Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Axios
Axios
Politics
Mike Allen

David Axelrod makes "The Axe Files" podcast exclusive to Luminary

Political analyst David Axelrod. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

David Axelrod is making his popular podcast, "The Axe Files," exclusive to Luminary, which has raised $100 million and plans to launch a paid platform with ad-free podcasts, starting with 25 shows the week of April 23.

Details: Some of Axelrod's expected upcoming guests include Aaron Sorkin, Bryan Cranston, Jason Rezaian, Meghan McCain and Kal Penn.


  • "The Axe Files" will continue to air once a month on CNN in a televised version.

Axelrod told me, as he headed to El Paso to interview Beto O'Rourke, that the podcast is a return to his roots as a political reporter for the Chicago Tribune.

  • "I realized when I was writing my memoir that my whole life has been about storytelling, as a journalist or as a strategist," he said.
  • "Now I get to explore people's stories and try and convey to the listener a better sense of who it is I'm talking to. ... So I'm loving it."
Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.