Macrodosing Episode Summary

Episode: Could Trump Go to War with Venezuela? Ft. Leader Hakeem Jeffries & Brace Belden
Date: December 18, 2025
Hosts: Big Cat, PFT Commenter, Big T, E, Brace Belden (guest), T-Bob (remote), Special Guest Rep. Hakeem Jeffries
Podcast Theme: Wide-ranging discussion on sports, politics, college football, current events, with extensive focus on Trump’s Venezuela policy and a feature interview with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Episode Overview

This episode of Macrodosing is a wild ride through current events, college football, obscure college funding tactics, and the very real possibility of a US war with Venezuela under Trump’s administration. Anchored by a marquee interview with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and guest Brace Belden, the show tackles national healthcare, foreign policy, the state of American democracy, and the inertia of government in the face of crisis. It’s a quintessential Macrodosing blend: irreverent sports banter, sharp political skepticism, genuine curiosity, and plenty of scathing asides.

Key Segments & Timestamps

1. Show Open, Housekeeping, and Banter (00:55–10:50)

• Hosts banter about Lindsey Graham and Nancy Mace, poking fun at DC relationships and the "worm tongue" friend trope found in fantasy fiction ([00:55]).
• An extended aside about the cast of the Wicked movies and Ariana Grande’s public trials, riffing on celebrity culture ([06:05-09:20]).
• Spirited reviews of movie performances, debates on new releases, and producer E’s grievances with casting choices.

Quote:
Brace (on Lindsey Graham/Nancy Mace):
“A lot of women have a cruel homosexual whispering in their ear, like the man in the horse kingdom in Lord of the Rings. Of course, I’m talking about the famous Wormtongue.” ([00:55])

2. College Football, NIL, and Sponsorship Schemes (10:50–18:35)

• Big T introduces Auburn’s “War Eagle Mobile” phone plan, where subscribers send a cut to Auburn athletics ([11:10]).
• Debate over corporate money in college sports; discussion of Yellowwood, private prison naming fiascos at FAU, and the hilarious idea of a Crimson Tide Mortgage Company ([13:13–15:01]).
• Hot takes on coming college football games, predictions about Miami vs. Texas A&M, and Alabama vs. Oklahoma ([15:19–17:17]).

Quote:
Big Cat: “Why not like Crimson Tide Mortgage Company? 2% of your mortgage goes to University of Alabama Athletics.” ([12:31])

3. Crime, News, and Trump’s Address (18:35–25:30)

• Remarks on unsolved shootings at Brown and MIT; skepticism about the lack of progress ([19:03–20:56]).
• Trump’s upcoming evening address—speculated topics include marijuana rescheduling or a “dig me” highlight reel ([21:21]).
• The evolution of public opinion on marijuana legalization and why federal scheduling matters so much ([22:44–25:00]).
• Big Cat and Big T swap perspectives on public weed consumption and urban etiquette ([25:14]).

Quote:
Big T: “As a gambler, if you lie [on an injury report], I want people in jail. Prison.” ([18:15])

4. News Bits & Podcast Industry Chat (27:31–36:08)

• Weird news: NYC attorney sues IRS to claim her dog as a dependent ([27:31–29:54]).
• Inside baseball on the podcast industry, government officials starting their own podcasts, and why not everyone should be a podcaster ([31:04–34:38]).
• Predictions that the next president will have an active podcast feed.

Quote:
Big Cat: “Not everybody needs to have a podcast... There’s a lot of people in government right now that I think got into government to promote their podcast.” ([31:16])

5. Venezuela, Trump, and Foreign Policy Tees (36:37–39:10)

• Brace texts in, prepping his Venezuela question for Hakeem Jeffries ([36:37]).
• Hosts riff on how the US manufactured consent for war in Iraq and now potentially for Venezuela, polling data shows 70% of Americans oppose military action in Venezuela ([37:36–38:59]).

6. Athletics Balloon Budgets (39:10–44:06)

• FOIABall reveals jaw-dropping balloon budgets in college athletics (e.g., Texas spent $170,000 in 2024) ([39:10]).
• Used car salesman wisdom: “Every penny you spend on a balloon, you receive tenfold back.” ([40:30])
• Debate on whether UT should just build its own balloon factory.

7. More Sports – March Madness, World Cup, and Brackets (44:35–49:29)

• Big Cat and Big T dissect the ups and downs of NCAA basketball tournaments ([44:35]).
• Big T: “Nobody wants to watch VCU in the Final Four. And people, if they’re being honest with you, will tell you that.” ([45:24])

8. Podcast Platform Chatter (49:54–55:36)

• Barstool’s Netflix podcast deal, implications for fans, and beef about losing the YouTube format.
• Big Cat: “I've always thought of it as being just an audio podcast... But for. I wish I was selling out. I wish, I wish. You know how much money I've been guaranteed by Dave from this deal...” ([53:16])

--- INTERVIEW WITH HOUSE MINORITY LEADER HAKEEM JEFFRIES (61:12–111:59) ---

Healthcare, ACA, and Policy Goals (61:12–67:48)

• Jeffries explains the House’s push to preserve ACA subsidies and lower costs for Americans:
  “[If] those tax credits are allowed to expire, could face premium increases... as much as $1,000 or $2,000 per month. That’s unsustainable.” ([61:36])
• Commitment to “bold and transformational” reform, openness to single-payer/Medicare for All (“universal healthcare is the goal”).
• Blames high cost of living as “an affordability crisis.”

NBA Cup & Sport Fan Talk (67:52–70:01)

• Jeffries celebrates the Knicks’ NBA Cup win, jokes about James Dolan’s reluctance to hang a banner.

College Football & NIL Debate (70:01–73:10)

• Jeffries is partial to Ohio State (his brother teaches there).
• Critiques Lane Kiffin Protection/SCORE Act, wants college athletes compensated but with nationwide standards. “Clearly, we have to find a solution to making sure these athletes are compensated, but that it’s done in a way that you don’t have sort of outside forces... running the show.” ([71:09])

On Why Congress Cares About Sports (73:15–74:24)

• Explains that sports are an essential aspect of American culture and unity, even though not a top Congressional priority.

Big Democratic Picture (74:30–75:55)

• Jeffries: “Work hard, play by the rules, live the good life...” Outlines the basic Democratic platform as restoring the American Dream.

American Dream & Economic Decline (76:11–78:53)

• Cites American “march toward a more perfect union” post-WWII, lost ground due to deindustrialization, trade policies, automation, union decline.

Trump & Venezuela – Foreign Policy Clash (78:53–81:48)

• Brace sharply critiques Trump administration’s brinkmanship with Venezuela, asks if there’s real pushback.
• Jeffries decries regime change attempts, emphasizes need to focus on domestic issues and “no more failed war.”
  “I think that this effort potentially to try to trigger regime change is very dangerous. We've seen this happen... It never works out.” ([80:18])

On Syria, Israel, Military Aid & US Foreign Policy (81:48–86:05)

• Jeffries clarifies continued support for Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, but says America should be responsible, not escalate wars, and push for peace and reconstruction in Gaza.
• Backs “two-state solution” strongly and acknowledges need to support Africa against Russia/China expansion.

War Powers & Congressional Authority (86:05–90:40)

• Big Cat presses for stronger antiwar messaging:
  “I think the American people are like, hey, we’re talking about a war here that we don’t need to be fighting in. I would like to see one of the parties be like, hey, this sucks. This is crazy. Don’t do it. It’s illegal. This is insane. And I haven’t heard that from your side.” ([86:05])
• Jeffries states Dems are debating a floor resolution forcing Trump to get Congressional approval for Venezuela, not just “rubber-stamp.”
• Argues Congress needs to be a real check both now and in future—“But by the way, no one has done it as extremely as this administration is doing it” ([89:16]).

Congressional Stock Trades & Corruption (90:40–92:55)

• Jeffries hasn’t traded stocks since 2021, supports bipartisan ban.
• Big Cat challenges Congress on overt conflicts of interest:
  On Rep. Corey Mills (R)—“He’s an illegal arms dealer... He’s involved in the decisions that impact the price of the weapons that he’s selling outside of this country... That is nuts.” ([92:28])
• On Dem Henry Cuellar: Jeffries distinguishes, stating Cuellar’s indicted not convicted, lost committee chair as soon as indicted per Dem rules.

Epstein Files & Potential Bombshells (98:46–106:04)

• Brace asks if Dems are prepping for Epstein files fallout, especially if big donors like Apollo Global are implicated.
• Jeffries: “Our position has been very clear from the beginning... We just want the information out there and let the chips fall where they may because we need justice for the survivors.” ([105:01])

Inflation & Cost of Living (107:53–111:01)

• Final questions hit on inflation, housing costs, and what real levers could be pulled.
  “The cost of housing is way too high. That’s both rent too high and of course purchasing a home or your mortgage, particularly with interest rates being where they are. One of the ways... is to build more housing massively, like a New Deal level type of housing program, as opposed to, by the way, spending billions or trillions of dollars on a foreign war...” ([108:46])

Memorable Quotes

• “Listen, sports is an escape for everyone, you know, myself included.” – Hakeem Jeffries ([73:15])
• “America is the last best hope on earth.” – quoting Lincoln, Hakeem Jeffries ([84:09])

9. Aftershow, Riffing, and Deep Dives (111:59–End)

• Panel debriefs, jokes about getting Congress quarter-zips, typecasting of politicians, and why every state would potentially want its own missile shield ([111:25–118:18]).
• Extended aside on Anna Paulina Luna and Nancy Mace, airport spats, and DC weirdness with some classically wild Brace theorizing ([118:58–123:46]).
• Closing speculation on Epstein files, Nutty tattoo politics, and who’s the weirdest guest at the latest TP USA convention ([125:18–132:13]).

Notable/Memorable Quotes & Moments (w/ Timestamps)

• “A lot of women have a cruel homosexual whispering in their ear, like the man in the horse kingdom in Lord of the Rings. Of course, I’m talking about the famous Wormtongue.” – Brace ([00:55])
• “Why not like Crimson Tide Mortgage Company? 2% of your mortgage goes to University of Alabama Athletics.” – Big Cat ([12:31])
• “As a gambler, if you lie [on an injury report], I want people in jail. Prison.” – Big T ([18:15])
• “Not everybody needs to have a podcast... There’s a lot of people in government right now that I think got into government to promote their podcast.” – Big Cat ([31:16])
• “Every penny you spend on a balloon, you receive tenfold back.” – Big Cat ([40:30])
• “Work hard, play by the rules, live the good life.” – Hakeem Jeffries ([74:45])
• “I think that this effort potentially to try to trigger regime change is very dangerous... It never works out.” – Hakeem Jeffries ([80:18])
• “Let the chips fall where they may because we need justice for the survivors.” – Hakeem Jeffries on Epstein ([105:01])

Episode Takeaways

• Trump & Venezuela: Trump’s rumored plans for regime change and blockades in Venezuela prompted unified skepticism; Jeffries and hosts highlight the dangers and public opposition.
• Congress & Foreign Wars: Bipartisan wariness of military intervention, with Jeffries pledging Dems will try to force Trump to get Congressional authorization before military action.
• Healthcare: Continuing crisis and futility of incremental steps; Democrats aren’t fully committing to one solution, but see single-payer/Medicare-for-all as a pole star.
• NIL & College Football: College sports remains a Wild West full of new sponsorship models, legal grey areas, and Congressional posturing instead of practical leadership.
• Podcast Culture: Explosion of podcasts among politicians is met with skepticism, humor, and meta-criticism from the Macrodosing crew.
• Corruption & Accountability: Recurring frustration at obvious conflicts of interest among elected officials; skepticism that Congress can self-regulate, despite Jeffries’ claims otherwise.
• Epstein Files: Upcoming document release could spell trouble for political and financial elites, but expectations for accountability remain low.
• American Dream & Inflation: Everyone feels affordability crisis, but no one has clear or politically viable solutions for lowering costs, and the cycle of blame continues.

In Closing

This episode is a textbook example of Macrodosing’s strengths—deep-dive interviews, cutting humor, and rambunctious but probing discussions. Hakeem Jeffries fields tough questions, especially on war powers and economic grievances, while the hosts pull no punches in lampooning DC cynicism, higher-ed grifts, and the excesses of the American ruling class. For those who missed it, this episode is both highly entertaining and a sharp encapsulation of the mood heading into 2026: anxious, angry, and only nominally hopeful.

Find the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.