The Briefing with Jen Psaki

Episode: Trump team's bungling makes his bad ideas worse
Date: August 20, 2025
Host: Jen Psaki (MSNBC, with extended segments hosted by Ali Velshi)

Episode Overview

This episode examines how the Trump administration's heavy-handed interventions, particularly in law enforcement and education, are not only undermining core democratic principles but are often accompanied by poor execution and significant public backlash. Through field reports, data, and in-depth interviews with Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA), former Ambassador Bill Taylor, and Texas State Rep. Nicole Collier, the episode explores recent events: the militarization of Washington D.C., politicization of the DOJ and FBI, crackdowns on educators, gerrymandering efforts, and localized resistance by public officials.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Militarization and Mismanagement in Washington, D.C.

[01:00–06:26]

• Trump’s Claim vs. Reality: Trump touts that turning D.C. into a “police state” has revived local businesses, especially restaurants. In reality, reservation numbers have dramatically dropped, and small business owners detail massive losses and a “ghost town” atmosphere.

  • Data Contradiction: OpenTable data shows reservations down 27–31%, contradicting Trump's narrative.
  • Business Owners Speak:
    • Mark Rothstein: "Friday was the worst Friday in history. We lost a little more than $15,000 in that night." ([02:51])
    • David Paruza: "It was a ghost town last night. On Friday it was crazy. A ghost town." ([03:10])

• Overreach and Collateral Damage:

  • Federal agents—often masked and in unmarked vehicles—are detaining residents and targeting immigrant communities indiscriminately, exemplified by the arrest of food delivery drivers.
  • Resources are diverted from key FBI missions (terrorism, cybercrime) to Trump's “pet issues,” as reported by MSNBC’s Ken Dilanian.

• Politicized Law Enforcement:

  • Trump’s DOJ directly orders arrests of political opponents, such as the mayor of Newark and ongoing targeting of NY Attorney General Letitia James.

• Bungled Handling of Epstein Files:

  • DOJ's refusal to comply fully with congressional subpoenas leads to a slow “drip” of public, non-revelatory information, frustrating lawmakers and the public.
  • “Trump's attempts to turn the Justice Department into his own personal enforcers is, of course, dangerous and cause for concern. But... none of Trump's handpicked enforcers have proved themselves to be particularly serious people.” ([09:41] Ali Velshi)

2. Interview with Rep. Ro Khanna: D.C., Ukraine, and DOJ Dysfunction

[13:00–20:57]

• On Trump’s D.C. Occupation:

  • "It seems that Donald Trump is in the wrong job. It seems like he really wants to be mayor... but he's not acting as president." ([13:54] Ro Khanna)
  • The militarization appears performative, chills street activity, harms business, and represents federal intrusion into local governance.

• On Ukraine Crisis and U.S. Foreign Policy:

  • Congress, across party lines, generally supports Ukraine and views Trump’s overtures to Putin with suspicion.
  • "The leaders of NATO... had to flatter [Trump] so that he would not sell out Ukraine and allow Putin to basically keep all of that territory." ([14:52] Ro Khanna)
  • Potential “security guarantees” are being discussed, with U.S. air support but not boots on the ground.

• On Dysfunction in DOJ and the Epstein Files:

  • Bipartisan support is growing for transparency, but Republican leadership is accused of stalling and hoping public interest will fade.
  • Khanna emphasizes that, despite efforts to bury it, the Epstein issue is dominating constituent concerns.
    • "It's because people are enraged that the speaker shut down Congress to prevent a vote... They're enraged that the victims have not had justice." ([17:57] Ro Khanna)

• On Federalization and Politicization:

  • Trump’s endless search for loyal enforcers bypasses constitutional norms, sparking public unease.
  • “We are really becoming a nation where you're politicizing law enforcement, where a party in power is using the tools of law enforcement to go after their political opponents. That is contrary to the very thing that makes us unique as a nation: the rule of law.” ([19:33] Ro Khanna)

• Public Response:

  • While some democratic principles feel “abstract” to voters, rising prices and broken promises from Trump register more strongly.
    • “There's a sense that Trump is betraying some of his promises, that he's not living up to actually focusing on prices and the working class. And that is resonating.” ([20:29] Ro Khanna)

3. Ukraine Crisis: Security Guarantees and Peace Talks

with Former Ambassador Bill Taylor
[22:50–30:50]

• Recent Developments:

  • Peace process is allegedly moving forward, but the Kremlin rebuffs Trump’s narrative. Speculation mounts about a trilateral summit in Budapest.

