What A Day

The MAGA Right is at war over the role that Israel has in American foreign policy and the war with Iran. If you listen to Tucker Carlson or former counterterrorism chief Joe Kent, you would think that President Donald Trump was bamboozled into this conflict, lured by the evil "Israel lobby." The way some on the American Right (and the American Left) are talking about Israel has edged into outright antisemitism. And with multiple violent attacks on synagogues around the world over the last few weeks, the lack of distinction between "Israel the country" and "Jewish people" is having a very dangerous impact. Zack Beauchamp, senior correspondent at Vox, joins the show to talk about the rise of anti-war antisemitism.And in headlines, President Trump threatens to escalate the already high-stakes war with Iran, the Trump administration plans to make airport security lines even more unpleasant by sending in ICE officers, and the White House grounds welcome a statue of Christopher Columbus.Show Notes: Check out Zach's piece – https://tinyurl.com/49e2hezu Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Trump Administration's crackdown on undocumented and documented immigrants hasn't stopped — even for recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. Since Trump returned to the White House last year, his administration has made life harder and harder for the estimated half a million DACA recipients living in the US. The Trump Administration has said it's deported nearly 100 DACA recipients — and that's not including everyone who has been detained. To talk more about what Dreamers are having to endure under Trump, we spoke with Laura Barrón-López. She's a White House reporter for MSNOW.And in headlines, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly plans to ask Congress for $200 billion to fund the war with Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu holds a press conference just to prove he's still kickin', and rapper Afroman is — legally — serving up Lemon Pound Cake.Show Notes: Check out Laura's interview – https://tinyurl.com/4ujxrtxu Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Iran War is not very popular with Americans – and the Trump Administration seems to think it knows why: the media is being too mean about the President's war of choice. On Saturday, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr reposted a Trump Truth Social screed against The New York Times and Wall Street Journal on Twitter — adding, “The law is clear. Broadcasters must operate in the public interest, and they will lose their licenses if they do not.” Carr has real power in his role as FCC Chairman – power he wants to use on behalf of President Trump. So to talk more about the FCC under Brendan Carr, we spoke with Matt Gertz. He's a senior fellow at the progressive media watchdog, Media Matters.And in headlines, the gloves came off during Oklahoma Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin's confirmation hearing, the government's top intelligence officials testify about worldwide threats before the Senate, and The New York Times publishes a multiyear investigation revealing labor activist Cesar Chavez's sexual abuse of women and girls.Show Notes: Check out Matt's work – www.mediamatters.org/author/matt-gertz Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Joe Kent – someone you've probably never heard of – made huge news on Tuesday. He was the director of the National Counterterrorism Center – until he posted a resignation letter on Twitter. In it, Kent wrote directly to President Trump: “I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.” This is the first major defection from the administration over the war – and it might not be the last. For more on Kent's letter and what it means for the MAGA Right, we spoke with Jonathan Lemire. He's a staff writer at The Atlantic and co-host of Morning Joe on MSNOW.And in headlines, the SAVE America Act is creating real problems for Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Chief Justice John Roberts speaks out against targeting judges, and FBI Director Kash Patel hosts his own version of a meet and greet at Quantico.Show Notes: Check out Jonathan's reporting – www.theatlantic.com/author/jonathan-lemire Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

