Deadline: White House — “Alarms are flashing red”

Date: September 26, 2025
Host: Nicolle Wallace

Overview

This episode of Deadline: White House grapples with the shocking indictment of former FBI Director James Comey by the Trump Department of Justice. Wallace explores the dangerous implications for democracy, the apparent escalation of Trump’s political retribution, and the growing alarm among legal, intelligence, and historical experts. Key guests include former CIA Director John Brennan, voting rights attorney Marc Elias, and historian Timothy Snyder, author of On Tyranny. Together, they assess the legal, moral, and existential threats facing the rule of law in America and urge citizens and institutions to resist normalizing authoritarian tactics.

Segment 1: The Indictment of James Comey — A Dangerous Precedent

[00:49–03:16]

Main Points

• Indictment Context: Trump’s DOJ indicts Comey on two counts, a move widely seen as the culmination of Trump’s years-long vendetta against the former FBI director.
• Retribution List: Trump suggests that Comey isn’t the only target; former CIA Director John Brennan may be next.
• Obstacles for Prosecution: NBC News reports indicate the revocation of security clearances (by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard) has undermined possible cases against others, including Brennan, by discrediting key witnesses.

Notable Quote

• Nicolle Wallace [01:27]:
  “Indicting Comey is the fulfillment of an obsession Trump has harbored for nearly a decade. But the alarm bells are sounding today. The lights are flashing red.”

Segment 2: Interview with John Brennan — Rule of Law, Retaliation, and Institutional Damage

[03:16–18:36]

Key Discussion Points

The Motivations Behind Trump’s Attacks

• Trump’s animosity toward Comey and Brennan stems from the 2016 intelligence community assessment implicating Russian interference to help Trump’s election.

• Brennan suggests Trump is fixated on perceived disloyalty or undermining of his legitimacy.

• John Brennan [06:52]:
  “He was very upset that the intelligence community assessment determined that Vladimir Putin...was trying to interfere in the 2016 presidential election to help Donald Trump in his candidacy and hurt Hillary Clinton.”

Legitimacy of the Charges

• Brennan notes several red flags around the Comey indictment. Previous investigators (including Bill Barr, John Durham, and career prosecutors) found no prosecutable case.

• Recent DOJ maneuvers, including resignations and the installation of loyalists, further cast doubt.

• John Brennan [04:23]:
  “There were several prosecutors in that office that wrote a memo...saying that there’s no case there. Also, we have ample evidence of Donald Trump...demanding that the Department of Justice bring charges against Comey.”

Institutional Integrity at Risk

• Trump’s second administration is portrayed as more overtly authoritarian, intent on using agencies as personal instruments of revenge.

• John Brennan [07:50]:
  “The damage that is being done to this country’s credibility and the credibility of the Department of Justice and our system of laws is profound and is going to be long lasting.”

Republican Complicity and the Call for Courage

• Brennan expresses disappointment at Republican officials for their silence and complicity, contrasting today with principled resignations during Watergate.

• John Brennan [11:38]:
  “This really is consistent with all of the stereotypical sort of actions of a despot, of a tyrant, and they shouldn’t be taking a knee to him.”

Impact on Global Perception

• American moves toward autocracy are being watched worldwide, especially by those in or from non-democracies.

• John Brennan [13:34]:
  “He is trying to just take apart and trample upon...those institutions that really define the United States of America. And he’s really overreaching, I think.”

On Being a Target and Speaking Out

• Despite threats, Brennan refuses to be silenced, emphasizing duty to democracy.

• John Brennan [16:14]:
  “I cannot see being silenced. What he’s doing right now, he’s really trying to intimidate a lot of people across the spectrum of American society not to speak out.”

Segment 3: Marc Elias on Targeting, Resistance, and Public Power

[21:01–32:25]

Key Discussion Points

The “Shock” of the Comey Indictment

• While expecting retaliatory indictments under Trump’s second administration, Elias still describes the Comey news as “shocking” due to its raw demonstration of unchecked executive power.

• Marc Elias [22:10]:
  “I have to be honest...I was shocked...it is shocking in that this is the kind of conduct that you expect from a third world dictatorship.”

Chilling Effect and the Need for Resolve

• Elias, himself a target of smear campaigns, insists that intimidation can't lead to self-censorship or retreat. He stresses using whatever platform individuals have, large or small.

• Marc Elias [24:40]:
  “But the thing is, Nicole, it can’t silence us. It can’t cause us to back away. It can’t cause us even, frankly, to pull a punch.”

