Talking Feds
Talking Feds is a roundtable discussion that brings together prominent former government officials, journalists, and special guests for a dynamic and in-depth analysis of the most pressing questions in law and politics.
Episodes
David Brooks on Trump, AI, and Fixing America
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 “co
Kick Out Your Tired and Poor
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 De
Chris Murphy on Fighting Trump and Pursuing Happiness
“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 T
Will the FBI Stand Up to Trump?
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 i
Molly Mashup: “Who’s Not Mad at Trump Right Now?”
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
Trump's Birthday Bummer
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 ho
Inside the DOJ’s Downward Spiral
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 boo
The Start of Trump’s Long Slide?
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
David Frum’s Unified Thesis of Trump’s Failings
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 succ
Purges, Payoffs, and Paxton
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
Patrick Radden Keefe’s “London Falling” and Death in the Time of Oligarchs
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 u
Orange Slush (Special DOJ Episode)
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, includi
How SCOTUS is Slanting the Midterms
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 prospec
Trump's "Systematic" Undermining of the Economy
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 o
Race to the Bottom
As Republicans falter on their gerrymandering plans and Trump looks for a creative new way to pocket taxpayer dollars, Harry talks with Alisyn Camerota, Adam Klasfeld, and Elliot Williams. The tri-state trio dig into the stark racial politics of the post-Callais south and Republicans' sudden hesitation in their redistricting crusade. Next, the group turns to reports that the DOJ may be planning a
Redistricting Roulette
After a bombshell redistricting ruling in Virginia shakes the midterms map, Harry talks with three top political minds—David French, Mara Liasson, and Mike Murphy—to try to get a sense of the outlook for November. Will two seismic court verdicts end Democrats’ hopes of retaking the House? Or will a strong anti-Trump tide power them to a win anyway? Can Trump keep Republicans in line, even as his a
A Modern Reader's Guide to a Besieged Constitution
Leading SCOTUS scholar Melissa Murray joins Harry to discuss her new book on the constitution and her concerns about the Justices now tasked with interpreting it. Melissa guides Harry through key points from her book—"The U.S. Constitution: A Comprehensive and Annotated Guide for the Modern Reader"—from the fears of slave rebellion that shaped the 2nd amendment to the expansive promise of liberty
Democracy Demolition Derby
In the wake of the Supreme Court’s seismic redistricting decision, Harry talks with David Gura, Juliette Kayyem, and Tara Setmayer to take stock of the ruling’s impact, the aftershocks of the White House Correspondents' Dinner attack, and Jerome Powell’s stand against Trump. How will the Callais ruling reshape the political map and Black representation in the South? Will Powell’s successor prove a
The Global Aftershocks of Trump’s Blunder in Iran
Jake Sullivan helped negotiate the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran. Now, as he watches Trump try to superglue some version of that deal back together, Sullivan tells Harry the president “has no idea what he is doing because he has no idea quite why he's doing it.” Drawing on his four years of experience as Biden’s national security advisor, Sullivan plumbs the depth of Trump’s strategic catastrophe in
Molly Mashup: ‘Lots of Smoking Guns’
In their newest mashup, Harry and Molly Jong-Fast swap questions about the scandals swamping Trump’s administration and the chances for real accountability for the culprits. Molly asks Harry what it’ll take to prosecute people like Kristy Noem and how far the Supreme Court might go to rescue Trump in the midterms. Harry fires back with questions about J.D. Vance’s political implosion and what the
Kash Crash
As scandals shake Trump’s cabinet, Harry sits down with Emily Bazelon, Conor Lamb, and Charlie Sykes to discuss the revelations about Kash Patel, a Democratic redistricting win in Virginia, and the administration’s latest retaliations. Along the way, the trio discuss what it will take to revive the rule of law and whether there’s a path away from endless gerrymandering. They close by digging into
Jersey’s New Governor Knows How to Take On a Don
Nearly 100 days into her tenure, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill thinks she’s cracked the code for handling Trump. She tells Harry how she’s used the president’s negotiating tactics against him, why she’s putting in place some of the nation’s most ambitious bulwarks against ICE abuses, and how she ended up in a high-stakes battle with another venal, unpopular entity: FIFA. Plus, Governor Sherri
Trump's "Absolute Fiasco"
In our latest Contrarian episode, Norm Eisen, Norm Ornstein, and Jen Rubin join Harry to assess new flashpoints in Trump's nonstop quest to escape accountability and his hasty efforts to claw free of his war in the Middle East. The group takes stock of Trump's stumbling attempts to find a deal with Iran, which seem likely to leave the U.S. weakened and isolated. The panel also weighs the bombshell
The 'No Kings' Plan to Make Trump the Next Orbán
Harry talks with Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin, the principal force behind the massive and wildly successful No Kings protests. They fill Harry in on the politics and mechanics of building one of the biggest popular mobilizations in American history, and how to harness the popular forces in a concrete way to defeat Trump.
