Trump and Pod Save America Agree: JD Is Lame

Episode of Pod Save America · June 2, 2026 · 1 h 36 min

Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett and Tommy Vietor discuss Trump's abandoned slush fund, Iran talks, California, Iowa and Maine primaries, and JD Vance; Senator Andy Kim describes Delaney Hall.

Summary

The hosts opened with Scott Pelley's confrontation with Bari Weiss at CBS, then mocked Trump's Fox interview about his White House ballroom and Kevin Hassett's claim that higher consumer spending signaled optimism. They reviewed court losses for the administration, including rulings on the Kennedy Center and the $1.8 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund," which officials signaled was being dropped; Lovett and Favreau argued Democrats should force Republicans to vote on a permanent ban. On Iran, Vietor criticized Trump's remark that talks had become "boring" and faulted outlets for relaying administration spin about an imminent deal, while Lovett predicted any eventual agreement would resemble the JCPOA.

The hosts previewed primaries in Iowa, where Josh Turek and Zach Wahls competed for the Senate nomination, and California. Lovett and Vietor said they would vote strategically for Tom Steyer for governor to force a Democrat-versus-Democrat runoff with Xavier Becerra, while Favreau said he voted for Katie Porter. All three backed Nithya Raman for Los Angeles mayor while acknowledging her campaign struggles, and discussed Spencer Pratt's populist appeal and a likely "red mirage" in slow California counts.

They discussed new reports that Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner had exchanged sexual messages with women after his marriage, debating the cumulative effect of his scandals and the question of trust. They then laughed over a New York Times report that Trump doubts JD Vance's presidential stature. In the interview, Senator Andy Kim described conditions at the GEO Group-run Delaney Hall ICE detention center in Newark, including inadequate medical care, spoiled food and rushed court dockets, his confrontation with staff, and being caught in pepper-ball fire while standing between ICE agents and protesters. He outlined amendments on medical staffing, investigations and de-escalation training.

Chapters

Linked moment · 1:11Skip to 1:11 using a listen link in the info box.
1:11
Intro and the CBS 60 Minutes meeting
The hosts preview the episode and joke about Scott Pelley accusing Bari Weiss of killing 60 Minutes.
3:12
Trump's ballroom and economic messaging
The hosts mock Trump's Fox interview about the ballroom and Kevin Hassett's and Scott Bessent's upbeat spin on consumer spending.
8:07
Court losses and the slush fund
Judges block Kennedy Center plans and the $1.8 billion fund, which the White House signals it will drop, and Democrats plan a ban vote.
14:24
Iran negotiations
The hosts criticize Trump's indifference to talks and media outlets repeating administration spin about a deal.
23:54
Iowa Senate primary
Vietor profiles Josh Turek and Zach Wahls and the hosts discuss Schumer's influence in the race.
28:21
California governor's race
Each host explains his vote among Steyer, Porter and Becerra.
33:49
Los Angeles mayoral race and ballot counting
The hosts back Nithya Raman, critique Karen Bass and Spencer Pratt, and warn of a red mirage in slow counts.
48:25
Graham Platner sexting reports
The hosts debate the political impact of new reports about Platner and the cumulative trust problem.
1:04:00
Trump's doubts about JD Vance
The hosts react to a New York Times report on Trump questioning Vance as a 2028 frontrunner.
1:11:08
Andy Kim on Delaney Hall
Senator Kim describes detention conditions, his confrontation with GEO Group and ICE, and his proposed reforms.

Key points

What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.

