Pod Save America: "Strait Up War Crimes" (April 7, 2026)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, and Tommy Vietor unpack a dramatic and troubling week in U.S. politics and global affairs, heavily focused on President Trump’s escalating threats toward Iran—specifically his Easter declaration to commit war crimes if Iran does not “open the fucking strait.” They discuss the White House’s justifications, disastrous messaging, economic fallout, and domestic policy tradeoffs. The episode also covers the ongoing mass deportation campaign and ends with Rep. Sarah McBride reflecting on her first year in Congress and the state of the Democratic fight against Trumpism.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Trump’s Easter War Crimes Threat Against Iran (03:14–14:47)

• Summary: The hosts react with disbelief and horror at Trump’s public ultimatum, threatening to destroy all of Iran’s bridges and power plants if the Strait of Hormuz isn’t reopened.
• Notable Quotes:
  • “Open the fucking straight, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in hell. Praise be to Allah.” – Trump, quoted by Jon Favreau (04:33)
  • “Explicitly threatening to bomb all of the power plants serving a country of 90 million people … that’s about as clear-cut of a war crime as I could think of.” – Tommy Vietor (08:38)
• Key Insights:
  • Destroying civilian infrastructure to foment unrest is a classic war crime under the Geneva Conventions. (08:38–09:23)
  • The White House attempts to justify these acts by claiming power plants are “legitimate military targets,” a rationale the hosts and legal experts flatly reject.
• Memorable Moment: Jon Lovett compares Trump’s rhetoric to Mike Tyson's infamous "I'll fuck you till you love me," making dark humor out of the absurdity (05:28–05:51).

2. The White House’s Messaging, Media Response, and International Law (14:47–18:35)

• Press Conference Dissection: Trump downplays the humanitarian consequences, claiming Iranians support being bombed for the sake of freedom (06:15–06:43, 08:38).
• Legal Expert Input: Tommy cites Yale professor Ona Hathaway: “Destroying civilian infrastructure to foment civil unrest is clearly unlawful” (08:38).
• Historical Context: The hosts note that after similar Gulf War actions, the U.S. learned these bombings caused massive civilian hardship and death (12:32).

3. The “Heroic” Pilot Rescue & Trump’s Compulsive Oversharing (15:39–19:44)

• Summary: Trump uses the rescue of downed American pilots for self-congratulation, revealing sensitive operational details.
• Notable Quotes:
  • “That’s not how a secret works, sir.” – Jon Favreau, after Trump blurts out classified info (15:54)
  • “My NSC staffer head was screaming shut up. Why are you guys doing this the whole time?” – Tommy Vietor (16:26)
• Insight: The hosts warn that blabbing intelligence details endangers future missions and exposes U.S. assets.

4. Political Motivations & Fallout (22:04–32:17)

• Political Calculus: Trump’s war rhetoric seems to play only to Fox News and “make me feel like a big boy,” not to actual strategic audiences (21:18–22:04).
• Public Backlash: Even Marjorie Taylor Greene condemns Trump’s war threats as “evil” (14:47–15:39).
• Ceasefire Deadlock: U.S. offered a 45-day ceasefire; Iran rejects, seeing no rationale to give up its leverage (23:41–24:59).

5. Economic Damage: Oil Prices, Inflation, and Trump's Budget (36:04–45:36)

• Long-Term Consequences: Gas and food prices spike globally. The effects will linger even if the war ends soon (36:04–39:20).
• Notable Quotes:
  • "I don't think we're going back to prewar prices ... might not be ever." – Mark Zandi (36:26)
  • “All these [budget cuts], plus $500 million on a Trump home reno … that is an extraordinary message for us.” – Jon Lovett (41:47)
• Trump’s Priorities: Trump’s 2027 budget seeks an extra $400 billion for defense, funded by cuts to healthcare, research, and education—while spending over $500 million on White House renovations.
• Political Warnings: The hosts predict devastating attack-ad fodder for Democrats: “Eggs only! Omelets only!” jokes Lovett about Trump ruining his affordability tour (29:42).

6. Congressional Dissent and GOP Fractures (44:54–46:04)

• GOP Pushback: Some Republicans (e.g., Marjorie Taylor Greene, Nancy Mace) strongly oppose Trump’s war budget and approach—a rarity for this administration, highlighting internal disarray.

