Pod Force One — Judge Jeanine: Keeping Streets Safe by Battling Killers, Terrorists, AND Soft On Crime Lefties

Host: Miranda Devine
Guest: Judge Jeanine Pirro, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia
Date: November 12, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Miranda Devine sits down with Judge Jeanine Pirro, the new U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, to discuss her role in implementing President Trump’s “surge” against crime in D.C. The conversation covers the sharp reduction in violent crime under her tenure, systemic failures under previous administrations, battles with local politics and a progressive justice system, personal reflections on Pirro's trailblazing legal career, and thoughts on the nation’s political divisions. Pirro highlights her tough-on-crime philosophy, the challenges of prosecuting youth offenders, and her deep commitment to victims’ rights in a city she views as a testing ground for national law and order policies.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Fighting Crime in Washington D.C.

• Dramatic Decrease in Homicides Since the 'Surge'

  • Pirro emphasizes a significant drop in homicides due to Trump’s executive order:
    • 219 homicides in 2023 → 151 in 2024 → only 113 so far in 2025 (02:00)
    • She attributes a 67% drop in the homicide rate to the federal “surge” (02:15)
    • “For all those people who say, oh, this is federal troops. No, this is angels coming in.” — Pirro (02:20)

• Challenges with Clearance Rates & Youth Offenders

  • Pirro highlights low clearance rates, especially for murdered teens (only 34% solved, most victims are African American) (03:28)
  • Frustration over family court jurisdiction for youth: “You can shoot people at 17, not kill him, and go to family court…if you’re going to yoga and ice cream socials, then this is not where I want young criminals…” — Pirro (05:24)
  • She points to repeated, escalating youth offenses being under-addressed: “Virtually every one of them has a long record before it of shooting without killing, possession of a weapon, of carjacking.” (07:14)

• Victim-Centered Approach

  • Pirro expresses her intense dedication to families of victims:
    • “I have the homicides for decedents under the age of 20. I have them on my desk right now, and I have the telephone numbers of the mothers. I am going to be calling every mother…” (10:05)
  • On low national and local attention to victims:
    • “Every one of them is African American. Miranda, have a heart. Yes, have a heart. Look at these numbers.” (03:50)

2. Politics, Policy, and “Blue City” Dynamics

• Critique of Liberal/Left Policies

  • “Why is safety something that can be objected to by the liberal left?” — Pirro (04:09)
  • Argues that D.C.’s progressive politics value criminals’ rights over victims’ safety, making youth justice reform difficult (04:32–06:00)

• Difference in Law Enforcement Under Trump

  • Contrasts her office and approach with her predecessor (Matthew Graves) and Biden-era policies:
    • “When Matthew Graves was here…in 60% at one point, 60% of the arrests made by the Metropolitan Police department here in D.C.…they were not filing charges…with me…less than 10% [of arrests not prosecuted].” (14:11–15:29)

• Laws Hindering Prosecution

  • Describes D.C. council legislation as structurally impeding law and order, e.g., Youth Rehabilitation Act, Incarceration Reduction Act, Second Chance Act (45:01)
  • Example: a 19-year-old gets probation for shooting someone in the chest due to rehabilitation-driven laws (16:01–16:42)
  • “Hogwash. That’s absurd.” — Pirro, about sealing criminal records (45:38)

3. The Surge as a Blueprint for America

• D.C. as Petri Dish for Crime Policy

  • “This, what we're doing here, is a petri dish. It’s a blueprint.” (11:12)
  • Stats claimed for the surge:
    • 57% reduction in homicides,
    • 53% reduction in burglaries and robberies (26:05)
    • Argues it should be “utilized in every other blue city, whether they like it or not.” (26:02)

• Challenges with Local Jurisdictions

  • On D.C. juries: “Who’s on those juries? Yeah, you know…6% of Washington voted for Donald Trump, 94% voted against him.” (17:41)
  • On cooperation with Mayor Muriel Bowser and D.C. council—must “get rid of the politics” for public safety (46:19)

4. Political Retribution, Justice, and National Issues

• On Perceptions of “Retribution” Under Trump

  • “It's not retribution. It is lady justice who’s blindfolded with those scales…” (21:01)
  • Discusses the importance of deterrence, not revenge: “When it involves criminal activity, there’s got to be a response.” (21:01)

• Handling Political Scandals & High-Profile Cases

  • Refuses to comment on active investigations (e.g., Russiagate/James Comey), but expresses hope for objectivity and “faith in the justice system” (19:12–20:46)

• Trump’s Mission and Leadership

  • Pirro attributes Trump’s vigor and effectiveness to his experience and “second-term mission” post-assassination attempt in Butler, PA:
    • “He knew that he had a mission and he knew he didn’t have time to waste.” (29:02)

5. Personal Story & Philosophy

• Roots and Legal Career

  • Shares about her Lebanese heritage, her mother being sent away as a girl, and how that influenced Pirro’s championing of victims (32:37–33:31)
  • Built her reputation as a tough but victim-focused prosecutor—started the first domestic violence unit in the U.S. (34:28)
  • “I was a strong woman who believed that a woman could do anything a man could do.” (35:06)
  • Recounts early sexism, perseverance, prioritizing competence and reputation (35:36–36:06)

• Navigating Political Retaliation and Personal Tests

  • Discusses her ex-husband's legal troubles as linked to her own political campaigns against Hillary Clinton, noting dirty tricks and “patient zero” for political targeting by opponents (40:16–41:28)

• Advice and Reflections on Success

  • Attributes her success (and offers it as advice) to: “hard work, determination, perseverance. It’s an obsession. It is a linear line.” (51:58)
  • On women balancing work and family: “Do not come back [to work] unless you've got everything taken care of at home.... I need all of your mentality when you’re here.” (53:56)
  • On early promotion of women and minorities long before DEI was mainstream (53:02)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the D.C. Crime Surge's Success:
  “The surge has literally shown that we can reduce crime like that, that we can absolutely make a difference.” — Pirro (12:05)

• On D.C.’s Political Climate:
  “Everything is upside down in these blue cities. They see the criminals, they see the abusers as the person who needs to be protected. I see just the opposite.” — Pirro (11:10)

• On Fixing Juvenile Crime:
  “I don’t want to hear one person talk about how a young person’s prefrontal lobe is not sufficiently developed, as though that’s a reason to not bring them into the criminal justice system.” — Pirro (08:40)

• On Victim Outreach:
  “I am going to be calling every mother to tell her, I haven’t forgotten your son. I haven’t forgotten your daughter.” — Pirro (10:05)

• On Jury Bias in D.C.:
  “Who’s on those juries?…6% of Washington voted for Donald Trump, 94% voted against him.” — Pirro (17:41)

• On National Policy Blueprint:
  “This, what we’re doing here, is a petri dish. It’s a blueprint.” — Pirro (11:12)

• On Political Retribution:
  “It is lady justice who’s blindfolded with those scales saying, what has been done that is illegal and against the law.” — Pirro (21:01)

• On Trump's Motivation Post-Assassination Attempt:
  “I think when he got shot in Butler, Pennsylvania, and he survived when he should not have, he knew that he had a mission and he knew that he didn’t have time to waste.” — Pirro (29:02)

• On Female Leadership:
  “I was a strong woman who believed that a woman could do anything a man could do. And you weren’t going to pinpoint me or categorize me as one or the other, but I was always the only woman in the room.” — Pirro (35:06)

• On Advice to Women:
  “Do not come back [to work] unless you've got everything taken care of at home… I need all of your mentality when you’re here.” — Pirro (53:56)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Crime Surge Results & Strategy: 02:00–08:00
• Victims & Clearance Rates: 03:28–10:28
• Critique of Progressive Policies & D.C. Council: 11:00–17:00; 45:01–46:00
• Prosecution Challenges (Juries, Youth, Local Laws): 15:59–18:10; 44:59
• Political Conversation (Trump, Biden, ‘Retribution’): 19:12–22:51
• Assassination Culture & Societal Division: 22:51–24:05
• Broken Windows, Quality of Life Crimes: 25:06–26:45
• Trump’s Leadership & Motivation: 27:37–29:02
• Terrorism/National Cases: 29:48–31:16
• Early Life, Legal Career, Family: 32:10–39:55
• Political Retaliation/Hillary Clinton: 40:07–42:53
• Thoughts on Future, Trump's Impact: 43:01–46:43
• Advice to Women & Success: 51:58–54:45

Tone & Atmosphere

The discussion is candid and combative, reflecting Pirro’s well-known brashness, her deep conviction in a law-and-order philosophy, and her exasperation with progressive policies. There are moments of personal reflection and empathy, particularly regarding victims’ families and her own trajectory as a pioneering woman in a male-dominated field. Devine reinforces Pirro’s arguments, digging into policy and personal background while maintaining a conversational tone.

Conclusion

This episode offers a pointed critique of progressive criminal justice reforms, championing federal intervention as both necessary and transformative. Pirro positions herself as a victim-centered, tough-on-crime prosecutor, lauding Trump for prioritizing law and order and suggesting their D.C. approach should serve as a national model. The conversation is interspersed with personal insights on resilience, the importance of genuine justice, and the broader ideological battles shaping America's future.