• Bill Maher on Hating Donald Trump, the Far Left and 69ing
    Feb 23 2025

    Bill Maher, the revered—and often reviled—political commentator, comedian, and host of the Club Random podcast and Real Time with Bill Maher, goes head to head with Lovett over wokeism, government fraud, and trans rights. A self-described liberal, Maher’s been hating on Democrats since before Joe Biden made it cool. He and Lovett debate whether Democrats have changed too much, the discourse around Israel and Gaza, and who should have a say over gender-affirming care. Is Maher peddling the right's propaganda, or is this the tough love Democrats need to face Trump 2.0?

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    1 hr and 16 mins
  • Is Trump's Honeymoon Over?
    Feb 21 2025

    Donald Trump and Elon Musk make their bromance official in a joint interview with Sean Hannity, but polls suggest the American people may already be souring on DC's new it-couple. Trump takes his feud with Volodymyr Zelenskyy to dangerous new levels, calling Ukraine's leader a "dictator." And, after claiming he wouldn't cut Medicaid, Trump sides with the House GOP on a massive reconciliation bill that would do just that. Jon and Dan discuss how Trump is reshaping our relationship with Russia and the world, the potential political ramifications of cutting entitlements, and the latest with the DOGE firings. Then, Dan is joined by former federal prosecutor Andrew Weissmann to talk about the Justice Department purges, the prospects for the corruption case against Eric Adams, and more.

    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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    1 hr and 15 mins
  • Trump's Shocking Cuts to Air Safety and Nuke Inspection
    Feb 18 2025

    Donald Trump fires thousands of government workers, including people who make sure America's skies are safe and nukes are secure. Negotiators from the US and Russia prepare to meet in Saudi Arabia about ending the war in Ukraine, even though Ukraine and the European community won't be at the table. Elon Musk and DOGE continue to force their way into access to incredibly sensitive government systems—this time at the IRS. And Trump's Justice Department drops the corruption case against New York Mayor Eric Adams in an obvious quid pro quo. Jon and Tommy discuss how the administration is justifying Trump's actions at home and abroad and why Democrats need to focus on the potentially horrendous consequences. Then, Tommy is joined by legendary sports commentator-turned-pundit (and potential 2028 presidential candidate) Stephen A. Smith to talk about reaching young men and what he thinks Democrats are doing wrong.

    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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    1 hr and 26 mins
  • Is Elon a Drag on Trump?
    Feb 14 2025

    Elon Musk holds a rambling Oval Office press conference and admits that he and DOGE will make mistakes as they rampage through our government, even as congressional Republicans move forward with a budget that promises massive cuts to healthcare, education, and food assistance to pay for Trump's tax cuts for billionaires. Jon and Dan discuss whether Musk's antics could undermine Trump's agenda, what the Senate's confirmation of RFK Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard means for the GOP, and the White House's attacks on the press. Then, they debut a new segment: "Wait, Did That Really Happen?," featuring this week's most absurd scenes. Later, Lovett sits down with Rohit Chopra, recently forced out as Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, to discuss why Trump and Musk are so determined to shut down the CFPB, and what it means for the rest of us.

    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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    1 hr and 26 mins
  • Will Trump Defy the Courts?
    Feb 11 2025

    Federal judges are starting to do something most elected Republicans won't: say no to Donald Trump and Elon Musk. The question now is, will Trump obey their orders? Jon, Lovett, and Tommy break down all the latest, including new onslaughts against the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the National Institutes of Health, and new allegations of Trump family grift. Then, Jon sits down with Strict Scrutiny's Leah Litman to unpack how Trump is testing the limits of presidential power and pushing constitutional guardrails to the brink.

    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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    1 hr and 38 mins
  • How the Right Took Over the Media
    Feb 9 2025

    Ben Smith, former media columnist at the New York Times and now the editor-in-chief of Semafor, joins Dan to talk about today's ultra-challenging news media landscape. The industry is significantly weaker than it was in 2016, and Trump's aggressive lawsuits have the executives in charge of CBS and ABC scrambling to appease him. Will the death blow for America's free press come from within? Smith runs through what we should have learned from the first Trump presidency, how cults of personality rule in journalism just like they rule in politics, and why the dominance of the Times is terrible for fascism-proofing the country.

    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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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • Trump's War on the U.S. Government
    Feb 7 2025

    Donald Trump and Elon Musk continue their all-out assault on the federal government, shuttering USAID, rooting out and firing workers linked in any way to diversity initiatives, and breaking and ignoring laws as they go. Jon and Dan hash out all the latest, including Trump's plan to have the US "own" and redevelop Gaza, Democratic pushback, and whether federal judges will step in to stop—or at least slow—the madness. Then, Tommy talks with Sen. Brian Schatz about Democrats' all-night floor fight against Trump's OMB pick, what they think is working, and how they're gearing up for the big battles ahead.

    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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    1 hr and 29 mins
  • Elon Musk's Nerd Coup
    Feb 4 2025

    With Donald Trump's blessing, Elon Musk and a small crew of inexperienced software engineers take near full control of the government, moving to shut down USAID and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and taking control of a critical payment system at the Treasury Department. Trump delays his trade war with Canada and Mexico by a month after securing minor concessions that were probably already in the works. Meanwhile, congressional Democrats begin to push back harder—though whether it'll be enough is still an open question. Jon, Lovett, and Tommy break down all the latest, and Lovett speaks with former Obama and Biden economic adviser Brian Deese about just how bad things could get if a real trade war kicks off over the next four years.

    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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    1 hr and 29 mins