Public Action and Institutional Fragility

• The Jimmy Kimmel suspension and subsequent reversal by major broadcasters is presented as a case study in the potential for public pushback and resistance to have tangible effects.

• Elias appeals to listeners: use every platform—no matter how small—to speak out, since public pressure works and can even fracture institutions propping up Trump’s policies.

• Marc Elias [29:09]:
  “Institutions that do Donald Trump’s bidding are also fragile...If people speak out, that power will push on these institutions that are very susceptible to that power.”

On Law Firms, Universities, and Media Accountability

• Failure of major institutions to withstand Trumpist pressure is foolish and shortsighted, Elias warns, both as a matter of business and democratic responsibility.

Segment 4: Timothy Snyder on Democratic Turning Points and Citizen Agency

[33:58–41:59]

Key Discussion Points

Historical Context and the Present Crisis

• Historian Tim Snyder views current events through the lens of critical, history-making moments, arguing that America is at a “turning point.”

• Snyder equates the present tilt as not left vs. right, but up vs. down—a choice between democracy and disintegration.

• Tim Snyder [34:57]:
  “The tilt doesn’t have to do with left or right. The tilt has to do with up or down—whether this country is going to tip over and fall apart and break into little pieces.”

Power of Collective Action

• Snyder cites the Kimmel controversy as “exemplary” of what organized public resistance can achieve—emphasizing comedians’ historical roles as targets for authoritarians because of their power to express collective truths.

• Tim Snyder [36:37]:
  “Comedians are important because comedians reach us where our own personal truths are when we laugh...aspiring dictators understand that.”

• On citizen action:
  “...sometimes you’re going to win when you organize and that winning feels good and that there should be more of it now.”

The Fluidity of the Moment

• Far from inevitable, Snyder stresses the next several weeks are decisive—what people do now will determine the future.

• Tim Snyder [37:49]:
  “I don’t see things. I see a very dark future if people do nothing. But I also see a situation which is incredibly fluid...our choices in the next few weeks will make a big, big difference.”

On Fear, Courage, and Normalization

• The goal of current tactics is to instill fear and make it normal. Snyder urges listeners to act from principle, not fear, and to “resist in the sense of being true to yourself.”

• Tim Snyder [41:07]:
  “They’re aiming for a different kind of politics in which everybody is afraid, and fear is where everything is supposed to begin...the only way to avoid getting to that kind of politics is to recognize it for what it is and to be as courageous as you can.”

Segment 5: Democracy, Public Power, and Institutional Stakes

[43:34–44:47]

Key Discussion Points

Recapping the Kimmel Boycott Reversal

• Rosie O’Donnell underscores how public outrage (cancellations, economic boycotts) forced major media companies to reinstate Jimmy Kimmel after attempts to deplatform him, reinforcing the message: collective action works.

• Rosie O’Donnell [43:34]:
  “This is how much power we have...don’t let them tell you we don’t. When you sidle up to a dictator, you’re not going to have public support because they are the minority.”

Wallace’s Closing Message

• Wallace thanks her guests and viewers, highlighting the stakes and the urgent need for collective action and vigilance.

Key Timestamps

• 00:49–03:16: Indictment of Comey and targeting of intelligence officials
• 03:16–18:36: Interview with John Brennan
• 21:01–32:25: Interview with Marc Elias
• 33:58–41:59: Interview with Tim Snyder
• 43:34–44:47: Rosie O’Donnell and public power

Memorable Quotes

• Nicolle Wallace [01:27]:
  “Indicting Comey is the fulfillment of an obsession Trump has harbored for nearly a decade. But the alarm bells are sounding today. The lights are flashing red.”

• John Brennan [07:50]:
  “The damage that is being done to this country’s credibility and...Justice...is profound and is going to be long lasting.”

• Marc Elias [22:10]:
  “It is shocking in that this is the kind of conduct that you expect from a third world dictatorship.”

• Tim Snyder [34:57]:
  “The tilt doesn’t have to do with left or right. The tilt has to do with up or down—whether this country is going to tip over and fall apart.”

Conclusion

This urgent episode captures a democracy at a crossroads. As Trump’s DOJ pursues high-profile legal action against his perceived enemies, Wallace and her guests warn that unchecked retribution and abuse of power threaten not only institutions but the foundations of American democracy. Yet, the episode repeatedly underscores a countervailing truth: public action, collective resistance, and courage—at every level—can still determine the nation’s trajectory.

Call to Action:
Use your voice, resist normalization, and remember: the next few weeks are pivotal for democracy itself.