No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen

Episode: Trump has mask-off moment amid healthcare & food cuts

Date: November 2, 2025
Host: Brian Tyler Cohen

Overview

This episode centers on President Donald Trump's public displays of extravagance amid severe cuts to healthcare and food assistance, juxtaposed against his campaign promises to prioritize working-class Americans. Brian Tyler Cohen examines the administration's mask-off policies and political strategy before conducting in-depth interviews with California Governor Gavin Newsom, California Attorney General Rob Bonta, ABC News' Jonathan Karl, and Latino political consultant Mike Madrid. Key topics include the shutdown over healthcare and SNAP funding, Trump’s DOJ poll monitoring, the internal politics of the Trump White House, and the dramatic shift in Latino voter approval.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump’s "Mask-Off" Presidency: Opulence vs. Public Need

(00:01 – 05:58)

• Brian opens with a scathing analysis of Trump’s latest actions: hosting an opulent, “Great Gatsby”-themed party at Mar-a-Lago and flaunting White House renovations while millions face losing healthcare and food assistance.
• He chronicles a series of moves highlighting Trump’s self-enrichment:
  • $350 million White House ballroom, Oval Office gold-leafing, and taxpayer-funded retrofitting of a jet.
  • Public posting of luxury refurbishments amidst a government shutdown due to refusal to extend ACA subsidies.

Notable quote:

"We have a president broadcasting the extent to which he just doesn't care how out of touch he looks, doesn't care about the extent to which he is channeling Marie Antoinette."
— Brian Tyler Cohen, 01:30

• Political optics: Trump’s actions, per Cohen, aren't accidental but demonstrate he “doesn’t care” about working class Americans, but prioritizes his own circle.
• GOP’s agenda: Cohen emphasizes GOP owns these outcomes—“They say all the right things during the campaign, but the moment they have power, it is about helping themselves.” (04:50)

2. Interview: Governor Gavin Newsom – Democratic Response to Shutdown & GOP Attacks

(05:58 – 18:23)

• Elections & Democratic Momentum:
  • Newsom stresses the symbolic importance of upcoming elections in California, New Jersey, and Virginia, anticipating a Democratic resurgence and a “front foot” approach.
  • He points out Trump’s absence from GOP rallies, interpreting it as a sign of Trump’s weakness.

Notable quote:

"No one wants to be associated. No one wants to be seen with him. That's how historically weak Donald Trump is."
— Gavin Newsom, 06:32

• Trump’s Priorities:
  • Newsom blasts the "vulgarity" of Trump's parties and renovations as 42 million face hunger and healthcare cuts.
  • He labels Trump’s actions a "betrayal" of his own voters, noting red districts are disproportionately hurt by SNAP and Medicaid cuts. (08:26–09:41)

Notable quote:

"He's betraying his own voters. And the word betrayal is a word we need to use more often about Donald Trump."
— Gavin Newsom, 09:03

• Contingency Fund Lawsuit:

  • Discusses California leading a lawsuit demanding the release of SNAP emergency funds, blocked by the Trump administration.
  • Newsom critiques House GOP’s refusal to aid the hungry under the guise of preserving funds for "some other emergency."
  • He slams the piousness and hypocrisy of House Speaker Mike Johnson for justifying starvation during the holidays. (11:33–12:30)

• DOJ Poll Monitors as Pretext:

  • Newsom affirms these are not in good faith, but a “preview of 2026” Republican pretext to cry fraud.
  • California is preparing rapid response and legal defense teams to “monitor the monitors” and rebut any manufactured allegations in real time.

Notable quote:

"We're going to pre-but the frame... flood the zones with voices, law, and reason."
— Gavin Newsom, 14:09

• On Democratic Intransigence in Other States:

  • Urges Democratic leaders elsewhere, notably Maryland, to unify against anti-democratic maneuvers, for “red, white, and blue.” (16:06–17:11)

• On Hollywood Tax Credit:

  • Newsom reaffirms his support for the film industry but hesitates to uncap credits beyond the recent $7.5B expansion. (17:39–18:21)

3. Interview: Attorney General Rob Bonta – Fighting DOJ Election Interference & SNAP Lawsuit

(19:46 – 33:40)

• DOJ Poll Monitors:
  • Bonta explains the DOJ’s unprecedented targeting of blue states and blue counties for federal poll monitoring as a mechanism for future pretext of fraud.
  • California will have its own observers—state AG, Secretary of State, Registrar—watching the federal monitors.
  • Transparency as a defense: Asserts state elections are secure and any manufactured crises are politically motivated.

Notable quote:

"Trust is earned. And what they have done when it comes to voting rights in the last 10 months is attack them..."
— Rob Bonta, 20:18

• Escalation Scenario:

  • Bonta fears Trump could manufacture crises to justify mass deployment of federal personnel/National Guard, suppressing the vote and intimidating communities.
  • Points out Trump has already used extraordinary authorities to send the National Guard into blue cities (“unprecedented”). (25:39–28:08)

• Legal Preparedness:

  • California has rapid response teams ready to litigate any interference or attempts to delegitimize elections.
  • Courts, Bonta asserts, are sworn to facts—not Trump’s “untethered” narratives. (28:52–29:57)

• SNAP Lawsuit:

  • Bonta describes the 45th major case in 40 weeks against federal shutdown-motivated SNAP withholding, for which California leads a 26-state coalition.
  • Asserts Trump is withholding food aid "deliberately... so they can blame the Democrats."
  • Frames cruelty as the Trump administration's “policy, outcome, and desire.” (30:08–32:21)

4. Interview: Jonathan Karl – Trump’s "Retribution" Agenda and White House Dynamics

(35:37 – 55:40)

• Thirst for Vengeance:
  • Karl, author of "Donald Trump and the Campaign that Changed America," asserts Trump’s pursuit of retribution is relentless and deeply embedded ("made pretty clear").
  • Trump has indicted and targeted both Democrats and Republicans, using the DOJ as a tool for political payback.

Notable quotes:

“He put into positions of authority people who had explicitly said that they were gonna do this. Kash Patel, first and foremost, as the director of the FBI.”
— Jonathan Karl, 36:24

• Republican Compliance:

  • There’s almost no public resistance among Republicans to Trump’s retribution; private concerns are about electoral optics, not principle.
  • Paranoia and fear of becoming retribution targets silence dissent ("leopards eating faces party"):

    "Those very people who are enabling this retribution tour right now know that if they do speak out, that they'll be on the receiving end of it."
    — Brian Tyler Cohen, 39:42

• Transition, Loyalty & Hypocrisy:

  • Trump’s post-election transition, managed from Mar-a-Lago, was a “wild west,” where power was distributed to loyalists—often selected through personal interactions, not structured process.
  • Steve Bannon and loyalists exerted outsized influence, keeping the transition as a MAGA loyalty test rather than governed by merit or governance.

• Weaponization Mindset:

  • Karl observes, “the hypocrisy on this point is obvious, but I think a lot... actually don’t see the hypocrisy.”
  • Many see government weaponization as justified “to neutralize the people that weaponized the government.” (45:49–45:58)

• The Reality Distortion Field:

  • Senior officials may know the 2020 election wasn’t stolen, but nearly all public-facing figures must go along with the lie.
  • Karl cautions: Trump’s base, and potentially even Trump himself by now, believes the grievance narrative.

• 2028 Rumors:

  • Steve Bannon claims Trump should/could run for a third term, not necessarily in earnest but to block potential heirs like JD Vance; such talk “freezes the field.”

5. Interview: Mike Madrid – Dramatic Latino Voter Shift

(55:46 – 68:27)

• Latino Approval Collapse:
  • Trump’s approval among Latinos has dropped to 27% (from mid-30s), a historic collapse below the GOP’s base level.
  • The driver is the economy:
    • Latino voters are especially sensitive to Trump’s tariffs and inflation; immigration raids have secondary impact.

Notable quote:

"Donald Trump's collapse amongst Latinos began in April... The economy is overwhelmingly driving this down."
— Mike Madrid, 56:24

• Not Just Immigration:

  • While ICE raids contribute, affordability/crisis issues trump cultural/racial politics in this bloc.
  • Latinos are “blue collar, working class voters more price sensitive to inflation.”

• Party Affiliation Dynamics:

  • There's little evidence Latinos are “becoming more conservative or Republican”—rather, they are "de-aligning" from both parties, especially Democrats, driven by frustration over unmet economic needs.
  • Latinos are the US’s “swingiest vote”:

    "Half of Latinos are voting against Republicans and half are voting against Democrats."
    — Mike Madrid, 62:22

• Economic Populism & Anti-Establishment Sentiment:

  • Labels (socialism) don’t move most Latinos; anti-establishment economic advocacy from both left-wing and centrist Democrats proves effective.
  • “Lead with economics”: To win Latinos, candidates must focus on challenging the political status quo and center campaigns on economic uplift. (67:07–68:12)

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

| Timestamp (MM:SS) | Speaker | Quote | |-----------------------|----------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:30 | Brian Tyler Cohen | "We have a president broadcasting the extent to which he just doesn't care how out of touch he looks." | | 06:32 | Gavin Newsom | "No one wants to be associated. No one wants to be seen with him. That's how historically weak Donald Trump is."| | 09:03 | Gavin Newsom | "He's betraying his own voters. And the word betrayal is a word we need to use more often about Donald Trump."| | 14:09 | Gavin Newsom | "We're going to pre-but the frame... flood the zones with voices, law, and reason." | | 20:18 | Rob Bonta | "Trust is earned. And what they have done when it comes to voting rights in the last 10 months is attack them..."| | 30:53 | Rob Bonta | "Cruelty is the policy, cruelty is the outcome. Cruelty is the desire." | | 36:24 | Jonathan Karl | “He put into positions of authority people who had explicitly said that they were gonna do this. Kash Patel, first and foremost, as the director of the FBI.” | 56:24 | Mike Madrid | "Donald Trump's collapse amongst Latinos began in April... The economy is overwhelmingly driving this down."| | 62:22 | Mike Madrid | "Half of Latinos are voting against Republicans and half are voting against Democrats." |

Memorable Moments

• Marie Antoinette to Gatsby: Brian’s sharp comparison of Trump’s extravagance to infamous historical figures and tales of plutocratic excess. (01:30)
• Legal Jiu-jitsu on SNAP: Newsom & Bonta’s confident, detail-rich recounting of their lawsuits and legal strategies against the Trump administration.
• Retribution as a Pillar: Jonathan Karl dissecting the driving force of revenge animating Trump’s choices for top posts—and the chilling effect on the broader GOP.
• Latino Realignment: Mike Madrid’s demolition of myths about Latino political behavior and forceful call for economic populism as the only winning message.

Conclusion

This episode of No Lie covers the Trump administration’s open disregard for vulnerable Americans through a blend of sharp solo analysis and in-depth, candid interviews with top political figures. Listeners are left with a revealing, ground-level view of both the policy impacts—hunger, less healthcare, fear in the voting booth—and the seismic political realignments rippling through American politics, especially among Latinos. The hour underscores both the stakes of the ongoing government shutdown and the emerging strategies to fight back.

For full content, listen to:
No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen, November 2, 2025, "Trump has mask-off moment amid healthcare & food cuts."