This week, the Senate will hold a confirmation hearing for Oklahoma Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin, President Donald Trump's pick to replace Kristi Noem as Department of Homeland Security Secretary. In some ways, he's not very different from his predecessor. Mullin also smeared Renee Good and Alex Pretti following their killings by federal immigration officials in Minnesota. He endorses the President's debunked theory that the 2020 election was stolen. And he threatened to fight the head of the Teamsters union back in 2023 during a Senate committee hearing over a Twitter spat. Burgess Everett, Congressional bureau chief at Semafor, joins the show to talk more about Senator Mullin, the DHS shutdown, and what else to watch for on the Hill this week.And in headlines, FBI Director Kash Patel and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard testify before Congress about global security threats, thousands of workers go on strike at a Colorado meatpacking plant, and Trump continues to insist the war with Iran will wrap up “soon.”Show Notes: Check out Burgess reporting – www.semafor.com/author/burgess-everett Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The war in Iran has essentially closed the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most important oil transfer point, sending oil prices over $100 a barrel with the potential to go even higher. And yet, the odds of the Trump administration suddenly pivoting to invest in renewable energy are pretty much zero. Last year, the Department of Justice submitted a brief urging the Supreme Court to take up a case that could limit cities' and states' ability to sue oil and gas companies for environmental damage — and the court has agreed to hear it. For more on what's at stake here, we spoke with Mike Meno. He's the communications director for the Center for Climate Integrity, an advocacy organization that works with communities to hold Big Oil accountable.And in headlines, the head of the Federal Communications Commission makes another thinly veiled threat, the Kennedy Center Board is expected to vote on President Trump's grand renovation plans today, the department tasked with keeping Americans safe at home is still shut down.Show Notes: Check out the Center For Climate Integrity  Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The war with Iran has already killed more than a thousand Iranians, including 175 people killed at an elementary school on February 28th. Remember America First? That swath of the MAGA movement that purportedly wanted to stay out of foreign entanglements and wars to focus on problems that Americans were facing right here at home? Today, the same GOP that called Kamala Harris a warmonger is giving the war with Iran two thumbs up. And while some notable anti-war figures on the right have been speaking out against the conflict, Trump and the Republican Party are full speed ahead despite struggling to justify their actions. Tommy Vietor, co-host of Crooked Media's Pod Save the World and former spokesperson for the National Security Council in the Obama administration, joins to discuss the American First presidency that isn't.And in headlines, the Senate passes a housing bill with overwhelming bipartisan support but House GOP members are unlikely to get on board, Department of Homeland Security funding talks continue to stall, and the White House is keeping busy posting tasteless memes about the war.Show Notes: Check out Pod Save The World – https://tinyurl.com/4n6y99mu Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The war with Iran has already killed more than a thousand Iranians, including 175 people killed at an elementary school on February 28th. According to multiple news outlets, a preliminary report from the U.S. military says the U.S. was at fault for that strike. President Donald Trump previously said Saturday that Iran was at fault for the attack and then, on Wednesday, replied, "I don't know about it," when a reporter asked him about the investigation. It's part of a larger pattern in the Trump administration's messaging about the war. From why we're in this conflict in the first place, to what our goals are, to when this war will end, there's a fog around everything. Arizona Democratic Senator Mark Kelly joins the show to discuss how members of Congress are dealing with the White House's stonewalling.And in headlines, President Donald Trump travels to Ohio and Kentucky to downplay concerns about the economy, no one has any idea what Kristi Noem's new job entails, and newly released deposition videos show a former DOGE staffer struggling to answer basic questions about DEI.Show Notes: Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

In case you haven't noticed, the American economy isn't doing so well right now. Oil prices have been on an absolute rollercoaster since the Iran war began — but that's not all. On Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the U.S. lost nearly 100,000 jobs in February, pushing the unemployment rate up to 4.4 percent. So what exactly is going wrong with the economy, besides… everything? And what can we learn from past economic crises to hopefully avoid another one? To find out, we spoke to Rogé Karma. He's a staff writer at The Atlantic and author of the economy-focused newsletter, Work in Progress.And in headlines, Jane speaks to Crooked's Washington Correspondent Matt Berg about a report that at least 20 countries are now militarily involved in the Iran war, the Democratic National Committee suing the Trump administration, and how flying cars are actually, maybe, really happening.Show Notes: Check out Rogé's piece – https://tinyurl.com/3p3amzx9 Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Iran war is a little over a week old and the Trump administration has supplied more than a dozen explanations about why, exactly, it began. Confused? Well, now we're getting wildly conflicting messages about how that same war will end, with the president telling CBS News Monday that the war is “very complete, pretty much.” Later that same day, he told GOP lawmakers that it's not. Robin Wright, an expert on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East who contributes to the The New Yorker, explains where the war goes from here.And in headlines, President Trump promotes the questionably named “Save America Act,” the Department of Justice makes a shady deal with Live Nation, and artificial intelligence company Anthropic sues the Trump administration for labeling it a security-related supply chain risk.Show Notes: Check out Robin's writing on the war in Iran Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

President Donald Trump wants to dramatically change how Americans vote, and to make that happen he's holding all other legislation hostage until Congress passes the SAVE America Act. The bill would require that Americans prove citizenship via a passport or a birth certificate to register to vote. Make no mistake: Trump wants America to pay the price for the election he lost to Joe Biden in 2020. Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford joins us to explain how states are ready to fight Trump's next moves to restrict voting.And in headlines, Iran finds a new supreme leader in the son of the former one, a federal judge wants to reverse layoffs at the Voice of America, and the Trump administration threatens intervention in Cuba.Show Notes: More about Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford. Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

On Thursday, President Donald Trump fired Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem via a Truth Social post. Her tenure was marked by a photoshoot in a superprison in El Salvador, brutal immigration raids, and the killing of two U.S. citizens killed by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis. It didn't help that she spent $200 million dollars on an ad campaign featuring – wait for it – Kristi Noem. To make sense of Noem's exit and the ongoing war in Iran, we hear from Virginia Democratic Senator Mark Warner, vice chairman of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.And in headlines, the U.S. House rubber stamps Trump's war with Iran, negative public comments flood a hearing about the White House ballroom rebuild, and two dozen states sue the Trump administration over its latest tariffs.Show Notes: Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Three states – North Carolina, Arkansas, and Texas – held primaries Tuesday. The turnout was massive, but so were the stakes, with the balance of power in Congress being decided this year. Texas held the spotlight with record campaign spending during the lead-up and a notable U.S. Senate primary upset by Texas Democratic State Representative James Talarico over Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett. The contentious Senate race between Republican incumbent John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was so tight it triggered a runoff. NOTUS Congressional Reporter Daniella Diaz joins us to sort out what it all means.And in headlines, the Senate votes against a War Powers Resolution, the House Oversight Committee subpoenas Attorney General Pam Bondi over her handling of the Epstein files, and RFK Jr. picks a fight with Massachusetts about sweet drinks at Dunkin'.Show Notes:  Check out Daniella's reporting on the Texas primary Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The U.S.-Israeli war in Iran is sowing death and chaos, surely, but with ship traffic avoiding Iran's shores, the war's also threatening the global economy through higher oil prices. Miles Taylor explains why all this is happening. Taylor served as the chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security in the first Trump administration, where he made waves for writing an Op-ed in the New York Times headlined, “I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration.”And in headlines, the State Department scrambles to help thousands of Americans stuck in the Middle East, Iran continues to retaliate against the U.S.-Israeli attacks, and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem faces tough questions in the Senate.Show Notes: Miles Taylor's writing on whether Trump is creating a financial crisis  Call Congress – 202-224-3121  Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy  What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast   Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/   For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Today, Trump officials brief all of Congress on what, exactly, the administration's objectives are in Iran. Until now, the Trump administration has given conflicting accounts as to why the U.S. attacked Iran on Saturday, and there are many questions members of Congress need to ask. But will they ask them, and will the answers even matter? Nicholas Wu, a congressional reporter for Semafor, explains what Congress is likely to do – and not do.And in headlines, First Lady Melania Trump presides over a United Nations Security Council meeting about protecting children in conflict, a House committee releases videos from the Clintons' Epstein testimony, and it's primary day for voters in three Southern states.Show Notes: Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Over the weekend, the U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes that reportedly hit more than 2,000 targets across Iran. In response, Iran struck sites across the Middle East. What, exactly, is the United States doing in Iran, especially now that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed? Nahal Toosi, senior foreign affairs correspondent and columnist at POLITICO, lays out what's likely to happen next and why it matters.And in headlines, Senator Lindsey Graham insists regime change is not the goal in Iran, Democrats mostly oppose the war (with some notable exceptions), and someone struck it big in a prediction market gamble on when the U.S. would strike Iran.Show Notes: Check out Nahal's latest on the war in Iran Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

