Pod Save America — "Trump Unloads on No Kings"

Date: October 21, 2025
Hosts: Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Tommy Vietor
Special Guest (interviewed): Graham Grant Platner (Maine Senate candidate)

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the massive, nationwide "No Kings" protests against President Trump, his reaction—including a notorious AI video—Republican attempts to paint the protests as un-American, an escalating military show of force in California, discussion of the Trump administration’s increasingly autocratic tendencies, and exclusive coverage of controversial prosecutorial actions and U.S. militarism abroad. The episode also features an extensive (and candid) interview with Graham Platner, Democratic Senate candidate in Maine, facing scrutiny over old Reddit posts and his military service.

The hosts balance humor and outrage as they unpack the week’s wildest news, underscored by a tone that veers from despairing at GOP antics to resolve about democratic activism.

Major Discussion Points & Insights

1. The "No Kings" Protests

[03:41–13:23]

• Largest Demonstration in Modern American History:
  Nearly 7 million protestors turned out for 2,700+ "No Kings" events, dwarfing earlier protests and making it one of the largest single-day demonstrations in U.S. history.
• Peaceful & Patriotic:
  The hosts emphasize the joyful, peaceful, and patriotic nature of the crowds, countering right-wing portrayals.
• Right-Wing Freakout & Smears:
  Despite minor incidents, Republicans, led by Speaker Mike Johnson, labeled attendees as "Hamas-loving terrorists" and "Soros funded antifa radicals."
  Jon Favreau: “All this despite the White House...maligning the Americans who showed up as Hamas loving terrorists and Soros funded antifa radicals. Not entirely wrong, but yeah, that was just us.” [04:15]
• Trump’s Satirical (or Insulting) AI Video:
  Trump posts an AI video of himself as “King Trump” in a fighter jet, dropping what looks like feces on protesters below.
  Lovett: “It goes brown suit, brown poop, and then the brown shirts. That's a real bummer.” [06:40]
  Favreau, on the double standard: “If a Democrat says anything remotely critical...these people lose their fucking minds, and it is completely acceptable...meanwhile, these guys, they love making fun of people from the cities. They love shitting on...urban America...And literally now, literally shitting on.” [07:22]_
• Why Protest Now?
  The hosts argue that protest serves both as a show of solidarity for frightened Americans and as a warning shot to authoritarian overreach, even if things haven’t fully “gone dark” yet.
  Lovett: “We are...currently. Would you suggest we wait to protest until we're not allowed? What's the sense in that?...Your worries feel too early, and then they feel too late.” [11:32]

2. Militarization & Show of Force in California

[14:19–17:50]

• Artillery Shells over California Freeways:
  JD Vance and Pete Hegseth host Marine Day at Camp Pendleton, firing live artillery over Interstate 5—forcing Gov. Newsom to close a 17-mile stretch for safety.
  Tommy Vietor: “Why are we doing this over the highway?...It did feel like Vance was trying to send a message...We got the big guns, go have your protest...we’re going to do adult shit over here with things that can kill you.” [15:10]
• Republican Recklessness:
  Hosts compare the dangerous, partisan use of military optics to the GOP’s broader “own the libs” approach.
  Lovett: “If you're going to fire missiles, you better destroy the Five or quit fucking around.” [16:17]

3. Trump’s Autocratic Rhetoric and Legal Overreach

[20:01–27:00]

• Trump’s Claims of Executive Authority:
  On Fox News, Trump claims he’ll "make San Francisco great" using the Insurrection Act and insists he’s “the chief law enforcement officer.” Lovett: “It's not 50% of presidents that half the presidents did not invoke the Insurrection Act.” [20:44] Favreau: “What matters is that...the government applies the law equally to everyone...” [26:22]
• Political Prosecutions:
  Discussion of Trump-era indictments, including the John Bolton classified docs case—acknowledging there may be legitimacy but still seeing dangerous politicization of DOJ. Lovett: “This one is very fraught, right?...you don't know whether that case would have been brought but for the fact that it's a political enemy...that is the danger of having a president who's describing themselves as the chief law enforcement officer and directing his underlings to prosecute political enemies.” [22:39]

