Donald Trump

Criticized for his dismissive comments about the American financial situation and his hostile treatment of reporters.

“destroy everything you touch. And, and no... And it's just so bizarre to me that no one calls it out. And I was, uh, I'll, I'll drop this interview I did with Governor Beshear in the next day or two, but before I went live, I did an interview with Governor Bes…”

Criticized for his authoritarian behavior, alleged war crimes, and use of social media to distract from serious issues.

“We're doing, uh, Rush Hour one, two, three. Now we gotta do Rush Hour four. I mean, can you think of someone who's so out... This is real. And again, this is beyond parody. You know, and I know sometimes when we talk about the ballrooms and we talk about the, …”

Criticized for his economic claims, foreign policy failures, and perceived weakness in international relations.

“Their euphemism is the K-shaped economy. They call it K-shaped, which basically means most Americans, if you draw a K and you have a horizontal line, 99% of Americans live in the recession, Great Recession, depression area, right? That's where most Americans a…”

Discussed regarding his trip to China, his relationship with Xi Jinping, and his past legal actions against CBS.

“negotiate regarding, uh, future relationships between, uh, the two major powers in the world. Donald Trump said that he feels very good about his friendship with Xi Jinping. Cue the clip of Donald Trump. "Yeah, Xi Jinping and I are really good friends. It shou…”

Criticized for his foreign policy decisions, obsession with superficial projects, and his influence over the Republican party.

“losers. They let Donald Trump push them around. They're bootlickers. They don't stand for anything. They're really just the lamest human beings. They're MAGA zombies. It's so bizarre and pitiful to watch these individuals behave so, I don't even know how to de…”

Accused of compromising US foreign relations and failing to address nuclear threats.

“between India and Pakistan even though you didn't have anything to do with it at all? Did they flatter you, so now you support Pakistan so much that you're not even willing to, or that you were willing to just throw away America's relationship with India, wher…”

Criticized for his upcoming trip to China and his economic policies which the speaker claims wrecked the economy.

“You're watching Ben on Breaking News. I'm Ben Meiselas, and this is your breaking news. Before we went live, we learned that the Pentagon is considering a new mission, a new invasion of Iran. They're calling it Operation Sledgehammer. They believe that the cea…”

Criticized for spreading misinformation and for the executive branch's refusal to answer questions about his public statements.

“what, uh, Senator Murray said, Murphy said, is 80%. But actually, if you... I know Trump said that once, but mostly Trump says, "We obliterated it all. None of it exists." So here's the thing. Trump has a forum for propaganda and lies without any accountabilit…”

The subject of questioning regarding his public comments about the financial situation of Americans.

“Welcome back. Great ad reads. Thank you to our sponsors. They keep this show going. Support our sponsors. The discount codes are in the description below. So what do you think MAGA, Republican senators, Congress members, what do you think they're saying after …”

Referenced as the subject of praise by political allies and criticism by the host.

“I, you know, I say it a lot, but, like, I don't know how else to... These are sick humans. Like, these are sick people. Like, these are really bad, sick humans. Like, their behavior, it's not normal. They don't behave like nor- this, this is not normal human b…”

His administration is criticized for the transparency and accuracy of war expenditure reporting.

“[laughs] Oh, wow. Wow, wow, wow. Let me show you Senator Reid's questioning, which demonstrated that, um, when the Trump regime is saying they've only spent $29 billion on the war so far, it's a made-up number. Like, they're not counting probably 90% of the ex…”

Discussed as the central figure maintaining a strong hold on the Republican Party and strategically targeting opponents in primaries.

“... an Indiana state representative's race. He will mess with the Senate, US Senate. He will certainly m- mess with a, um, a House of, a member of the House of Congress, like as we're seeing in, uh, Thomas Massie, Lauren Bour- Boebert. Trump's getting involved…”

He is actively working to defeat Thomas Massie in the primary and exerts significant control over the Republican party.

“Right. So you're absolutely right that Massie's different than, um, Cassidy in, in the respect you said, which is there are people who are passionate about Massie, not just in his district, but all over the country because he has a certain strand of MAGA who r…”

The central figure whose perceived actions and personality trigger intense, pathological hatred in some individuals.

“Well, that's a very good question, and I think it's probably both. Uh, one of the things that I think it is, they just, they still, all these years later, just cannot believe that Trump is the president, Trump the entertainer, Trump the, the businessman. And t…”

Discussed as having poor approval ratings and being a liability for the Republican party in upcoming elections.

“in yet another poll is now showing an overall disapproval of President Trump. The, uh... This is CBS poll in February of 2025. Trump with that group, white wor- white non-college voters, he had an approval rating of 68% and disapproval of 32%, so he was plus 3…”

Discussed as having realist and dovish instincts that often conflict with his political coalition management and public rhetoric.

“Yeah. Look, I mean, the parallels are pretty striking. Um, and the president's, uh, desire, uh, to lunge into foreign affairs and do regime change wars, what he said he wouldn't, instead of sort of investing in domestic renewal and the American heartland, it r…”

Discussed as the President whose administration is considering military action against Cuba and Iran.

“pretext to U- US military action so that they can then turn a- around and be like, "We said it was pretextual." Right? You gave your audience absolutely no context for all the bullshit you just heaped upon them. You just wanted the exclusive. You want to be pa…”

Discussed as a political figure whose communication style is often incoherent and relies on his own platform.

“... is the key though, because everybody... It's a Rorschach test. If they actually, like, Trump like went to Congress and like explained what he thought, it would, it s- it would sound insane. I mean, we can see it on the Truth Social. And so, like if he did …”

Criticized for his diplomatic approach of using flattery with foreign leaders like Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin.

“So two things. One, everything you just said is exactly right and applies to what Trump has done with Putin too.”

Mentioned in the context of Georgetown University holding emergency sessions for students following his election.

“Yeah, no, it's not helpful at all. And if we're so focused on all the things that are wrong with ourselves or society, how are we possibly gonna move forward? Uh, when I work with people, I want them to tap into their strengths and what they're good at, not si…”

Discussed regarding his foreign policy approach and potential endorsement of Spencer Pratt.

“... these three, these three regimes are just interested in pocketing wins over the United States. Uh, they're not interested in helping Donald Trump out of the mess he's in. So again, I hope he can figure it out. I hope he can end both wars. I hope he can top…”

Used as a comparison for a candidate who effectively highlights failures of governance.

“... that he will win. But I don't feel strongly about it, but I think he could. The biggest issue is we have let down families and children in big cities around the country for decades now, almost all run by Democrats. The case of c- of, of, uh, the mayor of, …”

Discussed regarding his foreign policy approach, his desire for 'splashy' victories, and his administration's stance on Cuba and Venezuela.

“Yeah, I mean, this is where I think you see a breakdown between the Trump alliance with the neocons and the hawks. Trump wants one thing, uh, which is headlines, uh, attention, uh, big moves. Uh, recall the Venezuela episode. Nicolás Maduro, the former preside…”

Discussed as the incumbent president facing criticism for his economic policies and handling of the Iran conflict.

