What A Day

Memphis, Tennessee, is the latest city in President Donald Trump's Crime Takeover-A-Go-Go. On Monday, Trump signed a presidential memorandum establishing a "Memphis Safe Task Force" and announced that he would send the National Guard to the city. During a press conference detailing the decision, Trump said that he wanted to accomplish in Memphis – and everywhere else – what federal authorities did in Washington, D.C. But the question is…what exactly did the administration accomplish in D.C.? We asked Emma Uber, a reporter covering crime and criminal justice for the Washington Post. And in headlines, the suspect in Charlie Kirk's killing reportedly confessed to the murder in a Discord group chat, according to the Washington Post, Secretary of State Marco Rubio heads to Qatar, and a longtime federal prosecutor — who happens to be James Comey's daughter — sues the Trump administration over her firing. Show Notes: https://tinyurl.com/49wzspyf202-224-3121https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/crooked.com/whataday Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The clock is ticking until the federal government runs out of money and potentially shuts down—again. Now you might be thinking, "Didn't we do this? Like, a few months ago?" And yeah, we did. In March, the Senate approved a short-term spending bill with the support of 10 Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. And if Republicans want to keep the government open, they'll need a lifeline from Democrats. But Democrats want something in return: an extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits that are due to expire at the end of the year. Will the two sides reach a deal? We asked Daniella Diaz, who covers Capitol Hill for NOTUS, a nonprofit D.C. journalism organization. And in headlines, Utah's governor reveals new details about the man suspected of killing Charlie Kirk, Trump eyes Memphis for his crime crackdown, and a federal judge says it appears the Trump administration is trying to pull a fast one on the courts with its latest deportations. Show Notes: www.notus.org/daniella-diaz202-224-3121https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/crooked.com/whataday

The search for a suspect in Charlie Kirk's death continues. The FBI released some grainy photos of a person of interest wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap — all in black — in the hope it might trigger tips or other information from the public. The FBI also said it recovered a bolt-action rifle that may have been used in the shooting. With no suspect in custody, no motive has been established either. And let's be incredibly clear: as of this moment, we still do not know why someone shot and killed Charlie Kirk. We spoke with Graeme Wood, Atlantic staff writer, about the growing trend of political violence in America. And in headlines, Senate Republicans go nuclear to push through Trump's nominees, the U.K. fires its ambassador to the U.S. over his links to Jeffrey Epstein, and the Department of Education ends grant funding for minority-serving colleges. Show Notes: https://tinyurl.com/3p6ed8cj202-224-3121https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/crooked.com/whataday

On Wednesday, 31-year-old conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed during an on-campus event near Salt Lake City, Utah. He was there as part of his “American Comeback Tour,” an event series produced by Turning Point USA, the right-wing organization he founded when he was 18 years old. He was a force in the conservative movement who held real political capital. Local officials are calling his killing an act of political violence, and it's the latest in a string of disturbing incidents. For more on who Kirk was, we spoke with reporter Tess Owen, who covers political violence. And in headlines, former Vice President Kamala Harris calls former President Biden's decision to seek re-election "recklessness," President Trump doubles down on his effort to fire a Federal Reserve official, and suspected Russian drones cross into Poland. Show Notes: https://x.com/misstessowen?lang=en202-224-3121https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/crooked.com/whataday

Millions of kids have started school over the past few weeks – that includes students in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C, and now Chicago, all cities targeted by the Trump administration for immigration enforcement and, of course, crime. It's worth saying that, like in other cities that Trump has mentioned as evil dens of criminal miscreants, violent crime has gone down in the city of Chicago over the last year. But the president, who posted an "Apocalypse Now" inspired meme over the weekend, implying he wants to go to "war" with Chicago, doesn't seem to care much about facts and figures. But teachers do. So to learn more about how teachers in Chicago are handling a new school year and the potential for more federal incursions on the city, we spoke to Stacy Davis Gates, the president of the Chicago Teachers Union. And in headlines: revised job numbers show a much weaker job market than previously thought, Israel strikes Qatar, dealing a major blow to ceasefire talks, and American high school students' test scores hit a historic low. Show Notes: https://www.ctulocal1.org/202-224-3121https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/crooked.com/whataday

