Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar — August 25, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of Breaking Points dives into a packed news cycle featuring: Bernie Sanders' surprising support for Trump's Intel equity deal, the social media uproar over New York's Zohran Mamdani and his bench press, Krystal Ball’s deep report on the Gaza famine and media misinformation, and a revealing interview with former State Department spokesperson Shahed Ghreshi about internal dissent and suppression regarding US-Israel policy.

1. Trump’s Intel Equity Deal & Bernie Sanders' Endorsement

[02:30–20:40]

Key Discussion Points

• Trump-Intel Announcement: Trump claims the US now owns 10% of Intel at no cost, converting CHIP Act grants into equity and framing it as a “great deal for America.”
• Details of the Deal:
  • $8.9 billion in CHIP Act grants for Intel (from 2022) are swapped for US government equity in the company.
  • The shares are bought at $20.47, a discount from other investors.
  • The deal includes no direct government control or voting rights.
• Debate: Industrial Policy vs Free Market:
  • Saagar calls this a “left-right horseshoe”—where populists of both stripes see merit, but libertarians bristle at government involvement.
  • He argues the US should learn from Asia’s state-backed chip industries, suggesting the “free market” can’t compete with government-subsidized foreign rivals (TSMC, Samsung, SMIC).
  • "If you leave it to the free market...you shut down the fabs, you become less competitive...they will subsidize the shit out of the industry..." — Saagar Enjeti [05:14]
• Bernie Sanders’ Principle:
  • Bernie: “If microchip companies make a profit from the generous grants they receive from the federal government, taxpayers have a right to a reasonable return on that investment."
  • Both hosts agree in principle but see execution risks.
• Krystal’s Reservations:
  • She worries Trump will use the government’s stake to reward cronies and punish opponents:
    “You could just see the way Trump would use this sway to punish his political opponents, to reward his cronies…” — Krystal Ball [08:11]
  • She supports protectionist policy in key sectors, but distrusts Trump’s motives.
• Manufacturing & National Security:
  • Both argue US loss of manufacturing is a security risk. Saagar notes “90% of advanced chip manufacturing” happens in Taiwan, a geopolitical hotspot.
  • Saagar criticizes the US “service sector” focus (“designed by Apple in California…manufactured in Guangzhou”), calling for true reshoring.
• Libertarian Pushback (Erik Erickson):
  • Erickson slams the move as “socialism” and a violation of free market principles. Warns of moral hazard and marketplace distortion.
  • Responds: “You want smaller government? This expands it...What have we been fighting for the last decade?” — Erik Erickson [13:47]
• Hosts Rebut:
  • Saagar: "That would be national suicide...the idea there's no national security concern on chips is preposterous." [15:32]
  • Both agree the US once excelled at mass production that won wars, now it’s lost that edge.

Notable Quotes

• “There is no critical national security interest which should not be under the control of a government.” — Saagar Enjeti [06:42]
• “This is such a critical industry...for defense, for aerospace, for EVs...we should have a direct interest.” — Krystal Ball [07:54]
• “We’ve become the Germans and Japanese of WWII—luxury manufacturing, but not mass production when a crisis hits.” — Saagar Enjeti [19:00]

2. Zohran Mamdani's Bench Press Social Media Moment

[22:49–27:34]

Key Discussion Points

• Viral Video:
  • Zohran Mamdani, NYC Council member, attempts 135-lb bench press at Brooklyn Men's Day event.
  • Spotter helps through the lift, leading to online ridicule from “fit bros.”
• Fitness Culture & Political Spin:
  • Saagar: “I’m not a fit bro, just an observer.”
  • Trainer’s opinion: Not fair—Zohran wasn’t given a true chance, spotter never let go.
  • Eric Adams and Andrew Cuomo pile on social media, mocking Mamdani; Adams claims “The weight of the job is too heavy for him…The only thing he can lift is your taxes.” [24:28]
• Larger Trend:
  • Krystal notes constant efforts to dig up silly “scandals” on Mamdani—whether college admissions or DSA platform.
• Tone:
  • Both hosts see it as part of a meme-ification of campaigns and attack politics.

Notable Quotes

• “It’s kind of like a meme of them trying to come up with the silliest scandals for Zoron.” — Krystal Ball [25:44]
• “The only thing he can lift is your taxes.” — Eric Adams (as relayed by Saagar) [24:28]

3. Eric Adams' Corruption Scandal & Scavenger Hunt Response

[27:34–35:23]

Key Discussion Points

• Bribery Allegation:
  • Campaign affiliate offers reporter cash in a bag of chips, claims it was a cultural misunderstanding when caught, pleads: “It’s a culture thing…I just wanted to be her friend.” [29:53]
  • Adams distances himself, minimizes relationship: “When I see her, I say ‘knee high’. That’s hello.”
• Broader Pattern:
  • Krystal calls Adams’ corruption “cartoonish—old school machine politics.”
  • The hosts point out multiple aides under investigation, the recurrence of envelope cash bribes.
• Media Critique:
  • The NYT withheld info about other suspected cash exchanges until after local media broke the story.
  • “Corruption is just so assumed to be a part of the Adams campaign they didn’t even find it newsworthy.” — Krystal Ball [32:16]
• Zohrah Mamdani Response:
  • Organizes a scavenger hunt across NYC, poking fun with a “chips” clue—a cheeky reference to the bribery scandal.
  • Saagar and Krystal debate if it’s “millennial cringe” or a “wholesome” way to build community and campaign enthusiasm.
• Nostalgia for NYC:
  • Krystal: “One of my favorite things to do when I lived in the city was just explore New York…always something new.”

