Author: LaMonica McIver, Dan Pfeiffer, Jon Favreau

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What A Day - The First American Pope

We have a new pope, and he’s from Chicago! On the second day of the papal conclave Thursday, Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church, taking the name Pope Leo XIV. He’s the first American citizen to hold the position, but he also spent two decades serving in Peru, before the late Pope Francis chose him for an influential post at the Vatican. Pope Leo XIV now has a very, very big job leading the world’s 1.36 billion Catholics amid major tensions within the church, between those aligned with Francis’ efforts to make the church more inclusive and those who think those efforts have undermined Catholic tradition. Christopher White, Vatican correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter and author of the forthcoming book ’Pope Leo XIV: Inside the Conclave and the Dawn of a New Papacy,’ tells us more about the new pope’s selection and what we can expect from his papacy.

And in headlines: President Donald Trump unveiled his first big new trade deal with… the United Kingdom, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy announced plans for a much-needed update to the nation’s air traffic control system, and former President Joe Biden defended his time in office during an interview with The View.

Show Notes:

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Pod Save America - Pope Save America

White smoke! Cardinal Robert Prevost, an American-born prelate with a surprisingly political Twitter history, dons the papal vestments as Pope Leo XIV. Trump announces a trade deal with the United Kingdom and swaps out two key nominees for MAGA (and MAHA) favorites: tree-loving influencer Casey Means for Surgeon General, and Fox News’s Jeanine Pirro for US Attorney for DC. Senate Democrats clash with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and FBI Director Kash Patel over the constitutional right to due process. And President Joe Biden attempts to rehabilitate his reputation, going on The View to talk about why he believes he would've won the 2024 election. Jon and Dan discuss MAGA's reaction to our new, possibly woke pope, House Republicans' internal debate over Medicaid cuts, and why Democrats should be honest about Biden's decline. Then, Jon talks to Leah Litman, co-host of Strict Scrutiny, about the Trump administration's attacks on the judicial system and her new book Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad Vibes.

 

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

 

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What A Day - Congress, U Up?

Over the past few months, you might have been wondering to yourself, “Hey! The president of the United States is running roughshod over the rights of millions of Americans! Where the heck is Congress?” From shirking its constitutional power to regulate tariffs to Republican in-fighting over President Donald Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill,’ Congress has been a bit M.I.A. In fact, in his first 100 days back in office, Trump signed fewer bills into law than any new president going back to Eisenhower in the 1950s. So… what gives? Annie Grayer, a senior reporter covering Capitol Hill for CNN, gives us the low-down on what Congress has been up to.

And in headlines: A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from deporting a group of Asian migrants to Libya, the Federal Reserve kept interest rates steady because of tariff uncertainty, and India and Pakistan escalated their decades-long tensions over the disputed Kashmir region.

Show Notes:

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What A Day - Elon Musk Go!

Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and, depending on whom you ask, the perceived head of the Department of Government Efficiency, is taking a big step back from his role in the federal government. He’s doing so amid sinking international popularity, both as a political figure and as a businessman. But let’s be real here: Musk is still a billionaire many times over, and the Department of Government Efficiency really did put multiple government agencies — and the careers of tens of thousands of government employees — into a metaphorical wood chipper. Brian Barrett, executive editor of news at Wired Magazine, explains what Musk’s time in power has meant for average Americans.

And in headlines: The Supreme Court let President Donald Trump’s ban on trans troops in the military take effect for now, Trump had an awkward Oval Office sit down with Canada’s prime minister, and the Department of Justice asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit seeking to limit access to the abortion drug mifepristone.

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What A Day - Netanyahu Threatens to Escalate War In Gaza

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that Israel was 'on the eve of a forceful entry to Gaza.' His announcement came just hours after his security cabinet approved a plan to seize and occupy the Gaza Strip indefinitely and move hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to Gaza's southern region. It also came less than two weeks before President Donald Trump is scheduled to head to the Middle East for talks with Arab leaders. Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council where he heads the 'Realign For Palestine' project, talks about what Israel's threats of escalation mean for the people living in Gaza.

