Pod Save America – Episode 1120: "Dems Freeze ICE"

Date: February 13, 2026
Location: Melbourne, Australia (Live Show)
Hosts: Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Dan Pfeiffer, Tommy Vietor

Episode Overview

This episode covers a week of extraordinary and chaotic developments in American politics, centering on the Trump administration’s continued scandals and abuses of power, the Democratic response, and a dramatic standoff over the Department of Homeland Security and ICE funding. Broadcasting live from Melbourne, the hosts also address culture war flashpoints and engage the audience in a lively U.S.–Australia citizenship trivia game.

Key Discussion Points

1. Government Scandals & Congressional Hearings

a. Attorney General Pam Bondi's Meltdown over Epstein Files

• Summary: Attorney General Bondi’s outburst before the House Judiciary Committee over the DOJ’s handling of the Epstein files is dissected at length.
• Key Moments:
  • Bondi refuses to answer direct questions, dodges accountability, and pivots to bragging about economic indicators (Dow at 50,000).
  • Multiple survivors of Epstein’s crimes were present, none interviewed by DOJ, despite their willingness.
  • Bondi's performance is seen as damaging to the Trump administration and a political gift to Democrats given the scandal’s crossover into popular culture and social media.
• Notable Quotes:
  • Tommy Vietor [09:23]: "Saying we shouldn’t be talking about prosecuting child predators because the Dow is at 50,000 is one of the most fucking insane things I’ve ever heard anyone say in politics in my life."
  • Dan Pfeiffer [12:20]: "This is by some measures perhaps the largest or most consequential political scandal in American history. You have the federal government...protecting people involved in child sex trafficking because those people may be friends with donors to or colleagues of the president."

b. Failed Indictment of Democratic Congressmembers

• Summary: The administration’s attempt to indict six Democrats for reminding military personnel not to obey illegal orders collapses when D.C. grand jurors decline to indict.
• Perspective: The hosts discuss relief at the system holding but note the dangerous precedent and chilling effect, warning this tactic will likely continue.
• Notable Quotes:
  • Tommy Vietor [19:57]: "D.C. grand jurors have become a surprising bulwark against creeping fascism...but I do not think that can hold."
  • Dan Pfeiffer [24:13]: "This is an absolute crisis. The president of the United States is criminalizing opposition to the regime...the only thing standing in the way is our American citizens serving on grand juries."

c. The Broader Narrative

• Political Strategy Discussion:
  • Democrats are urged to frame the Epstein scandal and DOJ corruption as proof of two sets of rules—one for the elite, one for everyone else—emphasizing a compelling, relatable narrative over delving solely into salacious details.
  • Dan Pfeiffer [14:27]: "That dynamic is why rich people get tax cuts and Americans get kicked off their health care...That's what we have to tell aggressively."

2. Shutdown Standoff: Freezing ICE

a. Democrats Block Funding for DHS/ICE

• Context: Amid news of ICE abuses and paramilitary tactics, Democrats threaten to defund DHS unless major reforms are made to ICE operations.
• Minnesota Update: Operation Metro Surge (ICE raids in Minneapolis) ends, with Governor Tim Walz celebrated for his forceful response.
  • Tim Walz (via clip) [47:33]: "The federal government needs to pay for what they broke here. We’ve got children whose core memory will be their classmate being taken away..."
• Community Response:
  • Dan Pfeiffer recounts visiting Minneapolis after the killing of Alex Preddy, describing parents guarding schools and a city unifying in resistance to ICE.
  • Dan Pfeiffer [48:38]: "That group of unarmed people were strong enough to force the Trump administration into retreat. Tyrants look stronger than they are. Democracy looks weaker than it is, but it is very powerful."
• Political Calculus:
  • Trump’s approval on immigration hits record lows; Democrats are urged to stand firm and clarify demands (e.g., judicial warrants, restraining ICE/CBP use of force).
  • Dan Pfeiffer [53:50]: "[We will] not vote to give a single penny to this agency that has killed American citizens, that has terrorized American communities, without the most basic guardrails you could possibly ask for."

b. Implications for the 2026 Midterms

• Analysis:
  • The mounting scandals and Democratic resistance are viewed as potentially defining issues for the forthcoming elections.
  • Rejection of ICE funding is seen as a rare example of Democrats holding the line, reflecting changing political winds on immigration.

