Trump Crashes Out As Birthday Blows Up In His Face - On Sunday

With a heavy heart, I bring the news that today is still Donald Trump's birthday.And as we all know, that means the president of the United States is gearing up to throw himself a UFC cage fight birthday party on the South Lawn of the White House.But here's the thing.it's going to be a catastrophe.And I don't mean that politically, I mean it meteorologically.The forecast is 90 degrees and 90 % humidity, with a 46 % chance of thunderstorms, and an open -air octagon, which means there is a real chance that the President of the United States' big, strongman birthday spectacle will get rained out by God himself.

And oh boy, are we praying.But guess what else?there's a 100 % chance of bugs.That's a real stat.Axios reported it.So Donald Trump's acolyte, Dana White, has literally lined the cage with industrial fans to blow the gnats off of fighters.

For this octogenarian's birthday, the failing, aging king, decaying in real time, has decided to throw himself a giant blood sport party on the palace lawn to prove that he's still strong.And the heavens respond by sending a heat wave.thunderstorm and a literal plague of insects down on top of him.Does it make a difference that the Mad King is also basically covered in boils?Pretty biblical for someone who is clearly the Antichrist.Even Joe Rogan, who is going to be there, of course, thinks it's insane.

He said that he would never have approved this because, get this, none of the politics, just the fact that you can't have a championship fight in a swamp because someone is going to win or lose from the slipping of their own sweat.Only 16 % of Americans?Yeah, they disagree with Joe.They think this is a great idea.Only 16.Really awesome poll, Donald.

Nobody wants this.Nobody.this.One of the fighters who Donald Trump personally added to the card, Derek Lewis, he went on record with the Wall Street Journal and said, and I quote, we can distract the American people from all that's going on.What exactly are we supposed to be distracted from?Oh, yes, just the fact that, you know, inflation hit a three -year high, gas and groceries, they're just exploding right now in cost.

And when a reporter asked Donald Trump about all this earlier this week, what did he say?Well, quite frankly, I love inflation.So he's openly building a swamp coliseum to take your mind off of it while you're struggling to survive day to day.But here's why this all actually makes a ton of sense.As idiotic as it is, this falls right into the same category as the $400 million gold ballroom where the East Wing used to be.The 250 -foot Arc de Triomphe knockoff, the Timu Gilded Oval Office, the Rose Garden turned into a parking lot.

and of course so on and so on of all the other bad Trump construction projects.They're calling it beautification of Washington, D .C., of America.But really, this is Trumpification.He is carving his name into the capital city in marble and gold, and it's painfully obvious why a dying man, an obvious decline, is spending his last years obsessed with building permanent monuments to himself.

A source close to Trump told CNN the whole point of the ballroom is that it's, quote, the only thing they can't tear down.The ballroom has a steel drone -proof roof and an underground bunker six stories deep with its own military hospital.Does anyone else think that the first thing you do when you really plan to leave office is to start building your indestructible underground bunker?Yeah, I didn't think so.If he makes it to the end of his term, which is like 50 -50 at this point, he is clearly not planning on leaving.He still denies that he lost in 2020, he's already pre -denying the next election, while putting independent journalists like Brian Tyler Cohen and David Pakman on an official White House media enemies list.

So it's very clear to me, and I'm sure to you, that we cannot sit around and expect the man to politely pack up and leave when it's his time to go.He has told us in marble and in concrete and in his enemies list that he has no intention of going.He is going to have to be removed.We are going to have to rip him out of that office the same way that right now they are ripping his name off the side of the Kennedy Center.And that begins by calling out all of his fuck -ups, all of his crimes, and, of course, his delusions.And there are few guests better today for this show at doing exactly that.

We have Governor Wes Moore of Maryland, Congresswoman Yasemin Ansari of Arizona, and my dear friend Tommy Vitor of PodSafe America.They join me and you right now on Sunday.Governor Westmore, thank you as always for joining me in this time on Sunday.I tell you, I'm liking the Sunday threads, man.I've been thinking maybe we dress it up a little bit, but this was certainly because Because you were joining me, I had to look a little nice, because it's always difficult to compete with you.But speaking of things that do look good, two of us, let's hop in with the news of the day of something that doesn't look good, and that is the UFC fight that is happening on the South Lawn later tonight.

Now, of course, it is Donald Trump's birthday, and thus the time -honored tradition of spending lots of taxpayer money is in order, but this also comes as people are generally Not really happy about it, a new Ipsos poll had one third of Republicans, only one third supporting it.What was your first thought when you heard that?this was an idea?And now that you're seeing it, what do you think the takeaway from the night is going to be?

Honestly, I was pissed off because I love UFC.And I'm like, And it's now there's a poisonous about something that I like.I enjoy watching Sean Strickland.I enjoy watching, you know, I enjoy watching Joshua Vann.I enjoy, you know, I enjoy people like Bones Jones.Like, I enjoy UFC.

Like, I work out.You know what I'm saying?Like, seriously, like, it's like, I I work out and where I love like boxing and doing MMA and like to but to now know that that's how taxpayer dollars are being used in a way that is just deeply, you know, almost like phallic is, it's just crazy to me and know that that we should be spending time and he should be spending time fighting.He should be spending time fighting the fact that inflation is the highest it's been in three years.He should spend his time fighting the fact that gas prices have gone up over $1 .60 in the past nine weeks.He should be fighting the fact that we are now seeing how it is impossible for people to be able to buy homes in the neighborhoods they live in, because everything now, cost of materials, cost of labor, everything is more expensive, that energy prices have spiked.

So I'm like, listen, if you're going to spend time fighting, fight on the things that we actually care about.And so I was, I wasn't, I wasn't happy because like, you know, you were watching UFC, but I'm not going to watch this because I will be sitting there pissed off because I know that this is now happening as a tribute to a person.We're getting hurt.

It's also interesting because the people who will tune in, not to, you know, exactly just put all the UFC fans in one bucket, but you know, there is a certain demo, which is the reason that, you know, Trump doesn't get booed as much as he did at MSG when he shows up to UFC fight.But the demo of people who usually tune in are kind of the, like, get the politics out of my sports kind of people.Like, do you think anyone enjoying is really going to like the fact, like, do you think the broad majority of people are just going to be annoyed with this?

I think the broad majority of people are the ones who you just mentioned.It's like the reason that I'm watching sports is because that's my relief.And that's my release.That I'm watching because I want to see how my hometown team does, or I want to see how this athlete that I really enjoy watching does.That's why oftentimes people will get into sport, because it is a release for them.It's a release for me.

And so I don't think people like when you have this mixture, when you have this combination.And so, you know, from what I heard, he's actually giving away tickets.He's giving away tickets to people who we know will root for him, which is on brand.

Did you see that reporting about like the height to waist?It wasn't even height to weight.It was the height to waist ratio that troops who are going to be in attendance had to fit.Like he wanted them slim thick if they were going to show up.Did you see that?Like that, that they were, you had to hit certain measurements to go.

I didn't see that.Um, and it's almost like, listen, you know, Thank you.Thank you for this goes back to the idea.Thank you for your service should actually mean something.And so if you're like, listen, thank you for your service.So we're gonna have you attend.

You know, we want to get you tickets to a UFC fight.I'm like, that's, that's, that's cool.Right?Thank you for your service.service should not mean attend my birthday party.Look a certain way and then cheer for me.

That's not thank you for your service.That's thank you for your servitude.

Yeah.

And I don't think that that's how military personnel should be used.

And that's kind of been the broader story, though, of the Trump presidency.Like, it's been about subservience to Trump, to Hegseth, kind of his word is bond.Do you think that that's seeping in right now?Obviously, the military is an institution set up to keep that from happening.But do you think in some way it is?Like, are you worried?

Obviously, we should be worried about that.But, you know, someone with your background, do you think it is breaking through in any way?

Well, I think that the thing that we continue to remind folks who are in and again, I, I still have so much love and respect for those who are still willing, willing to raise their hand.And, and I, and I respect the fact that they're not raising their hand to a person that none of us did.Right.We raised our hand and we took an oath to the constitution.that we raised our hand and took an oath that we would protect and defend this country against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that we took an oath that we would follow the lawful orders of our commander in chief, that we took an oath that we were going to make sure we're protecting each other, our brothers and sisters to our left and to our right.The thing that I have been and continue to be really concerned about is there seems to be a bit of confusion.

in this administration about who we took an oath to and what we took an oath for.The people who will still stand up and protect this country, protect our values, protect our future, protect us so we could live safe and freely, that's still a beautiful and an admirable something that we should all always be celebrating.However,the thing I do see with this, uh, you know, with this, uh, with this crew is, um, the, the, the fealty is towards an individual and an ideology.And it is not towards the, you know, the, the, you know, larger commitment to the constitution and to our national greatness.When you're watching promotion lists being scrubbed based on ideology, when you're watching promotion lists being scrubbed based on background.

That's not how the military should function.And so I think we're watching a deep deviation that's going to need a lot of rebuild when all is said and done.

How much of it do you think stems from just the insecurity that Pete Hegseth feels as like a human being?Like, not even in his job, there's been lots of reporting about the paranoia that has led to work not getting done at the Pentagon out of fear that Hegseth will be fired, or you will be fired, or they'll investigate you and make you take a polygraph test.How much of it, though, do you think just comes from him as a person being deeply insecure?

I've never met him, so I can't really speak to who he is as a person.But I can tell you, I can speak to people's actions.And what I'm seeing in the actions is that you want to have, as a leader, you want to have the best around you, right?You want to have people who are not just going to have, quote unquote, your back, but are going to have the back of your mission and the back of everything you're trying to accomplish.And that means you're going to have people around you that won't always agree with you, that are going to push back, that are going to let you know when the decision you make is not the best one.And that's not insecurity.

That's trust.security.That's actually means you have the right people around you.And so I just think that when we are watching, for example, that we are now in this conflict in Iran, that nobody can explain what we're doing.Nothing has been articulated to the American people.We've been asked to sacrifice in terms of how much money is now being pumped into this conflict.

But no one is no one's explaining for what and what becomes a larger objective.And how was military action the prerequisite?We've had a president who now on dozens of occasions have said we are this close to having the conflict being complete.We've had a secretary of state who has said the conflict is complete.So even the administration can't even get the story right.And so I just think that, you know, from a secretary of defense, that the secretary of defense has an obligation.

to be able to explain to the Commander -in -Chief what it is that we are doing, why we are doing it, and that understanding that our military can do anything, but our military should not be asked to do everything.And so when I'm not hearing that articulated from the Commander -in -Chief, I also then begin to question even the Secretary of Defense, is are you even providing that measurement of guidance to your boss, or is it that you're not providing it, or that you just have no sway in getting him to listen?

Yeah, and it really could be any of those options.You know, it kind of makes me think about, and I want to talk about this later, you know, the Trump, his inability to actually, like, understand and digest information at this point.Like, the reporting broadly has been when he is receiving intelligence, it is in the form of two -minute videos of shit blowing up, right?Because that's what keeps him engaged.So why would he actually be getting, you know, real breakdowns of the situation onthe ground?

And then you also take a look at Pete Hegseth.This is a guy whose broker reportedly was trying to buy millions of defense ETFs.We talked about going back to following the money.And, you know, it just makes me all thinking about, you know, the money being spent, wasted on this war that's cost lives, that's cost so much.And it's all going back to following the money.And it makes me think about, we were talking about the UFC structure that Donald Trump called our Eiffel Tower, maybe wants to keep around.

But the ballroom, you called the UFC fight a little bit phallic, certainly the same.Obviously, it is an ugly structure.It is breaking with our history.So in that way, it has degraded the nation.But also, the corruption story is so under -discussed.Don't you think this has been kind of overlooked entirely?

Oh, it has been.And it's been one of the one of the most underreported but overdestructive acts of this administration where you're right.I mean, they're they're they're focused on on ballroom ballrooms and bombs and Bitcoin.You know, ballrooms that none of us are going to be invited in.I know I won't.I don't think you will either.

Sorry to tell you.OK, I'm good.You know, bombs to fight wars that that none of us understand.And then Bitcoin that is making their family very wealthy.And, you know, and this ballroom is actually very emblematic of the type of corruption we're talking about, because you're looking at also who's getting the contracts.I remember when I first, one of the first things, literally the first executive order that I signed was an anti -corruption executive order when I became the governor and where I put all of my assets in a blind trust.

And not only did I do that, I signed legislation in Maryland that anyone, if they ever want to be the governor of Maryland, that they have to put their assets in the blind trust.It was the first act like that that we've seen inside the entire country.So basically people know that the decisions that are being made are never being made on our behalf, that the people of Maryland know that the decisions are being made by your chief executive should always be made to the benefit of the people.Because that was a problem before I got into this seat, that we were the first state to ban predictive market trading.for all state employees, because this type of corruption is not just, it's not, doesn't just, you know, send a bad message.It erodes confidence and faith in the political system as a whole.

And so the idea that we would have, you know, members of Congress or, you know, trading stocks, the president of the United States made 3 ,700 trades, personal trades in a quarter.That's averaging hundreds of trades a day.I'm like, are you the president or are you a stockbroker?I mean, it is insane.But this is where we are.And that's why I think that we need a Congress that can actually do something about it.

And we need chief executives in these individual states that are going to show a better example of what we believe good governance should actually look like.

Yeah, I think corruption is one of the best planks for the party to be running on right now.As someone who has seen certainly, obviously, a bit of an established figure, but a rise because of the way that he talks about corruption.John Ossoff, this is a name that people are floating for 2028 because of the way that he's talked about corruption and rooting it out, something that he has a history with.John Ossoff, though, did not catch the attention of Charles Barkley when he was asked, I don't know if you saw this, about who he wanted to see run in 2028.You were one of the two names that he offered up.I've asked you this question before and you immediately shot it down about 2028.

But why do you think you're capturing the attention of someone like Charles Barkley?

Well, listen, shout out to Charles.And shout out to San Antonio.A certain group of people in San Antonio.If you want to talk about the steam room, I'm ready to help.You know, but listen, I appreciate the fact that I think people are paying attention to what's happening here in Maryland.You know, since I've been the governor, we have now added over 55 ,000 new businesses.

to our state, we finally got our economy moving after being in a complete stagnant state for so long, that we have had the fastest drop in violent crime anywhere inside the United States of America, that our homicide rate down since I've become the governor is down.I think now it's nearly 60%.We're seeing how in Baltimore City, the last time the homicide rate was this low, I wasn't born yet.that we've now cut the teacher vacancy rate by over half in our state.And we're now seeing improvements in both math and reading in virtually every single grade.We've seen how we've gone from 40th in the country in education, public education, to now having amongst the fastest rises in educational scores since the end of COVID.

So I'm proud of the momentum that we're seeing here in Maryland.I'm excited to get back up in front of my people.in November and win this re -election.But also it is important for people to know and remember that what we are seeing right now from this White House, it does need to stop.That we need Congress to do their job.We need Congress to step up and actually put the kind of guardrails that are gonna be there and important to be able to stop this White House from the level of grift and corruption that we're seeing.

