Talking Feds

Episoder

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  Maggie Haberman on a Year of “Pure Trump” 23.07.2026 48min

  Maggie Haberman has been on the Trump beat for decades. Now she has written—with co-author Jonathan Swan—a tour de force on how the president is remaking our government in his image. Haberman gives Harry an inside look at a White House in thrall to a president who’s never been so uninhibited. She shares a swath of insights about Trump’s health, his reluctance to help Republicans in the midterms, just how close he came to invoking the Insurrection Act, and more. Mentioned in this episode:  Haberman and Swan’s book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Regime-Change/Maggie-Haberman/9781668067246Haberman’s reporting:  https://www.nytimes.com/by/maggie-haberman#latest Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Blanche in the Arena 20.07.2026 58min

  Aaron Blake, Conor Lamb, and Mimi Rocah join Harry to break down Todd Blanche’s confirmation hearing, two new ICE killings, and a primetime election rant. Did Todd Blanche manage to persuade senators that he's a traditional do-the-right-thing prosecutor? Why is Trump suddenly embracing ICE’s abuses again, and could that cost him the midterms? Finally: was Trump’s big speech a prelude to a declaration of war on fair midterms, or a de facto admission that his endless claims of fraud are all baseless? Mentioned in this episode: Aaron’s reporting:  https://www.cnn.com/profiles/aaron-blakeConor’s Substack:  https://conorlambpa.substack.com/Mimi’s Substack:  https://substack.com/@mimirocah1 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  The Biggest Epstein Questions for Blanche and Trump 15.07.2026 33min

  Over the next two days, would-be Attorney General Todd Blanche will get a grilling from the Senate about how he and the Department of Justice handled transparency regarding Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes. Julie K. Brown—the reporter who has done the most to expose and explain the Epstein saga—knows what senators need to ask. She joins Harry to lay out how the DOJ continues to fail Epstein’s victims, why she thinks Trump will pardon Ghislaine Maxwell, and all the ways Epstein worked to manipulate the federal prosecutors tasked with delivering justice. Mentioned in this episode:  Julie’s reporting: https://www.miamiherald.com/profile/218644665/  Julie’s Substack:  https://jkbjournalist.substack.com/  Harry’s column about Katie Phang’s Epstein transparency suit: https://harrylitman.substack.com/p/cutting-edge-legal-argument-could Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Trump's Economy: Inflation, Instability, and Influence 13.07.2026 1t 2min

  Stellar economic analysts Dean Baker, Paul Krugman, and Stephanie Ruhle join Harry for his periodic deep dive into the ways Trump is reshaping the U.S. economy. The panel weighs the immediate and long-term economic effects of Trump’s on-again, off-again war with Iran. Next, they take stock of Trump's record-breaking self-enrichment, and of how the Supreme Court has opened the door to more chaos and self-dealing. They close with a look at Kevin Warsh, Trump’s hand-picked new Fed Chair, tasked with keeping a fragile economy on track. Mentioned in this episode:  Dean’s column:  https://cepr.net/series/dean-bakers-beat-the-press/Paul’s Substack:  https://paulkrugman.substack.com/Stephanie’s new show:  https://www.ms.now/money-power-politics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Adam Schiff is Ready to Battle Blanche 09.07.2026 1t 10min

  For his latest Talking San Diego conversation, Harry sits down with California Senator Adam Schiff. The two start with a close look at the upcoming confirmation battle over would-be Attorney General Todd Blanche. Drawing on their shared background as federal prosecutors, the two discuss what makes Blanche a singularly troubling nominee. The senator then shares his analysis of Blanche's prospects, including his probable reception among critical Republicans.  Senator Schiff then lays out tactics for defending the midterms, plans for righting Chief Justice John Roberts’s wrongs—including by packing the bench—and his efforts to protect California from a vengeful Trump. Harry and the senator also cover some slightly lighter fare, including the status of the senator’s comedy career and what life is like inside Trump’s brain, where the senator "lives rent free." This Talking San Diego event was made possible by our venue partner Congregation Beth Israel.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Slaughterhouse-Six 06.07.2026 58min

