MAGA Civil War? Trump Can’t Find Iran on the Map!

Summary

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The Daily Beast Podcast – Episode Summary

Episode: MAGA Civil War? Trump Can’t Find Iran on the Map!
Date: June 19, 2025
Host: Joanna Coles (Chief Content Officer, The Daily Beast)
Guest: James Carville (Political Analyst and Democratic Strategist)

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Overview

In this episode, Joanna Coles sits down with Democratic strategist James Carville to break down the fractures emerging within the MAGA movement, the dangers of Donald Trump’s foreign policy ignorance, and the broader risks to U.S. and global stability. The conversation focuses on the split between Trump-aligned populists and right-wing media figures, like Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon, especially regarding foreign policy towards Iran and Ukraine. Carville pulls no punches in warning about the existential threats posed by Trump’s ignorance and the current trajectory of U.S. politics.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The MAGA Civil War: A Divide on the Right

• The MAGA Split:
  Coles introduces the significant rifts among Trump allies. On one side: Tucker Carlson, Steve Bannon, Tulsi Gabbard; on the other: Donald Trump, Mark Levin, Pete Hegseth.

  • Carville argues this split has “always existed below the surface” (03:57), particularly over foreign policy.

• Tucker Carlson’s Influence:
  Carville notes Tucker Carlson’s anti-interventionist streak, citing Carlson’s history of questioning U.S. war policy, and criticizes Ted Cruz for looking like a “fool” when confronted by Carlson (03:57).

  • “I generally do not comment on Tucker, but this is a pretty consistently held view that Tucker's had over a long period of time." – Carville (03:57)

2. Foreign Policy Fissures: Iran and Ukraine

• Trump’s Ignorance on Foreign Affairs:

  • Carville is unfiltered:
    • "Trump has no idea of what he's doing. ...if you pointed to a globe and you said point to the Middle East, Trump would have no idea what it is." (08:54, also cited earlier at 01:49)
    • “He knows not one piece of history about the region, about the adversaries, about who's this. He's just, he's massively ignorant.” (08:54)
  • Carville warns the audience not to underestimate how much is at stake.

• Conservatives Split over Ukraine:

  • The Bannon/Tucker wing is seen as “pro-Russian,” whereas other conservatives support Ukraine.
  • Carville recalls that the right’s old-school, interventionist foreign policy “is not likely to go away anytime soon.” (05:37)

3. The Global Risk and European Anxiety

• A Looming World Crisis:

  • Coles shares European concerns that the spiraling Middle East situation could resemble Pentagon "World War Three" scenarios (10:25).
  • Carville doubles down:
    • “You're not near scarily scared enough. If you knew more, you would even be more scared than you are... it's all at risk. It's literally all at risk. And we have a buffoon in the most important job in the world..." (10:46)

• The Precariousness of Western Stability:

  • Carville highlights that the international order, painstakingly built post-WWII, could unravel quickly due to Trump’s instability:
    • “You cannot overestimate the sheer ignorance of Donald Trump. It's impossible.” (12:47)
    • “No guarantee it'll be here in a year or two.” (12:50)

• What’s at Stake for the U.S. and Allies:

  • If the U.S. loses “any sense of constitutional order,” global partnerships and trading systems may fracture (13:39).
  • Carville:
    • “The system that we live under has been very beneficial to the United States... It’s all at risk.” (13:39)

4. Political Survival in Republican Ranks

• Electoral Self-Preservation:

  • Republican politicians, even moderate and principled ones, must “show groveling fidelity to Donald Trump” to survive.
  • Example: Senator Cassidy, a physician and formerly respected figure, was forced to back anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for perceived political survival.
    • “It's the old... throughout literature, you make a bargain with the devil and it never turns out right.” – Carville (20:32)

• On Vaccine Rejection:

  • "How regressive and stupid can you be to turn your back on the greatest health intervention in the history of medicine?" (19:11)

5. Democratic Strategy and Talent

• Seizing the Moment:

  • Carville is confident about a Democratic resurgence:
    • “If you look yesterday in Virginia, it was historic turnout in Democratic primaries... We got so many goddamn talented candidates out there.” (21:40–23:20)
    • Emphasizes “eminently well qualified, eminently sensible, eminently bright” candidates rising to the fore.

• Governor Newsom’s National Moment:

  • Newsom is credited for seizing the opportunity to counter Trump, increasing his profile and acting as "a staggeringly good foil." (23:46)
    • “He’s been given the greatest gift that a politician can have. He's got a staggeringly good foil and he's handled it very well.” (23:46)

6. Trump’s Controversial Comments and Actions

• Denying Veterans’ Care:

  • Trump’s recent statements suggest the Department of Veterans Affairs could deny care to veterans who are single or Democrats.
    • Carville sharply rebukes this idea:
      • “The most sacred contract that any government can make is with its soldiers and sailors.” (28:31)

• Disdain for Military Service:

  • Carville brings up reports Trump called service members “suckers and losers.” (30:14)
    • “We don't have the time, and I don't have the vocabulary to say what a wretched person this guy is.” (30:26)

• Weaponizing Law Enforcement Against Protesters:

  • Trump’s threats to use ICE and facial recognition to target protestors is treated gravely.
    • “Could they use the IRS to target that person? ...I don't put anything past it. ...when you tell me you’re afraid, you’re not afraid enough.” (32:24–33:03)

7. Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “Trump has no idea of what he's doing... if you pointed to a globe and you said point to the Middle East, Trump would have no idea what it is.” – James Carville (08:54)
• “You're not near scarily scared enough. If you knew more, you would even be more scared than you are.” – James Carville (10:46)
• “You cannot overestimate the sheer ignorance of Donald Trump. It's impossible.” – James Carville (12:47)
• “Make a bargain with the devil and it never turns out right. That's as old as literature.” – James Carville (20:32)

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Notable Timestamps

• 03:34 – Coles sets up the MAGA split; question to Carville.
• 03:57 – Carville on longstanding fissures in the MAGA movement.
• 05:37 – Fissures in Republican foreign policy: Iran & Ukraine.
• 08:54 – Carville’s scathing critique of Trump’s ignorance on world affairs.
• 10:25 – European anxiety over Middle East escalation.
• 10:46 – Carville: “You're not near scarily scared enough.”
• 12:47 – Carville: “You cannot overestimate the sheer ignorance of Donald Trump. It's impossible.”
• 13:39 – Risks of losing “constitutional order” and collapse of global alliances.
• 17:53 – Carville on Republican political self-preservation and vaccine denial.
• 20:32 – “Make a bargain with the devil and it never turns out right.”
• 21:40 – Carville on Democratic turnout and optimism for party's future.
• 23:46 – Carville assesses Newsom’s rise and California’s stature.
• 28:18 – Carville addresses Trump’s proposal to deny care to certain veterans.
• 30:14 – Trump’s “suckers and losers” comment.
• 32:24 – Trump’s desire to use ICE and facial recognition to target protestors; Carville’s dire warning about authoritarian drift.
• 33:03 – Carville: “You're not afraid enough.”

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Episode Tone

• Direct, unfiltered, and laced with Carville’s signature acerbic wit.
• Urgent and somewhat alarmist about the direction of American politics and the dangers if current trends continue.
• Mixed with moments of dark humor and personal anecdotes, offering a humanizing effect amid the serious critique.

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Conclusion

This episode presents a blunt and sobering analysis of deepening divides within the Republican Party, the perilous ignorance at America’s helm, and the fragility of U.S. and Western institutions. Carville’s warnings are clear: the stakes are historically high, and nothing about the present order can be taken for granted. While Carville finds hope in Democratic talent and mobilization, his bottom line is a call for vigilance—and, as he repeatedly says, for Americans to realize they “aren’t afraid enough.”

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For those who want a vivid sense of the political and cultural climate of 2025—and Carville at his most candid—this episode is essential listening.

Transcript

[James Carville]

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[James Carville]

How do I pose this delicately? But I'll try. Trump has no idea of what he's doing. You could, and I guarantee you if Tucker Carlson or Steve Bannon or any of these people believe that if you pointed to a globe and you said point to the Middle East, Trump would have no idea what it is.

[Joanna Coles]

I'm Joanna Coles. I'm the Chief Content Officer of the Daily Beast and this is the Daily Beast podcast. I hope you're either listening or watching, possibly on YouTube. And we're about to talk to James Carville. Before we do, I wanted to address the hundreds, thousands of comments actually that you left us on YouTube. I now know that it's Senator Alex Padilla. I know that Brits always have struggles with French and Spanish words in particular, but I've got that right and I'm sorry that I got it Wrong first time round. And secondly, many of you love the art deco background that I have. It's just the hotel I'm staying in. I wish I could say it was my boudoir, as someone referred to it. It's not my boudoir. It's a hotel room. But there's so much stuff going on in the world right now. Who better to talk to than our favorite elder statesman, the national treasure of Democratic politics, None other than James Carville. James, was that a glass of red wine I just saw?

[James Carville]

I did. I'm having. I am.

[Joanna Coles]

I don't blame you. Where are you?

[James Carville]

I'm in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

[Joanna Coles]

Oh, fabulous. Okay, James. So as Israel and Iran appear to be battling it out, so MAGA seems to be battling it out. You've got Tucker Carlson, Steve Bannon, Tulsi Gabbard on one side. You've got Donald Trump, Mark Levin, Pete Hegseth on another. What do you make of this? Is this the beginning of something serious within the MAGA movement?

[James Carville]

Right. Yeah. Well, first of all, thank you. And your question obviously deserves some serious consideration, so I'm going to try to do this. I think this rift has always existed below the surface. I mean, I've known Tucker Carlson for a long time. I've done TV with him. I've spent time in the green room with him. I've done speeches with him. I generally do not comment on Tucker, but this is a pretty consistently held view that Tucker's had over a long period of time. I mean, Ted Cruz, that. The interview that Tucker put up, I mean, Ted Cruz look like a. Like a fool, and he kind of was. And I don't. I certainly don't. I think Tucker's kind of pacifist instincts are been there for a long time. But I interviewed Val Nasser today, and you got to know what Iran is and exactly who you're fooling with. This is this. This is a pretty advanced country with some pretty sophisticated people and sophisticated engineers. And, you know, I guess I'm neither a hawk or a doe on that, but, you know, know your enemy. You better be sure who you're dealing with. This is not a rock by a long shot.

[Joanna Coles]

Right. And Ted Cruz failed to know what the population of Iran was. He failed to know the tribal breakdown was when Tucker asked him, do you think this split, which may have been under the surface and is now coming to the surface, can become difficult for Trump to manage?

[James Carville]

Well, you got to weigh that over the Ukraine problem, of which the TAKA in. In Bannon wing, I don't get into internal right wing politics tend to be much more pro Russian than in that there's a very anti very among self described conservatives. There's substantial number that support the Ukrainians. So these are two kind of fissures that exist on the right and they're both kind of foreign policy things. And I think they both signal a different approach. I mean we kind of grew up with the Brent Scrokoff, Jim Baker kind of Reagan interventionist model of Republican policy that you have identified something that is not likely to go away anytime soon.

[Joanna Coles]

So James, you've known Tucker Carlson a long time. Why is he pro Russia?

[James Carville]

Well, I've known him and I've really tried to make it a policy of my personal I just don't comment. I kind of miss to take truth. He was a good friend and circumstances conspired where we don't socialize much anymore. You know, I think it's, I think this is something like a, like I say, this is pretty consistent with green room conversations in 2002. I mean maybe you could remember Crossfire, which was Paul, myself, Bob Novak and Tucker. We were probably the most anti Iraq war show on television. In fact, many people think that's why it got canceled because we just didn't buy the the party lied. We've been given on a rocket. I don't know. But I do know actually Paul and Bob Novak and myself were against him again in Tucker, as I recall, came out for it for Biden. He was for it for like two and a half weeks and he said it was the biggest mistake he ever made. So and you know, look, isolationism and intervention have been part of, you know, the US Political debate for a long, long time. Remember it was particularly intense during the lead up to the late 1930s and lead up World War II. I mean it was a huge isolationist movement in this country and to some extent it still is. And by the way, we have had disastrous wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. So it's not like you can say, well these people are just off base, they don't understand the world. They would suggest to you that they understand well and the less we involve in it, the better off we are. I'm just giving you that point of view. I'm not for one minute suggestion that I agree with it, but it's a point of view that they really hold and they've been pretty consistent on it.

[Joanna Coles]

Donald Trump seems uncertain yet as to what he thinks should happen in the Middle East. What are you sensing from what he's saying so far, which is he won't say one way or the other.

[James Carville]

How do I pose this delicately? But I'll try. Trump has no idea of what he's doing. And I guarantee you that Tucker Carlson or Steve Bannon or any of these people believe that if you pointed to a globe and you said point to the Middle East, Trump would have no idea what it is. All right, so he doesn't. He has never given iota a thought to this. He knows not one piece of history about the region, about the adversaries, about who's this. He is a, he's just, he's massively ignorant. And I don't know that any, anybody would really dispute that. I mean, some of the MAGA people would say, oh, you know, he's math to negotiate. He's the closer up some kind of nonsense. But I don't think Trump even knows where the Middle east is. So I'll be honest with you.

