ICE Kills Minnesota Mom
Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three living in Minneapolis, is gunned down in her car by an ICE agent as cameras roll. Jon and Dan react to the tragedy and discuss the administration's response, especially JD Vance's despicable remarks in the White House briefing room. Dan talks to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey about how the city plans to investigate and push back. Then, Jon and Dan discuss...
1hr 11m Jan 09
1hr 11m
Empire State of Mind
Trump kicks off 2026 with a return to imperialism, launching a military assault in Venezuela and abducting President Nicolás Maduro. Jon, Lovett, and Tommy react to the news, the administration's open acknowledgement that they want Venezuela's oil, and Trump's hint that military action may be coming to more places in the Western Hemisphere—including Colombia, Mexico, and Greenland. Then, the gu...
1hr 49m Jan 06
1hr 49m
Meet Democrats' Go-To Trump Stand In
In 2016, veteran Democratic advisor Philippe Reines stepped up for an unconventional task: impersonating Donald Trump for Hillary Clinton's debate prep. And in 2024, he did it all again for Kamala Harris. Jon Lovett and Reines discuss the intricacies of playing Trump, the impact of debate performance on elections, and what Democrats should do to outwit the president going forward. Reines reveal...
22m Jan 02
22m
Is JD Vance the Republican Front-Runner?
Jon, Lovett, Dan, and Tommy answer your questions about the upcoming midterms, early bets on 2028, what they got wrong about this year, and Lovett's future reality television career. Then, they listen back to their 2024 New Year's resolutions and set ones they hope to actually keep in 2025. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here (https://youtu.be/6RansDIXNbw) . For a transc...
1hr 22m Dec 30, 2025
1hr 22m
The 2025 Pundies: Highs & Lows from a Long Year
As the first year of Trump 2.0 limps to a close, it's time to celebrate 2025’s worst takes and funniest moments with The Pundies, Pod Save America's annual awards show! Jon, Lovett, Dan, and Tommy, joined by producer Elijah Cone, debate which political beef of 2024 was the most entertaining, which Trump administration official should be anointed "The Worst," whether this year's Democratic victo...
1hr 6m Dec 23, 2025
1hr 6m
Rahm Emanuel is Not NOT Running for President
Rahm Emanuel, former mayor of Chicago and chief of staff to President Obama, joins Tommy to discuss where he thinks the Democratic Party went wrong in 2024, why he's advocating for a blanket social media ban for children under 16, and to reflect on the foreign policy decisions from the Obama era that have shaped the 21st century. Then, Tommy asks Rahm whether there might be presidential ambitio...
1hr 12m Dec 21, 2025
1hr 12m
Trump White House Secrets Revealed
Vanity Fair publishes a candid interview with White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles in which she makes eye-popping admissions about Trump, Elon Musk, and many more. Trump interrupts the season finale of Survivor to deliver an angry, meandering primetime address on the economy, and the administration moves closer to war with Venezuela, announcing a blockade of oil tankers trying to enter or lea...
1hr 23m Dec 19, 2025
1hr 23m
Donald Trump, Empath in Chief
Trump says the savage murder of Rob and Michele Reiner was the result of their own "Trump Derangement Symptom" and says Reiner was bad for the country. The one real surprise: the number of Republicans in Congress, and even Trump's own social media followers, who denounced the post. Jon, Tommy, and Lovett discuss the Republican pushback and the weekend's (many) other tragedies, including shootin...
1hr 37m Dec 16, 2025
1hr 37m
Can Democrats Fight Trump Without Being Defined by Him? (with Gov. JB Pritzker)
Governor JB Pritzker visits the studio to talk to Lovett about Trump's Indiana redistricting fail, how Illinois is standing up to ICE's immigration raids, and how the governor's upbringing — a childhood of both privilege and tragedy — shaped his career in politics. Plus, Lovett asks the governor to defend his controversial Star Wars film rankings, quizzes him on some blackjack hands, and asks w...
1hr 15m Dec 14, 2025
1hr 15m
Trump's A+++++ Affordability Message
Donald Trump holds a campaign-style rally to hit his affordability message: making fun of the very idea of an affordability message, and telling parents to buy their kids fewer dolls. And when asked by Politico what grade he’d give the economy right now, he answers: “A+++++.” Jon and Dan discuss how Trump’s communications effort is landing and then turn to the rest of the news, including Indian...
