Pod Save America — "Blessed are the Peacemakers (Trump and Putin)"

Date: August 19, 2025
Hosts: Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Tommy Vietor
Guest Interview: Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, Bridget Brink

Episode Overview

This episode focuses on the dramatic developments in U.S. and international politics: Trump's summits with Putin and Zelensky, the dynamics around ending the war in Ukraine, the U.S. government's law enforcement crackdown in D.C., redistricting showdowns in Texas and California, and Gavin Newsom’s high-profile, meme-infused social media strategy. Tommy interviews former Ambassador Bridget Brink, who resigned to protest Trump’s Ukraine policy and is now running for Congress.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump's Summits with Putin & Zelensky — Pursuing "Peace"

• Summary of Events: Trump recently held a high-profile summit with Vladimir Putin in Alaska, rolling out the literal red carpet, followed by a tense trilateral meeting with Zelensky and European leaders in D.C.

• Outcomes: No substantive ceasefire or concessions from Russia. There were vague statements about potential security guarantees for Ukraine, but significant details remain unresolved.

• Trump’s Attitude: Trump continues to frame Putin as earnestly seeking peace, stating:

  "I think he wants to make a deal for me. You understand that? As crazy as it sounds..."
  (Trump, hot mic, 04:52)

• Host Skepticism: The hosts note this dynamic is less about genuine peace and more about optics for Trump, who appears motivated by ego and the prospect of a Nobel Peace Prize.

Notable Segment

• 03:36 – 05:00: Hot mic from Trump at the White House, discussing his belief in Putin’s willingness to make a deal.

2. Media and International Leaders Navigating Trump

• European Leaders' Strategy: European heads of state, recognizing Trump's volatility and ego, have resorted to largely performative diplomacy, flattering Trump to maintain U.S. engagement.

  “They have to fly to America to flirt on behalf of the world.”
  (Jon Lovett, 10:13)

• Hosts’ Critique: Public spectacles are now about catering to Trump’s ego, rather than advancing democratic values.

• Putin’s Leverage: With Trump’s desperation for a “deal,” Putin faces little pressure to compromise, manipulating the situation easily.

Notable Segment

• 10:58 – 12:52: Reflection on the Alaska summit's optics and psychological toll on Ukrainians.

3. Criticism of the Trump–Putin Showmanship

• Red Carpet Diplomacy: The episode highlights the stark contrast between Trump’s hospitality to Putin and the suffering inside Ukraine:

  "Just imagine being in Kiev… 12,000 civilians killed… then watching Trump rolling out the red carpet for Putin."
  (Tommy Vietor, 11:05)

• Press Conference Farce: At the joint appearance, Trump stood by as Putin evaded all questions about Russian aggression and war crimes.

4. Trump’s Democracy-Undermining Threats

• Mail-in Voting Attacks: Trump, echoing Putin, claims all elections are fraudulent if mail-in ballots are used. He floats an executive order to end mail-in and machine voting, falsely claiming constitutional authority to federalize election administration.
• Host Response: The hosts fact-check that the Constitution explicitly gives election administration power to state legislatures, not the President.

  "Our level of concern should be very high…these are red sirens…"
  (Jon Lovett, 25:23)

5. The Rise of Fascism at Home — D.C. Law Enforcement Crackdown

• Troops in D.C.: Republican governors send more National Guard troops to D.C., supposedly to combat crime; real focus seems to be on highly visible, public stunts.

• ICE Agents & Abuse: Viral incidents show ICE agents unaccountably tasing, tackling civilians in D.C., and explicitly bashing liberals.

  "This is all about fucking letting the secret police force, ICE, just go wild and do whatever they want."
  (Jon Favreau, 44:26)

• Democratic Response: Democratic leaders calling the occupation a “distraction” from tariffs and health policies, to which hosts object—arguing it diminishes the seriousness and misses the need for a direct response.

Notable Segment

• 33:12 – 36:03: Audio from ICE incident in D.C. and ensuing analysis.

6. Redistricting Wars — Texas and California

• Texas: Texas Democrats return from their legislature walkout, unable to block Republicans’ aggressive gerrymander.
• California Retaliation: Governor Newsom proposes a temporary gerrymander to claw back House seats for Dems—but only if other states move first and for a limited timeframe.
• Hosts’ Take: While this muddies Democrats’ reformist messaging, the move is seen as necessary to counter unprecedented mid-decade Republican gerrymandering.