4. Commutation of George Santos

[28:37–30:25]

• Santos Goes Free:
  Trump commutes disgraced ex-Rep. George Santos’s sentence after a personal conversation, waiving his required restitution to scam victims. Favreau: “If you commit a crime and you kiss Donald Trump's ass, good chance that you get off, you're out of jail...If you say something bad about Donald Trump...you're eligible for prosecution under this government.” [30:25]

5. Federal Power Moves: Military Troops & Surveillance Tech

[31:21–39:37]

• Marc Benioff’s Flip-Flop:
  Salesforce CEO (longtime Democratic donor) briefly supports federal troops in San Francisco, then speedily backtracks. Lovett (quoting NYT): “He [Benioff] could be heard asking [a PR exec] why her mouth was wide open...‘too spicy’” [31:57]
• ICE’s Expanding Surveillance Powers:
  The Trump admin is investing hundreds of millions in new surveillance and hacking tech for ICE, including warrantless phone hacking and iris scanning. Favreau: “DHS and ICE refuse...to say...they won't hack into the phones of American citizens without a warrant. Like which. Which leads you to wonder, how are any of us supposed to know that our government isn't spying on everything that we say?” [36:38]
• Erosion of Civil Liberties:
  The hosts highlight the dangers posed by politicized institutions (e.g., DHS now run as a political tool), and the loss of guardrails as career officials are purged. Vietor: “DHS has been fully politicized...All the people that would put the brakes on things that are unconstitutional or illegal are no longer in the building...” [40:54]

6. Escalation Abroad: Caribbean & Latin America

[43:03–54:46]

• New Military Campaign in the Caribbean:
  The US has bombed seven boats allegedly carrying drugs, with Colombia accusing Trump of killing innocent fishermen and threatening war. Vietor: “I’m really, really scared about what’s happening with respect to Venezuela...more than 10% of all deployed US naval assets are currently located in the Southern Command area of responsibility.” [44:11]
• Unconstitutional Justification:
  Hosts debunk GOP claims that “terrorist” designation justifies extrajudicial killings, noting the lack of Congressional authorization.
• El Salvador as a Model Partner—at What Cost?:
  To secure access to El Salvador’s torture prison, the U.S. agreed to betray its own informants to President Bukele. Vietor: “Rubio personally assured Bukele that the US would hand over MS.13 leaders, even ones that we’d cut deals with to get information.” [51:51] Favreau: “It's the illusion of order and control. And in reality, it's just a corruption racket and fuck everyone else.” [54:10]

7. Ukraine, Gaza, and Trumpian “Peace”

[55:47–62:47]

• Ukraine:
  Trump pressures Zelensky to give up the Donbas in a meeting described as "acrimonious." The hosts trace Trump’s flip-flopping and Putin’s manipulation. Favreau: “He only wants to get through the next news cycle and get a few good headlines like no one.” [62:47]
• Gaza:
  The so-called “ceasefire” is fragile, with both sides trading accusations.
  Lovett: “...it's not a peace deal because it's just a brief ceasefire, because the fundamental conflict in the region remains...” [62:16] Vietor: “Trump will primarily view success as being getting the hostages back, and that's all he'll care about.” [59:52]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Jon Favreau: “Just shitting all over Americans.” [06:45]
• John Lovett: “If you're going to fire missiles, you better destroy the five or quit fucking around.” [16:17]
• Tommy Vietor: "The most patriotic thing you can do in this country is criticize your country and fight to make it better." [09:02]
• On autocratic drift:
  Lovett: “Just because someone was duly elected doesn't mean they can't do an autocratic takeover faster than you could imagine..." [11:22]

Exclusive Interview: Graham Grant Platner

[66:14–115:56]

Context

Platner, an oyster farmer and Afghanistan/Iraq vet, is running for Senate in Maine and is facing blowback for old Reddit posts and questions about his service record.