1hr 32m Dec 12, 2025
1hr 32m
Trump Joins the Streaming Wars
The fate of Hollywood rests in President Trump's hands as Netflix and Paramount fight to acquire Warner Brothers Discovery—the home of HBO Max, Harry Potter, and Superman. Will Trump back Paramount's bid by longtime loyalist Larry Ellison (with help from presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner)? Or will Netflix's Ted Sarandos be able to woo the President to his side? Jon, Tommy, and Lovett discus...
1hr 28m Dec 09, 2025
1hr 28m
The Making of America's Most Prominent Anti-Vaxxer
How did Robert F. Kennedy — once the heir-apparent to the Kennedy family's Democratic dynasty — become the Secretary of Health in the Trump administration and the nation's most important anti-vaccine advocate? Michael Scherer, staff writer at The Atlantic, sat down with Kennedy for 7+ hours, getting to know him during jean-clad workouts, Congressional hearings, and the plane ride where Kennedy ...
1hr 3m Dec 07, 2025
1hr 3m
Two Strikes. Is Hegseth Out?
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth reacts defiantly to two scandals: his department's decision to murder the survivors of a September strike on an alleged Venezuelan drug boat, and a Pentagon report that found that Hegseth's infamous Signal messages put American troops at risk. Jon and Dan discuss what comes next for the former Fox News host, and then jump into the rest of the news, including Trump'...
1hr 31m Dec 05, 2025
1hr 31m
Department of War (Crimes)
The House and Senate Armed Services Committees launch an investigation into Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth after a report that he ordered a second strike on a boat in the Caribbean while survivors were clinging to the wreckage. Was his order a war crime? Jon, Lovett, and Tommy discuss and then jump into the rest of the news, including the White House's reaction to the shooting of two Nationa...
1hr 39m Dec 02, 2025
1hr 39m
Will There Be a Blue Wave in 2026?
Can Democrats repeat their big 2025 wins in next year's midterms? Can the party win back the support of white working-class and Latino voters? Can high-quality candidates overcome an unfavorable Senate map? Amy Walter, Editor-in-Chief of the Cook Political Report, joins Dan to survey next year's electoral landscape, voters' attitudes towards Trump, and what obstacles stand between Democrats and...
1hr 22m Nov 30, 2025
1hr 22m
Terminally Online: Live from Crooked Con (Subscription Preview)
Live from Crooked Con, Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Tommy Vietor, Dan Pfeiffer and producer Elijah Cone record a special episode of our subscriber-exclusive show Terminally Online. They blind-rank 2025's most online politicians and reveal who Crooked Con straw poll participants want to see running for president in 2028.aLive from Crooked Con, Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Tommy Vietor, Dan Pfeiffer and ...
27m Nov 28, 2025
27m
How Many Republicans Will Follow MTG?
After a public fallout with the President, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene unexpectedly announces that she'll resign from congress on January 5. Could her decision spark a wave of resignations from her Republican colleagues? Jon, Lovett, and Tommy discuss why so many GOP representatives are unhappy with the status quo, a federal judge's decision to toss out the Justice Department's indictments agai...
1hr 40m Nov 25, 2025
1hr 40m
What Will Democratic Governance Look Like? + Lina Khan (Crooked Con)
Live from Crooked Con, Alex Wagner hosts a discussion with Sen. Brian Schatz, Sen. Ruben Gallego, and Rep. Pramila Jayapal about what America would look like with Democrats in charge of one or both chambers, and how we sell Americans on that vision. Then, former FTC Chair Lina Khan joins Tommy Vietor to talk about the power of good ideas and how progressives can keep up the fight against the te...
1hr 37m Nov 23, 2025
1hr 37m
Trump Calls for Democrats' Executions
Trump calls for six congressional Democrats to be executed for treason because the group—all military and intelligence vets—dared to post a video reminding troops that they shouldn't follow illegal orders. The dangerous outburst wraps up a bad week for the Commander in Chief: Republican defections forcing him to sign the Epstein files bill, incompetence by his own lackeys in the prosecution of ...
1hr 45m Nov 21, 2025
1hr 45m
What’s the Story We’re Telling? + Sen. Ruben Gallego (Crooked Con)
Live from Crooked Con, Jon Favreau talks to Jen Psaki, Faiz Shakir, Lis Smith, Rebecca Katz, and Adam Jentleson about the narrative we’re pitching—not just about why Trump and the MAGA loons are bad, but why Democrats are good. Then, Sen. Ruben Gallego joins Jon Lovett to talk about how Democrats can win on immigration and how to run a localized race when all politics feels national. For a clo...
1hr 37m Nov 19, 2025
1hr 37m
Did Trump Blow It on the Epstein Files?
