Pod Save America

Crooked Media

Pod Save America is a no-bullshit conversation about politics hosted by former Obama aides Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Dan Pfeiffer, and Tommy Vietor. It cuts through the noise to break down the week’s news and helps people figure out what matters and how they can help. They’re regularly joined by journalists, activists, politicians, entertainers, and world leaders. You can watch on YouTube or listen to new episodes every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Ad-Free Pod Save America episodes available NOW through Friends of the Pod subscription. Head to crooked.com/friends to join today! For a transcript of an episode of Pod Save America, please email [email protected] (edited)

  • 1 hour 5 minutes
    Trump Comes for the Judges

    With a Republican Congress bending to Trump’s every whim, the judicial branch is the last check on his power—and now he, Elon, and the MAGA regime have decided to wage war against it. Meanwhile, Trump wants to ax the Department of Education and is going after colleges he doesn’t like. Jon and Dan break down Trump’s latest (probably illegal) moves, check in with the DOGE-bags, and dig into Trump’s broader effort to dismantle the federal government. Then they dive into a new 2024 post-mortem from Blue Rose Research, revealing who voted—and why.

     

    For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

    21 March 2025, 7:05 am
  • 1 hour 28 minutes
    A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems

    The Trump administration just took things to a chilling new level — deporting people to foreign prisons without due process. They’re using the Alien Enemies Act — a law last invoked to justify the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII — to deport 137 Venezuelans to El Salvador, where they’re now being held in a notorious, crowded mega-prison where visitation and recreation are forbidden. Meanwhile, Chuck Schumer’s decision to back the GOP’s spending bill has sparked fierce backlash from Democrats across the board. Jon, Lovett, and Tommy break down the administration’s defiance of the courts and debate both sides of the shutdown fight. Then, Dan talks to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries about his break with Schumer and how Democrats can unite against the Trump administration.

     

    For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

    18 March 2025, 7:05 am
  • 1 hour 24 minutes
    Trump's All Pain, No Gain Economy

    Jon and Dan discuss the pros and cons of the Senate Democrats' shutdown strategy, Trump's declining poll numbers, and the absurdity of his economic policies. Meanwhile, Trump’s family reportedly looks to get into business with a crypto felon seeking a pardon. Then, Lovett travels to Orange County to chat with former Rep. Katie Porter, who just announced her candidacy for governor of California. They talk about her priorities, the possibility of running against Kamala Harris, and the joys of campaigning.

     

    For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

    14 March 2025, 7:05 am
  • 1 hour 14 minutes
    Trump's Crackdown on Dissent

    The price of eggs is still high, the stock market is sinking, but Donald Trump is fulfilling at least one campaign promise: using the power of the government to punish those who disagree with him. ICE arrests one of the leaders of the campus protests at Columbia—a legal permanent resident—and sends him to a detention facility, while the administration strips $400 million in grants and contracts for the university itself. And, with a pair of executive orders, Trump seeks to withhold student loan relief from people who help undocumented immigrants, provide gender-affirming care for minors, or run DEI programs—and he bans a prominent Democratic-affiliated law firm from even entering federal buildings. Meanwhile, Trump refuses to say whether we should expect a recession, more juicy reporting emerges of the Cabinet and Elon Musk meeting last week, and Democrats squabble over how to respond to it all. Jon, Lovett, and Tommy discuss Trump's crackdown on dissent, whether he can be swayed by political pressure, and how Democrats should aim for authenticity rather than the latest meme when making their case. Then, Lovett catches up with Bernie Sanders on the Michigan leg of his "Fight Oligarchy" tour.

    Correction: an earlier version of this episode misattributed the origin of the 2024 explosives attack on Hezbollah. It was an Israeli operation; we were talking quickly and said the wrong name. We're sorry!

    For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

    11 March 2025, 7:05 am
  • 1 hour 3 minutes
    How a Political Party Can Rise from the Dead

    Donald Trump is looking pretty invincible right now, and it's easy to lose hope that Democrats will ever be able to regain power. But back in the '90s, liberals in Britain were in a similar predicament. Alastair Campbell, right hand man to former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and co-host of the podcast "The Rest Is Politics," joins Tommy to discuss how the Labour Party vanquished the iron grip of Thatcherism, the importance of party rebranding, and how Democrats can reclaim populism in the age of Trump.

