Trump Sabotages Trump Agenda

Episode of Pod Save America · June 26, 2026 · 1 h 34 min

Jon Favreau and Dan Pfeiffer discuss Trump canceling a housing bill signing, DSA wins in New York primaries, and JD Vance, then Favreau interviews Texas gubernatorial nominee Gina Hinojosa.

Summary

Jon Favreau and Dan Pfeiffer opened with Donald Trump's last-minute cancellation of the signing ceremony for a bipartisan housing affordability bill, which he tied to congressional passage of the SAVE America Act requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote. Pfeiffer argued the move stepped on Republicans' best message and that the SAVE Act could not pass and would hurt Republicans if it did; Favreau noted it would burden lower-income voters. They also discussed Trump's contentious lunch with Senate Republicans, including a clash with Bill Cassidy, and the administration's $88 billion Iran war funding request.

The hosts then turned to New York's primaries, where three Mamdani-endorsed candidates won House primaries, including Brad Lander over Dan Goldman and Darializa Avila Chevalier over Adriano Espaillat. Pfeiffer called it a warning sign for the Democratic establishment and cited polling on rising liberal identification and favorable views of socialism among Democrats. Favreau distinguished Lander and Claire Valdez from Avila Chevalier, whose positions on prisons, borders and an October 8, 2023 rally he called indefensible. They also assessed left-wing candidates in Michigan and Wisconsin primaries.

The hosts mocked JD Vance's remark to Ross Douthat that tonal arguments police working-class communication, an anecdote from the book Regime Change about Rupert Murdoch rating Vance below Marco Rubio, and an awkward appearance on Usha Vance's children's reading series.

In the interview, Gina Hinojosa described her background on the border and in the Texas House, accused Greg Abbott of a "corruption tax" tied to donors and school vouchers, and proposed a back-to-basics education plan centered on teacher pay. She discussed Latino voters, border security and asylum, the New World screwworm outbreak, and argued the race was pivotal because the Texas governor could veto redistricting maps.

Chapters

1:17
Introduction
Favreau and Pfeiffer preview the episode and plug subscriber content.
2:25
Trump cancels housing bill signing
The hosts discuss Trump tying the bipartisan housing bill to the SAVE America Act and why it hurts Republicans.
11:19
Senate GOP lunch and Iran war funding
Trump's clash with Bill Cassidy, Senate Republicans' silence on the SAVE Act, and the $88 billion war supplemental are examined.
23:15
New York primary results
The hosts react to three Mamdani-endorsed candidates winning House primaries and to reactions from Carville, Mamdani and Jeffries.
29:51
The Avila Chevalier controversy
Favreau criticizes Darializa Avila Chevalier's positions and urges Democrats to distance themselves from them.
35:16
What the establishment freakout is about
Pfeiffer analyzes anti-establishment anger, the party's leftward shift and polling on socialism.
49:16
Upcoming left-wing primary challenges
The hosts assess electability debates in the Michigan Senate and Wisconsin governor primaries.
55:31
JD Vance's charm offensive
The hosts mock Vance's tone-policing remark to Ross Douthat and Murdoch's rating of him.
Linked moment · 1:02:22Skip to 1:02:22 using a listen link in the info box.
1:02:22
Vance on Storytime with the Second Lady
The hosts riff on Vance's awkward knee pat with Usha Vance.
1:06:35
Gina Hinojosa's background and case against Abbott
Hinojosa describes her upbringing, entry into politics and the 'Greg Abbott corruption tax.'
1:18:12
Public schools and vouchers
Hinojosa explains school closures, vouchers and her back-to-basics teacher-pay plan.
1:23:19
Latino voters and immigration
Hinojosa discusses the Latino vote, border security, asylum reform and Biden's handling of the border.
1:29:47
Screwworm and redistricting stakes
Hinojosa faults Abbott on the screwworm outbreak and argues Texas redistricting makes her race nationally crucial.