• Security Guarantees Explained:

  • “A step down from NATO membership... is this coalition of the willing, putting troops on the ground with an Article 5-like commitment.” ([26:43] Bill Taylor)

• Russia’s Role:

  • “Putin has nothing to say about that. He has no relevance in that decision... we shouldn't even be talking to the Russians about the security guarantee.” ([27:57] Bill Taylor)

• Land Swap Proposals:

  • Bill Taylor rejects any legitimization of Russian land grabs:
    • “We should not allow, no one should allow one nation to take by force other nation's territory. We shouldn't allow borders to be changed by force.” ([29:20] Bill Taylor)
    • He draws historical parallels to West Germany’s posture on East Germany, suggesting Ukrainians will maintain claims but refrain from retaking land by force—for now.

4. MAGA-fication of Public Education: Oklahoma's Right-Wing Loyalty Test

[32:30–33:13+]

• Superintendent Ryan Walters' New Policy:

  • Oklahoma will require teachers from New York and California to pass a test “screening out woke indoctrinators” before teaching in the state, at a time when Oklahoma faces a severe teacher shortage.

• PragerU Partnership:

  • Walters expands PragerU's influence, a right-wing propaganda group producing curriculum and “assessment” materials ideologically aligned with MAGA priorities.

• Impact:

  • Polarizing, exclusionary measures further strain an already stretched system and reinforce ideological litmus tests for public employment.

5. Texas Voting Rights Battle: Nicole Collier’s Capitol Standoff

Interview: Rep. Nicole Collier (D-TX)
[37:01–43:41]

• Context:

  • In response to a Democrat walkout over aggressive GOP gerrymandering, Republicans force Dems who wish to leave the Texas Capitol to sign “permission slips” agreeing to 24/7 police escorts.

• Civil Disobedience:

  • Nicole Collier refuses to comply, opting to be detained in the House chamber rather than accept State Police custody.
  • "If you're going to be in the custody of law enforcement, it sounds like there's some type of criminal act that's going on, and this is far from it. We have a right to exercise civil disobedience." ([37:12] Nicole Collier)

• Public and Political Support:

  • Collier says she's bolstered by crowds outside the Capitol, calls from VP Harris and Gov. Hochul, and solidarity from colleagues who tore up their own permission slips.
  • Describes conditions: doors locked, forced to sleep in her chair, cameras and public access shut off, stalling transparency.
  • “Everyone knows America knows that anytime your ability to roam freely, your freedoms are hindered, it's wrong and we won't stand for it.” ([40:42] Collier)

• Next Steps and Resolve:

  • "We're going to set the legal record, and then we're going to take it to the courts. And we're going to continue to raise national awareness about the importance of having fair elections and fair matters so that we can stop this lying and cheating and rigging of our elections..." ([43:13] Collier)

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Ali Velshi ([01:30]):
  "Increasing restaurant attendance is hardly a justification for turning an American city into a police state."

• Mark Rothstein ([02:51]):
  "Friday was the worst Friday in history. We lost a little more than $15,000 in that night."

• Ali Velshi ([09:41]):
  "Trump's attempts to turn the Justice Department into his own personal enforcers is, of course, dangerous and cause for concern. But... none of Trump's hand picked enforcers have proved themselves to be particularly serious people."

• Rep. Ro Khanna ([13:54]):
  "It seems that Donald Trump is in the wrong job. It seems like he really wants to be mayor... but he's not acting as president."

• Rep. Ro Khanna ([19:33]):
  "We are really becoming a nation where you're politicizing law enforcement, where a party in power is using the tools of law enforcement to go after their political opponents. That is contrary to the very thing that makes us unique as a nation: the rule of law."

• Nicole Collier ([38:55]):
  "Even if it is legal, it's not right. I'm a grown woman. I represent just as many people as the speaker and all the other colleagues in this body. And you don't treat me like a child..."

• Bill Taylor ([29:20]):
  "We should not allow, no one should allow one nation to take by force other nation's territory. We shouldn't allow borders to be changed by force."

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:00–06:26 | Militarization in D.C. and impact on local business
• 13:00–20:57 | Interview: Rep. Ro Khanna on Trump’s policies, Ukraine, DOJ
• 22:50–30:50 | Ukraine peace proposals analyzed with Amb. Bill Taylor
• 32:30–33:13+ | Oklahoma's right-wing teacher loyalty test
• 37:01–43:41 | Interview: Nicole Collier’s Texas standoff and gerrymander pushback

Episode Tone

Serious, urgent, and at times darkly humorous—especially when highlighting the disarray and lack of professionalism among Trump's appointees. The reporting is detailed, resistant, and empathetic to those experiencing government overreach.

Takeaways for Listeners

• The Trump administration’s “law and order” policies are damaging local economies and undercutting rights and safety.
• Law enforcement is being weaponized for political advantage and to punish opponents, eroding the principle of rule of law.
• Grassroots resistance and bipartisan cracks are emerging, especially around transparency and democratic norms.
• “Performance” politics—such as Trump’s focus on optics over substance—often backfires due to poor execution.
• Local leaders and citizens are mounting significant, visible resistance to authoritarian measures, keeping democratic principles at the forefront.