Notable Quotes

• “Adams needs to launch his own shitcoin…People can funnel him cash via that.” — Krystal Ball [32:44]
• “This is Tammany Hall-level stuff.” — Saagar Enjeti [32:22]

4. Krystal’s Monologue: Israeli Famine Denial and Media Manipulation

[37:34–47:31]

Key Discussion Points

• Official UN Declaration:
  • Gaza City in “state of man-made famine,” only the fourth such declaration in IPC’s history.
  • 35% of households in “catastrophic” food insecurity; 55% in “emergency.”
• Global and Israeli Reaction:
  • Israel and its influencers wage a PR campaign to deny the famine, allege UN double-standards, and accuse the IPC of using “lowered” metrics.
  • Netanyahu calls it a “blood libel.”
• Debunking Denial:
  • Metric Consistency: Same 15% malnutrition threshold was used for Sudan in 2024; choice of metric is based on field access, not political whim.
  • Israel’s misinformation called “a made up lie to deflect and to confuse you.”
• Propaganda Techniques:
  • Videos of full grocery stores or festive meals in Gaza, which are often outdated or not representative, echo historic tactics by Nazi propagandists about Warsaw ghetto conditions.
  • “Jacobi and his ilk are pulling the same detestable trick.” — Krystal Ball [44:11]
• Dire Hospital Testimonies:
  • First-hand reporting from hospitals describes malnourished, starving children with permanent damage.
  • Krystal denounces gaslighting and weaponized anti-Semitism accusations against critics.
• Emotional Appeal:
  • Krystal concludes with an impassioned condemnation of genocide denial and complicity:
    “Tell me they aren’t real, you sick freaks…Your lies, your gaslighting, your number games are so paper thin I can’t imagine you even find them convincing yourselves. I hope these babies haunt you for the rest of your days.” [46:53]

5. Interview: Shahed Ghreshi on State Department Dissent & Firing

[50:08–69:59]

Key Discussion Points

• Background:
  • Ghreshi, recently fired State Dept. press officer, discusses being dismissed over proposing language expressing condolences for slain journalists and resisting pro-Israel rhetorical pressure.
• Events Leading to Firing:
  • Drafted statements offering condolences after an Israeli strike killed journalists (was told to “pause” until Israel provided their narrative).
  • Pushed back against using “Judea and Samaria” (Israeli terminology for West Bank) in official language, viewing it as erasure of Palestinians.
  • Recommended language against forced displacement of Gazans; was asked repeatedly about this line by leadership before dismissal.
• Internal Dynamics:
  • Political appointees like Ambassador Huckabee and his advisor David Milstein heavily shape messaging.
  • There’s a chilling effect: after Ghreshi’s firing, he predicts “no one will want to push back.”
  • “You realize it’s going to be a political point; no one’s going to want to push back after what happened to me.” — Shahed Ghreshi [68:41]
• Unique Deference to Israel:
  • Ghreshi says the US government defers uncritically to Israel in a way that it does with no other country.
  • “If someone had an issue, we would always have our own intelligence or our own commentary...With Israel, our response was: don’t respond, we don’t know what he did.” [64:07]
• Moral & Strategic Fallout:
  • Expresses frustration that even mild objections or expressions of empathy are suppressed for fear of political repercussions.
  • Internal hope that “someone says something about an airstrike” or condolences could lead to journalists holding the administration accountable.
• Reflection:
  • Interview concludes with Ghreshi explaining that his firing is likely intended to send a chill through the State Department, ensuring compliance and silence on Israel-Palestine policy criticisms.

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Saagar’s Manufacturing Lament:
  • "We're the Germans now…We've become highly specialized but have lost our capacity for mass production. In a crisis, that’s scary.” [19:00]
• Krystal on Famine Denial:
  • “Ignoring those deaths in which starvation was a contributing factor is the equivalent of claiming there was no Holocaust because Anne Frank died of typhus.” [44:47]
• Shahed Ghreshi:
  • "I wasn’t the only one in the building who wanted that [Judea and Samaria] line removed...but after my firing, no one will want to push back." [69:47]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:30] — Trump-Intel deal breakdown
• [07:42] — Krystal on Bernie's stance and risks of political abuse
• [13:47] — Erik Erickson clip: Libertarian opposition
• [22:49] — Zohran Mamdani bench press video
• [27:34] — Eric Adams bribery scandal and scavenger hunt
• [37:34] — Krystal’s monologue: Gaza famine coverup
• [50:08] — Shahed Ghreshi interview: State Dept. internal dissent and firing

Tone & Style

The hosts maintain their trademark blend of pointed analysis, banter, skepticism towards establishment narratives, irreverence about political scandals, and moral fervor where topics demand. Saagar is bluntly pragmatic and history-oriented, Krystal is principled and emotional, especially on issues of justice and humanitarian failure.

Summary

This episode offers a cross-section of American political dysfunction, from the high-stakes question of industrial policy and government intervention in national security industries, to the vacuousness (and dangers) of meme-driven scandal politics, to the contemporary horrors of war and famine hidden or denied in convenient media narratives. The interview with Shahed Ghreshi reveals the tangible institutional costs of dissent on one of the most contentious foreign policy issues of the era. Throughout, the hosts challenge listeners to think beyond surface-level talking points, emphasizing the real-world consequences of policy and media manipulation.