Trump's Revenge Leads to Republican Revolt

Episode of 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.

Summary

Jon Favreau and Dan Pfeiffer opened with Senate Republicans' growing resistance to President Trump after his primary wins against Bill Cassidy and Thomas Massie. They covered the $1.776 billion Justice Department fund that could pay January 6 rioters, Trump's demand for $1 billion in ballroom security funding, and the Senate's advance of a War Powers Resolution on Iran. Pfeiffer called the fund a politically disastrous move and predicted Congress would attach at least nominal restrictions. The hosts also argued that Trump's late endorsement of Ken Paxton over John Cornyn in the Texas Senate runoff improved Democrat James Talarico's chances.

The hosts then turned to the DNC's release of its 192-page 2024 autopsy, which chair Ken Martin conceded fell below his standards. Pfeiffer described the process as a management failure compounded by misleading statements and called for Martin to step down. Favreau pointed to the DNC's weak fundraising compared with other party committees. They also reviewed a New York Times poll of Democratic-leaning voters on ideology, electability, Israel and socialism, condemned antisemitic Texas House candidate Maureen Galindo, and joked about Trump's uncertain attendance at Donald Trump Jr.'s wedding.

In the interview segment, Matt Mahan pitched himself to Tommy Vietor as a results-focused Democrat willing to challenge his own party's establishment. He cited his San Jose record on housing, crime and homelessness. Mahan proposed converting California's gas tax into a flat fee and said two Republicans advancing from the jungle primary was nearly impossible. He opposed the proposed billionaire wealth tax, favoring changes to capital gains and inheritance rules instead. He also outlined an AI accountability plan, defended his tech donors, discussed how he would handle Trump differently from Gavin Newsom, and suggested targeted reforms to Proposition 13.

Chapters

3:15
The January 6 slush fund
Favreau and Pfeiffer discuss the $1.776 billion DOJ fund that could pay January 6 rioters and the Senate Republican backlash that cancelled the ICE funding vote.
19:29
Ballroom funding and Trump's building projects
The hosts discuss the parliamentarian ruling against ballroom security money, Trump's proposed arch and his other renovation projects.
24:32
Iran war powers and peace talks
The Senate advances a War Powers Resolution, and the hosts assess repeated cycles of near-deals and threats with Iran.
28:02
Trump endorses Paxton over Cornyn
Pfeiffer argues Trump's endorsement of Ken Paxton makes the Texas Senate seat more winnable for James Talarico.
34:41
The DNC 2024 autopsy fiasco
The hosts criticize the released DNC autopsy and Ken Martin's handling of it, and Pfeiffer calls for Martin to resign.
47:06
New York Times poll of Democratic voters
Favreau and Pfeiffer analyze poll results on which direction Democrats want the party to move, electability, Israel and socialism.
1:00:28
Texas 35th district runoff
The hosts condemn candidate Maureen Galindo's antisemitic posts and a mysterious Republican-linked super PAC supporting her.
1:03:23
Trump and his son's wedding
The hosts react to Trump saying he may skip Donald Trump Jr.'s wedding.
1:07:13
Matt Mahan makes his case
Mahan presents his San Jose record, his gas tax proposal and his view of the polls and California's jungle primary.
1:18:24
Wealth tax and tax loopholes
Mahan explains his opposition to the proposed billionaire tax and his preferred capital gains and inheritance reforms.
1:22:45
Tech, AI and donors
Mahan discusses AI regulation, data centers, his tech-industry donors and the influence of tech money in politics.
1:34:40
Newsom, Trump and Proposition 13
Mahan describes how he would confront Trump, his emphasis on visible problems, and targeted Prop 13 reforms.

