Pod Save America: "Noem Won't Rule Out Tear-Gassing Trick-or-Treaters"

Date: October 31, 2025
Hosts: Jon Favreau, Dan Pfeiffer, Tommy Vietor

Episode Overview

In this episode of Pod Save America, the hosts dissect the latest political developments just days ahead of Election Day. The show covers Donald Trump’s controversial actions both abroad and at home, escalating government crackdowns on immigration and protest, the ongoing government shutdown, and current debates about the Democratic Party’s future direction. The episode features an interview with Zoran Mamdani, progressive mayoral candidate for New York City, who has become a lightning rod for GOP attacks. The tone is direct, sardonic, and urgent, mirroring the turbulent state of U.S. politics.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Trump’s Asia Trip: Trade "Victory" or Surrender?

[02:44 – 07:08]

• Trump ended a high-profile Asia trip with a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. He boasted about ending the trade war by getting China to resume American soybean purchases and sell rare earth minerals in exchange for lowering tariffs and granting China access to advanced Nvidia AI chips.
• The hosts mock Trump’s self-assessment, with Dan Pfeiffer rating the deal “3.7” out of 10.
• Analysis: The hosts argue Trump was outmaneuvered—giving up valuable leverage for superficial wins, harming U.S. interests and exposing his weakness in symmetric negotiations.
  • Quote (Favreau, 05:50): “We'll stop hurting ourselves as a concession, but we'll give you… access to AI chips for what is possibly the most important technological race of history.”

Nuclear Saber Rattling: Testing and Confusion

[07:08 – 11:28]

• Trump announced an intention to resume nuclear weapons testing, disregarding decades of international restraint and uncertainty about the distinction between test systems and actual nuclear warheads.

• Concern that unqualified staff and disregard for nuclear safety could produce catastrophic risks, especially as testing would occur near Las Vegas.

  • Quote (Pfeiffer, 09:07): “I don't know how you feel about an administration staffed with fucking morons... detonating nuclear weapons at America's only test site, which is 60 miles north of Las Vegas, Nevada.”

• Puzzlement over Trump's invocation of the "Department of War" — actual nuclear testing is handled by the Department of Energy.

Halloween Crackdown: Tear Gas and Raids

[11:44 – 16:28]

• Amidst a chilling Halloween atmosphere, Illinois Governor Pritzker pleaded for a pause in DHS deportation raids and use of tear gas in children’s neighborhoods. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem refused, calling the request "shameful".

• The hosts highlight reports that American citizens are being swept up in these operations.

  • Quote (Pfeiffer, 13:36): “This idea that it is so important for this fake war... that we have to harass people on Halloween is just. It's like they're living on a different planet. But it's a planet where they do not give a shit about people.”

• Orwellian Denial: Noem falsely claimed no American citizens have been arrested/detained, despite public video and lawsuits to the contrary.

Paramilitary Escalation: Troops in the Streets

[16:28 – 21:10]

• Trump threatens to send active duty military to U.S. cities for “riot control,” describing the enemy as “within.”

• Host concerns: The administration is treating dissent as insurrection, using federal power to suppress protest—despite peaceful demonstrations.

  • Quote (Pfeiffer, 18:12): "They think they are fighting a war with an enemy within... It's a planet where they do not give a shit about people right, who are not them..."

• Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) and ICE have engaged in violent tactics, including tear gassing protesters. Oversight is being actively rolled back.

• Example: Congressional candidate Kat Abu Ghazala charged for peaceful protest.

  • Quote (Kat Abu Ghazala, 21:10): "I don't want to go there. But also, I don't regret protesting and exercising my First Amendment right."

ICE & CBP Shake-up: Ratcheting Up Enforcement

[23:54 – 27:04]

• ICE leadership replaced with even more aggressive CBP officials due to unmet deportation quotas set by Stephen Miller.

• Growing focus on mass arrests, including legal residents and citizens, to boost statistics.

  • Quote (Favreau, 25:23): "You could imagine this is partly why they're arresting a lot of American citizens, legal residents, because they get to count it as an arrest, even if it doesn't end up as a deportation."

Trump’s Third Term—Admits "Lame Duck" Status

[27:04 – 29:33]

• Trump, after hinting he'd love a third term, concedes (for now) he’s constitutionally barred from running in 2028, but the hosts remain skeptical about his true intentions.

Government Shutdown: Losing Streak Continues

[31:37 – 42:41]

• The government shutdown’s impacts: SNAP (food assistance) halt, ACA enrollment headaches, and prolonged hardship for working-class Americans.

• Republican-intransigence analyzed—neither side feels political pressure to move, and Democrats are winning the blame game, but with little practical effect.

  • Quote (Pfeiffer, 35:12): "We are winning the fight. And there is no reason that we should fold right now."

• Grim outlook: Real suffering (hungry children, stalled airports) may not move the needle; only elite inconvenience (like air travel disruption) typically ends shutdowns.

Extended Segment: The Democratic Party’s Branding Crisis

Review of Bazelon’s "Deciding to Win" Report

[46:39 – 68:57]

• The hosts review Simon Bazelon's major report, arguing that Democrats have harmed their brand with positions perceived as too liberal or culturally out-of-touch.