Interview Key Segments

Opening Reddit Post Controversies

• Platner directly addresses (and generally atones for) several inflammatory Reddit comments (on race and tipping, military sexual assault, calling police 'bastards', and more), making clear these were earlier in his life, rooted in ignorance or attempts at provocation.
  • Platner: “I didn't know what I was talking about at this point...my frame of reference was that world. And that was not a world in which, frankly, I had very little interaction with women in the service...When I reread those, I see me not knowing what the hell I'm talking about." [69:32]
  • On being called a communist/Nazi: "I will say the fact that I've managed to go from communist to Nazi in the space of four days...is quite a spectacular turn of events." [89:58]

Military Service, Disillusionment, and PTSD

• Platner details his combat experience in Iraq (Ramadi, Fallujah) and Afghanistan, describing the violence and futility he felt.
  • Platner: “I left in 2011...I was like, we need to leave this place yesterday. Like, we are going to lose this war. This was in 2011. Nobody knows what we're doing. There's no plan. I mean, it's just a...joke.” [102:39]
• On returning as a contractor:
  • Platner describes seeing enormous waste and futility at the top levels—“nothing had changed”—and said he left after six months, turning instead to oyster farming as a lifeline.
  • Platner: “Being able to become connected with the sea, making a living on the ocean by myself...It saved my life.” [110:54]

Running for Office & Critique of the Democratic Party

• On Democratic Party establishment:
  • Platner: "The Democratic Party has, is no longer representative of Democrats...If the Democratic Party was run by the majority of the people in it, it would be that party. I think the real problem is at the highest echelons in leadership." [111:18]
• On authenticity & oppositional politics:
  • Platner insists on the importance of being a “real” candidate, owning past mistakes, and staying in the race despite relentless attacks.
  • Platner: “There's nothing these people can take from me that I actually treasure in my life...I'm not in this for myself, I'm in this because we need to do something totally different.” [115:16]

Notable Interview Quotes

• "I used the Internet as a place to find an outlet...That is that part of my life. It's no surprise to me that I was no longer active after 2021, because that's, frankly, my life kind of began to get good." [73:22]
• “It took me a long time before I was okay with asking for help...And by doing that, I get attacked by Democrats about being a disabled veteran. What does that even send as a message to other guys who might be...disabled veterans who might want to get involved?” [78:26]

Flow & Tone

Throughout, the hosts combine irreverent humor and sarcasm with earnest analysis and personal stories. They contrast the performative “toughness” of Trump and his allies with the real patriotism and activism displayed in the protests and in Platner’s narrative. The tone shifts in the interview—from jokey camaraderie to genuine empathy as heavy issues surface.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• No Kings Protest & AI Video: 03:41–13:23
• Artillery Show in California: 14:19–17:50
• Trump’s King Rhetoric & Prosecutions: 20:01–27:00
• George Santos Commutation: 28:37–30:25
• Marc Benioff, ICE Surveillance, Techocracy: 31:21–39:37
• Caribbean Military Escalation: 43:03–54:46
• Ukraine & Gaza Peace Doubletalk: 55:47–62:47
• Graham Platner Interview: 66:14–115:56

Takeaways

• Authoritarian drift continues as Trump’s administration exploits the law, military, and new technologies to consolidate control and crush dissent.
• Democratic activism is surging, with the “No Kings” protests as both a warning and a rallying point despite GOP attempts to delegitimize it.
• Party Establishment vs. Outsiders: Platner’s story is a microcosm of outsider struggle within the Democratic Party, reflecting a broader frustration with a politics seen as out of touch and exclusionary.
• Civic engagement matters: The reluctant, weary optimism of the hosts centers on the power of ordinary people to resist, organize, and speak out—no matter the odds.

For listeners or readers, this episode sharply captures the chaotic, dangerous, and sometimes absurd state of contemporary U.S. politics—while also spotlighting the real stakes for democracy, civil liberties, and the shape of American resistance.