But we also have to know that the goal of Congress and the goal of our country going forward cannot just be what are we doing to stop Trump?It's what are we going to make the life of our folks?a little bit easier, which I'm really proud of the results we've been able to show here in Maryland as well.

Yeah.And you bring up the action that Congress needs to take.Of course, we do have to have that forward -looking vision as well.But someone in your state, my good friend, I'm sure yours as well, Jamie Raskin, is taking one of those steps.We're talking about the 25th Amendment, right?Donald Trump has been asleep, Every time that we see him, he's talking about wiping out entire civilizations.

He's got 22 doctors looking at him, which is a record at any given time.The last time that – I think this might have been the last time that you had any interaction – I'm sure the president is either always criticizing you or saying that you're very handsome, which we've talked about him saying before.But you said that you were offering him up a golf cart.if he wanted to come to Baltimore and take a look at things, because you weren't sure that he wanted to walk around.What do you think is happening with his health right now?And what do you think the broader effect is?

Well, listen, if you talk to the president's doctors, he's 6 '3", 230, and 4 % body fat.So according to his doctors, he's doing great.The problem is that we all have eyes, too.We see what's going on.We see the fact that, uh, uh, you know, that there is either, um, a lack of ability or frankly, in many cases, a lack of interest in actually dealing with what's going on right now.Um, you know, where, you know, the president has got to be able to address his health.

But I think about the health of the American people and I think about the health of this country.I think about our global standing has declined significantly.I think for other countries, their ability to be able to not just work with us and trade with us, but most importantly, to trust us.has declined significantly.I think that when we're talking about health, I'm talking about people who are now getting kicked out.of health care because the president wants to give billionaires tax cuts.

You know, when we're talking about health, I'm talking about economic health and the reality that more people are paying more for items that they are still, you know, still the same items, but they're just paying more for it.While we're also watching unemployment continue to tick up, that we are seeing a country that is not healthy.We're hearing a politics that is not healthy.We're seeing economic standing that is not healthy, international partnerships that are not healthy.And a president who, according to his doctors, is the perfect bill of health.I think that, you know, we have seen that.

I'm not sure if I can trust what the president's doctors are saying.But but importantly, I'm not sure if I can trust the direction that we are going in right now as Americans.And I think the vast majority of Americans are with me on that.

Yeah.Charles Barkley is as well, which is maybe something you should consider.You don't have to make any announcements now.You certainly don't have to make them in the future.And I'm not going to hold you to that.But as always, I do appreciate you joining us on Sunday.

Thank you so much, Governor.Hey, I appreciate you so much, man.You're looking sharp.Keep it up.You're always looking sharp.Don't even start.

Always fantastic being joined by my good friend, Governor Wes Moore.And I'm really glad that I didn't have to stand next to him in an interview this time, because the guns, the comparison, it does not lend nicely to me.That's a jacked up guy and good for Wes.But, you know, we're working on it and we will continue to.But for some more important conversations than my and Wes Moore's workout regimen, I'm excited to be joined by Congresswoman Yasemin Ansari of Arizona, who is a, of course, on the HouseOversight Committee and is speaking to me about the bombshell revelations about Jeffrey Epstein and the cover -up happening in the White House right now.

Congresswoman, thank you so much for joining us on Sunday.

Hey, Jack.Thanks for having me. I'm excited to be here.

Of course, now, aside from the big story of tonight, Donald Trump's big birthday bash, which we're really hoping the rain takes care of, obviously everyone has been talking about the new reporting out of the New York Times, Maggie Haberman, Jonathan Swan, detailing the level of involvement at All sides of this administration, J .D.Vance getting involved, of course, Susie Wiles, Carolyn Levitt, Cash Patel, everyone in the White House gathered in the Situation Room, except for Donald Trump, to see how they could cover up the Epstein files for dear leader.Obviously, you have a major role on oversight.Who of that bunch do you think needs to come in first to talk about their role in covering up the files for Trump?

I think Vice President J .D.Vance 1 ,000 % needs to be the first person.To me, that was one of the most revealing parts of the reporting, which was explosive, by the way.I think we've known there has been a massive cover -up underway, but to read about it and get so many details was just something else.But J .

D.Vance was quite literally running this meeting out of the White House Situation Room.This is the place where presidents are supposed to be meeting about countering terrorism, national security crises, ending wars, and this administration is using it to plot and collude on how they're going to cover up the Epstein files.I'm sure you read the whole thing.I thought one of the craziest and most insane parts was to see that JD Vance was providing some pretty interesting ideas about what should be done and went so far as to suggest that Tucker Carlson should interview Ghislaine Maxwell and you know try to essentiallyrid Trump of any blame as it pertains to his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.

I mean, and then to then, you know, what happened after that, of course, we know is that Todd Blanche, who was also in the Situation Room, ultimately is the one who went and talked to Ghislaine, and then she ended up at this lower security prison.So this whole thing is absolutely crazy.And, you know, really corrupt, really disgustingly corrupt, and J .D.Vance, Susie Wiles, I would say, would need to be after that.I mean, this is the White House Chief of Staff, and of course, the other characters we have known, but this is the biggest cover -up in American history.

I think the distinction of the meeting in the Situation Room is particularly important.As you talked about, this is for matters of national security.Do you think that's how Trump perceives the files at this point?Obviously, there's been reporting about whether or not Israeli or Russian intelligence might have some role in the collection of materials around Jeffrey Epstein.Do you think that's part of the reason?Or they were just looking for a place to hide out from Trump, who was just angry they were talking about it?

Well, it was very clear that Donald Trump is pissed, right?The article lays out how he, you know, people were walking on eggshells and didn't want to talk about the Epstein files around him.And so they had to figure this out.I think what it shows is more so what a massive priority this was to the White House and how panicked they were, how freaked out they were and still are.But the descriptions were from from last summer.And let's not forget, this is exactly the time when Mike Johnson ultimately shut down Congress to avoid voting and, you know, having Adelita Grijalva sworn in and ultimately us voting on the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

I look forward to furtherreporting to see whether we get more insight on Mike Johnson's role in all of this.I think I have no doubt in my mind that Susie Wiles or Trump himself, who has, you know, formerly bragged about also serving as Speaker of the House along being President, I think that calls were made and Mike Johnson has been in on this whole thing as well.But the situation room piece of it all, I mean, I do think foreign intelligence could be involved in the broader scope of things here.I think Jeffrey Epstein certainly blackmailed people, and that's one of the revelations that has come out in prior interviews, but really with Bill Gates last week as well.But ultimately, what this shows is You know, the last time I read about the Situation Room being used is when Netanyahu was in there pushing Donald Trump to start a war with Iran.

And to hear that it is being used to strategize this egregious cover -up that is quite literally about exposing pedophiles and abusers, that's scary.

Yeah, and you talk about Johnson's role and the broad obstruction that happened.You know, I don't think that you can just chalk this up as Pam Bondi has to Todd Blanche.It seems like a broader effort.Before we get to more on Johnson's involvement, you've kind of talked about how he's shut down.Of course, he did shut down Congress for months at a time.But James Comer has taken those same steps in oversight.

Can you kind of explain how your committee has been impeded by this effort to block any real discussion about Epstein?