Say what you will about President Donald Trump’s first administration, but at least some of the people given top jobs had a morsel of experience doing those jobs. Now, the Trump administration is chock full of the weirdest people the MAGA world has to offer, united by their personal allegiance to one man – Donald J. Trump. From Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, whose qualifications are “co-hosted the weekend edition of Fox and Friends” to Paul Ingrassia, the former podcaster nominated to run the Office of Special Counsel, who thinks the descendents of slaves should pay the descendants of slave-OWNERS reparations….to Laura Loomer, a Jewish, white nationalist, 9/11 truther, who made headlines in 2018 when she chained herself to the doors of Twitter’s office to protest getting banned from the platform.It’s a cavalcade of the worst people ever to be given a high-speed internet connection. Especially when they now have real power. So we spoke to Will Sommer, senior reporter at The Bulwark, to help us understand how the craziest people in America rose to the very top of the federal government. And in headlines: Trump goes to the Museum of the Bible to talk about how much he loves religion, Pete Hegseth hypes up the troops in Puerto Rico, and Democrats release a very NSFW birthday card to Jeffrey Epstein, allegedly signed by Trump himself. Show Notes: substack.com/@willsommer202-224-3121https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/crooked.com/whataday

A crucial race for Georgia's Public Service Commission is coming up in November. And though the name sounds boring, it's a race that really matters. That's because the commission is in charge of regulating public utilities in the state, including electric, gas, and telecommunications. Right now, all five commissioners are Republicans…but two of them are up for election this fall. And the Democratic challengers are strong. To learn more about the importance of this race, we spoke with John Taylor, Executive Director of the Black Male Initiative, a nonprofit focused on civic engagement in Georgia. And in headlines, President Donald Trump continues to threaten Chicago…but this time with war, Russia attacks Ukraine in its latest aerial strike, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the U.S. might have to refund some money it's collected from Trump's infamous tariffs. Show Notes: www.bmifund.org/202-224-3121https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/crooked.com/whataday

President Donald Trump really, really, really hates wind and solar power. He made sure to make that point very clear during a Cabinet meeting last week, where he ranted about windmills for…way too long. At the end of August, the Trump team ordered construction be stopped on a 4-billion-dollar wind farm project off the coast of Rhode Island that was nearly finished. The administration alluded vaguely to national security threats, suggesting, among other things, that wind farms could be used to launch drone attacks on the U.S. None of this is good. Not just for, you know, preventing the very worst outcomes of climate change that could put billions of lives at risk and alter the very nature of human existence. But also for Americans dealing with spiraling energy bills. So we spoke to Bill McKibben, environmentalist and author of a new book, Here Comes The Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization, about climate change, to help us feel more optimistic about the future of the Earth. And in headlines, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. vs. the Senate Finance Committee, and former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has some thoughts on how we got here. Show Notes: wwnorton.com/books/Here-Comes-the-Sun/202-224-3121https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/crooked.com/whataday

Congress is back. It’s back and it has a lot of work to do. If Congress doesn’t fund the government by the end of September, the government will close up shop. And while Democrats have demanded meetings with President Donald Trump and his loyal GOP to drum up a bipartisan spending bill, Republicans don’t seem too inclined to work with their colleagues across the aisle. But preventing a shutdown is just one bullet point on Congress’ agenda. On Wednesday, survivors of convicted sexual abuser Jeffrey Epstein spoke on Capitol Hill in an effort to get answers and more information on his crimes. It came a day after the House Oversight Committee released more than 33,000 documents related to the Epstein investigation. So, for more on Epstein, and a potential government shutdown, we spoke with Maryland Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen. And in headlines: Florida’s Surgeon General tries to connect vaccine mandates to slavery, Democratic Congresswoman LaMonica McIver of New Jersey tells the Washington Post she's going to keep working after the House rejected a resolution to censure her, and rumors are floating around that the Trump administration might offer New York City Mayor Eric Adams a new gig. Show Notes: 202-224-3121https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/crooked.com/whataday

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and held hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Beijing this weekend. Their talks came during the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting, an event that marked the first time in seven years that Presidents Modi and Xi met in person. It also comes as the US navigates a rocky relationship with China, combats India’s frustration over President Donald Trump’s tariffs, and tries to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine. To discuss further what Putin’s latest bromance with Xi and Modi means for his on-again, off-again relationship with Trump, we spoke with Tommy Vietor. He’s the co-host of Crooked Media’s Pod Save the World. And in headlines: The Trump family amasses billions after launching a new cryptocurrency, Americans are losing faith in hard work, and a postwar plan to turn Gaza into an AI-powered smart city is floating around the Trump administration. Show Notes: www.crooked.com/podcast-series/pod-save-the-world/202-224-3121https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/crooked.com/whataday