Key points

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

Dan Pfeiffer
Pfeiffer argues that Trump's cancellation undercut both Republicans' good message and Democrats' bad news cycle.
“Donald Trump just minutes beforehand sent out an insane truth, canceling the signing ceremony, stomping on both the Democrats' bad message, the Republicans' good message”
Listen from 5:40 · SAVE America Act
Jon Favreau
Favreau argues the SAVE America Act would likely hurt Republicans by making registration harder for lower-income voters.
“actually this bill would probably hurt Republicans because it would make it harder for the lower income Americans, many of whom vote for Donald Trump”
Listen from 6:32 · SAVE America Act
Dan Pfeiffer
Pfeiffer faults Senate Republicans and John Thune for not telling Trump the SAVE Act cannot pass.
“None of them would say it to Trump's face, which is why they're in this mess to begin with, which is a pure sign of weakness and failure from John Thune”
Listen from 12:49 · SAVE America Act
Dan Pfeiffer
Pfeiffer argues the $88 billion war supplemental is politically toxic given polling that most think the war was not worth the cost.
“in that CVS poll, 69% of people think the war hasn't been worth the cost. We haven't even paid the $88 billion yet”
Listen from 16:47 · United States war with Iran
Dan Pfeiffer
Pfeiffer notes that House incumbents almost always win renomination, making two losses in one night significant.
“from 1946 to 2024, more than 98% of incumbents have won renomination”
Listen from 26:27 · 2026 New York Democratic primaries
Dan Pfeiffer
Pfeiffer argues the results are a warning that establishment endorsements may now be a liability.
“There's a giant warning sign for the Democratic establishment here, where the support of people like Schumer or even Akeem Jeffries is really not an asset in your campaign”
Listen from 26:27 · 2026 New York Democratic primaries
Jon Favreau
Favreau argues Democrats should plainly say Avila Chevalier's current views are indefensible.
“the answer is easy and important to give, which is that she currently holds a range of views that go from moronic to abhorrent”
Listen from 30:35 · 2026 New York Democratic primaries
Dan Pfeiffer
Pfeiffer identifies Israel and Gaza as one of three drivers of anti-establishment anger, especially in the Lander-Goldman race.
“And then the third reason is Israel and Gaza. And that was obviously particularly prominent in the Landor-Goldman race”
Listen from 38:06 · 2026 New York Democratic primaries
Jon Favreau
Favreau argues favorable views of socialism reflect disillusionment with capitalism more than support for socialism.
“I do think it is more of a commentary on capitalism and the failures of capitalism, at least how people have felt that in their own lives, than a love of socialism”
Listen from 41:34 · Socialism in American public opinion
Jon Favreau
Favreau contends voters remain angry at the Democratic establishment for losing to Trump in 2024.
“that they're still mad that the Democratic establishment fucking lost to Trump again”
Listen from 43:55 · 2026 United States midterm elections
Dan Pfeiffer
Pfeiffer says there is no clear evidence that nominating Hong or El-Sayed would doom Democrats.
“But I can't look at those races and say, if we nominate Hong or Abdul, we're certainly going to lose”
Listen from 49:58 · 2026 Michigan Senate Democratic primary
Jon Favreau
Favreau rejects Vance's claim that criticism of tone is elitist, questioning when Christian charity became an elite preference.
“I'm also not sure when loving thy neighbor and Christian charity became an elite preference”
Listen from 57:52 · JD Vance tone policing remarks
Dan Pfeiffer
Pfeiffer argues Vance is a pure elitist posing as an anti-elitist.
“there is nothing more elitist than saying that basically telling someone not to be a dick to their fellow citizens is anti-working class”
Listen from 59:03 · JD Vance tone policing remarks
Gina Hinojosa
Hinojosa argues Texas policy is driven by donors, which she calls the Greg Abbott corruption tax.
“It is policy that is driven by moneyed special interests, and I refer to it as the Greg Abbott corruption tax”
Listen from 1:07:42 · 2026 Texas gubernatorial election
Gina Hinojosa
Hinojosa says polling shows her gaining name recognition and narrowing Abbott's lead.
“since the end of last year, my name ID has gone up 20 points. We went from nine points down to five points down”
Listen from 1:13:42 · 2026 Texas gubernatorial election
Gina Hinojosa
Hinojosa ties Abbott's voucher push to a record donation from billionaire Jeff Yass.
“So Greg Abbott received $12 million, the largest campaign contribution in all of Texas history from an out-of-state billionaire, Jeff Yaz, who has a financial interest in vouchers”
Listen from 1:19:14 · School vouchers in Texas
Gina Hinojosa
Hinojosa proposes a back-to-basics education agenda focused on raising teacher pay.
“So I'm proposing a back to basics approach where we pay teachers their worth”
Listen from 1:21:01 · School vouchers in Texas
Gina Hinojosa
Hinojosa argues that matching Beto O'Rourke's 2018 Latino share would be enough for her to win.
“When I get 64% of the Latino vote, I win because there are more of us in the voting population than there were then”
Listen from 1:24:50 · 2026 Texas gubernatorial election
Gina Hinojosa
Hinojosa argues current enforcement makes Texans less safe, citing unprosecutable child abuse cases in Harris County.
“the district attorney in Harris County will say he has child sex abuse cases that he cannot prosecute because the witnesses have been detained or deported”
Listen from 1:26:48 · Illegal immigration to the United States
Gina Hinojosa
Hinojosa criticizes Biden for avoiding the border issue until it became unmanageable.
“there is no question that Biden avoided the issue and did not deal with it until it was out of control”
Listen from 1:29:30 · Illegal immigration to the United States
Gina Hinojosa
Hinojosa blames Abbott for failing to press the Trump administration on the screwworm threat.
“I lay this on the lap of Abbott, that he could not communicate with the Trump administration the urgency”
Listen from 1:31:07 · New World screwworm outbreak
Gina Hinojosa
Hinojosa argues that planned Republican redistricting in Texas would cost Democrats five congressional seats.
“Republican leaders have already said they're going to draw new lines next year, we lose five Democrats in Congress under a new map with no rules”
Listen from 1:31:55 · Redistricting in the United States