[Joanna Coles]

So, James, how, how nervous should we be about this? I mean, this is a very serious situation. I'm sitting here in the south of France, somewhat, somewhat in a luxury bubble, but there is enormous concern in Europe that this is going to lead to one of the scenarios.

[James Carville]

Where are you in the south of France? Because I love this part of the world.

[Joanna Coles]

Oh, I'm in Cannes. I'm at the Cannes Lions advertising.

[James Carville]

Okay, all right, great.

[Joanna Coles]

But there are people here from all over the world and there's enormous anxiety that this is, as we know, one of the scenarios that the Pentagon used to use as a possibility for the beginning of World War Three. How frightened should we be if, as you're right, Donald Trump doesn't actually know how to pick out Iran on a globe?

[James Carville]

I've traveled a lot this year and I hadn't been there time, but I've been to London, Paris, and I get stopped on the street. I mean, of course, it's like in Mayfairs, half of them are Americans. All right, into six in Paris is every other person you see and they'll really come up to me weirdly coming. And it's Mr. Carville, I'm really scared. And you know what I say you're not near scarily scared enough. If you knew more, you would even be more scared than you are. And, and you have every, anybody does anybody in, in, you know, particularly in the West. But that's just the kind of world I grew up in is where you and I grew up in everything that we've kind of done. I think rest is, you know, the European Union and the United States have had, you know, remarkable history and provided for a remarkable way of life, of remarkable sense of political freedom. And it came at about a very difficult price, don't get me wrong, a lot of trouble to get where we are. And it's all at risk. It's literally all at risk. And we have a buffoon in the most important job in the world who has no respect for any laws, any international order, anything that has brought about a prosperity in a freedom that's frankly been unmatched in the history of the world. And with a bowl of gasket, you should be there. I mean, look, enjoy the wonderful climate and the Mediterranean. And by the way, one of my favorite references, a place that think, a little town called St. Paul de Vance, which is right up in the mountains, not very far from the coast, called La Combe d'.

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[James Carville]

And if you ever get a chance to go there, you know, it's a very fragrant and. Yeah, you know, I love that place.

[Joanna Coles]

But that's a very luxurious restaurant.

[James Carville]

Oh, yeah, yeah. Well, it's. It's a kind of outside and smell like trees and. Yeah, but it is. You're right. It's not a. You know, it's not a McDonald's, but it's a great little town. But at any rate, all of those things that you're enjoying right now that people have thought about and bled and constructed and a whole trading system, it's all at risk. Don't kid yourself. It's. It. It. No guarantee it'll be here in a year or two. And again, you cannot overestimate the sheer ignorance of Donald Trump. It's impossible.

[Joanna Coles]

When you say you can't guarantee that it will be here in a year or two, what scenario do you actually think is possible that would bring it to an end?

[James Carville]

So we lose any sense of constitutional order in the United States? People right now are forging new trading agreements. If you look at what happened in the GC7 in Alberta, you know, he storms out of there because no one wanted to make a deal with him in the world. He's starting to learn. And this is not good for the United States is they can live without us. We just thought the world just wanted our market so bad. They wanted our movies and our airplanes and they wanted our aircraft carriers to be patrolling and they wanted a strong dollar. And maybe they'll move to a different system. And the. The system that we live under has been very beneficial to the United States, been very beneficial to Western Europe. Been able to enjoy Protection from the United States. And, you know, we went to a lot of trouble. We had. We had NATO, we had the European Union. And people say, well, gee, man, that's expensive. That's complicated. Yeah. You know what's really expensive and complicated? A European land war. Try that. See? Do you want to try something that doesn't turn out well? Oh, let's take 1918. Let's take 1943. It didn't go very well. And we established something to stop that. We're losing it. And then you got Putin, you know, trying to gobble up territory, you know, the eastern side of the European Union. It's going on right now.

[Joanna Coles]

James, this is a good chance for you to have another sip of wine. We're just going to take some messages.

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[Joanna Coles]

And we're back discussing all things with James Carville. So James, do you think that Republicans who voted for Donald Trump, who claimed that he doesn't want war, he doesn't like war, do you think this is what they bargained for?