“Only 26% say inconvenient but not difficult, and only 15% say, "Not affected. It's not an issue for me." Um, this is interesting. Are you getting a clear understanding of the situation in the Stra- in the Strait of Hormuz? 69% say, "I have no fucking clue what…”

Mentioned as a political figure whose policy goals regarding Cuba prioritize headlines over soft power.

“This is key. I mean, d- it- listen to what Ryan just said. The nationalist objectives, just like with Venezuela, have already been achieved. Cuba has basically capitulated, so if that is the goal of the United States, uh, it can already be done with soft power…”

Megyn Kelly references Trump's campaign rhetoric regarding Black voters.

“You know, what Trump said to Black voters.”

Implemented and tightened sanctions on Cuba in 2019 and discussed the island's beauty.

“Yeah, your, your description is accurate. Uh, not, and not only did, uh, we cut off Venezuelan oil from getting, uh, to Cuba, Trump also o- re- basically told every other country that they were not allowed to send any oil to Cuba. They told Me- Mexico, and cou…”

The subject of 'Trump Derangement Syndrome' and the focus of patients' hyper-fixation.

“Yeah, Megan, my favorite topic, TDS, and, uh, I did write a piece in the Wall Street Journal about that. And I made it very clear that this does not exist right now. It's not in the DSM, and I, I can't imagine that we'll ever see it in the DSM. But the patholo…”

Mentioned in the context of political polarization affecting patient-doctor relationships.

“... to treat someone if they voted for Trump. Can you, can you imagine-”

He is described as accelerating psychedelic research through executive orders and responding to advocacy from Joe Rogan.

“And so Joe Rogan had, you know, this unlikely duo, you know, on, on who have both done ibogaine and are waxing lyrical about the benefits. He had them both on his podcast like three weeks before the executive order, and they basically said, "Look, you know, Jo…”

Signed an executive order regarding ibogaine while in the Oval Office.

“The veterans, you know, these stories from veterans about the transformative effects of ibogaine have been really difficult to refute politically. Twenty-two veterans on average are committing suicide in the US every day, and Trump in the Oval Office when he s…”

Mentioned as the person who made an announcement regarding ibogaine and featured stories from advocates.

“I mean, one of the, there was a couple of, well, several people behind Trump when he made the announcement who he got them to share their stories.”

The administration is considering legalizing ibogaine, and the president has joked about taking it himself.

“Well, you know, he's famously never smoked a cigarette, had a drink, certainly not had a trip. So, you know, in the Oval Office the other week, he's kind of joking about taking ibogaine.”

Dana White describes him as a resilient fight fan who supported the UFC in its early days and defends his immigration policies.

“Trump is one of the toughest, most resilient human beings that I've ever met in my life. The most. I, I don't know anybody, and I've been in the fight business since I was 19 years old. He's the toughest, most resilient guy I've ever met, by far.”

Dana White credits him with securing the release of a fighter's wife from a Russian prison.

“They had found that she had donated $15 to, um, Ukraine, and they arrested her and had her in a Russian prison, and President Trump, I called him, and he got her out.”

Discussed as a political figure supported by Dana White and the subject of polling controversies.

“... and, uh, you know, we supported Trump.”

Dana White discusses his close friendship with the president and his support for him despite political polarization.

“Um, I wanna note what for some people is an irony. Uh, you're a friend of the president. You've been very close to the president. You're doing this event on the president's back lawn. Uh, and your boss is Ari Emanuel.”

President and supporter of the UFC who is hosting an event for the organization.

“[gentle music] Hi, it's Steve Inskeep with a special episode from our sister show, NPR's Newsmakers. We interview some of the most influential people of our time, and today, we hear from Dana White, president of the UFC and a prominent supporter of President T…”

The hosts discuss his upcoming trip to China and his willingness to negotiate on Taiwan arms sales.

“off your first order by using code crooked or going to cookunity.com/crooked. [upbeat music] All right. [laughs] So Trump [laughs] staying on this subject, Trump's about to spend some quality time this week with, uh, fellow imperialist Xi Jinping when he takes…”

The hosts discuss his controversial proposals, including accepting corporate donations for White House renovations and his suggestion to annex Venezuela.

“It i- it is, of course, the, it's the, it's the worst of all worlds for Trump, but best of all worlds for us in the politics. But it's like some of it's being funded by major donors, corporate donors who now get special access to Trump [laughs]”

Criticized for his aggressive foreign policy approach toward Iran and lack of experience in genuine conflict.

“And that guy is kicking the shit out of him and is willing to go a lot further to win this fight than Donald Trump is and take a lot more pain, and it's not gonna end well.”

Criticized for his proposal to suspend the gas tax and for awarding a no-bid contract for pool repairs.

“And now apparently painting the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool American flag blue, which, uh, along with some other repairs, is apparently gonna cost $13.1 million, according to David Fahrenthold at the Times. This is an, uh, apparently it's an 88% jump in t…”

The US President criticized for his handling of the Iran conflict and his lack of a clear, actionable plan.

“... it drives me crazy when he says, "I have a plan. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon." No, that's a goal.”

Mentioned in a clip regarding political interactions.

“What a beautiful family. Hi. Can I say hi to Mr. President? Can I say hi to President Trump?”

Mentioned as the political opponent that Democrats are trying to check by winning the House.

“Governor. If you told me right now that we, that, look, there's no time issue. We don't know what the future holds. We can still win the House. We should fight to win the House. Yes, this made it harder, but the idea that... Like, if you, if, if we knew, like,…”

Discussed as a destructive political force whose actions and rhetoric are negatively impacting Republican electoral prospects.

“These are base elections. Democrats are already more motivated. Hopefully, they will all learn about this, be angry about it, be even more motivated to turn out. And the, the good thing about Trump is he just, things are as bad as they've ever been for him pol…”

Discussed regarding his potential stance on Taiwan and trade deals.

“The, but, like, he doesn't give a shit about freedom, democracy, human rights, uh, religious freedom, hating communism, all the traditional, like, things that once animated Republicans on this. So I assume he would trade away, uh, Taiwan in a heartbeat for a g…”

Criticized for his half-cocked approach to Iran, withdrawing from the JCPOA, and creating a foreign policy morass.

“Um, you have ripped up the previous, uh, agreement, and you may not have liked it, but it was negotiated in good faith by the United States, which you can, you know, which, uh, uh, uh, whose authority c- came from Obama to you. So you've kind of undermined our…”

Discussed regarding his foreign policy stances on Iran, China, and Venezuela.

“On today's show, Trump says the ceasefire with Iran is on, quote, "life support." We'll talk about why and what comes next as he heads off to China. We'll also talk about his new plan to make Venezuela our 51st state.”

Discussed as a political figure whose influence is being challenged by Thomas Massie and whose foreign policy rhetoric is viewed as inconsistent.

“One other thing related to, you know, Trump's political power with his own party is Thomas Massie's primary in Kentucky four is tomorrow. I've been discussing this a lot. Just wanted to, to flag it again. His poll numbers are looking better than Cassidy's, I t…”

Discussed as the dominant figure in the Republican Party whose endorsement dictates political loyalty and whose approval ratings are currently in decline.

“It's just kind of amazing, isn't it, that a Republican senator, been in the Senate quite a long time, the House before it, presumably has some attachment to the broader party, its principles, ran against Trump, obviously, in twenty fifteen, twenty sixteen, jus…”

His approval ratings are declining in multiple polls, and a majority of voters feel he does not care about them.

“you?" was terrible for Trump. This is pretty interesting. "How much do you think Donald Trump cares about the needs and problems of people like you? A lot, eighteen percent. Some, seventeen percent." So thirty-five percent cares about you. Not much, fourteen p…”

Criticized for being a weak leader who is easily bullied by foreign powers.

“... it is-- It's very bad for the country, for the US, for one thing. It's very bad for the world, and it also is revealing about Trump. He is ultimately a weak person. I mean, that is actually a true statement, right? I mean, he is like most bullies, right? S…”

Accused of engaging in suspicious stock trading and insider trading while president.

“We're gonna do, do a little candy for people because I'm not sure if you're gonna like the very end of the podcast. I do wanna talk about Trump's age and corruption real quick. There's this story about Trump's investments, which is pretty astonishing. And, and…”

Criticized for his inconsistent foreign policy threats and for creating a dangerous situation regarding Iran.

“Just what you say. I mean, I think Jack Keane is in touch with people in the administration, including up to the very top, and I, I think he also wishes-- You know, he has this sort of, I, I don't know what even to call it, the view at this point. I was gonna …”

Discussed as a target for legislative pressure regarding stock trading bans and criticized for his lack of transparency regarding his health and medical records.

“... "Hey, you should talk more about that, about Biden," fine. It doesn't matter, you know what I mean? [chuckles] They're not gonna lose because of that if you're a Democrat, and the Republicans will pay a price for refusing to have any trans... I mean, Trump…”

Trump is criticized for backing away from international commitments and showing weakness in his dealings with foreign leaders.

“changed in the power dynamics and expanding on, uh, the feeling that Trump is just demonstrating real weakness on the world stage. The China summit last week ended with a whimper, basically. Um, Trump is-- they're, they're trying to save face this morning with…”

Criticized for his poor record on national debt and deficit spending compared to other politicians.

“... and he is doing so. He gots a little help from the governor. Uh, he found some tax, little m-minor tax hikes and some spending savings, uh, and so he submitted a budget. As I understand it, well, it is balanced. I think it's gonna become law, basically. I …”

Mentioned for his tendency to pardon January 6th insurrectionists and those who attempted to tamper with elections.

“This sounds like a duck, and it is a duck. I really haven't followed it that closely. I mean, I'm sort of ambivalent. I don't... She was bad. She was real-- She tried to corrupt the election. She has served several years in jail, and I don't know, there's some…”

Criticized for an irresponsible approach to AI regulation and being viewed as the status quo in previous elections.

“... right way to handle this. But for now, at least having a conversation about the right way to handle it and a serious policy conversation is key, and Democrats need to make clear they are very much intending to do that and make clear that the Trump administ…”

The former president whose shifting stance on abortion is causing friction with his party's conservative base.

“She believes that, you know, Trump, who was as pro-life of an advocate as you could have in 2016, uh, and again in 2020, has set aside the issue.”

The former president is being criticized by anti-abortion groups for his states-rights stance on abortion regulation.

“And the man that they helped return to the White House, Donald Trump, who brags about being the most pro-life president ever-”

Mentioned by critics as a label applied to Saad.

“... parasitic ideas and the parasitic mind. But i-i- in order to fully tell the story, I then had to say, "But, but a lot of the, the, the mechanisms by which people seem to be completely hijacked in terms of their ability to think critically is really coming …”

Praised by Gad Saad for his bold leadership and willingness to challenge the status quo.

“But, you know, the, the, the reason why I lo- I mean, and now I'm gonna get threats for this. The reason why I appreciate Trump is precisely because he implements things that most politicians wouldn't have the testicular fortitude to do. But that's what you wa…”

Discussed in relation to his political candidacy and the influence of the Zionist lobby.

“Americans. But do you really think that Donald Trump is sitting and saying, "You know, had I not been such a weak guy with no personal agency, I wouldn't have fallen sway to the incredibly influential Zionist lobby"?”

Referenced as an example of a leader appealing to national self-interest through the 'America First' platform.

“So when, when, when Trump says America first, MAGA, and all this, that's what he's appealing to, yes?”

Mentioned for his comments about potentially turning Gaza into a resort destination like Monaco.

“And there's also been this crazy talk of putting resorts there, you know? And Trump said that-”

Gad Saad expresses a hope that he will award Thomas Sowell the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

“Gave arguably the greatest one-word answer that I've ever heard. At one point, he was appearing on some show, this is not too long ago, maybe 20 years ago. He's now 95, and I think it's a travesty that he hasn't won the Presidential Freedom, uh, Medal, and I, …”

Mentioned in the context of an assassination attempt and subsequent judicial commentary.

“So did you hear about the one where the, the guy who tried to assassinate President Trump-”

Discussed as a political figure who exploits institutional weaknesses and exposes hypocrisy to validate his worldview.

“Yeah. But, um, it's just a, you know, y- you know, like changing the, changing the age limit on the Virginia Supreme Court, I don't know about that. I think, I don't think that's where we wanna be. Um, so you know, I just don't want, "Well, Trump would, Trump …”

David Axelrod describes campaigning against Donald Trump as asymmetric warfare due to his disregard for norms and institutions.

“Look, uh, Dan, you know the history of this. Um, there have been 39 midterm elections since World War II, and the party that is in the White House has gained seats in two of those 39, in 1998 and 2002. And in both those elections with Clinton and Bush, Bush ri…”

Weighed in on the Texas race and criticized Democratic candidates.

“Another race the Democrats are very excited about and very interested in is Texas. Um, our old boss made his first campaign appearance of the cycle, getting some tacos with James Talarico and Gina Hinojosa, who's running for governor. Trump weighed in on the r…”

Discussed as a dominant political force that Senate candidates struggle to distance themselves from.

“... last time as Trump was carrying the state, uh, by double digits. Uh, and, uh, he's running against a senator who was appointed, who's never run on his own statewide, uh, and who doesn't have a, you know, a huge, um, image in the state. So he's gonna be mor…”

Mentioned as having won Pennsylvania twice in the past.

“Yeah, you know, the Sh- Shapiro, it's probably not discussed enough how popular he is in Pennsylvania. Being a popular governor of Pennsylvania is not an easy thing to do. This is a state that Donald Trump has won twice. It has moved away from Democrats demo- …”

Discussed as a figure who has exacerbated anti-establishment feelings while being accused of unprecedented corruption.

“also speaks to, uh, establishment politics. People don't feel like the folks in Washington are in touch with their lives or focused on their lives. And I think Trump has exacerbated it because he ran contending that he was, and then, y- you know, and he now we…”

Discussed as a candidate whose influence among Latino voters is declining and who is actively campaigning against Talarico.

“He's, he's very good. He is, he is, I think... If anyone can do it, it's James Talarico in this year, particularly against Paxton. Um, he, you know, they, his, the Latino numbers you point out are very notable. Pew has a poll out today which shows that Trump's…”

Mentioned regarding his Supreme Court nominees and the state of the system before he took office.

“Yeah, and I mean, I think w- w- you know, time, time will tell, uh, about that. Yeah, I heard, uh, someone tell me about a focus group in that state, and someone was talking about Susan Collins, and they said she's bipartis- she's, she's only bipartisan when i…”

Mentioned as lacking the qualities of empathy, decency, and integrity that will be prized in the 2028 election.

“I, uh... But, you know, I've been thinking a lot about this election and, um, there, no, no two elections are alike. Um, but if you were gonna say, "Well, what is this election most like?" It goes back to one that you will not remember, but I do, which is the …”

Discussed as having abysmal approval numbers and potentially using unethical fundraising and political tactics.

“No, I think that that's a, that's a valid concern, because I don't think the full effect of the Voting Rights Act kind of rescission by the Supreme Court is gonna be felt in this election, and the, the Republicans are not gonna have as much time to organize ar…”

Criticized for his erratic rhetoric, lack of clear objectives, and perceived incompetence in both foreign policy and domestic projects.

“He doesn't have any objectives. It's worse than before. He's made it worse, and it's not a war. Like it's not, it's... He's kind of right. It's not. It's something else where it's just a disa-- it's just a big fucking mess, the same as his casinos and, you kno…”

The US President is visiting China for a two-day summit with Xi Jinping.

“... in a way that I think is smart. Anyway, um, but he doesn't use it for... You know, he has a nice girlfriend, and he, you know, they get into beefs and this and that, but it's, um... But they're, they also have a relationship, and I think it's-- I think tha…”

Criticized for bringing corporate CEOs instead of diplomats to a summit and for his lack of preparation.

“It's not who he brought. It's the ratio. He brought 17 CEOs with him and three diplomats. So it feels as if America's just becoming an operating system for the wealth of the top one percent, and-”

Discussed in the context of his lack of recognition regarding the evolution of China's economic capabilities.

“... uh, Trump doesn't recognize the evolution of China since the last time he was there. China's no longer trying to copy Silicon Valley. They're trying to replace it.”

Discussed in the context of his demands for lower interest rates and his need to focus on providing better services to citizens.

“Or cuts off, you know, there was a, a really upsetting story in the New, in New York Times, a woman writing about her kid who died of cancer. But, like, they've cut cancer, pediatric cancer things, and so these, you can't get in these studies 'cause they don't…”

Scott Galloway criticizes his competence and integrity regarding economic management.

“What people miss, we're very focused on unemployment, and we think that unemployment causes unrest. It's actually not unemployment that causes the greatest levels of unrest. It's, um, what really upsets people and moves them to political action and sometimes e…”

President Trump is preparing for a trip to China while facing concerns over rising inflation numbers.

“It's a jury decision, and then the judge will decide remedies. So it c-- you know, he, she-- if he lose-- if, if Musk wins, they might say, "Well, we're leaving it as it is and going with the California thing, and they can pay him money or whatever. We're not …”

Beneficiary of significant campaign donations from Andreessen Horowitz and their founders.

“Scott, we're back. The biggest donor for the twenty twenty-six midterms may or may not surprise you. It's Andreessen Horowitz. The VC firm and its co-founders, Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, have already spent more than a hundred and fifteen million dollars…”

The host discusses Trump's visit to China and his interaction with President Xi.

“So Trump's in China with every CEO, every tech demon. They're all there. It's a trip to China, and he does this. He's greeted by President Xi, and they have this beautiful walk. Now, take a look at this. I want everyone to look at...”

Mentioned in the context of engaging with CEOs regarding economic relations with China.

“you know, because there's that whole concern that, you know, if China gets too many Nvidia chips, they're going to be able to dominate us militarily, um, with AI. And we have put certain, um, limits on the chips that they could get. Now, of course, China's kin…”

Referenced regarding his comments on China and his interactions with Xi Jinping.

“Trump's comment, "Great. Great place. Incredible. China's beautiful." Well, there you go. Um, there are psychopaths in our government that would like to have a war with China. Why? Well, they would like a substantial reduction of the population on Earth. They …”

Cited as an example of an autocratic leader who has taken over the Department of Justice to install loyalists.

“Corruption you have in any political system, and you often have it in democracies, too. But in an autocratic society, you have more corruption because the, the legal system is controlled. And so what you have, for example, in the United States, the fact that D…”

Discussed as a president lacking long-term strategy and prone to dishonesty in his foreign policy dealings.

“One of the problems of having a president who lies all the time is that you, you know, you just stop believing him. Even if the war was over, you wouldn't believe it because he's, his, his, his track record is not good. Um, I mean, look, I think the important …”

His net worth increased significantly during his time in office, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest.

“And we have two, uh, jars of money here. This was, uh, Trump's net worth when he went into office, $2.3 billion reportedly, and this is his net worth now, just two years later,”

Discussed as a figure who may seek to influence elections or have family members run for office, and whose second term is characterized by a desire to remove constraints.

“So for different reasons, people who disliked the American political system, who don't like democracy, don't like liberal democracy, thought it was leading America in a left-wing direction. Some of them have political reasons. They were attracted to Donald Tru…”

Discussed in the context of business dealings and potential conflicts of interest while in office.

“Sounds like, um, Anthropic in the United States recently, where An- Anthropic, the AI company, refused to give the United States access to its AI under certain conditions and then very quickly, Pete, Pete Hegseth did a, a post, I think, and Donald Trump did a …”

Discussed regarding his significant increase in net worth while in office and his disregard for democratic constraints.

“So we've never had a president running businesses while in office, and so decisions are being made not based on what's good for Americans, but what's good for his company. For example, why did the Saudi government invest two billion dollars in Jared Kushner's …”

Discussed as a challenging interview subject due to his tendency to make false statements.

“Yeah, I mean, he, he would have, he would pose exactly that problem because how would you deal with the fact that he's saying something that's not true? Would you then say, "But Mr. President, that's not true," and then go down that road of arguing with him, o…”

Discussed in the context of how media coverage regarding his administration is often perceived as biased.

“... polarization and kind of live off it. There are some who try to be neutral, but, you know, even neutrality is hard to achieve now because a neutral investigation that turns up something bad about the Trump administration will immediately incur the reaction…”

Accused of attempting to shape the information space and influence media ownership to favor his administration.

“All dictatorships seek to control information. You know, in China, the entire internet since the 1990s has been constructed so that the government can control it.There is no outside internet. There is n- there is nobody who's active on the Chinese internet who…”

Accused of attempting to undermine the independence of civil service roles and the Department of Justice.

“Right. And so he's tried to undermine Jerome Powell. He's sued Jerome Powell, or he was investigating him, rather, for some kind of fake, um, financial scandal, and he tried to put pressure on him to resign. He tried to put pressure on him to change his policy…”

Mentioned in the context of promoting conspiracy theories about illegal immigrant voting to explain electoral losses.

“Because it would just be a way of attracting attention to yourself. But they seek to establish this narrative as a way of disqualifying Democratic votes. They want to say that votes in... Trump did this during the last election. Votes in cities are too high. I…”

Characterized as a leader who ignores dissenting advice and prioritizes personal dominance and oil revenue over democratic outcomes.

“The people around you. So when he was planning the war in Iran, and from the reporting that we know, people did say, "Well, you know, Mr. President, you know, the Iranians are not like the Venezuelans. It's a, it's a very embedded regime." And the Iranians had…”

His speech at Davos and unpredictable behavior are cited as catalysts for allies questioning U.S. reliability.

“Like, how does that affect us? And everybody went through this kind of traumatic experience of imagining a US invasion of a NATO ally, and then Trump made a speech at Davos where he somehow changed the subject and confused Greenland and Iceland a few times and…”

His rhetoric and unpredictable trade policies are cited as primary drivers for global nations seeking alternatives to US alliances.

“... that we had this special relationship, which I never knew what it meant, but I always liked it. It seems like that's gone out the window, and the UK are now speaking a lot to, like, President Macron in France, and it seems like we're having our own little …”

Cited as an example of a leader who has broken political norms and could potentially weaponize the federal bureaucracy.

“I'm, I'm asked this by Europeans all the time, and my sense is that a lot of things will not ever be quite normal again, either inside the US or around the world. I mean, I, I would advise, for example, I mean, if you're doing business with the US or you're a …”

Discussed as a president who demands sycophancy from business leaders in exchange for prosperity.

“Yes. I mean, I mean, they, they've understood that, you know, if this is gonna be a, an American administration that you have to genuflect to the president, you have to be sycophantic to the president in order to get business deals, um, then they'll do it. If …”

Discussed regarding his business conflicts of interest and his use of foreign policy to consolidate domestic support.

“Yeah, but I mean, everybody knows that they're his kids, and you, you wouldn't do it... You know, why, why did the Saudi government invest $2 billion in Jared Kushner's fund? It wasn't because they just like Jared Kushner. It was because Kushner is Trump's son…”

The President meeting with Xi Jinping to discuss trade and international relations.

“All right. Well, we have a big docket here. The Trump-Xi summit has begun. That is the number one story right now after a two-month delay because of the war in Iran. This is the first visit to China since 2017. Seventh face-to-face meeting for Trump and Presid…”

Mentioned for his focus on establishing a 'board of trade' to facilitate economic relations.

“... what they want... Oh, I, I mean, I think we just kind of said it. And to summarize, they, they wanna have, you know, economic success. They wanna continue to grow their middle class. They wanna continue to have a healthy economy. They want more trade. I th…”

Discussed regarding his political timeline and the impact of his policies on the midterm elections.

“Uh, would hollow out the entire automotive industry here if we had $20,000, $30,000 cars from China. It would be the end of the US automotive industry overnight. And, uh, Tim Cook's there. He has to store all his data there. That's been a pretty controversial …”

Discussed as leading a delegation of CEOs to China to foster economic cooperation.

“Chamath, why is Trump bringing all of these CEOs with him, and what does success look like, uh, coming out of this meeting?”

Discussed regarding his family's business dealings with foreign nations and potential future pardons.

“... you know, whatever. I'm living on the edge. Um, one last thing. The Trump corruption stuff now, I mean, like, we've spent so much time thinking, like, talking about, you know, what, what happens for accountability for people that are inside the administrat…”

Referenced as the leader whose criticism the administration is sensitive to.

“I mean, it just takes me back to the beginning about like, I'm fucking pissed at them, but they are just... It is so small. You know? Like they are so small and weak that they cannot take any criticism, that they cannot like abide a meme that criticizes them, …”

The former president whose prosecutions were cited as the reason for the purge of DOJ staff.

“Over two hundred. Director Patel has cleaned house there, too. There isn't a single man or woman with a gun, federal agent, still in that organization that had anything to do with the prosecution of President Trump.”

The administration blamed for the politicization and misuse of the Department of Justice.

“Yeah, totally inappropriate. The s- search warrants are issued under seal to safeguard law enforcement, but also to protect the subject of investigations, so they're not smeared or by a, you know, public shaming, so it's totally inappropriate. But the, the, yo…”

Referenced as an example of an amoral leader and the challenges his administration posed to institutions.

“Yeah, maybe. I, I mean, at the margins. But I, I... It's funny, to come back to this Robert Jackson speech in 1940, he said, "Really the only thing that can save us is character. The nature and quality of the people in the jobs is it." You can build all the st…”

Referenced in the context of 'Trumpian excesses' regarding the politicization of the legal system.

“I think it's really important that people not become numb to this, not accept this as just another one of those Trumpian excesses we have to deal with. This is really, really bad. And the danger, even for me, is it happens enough times that it becomes a little…”

Met with Xi Jinping to discuss arms sales to Taiwan and bilateral trade.

“Arms sales to Taiwan, a new board of trade. These were discussed when President Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping last week.”

Mentioned as having expressed positive sentiments toward Xi Jinping on social media.

“And, and I've noticed with the administration, they're very positive, uh, when they were going away to China for this visit, uh, Trump's been very positive about Xi Jinping on social media, and I don't know, I think the administration is doing a bit of China m…”

Mentioned as being in China to meet with Xi Jinping, with the hosts speculating on his diplomatic leverage.

“[laughs] Funny timing, 'cause Trump's in China right now speaking to Xi Jinping.”

The hosts discuss his release of UFO files and speculate that he might have written the alleged Epstein suicide note.

“You read the suicide note and tell me that Trump didn't write it himself.”

Discussed in the context of his knowledge of the Bible and his political supporters.

“Trump knows the Bible better. [laughs]”

Andrew Schulz mimics the tone of Donald Trump while discussing the Epstein case.

“Uh, I'm not gonna do a Trump accent, but I'll do the tonation of it. Uh, "They investigated me for months, found nothing. It is a treat to be able to choose when it's time to say goodbye. What you want me to do? Bust out crying? No fun. Not worth it." Kill him…”

The panel jokes about his hypothetical desire to paint the Reflecting Pool blue to match his properties.

“President Trump said he decided to paint the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall blue, and he says it's because the pools at all his properties are blue.”

Mentioned as arriving in Beijing for a summit.

“The cl- the clock will start when I begin your first question. Fill in the blank. On Wednesday, President Trump arrived in Beijing for his summit with blank.”

Mentioned in a quiz question regarding public perception of his assassination attempts.

“Trump's.”

The President is quoted discussing renovations to a Washington, DC landmark.

“Your next quote is from President Trump.”

Analyzed for his hyperbolic rhetoric and his perceived inability to exit Middle Eastern conflicts.

“I don't know. I'm really worried. I mean, I try not to take Trump too seriously when he's, you know, or too literally when he's being hyperbolic, but he has threatened to nuke them over and over again, including just the other day. He said, "The country's gonn…”

Described as being easily influenced by flattery and ill-informed regarding the complexities of bombing nuclear programs.

“for Iran, for Iran to have a civilian nuclear program, come on, that's just cover for really a weapons program. That's just a stage in a weapons program. We know eventually they're gonna make nukes, and then they're gonna attack Israel with them." And we also …”

Mentioned regarding his misunderstanding of the strategic role of U.S. military bases as tripwires.

