Talking Feds

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 stepped on the third rail with its investigation of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, which Powell denounced as an obvious pretext for Trump's crusade to control interest rates. Mentioned in this episode: The Contrarian: https://contrarian.substack.com/ Katie's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@katiephangnews Jen's piece about Democrats and ICE: https://contrarian.substack.com/p/democrats-must-seize-the-opportunity David Frum's piece about J.D. Vance: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/2026/01/vance-defends-minneapolis-shooter-ice-maga-symbol/685584/ Katzenbach memo: https://www.justice.gov/olc/file/477221/dl?inline#page=509 Minnesota's 10th Amendment lawsuit: https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Office/Communications/2026/docs/00190_DHS_Complaint.pdf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 which Graves makes the case that Roberts has acted less as an umpire than a political loyalist. In the conversation, Harry and Lisa discuss Roberts’s background as a movement conservative at DOJ, his nomination and ascension as Chief Justice, and his tenure now entering its third decade. They also delve into the modern Federalist Society, unpacking how Roberts and his fellow conservative justices align—or don’t—with its ideology. With the Supreme Court wielding unprecedented influence over American policy, this discussion provides a clear look at how we arrived at the Court we have today. Read Lisa's book: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/lisa-graves/without-precedent/9781645030676/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 became the devoted, crucial enablers of Trump's worst impulses. Mentioned in this episode: Jonathan’s Substack: https://oldgoats.substack.com/ Norm's podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dsrs-words-matter/id1420216970 Stuart's Substack: https://stuartstevens.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 law that we appear to have knowingly violated. They then turn to the long-term practical moral consequences of the operation, including the possible severe damage to U.S. credibility and strategic interests going forward. Mentioned in this episode: Steve's Substack post about Maduro's arrest: https://www.stevevladeck.com/p/200-five-questions-about-the-maduro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 and state authority. But it’s at the municipal level that the potholes and garbage pickups hit the road, and an American ideal of representative democracy is most in play. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 still at stake on the frontlines in Eastern Europe. Plus, a bonus: a discussion with Ruth Ben-Ghiat, on the rise of authoritarians around the world, and their shared tactics. Mentioned in this episode: Applebaum's Substack: https://anneapplebaum.substack.com/ Applebaum's writing for the Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/author/anne-applebaum/ Ruth Ben-Ghiat's Substack: https://lucid.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 America? Did Hegseth oversee a war crime in the Caribbean? And what are the potential domestic dangers of the legal reasoning powering Trump's new uses of the military? Mentioned in this episode: Natasha's reporting: https://www.cnn.com/profiles/natasha-bertrand-profile#about Alex's reporting: https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/alex-horton/ General Lepper's analysis: https://www.justsecurity.org/author/leppersteven/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Epstein files. The two dig deep into the details—several as yet overlooked—from one of most important stories written about Trump. Mentioned in this episode: Whipple's reporting: https://www.vanityfair.com/contributor/chris-whipple Harry's interview with Marty Lederman: https://youtu.be/JhN8PZNic9Y Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 considering the administration's escalations in the Caribbean and the real motives behind them. And, late in the episode, Harry offers a reflection on Rob Reiner's passing. Mentioned in this episode: Aaron’s reporting: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.cnn.com/profiles/aaron-blake Jasmine's reporting: https://www.notus.org/jasmine-wright The Vanity Fair story on the Trump White House: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/trump-susie-wiles-interview-exclusive-part-1 The New York Times story on Trump and Epstein's relationship: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/18/us/jeffrey-epstein-donald-trump.html The New York Times story on how Epstein built his wealth and power: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/16/magazine/jeffrey-epstein-money-scams-investigation.html The Talking Feds episode with Rob Reiner: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-witness-has-left-the-room/id1456045551?i=1000445365427 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 and lay out the real consequences behind the week's serving of scandals. Molly's book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738849/how-to-lose-your-mother-by-molly-jong-fast/Molly's podcast: https://fastpoliticspod.com/Molly's Substack: https://mollyjongfast.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Caribbean and far-fetched legal maneuvers in the courts? Mentioned in this episode: Alisyn's Substack: https://alisyncamerota.substack.com/ David's columns: https://www.nytimes.com/by/david-french Jonathan's reporting: https://www.theatlantic.com/author/jonathan-lemire/ Harry's interview with Senator Mark Kelly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kV3PdqjknhM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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, the dangers the potentially illegal U.S. strikes in the Caribbean pose for American service members, and why the fallout looks like it might bring some genuine accountability for the administration. Mentioned in this episode: Harry's latest Substack on the boat strikes: ⁠ https://harrylitman.substack.com/p/the-investigation-not-the-dems-video⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 why are Trump’s immigration crackdown and hate-filled outbursts prompting so little pushback? Mentioned in this episode: Harry's latest column on the boat strikes: https://harrylitman.substack.com/p/the-investigation-not-the-dems-video Tara's Tedx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DUzqIrpHR8 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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, how she plans to persuade MAGA and other skeptics, and why she feels so optimistic in such a difficult time Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 still play in defending their democracy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Letitia James, the revival of possible contempt sanctions against the department, and the prospect that Pam Bondi may act as Trump’s firewall for the Epstein files. Mentioned in this episode: Anna's reporting: https://www.lawfaremedia.org/contributors/abower Judge Currie's ruling: https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.vaed.583342/gov.uscourts.vaed.583342.140.0_2.pdf Harry's Substack on the ruling: https://harrylitman.substack.com/p/after-the-shipwreck Harry's conversation with Emily Bazelon about her reporting on the department: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PDKeMe1mXU&pp=0gcJCRUKAYcqIYzv Harry's conversation with Carol Leonnig and Aaron C. Davis about their book on the department: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klVToztR8u0 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 vile even by his standards? Were Democrats aiming to further provoke him when they warned troops against following illegal orders? And, is the weakened president already entering a lame duck period? Mentioned in this episode: Jason’s podcast Majority 54: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/majority-54/id1309354521 Mara’s reporting: https://www.npr.org/people/1930401/mara-liasson Josh’s writing: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/author/josh_m Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 handled the wrenching choice of whether to stay on, or quit and risk replacement by a Trump loyalist? And how hard will it be for any new future to pick up the pieces? Mentioned in this episode: Emily's article: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/11/16/magazine/trump-justice-department-staff-attorneys.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Epstein’s connections to Donald Trump, the panel takes a hard look at what can be surmised from the cryptic messages. The question on everyone’s minds: what in the world did Epstein mean when he called Trump the dog that hasn’t barked? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 effort to put boots on the ground in American cities. It's a possible game changer in a case Harry has called a "moment of truth for the High Court." Mentioned in this episode: Harry's Substack about the stakes of this case: https://harrylitman.substack.com/p/moment-of-truth-for-the-high-court The Supreme Court's request for briefs on the phrase "the regular forces": https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/102925zr_hgci.pdf Marty Lederman's expanded brief on the phrase "the regular forces": https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/25/25A443/384148/20251110232925983_25A443.Lederman.Supplemental.Amicus.Brief.1110.pdf Illinois and Chicago's expanded brief on the phrase "the regular forces": https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/25/25A443/384145/20251110210604383_Illinois%20Supplemental%20Letter%20Brief%20Master%20Final%20To%20File%20PDFA.pdf The administration's expanded brief on the phrase "the regular forces": https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/25/25A443/384115/20251110170907870_25a443%20Trump%20v.%20Illinois%20-%20Supp.%20Letter%20Br.pdf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices