Podcast Summary: “Pritzker on bowing to Trump intimidation: The consequences of not standing up are worse”

The Briefing with Jen Psaki, MSNBC | September 18, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of The Briefing with Jen Psaki tackles a seismic moment in U.S. media and democracy: the sudden suspension of Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show by ABC after apparent political pressure from President Trump’s FCC. Through in-depth analysis and interviews with prominent guests—including Preet Bharara (former U.S. Attorney), Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, and Congressman Dan Goldman—the episode examines the chilling effect of Trump-era government intimidation, the consequences for free speech and press freedom, and the broader pattern of threats against dissent in America’s institutions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jimmy Kimmel’s Suspension: Not Just a “Media Story”

• Context & Precedent:
  • ABC pulls Jimmy Kimmel Live indefinitely after FCC Chair Brendan Carr (appointed by Trump) publicly criticizes Kimmel’s monologue and singles him out.
  • Similar pattern seen two months prior when CBS abruptly canceled Stephen Colbert’s show amidst a corporate settlement with Trump and an FCC-tied merger.
    [03:07] Jen Psaki: “The move came just after CBS’s parent company, Paramount, settled a lawsuit with President Trump…That settlement and Colbert’s firing were widely seen as Paramount trying to win favor with Trump’s FCC…”
• Obedience in Advance:
  [04:59] Jen Psaki: “It’s not just about the news today...Both of those cancellations appear to be corporations not being forced by Trump to do something, but corporations obeying Trump in advance.”

2. Direct Political Influence & FCC Threats

• Threatening Language:
  • FCC Chair Carr characterizes Kimmel’s comments as “some of the sickest conduct possible,” directly threatens action against ABC.
    [06:55] Brendan Carr via Jen Psaki: “These companies can find ways to change conduct…or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead...a very reasonable, minimal step can be taken…”
• Use of Regulatory Power:
  • Networks and their affiliates rely on FCC broadcast licenses, making them vulnerable to regulatory threats.
  • Pressure extended through affiliate networks (Nextstar Media pulls Kimmel), contributing to ABC’s final decision.

3. Legal Analysis: Private Decisions under Public Pressure

• Lines Between Private & State Action:
  • Preet Bharara distinguishes between business decisions and compliance under government threat. [09:30] Preet Bharara: “There’s a thing that we need to distinguish when people start talking about the First Amendment… very different from a situation in which people are responding to or reacting to government threat or government pressure...”
  • Trump and his FCC are not just passive observers; they actively celebrate and encourage these outcomes, eroding democratic principles.
• Hope for Institutional Courage:
  [11:06] Preet Bharara: “If you expect courage at every juncture where courage is warranted, you’re going to be disappointed. But it’s something to be hoped for…”

4. Broader Pattern of Intimidation in Media and Beyond

• Media, Law Firms, Universities:
  • Trump administration uses power to intimidate not just the media, but law firms, universities, and individuals.
• Systematic Effort to Silence Critics:
  [15:30] Preet Bharara: “…there almost seems to be a systematic effort by Donald Trump and the people around him...to silence and/or punish or intimidate anybody who’s a critic…”

5. Governor Pritzker’s Response: The Necessity of Speaking Up

• Condemnation of Intimidation:
  [19:07] Gov. Pritzker: “It’s intimidation, clearly. And this is what we’re seeing across the board from the Trump administration…Here we have a comedian… and now we’ve got the Trump administration literally targeting individuals.”
• Urgency of Action:
  • Pritzker calls on citizens and officials to push ABC/Disney to reverse their decision through protest, letters, and boycott. [21:57] Gov. Pritzker: “If people will write letters, write emails, post online, speak up, protest, that’s what I’m calling for…”
• Consequences of Compliance vs. Resistance:
  [23:40] Gov. Pritzker: “There are gonna be consequences to pushing back…The consequences of not standing up, though, are much, much worse.”

6. Pattern of Authoritarian Behavior

• Pritzker’s Warning:
  • For those hoping to avoid repercussions by staying quiet: appeasement doesn’t work and emboldens further abuse. [26:09] Gov. Pritzker: “Authoritarians want control…every time they get someone to act in a pleasing fashion, they make one step toward control and they will silence that group, move on to the next one...This is the playbook.”
• Democratic Erosion via Media Control:
  • Media and free expression are being systematically narrowed; the distinction between comedians and journalists is collapsing.

