Pod Save America

Minneapolis residents describe the city as a war zone as 3,000 federal agents terrorize citizens and non-citizens alike. Jon and Dan react to the situation on the ground and discuss the latest, including federal agents shooting another person, six federal prosecutors' decision to resign over the Justice Department's push to investigate Renee Good's widow, and President Trump's threat to invoke the...

As protests break out around the country over the killing of Renee Good, the administration sends even more agents to commit even more violence in Minnesota. The Justice Department launches an unprecedented criminal investigation into Fed Chair Jerome Powell because he won't do what Trump wants on interest rates, a move so brazen that even congressional Republicans are denouncing it. And Trump aga...

Will the Supreme Court destroy what remains of the Voting Rights Act? How much influence will America's 250th anniversary have on the midterm elections? If the Democrats win those elections, who in the administration will they investigate first? Jon Favreau and Alex Wagner share their biggest questions for year two of Trump 2.0 in search of some hope for the year ahead. Hosted by Simplecast, an Ad...

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 Tr...

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 guys...

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 reveals w...

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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use o...

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 victorie...

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 ambitions...

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 leave...

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 shootings...

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 what...

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 Indiana R...

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 discuss T...

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 lea...

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's d...

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 National G...

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 a...

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.This holiday season, we're offering 25% off annual subscriptions through November 3...

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 against...

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 tech...

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 Jam...

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. Hosted by Sim...

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 ab...

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 how...