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Carte Blanche and an Inside Strait
With Trump's two-week ceasefire hanging in the balance, Harry turns to Kristy Greenberg, Jason Kander, and Jasmine Wright to make sense of a week of reversals and u-turns for Donald Trump. What are the new revelations about how Trump decided to strike Iran? And if the status quo stands, will the U.S. have lost its war of choice? Can new Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche do any better than Pam B
Bondi to Blanche and Bad to Worse
Mimi Rocah, a veteran federal prosecutor and former colleague of Acting AG Todd Blanche, joins Harry to assess Pam Bondi's legacy at the Department of Justice and what lies ahead for the department now that she's gone. Rocah fills Harry in on Todd Blanche's total transformation into a pro-Trump ideologue—one as devoted, but more canny and probably more dangerous than his predecessor. And Mimi give
Bondi, Bombs, and Birthright
Attorney General Pam Bondi is out. Harry talks with all-star journalists Aaron Blake, Liz Landers, and Scott MacFarlane to break down why Trump rewarded Bondi's obsessive loyalty with an abrupt and humiliating firing. Next, the panel tries to make sense of Trump's primetime address about his increasingly opaque goals in the month-old war with Iran. Finally, the group analyzes the arguments in the
Will SCOTUS Blow Up Mail-In Voting?
Harry mines Marc Elias's unrivaled expertise in election law to dig into the alarming contents of the SAVE Act, the Supreme Court's possible lurch to ban mail-in voting, and the progress of the DOJ's efforts to seize personal information about as many voters as possible.
Mentioned in this episode:
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Departure of Justice
In his latest effort to trace the Department of Justice’s downward spiral, Harry talks with DOJ veterans Paul Fishman and Stacey Young, along with reporter Evan Perez. The panel assesses the DOJ’s obstructive tactics on the Minnesota investigations, the retribution prosecutions that keep coming despite loss after humiliating loss, and the new revelations about Trump’s misuse of classified document
How Trump Blew Up the World Order
Even before Trump started raining bombs down on Iran, harassing allies to clean up his mess, and yanking sanctions off Russia, the global order that kept Americans safe for generations was in shambles. Historian and foreign policy expert Robert Kagan discusses his landmark article explaining how Trump broke the “Grand Bargain” that promoted peace and prosperity after World War II. The crucial ques
Dire Strait
Three superb journalists—Natasha Korecki, Ali Vitali, and Jacob Weisberg—join Harry to break down another grinding week of war with Iran. Ali explains why a major Trumpworld resignation offered another sign that MAGA will soon be an “utter mess.” Back in D.C., Democrats stormed out over Pam Bondi’s prevarications; Jacob lays out a strategy for them to hold Bondi to her subpoena. Finally, Natasha g
Josh Shapiro Wants the Ball
For the latest Talking San Diego conversation, Harry sits down with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro in front of a packed-house in San Diego. They discuss the experiences that have shaped the governor, from his long-shot bid to rescue Soviet Jews, to his fight for abuse victims, to the arson attack on his family, and more telling stories from his new best-selling memoir “Where We Keep the Light
Hegseth: Unleashed and Unhinged
As a second week of war slips by without Iran’s promised collapse, David French, David A. Graham, and Juliette Kayyem join Harry to assess the administration’s apparent unpreparedness and growing tally of grave mistakes. The group discusses the dangers that could come with a prolonged conflict and the cold comfort provided by Pete Hegseth’s rant-filled briefings. Finally, they turn to the vital ne
“Nobody Cancels Elections. They Just Rig Them."
