Pod Save America

Donald Trump says the Reflecting Pool will need to be drained for repairs to the coating he said would "last for at least 50 years" — blaming vandals for the peeling and algae blooms that have turned his pet project into an instant mess, and ordering federal agents to start making arrests. Jon, Tommy, and Lovett react to the administration's scapegoating then turn to the rest of the news, includin...

Historian Heather Cox Richardson joins Alex Wagner to discuss Trump's plans for America's semiquincentennial, put his fight on the White House lawn into historical context, and make sense of his mission to remake our nation's capital in his image. The two talk about what it means to be patriotic in this moment, the flaws in JD Vance's vision of blood and soil nationalism, and Heather's new series...

Jon, Lovett, Tommy, and Dan record from Chicago after the dedication ceremony of the Obama Presidential Center, reacting to Barack and Michelle Obama's speeches, what it felt like to walk through the museum for the first time, and what lessons Democrats in the Trump era can take from Obama. Then, they react to the emerging details of Donald Trump's MOU with Iran, which he signed at the Palace of V...

Trump ends his war against Iran without accomplishing any of the goals he set at the war's onset. Jon, Tommy, and Lovett discuss how real the deal to end the war actually is, how it's playing out in MAGA world, and its implications for the economy and the midterms. Then, they react to the corruption at the UFC fight at the White House and Gov. Gavin Newsom's announcement that he and his wife are b...

Legendary humorist David Sedaris stops by the studio to talk to Lovett about his new book of essays, "The Land and Its People," his father's support for Trump, and what he learned about liberals when he was bitten by a dog. They also unpack Sedaris's frustration with being labeled "queer," his nonnegotiable rule about what not to discuss in a relationship, and his unique approach to growing older....

As Trump prepares for his UFC match on the White House lawn, Politico reports that "knives are out" inside the White House, with staffers reeling from a president "increasingly frustrated with everyone, from his own team to the Senate." Jon and Alex discuss the toxic workplace and then break down the rest of the news, including Trump's on-again, off-again relationship with Iranian negotiators, inc...

President Trump, days after storming out of a Meet the Press interview, returns to New York City to attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals. Jon, Tommy, and Lovett discuss how New Yorkers are reacting to the president's visit, discuss the latest from Trump's wars, including the outbreak of more violence between Iran, Israel, and Lebanon, and debunk MAGA's new, unfounded claims about voter fraud in Califor...

Will Sommers, author of The Bulwark's "False Flag" newsletter, sits down with Tommy to talk about the MAGA media world — including the right-wing personalities who may be considering a political future (Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens), those whose influence is crumbling (Ben Shapiro), and some of the most troubling — and strangest — rising voices. Tommy and Will then break down the ways some of...

President Trump announces yet another D.C. construction project — a renovation to the Lincoln Memorial dubbed "The Trump Promenade" — as well as the nominations of his former personal lawyer Todd Blanche for Attorney General and shitposter-turned-FHA Administrator Bill Pulte for acting Director of National Intelligence. Alex Wagner joins Jon Favreau to discuss the latest, including California's to...

Donald Trump thinks JD Vance is a bit of a loser and he's worried he may not be presidential enough to be the 2028 Republican nominee, according to The New York Times. After a series of court losses, the White House signals that it's about to ditch its $1.8 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund." Trump is reportedly "getting very bored" with the Iran negotiations. Democratic voters head to the polls to...

Jon sits down with our own Ben Rhodes to talk about how American leaders tell the story of who we are — and who they think we should be — through the speeches they give. The two go through the seminal speeches Ben selected for his new book "All We Say," discussing their power for good (Frederic Douglass on human rights) and evil (Alexander Stephenson on the "moral truth" of white supremacy), and t...

After Ken Paxton's victory in the Texas Senate Republican primary runoff, the MAGA faithful set their sights on James Talarico, attempting to disqualify him for being too much of a beta male for Texas. Will it stick? The White House is on the verge of getting Iran to the table to negotiate, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent dismisses concerns that the U.S. economy is heading toward stagflation, and...

Norm Eisen, President Obama's "ethics czar" and founder of Democracy Defenders, talks to Alex Wagner about Trump's latest avalanche of corruption: the $1.8 billion slush fund to pay off Jan. 6 rioters, the IRS immunity announcement, the ballroom, the reflecting pool renovation, the 3,000-plus stock trades placed while in office, and, unfortunately, much more. Together, they unpack how Democrats in...

