Podcast Summary

The Briefing with Jen Psaki

Episode: 'He's not going to be president forever': Pritzker vows accountability for Trump officials
Date: January 21, 2026
Host: Jen Psaki
Guests: Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Congresswoman LaMonica McIver

Overview

In this episode, Jen Psaki marks the one-year anniversary of Donald Trump’s return to the White House with a deep dive on the administration’s escalation of federal power in American cities—especially surrounding the killing of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. Psaki interviews Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker about his state’s response to federal overreach and his vow for future accountability, Maryland Governor Wes Moore about the moral challenges National Guard members now face, and Congresswoman LaMonica McIver, who is appealing charges brought against her after she attempted congressional oversight of an ICE facility.

With a somber, urgent tone, Psaki and her guests dissect the erosion of democratic norms, the intimidation of state and local officials, and the administration’s growing use of military power against Americans. They also focus sharply on how Democrats are preparing to resist, both legally and practically, and vow that accountability will come—even if delayed.

Key Discussion Points & Highlights

1. Trump’s "Accomplishments" and Authoritarian Showmanship

• Anniversary Press Conference Satirized

  • Trump’s White House marked his first year back in office by having him brandish a “book” of accomplishments—before tossing it aside disinterestedly.
    • “He flipped through it...and apparently didn’t feel like reading it in the moment. So he just literally tossed it to the side on the floor.” (02:33)
  • Psaki and the panel deride Trump’s performative power displays:
    • "Trump thinks the town looks better...when you have armed military personnel marching down the streets." (05:09)

• Trump’s Comments on Territorial Ambitions (Greenland, Panama Canal)

  • Responses like, "You'll find out," and "I don't want to tell you that. Sort of, I must say, sort of," display cavalier attitudes toward global diplomacy. (03:42, 04:20)

2. Escalation of Federal Force in Minneapolis

• Killing of Renee Nicole Good by ICE and Aftermath

  • Trump’s DOJ blocks state and local investigations; federal ICE and other agents reportedly abuse both residents and local police, particularly people of color.
    • “If it is happening to our officers, it pains me to think how many of our community members are falling victim to this every day.” - Minneapolis police official, recounted by Psaki (08:18)

• Legal and Tactical Standoff

  • Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz puts National Guard on alert while Pentagon readies 1500 Army troops for possible federal deployment—two armed forces under potentially competing orders (09:07-12:04).

3. Democratic Governors Respond: Pritzker on Resistance and Accountability

• Legal and Civic Pushback

  • Pritzker describes Illinois’ "playbook"—encouraging peaceful protest, filing lawsuits, and resisting federalization of the National Guard:
    • “We immediately went to court…And frankly, we’ve won most of those cases.” (12:04)
  • He stresses the importance of fighting disinformation from federal agencies:
    • “Tricia McLaughlin…consistently lies, doesn’t have any facts, will come out with statements a half hour after an incident when she doesn’t really have any information...they’re just making things up.” (13:28)

• On Trump’s Intimidation Tactics

  • Pritzker notes punitive acts—loss of federal childcare, food assistance, healthcare—targeting blue states and Democratic officials for political reasons (21:48).

• Investigative Subpoenas and DOJ Attacks

  • With DOJ now issuing subpoenas to Democratic state officials, Pritzker vows not to fold:
    • “My response…is, you know, come and get us. Because everything you’re saying is a lie. And you cannot cower in the face of Donald Trump. He is a classic bully.” (20:59)
  • On accountability for federal abuses:
    • “He’s not gonna be president forever. And having the information in order to come after those people...they’re going to be held accountable one way or another when this administration goes away.” (24:37)

4. Democratic Fears Over Election Interference

• Concerns Over DHS, ICE, CBP at Polling Places
  • Discussion of active plans among Democratic governors to “monitor the polling places...clearing out the interference that Donald Trump is trying to bring.” (16:53)
  • Pritzker warns of potential “armed confrontation” between state and federal forces; emphasizes every effort will be made to avoid it. (17:38)