After failing to pressure Republicans into voting no on releasing the Epstein files, Trump pulls an astonishing reversal and says they should vote yes—because he has nothing to hide. Jon, Lovett, and Tommy break down why Trump flipped and what might happen after the House votes. Then they discuss Marjorie Taylor Greene's reinvention as a unifier, her split with Trump, and what her makeover says...
1hr 30m Nov 18, 2025
1hr 30m
What Is the Polling Telling Us About 2026? + Gov. Andy Beshear (Crooked Con)
Live from Crooked Con, Dan Pfeiffer talks with Sarah Longwell, David Shor, Terrance Woodbury, and Carlos Odio about what the voters are telling us about what they’re looking for in this unprecedented moment, how we can recapture the groups that moved away from Democrats last year, and how much should we pay attention to polling. Then, Governor Andy Beshear sits down with Alex Wagner to explain ...
1hr 36m Nov 16, 2025
1hr 36m
Trump's Ballroom Reno Derailed by Epstein
Democrats release a new batch of Jeffrey Epstein's emails—including messages suggesting that Trump knew what Epstein was doing and spent time with one of his victims. Republicans fire back with 20,000 more pages of documents, Trump insists it's all a hoax, and Congress moves toward a vote that could force DOJ to release the full Epstein files. Jon and Dan break down how bad this is for Trump an...
1hr 32m Nov 14, 2025
1hr 32m
Can Democrats Lose the Downer Image? + Chris Murphy in Conversation (Crooked Con)
Live from Crooked Con, Jon Lovett talks to Hasan Piker, Symone Sanders Townsend, Tim Miller, and Jessica Tarlov about why Democrats are the party of humorless scolds, how they let that happen, and how the Republicans crackdown on free speech presents and opening for Democrats to be the fun, welcoming party again. Then, Sen. Chris Murphy joins Dan Pfeiffer to talk about the threats we face and w...
1hr 33m Nov 12, 2025
1hr 33m
Shutdown for What? (Schumer's Version)
Eight Democratic senators break from the party to cut a deal with Republicans and end the shutdown without any meaningful concessions on health insurance premiums. Jon, Lovett, and Tommy discuss the timing of the deal, the reactions from other elected Democrats and the party's base, and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's apparent inability to hold his caucus together. Then, they jump into the rest...
1hr 16m Nov 11, 2025
1hr 16m
How Do We Push Back on Authoritarianism? (Crooked Con)
Live from Crooked Con, Jon Favreau is joined by Skye Perryman and Norm Eisen to hash out a strategy for the most effective ways to fight back against the Trump administration’s grave abuses of power. Then, Tommy Vietor talks with Morris Katz, Samson Signori, and Alex Ball about the 2025 election campaigns and what they’ll mean for America and our politics. For a closed-captioned version of thi...
1hr 15m Nov 09, 2025
1hr 15m
Live from Occupied D.C. with Barack Obama
Barack Obama drops by our Crooked Con live show to talk about Democrats' big wins and what we need to push for now. Then, Jon, Lovett, Tommy, Dan, and Alex Wagner talk about the latest data from Tuesday night, the White House's promise that Trump will now focus on affordability, whether Trump is psychologically capable of keeping that promise, and whether Democrats will cave on the government s...
1hr 46m Nov 07, 2025
1hr 46m
Revenge of the Libs
Jon, Tommy, and Dan react to Democrats’ big election night, breaking down gubernatorial wins in New Jersey and Virginia, the passage of Prop 50 in California, Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral win in New York City, and a series of small — but important — races in Pennsylvania and Georgia. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here (https://youtu.be/uhHkdj_hT0w) . For a transcript of thi...
49m Nov 05, 2025
49m
Don't Poo — Vote!
Barack Obama hits the campaign trail—and discusses Trump's sh*tposting—as voters head to the polls. Donald Trump sits down for a lengthy interview with 60 Minutes—the same program he sued in 2024—to discuss immigration raids, his new fascination with nuclear weapons, and his surprising pardon of a Chinese crypto tycoon. Jon, Lovett, and Tommy discuss the interview's most shocking moments, share...
1hr 32m Nov 04, 2025
1hr 32m
Debating the Trump Era with Abby Phillip
Who is worth debating? Where do we draw the line? Will all journalism eventually devolve into debate? Jon Favreau is joined by Abby Philip, anchor of CNN NewsNight, to talk about her viral cable news show, the battle between traditional journalism and punditry, and her new book on the presidential campaigns of civil rights icon Jesse Jackson, who rewrote the rules of the Democratic Party and he...