7. Congressional & Societal Response — Congressman Dan Goldman

• Coordinated Intimidation across Sectors:
  [31:07] Dan Goldman: “He’s trying to silence any media that would be a form of accountability...He’s using every lever that he has to stifle dissent, but I think more importantly to eliminate any form of accountability…It’s did I please you, dear leader? And the combination of the two is how democracy falls.”
• Role of Business & the Public:
  • Disappointment in corporate America's failure to stand up for First Amendment rights, especially Disney/ABC. [33:21] Dan Goldman: “If you are a media company, who else is going to stand up for the First Amendment and the freedom of the press than the media itself?...I’m very disappointed in Disney.”
  • Urges civic action, boycotts, and legal challenges as vital countermeasures.

8. Public Health and Scientific Integrity (CDC Segment)

• Political Pressure on Science:
  • Recent ousting of CDC leaders—Dr. Susan Minarez and Dr. Deborah Howery—over refusal to pre-approve Kennedy's vaccine panel recommendations, as well as broader threats against public health agencies. [41:39] Jen Psaki: “Dr. Minarez also told the committee that RFK said he talks to Trump every day about the childhood vaccine schedule. That is also not normal in any way.” [43:12] Dr. Howery: “If our scientists aren’t able to speak publicly about data, vaccines, outbreaks because they’re worried about their personal safety, we’re in a lot of trouble.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On FCC Threat:
  “[The FCC] can find ways to change conduct...or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”
  – FCC Chair Brendan Carr, paraphrased by Jen Psaki [06:55]

• Defending Free Speech:
  “A free and democratic society cannot silence comedians because the President doesn’t like what they say. This is an attack on free speech and cannot be allowed to stand.”
  – Gov. J.B. Pritzker [18:04]

• On the Cost of Silence:
  “The consequences of not standing up, though, are much, much worse. We see it in authoritarian regimes…eventually something happens to them.”
  – Gov. J.B. Pritzker [23:53]

• Authoritarian Playbook:
  “Authoritarians want control. Every time they get someone to act in a pleasing fashion, right, they make one step toward control and they will silence that group, move on to the next one…”
  – Gov. J.B. Pritzker [26:09]

• On Corporate Responsibility:
  “If you are a media company, who else is going to stand up for the First Amendment and the freedom of the press than the media itself?”
  – Rep. Dan Goldman [33:21]

• Legal Encouragement:
  “Should Jimmy Kimmel…sue them? Absolutely.”
  – Rep. Dan Goldman [35:43]

• Science and Integrity:
  “If our scientists aren’t able to speak publicly about data, vaccines, outbreaks because they’re worried about personal safety, we’re in a lot of trouble.”
  – Dr. Deborah Howery [43:12]

• On Civic Duty:
  “The most important office in democracy is the office of citizen…”
  – Closing words, paraphrased from President Obama [44:33]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Main Theme & Kimmel’s Suspension Announced: [00:52]–[04:16]
• Colbert Precedent, Mergers, and Trump Leverage: [03:07]–[06:55]
• FCC Threat/Legal Perspective (Preet Bharara): [06:55]–[16:34]
• Governor Pritzker on Government Intimidation: [18:04]–[28:40]
• Congressman Dan Goldman on Media, Law, Accountability: [30:04]–[36:44]
• Science and CDC Political Pressure (Dr. Howery): [39:28]–[44:21]
• Closing/Civic Engagement Message: [44:33]–[45:30]

Tone & Takeaway

The episode is urgent and sharply critical, with guests and hosts warning of an escalating erosion of American democratic norms. The tone is a blend of alarm, defiance, and pragmatic hope—emphasizing both the dangers at hand and the necessity for public, legal, and institutional resistance.

Central Message:
Silence and compliance only breed further loss of freedom; speaking up and standing together—to defend free speech, science, and truth—is an existential imperative for American democracy.

This episode provides a comprehensive, real-time portrait of the mounting crisis around free expression in the Trump era, the interplay between corporate interest and public service, and the vital role of citizen action.