• Findings: Since 2012, Dems have lost most ground with Black & Hispanic moderates/conservatives, and non-college white moderates. The policy most toxic to swing voters involve crime, immigration, and identity.

  • Quote (Pfeiffer, 50:10): “Not just over in 2024, but basically since 2013... Democrats have become seen as much more liberal, much more out of touch with mainstream values.”

• The focus shouldn't just be on advocacy for popular positions, but also on making voters believe Democrats prioritize economic and public safety issues. Persuasion—especially of non-liberal, non-college-educated voters—is essential.

• The hosts note: The left-right spectrum is less relevant; what matters is perceived relatability, trust, and fighting for working-class priorities.

Key Policy Takeaways

• Voters like: Raising minimum wage, protecting Medicare, lowering drug costs.

• Voters dislike: "Abolish the police," free health care for undocumented immigrants, lowering the voting age, and subsidy handouts.

  • Quote (Favreau, 61:04): “Looking at this report, that is where Democrats have the biggest weakness. Abolish the police. Most unpopular policy ever, which no Democrat supports, but, you know, it was a thing in 2020...”

Democratic Brand: Can It Be Fixed?

• The brand may be too tarnished—a fresh face (presidential nominee) might need to break with party orthodoxy in order to succeed in 2028.

  • Quote (Pfeiffer, 64:19): “I think the Democratic Party brand as it currently stands cannot be fixed... If you're running for president, you have to run against the party as it currently stands because frankly, the establishment is not up to the task.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|------------|-------| | 05:50 | Favreau | "We'll stop hurting ourselves as a concession, but we'll give you… access to AI chips for what is possibly the most important technological race of history." | | 09:07 | Pfeiffer | “I don't know how you feel about an administration staffed with fucking morons... detonating nuclear weapons at America's only test site, which is 60 miles north of Las Vegas, Nevada.” | | 13:36 | Pfeiffer | "...It's a planet where they do not give a shit about people right, who are not them..." | | 21:10 | Kat Abu Ghazala | “I don't want to go there. But also, I don't regret protesting and exercising my First Amendment right.” | | 25:23 | Favreau | "...this is partly why they're arresting a lot of American citizens, legal residents, because they get to count it as an arrest, even if it doesn't end up as a deportation." | | 35:12 | Pfeiffer | “We are winning the fight. And there is no reason that we should fold right now.” | | 46:39 | Favreau | “There's a debate about a debate...” | | 61:04 | Favreau | “Looking at this report, that is where Democrats have the biggest weakness. Abolish the police. Most unpopular policy ever, which no Democrat supports, but, you know, it was a thing in 2020...” | | 64:19 | Pfeiffer | “I think the Democratic Party brand as it currently stands cannot be fixed... If you're running for president, you have to run against the party as it currently stands because frankly, the establishment is not up to the task.” |

Interview: Zoran Mamdani, NYC Mayoral Candidate

[79:46 – 93:54]

• Zoran Mamdani discusses running for mayor as the GOP and Trump try to make him the face of the national Democratic Party, using Islamophobic attacks and threats to intimidate.

  • Quote (Mamdani, 87:57): “I hope that this campaign represents to New Yorkers across the five boroughs the possibility of being their full selves in the city that they call home... there is no amount of shrinking themselves into a box that will ever be sufficient.”

• He addresses attempts to use his Muslim identity, his stance on Israel, and economic progressivism against him. Yet, he notes that most New Yorkers remain fundamentally concerned about the cost of living.

  • Quote (Mamdani, 91:52): “With hope comes an immense responsibility to deliver on the promise of it. And I take very seriously that responsibility, because... this is a hope that for many New Yorkers has been the first time they've experienced it in the politics of their city.”

• Mamdani employs humor regarding the “fake Bill de Blasio” Times of London story (“most authentically de Blasio thing ever”), capturing the episode’s blend of the absurd and serious.

Media Sideshow: Fake Bill de Blasio & Far-Right Meltdowns

[69:35 – 74:18]

• The Times of London error: Quoting the wrong Bill de Blasio (a Long Island wine cellar), enabled by the use of ChatGPT and poor fact checking.
• Katie Miller yelling on Piers Morgan, threatening denaturalization of political foes.

Action Items

• Volunteer: To canvas for Mamdani (or other candidates), visit zoran4nyc.com/GOTV.
• Voting: Reminders to have a voting plan, especially in key states (Virginia, New Jersey, California, Pennsylvania, Georgia).

Conclusion

With chilling stories of civil liberties abuses under Trump, inaction in Congress, and a Democratic Party struggling with its identity, the hosts lament and ridicule ongoing political dysfunction—while encouraging boots-on-the-ground activism. Zoran Mamdani’s interview underscores themes of hope, coalition-building, and resistance to fear-based politics. The episode is a whirlwind tour of both the terrifying and the ridiculous in modern American politics, told with Pod Save America’s characteristic mix of outrage and irreverence.

For More:

• Listen to the full episode for detailed analyses and further interviews.
• Engage: votesaveamerica.com/vote
• Support progressive journalism: crooked.com/friends