the Justice Department.

Apr 3, 2026 • 41min
'A Dark Legacy'
April 2, 2026, 7pm: Rep. Robert Garcia, who is leading investigations into Pam Bondi and her handling of the Epstein Files, joins The Weeknight to respond to her firing. Plus: Amidst the leadership changes at DOJ, Democrats have filed two lawsuits pushing back against the president's executive order targeting mail-in voting. Democracy Docket founder Marc Elias joins the hosts to break it down.
For more, follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @weeknightmsnow and @ms.now.
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.

Apr 2, 2026 • 42min
‘Radical Change’
April 1, 2026, 7pm: NASA’s Artemis II successfully launched its historic mission to send astronauts around the moon. Plus, Supreme Court Justices raised serious doubts about Trump’s executive order targeting birthright citizenship. The Weeknight hosts are joined by Andrea Flores, the Founder of Securing America’s Promise, and Cody Wolfsy, the Deputy Project Director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project. And Senator Alex Padilla joins to react to the breaking news that President Trump has discussed firing Attorney General Pam Bondi.
For more, follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @weeknightmsnow and @ms.now.
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.

Apr 1, 2026 • 42min
'Doesn't Make Sense'
March 31, 2026, 7pm: Tensions are growing between the U.S. and its allies over the war in Iran, as President Trump hinted he would end his war with Iran without reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Former Undersecretary of the Army Patrick Murphy joins The Weeknight with MS NOW National Security reporter David Rohde to break it down. And, MS NOW Legal Analyst Chuck Rosenberg joins the table with what’s at stake in tomorrow’s Supreme Court oral arguments on birthright citizenship.
For more, follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @weeknightmsnow and @ms.now.
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.

Mar 31, 2026 • 42min
'Playing ping-pong with the Senate'
March 30, 2026, 8pm: Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi joins The Weeknight with the latest as TSA workers get their first paycheck in weeks despite ongoing delays in Congress over a deal to fund DHS. And, Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers, joins The Weeknight with her experience at this weekend’s “NO KINGS” rally in St. Paul, MN.
For more, follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @weeknightmsnow and @ms.now.
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.

Mar 31, 2026 • 42min
'Toxic Mix'
March 30, 2026, 7pm: More than 50,000 American troops are in the Middle East as Trump weighs his options in the War with Iran. Ret. Air Force Lt. Col. Rachel VanLandingham and fmr. CIA Dir. John Brennan join The Weeknight to discuss the potential escalation in Trump’s war.
For more, follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @weeknightmsnow and @ms.now.
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.

Mar 28, 2026 • 43min
'Enough Is Enough'
A tense look at the House shutdown standoff and a plan to fund ICE operations. Discussion of homeland security readiness and the risks from a reported hack of the FBI director's personal email. A conversation about the origins and possible off-ramps of the Iran conflict. Preview of nationwide No Kings protests and how organizers aim to turn protests into sustained voter mobilization.

Mar 27, 2026 • 42min
'Unhinged and Unwell'
Madeline Dean, U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania and member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, weighs in with sharp criticism of presidential war plans. She talks about congressional oversight, transparency on Iran negotiations, and concerns about DHS funding and TSA pay. Tense debate on military options and political accountability follows.

Mar 26, 2026 • 42min
'The Fish Rots from the Head'
Keith Ellison, Minnesota Attorney General and former U.S. Representative, explains suing federal agencies for evidence in shootings involving federal agents. Jackie Alemany, MS NOW Washington correspondent, briefs on the Special Counsel’s classified documents reporting. They discuss legal fights over access to evidence, transparency around classified-materials probes, masked agents and accountability, and oversight gaps in high-profile investigations.

Mar 25, 2026 • 43min
‘No Idea What We’re Fighting For’
March 24, 2026, 7pm: Thousands of troops are preparing to head to the Middle East, as President Trump searches for an off-ramp to end his war of choice with Iran. The Weeknight hosts are joined by former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul and Professor Oona Hathaway to break down the latest mixed messages from the administration. Plus, the House Oversight Committee released new deposition videos of Jeffrey Epstein associates Darren Indyke and Richard Kahn. Rep. Melanie Stansbury of the Oversight Committee joins the hosts to react. And Sen. Tammy Baldwin discusses the latest on Congress’ fight over DHS funding.
For more, follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @weeknightmsnow and @ms.now.
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.


