"Does Trump's Ballroom Signal a 3rd Term?"

No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen
October 26, 2025 | Summary by PodcastSummarizer.ai

Episode Overview

This episode of "No Lie" tackles the convergence of Donald Trump’s controversial new White House ballroom construction, emerging rumors of his pursuit of a "third" presidential term, and a spate of eye-popping corruption allegations during Trump’s second administration. Host Brian Tyler Cohen dives into the latest, examining what these moves signal for American democracy, how Trump and his allies are positioning for further power, and the urgent stakes for Democrats and the broader public. Cohen interviews prominent guests: Rep. Jamie Raskin, Rep. Jared Moskowitz, Pod Save America's Tommy Vietor, and CNN’s Alex Michelson, who each offer unique commentary and strategies for countering these political threats.

Episode Structure and Key Segments

• [00:01] – Opening: Trump's ballroom, third-term talk, and new corruption scandals.
• [07:47] – Jamie Raskin interview: Exposing Trump’s $230M DOJ claim.
• [24:22] – Jared Moskowitz interview: Republican silence, shutdown politics, and messaging.
• [45:22] – Tommy Vietor interview: Pardons, media, and foreign policy breakdown.
• [59:18] – Alex Michelson interview: Democratic messaging, Prop 50, and the challenge for 2028.

Main Themes & Key Points

1. Trump’s Ballrooms and Third-Term Rhetoric ([00:01]-[01:11])

• Steve Bannon claims, “He’s going to get a third term, so Trump 28…President Trump will be president in 28…he’s a vehicle of divine providence." ([00:17])
• Trump allies push the "Trump 2028" narrative, suggesting intent to break the two-term precedent.
• Cohen warns: Trump constructing a $350M White House ballroom not for a successor, but to consolidate his grip—an ominous symbol for authoritarian ambitions.
• “It is clear that this is not the behavior of someone who views his time in office as being over in 2028.” — Brian Tyler Cohen ([01:11])

2. Democratic Strategies to Defend Democracy ([01:11]-[07:47])

• Fourfold action plan suggested by Cohen:
  1. Win state-level races to build momentum and optimism.
  2. Pass Prop 50 in California to maintain competitive House races and embolden other Dem states.
  3. Match Republican tactics at the polls: deploy monitors, leverage state power.
  4. Mass mobilization (“no kings” movements) to demonstrate overwhelming resistance and dissuade GOP overreach.
  5. Engagement of non-voters: “I'm not talking about Democrats or Republicans or independents. I'm talking about non voters.” ([06:45])
• Realism over denial: “We are not heading toward fascism. We're in it, but we can get out.” — Brian Tyler Cohen ([06:55])

3. Trump’s DOJ Cash-Grab & the Emoluments Crisis ([07:47]-[22:09])

• Jamie Raskin explains revelation: Trump filed for $230M in “damages” from the DOJ under the Federal Tort Claims Act, which is “phenomenally difficult to win” even in cases of real harm.
  • “He's asking for that money because he didn't like the fact (there) was a judicial search warrant executed at Mar-a-Lago…But any event, he thinks he should get $230 million for [it].” — Jamie Raskin ([08:08])
• The process is not public—a decision could be made by Trump’s own attorney general or deputies, with no court or judge.
  • “For all we know…it's already happened…they don’t have to report it to anybody until the end of the year.” — Jamie Raskin ([10:36])
• Link to ballroom construction: Raskin observes the $230M amount “happens to match exactly what he seems to have been committed in the White House demolition of the East Wing and the construction of his new Marie Antoinette La Di Da ballroom.” ([12:53])
• Republican silence: Raskin skewers GOP for setting a precedent that any president can “just pilfer money from the Treasury.” ([15:01])
• Constitutional violations: Repeated, blatant breaches of the emoluments clause, with little recourse given current Supreme Court leanings.
  • “If we don't somehow insist as a self-respecting Congress…he’s going to get away with that violation.” — Jamie Raskin ([20:32])

4. Congressional Inaction, Shutdowns, and Corruption Fatigue ([24:22]-[43:47])

• Jared Moskowitz lampoons House GOP leader James Comer’s investigation of the Epstein files, notes stonewalling on releasing files.
  • “If Trump is not in it and it’s just Bill Clinton, then release [the files].” — Jared Moskowitz ([25:58])
• Ongoing government shutdown, prolonged by GOP refusal to swear in Dem Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, with myriad bad-faith excuses.
  • “He was like, Well, there's this pro forma thing…except…you just swore in two Republicans during pro forma.” — Moskowitz ([26:51])
• Moskowitz delivers a scathing summary of Republican double standards and inertness on healthcare, the shutdown, and Trump's corruption.
• Corrosive effect of constant scandals: Cohen and Moskowitz discuss how “flooding the zone with shit” (Steve Bannon’s infamous strategy) leads to outrage fatigue and public disengagement.