People

In the conversation

Jon FavreauCo-host of Pod Save America and former speechwriter for President Barack Obama
Dan PfeifferCo-host of Pod Save America, author of the Message Box newsletter, and former White House communications director
Gina HinojosaDemocratic nominee for governor of Texas

Discussed

Mike JohnsonSpeaker of the House, blamed by the hosts for not bringing the Senate DHS bill to the floor
Bill CassidyRepublican U.S. senator from Louisiana defeated in a primary
John KennedyRepublican U.S. Senator from Louisiana
John ThuneSenate Republican leader mentioned in relation to shutdown negotiations
Anna Paulina LunaU.S. Representative who signed the letter requesting release of UAP videos
Brad LanderFormer New York City comptroller who won the NY-10 primary
Dan GoldmanIncumbent NY-10 congressman defeated in the primary
Adriano EspaillatNew York congressman and Congressional Hispanic Caucus chair who lost his primary
Darializa Avila ChevalierDemocratic socialist organizer who won the Harlem-Bronx House primary
Claire ValdezDemocratic socialist who won New York's 7th District primary
Abdul El-SayedDemocratic Senate nominee in Michigan
Mallory McMorrowMichigan state senator running for U.S. Senate
Francesca HongDSA Wisconsin state representative running for governor
Rupert MurdochMedia mogul cited as pushing for the war
Marco RubioU.S. Secretary of State who defended the Iran campaign at a cabinet meeting
Greg AbbottRepublican governor of Texas
Beto O'RourkeFormer Texas congressman who ran against Ted Cruz in 2018
James TalaricoDemocratic Senate nominee in Texas
Jeff YassBillionaire investor and charter school donor
Bernie SandersU.S. Senator from Vermont who discussed mail-in ballots before the 2020 election

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From the publisher

Donald Trump cancels the signing of a landmark bipartisan housing bill at the last minute, saying he won't approve it until Congress passes the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and photo ID to cast a ballot. Jon and Dan react to the President's decision and the Republican caucus's angry reaction to it, then turn to Tuesday's primary elections, where three DSA-aligned candidates won in New York City, and discuss JD Vance's attempts to charm Rupert Murdoch … and his own wife. Then, Gina Hinojosa, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee in Texas, stops by the studio to talk to Jon about what it'll take to unseat Governor Greg Abbott. 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 29, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.

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