The Trump administration is preparing a major Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation in Chicago, and it may come as soon as this week. The details have been few and far between, but it would likely increase the number of ICE and Border Patrol agents in the city significantly. According to “border czar” Tom Homan, the White House is even considering taking over a Naval base north of Chicago to hold the “large contingent” of federal agents. Chicago, unsurprisingly, has long been in the crosshairs of President Donald Trump’s threats to federally invade cities as part of his so-called crackdown on crime. And Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is not having it. On Saturday, he signed an executive order instructing local police not to cooperate with troops or federal agents if the President’s threats come to fruition. For more on the impact that federal arrests have on federal courts, we spoke with Jessica Brand, a lawyer and Executive Director of Wren Collective, a non-profit aimed at criminal justice reform and prosecutorial power. And in headlines: Congress is back in session, a federal judge blocks the Trump administration from deporting hundreds of migrant children to Guatemala, and more than 800 demonstrations take place across the country on Labor Day to protest billionaires taking over the government. Show Notes: The Wren Collective202-224-3121https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/crooked.com/whataday

The What A Day team is off. But we’re excited to bring you the first episode of Season 2 of Crooked’s award-winning limited series, Shadow Kingdom: Coal Survivor. On New Year’s Eve 1969, Jock Yablonski, a union hero, is mysteriously gunned down in his bed. Jock’s son is convinced the head of the United Mine Workers’ Union is behind it. But why, and can he prove it? Decades later, lawyer Nicolo Majnoni embarks on a journey to uncover who killed Jock and discovers a conspiracy at the heart of the union. Shadow Kingdom is a series from Crooked Media and Campside Media. Each season begins with a crime, and as the layers are peeled back to uncover the perpetrator, a larger system at play is revealed. Get early access to the full season by joining Crooked’s Friends of the Pod at crooked.com/friends or subscribe directly on the Shadow Kingdom Apple Podcasts feed.

This week, President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at ending cash bail in Washington D.C. and other jurisdictions around the country. He summarized the largely successful criminal justice reform policy like this: "They kill people and they get out." Well, it may come as a surprise (to no one) that this statement is… not accurate. All it means is that a person's release, before they stand trial, is NOT determined by how much money is in their wallet. But despite the data showing the policy works, Trump and his MAGA buddies want to end it. To gain a better understanding of all this, we spoke with Rena Karefa-Johnson, Vice President of National Initiatives at FWD.U.S. And in headlines: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is undergoing a major staffing shake-up, National Guard members are picking up trash in D.C., and President Donald Trump proposes military funeral honors for the January 6th rioter who was killed by an officer at the insurrection…. four and a half years later. Show Notes: FWD.us202-224-3121https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/crooked.com/whataday

President Donald Trump’s administration is full of sycophants. That was made quite apparent this week (if it wasn't already) during a three-hour-long televised Cabinet meeting. The lengthy meeting allowed for department secretaries to sing their lord and savior’s praises while the world watched on. The excessive fawning over the dear leader would raise more suspicions if it were taking place literally anywhere else. But it’s happening in the United States. And we are in trouble. We spoke with Bill Kristol, editor at large for The Bulwark, to find out what we can do to meet the challenge of the moment. And in headlines: the Department of Homeland Security now prohibits state agencies and volunteer groups from receiving federal funds if they help undocumented immigrants, an alleged sandwich thrower dodged federal charges, and the Food and Drug Administration approved updated Covid-19 vaccines. Show Notes: https://tinyurl.com/2ynd2f8vhttps://tinyurl.com/aaf4ajh3202-224-3121https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/crooked.com/whataday

In the federal government’s latest excursion into the private sector, the US announced last week that it took a 10% stake in Intel. The move comes after the Defense Department became the biggest shareholder in a mining company, and the Trump administration made deals with AI chipmakers. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump is continuing to direct his ire at the Federal Reserve— this time specifically on Fed Governor Lisa Cook, whom he tried to fire on Monday. So for more on state-sponsored capitalism and the seemingly never-ending Federal Reserve fight, we spoke with Scott Lincicome. He’s the vice president of general economics at the Cato Institute. And in headlines: President Trump makes a lengthy television appearance with his Cabinet, a whistleblower says the Department of Government Efficiency put Social Security data at risk, and a federal judge dismisses a Department of Justice lawsuit against Maryland's entire federal bench. Show Notes: https://tinyurl.com/2ud35mxw202-224-3121https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/crooked.com/whataday