Yeah, I mean, James Comer is is a joke.I have previously said I don't think he's very smart.I think this is this is someone who, you know, has higher ambitions, wants to keep Trump happy, is not taking this investigation seriously in the slightest, never has, and is clearly taking his instructions from Mike Johnson and also Donald Trump andthe White House apparatus more broadly.What has happened in the Oversight Committee?First of all, every subpoena that we've been able to get has been a result of Democrats on oversight pushing forcefully, relentlessly, and then a couple of Republicans, people like Nancy Mace, Lauren Boebert, Marjorie Taylor Greene, when she was still here, joining Democrats in these subpoenas.

James Comer never would have okayed these subpoenas on his own.He's never been leading any of this.He's also stopped holding any sort of like real hearings on the oversight committee and what that means is that essentially we we kind of lose that subpoena power.He's hosting round tables and so now we're just kind of hanging out talking about important subjects but we don't have any real authority to do anything.The other really frustrating part of all of this and that I believe is enabling the cover -up is the fact that he refuses to make sure these people come before the committee under oath and videotaped or in a public hearing.We want to have public hearings so that the American people can see for themselves what's going on.

Instead, he has people like Pam Bondi coming and talking to us in a transcribed interview, which means it's behind closed doors.There's no media in the room.It's not recorded.And ultimately, all the American people see is a transcript.

Yeah, and you spoke to the involvement of a Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Lauren Boebert, or a Nancy Mace in kind of pushing for more accountability via the committee.I don't know if the word was deranged that Nancy Mace used, but it would be fitting.But she said now that she's lost her primary, she's willing to engage a little bit more.I don't know if you're necessarily friends with Nancy Mace, but do you think she's going to live up to that?

I do think she's committed to the Epstein investigation.She continues to be extremely racist, extremely homophobic.but she has demonstrated a commitment to this issue.I've met a lot with the survivors and Nancy Mace is one of the only Republicans who will meet with them or who will meet with them and actually do something about it.So I look forward to seeing what this new version of her, this unrestrained version of her.She seems pretty unrestrained already.

She's always seemed a little unrestrained, monitoring people's bathroom breaks and being absolutely insane.But, you know, She has, we have six months left of this year and we can do a lot in that time period.And making sure that JD Vance is brought forward and issuing a subpoena for Vance is going to be the top priority.But again, that does all go back to James Comer.I am sure that after this New York Times reporting has come out, they are panicking.I'm sure James Comer has already heard from the White House and already heard from Johnson.

And I'm sure they've all met and they're trying to figure out what the hell they're going to do now.that the American people have read for themselves in detail how the White House has been leading the most egregious cover up in American history.

And Mike Johnson's going to say that he hasn't read it.Probably hasn't read it yet, right?He just hasn't had a chance to take a look at it.

He's just so busy.He doesn't have time to read.

He's got a lot going on.He's got a UFC fight to attend.You bring up the survivors, clearly there is an obstruction of justice and of the Congress and moving forward with this investigation.But clearly an effort as organized as this, there has been some planning.Now, a lot of the framing from Blanche and Bondi, when survivors were doxed, several Jane Doe's who had their names exposed hundreds of times in the files, and you heard from Blanche and Bondi, and they often framed it as like, Oops.Sorry.

Like let us know if we messed up.But to me, this kind ofseems like an undertaking, like a deliberate effort to try to scare survivors.If that is the case, and of course that will play out in more reporting, more oversight, and more investigation, do you see that as rising to a criminal nature that needs to be prosecuted from a Comer, from a Johnson, from their staff, from the people around them?

I do believe that the Department of Justice has engaged in criminal behavior.What they have done is so devastating and we've now heard from so many of the survivors and I want to elaborate a little bit.We had a hearing in West Palm Beach where we heard from some people for the first time ever.There was a woman named Rosa who spoke there, and she was one of the, she was trafficked from abroad, actually, as part of the whole international modeling, you know, fake enterprise that Epstein was involved in to bring women here and bring girls here.And she had never come forward publicly before.and she was always a Jane Doe.

She had reported but as a Jane Doe.Her name and her information was unredacted in what the DOJ released over 500 times.How the hell does that happen on accident?You will hear, I mean, we heard Pam Bondi tell us over and over again that, you know, lawyers were working overtime to get this done and the deadline was just so difficult to meet and Okay, one could understand if there was one mistake, if there were two mistakes, even if there were several mistakes, how can one person's name and information be unredacted 500 times and that's just one of them.There was another woman who I was with just a few days ago at the Epstein Reading Room, Danielle Bensky, her information, she had never been so public and her informationwas released.

She's a teacher and she talked about how traumatizing that has been.And so, and I will say one more thing that they've said, the abuse was one thing, horrific, life ruining, taking years to work through and the repercussions will last their entire lives, right?But one of the victims described that what has happened since and how the government has treated them and the impacts and fallout of that has been even worse than the abuse that they faced at Jeffrey Epstein's hands.It's criminal.People need to be investigated from the top down.Todd Blanche, we now know, according to Bondi, was responsible for how this all rolled out.

So he is, to me, he is just evil in all of this and the way that he has terrified these survivors and ruined their lives and he needs to be held accountable.

It sounds like it rises to the level of witness tampering, doesn't it?

I think it's witness tampering.I think it is witness intimidation.Absolutely.I think it is an attempt to incite fear and silence women and What is so inspiring is to see that these women are just becoming stronger and braver and more resilient and the American people are behind them.This is the most bipartisan issue right now.Donald Trump is underwater, I believe negative 42 on this issue the last time I saw.

And that's because Americans are pissed off that there's two different systems of justice, one for rich and powerful and well -connected people and another for everybody else.

Yeah, and the rich and powerful, well -connected Trump family just got more rich and well -connected to the Epstein associates.I don't know if you really stay up to date on Don Jr. and his love life, but his new wife is a daughter.You're not, you're not super, you don't listen to the podcast?He's got a podcast, he's still doing it.questions about Epstein as well?

Absolutely.I mean, I think every single Trump, uh, family member, especially the children and the spouses, significant others of the children will absolutely need to be questioned and investigated.Their role is not just as it pertains to Epstein.I mean, this was their dad's best friend, right?So I think, I think they have information.Um, and On top of that, as you well know, the corruption that they are involved with and the billions of dollars that they have made is absolutely also something that needs to be investigated.

And who knows, there could be connections there as well.

No, certainly.And these questions need to be answered.And I think that the other question that needs to be answered is why is Ivanka so weird talking about her new island?Did you see this video?I know this is in Epstein.Well, it kind of seems Epstein related with the island and the bunker and the nuclear facilities.

What what was your first reaction to seeing that felt very dystopian?

I think you know the way she talks and the way she you know that we know they're all they all live in their own Like crazy dystopian reality.I mean they think they're doing amazing things for people I think I think Ivanka just thinks like she's so Wonderful, and she did all these incredible things during you know her time in the first placeand now her and Jared are, you know, Jared is still conducting foreign policy for the United States even without any sort of formal role, highly corrupt, deeply corrupt.It's just all, I mean, the Trump family is a family of criminals who should be locked up and they need to go to jail for the crimes that they have committed, for the fraud that they have committed.And, you know, I think the fact that locals in Albania are protesting what's happening with this proposed island, I mean, it's just all disgusting and insane.Americans cannot afford to live.

The people in my district, I mean, all of the calls in my district office are either families getting separated by ICE, Trump regime, or, you know, inability to afford health insurance, inability to afford rent, people going, quite literally going homeless because they can't afford anything.And then you have Ivanka talking about her bullshit island and Trump saying that he loves inflation.It's all just disgusting and dystopian.

Now, on that Trump note, I know you're very busy, so this is where I want to close.On that Trump note of inflation and loving it, you've been very vocal, maybe more than most members of Congress.about Donald Trump's clear cognitive decline.You've been calling for the 25th Amendment.You've been trying to force focus alongside Jamie Raskin and many others on the 25th Amendment.Do you think that was Trump just at a, I can say what I want, I don't care moment?