    For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

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    9 March 2025, 8:05 am
  • 1 hour 30 minutes
    The DOGE Who Caught the Car

    The DOGE wrecking ball keeps swinging, but the Supreme Court, and even Donald Trump himself, might finally be slowing Elon down. Trump backs off his trade war with Canada and Mexico—without extracting a single concession—as economic indicators begin their predictable slide. Jon and Dan break down the latest on government cuts, why Social Security is in danger, and the Democratic infighting over censuring Rep. Al Green for heckling Trump. Then, The Bulwark's Sarah Longwell joins Jon to discuss how voters are reacting to Trump's big speech—and why the economy remains their top concern.

     

    For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

    7 March 2025, 8:05 am
  • 57 minutes 30 seconds
    The State Of the Union Is ... Long

    Donald Trump makes history—by delivering the longest Joint Address ever, clocking in at an exhausting 99 minutes of blame, grievance, and sappy stunts. Jon, Lovett, Dan, and Tommy break down all the biggest—and weirdest—moments, from warning of a "disturbance" from the new tariffs, to invading Greenland and cutting off funding for transgender mice (yes, really). Plus, they debate how Rep. Al Green's protest will play, the strengths and weaknesses of Sen. Elissa Slotkin's rebuttal, and what Democrats should do now.

     

    For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

    5 March 2025, 8:05 am
  • 1 hour 20 minutes
    Trump’s Ukraine Fallout and Crypto Grift

    The fallout continues from Friday's trainwreck of an Oval Office meeting between Trump, JD Vance, and Volodymyr Zelensky. Jon, Lovett, and Tommy break down whether things have improved or spiraled further since Friday's meeting—and whether we're witnessing the collapse of the postwar order. Plus, Trump vows that his tariffs on Mexico and Canada will go into effect, Elon Musk calls Social Security a "Ponzi scheme," and the White House announces a "Crypto Strategic Reserve" to stockpile five cryptocurrencies. Hmm, could it possibly be grift?

     

    For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

    4 March 2025, 8:05 am
  • 42 minutes 38 seconds
    Trump and Zelensky's Disastrous Meeting

    In this Pod Save The World Special, Tommy and Ben discuss Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s disastrous meeting at the White House that erupted in a yelling match and resulted in Zelensky being told to leave. They dig into JD Vance’s role as instigator, the revealed motivations for attacking Zelensky in front of the press, and what Zelensky’s options are for pursuing peace from here.

     

    For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

     

    1 March 2025, 5:59 pm
  • 1 hour 22 minutes
    Will Elon Find the Epstein Files Before It's Too Late?

    The Trump administration promised to release the Epstein Files, but ended up disappointing MAGA die-hards instead. Can Elon do what the DOJ couldn't? In more important news, Trump and Musk continue shredding the government, with the NIH and FDA among the latest targets. House Republicans pass their "big, beautiful bill" and swear they won't touch Medicaid to pay for their tax cuts—but the math doesn't add up. Jeff Bezos makes a drastic change to The Washington Post's Opinion section. Meanwhile, Trump posts a deranged, AI-generated video of his vision for Gaza's future and announces a new oligarch-friendly immigration policy. Jon and Dan discuss the latest cuts and chaos, and how Democrats can use their limited leverage with a government shutdown approaching. Then, Jen Psaki joins the hosts to talk about the White House's press and communications strategy in a special preview of our subscriber-only show, Inside 2025.

     

    For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

    28 February 2025, 8:05 am
  • 1 hour 6 minutes
    Finally, a Podcaster at the Top of the FBI!

    Trump's FBI Director Kash Patel picks a Deputy Director even less qualified than he is: MAGA podcaster Dan Bongino. Trump and Pete Hegseth purge the Pentagon's leadership and lawyers. Elon Musk replies all to the federal government asking what staff have accomplished lately. And, on the three-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Trump declines to call Vladimir Putin a dictator. Jon, Jon, and Tommy discuss the potential for full-blown autocracy at home, Ukraine's predicament, and the latest swing of Musk's bureaucratic chainsaw. Then, Jon talks with NOTUS congressional reporter Daniella Diaz about Trump's legislative agenda, squirmy Republicans, and mounting public anger at Trump's budget cuts.

     

    For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

    25 February 2025, 8:05 am
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