Notable Quotes

"He is responding to a massive overreach by Trump to redistrict... completely unprecedented."
(Tommy Vietor, 50:26)

7. Gavin Newsom: Social Media Warrior

• Newsom’s Press Office Account: Gaining attention with tongue-in-cheek memes and parodies of Trump tweet style; effective at capturing online attention and irritating Republicans.
• Dem Strategy: Hosts praise Newsom’s willingness to fight in the social media trenches while maintaining gubernatorial stature.

  "What I also appreciate...is we talked about who’s gonna be the person that takes on MAGA...the way we find out is by seeing how they take on the right, right now."
  (Jon Lovett, 60:25)

8. Interview: Former Ambassador Bridget Brink

(Segment starts at 67:46)

• Brink’s Perspective: Strongly criticizes Trump’s approach as “appeasement” of Putin, giving away leverage and credibility for little in return. Details why she resigned from her post and is now running for Congress.

• On Security Guarantees: Argues any diplomatic deal must include real, enforceable security guarantees for Ukraine—ideally NATO membership or a coalition response clause.

  "What we need to do...is come together with Ukraine on an agreement of what would make Ukrainians feel secure."
  (Bridget Brink, 70:26)

• On U.S. Interests: Warns that undermining Ukraine undermines U.S. alliances and emboldens adversaries like China.

  "I saw us becoming what some of these young countries are, which are weaker democracies...I couldn’t believe that that could be the situation with the United States."
  (Bridget Brink, 82:00)

Memorable Quotes

• On "Peace" with Putin:
  “Yeah, just a nice guy who genuinely wants peace.”
  (Tommy Vietor, 03:38)

• On Leaders’ Flattery:
  “They have to fly to America to flirt on behalf of the world.”
  (Jon Lovett, 10:13)

• On ICE in D.C.:
  “This is all about fucking letting the secret police force, ICE, just go wild and do whatever they want.”
  (Jon Favreau, 44:26)

• On Ambivalence of Democratic Messaging:
  “If someone was like, what's the deal with Trump's takeover of dc? And you said it's a distraction from the tariffs, you sound like a fucking moron.”
  (Jon Favreau, 40:17)

• On Newsom’s Meme Game:
  “They are excellent. It’s real humor. They really are doing a good job...and it’s annoying [Republicans]. That’s making me like it more.”
  (Jon Lovett, 58:06)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:36 – 05:00: Trump’s hot mic remarks about Putin
• 10:13 – 12:52: The Alaska summit and Trump/Putin optics
• 25:23 – 29:05: Trump’s unconstitutional election threats and hosts' response
• 33:12 – 36:03: Sound from ICE incidents and discussion on D.C. law enforcement
• 50:26 – 54:36: Discussion of Newsom’s redistricting plan and Democratic messaging dilemma
• 58:00 – 64:07: Newsom’s social media strategy and host reactions
• 67:46 – 87:37: Interview with Bridget Brink

Tone & Language

• Candid, irreverent, sometimes profane — hosts maintain trademark sarcasm and skepticism.
• Deeply critical of Trump’s authoritarian instincts and performative foreign policy.
• Wry humor intersperses serious policy analysis (“This is big balls and dildos... happening in D.C.” - Jon Favreau, 36:40).
• Memetic, internet-literate approach to both critique and praise (especially when discussing Newsom’s comms team).

For Listeners: Why This Episode Matters

This episode sharply dissects the U.S. and global consequences of Trump’s pursuit of “peace” with Putin, the spectacle and substance of American diplomacy, ongoing threats to American democracy and voting, strategies for resisting Republican power grabs, and the rise of new progressive communicators. The in-depth interview with former ambassador Bridget Brink provides a sobering insider view of why U.S. policy on Ukraine matters—and what’s at stake in 2025.

Further Reading / Calls to Action

• For ad-free PSA and exclusive content: crooked.com/friends
• Learn more about Bridget Brink’s campaign: bridgetbrink.com
• Stay informed and get involved in election protection and anti-gerrymandering efforts at a local level

This summary omits commercial breaks and non-content banter to focus on substantive discussions and key takeaways.