I Know Why Trump’s ‘Mad King’ Act Is Spiraling

Joanna Coles welcomes back Kurt Andersen to dissect what he argues may be Donald Trump’s most unhinged week yet, from surreal AI depictions casting himself as Jesus to a deepening spiral of contradictions, conspiracies, and political theater that even longtime observers find startling. Drawing on decades of watching Trump up close, Andersen revives his now-infamous “Venn diagram” of lies, ignorance, and instability—warning that the overlap is expanding in real time—while unpacking the bizarre collision of religion, ego, and power now shaping the MAGA movement. The conversation covers the Pope’s unexpectedly deft pushback to the growing discomfort inside Trump’s own coalition, before zeroing in on RFK Jr.’s chaotic tenure, public health fallout, and a trail of denials that mirror Trump’s own reality-warping playbook. As cabinet figures maneuver, allies hedge, and whispers of exits and fractures grow louder, Andersen paints a picture of a political universe edging toward something far more volatile than spectacle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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I Know Why Trump’s ‘Mad King’ Act Is Spiraling is an episode from The New Abnormal by The Daily Beast.

This episode is 50:25 long.

This episode was published on Apr 20, 2026.

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