“... the map of all our bases in the region. But the thing is, what Donald Trump, I guess, didn't understand was that those were a tripwire that were essentially we were making our own guys hostages of Iran to prevent war. Those bases were preventing war becaus…”

Discussed regarding his potential reaction to a ceasefire deal and his administration's impact on Iranian power.

“How is it we have a ceasefire deal, and then you can come and veto it like this, and then not be chastised and not told to get back in your corner, we're handling this? And, and I really just don't know the answer to that. Uh, some people speculate that it's b…”

Mentioned for comparing an event to the Pearl Harbor attack.

“nearby where they... At the volleyball game, where they killed even more. So now think about the Pearl Harbor attack, which Donald Trump himself compared it to Pearl Harbor, out of context, but still, it was a sneak surprise attack in the middle of negotiation…”

Discussed regarding whether he genuinely believed the intelligence about nuclear weapons or was repeating a lie.

“Yeah. No, you can tell, and this is one of the most dispiriting things, right, is when you can tell a lot of times when these people are talking that, wow, they're, he's really not lying. He really thinks that that stupid lie is true, and he's telling us what …”

Mentioned in the context of a military briefing alleging he was anointed by Jesus to initiate conflict in Iran.

“... 'cause this is so crazy. 'Cause this... Go up to the top, please. Right there. So now by the top, so it's where it says who it was. So it's a military commander, uh, told a group of non-commissioned officers that President Donald Trump, anointed by Jesus t…”

Mentioned as having exposed the limitations of American military influence in the Middle East.

“empire is bankrupt. The- Donald Trump just blew his big bluff that we're the big player in the region. We're actually not in the region. We're here. The region is over there, and the entire, you know, threat of our dominance over there is basically called. I m…”

Mentioned as a past U.S. president in the context of global power dynamics.

“Government-backed businesses making deals and buying up resources and stuff. But I, I, I really don't think that Xi Jinping is looking at George W. Bush and Barack Obama and Donald Trump and Joe Biden and going, "Yeah, that's what I wanna do for my country is …”

Mentioned in the context of his administration's foreign policy and negotiations.

“I think that happened at least a couple of times early in the war, yeah. I mean, that was what they said. In fact, was it... I forget if it was Vance or Trump who said, "Well, we, we can't say..." I think it was Trump said, "We can't say who we're negotiating …”

Mentioned in the context of his administration's actions in Belarus and his potential approach to Russia-China relations.

“And they just went ahead and did all of these things. And in fact, they were doing... They were messing around... It, it was actually the last year of Trump that they, uh, tried to overthrow Belarus. Uh, so that was independent of, of Biden's wishes. That was …”

Mentioned as a figure whom Putin is compared to by political opponents.

“Um, and it was. They just switched from night to day on that, and then, yeah, the other thing... And, look, a big part of that is Putin is a great stand-in for Trump. If you're a angry liberal something, you gotta be angry at something, and he represents... No…”

Referenced as a president who has shown willingness to use military force against Iran and whom Horton suggests should order a withdrawal of US forces.

“Well, I'll tell you that first of all, they're more likely to go ahead and try to break out and make an atom bomb now than ever before, although I'm not necessarily predicting that. I think, you know, Trump has proven by calling their bluff on their latent det…”

Mentioned in the context of his relationship with Netanyahu and his pivot away from Europe.

“Yeah. But, like, isn't it meaningful that this is the situation room? The president's supposed to sit at the head of the table. Instead, Netanyahu sat there, and Trump sat here-”

Mentioned as the President who was advised by Netanyahu and others regarding potential military action.

“... assuming not that, but like assuming he was just a regular cop. Like, you can't accuse me of selling illegal laser rifles from my gun shop when I've got a cop sitting right here, and that's the deal here is they've got inspectors throughout the place. And …”

Influenced by Netanyahu to withdraw from the nuclear agreement with Iran.

“And then the Iranians would say, "We're not making nukes, so don't attack us." And then the heavy implication was, "If you attack us, then we might make nukes." So they had a latent deterrent, right? A half-assed nuclear weapons deterrent. They proved that the…”

Mentioned as a U.S. president who maintained the policy of not starting a war with Iran over their nuclear program.

“uh, the much better solution to that certainly would have been, we... I know we can't go back, but certainly would have been just normalizing relations with Iran and just dealing with them. The reality was Iran's position was not that they were racing to a nuk…”

The former president who targeted Senator Bill Cassidy for defeat in a primary election.

“Republican Senator Bill Cassidy decisively lost his primary over the weekend after President Trump targeted him for defeat. Trump was retaliating against Cassidy for voting to impeach him for inciting insurrection after he lost the 2020 election.”

Musk's political alignment with Trump was cited as a reason for potential juror bias.

“[laughs] You might be surprised, but because of his recent political activities, because he was willing to be very vocal about his politics online, he's aligned with President Trump in a lot of ways. And one way that Musk started off his testimony and his lawy…”

The president who nominated Jerome Powell but later pressured him and targeted him with tweets and investigations.

“But beyond all that, perhaps Powell will be most remembered as a target of angry tweets, speeches, ultimately a criminal investigation by President Trump and his administration, the very president who nominated him in the first place.”

The President who pressured the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates and criticized Jerome Powell.

“And this is why back in 2018, just a handful of tweets from President Trump telling his Fed to, you know, not make another mistake again, this set off alarm bells for us at Planet Money, also, I guess, for Burton Abrams.”

Nominated Kevin Warsh as the incoming Fed chair and attempted to fire Lisa Cook.

“So let's start with this. The incoming Fed chair, nominated by Trump, is named Kevin Warsh. Like Lael, Kevin Warsh served on the Fed board. He was nominated by George W. Bush back in 2006.”

The president who publicly pressured the Federal Reserve via social media during his term.

“But let's start inside the Fed. Lael was there when Trump first started to tweet the stuff that we at Planet Money noticed, you know, how it was incredible, the Fed was considering another rate hike, and how the Fed better not make another mistake. Is there a …”

Used as a comparison for political figures winning on charisma and perception.

“And then you have people like me saying the Labour Party may be finished anyway. I mean, that, that's the other possibility, that what we're failing to read in these polls is that the Conservative Party and the Labour Party, as we know them, may actually be ov…”

Used as a comparative benchmark for political approval ratings.

“Okay, pause for a second. Just, just, um, uh, 'cause I, uh, uh, asked the audience. So there's been a lot of different guesses. Some of them accura-- some of them not. But, uh, whereas Starmer, according to Mets, basically about just over twenty percent of peo…”

Used as a comparison for low approval ratings and political alternatives.

“Well, I think you have to do all three. Uh, in terms of a strategy, you probably have to focus on one or two. But I, I think the other thing that we're missing in this in relation to why Nigel Farage and Zak Polanski have, have been, you know, th- they're gett…”

Compared to European leaders in terms of net popularity ratings.

“So I was looking at this. I think you're completely right. It is terrible. But I, I wonder how many listeners can guess how Trump compares to those figures. So broadly speaking, as you say, those people are about twenty approveAnd about 70 disapprove, so they'…”

He is preparing for a high-stakes summit in Beijing to seek a foreign policy win.