Tommy Vietor
Vietor argues that Hassett's framing is out of touch because spending more on necessities does not indicate optimism.
“Spending more on gas and groceries does not suggest that you're optimistic about the future”
Listen from 5:53 · Gas prices and inflation
Jon Lovett
Lovett argues Democrats should force Republicans to vote publicly on opposing the slush fund now and in the future.
“i think democrats need to get republicans on record that they would oppose having this kind of a slush fund be legal now or in the future”
Listen from 9:56 · January 6 compensation fund
Tommy Vietor
Vietor says the New York Times account of how the fund came together looked like evidence of criminal conspiracy.
“But it read like the blueprint for a future RICO case”
Listen from 10:45 · January 6 compensation fund
Tommy Vietor
Vietor says Trump calling the Iran talks boring should have been career-ending given the war's human and economic costs.
“It's just hard to wrap your head around a politician saying that, a president saying that, and it not being a career ending moment”
Listen from 16:18 · United States war with Iran
Jon Favreau
Favreau argues the White House's public pre-spinning of a deal is likely hurting negotiations with Iran.
“I don't think that all the pre spinning of what the deal is going to include from the White House is actually helping the negotiations”
Listen from 17:47 · United States war with Iran
Jon Lovett
Lovett expects any eventual Iran deal to resemble the JCPOA while Trump brands it the best ever.
“hopefully there will be a deal. It will look something like the JCPOA. And then Trump will declare it the best the best deal in history”
Listen from 19:41 · United States war with Iran
Tommy Vietor
Vietor reports that many Iowa political operatives see Turek as more electable due to his wins in conservative areas.
“A lot of people I know who work in Iowa politics think he is more electable because he's won in more conservative parts of the state”
Listen from 24:59 · 2026 United States Senate election in Iowa
Jon Lovett
Lovett says he will vote for Steyer strategically to produce a Democrat-versus-Democrat runoff rather than Becerra against a Republican.
“I would much rather have two Democrats battling it out for the future of the Democratic Party in this state than I would have Becerra versus a Republican”
Listen from 29:12 · 2026 California gubernatorial election
Tommy Vietor
Vietor says Katie Porter is his ideal governor but he voted strategically because she trails in polls.
“if I could wave a magic wand and make someone governor, it would be Katie Porter”
Listen from 30:02 · 2026 California gubernatorial election
Jon Favreau
Favreau says he voted for Katie Porter despite recognizing it was the least strategic choice.
“I just voted for Katie Porter because I like her and it's like I realized that she has it is the least strategic head”
Listen from 30:47 · 2026 California gubernatorial election
Jon Lovett
Lovett argues that Republican and populist openings in Los Angeles reflect Democratic failures on policy and candidate quality.
“the fact that there's an opening speaks to the failure of Democrats, both on policy, but also just as candidates”
Listen from 36:14 · 2026 Los Angeles mayoral election
Tommy Vietor
Vietor says Bass's absence during the fires and the city's poor communication drove his vote for change.
“it wasn't just that Mayor Bass was out of the country when the fire started, although that was extremely bad and kind of, in my view, was hard to forgive”
Listen from 37:46 · 2026 Los Angeles mayoral election
Jon Favreau
Favreau warns that late-counted California ballots will likely produce an early Republican-leaning red mirage.
“high probability that this will have a red mirage in the voting as the returns come in, especially this year”
Listen from 44:56 · 2026 California gubernatorial election
Tommy Vietor
Vietor predicts Platner's campaign will weather the sexting reports and advises less criticism of the press.
“I think Platner's campaign can weather this. They will likely weather this. I would recommend less criticism of the media for covering the story”
Listen from 49:53 · 2026 United States Senate election in Maine
Jon Favreau
Favreau argues that the accumulating Platner stories create a trust problem he must work to address before November.
“there is a trust issue now that could become a bigger trust issue”
Listen from 57:00 · 2026 United States Senate election in Maine
Jon Lovett
Lovett rejects comparisons to pushing Biden out, saying Platner's polls do not show he cannot win.
“Nobody can make that argument right now based on the polls around Graham Platter. They just can't”
Listen from 1:03:55 · 2026 United States Senate election in Maine
Tommy Vietor
Vietor argues Trump benefits either way from his successor's fate, claiming credit for a win and blaming a loss on his absence.
“if they win, Trump will say, that's because of me. If they lose, he'll say, can't win without Trump”
Listen from 1:06:46 · 2028 Republican Party presidential primaries
Jon Lovett
Lovett says Vance likely has more influence in the Trump administration than Harris had under Biden.
“Vance probably has more power in the Trump administration than Kamala Harris did in the Biden administration, I would say”
Listen from 1:07:28 · 2028 Republican Party presidential primaries
Andy Kim
Kim reports that one immigration judge had 74 cases in a day, calling the process a farce.
“this one judge had 74 cases before her in just one day. I did the back of the napkin math. That's about five minutes per case”
Listen from 1:13:20 · Delaney Hall Detention Center
Andy Kim
Kim suggests the poor conditions are deliberate, intended to pressure detainees into giving up their cases.
“You can't help but think this is the point, that they are trying to make things so bad For the detainees there”
Listen from 1:16:32 · GEO Group
Andy Kim
Kim recounts that the GEO Group head at the facility called him a liar when told guards had denied him entry.
“He said, you're a liar. He just literally to my face called me a liar”
Listen from 1:18:29 · GEO Group
Andy Kim
Kim says the facility has a single full-time doctor for roughly 800 detainees and calls for surging medical support.
“Right now, they have one full-time doctor for about 800 detainees”
Listen from 1:29:15 · Delaney Hall Detention Center
Andy Kim
Kim says every Republican on the Homeland Security Committee voted against his amendment requiring de-escalation training for ICE and CBP.
“every single Republican on the Homeland Security Committee voted against my amendment”
Listen from 1:30:27 · U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

