The Daily Beast Podcast

Episode: I Know Trump’s Secret Plan to Scare Voters

Date: March 30, 2026
Host: Sarah Ewal Weiss (in for Joanna Coles)
Guest: Alex Bores, NY State Assemblyman & Congressional Candidate

Episode Overview

This episode features a revealing conversation between Daily Beast podcast host Sarah Ewal Weiss and Alex Bores, a New York State assemblyman running for Congress in NY-12. The central themes revolve around the expansive influence of tech moguls on the Trump White House, the threat posed by AI and oligarchic interests to democracy, and a stark warning of coordinated efforts to rig elections. Bores shares candid reflections on tech policy, his career at Palantir, immigration enforcement, Democratic strategies, and his personal campaign—mixing policy wonkery with stories of local politics and city pride.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Tech Oligarchy and Trump’s AI Policy

• Trump’s Tech Advisory Council: Bores expresses grave concern over the newly-appointed council dominated by tech billionaires (e.g., Nvidia’s CEO, Michael Dell, Larry Ellison, Mark Zuckerberg, Marc Andreessen).
  • “This is worse than putting the fox in charge of the henhouse. This is putting arsonists in charge of the fire department.” (02:11, Alex Bores)
  • Believes such concentration of power shifts AI policy away from public interest.
• Marc Andreessen’s Role: Highlights Andreessen’s $125M super PAC (Leading the Future) targeting members of Congress like Bores who seek stronger AI regulation.
  • Describes Andreessen as a “radical activist.”

2. Concerns About AI in Democratic Society

• AI Regulation Priorities:
  1. Impact on children
  2. Labor market disruption
  3. Environmental effects
  4. Catastrophic risks from unchecked development
  • “Decisions about it are being made effectively by five billionaires. And the American people want a say in how it develops.” (03:22, A)
• Deepfakes and Democracy:
  • AI deepfakes and misinformation threaten the possibility of real, substantive political conversation.

3. Trump, Tech, and Policy Hypocrisy

• White House Motivation & Lack of Expertise:
  • “Many of the people in the Trump administration don’t know the difference between a server and a waiter.” (06:15, A)
  • Accuses the administration of outsourcing AI policy to donors, not acting from principle.
  • AI policy is inconsistent with Trump’s broader isolationist platform; advocates for exporting AI tech to China, unlike other protectionist stances.

4. Guardrails, Accountability, and Industry Resistance

• Pentagon-Anthropic Breakup:
  • Bores notes rare instance of a tech company standing firm on ethical questions (mass surveillance, autonomous weapons). (08:11, A)

5. Congress and AI—A Generational Problem

• Lack of Tech Expertise in Congress:
  • Quotes Ted Cruz joking about Congress's tech ignorance: “The median age of the Senate is 142.” (10:21, B)
  • Bores points out he would be one of few members with a computer science degree/patents.
  • The tech sector’s intimidation tactics (e.g., super PAC targeting) are aimed to deter oversight.

6. Bores’ Palantir Experience & Tech Ethics

• Palantir Work:
  • Describes joining under Obama for social good—opioid epidemic, banking fraud, veterans’ care, public health.
  • Cites awareness and protest against Palantir’s contracts with ICE under Trump, noting he quit when ethical guardrails were not instituted.
  • “Executives at Palantir made a different choice when it came to the work at ICE…when they made that clear to employees that they weren’t gonna do it, I quit.” (12:55, A)

7. Immigration, ICE, and Law Enforcement Abuse

• ICE Use of AI:
  • Under Trump, ICE employs AI for widespread surveillance and deportations, sometimes with fatal consequences.
  • Bores calls for the agency’s abolition and prosecution of law-breaking agents and leaders:
    • “We not just need to abolish ICE, we need to completely dismantle this agency and we need to prosecute agents and those giving them the orders that are violating the law.” (15:14, A)
• Voter Intimidation Tactics:
  • Predicts use of ICE for polling place intimidation and mail-in ballot suppression—a “coordinated plan to rig the elections.” (18:52, A)
  • “Their only chance is to rig the elections...Democrats in Congress need to step up and do everything we can to call this out...[because] there is no chance that this administration wins if there’s actually a real vote.” (from opening/18:52, A)
• On Trump’s Hypocrisy with Mail-In Voting:
  • “Trump is a hypocrite on almost everything he’s ever done.” (20:22, A)

8. Democratic Strategy for 2026 Midterms

• Outlook:
  • Bores is optimistic, believes Democrats will make gains, particularly in the House.
  • “People are seeing with their own two eyes what the reality of this administration means…Trump is mostly focusing on his own enrichment and his own corruption and is doing absolutely nothing to make your life or my life better.” (21:22, A)
• Accountability if Democrats Win:
  • Promises investigations, subpoenas, and accountability for Trump and associates.

9. On Impeachment of Trump and His Cabinet

• Impeachment Justified:
  • “He has clearly committed impeachable offenses, multiple impeachable offenses…what’s the best way to protect the American people...I’d want to have more conversations, but certainly, certainly, he is not fit for office.” (23:42, A)
• Corruption Details:
  • Outlines examples: foreign government fund funneling crypto, quid pro quo dinners, violence stemming from ICE raids attributed directly to Trump and Kristi Noem.
• Cabinet Accountability:
  • Calls out Sec. Kristi Noem, RFK Jr. at HHS, Pam Bondi, and Pete Hegseth as unfit and colluding, says focus should be on holding all collaborators accountable, not just Trump.
  • “Trump can’t do this by himself…people around Donald Trump have a habit of going to jail. It is important that Democrats realize that…” (26:42, A)

10. Personal Campaign & NY-12 District Politics

• Distinction in the Race:
  • Bores now the “overwhelming frontrunner”; 20% of district already represented.
  • 29 bills passed as assemblyman—“about the same amount that Congress as a whole passed in 2023.” (28:44, A)
  • Trump mega donors uniquely targeting him with $10M, indicating his threat to their agenda.
• Local Rivalries & Relations:
  • Friendly basketball rivalry/story with NYC Mayor Zoran Mamdani—a lighter moment.
  • “What he lacks in his jump shot technique, he more than makes up for in defensive hustle.” (32:01, A, anecdote)

11. Homegrown Perspective and NY Pride

• New York’s Spirit:
  • Defends Manhattanites as brusque but truly kind and helpful.
  • “Ask a New Yorker for directions, you’ll actually get real directions...We are so proud of this city and that it really is the world city.” (41:51, A)
  • Humorous take: “They might curse you out under their breath as they do it, but they are going to help you.” (43:19, A)

12. National Democratic Messaging

• Varied Approaches:
  • Praises Gavin Newsom’s combative and social media-savvy style as part of a needed diversity of tactics within the Party.
• Call for Results, Not Just Rhetoric:
  • Wants Democrats to ensure it’s “Trump that always chickens out and not the Democrats…” (37:09, A)

13. Bipartisanship and Infrastructure

• Areas for Cooperation:
  • Possible bipartisan progress on housing, AI, and especially infrastructural development of NY-12: Second Avenue subway, Penn Station, Port Authority. (40:01, A)

Notable Quotes & Time Stamps

• “This is worse than putting the fox in charge of the henhouse. This is putting arsonists in charge of the fire department.” (02:11, Alex Bores)
• “Many of the people in the Trump administration don’t know the difference between a server and a waiter.” (06:15, Alex Bores)
• “Decisions...are being made effectively by five billionaires. And the American people want a say...” (03:22, Alex Bores)
• “We not just need to abolish ICE, we need to completely dismantle this agency...” (15:14, Alex Bores)
• “Trump is a hypocrite on almost everything he’s ever done.” (20:22, Alex Bores)
• “People around Donald Trump have a habit of going to jail. And so it is important that Democrats realize that...” (26:42, Alex Bores)
• “Ask a New Yorker for directions, you’ll actually get real directions...We are so proud of this city and that it really is the world city.” (41:51, Alex Bores)

Memorable Segments & Lighter Moments

• Basketball banter about NY politics and local friendships—(32:01–33:58).
• Manhattan pride and the “brusque but kind” New Yorker trope—(41:51–43:23).
• Refuses to name a favorite local restaurant—(45:40–46:26, A): “The food you’re going to have here is excellent. And please come try it all.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Opening Accusation of Election Rigging: 00:00–00:36
• Tech Oligarchs on Trump’s Council: 02:11–03:12
• AI Regulation & Dangers: 03:22–04:52
• Congressional Tech Literacy: 10:21–11:00
• Palantir Ethical Dilemmas: 12:55–14:37
• ICE & AI Abuse: 15:14–16:18
• Election Intimidation and Voter Suppression: 18:52–20:15
• Midterm Predictions: 21:22–23:27
• Impeachment & Cabinet Accountability: 23:42–28:23
• Basketball Story with the Mayor: 32:01–33:48
• NYC Stereotypes & Community: 41:51–43:23
• District Campaigning Challenges: 44:02–45:40
• Closing — food and local love: 45:40–46:26

Summary

This episode offers an unvarnished, often urgent critique of the Trump administration’s power-plays with tech oligarchs, the danger of insufficient AI regulation, and the looming threat to American democracy through coordinated election interference. Alex Bores, equal parts technocrat and New York booster, sets forth both a policy roadmap and a rallying cry for democratic accountability, civil liberties, and local pride. Listeners get a blend of hard policy, electoral strategy, and slice-of-life stories from a major congressional battleground.