7. Immigration & Mass Deportations (48:40–56:33)

• Current Campaign: Despite some firings at ICE/CBP, Stephen Miller is intensifying efforts to purge even legal immigrants—now in quieter, more insidious ways (51:31, 53:21).
• Heartbreaking Story: The case of Annie Ramos, a 22-year-old “Dreamer” facing deportation despite being married to an Army staff sergeant, illustrates the system’s cruelty (50:02–51:54).
• Key Theme: The administration’s lack of empathy and preference for cruelty—whether in Iran or immigration—is “zero forbearance, no recognizing humanity” (54:44–55:40).

8. California Governor’s Race—Trump Accidentally Helps Democrats (56:47–63:10)

• Summary: Trump’s endorsement of Steve Hilton may save Democrats from being locked out of the general by splitting the GOP vote, inadvertently helping Democrats advance (56:47–58:49).
• Analysis: The hosts marvel at Trump’s “dumb, lazy” political instincts and joke about how his actions routinely backfire, even to his own party’s detriment.

9. Interview: Rep. Sarah McBride—First Year in Congress, Political Lessons, and Democratic Strategy (64:43–94:24)

• Addiction to Attention: McBride observes many Republicans treat viral moments “like an addictive drug” (65:54–68:41).
• Working Across the Aisle: Refusing to “take the bait” on culture war attacks led to bipartisan legislative successes.
• On the Iran War Supplemental: McBride is unequivocal—no Democrat should legitimize or fund Trump’s “reckless and illegal war” (73:00–74:36). She predicts near-unanimous Democratic opposition.
• Supporting Families, Not Just Attacking Trump: McBride argues Democratic economic message must offer tangible achievements (universal childcare, paid leave, higher minimum wage), not just tax code tweaks (87:19–90:17).
• Message for GOP Voters: If Trump has broken his promises on democracy or costs, “welcome to our coalition” (75:40).

10. Lighthearted Close: Olympic Jokes and Pop Culture References (94:24–95:39)

• McBride and Lovett riff on the idea of her training for the Olympics and Lovett joining a reality competition show, closing the episode on a playful note.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Trump’s threat:
  • “Open the fucking straight, you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in hell. Praise be to Allah.” — (04:33, Trump via Favreau)
• War crime scrutiny:
  • “Explicitly threatening to bomb all the power plants serving a country of 90 million people... that’s about as clear cut of a war crime as I could think of.” — Tommy Vietor (08:38)
• Marjorie Taylor Greene dissent:
  • “He has gone insane. And all of you are complicit, meaning Republicans ... This is evil.” — Marjorie Taylor Greene, quoted at (14:47)
• Budget critique:
  • “All these [cuts], plus $500 million on a Trump home reno—what an extraordinary message for us.” — Lovett (41:47)
• Democrats’ messaging:
  • “We should be absolutely clear and unequivocal that we will not give one dime to this president’s war ... this war is stupid, it is dumb, and it is making us less safe.” — Rep. Sarah McBride (73:00)
• On politics of addiction:
  • “When you go viral nationally, it is like the most instantly addictive drug ... They will debase themselves and inflict collateral damage on anyone else in pursuit of that next high.” — Rep. Sarah McBride (66:12–68:41)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:14 — Discussion begins, Trump’s Easter war crime threats
• 08:22 — Legal breakdown of war crimes, international law
• 15:39 — Pilot rescue mission, Trump leaks confidential details
• 29:42 — Polling, gas prices, and campaign strategy
• 36:04 — Economic fallout and gas prices
• 41:13 — Breakdown of Trump’s $1.5T budget and domestic cuts
• 48:40 — Immigration policy, ICE, and the Stephen Miller profile
• 56:47 — California governor’s race and Trump’s accidental help
• 64:43 — Rep. Sarah McBride interview
• 73:00 — Iran war supplemental, Dems’ opposition
• 87:19 — Democratic economic proposals
• 94:24 — Episode wraps with banter

Conclusion and Takeaways

This episode captures a moment of profound national and international anxiety—where Trump’s erratic and violent rhetoric has real and terrifying global stakes. The hosts’ mix of outrage, gallows humor, and policy expertise makes the gravity—and absurdity—of the situation clear. The economic and political consequences are dire, but the hosts also highlight cracks in GOP unity, a Democratic Party ready to go on offense, and real stories of activism and resistance from figures like Sarah McBride.

For Further Listening

Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, and Tommy Vietor will return Friday. Subscribe for ad-free episodes and exclusive extras at crooked.com/friends.

This summary captures core content, atmosphere, and quotable moments directly from the episode, skipping promos, ads, and non-content sections.