  It’s our annual Supreme Court term wrap-up. To break down a term marked by juggernaut victories for the conservative legal movement—as well as a few key losses for Trump—Harry is joined by Amy Howe, Dahlia Lithwick, and Steve Vladeck. They break down the biggest cases and spotlight several overlooked decisions with enormous long-term consequences for executive power, immigration, and the structure of the American government itself. Finally, the trio looks ahead to the next term and posits ways to restrain a runaway court. Mentioned in this episode:Amy’s reporting: https://www.scotusblog.com/author/amy-howe/Dahlia’s reporting: https://slate.com/author/dahlia-lithwickSteve’s Substack: https://www.stevevladeck.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  David Brooks on Trump, AI, and Fixing America 02.07.2026 32min

  Harry talks with David Brooks about how we can redeem the society that produced an epidemic of loneliness, a shallow public life, and of course, Donald Trump. The two discuss Brooks’s stubborn optimism and the solutions he thinks could turn the tide toward a stronger, more communal America. Brooks lays out his hopes and fears for AI, warning of a society riven not just by income inequality but “cognitive inequality.” And he describes the kind of leader he’d like to see funnel the widespread demands for change that continue to roil American politics.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Kick Out Your Tired and Poor 29.06.2026 54min

  Our latest Contrarian episode comes with the end of the SCOTUS term looming, primaries shaking the Democratic party, and a key court ruling threatening Trump’s slush fund. A pair of Contrarian stalwarts—Maria Cardona and Norm Eisen—join Harry to break it all down. Has the Supreme Court just further broken our immigration system? And what will its final rulings of the term bring? Have mainstream Democrats lost their mojo? And could a new avenue of judicial scrutiny doom Trump’s ugliest self-deal? Mentioned in this episode: The Contrarian: https://www.contrariannews.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Chris Murphy on Fighting Trump and Pursuing Happiness 25.06.2026 35min

  “The fight,” Senator Chris Murphy tells Harry, “shouldn’t just be to get rid of Trump. The fight should be to create a different economy and a different culture.” That’s the message of the senator’s new book—Crisis of the Common Good—which offers a host of provocative ideas for fixing the cracks in our society through which Trump crawled his way to power. After the two look at some of the latest Trump-induced crises, like Iran and the slush fund, Harry digs into the book’s many big ideas. He closes by asking the senator about the steps any American can take toward a happier life and a healthier democracy. Mentioned in this episode: Senator Murphy's book: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374621117/crisisofthecommongood/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Will the FBI Stand Up to Trump? 22.06.2026 1t 2min

  Three veterans of the FBI—Michael Feinberg, Andrew McCabe, and Asha Rangappa—join Harry for a special deep-dive on the Bureau. The panel explores the dangerous, erratic leadership of Kash Patel, whose blunders keep embarrassing his agents and harming their mission. They dig into the costs of Patel’s relentless purge of old personnel, of which Michael was an early victim. Finally, the trio zeroes in on the crucial leaders within the Bureau whom they urge to stand up to Patel—as their oath requires—or watch him turn the FBI into a corrupt and politicized tool of Trump.  Mentioned in this episode:  Andrew’s podcast:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unjustified/id1317481380  Michael’s analysis:  https://www.lawfaremedia.org/contributors/mfeinberg  Asha’s Substack:  https://asharangappa.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Molly Mashup: “Who’s Not Mad at Trump Right Now?” 18.06.2026 29min

