Where It All Starts

It’s been more than a month since the Department of Homeland Security shut down, and American airports are definitely feeling it. Now, President Donald Trump has sent ICE agents to at least 14 airports across the country. A Truth Social post over the weekend from Trump, said in part that ICE in airports will, “do Security like no one has ever seen before, including the immediate arrest of all Illegal Immigrants who have come into our Country, with heavy emphasis on those from Somalia.” In other words, ICE isn’t really there to help decrease the long wait times on security lines. Andrea Flores, a former Homeland Security official and founder of the pro-immigration initiative, Securing America’s Promise, joined the show to talk more about what ICE agents are doing at American airports.And in headlines, Trump walks back his threats to escalate the war on Iran, the Supreme Court looks ready to limit mail-in voting, and closing arguments were heard Monday in a trial over whether Meta has been misleading users about the potential impact of social media on children.Show Notes:

• Call Congress – 202-224-3121
• Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy
• What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast
• Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/
• For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The MAGA Right is at war over the role that Israel has in American foreign policy and the war with Iran. If you listen to Tucker Carlson or former counterterrorism chief Joe Kent, you would think that President Donald Trump was bamboozled into this conflict, lured by the evil "Israel lobby." The way some on the American Right (and the American Left) are talking about Israel has edged into outright antisemitism. And with multiple violent attacks on synagogues around the world over the last few weeks, the lack of distinction between "Israel the country" and "Jewish people" is having a very dangerous impact. Zack Beauchamp, senior correspondent at Vox, joins the show to talk about the rise of anti-war antisemitism.And in headlines, President Trump threatens to escalate the already high-stakes war with Iran, the Trump administration plans to make airport security lines even more unpleasant by sending in ICE officers, and the White House grounds welcome a statue of Christopher Columbus.Show Notes:

• Check out Zach's piece – https://tinyurl.com/49e2hezu
• Call Congress – 202-224-3121
• Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy
• What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast
• Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/
• For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Trump Administration’s crackdown on undocumented and documented immigrants hasn’t stopped — even for recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. Since Trump returned to the White House last year, his administration has made life harder and harder for the estimated half a million DACA recipients living in the US. The Trump Administration has said it’s deported nearly 100 DACA recipients — and that’s not including everyone who has been detained. To talk more about what Dreamers are having to endure under Trump, we spoke with Laura Barrón-López. She’s a White House reporter for MSNOW.And in headlines, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly plans to ask Congress for $200 billion to fund the war with Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu holds a press conference just to prove he’s still kickin’, and rapper Afroman is — legally — serving up Lemon Pound Cake.Show Notes:

• Check out Laura's interview – https://tinyurl.com/4ujxrtxu
• Call Congress – 202-224-3121
• Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy
• What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast
• Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/
• For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Iran War is not very popular with Americans – and the Trump Administration seems to think it knows why: the media is being too mean about the President’s war of choice. On Saturday, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr reposted a Trump Truth Social screed against The New York Times and Wall Street Journal on Twitter — adding, “The law is clear. Broadcasters must operate in the public interest, and they will lose their licenses if they do not.” Carr has real power in his role as FCC Chairman – power he wants to use on behalf of President Trump. So to talk more about the FCC under Brendan Carr, we spoke with Matt Gertz. He’s a senior fellow at the progressive media watchdog, Media Matters.And in headlines, the gloves came off during Oklahoma Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin’s confirmation hearing, the government’s top intelligence officials testify about worldwide threats before the Senate, and The New York Times publishes a multiyear investigation revealing labor activist Cesar Chavez’s sexual abuse of women and girls.Show Notes:

• Check out Matt's work – www.mediamatters.org/author/matt-gertz
• Call Congress – 202-224-3121
• Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy
• What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast
• Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/
• For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Joe Kent – someone you’ve probably never heard of – made huge news on Tuesday. He was the director of the National Counterterrorism Center – until he posted a resignation letter on Twitter. In it, Kent wrote directly to President Trump: “I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.” This is the first major defection from the administration over the war – and it might not be the last. For more on Kent’s letter and what it means for the MAGA Right, we spoke with Jonathan Lemire. He’s a staff writer at The Atlantic and co-host of Morning Joe on MSNOW.And in headlines, the SAVE America Act is creating real problems for Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Chief Justice John Roberts speaks out against targeting judges, and FBI Director Kash Patel hosts his own version of a meet and greet at Quantico.Show Notes:

• Check out Jonathan's reporting – www.theatlantic.com/author/jonathan-lemire
• Call Congress – 202-224-3121
• Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy
• What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast
• Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/
• For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