And in headlines: The White House said it wants to pay undocumented migrants $1,000 to voluntarily self-deport, Trump said he wants to make Hollywood great again by levying tariffs on films produced outside the U.S., and nearly two dozen states sued the administration over its cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services.

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Pod Save America - Trump’s Trade War Hits Hollywood

Donald Trump turns his attention westward, announcing new tariffs on any and all movies "produced in foreign lands" and pledging to reopen Alcatraz. In a long Meet the Press interview, the president admits that a recession would be "okay," defers to his lawyers when asked about his duty to uphold the Constitution, and doubles down on his message that American children have been spoiled with too many dolls, pencils, and strollers. Jon, Lovett, and Tommy discuss the absurdity of tariffing foreign films, how Trump's toy gambit has cost him the support of Karl Rove, and deliver another Corrupdate on Trump's memecoin scam. Then, Tommy talks to Chasten Buttigieg about his new children's book, Papa's Coming Home, and his husband Pete's journey to do battle in the manosphere.

 

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

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Strict Scrutiny - Will SCOTUS Sign Off on Religious Charter Schools?

Is this the term when the Court says “see ya” to the Establishment Clause? Leah, Melissa and Kate consider that question in their recap of this week’s religious charter school case, Oklahoma Charter School Board v. Drummond. Also covered: Advocate Lisa Blatt’s run-in with Neil Gorsuch during oral arguments for a disability rights case, opinions concerning SSI benefits and the Department of Transportation, and the Trump administration’s absurd investigation into the Harvard Law Review.

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What A Day - Project 2025: Trump’s 100-Day Blitz

While President Donald Trump struggles to convince the American public his tariffs are worth sacrificing for by prattling on about how kids these days have too many dolls and pencils, his administration has managed to build a solid track record of executing on some wide-reaching plans. Just not plans that Trump came up with. Of course, we’re talking about Project 2025, the nearly 1,000-page policy blueprint from the far-right think tank The Heritage Foundation. David Graham, staff writer at The Atlantic, has been tracking how the administration has been using Project 2025 to reshape America for his new book ‘The Project.’ He joins us to talk about it.

And in headlines: Trump told NBC ‘I don’t know’ when asked whether he’s required to uphold the constitution, the president signed an executive order to strip funding from NPR and PBS, and jury selection is scheduled to begin today in the federal sex trafficking and racketeering case against rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs.

Show Notes:

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Pod Save America - Has the Media Surrendered to Trump? (feat. Chuck Todd)

Chuck Todd, former moderator of Meet the Press and host of The Chuck ToddCast, joins Dan to assess how the news media has responded to Trump 2.0. His read? Not great. He and Dan lament cable news' tired playbook, discuss Craigslist's indirect role in electing Donald Trump, and question whether broadcast news may be in the early stages of a kleptocracy. Then, turning to the Democratic Party, Chuck and Dan debate which fights Democrats should focus on, what voters will want from the party in 2028, and whether the right is exploiting President Biden's decline to undermine the left's faith in journalism.

 

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

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What A Day - Mike Waltz Loses Job, Gets A New One

National Security Advisor Mike Waltz on Thursday became the first major ouster of President Donald Trump’s second term… kind of. Rumors of Waltz’s imminent firing swirled in the morning, only for Trump to later announce he plans to nominate Waltz to be the next ambassador to the United Nations. Waltz had reportedly been on thin ice with the White House for weeks now, after he included the editor in chief of The Atlantic in a Signal group chat where imminent military plans were discussed among some of the most senior members of the administration. Jake Traylor, White House reporter for Politico, joins us to explain Waltz’s ouster as NSA and the possibility of other “transitions” within Trump’s Cabinet.

And in headlines: Former Vice-President Kamala Harris gave her first major public address since leaving office, the Department of Justice sued Hawaii and Michigan over their plans to sue fossil fuel companies for harms caused by climate change, and a federal judge barred the Trump administration from using the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans in South Texas.

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