  In their newest mashup, Harry and Molly Jong-Fast trade questions about the president's weak deal with Iran and latest failures in federal courts. Molly wants to know where the slush fund stands and whether the Kennedy Center fiasco is the beginning of the end for Trump’s makeover of D.C. Harry asks about the political price the president will pay for the Iran deal, and if Trump can get away with a self-styled “bit of intrigue” aimed at installing ultra-loyalist Bill Pulte at the nexus of the U.S. intelligence services.  Mentioned in this episode: Molly's podcast: ⁠ https://fastpoliticspod.com/Molly's Substack: ⁠ https://mollyjongfast.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Trump's Birthday Bummer 15.06.2026 52min

  Talking Feds stalwarts Norm Ornstein, Tara Setmayer, and Jacob Weisberg join Harry to break down a week where Congress and the courts put Trump on his heels. The group explains the growing legal headwinds for the president’s slush fund and tax amnesty. Next, they dig into how an apparent classic Trump u-turn was a sneakier maneuver than it seemed. Finally, they turn to the new revelations about how the Epstein scandal rocked the administration, and why the DOJ’s handling of the files—among other issues—should sink Todd Blanche’s AG nomination. Mentioned in this episode: Norm's podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dsrs-words-matter/id1420216970 Tara's Substack: https://tarasetmayer.substack.com/  The New York Times' new reporting about Epstein: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/10/magazine/trump-epstein-files-white-house-vance-doj.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Inside the DOJ’s Downward Spiral 11.06.2026 45min

  Veteran reporter Devlin Barrett takes Harry inside the secret negotiations that created the $1.8 billion slush fund and the transformation within the Department of Justice that made Trump's self-dealing possible. Drawing from his new book—The Department of Revenge: How Trump Took Control of American Justice—Devlin tells the inside story of how the president’s cronies remade the DOJ.  Devlin's book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Department-of-Revenge/Devlin-Barrett/9781668065129 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  The Start of Trump’s Long Slide? 08.06.2026 57min

  Harry talks with former Senator Barbara Boxer, Charlie Sykes, and Glenn Thrush to make sense of the sudden Republican restiveness, Graham Platner's latest scandal, and Trump's "scariest” appointment yet. Is California’s slow vote counting giving the DOJ an opening to claim election abuses? Will Platner doom Democrats’ hopes of what Charlie says should’ve been a “layup” win over Susan Collins? Can Congress finish off Trump’s slush fund? And why is everyone ignoring Trump’s audit-free guarantee—the most obviously self-enriching part of his corrupt settlement?   Mentioned in this episode: Glenn’s reporting: https://www.nytimes.com/by/glenn-thrush#latest  Charlie’s Substack: https://charliesykes.substack.com/  Glenn’s inside look at how the Trump v. IRS settlement deal came together: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/30/us/politics/trump-irs-lawsuit-deal.html  The New York Times’ Graham Platner story: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/04/us/politics/platner-maine-senate-girlfriends-relationships.html  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  David Frum’s Unified Thesis of Trump’s Failings 04.06.2026 33min

  The U.S. war with Iran is not—despite promises from the White House—over. Nonetheless, premier national commentator David Frum is ready to declare a loser: Donald Trump. Together Harry and David piece through the interlocking personal failings of the president that foretold a winnable war against a far weaker enemy would become a debacle. And the two tackle how those traits shape Trump’s more successful pursuits: self-enrichment, going around the Constitution, and Mar-a-Lago-ifying the nation’s capital.  Mentioned in this episode: David's columns: https://www.theatlantic.com/author/david-frum/ David's piece "Why Trump Lost": https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/2026/05/why-trump-lost-iran/687291/ David's podcast: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDamP-pfOskNgMNI1eg0pajQfRu-q3NUO Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Purges, Payoffs, and Paxton 01.06.2026 1t

