POD SAVE AMERICA

"Empire State of Mind"

January 6, 2026 – Crooked Media

Hosts: Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Dan Pfeiffer, Tommy Vietor
Guest: Senator Mark Kelly

Episode Overview

This episode focuses on Donald Trump’s dramatic military intervention in Venezuela, framing it as an imperialistic campaign in the Western Hemisphere. The hosts break down the operation’s motives, legality, political fallout, and broader implications. They also touch on the fallout from a major Minnesota fraud scandal, the DOJ’s Epstein file release, social media discourse, and interview Arizona Senator Mark Kelly about the military, democratic norms, and Trump’s actions.

Main Story: Trump’s Venezuelan Operation ("Blood for Oil")

[02:12 – 24:00]

Background & Operation

• Trump has launched a military assault on Venezuela, seizing dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife, resulting in at least 80 deaths.
• Both were arraigned in Manhattan court on drug trafficking/narco-terrorism charges; the regime remains in place under VP Delsey Rodriguez in exchange for giving US oil companies access.
• Trump administration argument: this was a "law enforcement operation"—Rubio claims no congressional authorization was needed.

Key Quotes:

• Dan Pfeiffer [03:13]:
  "Trump has chosen to start with Venezuela, where he ordered the military to capture...Nicolas Maduro...along with his wife in a raid on Caracas...the US Government has decided to leave that regime in place...led by Maduro's vice president, Delsey Rodriguez, who seems to have cut a deal with the Trump administration..."

• Tommy Vietor [07:17]:
  "Marco is trying to say it's just a simple law enforcement operation—one backstopped by 150 warplanes, 15,000 troops, a couple aircraft carriers...All you need to invade a country is a simple indictment of its leader, and then you can just invade."

Analysis

• The hosts call out the transparent self-interest behind the U.S. operation—Trump’s repeated desire to "take the oil."
• They note the U.S.-imposed regime keeps much of Maduro’s corrupt apparatus in place to avoid risking instability and to maintain the oil supply chain.
• They recall neocon and imperialist U.S. history in Latin America, but emphasize Trump is motivated by personal gain, egotism, and chaos, rather than coherent ideology.

Memorable Exchanges:

• Jon Lovett [11:39]:
  "This is like old school American imperialism in the Hemisphere run by a corrupt group of clods and buffoons."
• Dan Pfeiffer [12:21]:
  "The mask is very much off...now he's just like—oh, no, it is blood for oil."

The Don Row Doctrine & Imperial Ambitions

[23:00 – 32:00]

• Trump openly discusses targeting more countries (Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Greenland), comparing himself to emperors; his allies meme him as the strongman of the Western Hemisphere.
• Stephen Miller’s public rhetoric praises colonialism and empire; the hosts skewer this shift toward explicit, unapologetic imperialism and racism.

Key Quotes

• Dan Pfeiffer [23:16]:
  "Trump seems like maybe he wants to conquer the entire Western hemisphere. Who doesn't? Here he is again on Air Force One, musing about other regimes he'd like to change and territories he'd like to take..."
• Tommy Vietor [26:48]:
  "It is shocking that we do have to argue that colonization was bad, but it seems like we do."

Geostrategic and Economic Realities

[14:38 – 19:53]

• Hosts discuss the dubious economics and logistics of reopening Venezuela’s oil industry—massive investment required, persistent corruption, and political uncertainty.
• U.S. oil companies and Trump cronies expected to benefit, not American consumers.
• The operation risks destabilizing Venezuela and the region, potentially causing mass migration and proxy conflicts.

Memorable Moment

• Jon Lovett [13:16]:
  "Just the fact that we live in a world where that is a possible thing to say...all of this is so, yeah, it's so brazen and despicable..."

Host & Guest Panel on Political and Legal Fallout

Messaging and Dangers

• On MAGA messaging: Initial public support is low—with only 24% in favor of the US “taking control" of Venezuela (Reuters, Washington Post polling).
• Some right-wing figures (Marjorie Taylor Greene, Candace Owens) break with Trump over the issue, but hosts predict most of the base will stay loyal if US casualties stay low.

Notable Quotes

• Tommy Vietor [40:53]:
  "If this turns into this prolonged occupation of Venezuela, I think that will be a massive political problem. That’s already showing up in the polling. 70% of people are like, what do you mean run Venezuela, we don't want that."

Broader Themes: U.S. Democratic Erosion and Foreign Policy

[33:00 – 36:52, 49:08 – 51:21]

• The hosts warn that Trump’s actions further erode the international rules-based order; cede ground to Russia and China; and destabilize global norms.
• Lack of a “positive vision” from pro-democracy/Democratic Party forces is contrasted with Trump’s nihilist, transactional approach.
• Skepticism toward U.S. military interventions: hosts cite Iraq, Libya, highlighting unpredictable, destabilizing effects of regime change.

