Podcast Summary: Deadline: White House

Episode: “They are not afraid of Donald Trump”
Host: Nicolle Wallace (and panel)
Air Date: November 5, 2025

Overview

This episode of Deadline: White House is packed with urgent and timely topics: the political repudiation of Donald Trump in recent state elections, the Supreme Court’s skepticism toward Trump’s expansion of presidential power (especially on tariffs), the resilience and rise of pro-democracy movements like “no Kings,” and the unprecedented turmoil engulfing federal institutions such as the FBI under Trump’s administration. Insights and sharp analysis are offered by regulars David Frum, Kim Akinstor, Andrew Weissman, and special guest Rep. Jason Crow.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Post-Election Tone: A New Confidence in Resisting Trumpism

• Massive Democratic Victories:
  Major wins for pro-democracy candidates across several states and for California’s Prop 50 signal a “wholesale rejection of Trump, Trumpism and his aspiring autocratic governing philosophy.” (MSNBC Analyst, 01:23)
• No Kings Movement:
  The “no Kings” protests—seven million people strong—are directly tied to election turnout and victories.

  “This nation has not ever been, nor will it ever be, ruled by kings...We take oaths to a Constitution, not a king. We’ve chosen liberty, the very foundation of democracy.” (Excerpted from victory speech, paraphrased at 01:59)

• Democracy's Resilience:

  “If there is any way to terrify a despot, it is by dismantling the very conditions that allowed him to accumulate power.” — David Frum (03:00)

2. Supreme Court Shows Skepticism of Trump’s Strongman Tactics

• The Tariff Case Overview:
  The Supreme Court hears arguments regarding Trump’s use of the “national emergency” declaration for broad tariffs. The conservative justices, especially Trump appointees Gorsuch and Barrett, are notably skeptical.

  “[Justice Gorsuch] kept saying, look, if we...delegate this kind of tariff power to the president, how, how do you get it back?” — Kim Akinstor (05:52)

• Separation of Powers at Stake:

  “Isn’t this Congress’s power? … The reason we divide power in this country, the reason we do not have a king, is that it’s better to protect liberty.” — David Frum (08:15)

  • The panel highlights that this case tests whether Congress’s constitutional powers can be usurped by the executive branch (“abolishing Congress’s power to tax…to spend or not to spend”).
• Tariffs as Presidential Revenue Stream:

  “If a President can impose a tariff and can raise his own revenue at his own discretion with no consultation of Congress, he’s bust free from the Article 1 rule that Congress taxes.” (13:09)

  • It’s underscored that these powers, used as Trump did, are far in excess of even historical monarchs.

3. Impact of the “No Kings” Movement and Democratic Momentum

• Leaderless, Grassroots Strength:

  “What is so interesting about the no Kings movement is that it has no figurehead. It is from the people themselves...They are using their voice in every way that they can.” — Kim Akinstor (15:52)

  • The “no Kings” movement now polls higher than Trump’s MAGA in popularity.
• Elections as a Referendum:
  Democratic wins in historically contested states and districts are seen as a grass-roots rejection of Trump’s attempts at autocratic rule.

4. The Longest Government Shutdown and Trump’s Strategy

• Trump’s Hostage Politics:

  “Donald Trump wants to keep the government shut. He wants to inflict pain on the American people and he wants to weaponize hunger. He wants to weaponize government services. He wants to weaponize health care to consolidate power.” — Rep. Jason Crow (23:09)

• Rising Political Engagement:
  Crow emphasizes a “comeback has started,” with new kinds of candidates stepping up nationwide, inspired by the current moment.

  “Confidence builds on itself. Courage is contagious.” (22:08)

5. Military Action in the Caribbean and Critique of Trump’s Foreign Policy

• No Strategy, Just Bombs:
  • The administration’s erratic, military-heavy response to suspected drug smuggling is called out as tactically adrift and strategically hollow.

  “...Trump doesn’t see a single problem that he doesn’t think he can bomb his way out of...Do I want to stop the flow of drugs in America? Yes. Is this the way to do it? No.” — Rep. Jason Crow (25:05)

  • Briefings to Congress have been uninformative, and there’s scant evidence justifying the attacks.

6. Crisis and Purge at the FBI Under Kash Patel

• Unprecedented Public Rebuke:
  The FBI Agents Association, representing over 90% of agents, issues a rare rebuke of Patel’s firings as “erratic and arbitrary retribution.” Agents assigned to January 6th and Trump cases are being targeted.

  “The fact that they are willing to draw this line in the sand and come out with language as strong as that statement does really shows that things are much more dire for the workforce than we even imagined.” — Andrew Weissman (32:36)

• Agents Vulnerable to Political Winds:
  • Agents are being targeted based on social media rumors and association, not merit or conduct, creating immense fear and instability inside the bureau.

  “So in addition to assigned agents who investigated Trump being fired, agents who've just gotten in the crosshairs of random posters on Twitter are in the same boat. There is a random element that is terrifying.” — Andrew Weissman (34:32)

• Retaliation for Exposure:
  • Kash Patel is targeting those who exposed his own use of government resources for personal purposes (e.g., private jet travel), fueling even more purges.

7. The Comey Prosecution: A Break from DOJ Norms

• “Indict First, Investigate Second” Justice:
  • Judges have rebuked DOJ prosecutors for rushing the indictment of Comey at Trump’s command, noting failure to properly turn over grand jury materials and question prosecutorial competence.

  “...the FBI and the Department of Justice would not bring a case unless it knew it could win that case...It is very clear that in their rush to indict Jim Comey, they sacrifice detail for speed.” — Michael Feinberg (41:31)

• Accountability and Trust at Stake:
  • The expert guests stress how this political coercion of federal agencies undermines rule of law.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “If there is any way to terrify a despot, it is by dismantling the very conditions that allowed him to accumulate power.”
  — David Frum [03:00]
• “The reason we divide power in this country, the reason we do not have a king, is that it’s better to protect liberty...”
  — David Frum [08:15]
• “What is so interesting about the no Kings movement is that it has no figurehead. It is from the people themselves…”
  — Kim Akinstor [15:52]
• “Confidence builds on itself. Courage is contagious.”
  — Rep. Jason Crow [22:08]
• “Donald Trump wants to keep the government shut. He wants to inflict pain on the American people and he wants to weaponize hunger...to consolidate power.”
  — Rep. Jason Crow [23:09]
• “...Trump doesn’t see a single problem that he doesn’t think he can bomb his way out of...Do I want to stop the flow of drugs in America? Yes. Is this the way to do it? No.”
  — Rep. Jason Crow [25:05]
• “The fact that they are willing to draw this line in the sand and come out with language as strong as that statement does really shows that things are much more dire for the workforce than we even imagined.”
  — Andrew Weissman [32:36]
• “There is a random element that is terrifying.”
  — Andrew Weissman [34:32]
• “It is very clear that in their rush to indict Jim Comey, they sacrifice detail for speed.”
  — Michael Feinberg [41:31]

Important Timestamps & Segments

• Election Analysis and “No Kings” Movement: 01:21–08:15
• Supreme Court Arguments on Tariff Powers: 03:19–14:03
• MAGA vs. No Kings & Political Trends: 15:02–18:15
• Guest: Rep. Jason Crow on Democratic Momentum and Shutdown: 21:13–24:08
• Crow on Trump’s Foreign and Drug Policy: 25:05–28:21
• FBI in Crisis/Patel’s Purges: 30:29–38:24
• DOJ’s “Indict First” Approach in Comey Case: 41:21–44:13

Tone and Atmosphere

The tone combines sharp urgency, historical awareness, and a sober warning about institutional drift. The panel’s language is straightforward, often evocative, and occasionally laced with biting wit — especially in comparing Trumpism to historical autocracy and in dissecting the pettiness driving current government purges.

Summary Takeaway

This episode paints 2025 as a pivotal moment of democratic pushback against authoritarian drift, with historic voter engagement, judicial scrutiny of executive overreach, and serious warnings about the institutional rot and culture of retribution spreading through federal law enforcement under Trump loyalists. The message: the American public and parts of government are mobilizing to protect constitutional democracy, despite the most severe challenges to it in generations.