A lot has happened so far since President Donald Trump took office for a second term, but one thing is certain- he's indisputably unpopular. According to Gallup, Trump's six-month approval rating was around 37-percent, which is lower than that of any other president at that point in their presidency. That's, of course, with the exception of Trump in his first term. But polling can be confusing. Because while Trump's approval ratings have taken a dive, so has the Democratic Party's favorability. According to The Wall Street Journal, 63-percent of voters have a negative view of the Democratic Party. So where does that leave us? Can we trust the polls to tell us how Americans really feel? To find out more, we spoke with Crooked's resident polling expert, Dan Pfeiffer. And in headlines: President Trump hosts South Korean President Lee Jae Myung at the White House, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says a strike on a hospital in Gaza was a "tragic mishap", and Trump signs an executive order to crack down on anyone who burns or desecrates the American flag. Show Notes: crookedmedia.substack.com/s/exclusive-content202-224-3121https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/crooked.com/whataday

Third Way, a center-left think tank, released a list of words it thinks Democrats should stop using on Friday. The list included words like “intersectionality,” “body shaming,” “cisgender,” and “LGBTQIA+.” It sparked an online debate around the terms, which has caused many people to ask “what do Democrats and liberals actually believe?” Jerusalem Demsas is CEO and founder of a new media outlet called “The Argument,” and she joins the show to answer the question: What is a liberal? And in headlines, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov defends the Russian war in Ukraine on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Kilmar Abrego Garcia – a Salvadoran immigrant who was deported despite a court order allowing him to stay in the country – returns home to Maryland only to be immediately threatened with deportation to Uganda, Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticizes President Trump over threats to deploy the National guard to Chicago, and the Department of Justice releases hundreds of pages of interviews with Ghislaine Maxwell, a collaborator of Jeffrey Epstein. Show Notes: www.theargumentmag.com/202-224-3121https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/crooked.com/whataday

On Thursday, California lawmakers passed a redistricting plan aimed at winning Democrats up to five more U.S. House seats in the 2026 elections. It was the latest escalation in a gerrymandering battle between red and blue states, after the GOP-controlled Texas House approved redrawn congressional maps Wednesday. Other states, like New York and Indiana, may soon follow. Former U.S. Representative and current Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, Colin Allred of Texas, breaks down what this means for the Lone Star State and the 2026 midterms. And in headlines, Russia strikes an American-owned electronics plant in Ukraine, the Department of Justice goes after gender-affirming care for young people, and President Donald Trump thanks troops patrolling Washington, D.C. Show Notes: 202-224-3121https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/crooked.com/whataday

The White House announced it's leading a "comprehensive internal review of selected Smithsonian museums and exhibitions" to ensure that the museums "celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions."Why? One reason is that White House special assistant Lindsey Halligan got in Trump's ear and complained that there was too much focus on slavery across the Smithsonian Institution. Halligan even told Fox News that in museums, there should QUOTE: "be more of an overemphasis on how far we've come since slavery." To discuss who's behind the changes in our cultural institutions, we spoke with Zachary Small. He's a New York Times reporter with a focus on the art world. And in headlines, the Israeli army says it's calling up 60,000 reservists ahead of its expanded assault on Gaza City, the Trump administration announces cuts to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and the new price of the PS-5 Pro is making gamers angry. Show Notes: https://tinyurl.com/rt222e7t202-224-3121https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/crooked.com/whataday

On Tuesday, the Department of Justice announced it's launching a much-needed and super important investigation into Washington D.C.'s crime statistics. The DOJ said it's looking into whether the stats have been QUOTE: "manipulated" to make the crime rate seem lower. Why, might you ask, is the DOJ using time, money, and resources to look into this? Probably because it's searching for a way to justify President Donald Trump's takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department and deployment of National Guard troops to the district. However, it has been roughly two weeks since Trump's takeover, and we have some questions. Is DC's crime problem really that bad? And is it better now after federal intervention? We spoke with journalist Josh Barro. He's also co-host of the podcast "Serious Trouble". And in headlines, the Trump administration decides it doesn't want feedback from its federal employees, the White House says arrangements for a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Putin are underway, and Oklahoma is making sure teachers from California and New York aren't "woke". Show Notes: https://tinyurl.com/2rrxxrsf202-224-3121https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/crooked.com/whataday