  As Trump puts a blue Texas in reach, Harry talks with Jonathan Alter, David A. Graham, and Senator Heidi Heitkamp to discuss the fall’s premier Senate race and the latest outrages from the DOJ. Should Democrats go all out to beat scandal-plagued Ken Paxton? Or does an obsession with Texas distract from other, less flashy pickup chances elsewhere? Can Trump’s “self-deal steal” survive sudden gusts of political and legal headwinds? And why is the DOJ now reportedly targeting E. Jean Carroll, a private citizen?Mentioned in this episode: Jonathan’s Substack: https://oldgoats.substack.com/David’s reporting: https://www.theatlantic.com/author/david-a-graham/Harry’s latest column: https://harrylitman.substack.com/p/not-too-shabbyHarry’s conversation with Congressman Jamie Raskin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7rpqMubPEQ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Patrick Radden Keefe’s “London Falling” and Death in the Time of Oligarchs 28.05.2026 40min

  A teenager hurtles from the balcony of a luxury apartment complex into the Thames. That unexplained death animates the newest book from one of America’s great nonfiction writers, Patrick Radden Keefe. Patrick joins Harry to unspool the story's web of shady characters, complacent police, and desperate parents. The two delve into the transformation of London into a playground for the extremely and unscrupulously wealthy—like Russian oligarchs—that made the fatal fall possible and draw out the way Trump is overseeing a similar shift in the United States. And Harry digs into Patrick’s approach to writing, including how his law degree informs his precise, almost prosecutorial reporting. Mentioned in this episode: London Falling: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/704979/london-falling-by-patrick-radden-keefe/  Patrick's reporting: https://www.newyorker.com/contributors/patrick-radden-keefe Patrick's story about Trump, Mark Burnett, and the Apprentice: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/01/07/how-mark-burnett-resurrected-donald-trump-as-an-icon-of-american-success Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Orange Slush (Special DOJ Episode) 25.05.2026 1t 4min

  For Talking Feds' latest special episode on the Department of Justice, Harry bears down on the DOJ's sinister creation of $1.8 billion slush fund for Trump's nastiest allies. Expert observers of the Department—Ken Dilanian, Glenn Kirschner, and Mimi Rocah—join Harry to dive into the nefarious details and the avenues for pushing back. The panel then surveys the sorry state of field offices, including a disturbing pattern of grand jury misconduct by DOJ lawyers. The group ends with a look at DOJ's ongoing battles with James and Maurene Comey. Mentioned in this episode:  Ken's reporting: https://www.ms.now/author/ken-dilanian-2 Glenn's Substack: https://glennkirschner.substack.com/ Glenn's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GlennKirschner2 Mimi's piece about the slush fund: https://www.contrariannews.org/p/doj-facilitates-a-heist  Harry's latest column about the slush fund: https://harrylitman.substack.com/p/a-metastasizing-scandal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  How SCOTUS is Slanting the Midterms 21.05.2026 36min

  Harry talks with Rick Hasen, one of the country’s leading experts in election law and a prophet of Chief Justice John Roberts’s decades-long project to tear down voting rights. Hasen explains why Roberts—after taking a slow and steady approach for so long—is suddenly masterminding an aggressive “two minute offense.” Hasen lays out the damage dealt to American democracy by the decision, the prospects for court reform, and the signals that Roberts knows time is running out for him and the conservative dominance of the Supreme Court. Mentioned in this episode: Professor Hasen’s analysis: https://slate.com/author/richard-l-hasen Professor Hasen’s 2013 New York Times piece: https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/26/opinion/the-chief-justices-long-game.htmlHarry’s column about the history behind the Callais decision: https://harrylitman.substack.com/p/callais-caps-the-roberts-courts-comprehensive Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Trump's "Systematic" Undermining of the Economy 18.05.2026 36min

  With gas prices surging and inflation on the rise once more, Harry turns to economist Justin Wolfers to get a handle on what Trump is doing to the U.S. economy. Wolfers explains why the real cost of the war with Iran is vastly higher than the figures quoted so far by the Pentagon, how long exorbitant fuel costs could last, and the deeper, unremarked ways that Trump is challenging the foundations of American prosperity.  Mentioned in this episode:  Platypus Economics on YouTube:  https://youtube.com/@PlatypusEconomics? Platypus Economics on Substack:  https://newsletter.platypuseconomics.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices