The dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development continued Thursday. Multiple news outlets reported the Trump administration plans to retain fewer than 300 agency staffers — out of more than 10,000 worldwide. Millions of the world’s poorest people rely on on the foreign aid agency for basic needs like food, medication and water. But that hasn’t stopped Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, from trying to feed USAID “into the wood chipper.” Lindsay Branhum, a humanitarian filmmaker who’s worked on USAID-funded conflict resolution programs all over the world, explains what the cuts mean for people on the ground.

And in headlines: DOGE turns to A.I. in its quest to dismantle the federal government, the Justice Department sues the state of Illinois and Chicago over sanctuary city laws, and rapper Kendrick Lamar prepares to headline the Super Bowl Halftime Show.

Show Notes:

• Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8
• Support victims of the fire – votesaveamerica.com/relief
• 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

Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, has seemingly been waging a personal war on the federal government via his Department of Government Efficiency. In the last few weeks, he and his team have urged millions of federal workers to resign, fed the U.S. Agency for International Development 'into the wood chipper,' and gotten access the Treasury Department’s secure payment system. And on Wednesday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Musk's DOGE team would soon ‘plug in’ to the air traffic control system. Charlie Warzel, a staff writer at The Atlantic covering tech and media, says Musk's actions amount to 'an administrative coup.'

Later in the show, Crooked Media’s news editor, Greg Walters, shares stories from federal workers dealing with the fallout.

And in headlines: The White House does damage control over Trump’s plans for the U.S. to ‘take over the Gaza Strip,’ the president signed yet another executive order targeting trans kids, and Scotland says it’s not banning cats.

Show Notes:

• Check out Charlie's piece – https://tinyurl.com/2dmjvnhu
• Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8
• Support victims of the fire – votesaveamerica.com/relief
• 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 a little over two weeks into President Donald Trump’s second term, and already his foreign policy doctrine could be generously described as “all over the place.” From threatening to levy huge tariffs on our close allies only to delay them at the last minute to dismantling foreign aid efforts alongside the world’s richest man to now volunteering the U.S. to take control of Gaza, it’s all been a bit hard to keep up with. Ben Rhodes, former deputy national security advisor to President Obama and co-host of Crooked’s ‘Pod Save the World,’ stopped by the studio to talk about the ripple effects of Trump’s early foreign policy decisions.

And in headlines: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard inched closer to Senate confirmation, The Trump administration is preparing an executive order to dismantle the Department of Education, and a D.C. Superior Court judge handed over The Proud Boys’ trademark to a Black church that had been vandalized by members of the far-right group.

Show Notes:

• Check out Pod Save The World – https://tinyurl.com/mrapf4a4
• Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8
• Support victims of the fire – votesaveamerica.com/relief
• 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

As of Monday evening, President Donald Trump’s promised tariffs on Canada and Mexico are on hold for at least 30 days. But that could all change as the Trump administration continues to negotiate with U.S. allies. Scott Lincicome, Vice President of General Economics and Trade Policy at the Cato Institute, tells us what a trade war is and how it affects all of us.

And in headlines: Democrats put out a 10-part plan to “push back against the far-right extremism,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he’s the acting director of USAID, and President Trump signed an executive order to create a sovereign wealth fund.

Show Notes:

• Check out Scott's book: cato.org/books/defending-globalization
• Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8
• Support victims of the fire – votesaveamerica.com/relief
• 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

Thousands of trans people serving in the armed forces are worried that their careers are in real peril after President Donald Trump signed an executive order that could ban them from the military. Army veteran Laila Ireland tells us about her experience as a trans service member and what she’s doing to fight back.

And in headlines: Trump signed an order imposing tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China, The Department of Justice fired more than a dozen federal prosecutors, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Panama.

Show Notes:

• Check out SPARTA: https://spartapride.org/
• Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8
• Support victims of the fire – votesaveamerica.com/relief
• 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

An American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas, and an Army helicopter on a routine training flight collided over the Potomac River late Wednesday night. While investigators spent Thursday trying to piece together what happened, President Donald Trump took the opportunity to blame the tragedy on... Democrats and D.E.I. It was the latest outrage in too many to count since Trump took office not even two weeks ago. Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin joins us to talk about what Democrats can do to counter Trump’s onslaught of horrifying nonsense.

Later in the show, Crooked Idea's climate correspondent Anya Zoledziowski shares some good news about Trump’s anti-climate orders.

And in headlines, Tulsi Gabbard and Kash Patel got their chance to flail in front of senators during their respective confirmation hearings, Secretary of State Marco Rubio says he’s headed to Panama amid Trump’s threats to retake the Panama Canal, and a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas continues to hold.

Show Notes:

• Checkout Anya's work: Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8
• Support victims of the fire – votesaveamerica.com/relief
• 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 on Wednesday signed the Laken Riley Act, a new law that requires law enforcement to detain undocumented immigrants who are accused – not convicted – of committing a crime. During the signing ceremony, Trump also announced his intent to sign an executive order to send migrants to a detention facility at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. It all comes amid a very public push by the administration to show Americans it's very serious about cracking down on illegal immigration, even as the details remain a little opaque. Michelle Hackman, a reporter covering immigration for The Wall Street Journal, breaks down what's actually happening.

And in headlines: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. flails in his first confirmation hearing to be the next health secretary, The Trump administration walks back its order to freeze federal funds for grants and loans… maybe? And former Sen. Bob Menendez was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison.

Show Notes:

• Check out Michelle's work – wsj.com/news/author/michelle-hackman
• Support victims of the fire – votesaveamerica.com/relief
• 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

A federal judge late Tuesday paused a sweeping order from the Trump administration to temporarily freeze trillions of dollars in federal grants and loans. It was welcome news amid a day of total chaos that left everyone from lawmakers to hospital administrators to preschool teachers scrambling to figure out what the hell the administration’s Monday night directive meant for them. White House officials spent the day insisting the funding pause was legal, even as they were forced to clarify its scope throughout the day. Casey Burgat, director of the Legislative Affairs program at George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management, explains why the administration faces an uphill legal battle defending it's order.

And in headlines: Newly confirmed Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem wants everyone to know she’s a ‘Hot Mama,’ the Trump administration offers deferred resignation to government employees, and President Donald Trump signed another executive order targeting trans people.

Show Notes:

• Check out Casey's podcast Mastering The Room – https://tinyurl.com/34rsv7xy
• Support victims of the fire – votesaveamerica.com/relief
• 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