This week, the Senate will hold a confirmation hearing for Oklahoma Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin, President Donald Trump's pick to replace Kristi Noem as Department of Homeland Security Secretary. In some ways, he’s not very different from his predecessor. Mullin also smeared Renee Good and Alex Pretti following their killings by federal immigration officials in Minnesota. He endorses the President’s debunked theory that the 2020 election was stolen. And he threatened to fight the head of the Teamsters union back in 2023 during a Senate committee hearing over a Twitter spat. Burgess Everett, Congressional bureau chief at Semafor, joins the show to talk more about Senator Mullin, the DHS shutdown, and what else to watch for on the Hill this week.And in headlines, FBI Director Kash Patel and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard testify before Congress about global security threats, thousands of workers go on strike at a Colorado meatpacking plant, and Trump continues to insist the war with Iran will wrap up “soon.”Show Notes:

• Check out Burgess reporting – www.semafor.com/author/burgess-everett
• Call Congress – 202-224-3121
• Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy
• What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast
• Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/
• For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The war in Iran has essentially closed the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most important oil transfer point, sending oil prices over $100 a barrel with the potential to go even higher. And yet, the odds of the Trump administration suddenly pivoting to invest in renewable energy are pretty much zero. Last year, the Department of Justice submitted a brief urging the Supreme Court to take up a case that could limit cities' and states' ability to sue oil and gas companies for environmental damage — and the court has agreed to hear it. For more on what's at stake here, we spoke with Mike Meno. He's the communications director for the Center for Climate Integrity, an advocacy organization that works with communities to hold Big Oil accountable.And in headlines, the head of the Federal Communications Commission makes another thinly veiled threat, the Kennedy Center Board is expected to vote on President Trump's grand renovation plans today, the department tasked with keeping Americans safe at home is still shut down.Show Notes:

• Check out the Center For Climate Integrity 
• Call Congress – 202-224-3121
• Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy
• What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast
• Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/
• For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The war with Iran has already killed more than a thousand Iranians, including 175 people killed at an elementary school on February 28th. Remember America First? That swath of the MAGA movement that purportedly wanted to stay out of foreign entanglements and wars to focus on problems that Americans were facing right here at home? Today, the same GOP that called Kamala Harris a warmonger is giving the war with Iran two thumbs up. And while some notable anti-war figures on the right have been speaking out against the conflict, Trump and the Republican Party are full speed ahead despite struggling to justify their actions. Tommy Vietor, co-host of Crooked Media’s Pod Save the World and former spokesperson for the National Security Council in the Obama administration, joins to discuss the American First presidency that isn't.And in headlines, the Senate passes a housing bill with overwhelming bipartisan support but House GOP members are unlikely to get on board, Department of Homeland Security funding talks continue to stall, and the White House is keeping busy posting tasteless memes about the war.Show Notes:

• Check out Pod Save The World – https://tinyurl.com/4n6y99mu
• Call Congress – 202-224-3121
• Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy
• What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast
• Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/
• For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The war with Iran has already killed more than a thousand Iranians, including 175 people killed at an elementary school on February 28th. According to multiple news outlets, a preliminary report from the U.S. military says the U.S. was at fault for that strike. President Donald Trump previously said Saturday that Iran was at fault for the attack and then, on Wednesday, replied, "I don't know about it," when a reporter asked him about the investigation. It's part of a larger pattern in the Trump administration's messaging about the war. From why we're in this conflict in the first place, to what our goals are, to when this war will end, there's a fog around everything. Arizona Democratic Senator Mark Kelly joins the show to discuss how members of Congress are dealing with the White House's stonewalling.And in headlines, President Donald Trump travels to Ohio and Kentucky to downplay concerns about the economy, no one has any idea what Kristi Noem's new job entails, and newly released deposition videos show a former DOGE staffer struggling to answer basic questions about DEI.Show Notes:

• Call Congress – 202-224-3121
• Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy
• What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast
• Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/
• For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

In case you haven’t noticed, the American economy isn't doing so well right now. Oil prices have been on an absolute rollercoaster since the Iran war began — but that’s not all. On Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the U.S. lost nearly 100,000 jobs in February, pushing the unemployment rate up to 4.4 percent. So what exactly is going wrong with the economy, besides… everything? And what can we learn from past economic crises to hopefully avoid another one? To find out, we spoke to Rogé Karma. He’s a staff writer at The Atlantic and author of the economy-focused newsletter, Work in Progress.And in headlines, Jane speaks to Crooked’s Washington Correspondent Matt Berg about a report that at least 20 countries are now militarily involved in the Iran war, the Democratic National Committee suing the Trump administration, and how flying cars are actually, maybe, really happening.Show Notes:

• Check out Rogé's piece – https://tinyurl.com/3p3amzx9
• Call Congress – 202-224-3121
• Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy
• What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast
• Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/
• For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday