Part Of The Problem

Episode: Trump is Getting Pathetic
Host: Dave Smith
Co-host: Robbie the Fire Bernstein
Date: December 10, 2025

Episode Overview

Dave Smith and Robbie the Fire Bernstein dissect Donald Trump’s latest Politico interview, broader Trump-era foreign policy failings, and the deteriorating state of conservative media discourse. They break down how Trump’s narcissism is becoming tiresome rather than entertaining, the administration’s contradictory handling of Ukraine and Venezuela, and why the right is fracturing around issues like Israel and media personalities. The conversation remains sharp, funny, and caustically libertarian throughout.

Main Topics & Insights

1. Trump’s Politico Interview & Narcissism Fatigue

• Politico’s Award and Trump’s Ego: Trump accepted a “Most Powerful Person in Europe” nod from Politico’s European wing, prompting a rare sit-down interview focused mostly on European affairs.
  • Dave: “Is he the most influential person in Europe? He’s the most influential person in the world over the last 10 years with no one in second place. And so you see this guy a lot.” (03:43)
• Burnout on Trump’s Schtick: Both hosts express how what used to be a “braggadocious” and captivating shtick is now getting tiresome and embarrassing.
  • Dave: “I guess I’m just at a point with Donald Trump... but I’m just so over it. I’m just over his whole thing, his shtick, his bullshit, his narcissism... it’s just getting less and less entertaining and more and more embarrassing.” (04:29)

2. Rewriting Economic Reality

• Trump continues to exaggerate past economic greatness and scapegoats critics as low-IQ or uninformed.
  • Robbie: “I walked away [from the interview] that apparently we have the greatest economy ever, and it was just because Marjorie Taylor Greene was low IQ and she couldn’t process how amazing our economy was.” (04:57)
• Dave and Robbie skewer Trump’s farm bailouts and tariff policy as classic economic illiteracy.

3. Trump’s Record vs. Rhetoric on Ukraine

• Narcissistic Framing of War: Trump claims the Ukraine war wouldn’t have happened under him, centering himself in every answer.
  • Trump: “This is a war that would have never happened if I were president... I watched that taking place and I said, wow, they’re going to cause some problems here.” (08:58)
  • Dave: “Everything has to be seen through the prism of protecting his ego. It’s so clearly like, only motivated by that.” (09:34)
• Actual Policy Contradictions:
  • Trump’s administration sent major weapon packages to Ukraine, which arguably escalated the situation before Biden took over.
  • Dave: “Donald Trump is largely or at least partially responsible for leaving the conditions in Ukraine the way they were.” (11:24)
• Missed Opportunities for Statesmanship: Dave draws a parallel with Afghanistan, arguing that Trump had clean hands at the start and could have walked away from inherited conflicts—but didn’t.
  • “Now if you pull out and it’s a mess, like it is on you... The time was at the beginning to have nothing to do with this anymore.” (14:43)

4. The Zelensky & Peace Deal Stalemate

• Pressure on Ukraine: Discussion about whether the US wants out and if corruption stories are being used to pressure Zelensky.
  • Robbie: “The idea that the close partners and friends of Zelenskyy are suddenly going down for corruption charges, and the New York Times is finally writing about corruption... I don’t think that’s coincidental. That’s the administration... trying to pressure Zelensky into, hey, there’s one way out of this mess, and that’s you’re giving up territories.” (15:43)
• Electoral Legitimacy and Democracy: Trump recommends elections in Ukraine, but hosts highlight hypocrisy given that Ukraine remains under martial law with suspended elections and conscription.
  • Trump: “They’re using war not to hold an election, but I would think the Ukrainian people would... should have that choice... They haven’t had an election in a long time. They talk about a democracy, but it gets to a point where it’s not a democracy anymore.” (17:46)
• Zelensky's Response: He insists on recovery of all territory, including Crimea, setting up an impasse.

5. Libertarian Take on Modern Wars

• Dave rebukes the “brave leader” narrative for Zelensky, pointing out mass conscription and futility:
  • “He suspended elections and conscripted an army… forcing young men, or more often old men at this point onto the front lines to just go get slaughtered for nothing... And yet they try to make it out like that’s noble.” (24:53)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Trump’s Self-Obsession:
  • Dave: “At every single angle, he’s just got to let you know that I’m right. Let’s just get that out of the way first.” (09:34)
• On Political Integrity:
  • Dave: "You’re just seeing who is willing to, like, degrade themselves to keep finding a way to defend this. And then you just see who are like the ones with integrity who just go, yeah, dude, this isn’t at all what he ran on." (08:01)
• Ukraine & Conscription:
  • Dave: “No one actually believes that with America out of the picture and European support alone, [Zelensky] can take back any of this territory. It’s just all so... obviously insane.” (26:59)
• Laugh-Out-Loud Take:
  • Robbie: “Wouldn’t that give Putin more of a mandate to continue the war, though? ... So we force them to have elections, then a full fledged Nazi gets elected, and then we have to decide that we’re no longer supporting them.” (31:23)
• On Switching Sides:
  • Dave: “In World War II, we sided with Joseph Stalin... to defeat the Nazis. And now... we side with the Nazis to defeat the capitalist Russians. It’s just like too, too nutty.” (31:54)

Key Timestamps For Major Segments

• Trump’s Politico Interview Setup & Narcissism – 01:03-04:29
• Ukraine Segment
  • Trump’s “Wouldn’t Have Happened Under Me” Claims – 08:54-11:24
  • Analysis of Trump’s Real Record in Ukraine – 11:24-14:06
  • The Missed Opportunity for Pull Out Early (Afghanistan/Ukraine parallel) – 14:43-15:43
  • Zelensky, Elections, and the Peace Deal Stalemate – 16:55-19:25
  • Dave’s Rebuke of “Noble” Wartime Leaders Hypocrisy – 24:53-27:19
• Venezuela Segment
  • Trump Won’t Rule Out Ground Invasion – 34:43-36:47
  • Analysis: “Less coherent than the Iran propaganda” – 44:09-45:56
  • Critique: “We’re doing it for the people of Venezuela” – 39:33-41:12
• Podcast Wars, Right-Wing Media Drama
  • Fuentes on Piers Morgan, Candace Owens, Tim Pool Rants – 48:47-68:52
• Show Wrap-up – 68:52-69:09

Conservative Media “Wars” & The Fracture on the Right

1. Piers Morgan vs. Nick Fuentes

• Dave praises Piers’ platform for important debates but criticizes the old-school “gotcha” tactics, saying they’re ineffective against someone like Fuentes who leans into provocative labels.
  • Dave: “If you’re a journalist, anytime you get caught... just letting everybody know that you’re more virtuous, you’re not doing it right...” (51:36-54:55)
  • Robbie: "Based on what I watched, Fuentes was the victor in the conversation. The gotcha tricks were not working. The old school TV stuff... is exactly what has eroded our entire culture." (55:03-56:28)

2. Charlie Kirk, Candace Owens, Tim Pool

• Dave doesn’t buy hard evidence of Israeli involvement in the Kirk assassination but credits Candace Owens for exposing the intensity of the Israel lobby.
• Tim Pool's claim that “if Republicans lose, it’s Candace’s fault” is dismissed by Dave as a copout: “The reason why the Republicans are going to lose... is because the Trump administration has failed, just utterly failed to deliver.” (62:34)
• Dave: “What is the fracture on the right over, Rob? Say it with me now. One word. Israel.” (66:54)

Episode Tone & Style

• Libertarian, Cynical, and Sarcastic: The hosts openly mock Trump, conservative media, and the general state of politics, with an irreverent tone but deep policy knowledge.
• Sharp, Engaged, and Understatedly Angry: There’s visible disappointment at formerly promising figures and the state of antiwar conservatism.

Conclusion

This episode is a scathing assessment of late Trump: self-obsessed, no longer honestly “fighting the bad guys,” and drifting toward senseless interventions (Venezuela) while failing to deliver on core promises (Ukraine war, economic reform, government transparency). Conservative commentators are lampooned for either feigning virtue or distracting from substantive issues, with Dave and Robbie insisting the real fracture in the GOP is over unwavering support for Israel, not media scandals or cults of personality.

Memorable Sign-off:
Dave: "If Donald Trump wants to tear at his own political base anymore, go ahead and launch this war, man." (47:27)