Professor Kim Lane Scheppele has watched democracies fail before. She tells Harry there's still time to stop Trump's autocratic revolution, but only if its opponents match their effort to the scale of the threat. Professor Scheppele talks through the democracies that have degraded into autocracies including which ones most nearly resemble America under Trump's onslaught. The two then take up how g
A Man, No Plan, Iran
In this episode, Harry and guests Jonathan Alter, Conor Lamb, and Mara Liasson break down a fast-moving week with massive overtures in domestic and international news. The discussion starts with the escalating war with Iran — including new reporting on Russia reportedly providing intelligence to Tehran and the growing debate in Washington over war powers and the cost of the conflict. Then, they tu
Stacey Abrams’s 10 Steps to Save Democracy—Or Lose It
You won’t see Stacey Abrams’s name on a ballot this year, but you will see her impact. As Trump gears up to take desperate measures to avoid getting clobbered in the midterms, Abrams is mobilizing voters to counter the president. She and Harry talk through Trump’s plays thus far: seizing election records, pushing legislation that strips voting rights from millions, and sowing doubt. In response, A
Bombs and Bombast
Susan Glasser, Bill Kristol, and Jon Lemire join Harry to assess the prospects for military action against Iran, the ways DOJ incompetence and testimony from the Clintons are changing the Epstein story, and Trump's longest-ever State of the Union address. Why hasn't Trump tried to sell his operation against Iran to the American people, and what's his endgame for it? Is the DOJ's Epstein transparen
Molly Mashup: The 411 on the Missing Epstein 302s
In their newest mashup, Harry and Molly Jong-Fast trade questions about the latest eyebrow-raising news in the Epstein scandal and the fallout from Trump's tariff defeat. Molly gets Harry to walk her through the intricacies of the so-called 302s—detailed victim statements taken by the FBI—some of which the DOJ failed to produce for a victim who told the FBI that Trump abused her. Harry has plenty
Tariffs Trumped
In the wake of the Supreme Court verdict striking down Trump's tariffs, Harry breaks down the decision with a trio of top-notch legal analysts: Kyle Cheney, Adam Klasfeld, and Mimi Rocah. The group digs into the court's rare rebuff of the president and the infighting among the conservative Justices. Next, the panel turns to the lower courts' angry rulings against Trump's deportation drive, even in
Josh Shapiro's Game Plan
In his first term as governor of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro has managed to sustain a 60% approval rating—including 30% of Trump voters—in a quintessential battleground state. How? Shapiro talks Harry through his bipartisan, pragmatic approach to governing, and how it can overcome Trump’s reckless, divisive style. He lays out a roadmap for countering the president's most abusive policies, even whil
Bad Bondi
Talking Feds stalwarts Norm Ornstein, Tara Setmayer, and Charlie Sykes join Harry to review Pam Bondi's flailing theatrics before Congress as well as a raft of other embarrassments for the Trump administration. After panning the DOJ's determination to avoid transparency on Epstein, the group turns to the sudden federal retreat in Minnesota and a searing courtroom humiliation for Pete Hegseth. To c
Will the Supreme Court Betray the Constitution?
Superstar SCOTUS expert Kate Shaw joins Harry to talk in broad strokes about the Supreme Court's performance during the first year of Trump 2.0 and about the pivotal cases on the horizon. Kate considers the Court’s rejection of parts of Trump’s agenda, and why that’s cold comfort given their subservience when it counts most. They dig into the breakdown and fault lines of the nine justices. Finally
Live from Princeton: A Contrarian Quartet
Contrarian stalwarts Norm Eisen, Asha Rangappa, and Jen Rubin join Harry for a special episode filmed in front of a live audience at Princeton University. They begin with the cataclysmic fall of the Washington Post and what it shows about Trump's power to demolish even the most powerful civic institutions. From there, they turn to the deportation effort, which seems to be running itself into the g
Trump's Reign of Terror in the Civil Rights Division
Normally, after a controversial law enforcement shooting like that of Renee Good or Alex Pretti, the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division would quickly announce an investigation. Under Trump, however, there's still no investigation into Good's killing, and the Department announced it would examine Pretti's shooting only after days of immense pressure. Bill Yeomans, a 24-year veteran and f
Cracks in the ICE
It was a tumultuous week on the streets and in the courts, with panelists Kristen Holmes, Juliette Kayyem, and Josh Marshall joining Harry to break it all down. ICE's reign of terror in Minnesota continues, even as top Trump officials sing a softer tune after nationwide outrage over the death of Alex Pretti. The panel marches through the latest fallout from Pretti's killing, as well as the newest
The Legacy of the Subway Vigilante
Talking Feds stalwart Elliot Williams joins Harry to discuss his new book, Five Bullets. The pair turn to the blighted and crime-stricken New York of the 1980s to get at some of the unanswered questions from the case of Bernhard Goetz and why the five shots he fired at Black teenagers which made him—to so many Americans—a folk hero. What made it so hard for prosecutors to convict Goetz? What did h
"Are You F***ing Kidding Me?"