Or is that a mental slip that kind of adds to the list of moments of forgetfulness?What do you think that was?

I think Trump is mentally not with it anymore.I think his old age, his cognitive decline, his mental instability has exacerbated all of his worst qualities.He's never given up.about Americans and now I think more than ever he's confident saying it very publicly.going back on everything that he said on the campaign.I think even during the campaign, he was much more with it, at least, you know, in terms of his mental acuity than he is today.

And yeah, I've called for the 25th Amendment because he continues to fall asleep.He continues to be unable to, you know, stay awake when we see him.I don't even know what's happening behind closed doors.And then on top of that, I think the way that this manifests in not only our daily economic lives, but in terms of the, you know, the foreign policy that we're conducting.I think the day that I felt the most scared, genuinely scared, was on Tuesday, April 7th.I woke up that morning and Donald Trump had threatened essentially genocide against the Iranian people.

That was the morning, the first time that he used like really awful language saying that whole civilization will die tonight.That is not somebody who is fit to be president.He needs to be removed from office.

No, I think it's an issue that absolutely commands more attention, given how much it affects, that the president is just deeply unwell.I appreciate you speaking on that, and I appreciate you joining us on Sunday.Thank you so much, Congresswoman.

Thank you.

Always wonderful to be joined by one of the biggest rising stars in the Democratic Party and someone who has done such important work on the Oversight Committee that is, of course, just getting started.So thank you so much to Congresswoman Yasemin Ansari.And now for a little bit of fun, because we are always messing around.It doesn't mean we're not going to cover important topics.We certainly are, but it's going to be a good time.I'm excited to be joined by my good friend, Tommy Vitor.

I hope you enjoy.Tommy Vitor, thank you so much.for joining me on Sunday.

Uh, happy Sunday.You look handsome as you do every Sunday.I love, I love the blazer Cabo from my end.It looks purplish, but you told me before we started recording, it's more of a blue.

It's blue, as in vote blue no matter who.Graham Platner defeating Susan Collins coming soon.Maybe we'll get into that later in the show, but we're going to start off hot on that note.Tommy, what do we always talk about, the one thing we always talk about besides Erica Kirk, whenever we get together?What is that topic of conversation?Bill Belichick?

No, it's not Bill.It's not UNC.It's a different guy at the end of his career already.It's J .D.Vance.

Oh, that loser.Absolutely.

Yeah, that's where I want to start.If you were in the White House and you were dealing with the cover -up of the Epstein files, Would your first go -to also be, let's get Tucker to interview Ghislaine Maxwell?For those that don't know, this new reporting Maggie Haberman, Jonathan Swan, new book that they have coming out called Regime Change, it is reported that J .D.Vance suggested getting Tucker Carlson to interview Ghislaine Maxwell to help deal with the fallout of the Epstein files.In your professional political experience, Would you have done the same?

Jack, every part of the J .D.Vance piece of that article is hilarious.First of all, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles continually treats J .D.Vance like her annoying teenage son who is obsessed with conspiracy theories and won't stop tweeting.

She basically takes away his screen time.It's our dynamic.So that part's hilarious.The second thing you mentioned there, J .D.Vance floats this idea of sending Tucker Carlson in to interview to be

He interviews Colleen Maxwell, and then she gets moved to a country club prison.So, interesting.

Yeah, I don't know if it's the greatest PR strategy in the world.I don't know if the blanche of it all was as well.But this is also coming off the heels of the reporting.Like you said, like, Wiles is just like, get off your phone.Vance being told to quit Twitter, which is interesting.We talked about this before, how his staff was saying that he was getting off Twitter for Lent, and that it was like a choice that he had made rather than trying to avoid Conversations about the war with Iran.

He wasn't going after you and favs as much anymore or Mehdi Hassan, but Like where does where like where does this leave JD like everyone hates him?He's got bad ideas It kind of exposes how soft on Epstein he was which is like everyone in the administration Like it just leave him in a worse spot or just kind of neutral to you.

I Yeah, man. I mean, I'm like, I'm imagining him running for president in 2028.And he's thinking to himself, well, I'm the anti war guy.It's like, well, not anymore, buddy, you're fully a part of this Iran war effort, you are fully on board with the Venezuela, you know, decapitation, military operation, so that's kind of off the table.You are fully on board, sitting in the sit room, helping coordinate the cover -up of the Epstein files.Like, one of the other anecdotes in that story is they built an internal DOJ database that they were thinking about releasing that would allow you to search the Epstein files, and that was their way of showing how transparent they were.But when you searched, you kept finding a report of Donald Trump aggressively messing with this Epstein victim's nipples.

That was one of the first things that came up.So they didn't release this database.So J .D.Vance is part of covering that up.His entire political standing, all the things he was like animated him and got the podcast guys going, he's just let them down on.

So it's like, what are you running on at this point?I don't know.Not his looks, not his vibe, dropping his nose.

you see the Ozempic bod tweet?There was a photo that looked photoshopped of him maybe trying to slim down.Do you think he goes to Santas and he gets some high heels and maybe some Ozempic in him and that fixes everything?That's what he could run on.We go be ads.That's how he gets his face out there.

It's not a bad idea for JD as a guy who's handled some like classified info and some, you know, some high level stuff in the past.What did you make of everyone meeting in the situation room with regards to like the Epstein, the Epstein squad, the coverup squad.

It's fucking weird.They're treating it like it's a national security crisis, but the crisis is their boss is a scumbag.

You know, it's like, but does that make you think that it's maybe more of a national security crisis?Like, I think the connections to Israel and Russia have been, do you think has been like a little overlooked at this point, if that's where they're meeting?

I mean, I think it says to me that they wanted to meet somewhere that was as secret and as protected as possible, both from intelligence collection and from anybody walking in.Now, there's no reason to me like you couldn't have this meeting in the White House chief of staff's office.There's no reason you couldn't have had it.uh, in the Roosevelt room.It's just, I guess, less private, but yeah, I mean, it does like suggest a literal bunker mentality with regards to the Epstein coverup and the scandal.Also that maybe there was worried that Trump would like walk in on them and be like, what are you guys doing?

What are you guys up to?

Because he was like, it was hidden from the meetings.Like it's kind of what the reporting was suggested that they, they just didn't want him knowing that it's what they were talking about, which isn't the first time that this is come up.Like these are the type of These are the type of instances where you have this and Donald Trump asserting himself in some reporting from notice earlier in the week as the Speaker of the House, as the House is like in crisis.You can't pass a FISA reauthorization, which is probably a good thing.Discharge petitions constantly getting through.And Donald Trump says he's the Speaker.

He was kicked out of the first downed pilots operation.Now he's not in the Epstein meetings.Is this something to run on to an extent?Trump can't even be in the meetings or do you think there's just like too much other stuff?

It's a really interesting point because we do know that he's always in the meetings about like picking the tile for the ballroom or like down to the construction site being like use bigger hammers or you know, whatever the fuck he does all day like he's he is like I've heard from people like I know in just normal life who have had contacts with like folks in the Gulf who said he'll call up like the Amir in Qatar and be like, hey, where'd you get that couch in your fucking receiving room or whatever?So he's there.It wasn't JD.He's very engaged in the things he wants to be engaged on.But yeah, you know, big stuff.You know, how do we rescue the pilot?

Somebody else doesn't really give a fuck.

Well, it's interesting.There was a conversation from a guy.How do you feel about Jake Auchincloss just as like a as a dude generally?

Um, like I did no problem with him.until, you know, look, let's before and after.The Plattner comments he made recently were very frustrating because he's like, oh, I don't like Grant Plattner, but also I don't like Susan Collins.And it's like elections tend to be binary, sir.We can either try to take the Senate or we cannot.So I thought that was a weird misstep.

I think it's totally legitimate to have criticism of Grant Plattner.If you don't like him, that's fine.If you don't believe the story on the tattoo, that's fine.But it's just like politically speaking, right?We either have a Democrat U .S.

senator from Maine or we don't.And that was annoying.I think He's a smart guy, a thoughtful guy, someone who's impressed me just with his intellect and ideas, but that most recent thing was a bit of a boof.

Yeah, he's had a couple lately.And the one that kind of caught my attention more, and I'm interested in your thoughts on this, considering it feels like these are so many of the conversations that I have are just these rants organically come up when I'm talking about everything.But he's on CNN.And for those not familiar, Jake Auchincloss, like, you know, he's not the worst guy in the world.He's kind of more of a center, New Dem, Democrat.But he said that if we keep talking about, and this was in reference to Graham Platner and his first actions

Graham's first ad out of the gate was, we're going after the Epstein class, you know, Democrats and Republicans of like, and the establishment is engaged with and you know, palled around with Epstein.And he said that if we're talking too much about Epstein, and Israel, we've kind of like lost sight of things.Do you think that's true?Like just generally for where Democrats should be taught?Are we talking too much about Israel?I don't really think we are.

I like, I don't know anymore.I think the point he's trying to make is what the overwhelming majority of voters care about the most is the economy.And if we're not just like hammering Trump on inflation every day, there's an opportunity cost to that.I can buy that though.I look, I think we just like live in a world that's like the media is so fractured and you're communicating with different pockets of people in different ways that like, it's fine to put out an ad about Gaza or put out an ad about Epstein if that's how you think you're gonna reach a segment of people, you know what I mean?

I just think it's sort of like a new world of communication Yeah, and I think that we've kind of broken out of this era in which you know, the joke is always either doing it for the right or for the left, that, you know, there's, like, the new thing that you, like, plug into the back of, like, the Angry Maga.Like, you've seen this meme, right?Like, it's, like, the Angry Maga guy, and you, like, take out the battery that's, like, trans people existing and put in Ukraine or Graham Plattner or, you know, Zoran Mamdani's eating with his hands.Oh, my God, I've never had wings or a slice of pizza before.And people do this with Gaza or with Israel.They say, like, okay, well, you weren't talking about Israel before.

Now, all of a sudden, you care.You don't know anything.And I think this is a critique that's been made of a lot of people, or maybe some people who are moving more to the left.You're a guy who engages in lots of foreign policy conversations.What is the way to dissuade people from feeling boxed out of them if they are not constantly tuning into your show and don't think that they arefully educated.

Because that's kind of what I hear a lot is like, well, I'm not educated enough to speak on this.Like, there are – there's levels of nuance.I just think that's like made to dissuade people from like engaging.

a thousand percent.I mean, I think that's like the trick they try to do in DC is make you feel like you're too stupid to participate.Or, you know, if you don't know all the right acronyms, you're going to sound dumb and make a fool of yourself or God forbid, offend somebody or hurt someone's feelings.And it's like everyone is allowed to care about what they care about.If you really care about what you're seeing in Gaza because the images on TikTok are horrifying you, that is just as valid as someone who spent 30 years working on Middle East peace talks.And I hate when people talk like that.

So much of this stuff is just whataboutism to deflect, and I think some of it is pretty dishonest.Certainly, look, issues in this country get more or less attention for often subjective or arbitrary reasons.It is absolutely fair to say that, you know, the situation in Gaza got exponentially more attention than the civil war in Sudan.I happen to be a person who, like, cares about both and talks about both, but there's reasons for that.Like, 20 years ago, there was this massive grassroots movement that united progressives and faith leaders and all these people around the Save Darfur movement that really mobilized public opinion around Sudan.That, like, that connective tissue, those organizations just don't really exist in the same way anymore.

So people aren't talking about it as much.It doesn't mean that you're a bad person if you care about one and not the other.That shit drives me crazy.

Yeah, it's the whataboutism of like, well, why don't you care about this?It's like, well, there are some things that my tax dollars are going to more than other things.And there are some things that are tying their militaries directly into our militaries more.There are some things that are tying their intelligence operations into our intelligence operations more.I don't know.I think those things matter.

It's always so funny to see people just try to put that off as kind of an overreaction, or people glomming on to something they don't understand.It's like, I don't have to fully know the details of everything to know it sucks.I can just look at it.Some things are pretty black and white.

You don't have to have an opinion on everything.That's what's so stupid and offensive about that kind of what about us and bullshit.And you're right.The questions about Gaza are one thing, but then there's the Iran war where the US and Israel have gotten into this catastrophic war with Iran.And you know what that's going to do?It's going to create a fucking food crisis in Sudan that will lead to a bunch of people starving there.

There'll be a famine there.So yeah, they all are connected.And actually me caring about this one thing will help the other thing if we can stop the stupid war in Iran that's happening as we speak.

Yeah, I know.It is the funny thing.It was like, oh, so you care about this all of a sudden?This is the most important thing?I'm like, oh, it does.It seems to be the most.

It seems to be the most important thing.

Pretty important, yeah.You saw Trump say that in the Oval Office a few days ago when he said, well, quite frankly – sorry, I'm going to do it – quite frankly, you never cared about the Strait of Hormuz when it was open.It's like, my brother in Christ, because it was open.It was doing its job.It was straight and open.Oh, my God.

What was the story there?That's so funny.when he grates grapes.Did he really say that?He did.He was like, well, you never talked about it before.

Oh my God, that's incredible.

Because the ships were going through.Dude.Like, body of water exists.Headline, New York Times.

That's, you never talked about Ebola before there's an outbreak yet?That is the dumbest thing I've ever heard in my life.Okay, thank you.

He comes up with great excuses every once in a while for what we should and should not be talking about.But I feel like on a day like today, there is something specifically we do have to talk about, which is Donald Trump's UFC fight.I feel like we talked about all the time.the way that this guy has tried to frame himself as a sports fan or in the culture, and you've done a great bit.Can you please say what you would like to say?of Donald Trump when he's talking about someone playing football or basketball or when he's talking about the ball?

You've done this before.

I'm just ripping off a Shane Gillis bit, but he so clearly doesn't know what he's talking about.Someone will hand him a set of remarks for when the Eagles come to the White House after they won the Super Bowl, and he's like, describing games as if he's doing the play -by -play, but you can tell he's learning about it for the first time.And he'll be like, you know, he'll be like looking around for like a Jalen Hurts, like a really recognizable player and have just absolutely no idea who it is.Then they'll see him finally be like, good looking guy.You know, he's like, tell him how hot he is.So Donald Trump doesn't know shit about sports.

It's obvious.I think he very, very smartly, um, built this friendship with Dana White and built a connection to the UFC that has helped him politically.We'll see if this fight on the South Lawn does.I don't really know.Part of me is like, okay, whatever, it's cool.They do events on the South Lawn all the time.

Another part of me is like, this just seems stupid and frivolous when people are really mad about inflation and there's some political risk there, but we'll find out.

Well, the political risk has already shown its face.There's a new ABC Ipsos poll that had only 31 % support from Republicans on this fight, which is some brutal shit.It was 31 % support for its existence.And that's not even baking into Donald Trump purchasing a little bit of TKO stock.People were pointing out that there's already sponsorships going on, which I'm sure some Hatch Act violation on the White House lawn.

Remember the Hatch Act?Yeah, that's a fucking Hatch Act.Aren't there like nicotine pouches being advertised at the fight?

And there's like Bud Light, which is like, you know, Bud Light getting back in the mix.I thought conservatives hated Bud Light.

Yeah, weren't we machine gunning Bud Lights like two years ago?

Those are the good old days.That's what it was.biggest thing we had to worry about was Kid Rock blowing up Bud Light.

Those are the good times.Bud Light was nice to one trans person and it led to like a two -year fucking flip -out meltdown with Kid Rock literally machine gunning cases of Bud Light in his backyard.

What's your go -to soda?What's your beverage of choice on a nice Sunday night?Because you're hosting the UFC, correct?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.No, I'll be there, me and Dana.What am I drinking?I mean, I'm more of a gin and tonic kind of guy, personally.

Oh, like a Hegseth.That's sweet.You guys bond over that?

For him, it's like a bucket of G &Ts.

That was one of my favorite clips of all time.He's like, you know, when it's 5 AM, I just do a little gin, and then a little more gin, and a little more gin.He's like, if you only have like half an ounce, but you do that eight times, you feel it a little bit less.Yeah, you do like power hour with gin.

What are you drinking?

Me I've been um, I've I've I've been crushing a little bit of the I've been crushing a little bit of the Mandela's like I've been a Madela guy Pacificos are really good What else?

That's not a good beer.803s are really good.Sorry, 805s are really good.

I was in Austin to completely derail this conversation.I was in Austin because I went to game two, Spurs -Knicks.No way.It's one of the best basketball games I ever went to in my entire life.That's awesome.It was incredible.

But I was visiting a friend who lives in Houston, but we went to San Antonio.It was a blast.I went down to a little river creek walk.

It's real shitty, huh?

It's hot as hell.

It was interesting.It's like senior frogs.It's some real shitty.stuff down there, yeah.

We went to a dive and played some pool.Now we're really derailing the conversation, it's fine.But we went to Austin, and they were not lying about the beef prices, that is real.But we were at this barbecue place the next day, and it was a wait -out in the line outside for 75 % of your waiting -for -the -food experience.And it was a long line, because this is a great place, I can't remember what it was called.But they were like, oh, if you want to wait in line,

inside and grab a drink while you wait, go ahead.And I'm like, well, it's toasty outside.And I had two or three waiting for food.And then I had to go to the airport.And that was quite a flight back home.I felt really fantastic about myself after three days of barbecue.

Yeah, three pounds of brisket and a couple of draft beers, that'll make you feel good.That makes you a fun seat, mate.

I know.I really had a blast with the nap that I took.But going back to the UFC.

You weren't at Franklin, were you?

Uh, no, I was in, I was in Austin.

No, no, Franklin's the, the, the like number one barbecue spot.

No, that was it.Yeah, I think so.And then there was the, um, what's the, uh, blacks, uh, Austin or something.Oh God.It'll mess you up a couple of sausages and some pork ribs and but back to the UFC.I just I don't I don't know Why they thought this would go well because really for me if the story of the presidency recently has just been a weakness Right go to the basketball game fall asleep Oval Office fall asleep You know, I negotiated the end of the war not really blows up in my face.

No deals made Everything's kind of falling apart now the UFC fight.No one's really excited about it Was the idea here just appeasement, you think?Or did they think that this was going to communicate strength?

It's a good question.I mean, I do think he thinks that his affiliation with the UFC is strong or tough in some way.He loves big ripped dudes, as we've seen over and over.He loves shredded, beefy dudes.Does it communicate strength?I don't know.

I think it communicates a guy who's just focused on all the wrong things.When the country is so pissed like they are right now, you have like 70 % of voters saying Trump is not doing enough about inflation.And then they turn on the TV and they see this $60 million or fighting celebration on the South Lawn, that in and of itself is a message.I don't really care if it's UFC or the Easter egg roll or a concert or whatever.Usually, at least, the events on the South Lawn are for the troops in some way, somethingthat makes sort of sense.

But this just feels, I don't know, kind of just this old school like gladiator shit.

Yeah.And there's story after story about what else they're spending money on.Like there's the gold horsies that they're painting, the horsies that they're painting gold for $5 million each.I think it is.You haven't seen this?I follow all of the, like the beautification project, overspend failures.

There's a lot of horsey stuff.They spend $5 million in gold paint, or like gold -dusted paint.They're just getting after it.Like, he just loves this.And you've got to imagine that it's going to people who are—it's going right back to him.It is just like a level of sad embarrassment and, I don't know, this idea that it's like beautification, but nobody wants to come.

When was it?The last time you were in D .C.was for correspondence, correct?Yeah.The people just aren't here.

It's sad, isn't it?

What was your best, like, this was a great event, this captivated the nation, this is patriotic, this is fun, in the administration?Wasn't there like a barbecue with Bobby Flay?Did those ever feel like they moved the needle for y 'all or was it just like fun?

No, the coolest thing I've ever seen as part of a White House trip was we went to San Diego And I think it was UNC played Michigan or Michigan State in hoops on the deck of an aircraft carrier.Oh, yeah, I was at the carrier classic in like, whatever, 2010 2011.And it was the coolest shit ever.The only problem was, nobody could shoot because you were shooting to like, into nothing.

It's just like, depth perception is a little bit off.Yeah, but it was a little tough stuff to get shots.It was like Wemby in game four.Let's miss everything.Let's go out there and just and just shoot concert dates.It's a it's a great idea for how to how to lose the crate.

lead in an NBA finals game.

Part of a white house is you are trying to show the other side of the individual like there's all the you know The stuff you're doing from the American people.There's the official side then there's like what is this person?Like what are they into?Like how are they as a human being and for Obama?He's a bit of a you know robot sometimes like he's a very disciplined focus person, but he loves basketball He loves sports like he would legitimately go home every night and like play flip on SportsCenter for 30 minutes before bed or whatever, and just kind of take his mind off the job.And I think it was letting people in on that part of the gig.

That's why you go to the Carrier Classic.That's why we would fill out a bracket.He would fill out a bracket every year.Actually, yeah.Yeah, he really cared and spent time with it.His body guy was this dude named Reggie Love, who played hoops at Duke, and they would fight over this stuff.

So yeah, that was the real part of Obama, was actually playing sports and talking about it.

Well, I think recently there have been a couple of really, like, you know, nationalized candidates who a lot of them has come out.bad parts kind of to their benefit sometimes.I think all of the hand wringing, like you can even go back to AOC, like that video of her at BU, where they're like, oh, she's dancing.This is horrible.It's like, oh, she looks fun and attractive.What's the problem?

Cool.Yeah.And then the next generation was like Zoran.He's on the subway and he's eating a burrito or he's eating with his hands.He raps.He's like a cool rapper.

Yeah.And like the same has happened.Of course, there's a difference with, you know, some of the Graham stuff, some of the Graham Platner stuff and like, you know, Zoran having a rap career.Do you think we are in the age of, like, the good scandal?Like, do you think – you can't really manufacture, I'm cool, but in a way that the national media gets upset about, but do you think there's kind of like a prerequisite of being a national figure with some pull at this point?Do you think, like, if you're John

Ossoff, you're trying to cook up some dumb shit you did back in college?Like, oh, here's me too many beers deep.Do you think that's a thing people want now?

what is a career -ending scandal, right, obviously, with Access Hollywood and everything else.The Plattner stuff, I think when it comes to the Reddit posts and the explanation for them, people were like, yeah, that kind of clocks, that makes sense.I think that some of the more recent things in the New York Times about relationships, allegations that I think have been credibly called abused if they are true, the sexting scandal, those are things I think you started to hear more voters say, I don't like that.That gives me pause.I'm concerned.I think the question is six months from now when we're voting, what's on people's minds?