1hr 11m Nov 02, 2025
1hr 11m
Noem Won't Rule Out Tear-Gassing Trick-or-Treaters
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker asks the Department of Homeland Security to suspend ICE operations — including the use of tear-gas — during Halloween to protect trick-or-treaters, but Secretary Kristi Noem insists operations will continue. President Trump concludes his tour of Asia with a new trade deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping that gives China access to powerful AI computer chips. Jon a...
1hr 34m Oct 31, 2025
1hr 34m
Trump's Secret Plan for a 3rd Term
Trump insider Steve Bannon says "there's a plan" for Donald Trump to serve a third term, and Trump says he'd "love to do it." Jon, Lovett, and Tommy speculate what that plan may look like and what it means for this year's elections and the 2026 midterms. Then, they discuss the latest from the ongoing government shutdown, Trump's new tariffs on Canada in response to a TV ad he didn't like, and ...
1hr 32m Oct 28, 2025
1hr 32m
Trump (Literally) Destroys White House
President Trump demolishes the White House’s East Wing to make room for his ostentatious 90,000 square foot ballroom. Jon, Dan, and Alex Wagner — host of Crooked Media’s newest podcast “Runaway Country” — react to the the demolition and the latest news, including Trump’s demand that the Justice Department pay him $230 million in taxpayer money, his pardon of a crypto CEO convicted of failing to...
1hr 37m Oct 24, 2025
1hr 37m
Trump Unloads on No Kings
After millions rally at No Kings protests, Donald Trump posts an AI-generated video of himself wearing a crown, spraying poop from a fighter jet onto the crowds below. Jon, Lovett, and Tommy discuss how far we've fallen and then get into the news, including the political prosecution of John Bolton, Trump's threat to send troops to another California city, and the prospects for peace in Ukraine,...
1hr 55m Oct 21, 2025
1hr 55m
Why is Big Business Caving to Trump? (with Andrew Ross Sorkin)
Why have CEOs been so eager to bend the knee? How are tariffs actually affecting the economy? Is the next major financial crisis already underway? New York Times financial columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin stops by the studio to talk to Lovett about our weird economy under Trump 2.0. They discuss big business's refusal to stand up to Trump, the prospect of a crypto-crash big enough to tank the U.S. ...
1hr 7m Oct 19, 2025
1hr 7m
JD Vance Defends Hitler-Loving Racists
When a group of Young Republicans' racist private messages—which included praise for Hitler and slavery and jokes about gas chambers—get leaked to POLITICO, JD Vance says "that's what kids do" and that we all need to move on. President Trump names new targets for prosecution, including Sen. Adam Schiff, Andrew Weissmann, and Jack Smith, even as Trump's DOJ indicts his old nemesis, John Bolton. ...
1hr 38m Oct 17, 2025
1hr 38m
Trump's Gaza Ceasefire Takes Hold
President Trump travels to Israel and Egypt to celebrate the return of the hostages and the end of military operations in Gaza. Tommy and Lovett react to the ceasefire, discuss what's next for Gaza, Israel, and Benjamin Netanyahu, and debate how much credit Trump deserves for brokering this peace deal. Then they turn to ICE's latest violence against immigrants and protesters, a new attack on co...
1hr 23m Oct 14, 2025
1hr 23m
President of Peace Invades Chicago (feat. JB Pritzker)
Donald Trump ramps up his attacks on American citizens, fighting in court to be able to deploy national guard troops to Chicago, and declaring that Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson should be imprisoned. Jon and Dan react to Trump's threats, the deployments to Chicago and Portland, and the White House's "Antifa roundtable," where the president and his cabinet portrayed...
1hr 49m Oct 10, 2025
1hr 49m
Trump's War on Blue America
Donald Trump orders National Guard troops to Chicago and Portland, making good on his promise to generals to use American cities as "training grounds." Jon, Tommy, and Lovett discuss the court order—issued by a Trump-appointed judge—that blocked the deployment in Portland, the military-style immigration raids that rocked Chicago last week, and the signals that Stephen Miller and the rest of the...
1hr 26m Oct 07, 2025
1hr 26m
Roxane Gay on the Myth of Civility
What is civility? Who does it serve? When, if ever, is incivility called for? New York Times bestselling author Roxane Gay joins Alex Wagner to discuss the right's recent calls for political civility and why Roxane believes those calls are based on a fantasy of our politics. The two unpack the political discourse in the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination and the ongoing government shutdown, t...