People

In the conversation

Jon FavreauCo-host of Pod Save America and former speechwriter for President Barack Obama
Jon LovettCo-host of Pod Save America; diarization split of the same speaker during the economics segment
Tommy VietorCo-host of Pod Save America and Pod Save the World who conducted the Josh Turek interview
Andy KimDemocratic U.S. senator from New Jersey

Discussed

Scott PelleyCBS News correspondent for 60 Minutes
Bari WeissEditor-in-chief of CBS News, criticized by Wagner over ratings
Kevin HassettTrump administration economic official
Scott BessentU.S. Treasury Secretary who criticized Sanders' AI panel
Scott JenningsConservative commentator who praised the Iran deal
Josh TurekIowa state legislator, Paralympic gold medalist in wheelchair basketball, and Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Iowa
Zach WahlsIowa state senator and Turek's rival for the Democratic Senate nomination
Chuck SchumerSenate Democratic leader
Tom SteyerDemocratic candidate for governor of California and billionaire investor
Katie PorterDemocratic candidate for governor of California
Xavier BecerraFormer U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary and California attorney general running for governor
Steve HiltonRepublican candidate for governor of California and former Fox News host
Karen BassMayor of Los Angeles, referenced regarding city-level policy conflicts
Nithya RamanLos Angeles city councilmember and democratic socialist mayoral candidate
Spencer PrattReality TV personality running for mayor of Los Angeles
Graham PlatnerPresumptive Democratic nominee for Senate in Maine
Genevieve McDonaldFormer Platner campaign staffer turned critic
Janet MillsGovernor of Maine who suspended her Senate campaign
JD VanceVice President of the United States
Susie WilesWhite House chief of staff
Marco RubioU.S. Secretary of State who defended the Iran campaign at a cabinet meeting
Markwayne MullinSecretary of Homeland Security
Mike PenceFormer US vice president who certified the 2020 election result on January 6, 2021

Topics

Cage Match Inside the White House
Pod Save America · Jun 12, 2026 · 1 h 41 min
Jon Favreau and Alex Wagner discuss Trump's Iran deal claims, inflation remarks, White House infighting and the Epstein saga, then Ron Brownstein analyzes the 2026 midterm map.
Trump's Versailles on the Potomac
Pod Save America · Jun 5, 2026 · 1 h 20 min
Jon Favreau and Alex Wagner discuss Trump's building projects, the J6 slush fund, ICE detention, Blanche and Pulte nominations, California primaries, Graham Platner, 60 Minutes, and Favreau's mistaken UFC invite.
50 Shades of Legal Gray
Pod Save America · May 24, 2026 · 1 h 5 min
Alex Wagner and Norm Eisen discuss Trump's $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund, IRS audit immunity, stock trades, construction projects, and legal and electoral pushback.
Brandi Carlile helps us say goodbye to Bill Kurtis!
Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! · May 23, 2026 · 47 min
Peter Sagal and panelists Negin Farsad, Luke Burbank, and Paula Poundstone play news games with guest Brandi Carlile as Bill Kurtis ends his 12-year run.
Trump's Revenge Leads to Republican Revolt
Pod Save America · May 22, 2026 · 1 h 42 min
Jon Favreau and Dan Pfeiffer discuss Republican resistance to Trump's priorities and the DNC's 2024 autopsy, and Tommy Vietor interviews California gubernatorial candidate Matt Mahan.
Have Republicans Already Blown the Midterms?
Pod Save America · Oct 18, 2026 · 1 h 11 min
Dan Pfeiffer and Cook Political Report's Amy Walter assess the 2026 midterm landscape two weeks out, covering Senate and House races, polling, Trump, and redistricting.

From the publisher

Donald Trump thinks JD Vance is a bit of a loser and he's worried he may not be presidential enough to be the 2028 Republican nominee, according to The New York Times. After a series of court losses, the White House signals that it's about to ditch its $1.8 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund." Trump is reportedly "getting very bored" with the Iran negotiations. Democratic voters head to the polls to decide a series of contentious primaries in California and Iowa. Then, Senator Andy Kim talks to Jon about the atrocious conditions at Newark's Delaney Hall Detention Center. 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, episode title, and episode date.

Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on September 28, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.

Categories: Politics·News Commentary