As the killing of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis roils the country, Harry breaks down the fallout with Susan Glasser. Then, turning to the week's main discussion, three stellar journalists—Susan, Emily Bazelon, and Ruth Marcus—join Harry to break down Trump's assaults on the rule of law that made Pretti's death possible. From the corruption of the FBI and the carnage in Minnesota to
AG Keith Ellison on Justice for Renee Good, and Minnesota
Attorney General Keith Ellison of Minnesota speaks to Harry from the frontlines of the state's legal defense against what he calls a "federal invasion." AG Ellison gives a vivid picture of how the administration's mission is causing chaos on the ground and, in his view, aiming to provoke a violence response. Then, the two dive deep into the thorny questions around a state prosecution of Renee Good
Trauma and Terror in Minnesota
In our latest Contrarian episode, Norm Eisen, Katie Phang, and Jen Rubin join Harry for a deep dive on ICE's rampage through Minnesota. The panel reviews the legal and political prospects for stopping what local leaders call a "federal invasion." Can congressional Democrats restrain ICE? What about the broad-gauge lawsuit brought by Minnesota? Then the panel turns to whether the Administration has
John Roberts: Umpire or Ultimate Decider?
Chief Justice John Roberts famously told the country that, if confirmed to the Supreme Court, he would act like an umpire—just there to call balls and strikes. To help answer the question of how Umpire Roberts Court has fared, Harry spoke with Lisa Graves about her new book, Without Precedent: How Chief Justice Roberts and His Accomplices Rewrote the Constitution and Dismantled Our Rights, in whic
Gasoline on the Fire
Guest host Jonathan Alter brings together former Senator Barbara Boxer, Norm Ornstein, and Stuart Stevens to break down the Trump administration's mounting aggression, at home and abroad. The four talk through the shocking killing of Renee Good in Minnesota and the fallout from the toppling of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Then, they dig into a deeper story: how congressional Republicans becam
The Illegality of the Maduro Seizure Under Domestic and International Law
Harry sits down with Georgetown law professor Steve Vladeck to dissect the seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. From the UN Charter and head-of-state immunity to the infamous 1989 Barr memo, they unpack the administration’s legal gymnastics, multiple legal illegalities, and tenuous positions. In particular, they zero in on the interplay between U.S. criminal law and the international l
Inside City Hall
While the Talking Feds team is on holiday break, we are re-airing a roundtable conversation with Steve Adler, then-mayor of Austin; Jenny Durkan, then-mayor of Seattle; and Bill Peduto, the former long-time mayor of Pittsburgh. This special topical episode focuses on municipal government and the mayors who run it. The first year of Trump 2.0 has brought to the forefront the clash between federal a
Corruption, Chaos, and a Crooked Peace Plan in Ukraine
Harry talks to Anne Applebaum about the Trump administration's chaotic and slanted approach to ending the war in Ukraine. Applebaum exposes the perverse heavily pro-Russian underpinnings of the U.S. plan that kicked off the latest round of talks. After contrasting Ukraine's repudiation of corruption with Trump's embrace of it, the pair zoom out to discuss the global battle for democracy and what's
Military Madness
Talking Feds closes out 2025 with a close look at the institutional damage and lawlessness Trump has imposed on an essential arm of the U.S. government: the Department of Defense. CNN's Natasha Bertrand, the Washington Post's Alex Horton, and retired Major General Steven J. Lepper take Harry inside a Pentagon transformed by cowboy-in-chief Pete Hegseth. Why is the U.S. blowing up boats near Latin
Inside the White House Bubble
Harry talks to veteran reporter Chris Whipple to get the inside scoop on his bombshell account of the Trump White House's inner workings. The two discuss why Trump's Chief of Staff Susie Wiles was so unguarded in her interviews with Whipple. They cover Wiles's sharp criticisms of administration officials and her admissions of serious wrongdoing by the president, including misleading the public on
The [REDACTED] Files
As the Department of Justice slow-walks an over-redacted release of its files on Jeffrey Epstein, Harry convenes CNN's Aaron Blake, former Senator Heidi Heitkamp, and NOTUS White House correspondent Jasmine Wright to analyze the administration's ham-handed noncompliance. The trio also dig into Vanity Fair's explosive revelations about the White House and Trump's top aide Susie Wiles. They close by
Molly Mashup: "They're Not Doing 15 Dimensional Chess"
