Podcast Summary: "Psaki: Trump can't TACO out of Iran"

The Briefing with Jen Psaki | March 27, 2026

Overview

This episode of The Briefing with Jen Psaki tackled the intersecting crises triggered by President Trump's handling of the ongoing war in Iran, the government shutdown's impact on TSA, runaway energy prices, and the mounting ethical scandals in the Trump administration. Jen Psaki is joined by Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg, New Jersey Governor Mikey Sherrill, and former Obama ethics czar Norm Eisen for a robust discussion on the lack of strategy in the Iran conflict, Trump’s pattern of chaotic crisis management, its domestic economic fallout, and new levels of presidential self-promotion and corruption.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Trump's Focus and the Cabinet Meeting (00:45–03:32)

• Jen Psaki opens by highlighting the deepening crises: week six of the government shutdown, gas prices surging, and war with Iran entering its 27th day.
• Instead of addressing these, Trump spends much of his Cabinet meeting riffing about the quality of pens used for signing documents, a tangent edited for brevity.

  "He showed a lot less urgency and a lot less passion about the war he started than he did about America’s calligraphy crisis, I guess you could call it." — Jen Psaki [03:32]

2. The Iran War: Escalation, Public Perception, and Reality (03:32–10:57)

• Trump’s mixed messaging: Claims Iran is "begging to make a deal" [04:17], then quietly extends his own deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
• Administration leaks suggest Trump is bored with the war and distracted by midterms.
• Reports surface of major Pentagon escalations: plans for 10,000 more troops, consideration of ground forces, and potential diversion of weapons away from Ukraine to the Middle East.
• Despite bluster, Iran is emboldened:

  "Iranian hardliners are now ramping up their calls for their country to build a nuclear bomb." — Jen Psaki [08:47]

• Trump trumpets a "mystery present" from Iran: they allowed eight (eventually ten) oil tankers through the Strait — a trivial concession compared to 110 ships passing daily pre-war.

  "If I steal your car and say, I'm gonna give you two of the tires back, you don't go on television and brag about that." — Jeffrey Goldberg [14:21]

3. Trump Doctrine: No Coherent Strategy (12:52–19:29)

Interview: Jeffrey Goldberg, The Atlantic

• Lack of Strategy: Goldberg details the disconnect between military planners and Trump’s personal whims.

  "The thing that he says on a Monday is unrelated to the thing that he will say on a Tuesday and the thing that he will do on a Wednesday…" — Jeffrey Goldberg [12:52]

• Global Consequences: Trump appears ready to cede American leverage in the Strait of Hormuz.
• Disarray in Objectives: Israel's aim for regime change is not aligned with US ambiguity; Arab Gulf states are unsettled by US inconsistency.
• On Trump’s Foreign Policy:

  "He’s literally just trying to get through the next 10 minutes. He’s just trying to get out of the conversation without being publicly humiliated." — Jeffrey Goldberg [19:29]

• Anti-war image myth: Discussion that Trump’s supposed "anti-interventionist" positioning never matched his actual record, which is unpredictable and chaotic.

4. Domestic Fallout: Gas Prices, TSA Crisis, and Public Backlash (29:38–39:49)

Key Points

• TSA executive order: Trump announces he’ll pay TSA agents, but:

  "This is a problem he himself created and has perpetuated." — Jen Psaki [29:38]

• Long-term effects: Hundreds of agents have quit, with months needed to hire and train replacements.
• Widespread Impact: Gas prices surge nationwide, with personal stories from voters affected.
• Voter frustration: Trump’s mishandling erodes support, with a Fox News poll showing 59% disapprove of his job performance, and even a Republican voter expressing openness to voting for Democrats [32:52].

Interview: Governor Mikey Sherrill (33:46–39:49)

• Criticizes TSA chaos:

  "As usual, this is completely ridiculous. There’s no plan. He makes some tweet. God only knows how the Republicans are going to respond to this." — Gov. Mikey Sherrill [33:46]

• ICE agents at airports are making the situation worse, not better.
• On Trump’s overall crisis management:

  "Again and again, we’re just seeing routine, basic things that Americans should expect to function, not functioning under the Trump administration." — Gov. Mikey Sherrill [34:59]

• On war strategy:

  "You can’t simply remove a regime with no plan as we did. And that's how we got into the last 20-year war." — Gov. Mikey Sherrill [38:09]

• On new Iranian leadership:

  "[Trump] has taken out the Ayatollah, replaced him with his more hardline, more anti-American son, he's actually lifted sanctions so that Iranians can sell their oil... and he has no strategy in sight for lowering gas prices." — Gov. Mikey Sherrill [38:50]

5. Corruption Watch: Trump’s Name on US Currency (39:51–45:15)

Interview: Norm Eisen, Former Obama Ethics Czar

• Trump’s latest move: His signature will appear on US currency for the first time in over 160 years.

  "This is the most corrupt administration in American history, with Trump and his cronies in and outside of the government taking money out of the taxpayers’ pockets as fast as they can." — Norm Eisen [41:49]

• Jared Kushner’s dual roles: Raises emoluments and conflict of interest questions, with Kushner simultaneously acting as Middle East peace envoy and seeking billions from Gulf countries.
• Legal and ethical dangers:

  "It raises questions, Jen. Under the anti-nepotism laws, the President is not supposed to prefer family members in this way... It is a mess and a scandal of the kind that we really haven't seen in modern American history." — Norm Eisen [43:19]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Trump’s management style:

  "Trump always chickens out. But the thing is, Trump can’t just 'taco' his way out of this war." — Jen Psaki [05:35]

• On Middle East diplomacy:

  "So he sounds like he's ready to give up something we had before this war, which was control of free access to the Strait of Hormuz." — Jeffrey Goldberg [14:23]

• Citizen impact:

  "My car here typically is only $35 a fill, but now it's in the $45, $50 range and it's a little ridiculous... I'd say I'd be more open to [voting Democrat]." — Young NJ voter [32:52]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• (00:45–03:32): Trump’s focus on pens at the Cabinet meeting
• (03:32–10:57): Iran war escalation, mixed messaging, economic fallout
• (12:52–21:07): Jeffrey Goldberg on strategy, military reality, and US global standing
• (33:46–39:49): Gov. Sherrill on TSA chaos, energy prices, ICE at airports, and the direct impact on New Jersey
• (41:49–45:15): Norm Eisen on Trump’s signature on currency, Kushner scandals, and broader ethical collapse

Conclusion

This episode laid bare the deep disconnect between President Trump’s messaging and both military and domestic realities, exposing a White House mired in impulsive decision-making and self-enrichment. The panel of guests provided expertise, fact-based context, and real-world stories from voters and states, underlining the growing frustration and potential political backlash as the consequences of Trump’s leadership manifest in ways that are both global and deeply personal.