5. Economic Policy Tone-Deafness: Trump Cabinet Members’ Remarks

• Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins' $3 Meal

  • Rollins claims Americans can eat for $3/day by skimping on basics; tone-deaf and widely derided.
    • “I didn’t need a thousand simulations to understand what she was saying was crazy.” - Gov. Wes Moore (29:48)

• Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant’s Comments on Retirees Owning Multiple Homes

  • Out of touch with average Americans’ reality:
    • “This idea that somehow you have people who have their multiple homes as they get to retirement is a fantasy.” - Gov. Wes Moore (30:16)

6. Military and National Guard as Political Pawns

• Morale and Lawfulness
  • Gov. Moore, an Army veteran, voices concern for National Guard and active-duty troops:
    • “The challenge is that this is not about the authority of the president. This is about does it have both the moral clarity and the operational necessity for it to be real. And those are fundamentally different questions.” (34:39)
  • Moore underscores the importance of orders being lawful, not just issued from authority.

7. Congresswoman McIver and Abuse of Federal Charges

• Congressional Oversight Retaliated Against

  • McIver, charged for oversight at an ICE facility, is appealing a lawsuit, emphasizing legislative immunity and her refusal to be intimidated:
    • “Trying to silence me means silencing the people that elected me, and that’s 800,000 people. And I refuse to be silent.” (39:59)

• ICE Oversight Challenged by New DHS Restrictions

  • DHS requiring 7-days’ notice for facility visits, which McIver argues violates the statutory right of members of Congress to conduct unannounced oversight (43:16).
  • She warns, “What are you trying to hide?”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Authoritarian Aesthetics:
  “Trump thinks the town looks better...when you have armed military personnel marching down the streets.” (05:09)

• On Legal Resistance:
  “My response...you know, come and get us. Because everything you’re saying is a lie. And you cannot cower in the face of Donald Trump. He is a classic bully.” – J.B. Pritzker (20:59)

• On Future Accountability:
  “He’s not gonna be president forever. And having the information in order to come after those people...they’re going to be held accountable one way or another when this administration goes away.” – J.B. Pritzker (24:37)

• On Out-of-Touch Policy:
  “I wish I lived in the world that Scott Bessett was bringing up…this idea that somehow you have people who have their multiple homes as they get to retirement is a fantasy.” – Wes Moore (30:16)

• On Congressional Oversight:
  “Trying to silence me means silencing the people that elected me, and that’s 800,000 people. And I refuse to be silent.” – Rep. LaMonica McIver (39:59)

• On Preparedness and Warning:
  “We’ve got to protect our ballot boxes and protect our voting booths and protect those polling places and how we might do that…Imagine that on steroids.” – J.B. Pritzker (16:53)

Important Timestamps

• Trump’s “Book of Accomplishments” Toss (02:15–02:33)
• Trump on Military in Cities, ICE Killings in Minneapolis (05:09–07:54)
• Minneapolis Police Describe ICE Abuses, Including Against Police (07:54)
• Gov. Pritzker on Litigation and People’s Power (12:04–14:51)
• On Subpoenas and Standing Against DOJ Intimidation (20:59–21:49)
• Pritzker on State-Level Accountability Commission (24:21–24:37)
• Brooke Rollins’ Tone-Deaf Meal Comments, Moore’s Response (29:05–30:16)
• Moore on National Guard and Moral Clarity (34:39)
• Rep. McIver on Fighting DOJ Indictment and Oversight Rights (39:59–43:16)

Flow & Tone

Throughout, there is a palpable sense of alarm at the transformation of federal authority in the Trump administration's second term. The episode’s tone is urgent, resolute, combative, and empathetic—embodying serious concern for both policy and rule of law, but also highlighting tactical, nonviolent strategies of resistance and the vital importance of continued vigilance, oversight, and eventual accountability.

Conclusion

Jen Psaki, joined by Governor J.B. Pritzker, Governor Wes Moore, and Rep. LaMonica McIver, outlines in vivid detail how Trump’s second term has upended norms, escalated federal force against American citizens and even officials, and attempted to suppress oversight. Yet, key Democratic leaders remain undaunted, developing legal playbooks, accountability mechanisms, and public campaigns of resistance—restating the belief that, while justice may be delayed, it is not denied, and that democracy’s defenders must, and will, continue the fight.