On Thursday, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton testified in front of the House Oversight Committee to answer questions during their investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Secretary Clinton said, “I do not recall ever encountering Mr. Epstein,” and referred to the GOP-led committee's handling of the Epstein files as “partisan political theater.” Following her deposition, she told reporters that Republicans asked her about UFOs and the Pizzagate conspiracy theory. Bart Jansen, White House correspondent for USA Today, laid out what we should expect next in the Epstein investigation.And in headlines, the U.S. and Iran hold more indirect talks over Tehran's nuclear program, a federal judge rules that the Internal Revenue Service illegally shared confidential taxpayer data with the Department of Homeland Security, and a new Kansas law invalidates driver's licenses and birth certificates held by some transgender residents.Show Notes: Check out Bart's work – https://www.usatoday.com/staff/2648278001/bart-jansen/ Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Texas Senate primary is already setting records for both Republicans and Democrats, with more than $110 million spent on advertising and reserved ad time. And on the Republican side, where Senator John Cornyn is facing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and U.S. Representative Wesley Hunt, things have gotten incredibly messy. But there's at least one thing those three candidates can agree on: Islamophobic rhetoric. So, why is the Texas GOP laser-focused on Islam? To find out, we spoke with Forrest Wilder. He's a senior writer at Texas Monthly.And in headlines, Surgeon General nominee Casey Means testifies before the Senate Health Committee, South Carolina Republican Representative Nancy Mace hopes to hold lawmakers accountable for sexual harassment violations, and Minnesota Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar's State of the Union guest is arrested after standing up during the President's speech.Show Notes: Check out Forrest's story – https://tinyurl.com/2yep8yk4 Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Trump's State of the Union address had everything — if by “everything,” you mean easily fact-checkable lies. We also got fearmongering and racism about Somali immigrants… Trump's frequently used claim that Democrats can only win elections if they cheat… and a lot of awards for members of the armed services. But his overall message was the same we get every single day on Truth Social in between rants about cable television hosts and misused punctuation: we are the hottest country in the world and everything is awesome and great. So to talk more about the longest State of the Union speech in history, we spoke with two people who were covering it from D.C.: Crooked News Editor Greg Walters and What A Day Newsletter writer Matt Berg.Show Notes: Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

President Trump will deliver the State of the Union address tonight. And spoiler… the state of his particular union isn't great. According to new polling from CNN, Trump's approval rating with Americans is 36%. But – despite everything – Democrats are still not winning over the American people. So how should they respond to tonight's two-hour adventure of non sequiturs, rants, and excessive bronzer? To find out, we spoke to New Jersey Democratic Representative LaMonica McIver. She's delivering a prebuttal to the State of the Union address.And in headlines, the Supreme Court agrees to hear arguments from oil and gas companies hoping to block lawsuits related to climate change, a U.S. district judge permanently bars the release of a report on Trump's alleged hoarding of classified documents, and the U.S. orders some diplomats and their families in Lebanon to leave the country.Show Notes: Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8 What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Supreme Court ruled 6 to 3 on Friday that President Donald Trump overstepped his authority when he invoked sweeping tariffs using a 1970s emergency statute. The decision was a major blow to Trump's tariff policy, which is basically his entire economic agenda. But for Trump, it means just one thing: more tariffs! So to learn what's next for our terrible tariff trajectory, we spoke with David J. Lynch. He's the global economics correspondent at The Washington Post and the author of The World's Worst Bet: How the Globalization Gamble Went Wrong (And What Would Make It Right).And in headlines, the US and Iran prepare for high-stakes talks later this week, Global Entry becomes a casualty of the partial government shutdown, and a check-in on the President's approval ratings before his State of the Union address.Show Notes: Check out David's book – https://a.co/d/08oXFjqU Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8 What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