1hr 6m Oct 05, 2025
1hr 6m
Affordable Healthcare is Worth Fighting For
After Republicans refuse to negotiate with Democrats on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies, the government shuts down. Dan and Alex Wagner, Pod Save America's newest contributor, discuss what Democrats will need to do to hold the line; Project 2025 architect Russ Vought's attacks on blue states and federal employees; and the Democratic-Republican messaging fight that's devolved into an AI-...
1hr 22m Oct 03, 2025
1hr 22m
Can Democrats Win a Shutdown Fight?
A government shutdown appears inevitable after Democratic leaders and President Trump fail to reach a deal to extend soon-to-expire Affordable Care Act subsidies. Jon, Lovett, and Tommy discuss what Democrats will need to do to win this shutdown fight and then check in on the latest from Trump's authoritarian takeover, including the political prosecution of James Comey, Trump's deployment of tr...
1hr 12m Sep 30, 2025
1hr 12m
Trump Has James Comey Indicted
Just days after the President demanded the Justice Department prosecute his political enemies and ousted a career prosecutor who refused to comply, Trump's handpicked replacement indicts former FBI Director James Comey. Jon and Dan react to Trump's weaponization of the Justice Department and then discuss Jimmy Kimmel's powerful pro-free speech monologue, a government shutdown that now seems ine...
1hr 50m Sep 26, 2025
1hr 50m
Kimmel Wins, Tylenol Loses
Disney reverses course and announces, despite pressure from the FCC, Jimmy Kimmel will return to the air. President Trump, speaking at the White House, declares — without scientific evidence — that acetaminophen use during pregnancy causes autism. The DOJ shuts down an FBI investigation into border czar Tom Homan, who was caught, on tape, accepting a $50,000 bribe in a Cava bag. Favreau, Lovett...
1hr 37m Sep 23, 2025
1hr 37m
The Roots of Political Violence and How We Prevent It
What's causing the rise in political violence in America? Can we overcome it? And if not, what’s in store for our democracy? Dr. Lilly Mason, a professor of political science at John Hopkins and expert on political violence, joins the show to give context to this moment — and offer some hope for what comes next. She talks to Tommy about what Charlie Kirk’s assassination means in our deeply pola...
1hr 1m Sep 21, 2025
1hr 1m
Trump Cancels Kimmel
Caving to a pressure campaign from Donald Trump's FCC, Disney pulls Jimmy Kimmel's show off the air. Jon and Dan are joined by newly minted Crooked contributor Alex Wagner to discuss Trump's attacks on Kimmel and his new lawsuit against The New York Times, the impending takeover of TikTok by MAGA-aligned billionaires, and new details from the White House about the coming crackdown on left-leani...
1hr 15m Sep 19, 2025
1hr 15m
Trump Promises Free Speech Crackdown
In response to the murder of Charlie Kirk, Donald Trump vows retribution against his political opponents, JD Vance asks Americans to snitch on anyone criticizing Kirk's politics, and Stephen Miller pledges to "disrupt, dismantle, and destroy" left-wing organizations. Jon, Lovett, and Tommy react to these new threats, then break down the latest news about Kirk's killer, Kash Patel's mishandling ...
1hr 20m Sep 16, 2025
1hr 20m
The Assassination of Charlie Kirk
Charlie Kirk, one of the most influential voices in the MAGA movement and the co-founder of Turning Point USA, is shot and killed during a speaking event in Utah. Jon and Dan react to the news and discuss the reactions from the left and right, and why we're seeing such a troubling rise in political violence. Then, Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen talks to Tommy about Charlie Kirk, Van Hollen's...
1hr 27m Sep 12, 2025
1hr 27m
Trump's Epstein Doodle Grosser than Expected
House Democrats get ahold of the infamous birthday letter Trump sent to Jeffrey Epstein and release it to the public. Turns out it's more disturbing than we imagined. Jon, Lovett, and Tommy react to the doodle and talk through the week's latest, including the administration renaming the Department of Defense the Department of War, a massive ICE raid on a Hyundai plant in Georgia, and the emerg...
1hr 49m Sep 09, 2025
1hr 49m
Heather Cox Richardson on Donald Trump, MAGA and How We Fight Back
It can feel like all is lost under Trump 2.0, but America has faced extremely dark chapters before and come out on the other side. Heather Cox Richardson—professor, historian and author of the most-read newsletter on Substack, Letters from an American—joins the show to share her long-view approach for this shortsighted era. She walks Dan through the biggest challenges to American democracy thro...
1hr 13m Sep 07, 2025
1hr 13m