So much for Trump's iron grip on the party. Just days after Thomas Massie's defeat, Republicans in the Senate and House begin to buck Trump on his top priorities: ballroom funding, the taxpayer-funded slush fund for his allies, and the war in Iran. Could it be that his surprise endorsement of Ken Paxton over John Cornyn in the Texas Senate primary didn't help matters? Faced with mounting leaks, th...

Trump's DOJ launches a $1.7 billion fund to make payments to his allies, as Democrats revive the debate about whether to make Trump's declining fitness—even his increasingly discolored hands—a campaign issue. Jon, Lovett, and Tommy weigh the pros and cons and react the rest of the news, including Trump taking revenge on Bill Cassidy and Thomas Massie, his new plotting against Cuba and Greenland, a...

David Axelrod joins Dan to discuss the Democratic Party's best messengers and its likely 2028 contenders. Together, they break down standout moments from some of the party's rising voices, examine what it'll take for Democrats to win the House despite new gerrymandered maps, and walk through some of this year's most important Senate races. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here...

Republicans attempt to defend President Trump's admission that he does not "think about Americans' financial situations," while his Department of Justice is on the verge of giving him billions of taxpayer dollars to settle the lawsuit he brought against his own IRS. Jon and Dan react to the president's financial priorities and then turn to Democratic strategy, including how they should be talking...

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez delivers a blistering response to Jeff Bezos's Washington Post after the editorial board attacks her for criticizing billionaires. Jon, Tommy, and Lovett mull what an AOC 2028 campaign could look like and discuss the latest news, including President Trump rejecting an Iranian counterproposal that could end the war, his proposal to make Venezuela the 51st state, and hi...

Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock stops by the studio to talk to Jon about the Supreme Court's dismantling of the Voting Rights Act, his visit to an ICE detention facility, and whether the Democratic Party is doing enough to fight back against Trump. Then Jon and the senator, who serves as senior pastor at the congregation Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once led, discuss JD Vance lecturing Pope Leo on t...

Congressional Republicans plan to spend $1 billion in taxpayer money on Trump's ballroom, claiming the money is necessary for "security" — and creating a huge political problem for themselves. The president and his cabinet make a show of ignoring the pain Americans are feeling at the gas pump, as the US and Iran circle around an underwhelming peace deal. JD Vance's 2028 stock slides as Republican...

Just like the ceasefire with Iran, Trump's standing in the polls has effectively collapsed, but Democrats aren't performing better on the generic ballot. Jon, Lovett, and Tommy discuss why, and what Democrats can do about it. They also react to the latest chaos in the Strait of Hormuz, the Trump administration's effort to blame the demise of Spirit Airlines on Joe Biden, and whether Republicans re...

Lovett sits down with Senator Bernie Sanders about what we need to do rein in AI, getting super PAC money out of Democratic politics, and building support for stopping weapons sales to Israel. Then, Lovett speaks with Puck Political writer Peter Hamby to talk about his reporting on the embrace of political violence and conspiracy theories in certain corners of the political left, the big news in t...

In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court guts the Voting Rights Act, setting the stage for Republicans to grab more Democratic seats — but will they be able to do it in time for the midterms? Dan and Alex Wagner tackle all the latest with redistricting, Pete Hegseth's testy appearance on the Hill defending the war in Iran, and Trump's new pursuit of some very familiar enemies. Then, Iowa Senate candid...

DNC Chairman Ken Martin wanted to come on and respond to criticisms about his refusal to release the 2024 "after-action report" — despite his promise to do so — and about the Committee's fundraising struggles. In this bonus episode, he talks to Jon about why he thinks the report is a distraction, and why the fundraising numbers — in his view — tell a misleading story.

As more details emerge about the gunman who tried to rush the White House Correspondents Dinner, one thing is clear: it must be Democrats' fault. Jon, Lovett, and Tommy discuss the reaction to the violence in Washington and on social media, whether Trump will be able to use it to get his ballroom project un-stuck, and the latest with the stalemate with Iran. Then, Lovett talks with Katie Porter, o...