Key points

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

Dan Pfeiffer
Pfeiffer argues the fund for January 6 defendants is so politically damaging that even Republican senators recognize it.
“It is a move so bad that even Republican senators can figure out that it's bad politically”
Listen from 7:50 · January 6 compensation fund
Jon Favreau
Favreau argues the fund has no oversight or accountability and its payouts may never be disclosed.
“There's no oversight, no accountability over this fund whatsoever. We may never know who they pay, how much they pay them”
Listen from 10:46 · January 6 compensation fund
Dan Pfeiffer
Pfeiffer expects Congress to attach at least a token restriction on the fund to the ICE funding bill.
“I would be surprised if this bill passed without some measure of something that at least is a putative fig leave of restriction on the slush fund”
Listen from 15:03 · January 6 compensation fund
Dan Pfeiffer
Pfeiffer argues Trump's attacks on Republican incumbents are angering senators and reducing the party's chances of keeping the Senate majority.
“he's making in almost all of these cases, he's making it less likely they keep the majority”
Listen from 15:50 · 2026 United States midterm elections
Dan Pfeiffer Prediction · due Dec 2026
Pfeiffer predicts Congress will not approve ballroom security funding this year.
“It doesn't seem like they're going to be able to get money out of Congress for this this year”
Listen from 21:49 · White House ballroom project
Jon Favreau
Favreau argues successive U.S.–Iran peace drafts amount to little more than ceasefire extensions.
“each new draft of the peace proposal looks less like peace and more like a meaningless extension of a ceasefire”
Listen from 26:03 · United States war with Iran
Dan Pfeiffer
Pfeiffer argues Paxton is a weaker general-election candidate than Cornyn.
“Ken Paxton is by every measure less electable than John Cornyn”
Listen from 29:28 · 2026 United States Senate election in Texas
Dan Pfeiffer
Pfeiffer argues the national environment, candidate quality and opponent all favor Talarico more than they favored Beto O'Rourke in 2018.
“I think on all three measures, this is better for Tallarico than it was for Beto”
Listen from 33:21 · 2026 United States Senate election in Texas
Jon Favreau
Favreau argues the fundraising gap with Republicans is specific to the DNC rather than affecting the whole Democratic Party.
“So it's not a Democratic party wide problem, fundraising problem. It's a DNC problem”
Listen from 39:12 · Democratic National Committee
Dan Pfeiffer
Pfeiffer argues Ken Martin should resign as DNC chair because he cannot repair the trust lost over the autopsy.
“this is why I think Ken Martin should step down. I think this is a bridge too far. He cannot repair the trust here”
Listen from 40:57 · 2024 DNC autopsy
Dan Pfeiffer
Pfeiffer says the poll shows Democratic voters have adopted the view that the party lost in 2024 by being too far left.
“the narrative that Democrats lost because we were too far to the left, too woke, too liberal has taken hold among Democrats”
Listen from 49:22 · 2026 United States midterm elections
Dan Pfeiffer
Pfeiffer argues Democratic voters want bold economic and health care change even as they favor moderation on some issues.
“there is an appetite for big, bold ideas on the economy and healthcare. And people want real change”
Listen from 53:07 · 2026 United States midterm elections
Matt Mahan
Mahan argues he is the only Democrat in the race with a record of challenging his party's establishment to deliver results.
“I'm the only Democrat in the race who has a track record of challenging the establishment within my own party to make our government deliver for people”
Listen from 1:08:18 · 2026 California gubernatorial election
Matt Mahan
Mahan argues California's gas tax is regressive and should be converted into a flat fee that EV owners also pay.
“I've argued that the gas tax in California has become the most regressive tax that affects people living in the kinds of communities I grew up in”
Listen from 1:09:59 · Gas prices and inflation
Matt Mahan
Mahan blames special-interest capture, such as construction defect litigation, for California building few condos.
“So the city of Miami builds more condos every year than the entire state of California”
Listen from 1:12:54 · 2026 California gubernatorial election
Matt Mahan Came true
Mahan predicts two Republicans will not advance from California's June gubernatorial primary.
“It is almost statistically impossible for two Republicans to get through”
Listen from 1:16:19 · Nonpartisan blanket primary
Matt Mahan
Mahan opposes the proposed billionaire wealth tax, arguing it would drive out capital and ultimately hurt the middle class.
“when it comes to this wealth tax, the concern I have is it's going to punish the middle class in California”
Listen from 1:19:41 · California billionaire tax proposal
Matt Mahan
Mahan argues an inheritance tax that ends the stepped-up cost basis is a better way to tax wealth.
“The best wealth tax is a one-time inheritance tax when you pass things on”
Listen from 1:21:57 · California billionaire tax proposal
Matt Mahan
Mahan argues new data centers should pay the full cost of their infrastructure and energy and use clean energy and recycled water.
“any new data center needs to pay the full cost of the infrastructure they require, the full cost of energy”
Listen from 1:24:06 · Artificial intelligence regulation
Matt Mahan
Mahan says his tech-industry donations have never led him to favor Silicon Valley employers over San Jose residents.
“I have never done one thing to benefit the biggest employers in Silicon Valley over the people of San Jose”
Listen from 1:28:56 · Artificial intelligence regulation
Linked moment · 1:38:55Skip to 1:38:55 using a listen link in the info box.
Matt Mahan
Mahan proposes letting older residents keep their Prop 13 tax benefit when they downsize, to free up housing.
“we should enable older residents to take their property tax benefit with them if they downsize so that we can free up that housing stock”
Listen from 1:38:55 · California Proposition 13