Other Key Segments

1. Minnesota Fraud Scandal

[55:40 – 68:24]

• Democratic Gov. Tim Walz steps down over a major pandemic-era child services fraud case, which MAGA world used to stoke anti-immigrant sentiment.
• Most indicted are Somali Americans; Elon Musk, far-right leaders called for broad deportation and even jail for Walz/Ilhan Omar.
• Hosts emphasize:
  • Fraud should be prosecuted
  • MAGA outrage is racist, manipulative
  • There was rampant pandemic fraud everywhere (PPP etc), but this is being weaponized for racist, anti-government purposes.

2. Epstein Files Released

[69:12 – 73:38]

• DOJ releases a major batch of Jeffrey Epstein documents; hosts highlight Trump flew on Epstein’s jet at least 8 times (despite previous denials).
• The hosts criticize the historic failures of FBI/DOJ in investigating Epstein and the ongoing attempts at coverups or PR minimization.

Senator Mark Kelly Interview

[87:34 – 109:12] (Main content [88:02 – 108:40])

Major Topics

1. Pentagon Censure and Attacks on Dissent

• Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, described as Trump’s “minion” and “the most unqualified Secretary of Defense we’ve ever had,” has censured Kelly, threatening demotion and the loss of pay for a video calling on troops to refuse illegal orders.
• Kelly slams this as “a bunch of bullshit … stifling the First Amendment rights of all Americans, especially retired people like me.” [88:02]
• Kelly vows to fight back, warning that the move will intimidate military and civilian dissenters.

2. On Lawfulness of Orders & Presidential Authority

• Kelly reiterates: service members must refuse unlawful orders, regardless of who gives them.
  • “What we did was a friendly reminder. We repeated the uniform code of military justice. It is the law..." [94:27]
  • Cites Trump’s history of calling for war crimes and crushing domestic dissent.
• Kelly distinguishes between the constitutional debate over presidential war powers and the obligation to refuse specific illegal orders.

3. U.S. Intervention in Venezuela

• Kelly is sharply critical of the Venezuelan operation’s planning, motives, and lack of congressional authorization:

  • “He extracted Maduro. Maduro is a bad guy ... we're extracting a foreign leader out of his country. What precedent does that set?” [98:04]
  • Warns of the risk of civil war, prolonged occupation, and lessons from the Iraq War.

• On Stephen Miller running Venezuela:
  “That guy's a moron. I mean, you talk about you want to ruin that country, you want to set this up for a situation that is not going to be in our best interests, put him in charge.” [102:10]

4. Lack of American Moral/Strategic Leadership

• Kelly: US needs a vision for hemispheric policy rooted in diplomacy, long-term interests, and shared prosperity, not brute force or Machiavellian realpolitik.

5. GOP and Congressional War Powers

• Kelly expresses doubt about getting enough Republican support to reassert congressional authority, but remains hopeful.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Main story / Venezuela intervention: [02:12 – 24:00]
• Don Row Doctrine and Empire rhetoric: [23:00 – 32:00]
• Discussion of oil economics: [14:38 – 19:53]
• Minnesota fraud, anti-immigrant backlash: [55:40 – 68:24]
• Epstein records & Trump: [69:12 – 73:38]
• Senator Mark Kelly interview: [87:34 – 109:12]

Notable Quotes

• Jon Lovett [11:39]:
  "Old school American imperialism in the Hemisphere run by a corrupt group of clods and buffoons."
• Dan Pfeiffer [12:21]:
  "No, it is blood for oil...we didn't spill any of our blood this time, but, you know, it's definitely for the oil."
• Tommy Vietor [26:48]:
  "It is shocking that we do have to argue that colonization was bad, but it seems like we do."
• Senator Mark Kelly [88:02]:
  “That’s a bunch of bullshit. The entire thing – it’s ridiculous. And it is, you know, stifling the First Amendment rights of all Americans...”
• Senator Mark Kelly [102:10]:
  “Stephen Miller running Venezuela, that guy’s a moron… you want to ruin that country, you want to set this up for a situation that is not going to be in our best interest, put him in charge.”

Noteworthy Social Discourse & Pop Culture Segments

• Right-wing online drama: The hosts riff about the “Don Row doctrine," social media staffers spinning memes, the return of phrenology via “looksmaxxing,” and in-jokes about "Globo Homo" and online conservative weirdness.
• Audience references: They poke fun at the absurd news cycles, meme culture, and the surreality of modern U.S. politics.

Final Thoughts

“Empire State of Mind” is a deeply critical and darkly humorous episode that dismantles Trump’s militaristic ambitions, questions American exceptionalism, and calls out both right-wing hypocrisy and the Democratic Party’s struggles to offer a bold, credible alternative. The hosts balance rigorous policy critique with comic asides, timely polling, and an urgent call for democratic renewal.

For listeners:
This episode is essential to understanding the unprecedented U.S. action in Venezuela, the shifting conservative embrace of empire, and the challenges facing American democracy in 2026. The Senator Mark Kelly interview offers an insider’s view on the costs of dissent, the fight for military normativity, and the stakes for the Western Hemisphere—and for democracy itself.