Good afternoon from Washington, where Party Animals found the best Guinness in town.
It’s at the Irish ambassador’s residence, of course. We were there on Tuesday night for the annual Bloomsday reception, an event celebrating James Joyce and Ulysses. The stout flowed as Irish Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason delivered a stirring tribute to the book everyone claims to have read.
It bears repeating that Ulysses was banned in the United States until 1933 and even longer in the United Kingdom. Joyce refused to alter his masterpiece to meet the demands of censors. It was never banned in Ireland.
In this week’s Party Animals, I’m speaking with Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker about her explosive interview with President Donald Trump. The rain was pouring down on the roof of a barn in western Wisconsin, where Trump was holding an event with farmers, as Welker’s aggressive questioning darkened his expression, dialed up the red in his face to Sid Rosenberg levels, and ultimately sent him stomping out of the interview.
Read on for an exclusive interview with Welker about what happened behind the scenes, how she manages the relationship with Trump, and the mock interviews that help her prepare for Meet the Press every Sunday.
PLUS: What the Justice Department’s response to a lawsuit seeking to cancel the UFC fight at the White House revealed about this weekend’s event.
Also mentioned in this issue: Elie Honig, Joshua Fisher, Laura Loomer, Pete Hegseth, Maggie Haberman, Jonathan Swan, Dan Bongino, Joe Scarborough, Reagan Reese, and Dana White.
Got tips? Hit the Party Animals hotline: aidan_mclaughlin@condenast.com. Or text me—my number is 917-817-8266. Complaints will be inserted into the back half of an uncracked copy of Ulysses. Praise will be the A-block on this Sunday’s Meet the Press.