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
Tommy VietorCo-host of Pod Save America and Pod Save the World who conducted the Josh Turek interview
Matt MahanMayor of San Jose and candidate for governor of California

Discussed

Todd BlancheDeputy Attorney General named acting Attorney General
Chris Van HollenDemocratic U.S. senator from Maryland
Bill CassidyRepublican U.S. senator from Louisiana defeated in a primary
Thomas MassieKentucky congressman facing a Trump-backed primary challenge
John ThuneSenate Republican leader mentioned in relation to shutdown negotiations
Mitch McConnellRepublican U.S. senator from Kentucky
Ken PaxtonTexas Attorney General and Republican Senate nominee
John CornynIncumbent Republican U.S. senator from Texas
James TalaricoDemocratic Senate nominee in Texas
Ken MartinChair of the Democratic National Committee
Paul RiveraAuthor of the DNC's 2024 autopsy report
Brian FitzpatrickRepublican congressman who voted against a bill criminalizing certain care for trans minors
Maureen GalindoDemocratic candidate in Texas's 35th district runoff
Johnny GarciaSheriff's deputy and Democratic candidate in Texas's 35th district runoff
Donald Trump Jr.Son of Donald Trump, reportedly discussed as Apprentice host
Jake LangPardoned January 6 defendant planning to apply to the fund
Gavin NewsomGovernor of California, cited for his 2018 primary strategy
Joe LonsdalePalantir co-founder and Republican donor who gave to Mahan
Beto O'RourkeFormer Texas congressman who ran against Ted Cruz in 2018

Topics

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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.
Trump and Pod Save America Agree: JD Is Lame
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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.
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.
Shady California Vote Counting, and Dems' Platner Hypocrisy, with Sohrab Ahmari and Sean Davis, Plus James Patterson on Patriotism | Ep. 1333
The Megyn Kelly Show · Jun 5, 2026 · 1 h 43 min
Megyn Kelly, Sohrab Ahmari and Sean Davis discuss California's slow vote count, allegations against Graham Platner and the Karmelo Anthony trial, then James Patterson and Matt Eversmann discuss Rocket's Red Glare.

From the publisher

So much for Trump's iron grip on the party. Just days after Thomas Massie's defeat, Republicans in the Senate and House begin to buck Trump on his top priorities: ballroom funding, the taxpayer-funded slush fund for his allies, and the war in Iran. Could it be that his surprise endorsement of Ken Paxton over John Cornyn in the Texas Senate primary didn't help matters? Faced with mounting leaks, the DNC finally releases its 2024 autopsy — an incoherent, error-riddled mess that Chairman Ken Martin admits was a failure from the start. The New York Times releases new polling data on what Democrats think the party needs to do to win in 2028. Then, California gubernatorial candidate Matt Mahan talks to Tommy about the race and his record as mayor of San Jose. 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