“This is all about vibes. The Chinese understand this very, very well, and they are willing to play the positive mood music for Trump coming in because he needs to score a real foreign policy gain, and he will try to do that in Beijing with nothing really subst…”

The US President currently facing a shifting power balance in negotiations with China.

“That's right, Alice. It really is like the Super Bowl for us. It's a time when all the emotions collect together, and we get a chance to, to talk about the state of the superpower relationship. I tell you, to me, the big thing for this meeting, and I believe t…”

Scheduled to meet with Xi Jinping in Beijing to discuss economic and geopolitical relations.

“So this segues with the summit that we're about to see between Trump and Xi in Beijing this week. Uh, it's just been announced that CEO of NVIDIA, Jensen Huang, who was originally, I think, supposed to be part of the delegation of CEOs, small delegation going …”

His 2016 election victory served as a catalyst for Nick Wumer-Deeders to re-examine his worldview.

“Yeah. Then something shifted for him when Trump was elected in 2016.”

Discussed in the context of his peace proposal and reactions to Iran.

“[upbeat music] Here's what else you need to know today. On Monday, President Trump mocked Iran's response to his latest peace proposal as unserious and said it had imperiled the ceasefire between the two countries.”

The administration is noted for its frequent use of religious references.

“We're also seeing religious references appear more frequently throughout American life, and I think that's most visible at the very top of the Trump administration. You think about JD Vance, who's been very public about his conversion to Catholicism in recent …”

Discussed regarding his poor polling, cognitive state, and potential efforts to influence election outcomes.

“It's not that funny. Anyway, these redistricting, I think the, he cannot fight the polls. The polls are so bad. Everyone doesn't like him. That's one thing I did, the message I gave to people. I was like, "He is widely... Uh, he has his group that like him, bu…”

Accused of using the FCC to pressure media and influence political maps.

“He is a nefarious figure, and so, I know, so Putin close and just the whole thing. The whole... Every bit of Nigel Farage is awful. I, I don't know where to turn in that way. Anyway, we should get to the news. Um, this is a really interesting story I, I though…”

Criticized for his cognitive state and age, with comparisons made to how he is treated by his supporters.

“They look like the Confederate South. It was a version. And them laughing. You all are, by the way, y'all are gonna die of a heart attack relatively soon, because you look like you could get out for a walk or two. But one of... It just was, the visuals were so…”

The hosts discuss his failed phone venture and his administration's transparency regarding UFO files.

“[upbeat music] Scott, we're back. It's been almost a year since the Trump phone was announced, and there is still no sign the device is anywhere close to shipping, but that hasn't stopped Trump mobile website from continuing to accept the hundred dollar deposi…”

Mentioned in the context of the Trump administration's economic policies and influence on oil prices.

“... we, we forgive, we forgive these, these founders during, especially during the Trump administration for the economic growth.”

Compared to Elon Musk regarding their shared obsession with maintaining public attention.

“I agree. This is a really smart move, and it's one of the most interesting, and it's also, quite frankly, it's fundraising. It's gonna be a big slide in his roadshow for SpaceX IPO. They, you know, it, they're talking about a sixty to a hundred and twenty bill…”

Mentioned as a figure of concern and obsession among international audiences.

“... which, you know, is the, the punting boats and the beautiful lawns and the giant cathedrals and everything. It's quite a beautiful town, Cambridge. One of the things, they're so obsessed with Trump, all these countries, and, and, and the danger he poses, a…”

Mentioned by Tucker Carlson as someone who also experienced confrontational behavior from Zelensky.

“So that's a great question, and I watched him do the same thing to Donald Trump.”

Mentioned as the US leader who pressured Zelensky to stop the war.

“Well, he is a dictator. Uh, the closed, the borders are closed now for four years. It's illegally. The human rights violations is enormous, the persecution of the people. In 2024 when Donald Trump came to power, there was a member of parliament who wrote on Te…”

His team is credited with offering a constructive approach to the conflict.

“This is a very good question. To be frank, I think that, uh, the approach that Donald Trump team offered is a very constructive approach. In any way, Ukraine wouldn't survive without aid. But one thing-”

Mentioned as a candidate in the 2016 election during a study on how voice conveys the presence of mind.

“access to your thinking, to your reasoning, to, to what's going on between your ears. I can only watch from the outside, right? And I get cues. I can see your visual gaze, but I can also hear you. The voice contains a lot of cues to the presence of mind. When …”

Withdrew lawsuits against the IRS and government while establishing a controversial settlement fund.

“Today, President Trump withdrew a lawsuit he had filed that sought billions of dollars from the IRS. He's also dropping two other claims against the government over the search of his Mar-A-Lago estate and about the investigation into Russian interference in th…”

The administration is considering 250 pardons for the US 250th anniversary and is dropping cases from the prior administration.

“So one point seven seven six billion. If you take out billion, it's seventeen seventy-six. Trump has thrown himself into this year's two hundred and fiftieth birthday for the United States. Trump is looking to the celebration itself as a possible moment for ad…”

His administration is proposing a fund to compensate individuals who claim they were harmed by the legal system.

“[upbeat music] Elon Musk loses his case in the high-profile Silicon Valley trial between him and OpenAI. Plus, a new $1.776 billion Trump administration fund will pay people who say they were hurt by the legal system, and it's getting pushback.”

Mentioned in the context of tariffs and taxes affecting building material costs.

“Well, if we could get rid of the Trump taxes, the tariffs, uh, that are now being found illegal, that would help us reduce the cost of building materials. If we could stop going to war in foreign lo-- uh, countries-”

Mentioned as being on tape on the morning of 9/11 questioning the structural integrity of the buildings.

“Well, Donald Trump is on tape on the morning of 9/11 saying, "I can't... But I don't know. How could that have happened? I know those buildings well. I was there when they were built in the early '70s, and the steel in those things is stronger than in any buil…”

Mentioned in relation to the US Space Force and his campaign promise to disclose information about unidentified aerial phenomena.

“I actually asked about that, um, because Trump was gonna disclose what it was. Remember during the campaign?”

Mentioned in the context of a listener's experience sharing personal trauma during the 2016 election cycle.

“Hmm.I'm wondering how much it matters whether the people we unburden ourselves to share the same values or worldview as us. We received an email from listener Allison. Uh, she writes, "Before the 2016 election, when Donald Trump's comments about women and sexu…”

Used as a comparison for the Persian governor's blunt and demanding approach to diplomacy.

“they had sent ambassadors to the Persian governor, Artaphernes, in Sardis to see if they could negotiate an alliance. And Artaphernes had told them, "Well, you know, we're the superpower. We don't bother with alliances. It's, you know, you either submit or it'…”

Referenced in a joke about a guest's appearance.

“We're gonna find out all about it. They get 60 seconds uninterrupted. If I pull their name out of the bucket, you know their time is up when you hear the sound of a kitten. [kitten meows] That means they have to wrap it up then, or else they bring out the angr…”

Mentioned in the context of Anderson Cooper interviewing his advisor.