5. Outright Corruption: Pardons for Profits ([45:53]-[51:09])

• Tommy Vietor reacts to Trump’s pardon of Binance’s CEO after a multi-billion investment in Trump’s crypto company.
  • “Binance helped facilitate this 2 billion dollar investment into Trump's crypto company…that was the price of this bribe.” — Tommy Vietor ([46:12])
• Sweeping legal immunity for Trump’s actions discourages accountability.
• The alarming new normal: “He’s not leading negotiations to reopen the government…he’s pardoning a crypto billionaire who is funneling money into his pocket.” — Vietor ([49:00])

6. Breakdown of Government Transparency and Media Access ([51:10]-[56:15])

• Tommy Vietor warns about Pentagon press corps shutout: key reporters removed, right-wing influencers given favored status.
• Dangers for democracy and foreign policy: “The Pentagon budget is nearly a trillion dollars…you want a strong press corps…for fucking this goofy little douche with a beanie, Tim Pool, to suggest…he's just going to sit there [and] regurgitate press releases…It's terrible.” — Tommy Vietor ([52:51])
• Government secrecy risks leaks, further distrust, and internal chaos among career officials.

7. Democratic Messaging: Prop 50 and the Fight for the Future ([59:18]-[83:43])

• Alex Michelson discusses the importance of passing California Prop 50—not just for local politics, but as a blueprint for Dem states to retaliate against GOP gerrymanders.
• Michelson notes Newsom’s combative approach (“memes and trolling”) is breaking through with the Dem base, contrasted with Pete Buttigieg's call for a “serious focus” on policy.
• Ongoing debate: Should Democrats fight fire with fire, or stick to sober centrism? “I think there is no question…the Democratic base right now prefers the approach of Gavin Newsom.” — Michelson ([69:35])
• Impacts on 2028: Can the fighting style sustain, or will fatigue set in? Is there a path for centrist “radical moderation” (e.g., Buttigieg, Beshear)?
• On Republican base: Michelson explains why Trump's base isn’t focused on his corruption—they care about border strictness, tax cuts, “winning” culture wars, and antipathy to mainstream media.

8. Connecting Corruption to Everyday Issues

• Both Cohen and Michelson stress the need for Democrats to connect Trump’s self-enrichment (ballroom, payouts, jets) to everyday Americans' struggles with rising healthcare costs, lost subsidies, and federal shutdowns.
• “I think it is a pretty clear story to tell for those who are looking to weave that together.” — Brian Tyler Cohen ([82:49])

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Steve Bannon: "He’s a vehicle of divine providence…We need him for at least one more term…he’ll get that in 28." ([00:27])
• Brian Tyler Cohen: "We are not heading toward fascism. We're in it, but we can get out." ([06:55])
• Jamie Raskin: "This number happens to match exactly what he seems to have been committed in the…the construction of his new Marie Antoinette La Di Da ballroom…" ([12:53])
• Jared Moskowitz: "Let's go forwards. If…a Democrat got elected in 28 and tried to do half of the stuff Trump is doing, Republicans all of a sudden would find a conscience." ([31:08])
• Tommy Vietor: “Binance helped facilitate this 2 billion dollar investment into Trump's crypto company…that was the price of this bribe.” ([46:12])
• Alex Michelson: "The average person is probably maybe not even knowing there is construction in the east wing…but they are looking at their health insurance…can I even afford this?" ([81:32])

Conclusion

This episode delivers a comprehensive, urgent, and often darkly comedic assessment of the state of American governance under Trump’s second term—including his brazen self-enrichment, dangerous ambitions for continued rule, the complicity or silence of congressional Republicans, Democratic strategies for resistance, and the pivotal necessity of mass activism and sharp messaging. Guests agree: While Trump uses spectacle and corruption to maintain dominance (“flooding the zone”), progressives need to summon equal parts grit and clarity—on the ground, at the polls, and in their storytelling—to pull American democracy back from the brink.

Listen to Specific Segments

• Trump’s 2028 Ambitions & Ballroom Symbolism ([00:01]-[06:45])
• Jamie Raskin on DOJ Cash-Grab & Oversight ([07:47]-[22:09])
• Jared Moskowitz on Shutdown Stalemate & Outrage Fatigue ([24:22]-[43:47])
• Tommy Vietor on Pardons, Media, & Foreign Policy ([45:22]-[56:15])
• Alex Michelson on Prop 50, Messaging, and 2028 Roadmap ([59:18]-[83:43])

For further updates, follow Brian Tyler Cohen and guests on their platforms, and engage locally as much as possible in opposition to anti-democratic maneuvers.