Is it like, we need to check on Donald Trump?Is it Susan Collins hasn't done shit for me in six terms or whatever?Or is it the story that ran six months ago and the attack ads that have been running about it for the last month and what it makes me think about this guy's character?We just don't know yet.Obviously, the Democratic Party in the Plattner campaign is betting on this being a referendum on Trump.And I think they probably look at the recent primary and just like how resoundingly he defeated Janet Mills and thinking like, well, certainly was not an issue among the primary electorate.

Yeah, I think for me, the number one thing that you need right now, and tell me if you've got a difference of opinion on this, is outrage.Like, you've got to be outraged.If you're not communicating how upset you are, then you're just, no one's going to buy it.And the thing with Platner that I think, like,like, of course, I don't think anyone is, like, super proud of what's come out or stoked about it.But the problem is that Susan Collins, as a woman, is a woman.

And I don't want to be, like, picking on her here, although I don't really give a fuck, because she's a bad person, but, like, can't speak.Like, she can't say a complete sentence.And so there is no part of, like, and the thing about...Like, she can't get through a full sentence.And, like, some people might be like, well, I don't know.She's a piece of shit.

Whatever.But, like, she can't communicate outrage.So she cannot be outraged by something if you can't make it clear.Like, you've spent a lot more time on campaigns than my none.Does the outrage have to come from the candidate, or do you think that, like, the TV ads could do some real damage?

I mean, the TV ads will do damage.Like, a lot of people will see TV ads.But I think you're right that In their core, like you look at Graham Platner and you see a guy who looks different, sounds different and is clearly furious about the system and wants to take down the structures and systems and people that you want to take down, right?Like that is obvious.And you look at Collins.And you see something you often see in the U .

S.Senator, which is someone who ran many, many decades ago, used to live in Maine, and has since become a D .C.resident, and has become comfortable with all the trappings of Senator life, and doesn't do town halls, and is not connected to the electorate anymore, and is just, like, past her prime politically.And I think that's a big problem for her, and it's a big problem for a lot of Senators who just get, like, they feel like privilege.They feel like they deserve this job.

And like, how dare you make them campaign for it.And now, Platner is going to run hard against her and make her earn it.And like, he's out there.He's done like what he said in his announcement speech, he did 83 town halls in the last six months.She hasn't done one since he was in eighth grade.I mean, that is pretty damning.

Neither of us were alive last time, correct?We were both, we were both pre, pre existence.

I was in my, I was inyeah.Don't say that.Stop it.

Your skin looks great, though, man.Thanks.What are you using?A lot of aloe vera or something like that?

No.Paid ad?Paid ad time?I'm not going to make the joke.One skin.No, I use Peter Thiel's Twink Blood.

Do you apply the twink blood or do you directly?You drain a twink, plug it in, and then you rub on.

You drain a twink?

Yeah, it's good.

Hey, yo.But if you had one piece, we're going to fix that in post.If you had one piece of advice for the Platner campaign, I'm going to put on my serious face.If you had one piece of advice for Grant Platner right now, be a professional, Tommy.Yep.What would it be?

Um, I like, I gotta just campaign through it, man.Yeah, you had some, a rough series of stories.It's raised a lot of questions.I think people understandably are worried about whether he's been totally honest about some of the things in the past, they're worried about what's going to come out in the future.You can't hide, you just got to get out there and just talk through it, answer every single question, like, face down, the angriest protesters, do all the media interviews, like, the only way out is through, and it's a long time between, you know, mid -June to election day, so you can do it.

You have many a time said that you are not in the prediction business, not just Graham, full Senate, your prediction is..

.

Oh, man. I'm hopeful.I'm hopeful.I'll give it 51%.I'll take it.There's a lot of options out there, right?We got Graham.

North Carolina's looking great.Texas is interesting.I think Iowa's interesting.Not enough attention to being paid to Iowa because you got a really great gubernatorial candidate out there too.So we can do this.You guys are kind of long lost twins though.

He's my guy.I've known Rob Sand for 20 years.He's like my buddy.He's the man.He's a great guy.

He's a killer.He's good.People, go out and listen to Rob Sand.Go out and get involved with Senate campaigns.Thank you for joining me as always, man.And JD Vance, what a loser.

Thanks, Jack.It'sIt's the only way we can end this thing.

What a loser.

And before we go, it's time, that time of the week, the Idiot of the Week, and oh boy do we have a special one today.This week's Idiot of the Week is the Secretary of Defense of the United States of America, Pete Hegseth, and what I'm sure is going to be his first of many idiot titles.Once again, Pete Hegseth, the goober that he is, has posted a workout video through official government channels and it's It's embarrassing, it's cringy, and for more reasons than we want to count.The drunk Fox host, who runs the largest, most lethal fighting force in human history, really likes to spend his days filming himself lifting weights for the camera like a high schooler on TikTok so everyone can see what a MAGA warrior he is.This latest one though, the official Department of Defense account, the actual government, posted a clip bragging that Pete, quote, crushed 44 reps on the bench in Guantanamo Bay.Turns out, by the way, according to an actual military fitness trainer, Lil' Ol' Pete, he only did about 11.

11 real reps, and the rest were fails.The other clips, that again, he wanted shared, were equally, if not more embarrassing.Terrible form, and weird movements all around.What is he doing here?Can anyone explain?This guy truly doesn't have a clue.

Not when it comes to lifting weights.Not when it comes to answering questions in front of Congress.And especially not when waging an illegal war on behalf of Israel and our pedophile -in -chief.Not a ton of success from Pete.Do you guys remember when he got caught, like, benching fake weights after a single rep a few months ago?And he's still going.

Everything is a photo op.Everything is content.And the one question nobody, nobody for some reason,will ask him is, Pete, who is this for?Who is the audience?Like, what enemy of the United States is sitting in a cave somewhere going, oh no, did you see?

The defense secretary did some bounce reps at Gitmo.We better stand down.Nobody's scared.Nobody is scared.This is the exact same guy who stood up at Quantico, by the way, and said that he was tired of looking at, quote, fat generals, fat troops, and announced that everybody, every rank, has to pass a fitness test twice a year.And then he stood there next to the President of the United States, a clinically obese draft dodger.

No fat generals, said the guy standing next to the fattest commander -in -chief in American history.While real soldiers are deployed, getting hurt, dying, in a war this administration illegally started, the Secretary of Defense is cosplaying his strength for Instagram, faking bench presses, body shaming the troops, and serving a war king who can't tie his own shoes.Pete Hegseth isn't just an idiot, he's weak and he's afraid.Pete Hegseth, you are the Idiot of the Week by far.Put the phone down and do a full rep. It's disgusting, it's embarrassing, and it's sad.Also, please, no drinking.

Thank you so much for joining us on the show, not just for the Idiot of the Week, Pete Hegseth, but for three incredible interviews and, of course, a little ranting from myself at the beginning of this show.If you haven't already, make sure to leave a like, to subscribe to both my channel and, of course, the incredible producers of our new program on Sunday.Third episode, by the way.I feel like we're going pretty strong.Our producers Midas Touch, Brett, Jordy, Ben, y 'all are the best.Drop a blue heart as well if you stuck around to the end or if you're just joining us at the end.

And of course, we'll see you same time, same place.next weekend.And as always...