“Soon Rebecca was poring over historical footage for eye rolls, like in home movies going back to the 1970s, and looking for them also in online videos. There was Kate Middleton rolling her eyes at a charity event in New York. There was Angela Merkel eye rollin…”

Mentioned in the context of his administration's healthcare policies regarding Planned Parenthood.

“Have you heard of The Lip Bar? It's a Black-owned beauty brand with products that are really easy to wear and just fit into your routine. They have everything from complexion to lip, and it's the kind of makeup you can put on during the day and still feel good…”

Used as a temporal marker to describe the evolution of American trade and procurement policy.

“So look, the classic economic argument would be that the government should buy cheapest, and that is definitely the mindset that this government has had, uh, certainly since, really pretty much since Thatcher, uh, and, and onwards. Um, th-there is a really int…”

Mentioned as a world leader who frequently wears baseball caps.

“It's prob- actually, it's probably Trump in the baseball caps-”

Mentioned in the context of progressive women's satirical fears regarding reproductive rights and political rhetoric.

“... being like, "Oh, Mr. Trump, don't send me to the Mar-a-Lago breeding pens. Ooh [laughs]."”

Mentioned in the context of 'Trump accounts' as a reference to past policy proposals.

“You know, the Trump accounts were kind of-”

The hosts discuss the Trump administration's evolving approach to AI regulation and potential concerns regarding censorship.

“Does it make you wonder what would've happened if the Trump administration had just been listening to Hard Fork a year ago?”

The administration is shifting its stance on AI safety, moving toward potential government oversight and regulation.

“I wanna talk about this, but less through the lens of, like, sort of President Trump and United States trade policy than through this sort of larger shift that I think we've both observed over the past week or so, which is that after several years of kind of d…”

The Trump administration's approach to AI policy has shifted from skepticism to concern over national security risks.

“Well, I think that basically, um, to, to use a phrase you sometimes like to use, like the Trump administration's view of AI just did not survive contact with reality, right? And that in a word, what has changed here is Mythos, the model that Anthropic now has …”

His administration's approach to AI regulation and his meetings with Xi Jinping are discussed.

“... is a great agency. Uh, great people over there. And I mean, honestly, like, they, they were just set up to do this exact thing, right? Like, when it was established under President Biden, the idea was these models are getting better. Pretty soon they're go…”

The President whose administration is being influenced by tech executives and is navigating AI policy.

“You know, I mean, th- this is a group of executives that are aligned with the Trump administration, and they have all found, in various ways, that the more time you spend flattering President Trump, the more, like, tax breaks and other forms of relief your com…”

Conan jokingly suggests he bought the rights to the national anthem.

“But I've always heard the trick is, and the rocket's red glare takes such a big leap. [piano] Who owns the national anthem? I'm sure Trump has it now, but-”

Mentioned in the context of his presidency and the desire of some to leave the country during his time in power.

“And so I think for me, the gender expression that I saw was what was comfortable to these women, which could be different from other women, you know? It's culturally inflected. And I think my decision to kind of stay and complicate is kind of how I approach-Um…”

Mentioned in the context of his approval rating dropping below 35%.

“I'm gonna give it to you. Tick bites. According to new polls, blank's approval rating has dropped below 35%.”

President who nominated Kevin Warsh and lobbied the Fed to lower interest rates.

“Yeah, this is not exactly the welcome mat that Kevin Warsh, President Trump's pick to be the new leader of the Fed, was hoping for. Unfortunately for Warsh and his colleagues, uh, there's not a whole lot they can do to address this energy supply shock, given t…”

President of the United States traveling to Beijing for a state visit.

“[intro music] President Trump is leaving for Beijing today for a state visit with China's President, Xi Jinping.”

Bobby Lee references Donald Trump in the context of political missile rhetoric.

“That's Trump and his fucking miss-”

Mentioned as being in an online feud with the Pope.

“The one that's beefing with Trump online.”

Dillon discusses his shifting support for Trump, specifically regarding potential extreme actions like destroying a cruise ship.

“I'm telling you, I'm sour. You know, Trump, his decisions I don't like. I've soured on him. I thought he had some real good points early on, but I'll tell you this. If he blows up this ship, if he blows up this hantavirus ship, I'm back.”

Mentioned in the context of his conflict in Iran, which is cited as a major shock impacting global energy prices and economic stability.

“We've been saying it for y- so that, but that was my argument with him, right? I just said, "Look, you know, Trump's war in Iran is a shock, right? In... To, you know, energy prices, um, it's absolutely thrown the whole of the Middle East into turmoil."”

Mentioned humorously in the context of potentially buying the United Kingdom.

“... you know, u- unless Trump finds a way to buy-”

Mentioned in the context of his administration's actions regarding Iran and trade tariffs affecting the stock market.

“Trump bombs Iran.”

Referenced by Megyn Kelly as a past adversary who utilized media campaigns against her.

“This, Matt Murphy, this is so wrong on so many levels. Okay, can I just tell you, I, I've told the audience this before, but back in 2016, '17, when Trump and I were going round and round for nine months, he was coming for me. Um, and then I left Fox and I wen…”

Mentioned in the context of his defense against E. Jean Carroll's civil lawsuit.

“Yeah. It's, it reminds me of the Christine Blasey Ford situation against Brett Kavanaugh, where it's like, h- how is the guy supposed to defend himself 30 years later on, you know, what he did or did not do on a particular day? Now, in that case, we were deali…”

Traveling to China to meet with Xi Jinping and discuss trade and geopolitical issues.

“[upbeat music] Today, President Trump took off for China, where he's planning to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. This will be the first visit to China by a US leader since 2017, and it comes at a key moment. There's a fragile truce in the trade war betwee…”

He is heading to Beijing for a summit with Xi Jinping and is expected to influence Fed policy.

“[upbeat music] Inflation rises to its highest level in three years. Plus, President Trump heads to Beijing for a summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. We'll get into what's on the table and what's at stake.”

The administration is backing a proposal to allow citizens to mail handguns.

“... it's not FedEx, it is USPS, United States Postal Service, and they, this could soon be a reality. So the Postal Service wants to allow people to legally mail handguns for the first time in nearly 100 years. It is a proposal backed by the Trump administrati…”

Criticized by callers and hosts for failing to lower gas prices and economic costs as promised.

“And don't ever forget that he told you he was gonna lower all prices on day one. On day one, he said he was gonna make the economy better. He said he was gonna make the, the grocery prices lower, the gas prices, everything. So that's what makes, that's what ma…”

Mentioned regarding the lack of white-collar criminal prosecutions during his administration.

“Well, I mean, I knew it was coming. It was not a... It was, it, at this point, it was sort of a formality of something that we, that had been, uh, in the works for years. I, listen, I, to me, it's, it is a really lamentable feature. I mean, never mind the fact…”

Mentioned for touting a golden visa program similar to London's.

“Yeah, which they welcomed in. I mean, this is the thing that's so fascinating about the Trump administration now touting this golden visa program, right? Is that London did that two decades ago.”

Used as an example of a public figure who became more extreme due to intense pushback.

“Uh, w- r- rightly or wrongly. You know, Trump became more Trump because of how much people were pushing back against him. Tate became more Tate-”

Referenced in a joke about a spokesperson's communication style.

“Italian Trump?”