It's been about a week since the Department of Homeland Security entered a partial shutdown, with Democrats refusing to fund the agency until changes are made to federal immigration enforcement. According to the White House, we are still no closer to a deal. But Democrats are reluctant to budge, and polling shows that most Americans think ICE has gone too far with its enforcement operations. Recent reporting from The Wall Street Journal paints a chaotic picture of DHS under Secretary Kristi Noem. In her colleagues' view, she's prioritized getting photo ops for herself over getting results for the Trump Administration. So for more on DHS scandals and what the future holds for Noem, we spoke with Michelle Hackman, a reporter covering immigration for The Wall Street Journal.And in headlines, President Trump worries America's 250th birthday might be soiled by the smell of feces emanating from the Potomac, former Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor gets arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office related to his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, and the Trump administration alienates MAHA by ramping up pesticide production.Show Notes: Check out Michelle's reporting – https://tinyurl.com/3xfpycmd Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8 What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The IRS has lost tens of thousands of employees since President Donald Trump took office – the result of DOGE, policy differences, last year's government shutdown, and layoffs. Now that we're in tax season, the agency is asking thousands of untrained employees from other departments to help with taxpayer services. Those job cuts and changes could, at best, slow down your refund. At worst, the IRS could be far less able to stop scammers. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is insisting that taxpayers will be getting bigger refunds this year. The problem is, prices on basically everything are still super high – which gives people less of a chance to hold onto that money. And will anyone even remember their tax refunds when they head out to vote in November? For more, we spoke with Vanessa Williamson, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, and author of “The Price of Democracy: The Revolutionary Power of Taxation in American History.”And in headlines, Arizona Republicans want to send ICE officers to polling places, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg takes the stand in a case weighing if social media platforms deliberately addict and harm children, and the Trump administration pushes back against a court order to restore an exhibit on people enslaved by George Washington in Philadelphia.Show Notes: Check out Vanessa's book – brookings.edu/books/the-price-of-democracy/ Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8 What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

U.S. officials met with Iranian envoys in Switzerland Tuesday to negotiate the fate of Iran's nuclear program — and came away with a “set of guiding principles,” according to Iran's foreign minister. But trying to figure out what, exactly, each country wants in these talks is confusing at best. Both President Donald Trump and Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have made not-so-veiled threats of military action toward the other country. So what, exactly, is everyone doing here? Do they want a deal – or a war? To find out, we spoke to Nahal Toosi, the senior foreign affairs correspondent and columnist for Politico.And in headlines, CBS Late Show host Stephen Colbert calls out his own network, President Trump lashes out over a sewage leak in the Potomac River, and Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin is leaving the Trump administration.Show Notes: Check out Nahal's work – www.politico.com/staff/nahal-toosi Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8 What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

It's been about a year since President Donald Trump signed an executive order, "Establishing the President's Make America Healthy Again Commission." Since then, MAHA has brought together a lot of strange bedfellows, ranging from people who want Americans to eat less sugar to others who want to ban the polio vaccine. Which begs the question — what, exactly, is the Make America Healthy Again movement… and is any of it actually making America healthier? To find out, we spoke to Rina Raphael. She's a journalist focused on wellness culture and the author of The Gospel of Wellness: Gyms, Gurus, Goop, and the False Promise of Self-Care.And in headlines, U.S. and Iranian representatives are set to meet today in Switzerland, funding for the Department of Homeland Security expired over the weekend, and former President Barack Obama feeds our inner conspiracy theorist by talking about aliens on a podcast.Show Notes: Check out Rina's work – https://www.rinaraphael.com/ Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8 What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Capitol Hill was surprisingly busy this week. Republicans and Democrats yelled at one another, Republicans yelled at other Republicans, and amazingly, some actual business got done – sort of. But it looks like it wasn't enough to avoid a partial government shutdown. For more on a wild week in Congress, we spoke with Burgess Everett. He's the Congressional bureau chief for Semafor.And in headlines, President Donald Trump is losing to former President Joe Biden in the polls, a federal judge blocks the Pentagon from punishing Arizona Democratic Senator Mark Kelly, and after a long two months, the immigration crackdown in Minnesota is finally ending.Show Notes: Check out Burgess's work – www.semafor.com/author/burgess-everett Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8 What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Department of Justice fumbled yet another attempt to prosecute President Donald Trump's enemies on Tuesday night. This time, it failed to get an indictment of the six Democrats who posted a video in November reminding U.S. troops they have an obligation to refuse illegal orders — no matter who they come from. Colorado Democratic Representative Jason Crow is one of those six lawmakers. We spoke about the investigation, Pam Bondi's Congressional testimony, and how to protect U.S. troops from being targeted by the government they serve.And in headlines, the House votes to rescind the tariffs Trump placed on Canada last year under the authority of a “national emergency,” revised government data shows President Trump's first year in office wasn't actually good for the job market, and Trump has a “very good meeting” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu… even though it sounds like not much happened.Show Notes: Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8 What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Over the past year, the Trump administration has been eliminating policies aimed at slowing down climate change – and now, it may go even further. This week, the Environmental Protection Agency plans to repeal the “endangerment finding” that has been the scientific basis of rules limiting greenhouse gas emissions since 2009. To talk more about this endangerment finding and where the fight against climate change goes from here, we spoke to Leah Stokes. She's an associate professor at UC Santa Barbara where she works on climate and clean energy policy and co-host of the climate podcast, A Matter of Degrees. And in headlines, Department of Homeland Security officials testify before Congress, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick admits to lunching with his kids on Epstein Island, and the Trump administration takes down a rainbow flag at the Stonewall National Monument in New York City.Show Notes: Check out Leah's podcast – https://www.degreespod.com/ Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8 What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Getting justice for Epstein survivors seems impossible in the United States. But in the United Kingdom, the Epstein files could bring down the British government. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing calls to resign after admitting he knew the UK's former Ambassador to the United States, Peter Mandelson, had ties to Epstein when he appointed him in 2024. To unpack how the United Kingdom is reckoning with Epstein, we spoke to Coco Khan, co-host of Crooked Media's Pod Save the UK.And in headlines, Vice President JD Vance becomes the first sitting US Vice President – or President – to visit Armenia, immigration officials are set to testify before the House Committee on Homeland Security, and a new report from CBS News finds that less than 14 percent of people arrested by ICE in the first year of Trump's second term had violent criminal records.Show Notes: Check out Pod Save the UK – https://tinyurl.com/2kvufs9f Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8 What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Sunday was the Super Bowl, which means betting. A lot of betting. And even if you're not a gambler– and even if you don't particularly care about sports, you've probably noticed that in the last few years, sports betting has gone from obscure to nearly omnipresent. But that's not necessarily for the better. According to a 2025 Pew Research Center survey, "43% of U.S. adults say the fact that sports betting is now legal in much of the country is a bad thing for society." So, we spoke with Hannah Vanbiber, a senior editor at The Athletic, to talk about sports betting ahead of Sunday's big game.And in headlines, survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein release a Public Service Announcement, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries says Democrats are ready to shut down the government partially, and the Japanese prime minister's governing party secures a supermajority in parliamentary elections.Show Notes: Check out Hannah's reporting – www.nytimes.com/athletic/author/hannah-vanbiber/ Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8 What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

We're just one week into February, and a lot has happened already — from the fallout over the Department of Justice's Epstein file dump, to President Trump's claims the U.S. should "nationalize" elections, to the decision to pull 700 federal immigration agents out of Minnesota on Wednesday. It's been a lot to follow — so we spoke to Tim Miller. He's writer-at-large at The Bulwark and host of The Bulwark Podcast.And in headlines, lawmakers are nowhere near an agreement to fund the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. and Iran are set to hold nuclear talks in Oman, and the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots face off in Super Bowl LX.Show Notes: Check out The Bulwark  Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8 What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The economy is in pretty much the same weird place it's been for the past few months. Hiring is down, the cost of living is up, and no one really knows what's coming next. That uncertainty is partially thanks to AI, which is supposed to change work as we know it. It's making everyone – from stock traders to white-collar workers – very, very nervous. On this episode, we talk to Stacey Vanek Smith. She's a reporter for Bloomberg Businessweek and co-host of the Bloomberg podcast, Everybody's Business.And in headlines, the Supreme Court signs off on California's new congressional map, President Trump's attempted assassin is sentenced to life in prison, and a group of Minnesota teachers and school districts sue to stop immigration enforcement activity on or near public schools.Show Notes: Check out Everybody's Business Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8 What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

If you haven't been following conservative media for a long time, you might not know that there have actually been many eras of Tucker Carlson. He launched his career in print journalism before landing under the bright lights of Fox News in 2009. That's where he developed his super power – giving his audience exactly what they want, and feeding some of their worst impulses again and again under the glossy veneer of respectability. New Yorker staff writer Jason Zengerle first met Carlson back in the 1990s and has been following his career ever since. His new book, "Hated by All the Right People: Tucker Carlson and the Unraveling of the Conservative Mind," examines Carlson's evolution and the media's. We spoke with Zengerle about Carlson's past and what his shifting priorities reveal about American politics.And in headlines, the House narrowly passes a spending bill to end the partial government shutdown, Renee Good's brothers testify before Congressional Democrats, and a U.S. fighter jet shoots down an Iranian drone.Show Notes: Check out Hated by All the Right People: Tucker Carlson and the Unraveling of the Conservative Mind Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8 What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Monday that all federal officers in Minneapolis will now wear body cameras. She also said the program would expand nationwide "as funding is available." The push for body cameras is a key Democratic demand to end the partial government shutdown. It also comes on the heels of major concerns over DHS immigration tactics. In January alone, two U.S. citizens were shot and killed by federal immigration agents in Minnesota. Radley Balko has been covering law enforcement misconduct for decades. We spoke to him about how federal immigration enforcement's actions feel different – and what worries him most.And in headlines, Bill and Hillary Clinton agree to testify before Congress about their ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, RFK Jr. announces an initiative to address homelessness and substance abuse in eight unspecified cities, and the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt reopens – potentially offering hope for thousands of Palestinians.Show Notes: Check out Radley's piece – https://tinyurl.com/2s3fcbz8 Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8 What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/

President Trump is still not over the fact that he lost the 2020 presidential election to Joe Biden, which might be why last Wednesday, the FBI executed a search warrant on an election facility in Fulton County, Georgia. Agents seized hundreds of boxes containing ballots and other documents related to the 2020 election. But this raid is just one of many ways the President has challenged the American election system since taking office a year ago. With the midterms just months away, we spoke with Marc Elias, the founder of the voting rights news and election-tracking site Democracy Docket.And in headlines, the government is partially shut down as Congress debates reining in immigration enforcement, the Trump administration does damage control after the latest and largest batch of Epstein files, and the five-year-old boy and father detained by immigration officers in Minnesota have been released.Show Notes: Check out Democracy Docket – www.democracydocket.com/ Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8 What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Senate Democrats were ready to shut down the government Friday night in order to get much-needed reforms to ICE and Border Patrol — but they didn't need to. On Thursday, they made a deal with Republicans and the White House to fund most of the federal government for the rest of the fiscal year. The Department of Homeland Security, however, will only be funded for two weeks while Senators negotiate some guardrails for ICE. So what happens now? To find out, we spoke with Virginia Democratic Senator Tim Kaine on Thursday just before Senate Democrats announced their deal.And in headlines, President Trump hopes for Iranian regime change, the Justice Department files federal charges against the man accused of attacking Minnesota Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar, and activists ask Americans to skip school, work, and shopping Friday to protest ongoing ICE operations.Show Notes: Call Congress – 202-224-3121Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Minneapolis is still under ICE's thumb — and contrary to the Trump Administration and some media reports, ICE has not “de-escalated” in the Twin Cities. Multiple media outlets have reported no real change in Department of Homeland Security activity — but the communities in Minneapolis are still standing up to the Trump Administration, using every peaceful tool at their disposal to do so. For more, we spoke to Alex Wagner, host of Crooked's Runaway Country podcast, who is reporting from Minneapolis.And in headlines, Secretary of State Marco Rubio testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the FBI raids a Georgia election office infamous to conspiracy theorists for its role in “rigging” the 2020 election, and Democrats are apparently ready to pass every bill in the massive funding package before the Senate — except for the DHS portion.Show Notes:Check out Runaway Country – https://tinyurl.com/ykf6fs5cCall Congress – 202-224-3121Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