3. Lasergate: Border Security & Bureaucratic Chaos

• Incident: Customs and Border Protection (CBP) uses a Pentagon-supplied laser (PHaEL/LOCUST system) to shoot down a party balloon over El Paso without notifying the FAA, resulting in a shutdown of El Paso airspace.
• Discussion:
  • Hosts mock the absurdity and danger of using military hardware for trivial incidents, the breakdown in communication, and the administration’s inability to coordinate basic security functions.
  • Tommy Vietor [56:00]: "You could take out a balloon for less than the price of the balloon...That's why laser was such a good weapon in Contra."
  • Jon Lovett [59:59]: "Unbelievable. Just idiots. Idiots...running the government."
• Broader Significance: Points to dysfunction at high levels—including appointments of unqualified officials, stretched and mismanaged resources, and underlying chaos in the Trump administration.

4. Pop Culture & The Right-Wing Outrage Machine

a. "OK, Stop" – Megyn Kelly vs. Bad Bunny at the Super Bowl

• Clip/Wide Discussion: Megyn Kelly rails against Bad Bunny’s halftime performance for being "entirely in Spanish," calls it a "middle finger to America," and launches into a series of cultural grievances.
• Hosts’ Reactions:
  • Widespread ridicule of Kelly's nativism, bafflement at calls for "meatloaf" as the only acceptable halftime food, and sharp retorts on American identity.
  • Tommy Vietor [67:25]: "She thinks Shakespeare joined ISIS and she’s screaming at him. Also, many Americans can’t speak English. If we’re just being honest, a lot of us don’t understand our own language particularly well."
  • Jon Lovett [71:05]: "A huge mix of cultures and languages—that is quintessentially American. That is the whole fucking country."
  • Extensive riffing on American cuisine, patriotism, and the shape of culture wars, closing with satirical suggestions to invite Kelly to a multicultural Super Bowl party.

5. Audience Interaction: U.S.–Australia Citizenship Test Trivia

• Segment: Fun interlude where Dan Pfeiffer quizzes Americans on the U.S. citizenship test and the hosts on Australian history and civics.
• Tone: Lively, irreverent, inserting political jokes and sharp banter about both countries’ histories and governmental quirks.
• Notable Quote [40:54]: Dan Pfeiffer, after a question about Australia’s head of state: "You are all still fucking subjects of that inbred fucking London. You can pretend all you want otherwise, but until you change your country constitution, you work for Charles."
• Ends with Pfeiffer joking about the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis and blaming the British monarchy.

Notable Quotes & Quotes by Timestamp

• Tommy Vietor [09:23]: "Saying we shouldn’t be talking about prosecuting child predators because the Dow is at 50,000 is one of the most fucking insane things I’ve ever heard anyone say in politics in my life."
• Dan Pfeiffer [12:20]: "This is by some measures perhaps the largest or most consequential political scandal in American history."
• Jon Lovett [26:27]: "You think he’s going to stop at members of Congress…what happens when he starts doing it to people who are not well known…? At some point, you have to make the argument that…everyone is at risk if the President of the United States can just go try to arrest people, throw them in jail for exercising their rights."
• Dan Pfeiffer [48:38]: "Democracy looks weaker than it is, but it is very powerful. The American people are powerful. And they underestimate that because I think they equate being kind with being weak. But you can be kind and tough."
• Jon Lovett [71:05]: "A huge mix of cultures and languages—that is quintessentially American. That is the whole fucking country."

Timestamps for Major Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|----------------------------------------------| | 02:38 | Show opens, host introductions, crowd banter | | 03:11 | Week recap: failed arrests, AG meltdown, DHS | | 05:44 | Attorney General Bondi House hearing | | 10:33 | Social/political impact of Bondi meltdown | | 14:27 | Dem messaging on Epstein files | | 18:16 | Failed Congressional indictments | | 19:57 | Grand juries resisting Trump admin | | 24:13 | The seriousness of attempts to jail Congress | | 27:19 | ICE and the administration’s abuses | | 47:33 | End of ICE Operation Metro Surge in MN | | 48:38 | Minneapolis resistance and community action | | 50:50 | DHS shutdown strategy | | 54:40 | Lasergate: CBP party balloon incident | | 63:14 | "OK, Stop" – Megyn Kelly halftime outrage | | 71:05 | Hosts sum up America’s multicultural identity|

Tone & Style

• Sharp, irreverent, and deeply skeptical of Trump-era abuses.
• Candid, sometimes profane, with moments of dark humor and satire.
• Strong advocacy for Democratic resistance and the power of democratic institutions and communities.

Conclusion

This episode is a sweeping, sometimes darkly comic tour of the state of American politics amid grave abuses of power and institutional breakdown. The hosts highlight the critical role of public outrage, local communities, and unexpected legal guardrails in providing resistance. The show closes with their trademark wit, moving from the week's chaos to questions of national identity and the absurdities of cultural gatekeeping.

For listeners: This episode is a must if you want to understand not just the headlines, but the underlying narrative stakes of 2026 American politics—with humor, clarity, and urgency.