In a new mashup episode, Harry and Molly Jong-Fast swap questions about the White House's latest political embarrassments and legal embroilments. Molly wants to know: when—and how—will some of Trump's inner circle face criminal charges? Harry is curious: why did this press-hating White House let their guard down so spectacularly for Vanity Fair? Together, the pair make sense of the noisy headlines
Dents in the Armor
Harry talks to Alisyn Camerota, David French, and Jonathan Lemire about whether President Donald Trump is finally losing his grip on the Republican Party. Why couldn’t Trump convince Indiana Republicans to back his gerrymander scheme for the state? Have his famed rallies have lost their political magic? And can the president overcome deepening scrutiny of his aggressive military moves in the Cari
Senator Mark Kelly: "It's a Complete S*** Show"
Why did an ad urging U.S. troops not to break the law make President Donald Trump so angry that he practically called for Senator Mark Kelly's head? The retired Navy captain can't answer that. Instead, the senator is focused on investigating the controversies that have gripped the military in the past month. Harry and the senator dig into what makes Pete Hegseth such an unfit Defense Secretary, th
Indict, Strike, Repeat
Harry turns to Mimi Rocah, Tara Setmayer, and Jacob Weisberg to delve into the DoJ’s latest humiliations, the furor over strikes in the Caribbean, and Trump’s racist outbursts. What will it take for Attorney General Pam Bondi to give up the case against Letitia James? Did Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth oversee a criminal missile attack, in addition to risking troops with his Signal messages? And w
Can a New Kind Of Liberalism Take Hold?
Harry talks with journalist Jerusalem Demsas about her case for a robust, combative liberalism capable of taking the fight to the current political power structure. Demsas has just launched a new publication—The Argument—dedicated to renewing and improving the kind of politics that helped fostered many of the country's best achievements. Harry asks Demsas about the shape of that revived liberalism
A Bad Dictator is Still a Dangerous One
Harry talks with a prophet of our moment of democratic decline: Steven Levitsky. The Harvard scholar explains why Trump’s grip on power is both unequaled in a century of American history and, at the same time, deeply fragile. The pair think through why Trump has targeted universities, how the president’s own incompetence has undermined his drive for power, and what role the American people can sti
Halligan, Bondi, and Other Turkeys
For his latest periodic deep dive on the Department of Justice, Harry talks to DOJ veterans Paul Fishman and Amy Jeffress as well as reporter Anna Bower to assess an institution that looks to be coming apart at the seams. The panel digs into the political and legal flashpoints facing the Department, including its response to the embarrassing dismissals of the prosecutions against James Comey and L
Lame but Lethal
Three of the most insightful observers of American politics—Jason Kander, Mara Liasson, and Josh Marshall—join Harry to analyze a week in which President Donald Trump was knocked on his heels, and lashed out viciously in response. The panelists talk through the big questions: Will Republicans keep up the pressure for transparency about Jeffrey Epstein? Why have Trump's recent outbursts been so vil
Inside the DOJ’s Unravelling under Trump
Journalist and Talking Feds regular Emily Bazelon joins Harry to share her reporting on the stories of the rank-and-file Department of Justice staff who’ve weathered Trump’s takeover. Emily spoke with 60 different attorneys who served in the department, and she tells Harry their stories of a department in ruin. What have the key moments looked like from the inside? How have career attorneys handle
The Dog That Hasn’t Barked
For Talking Feds’ latest Contrarian episode, Harry speaks with Norm Eisen, Jen Rubin, and Neera Tanden about the reopening, revelations, and reprisals that dominated the week’s news. They break down where the Democrats went wrong in the shutdown fight and whether the cases against James Comey and Letitia James are collapsing. But, of course, with newly released documents exposing some of Jeffrey E
The Phrase that Could End Trump's National Guard Power Grab
Harry talks to Marty Lederman, the former Deputy Assistant Attorney General who authored an amicus brief with a legal discovery that has shaken the Administration's attempt to deploy the National Guard to Chicago and other Democrat-led cities. Marty and Harry explain the critical oversight in the administration's reasoning, and they think through what a bruising legal defeat would mean for the eff
Blue Blizzard
In the aftermath of Tuesday’s sweeping nationwide Democratic wins, Harry calls in a trio of some of the country’s sharpest political thinkers—Emily Bazelon, Dave Weigel, and Rick Wilson—to unpack the meaning of the results. Was the increasingly painful government shutdown a decisive factor? Why are the voters who swung to Trump last year deserting him? And, crucially, how might Democrats keep thei
Presenting The Alabama Murders from Revisionist History
After releasing Harry’s conversation with Carol Leonnig and Aaron C. Davis two days early to sync up with the publication of their new book—Injustice: How Politics and Fear Vanquished America's Justice Department—Talking Feds is hosting a special preview of another podcast that’s exploring the consequential issues that impact, and define, American culture: The Alabama Murders, a new series by best
How Trump Demolished the DOJ
The Department of Justice has been at the epicenter of both Trump's efforts to subvert the rule of law and the attempts to hold him accountable during his years out of the White House. Now two of the country's most prominent investigative journalists—Carol Leonnig and Aaron C. Davis—have authored an authoritative account of these tumultuous years at DOJ. Their book is Injustice: How Politics and F
Democracy on ICE
Harry sits down with David A. Graham, Katie Phang, and Maya Wiley to discuss federal agents' on-the-ground escalations and the courts' efforts to rein them in. They then move to the early warnings that Trump may interfere in next year’s midterms before ending with a quick look at some of tomorrow's critical elections. The overlapping question that criss-crosses all 3 topics: how can Americans band
A Legendary Congressman's Advice for Today's Democrats
We are living through what feels like unprecedentedly dark days, which can cause us to lose sight of context, history, and all the hard moments that the nation has faced before. This week, Harry turns to legendary Congressman Barney Frank for his perspective of the Trump era through a more long-term lens. Rep. Frank, who won landmark achievements on issues from banking reform to civil rights, spe
The Costs of Chaos
A trio of superb economic analysts—Paul Krugman, Stephanie Ruhle, and Justin Wolfers—join Harry to break down how Trump is reshaping the U.S. economy. They weigh in on how long the shutdown can go on without major economic consequences, where tariffs are beginning to bite, and the future shape of the AI spike. Then, the whole panel joins in a big picture analysis of how Trump’s trademark chaotic,
Is No Kings a Turning Point? (Plus a baseball bonus on Ohtani!)
Harry speaks with Congressman Eric Swalwell about the surge of popular resistance to Trump shown in the “No Kings” rallies and what it means for the president’s attempts to remake the country in his image. They tackle Democrats’ progress in the shutdown fight, some hopeful signs from the courts, and Trump’s latest efforts to weaponize the DOJ. Plus, Rep. Swalwell pitches Harry on a new, creative
Bolton Shut
Harry talks with a great set of Talking Feds stalwarts—Charlie Sykes, Ali Vitali, and Jacob Weisberg—to get a handle on the fast-changing politics of the shutdown, the worthiness of the case against John Bolton, and the new group chat scandal roiling the GOP. Why is Vice President J.D. Vance calling criticism of leaked racist messages by rising Republicans "pearl-clutching"? Is the indictment agai
Getting Free Speech Right on College Campuses
Christopher Eisgruber, the long-time president of Princeton University, joins Harry to talk about his new book, Terms of Respect. Eisgruber argues that robust free speech is alive and well on college campuses, and that instances of actual defeat of free speech are far more rare than critics charge. The key to navigating internal strife and external pressure—Eisgruber tells Harry—lies not in an abs
Ceasefire and Crossfire
Three top-notch journalists—Emily Bazelon, Susan Glasser, and Kristen Holmes—join Harry to analyze the stunning news of a ceasefire in Gaza, the indictment of New York Attorney General Letitia James, and Trump’s latest attempts to put troops on city streets. Will Trump have the attention span to ensure his deal endures, and why did he lash out at Kristen for asking about it? Are judges finally sta
Return of the Wrecking-Ball Court
Supreme Court expert, Strict Scrutiny star, and Obama White House alum Kate Shaw joins Harry to preview the new SCOTUS term. A steady stream of emergency rulings that mostly backed President's Trump power grab has set the tone for a new year at the court. Kate and Harry preview several of the upcoming blockbuster cases, especially those dealing with executive power and gay rights. They then broade
Shutdown Smackdown, Chi-Town Showdown
Harry pulls in a trio of political pros—former Senator Barbara Boxer, Jonathan Capehart, and Norm Ornstein—to assess the fight over the shutdown. Who will the public blame? How long will it last? They turn next to the stunning federal raid in Chicago, with agents busting down doors and snipers dropping in from helicopters. Does the action signal not just the abandonment of the 4th Amendment, but t
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