U.S. Secretary of State and National Security Adviser Marco Rubio is expected to publicly testify Wednesday about what exactly the U.S. has planned for Venezuela. But the next potential target of the Trump administration's imperialist adventuring might be even closer to home. Ending Cuba's communist regime — which has controlled the island since 1959 — is the dream of thousands of Cuban-Americans. And now, thanks in part to Rubio, it's a serious goal of the White House. So, to talk more about South Florida's influence on American politics at home and abroad, we spoke with Patricia Mazzei. She is the Miami bureau chief for The New York Times. And in headlines, U.S. population growth slowed significantly between the summers of 2024 and 2025, Democratic efforts to redistrict in Virginia are stunted by a state court, and TikTok agrees to settle a landmark social media addiction lawsuit just before trial. Show Notes: Check out Patricia's piece – https://tinyurl.com/2cxz46rbCall Congress – 202-224-3121Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

There's a massive funding package making its way through Congress this week. It includes funding for the Department of Homeland Security, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol, and must pass by Friday for the government to remain fully open. But that's looking less and less likely. After the killing of Alex Pretti, Senate Democrats and their allies are saying that they are willing to risk a government shutdown to get policy changes. To talk more about Homeland Security, a potential shutdown, and what Democrats in Congress can do to stop ICE, we spoke with Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin. Later in the show, we talk to Monica Byron, president of Education Minnesota, about how educators are dealing with the surge in ICE activity. And in headlines, U.S. warships arrived in the Middle East on Monday and Iran is warning of all-out war, Israel recovers the remains of the last hostage in Gaza, and Goodwill stores are breaking revenue records. Show Notes: Call Congress – 202-224-3121Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On Saturday, Alex Pretti – a 37-year-old registered nurse at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Minneapolis – was shot and killed by Border Patrol agents. It's the third shooting in three weeks by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis. And as violence from federal law enforcement becomes increasingly more common, it begs the question – who is joining these agencies? A few months ago, freelance journalist Laura Jedeed applied for a job with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. And she got a final offer, despite not doing the required paperwork and undergoing what she put as “minimal” vetting. We spoke to Laura before the shooting of Pretti about her background, the ICE recruitment process, and what questions she still has.And in headlines, a partial government shutdown looms as Senate Democrats vow to oppose a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security, Trump threatens a new tariff on Canada if the country makes a free trade deal with China, and California steps up after President Trump pulls the U.S. out of the World Health Organization. Show Notes: Check out Laura's Substack – www.firewalledmedia.com/Call Congress – 202-224-3121Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Former special counsel Jack Smith testified before the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday about the steps President Donald Trump and his allies took to overturn the 2020 election and to foment the January 6th insurrection. Smith did this knowing that he is already at the top of Trump's enemies list — which the President is increasingly using the Department of Justice to prosecute. For more on the Trump administration's latest investigations, we spoke with Ken White. He's a former federal prosecutor and criminal defense attorney who hosts the legal podcast, “Serious Trouble.”And in headlines, Vice President JD Vance arrives in Minnesota to “tone down the temperature a little bit,” Trump establishes the Gaza ‘Board of Peace' as an official international organization, and the White House Twitter account gets caught being dishonest.Show Notes: Check out Serious Trouble – https://www.serioustrouble.show/Call Congress – 202-224-3121Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After meeting with NATO allies in Davos, Switzerland, President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to announce “the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region.” He also said he would not be imposing the tariffs he threatened against eight European countries less than a week ago — which is probably good, because Americans did not want him to mess with Greenland. But that's not the President's only unpopular stance. We're one year into Trump's second term in the White House, and his polling numbers are subterranean across the board. To talk more about Trump's numbers, we spoke to Dan Pfeiffer. He's the host of Crooked Media's Pollercoaster podcast and co-host of Pod Save America.And in headlines, the Supreme Court casts doubt on Trump's efforts to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, the Department of Homeland Security announces a new ICE operation in Maine, and Former Special Counsel Jack Smith is expected to testify in front of the House Judiciary Committee today.Show Notes:Check out Pollercoaster –https://crooked.com/podcast-series/pollercoaster/Call Congress – 202-224-3121Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.