[James Carville]

You know, I think like most politicians, the first thing that they're looking for is political survival. And you cannot survive and prosper as an elected person in today's Republican Party without showing groveling fidelity to Donald Trump. And these Republican voters demand that. I mean, I'm in Louisiana where you have sent to Cassidy a very nice man, I know him, he's a physician. He voted to impeach Trump and he, he was forced to go along with Bobby Kennedy. Cassidy knows Bobby Kennedy's giant fool. And of course we see the entire vaccination, one of the greatest health advancement in the history of the world of vaccinations. More people live better lives as a result of vaccination than any other single health intervention that ever existed. It's not even close. We have a sample size of a billion people been vaccinated or something. And you have been vaccinated. I've been vaccinated. You know, we all have in common. We don't have smallpox and we're all walking around.

[Joanna Coles]

Right, right.

[James Carville]

I mean how, how regressive and stupid can you be to turn your back on the greatest health intervention in the history of medicine? That's what they do it.

[Joanna Coles]

Why did Senator Cassidy in the end vote for Bobby Kennedy's yeah, he wanted.

[James Carville]

To be re elected. He's now drawn to the I, I, I, I, I can't tell you the people that the Republicans are running against him, the idiots, because I, I don't know that. But they certainly express support for idiotic things. And the only way that he can survive is they split the vote sufficiently enough and maybe he could sneak in like that. I I, I don't know. But he's. I don't think he's going to be able to win. Re. Gave up a lot in terms of his reputation. The way people looked at him, thought he was found. You know, everybody I know knows sent the caf See people like him. His wife is quite popular. Louisiana. It's like any other culture when you know people, but the guys just, you know, it's, it's the old, you know, throughout literature you make a bargain with the devil and it never turns out right.

[Joanna Coles]

Right.

[James Carville]

It never turns out right. You know, if only you give me these temporal things and I'll have. It always blows up in your face. And that's as old as literature.

[Joanna Coles]

It seems particularly odd that a doctor would have voted for Bobby Kennedy Jr. Too especially. I know that he took extra time to talk to him and he sort of made the appearance of, you know, interviewing him at great lengths. But of course, as you say, he's fired everybody on the vaccination committee and hired his own group of people.

[James Carville]

In some sense, chassis had done some honorable things in his life. Well, kind of respected. And this is what he's going to be remembered for. This is going to be Bill. Cassie Carver, your senator who caved to Bobby Kennedy and Donald Trump.

[Joanna Coles]

Yeah, that's not a great legacy. So, James, how do the Democrats exploit this moment, this, this Republican Party?

[James Carville]

Thank you for asking the money question here. Right now, if you look yesterday in Virginia, it was historic turnout in Democratic primaries. We didn't have a governor's race. And I think people are leading the resistance as it well should be. And I don't think the Democrats are going to be in total position. I mean, they're certainly going to exploit the big beautiful bill of which no one likes. And I think that the resurgence Democratic Party will really be complete when we get a presidential nominee who has the ability to speak across the entire party and people that support it. So I, I don't think we can rush this. I really don't. But we. The good news is we got so many goddamn talented candidates out there. We just, we just got to trust that we have for whatever reason, we probably have more talent right now. We have had. Look at how strong our candidates are in, in New Jersey and Virginia. I mean, these are remarkably in under any cycle. Eminently well qualified, eminently sensible, eminently bright people that are going to be the face of the Democratic Party. And it's not going to be a bunch of poohas running around, do something, charge. You know, it's silly Crap that you see, it' part of democratic politics. We got some real leaders coming and that's going to matter.

[Joanna Coles]

So, James, we had Governor Newsom on the podcast last week and we got an enormous amount of support for him on the comments on YouTube afterwards. And obviously Donald Trump handed him a national platform when he brought in the National Guard to Los Angeles. What, what do you, how would you assess his performance?

[James Carville]

He's been given the greatest gift that a politician can have. He's got a staggeringly good foil and he's handled it very well. I mean, look, this was his kind of moment and the sun shined on him and he made hay. And I think he, his performance through all of this is been very determined, very on point. And I think he's increased his profile quite substantially as a result of this. I really do. And everybody sees this is a power bag. He's probably Trump, you know, basically trying to do away with the state of California, which is, you know, is an amazing thing. I know, it's nice. Japan is a very successful nation. Okay, I think they have 125 million people. California is a staggeringly successful state. Let's say they have 45 million people. Their GDP is higher than Japan. It's the fourth largest GDP in the world. So this idiotic California bastion, which is just what it is, idiotic, we should all be so lucky, is to be Californians. To be honest with you, the greatest system of higher education ever devised by any place, anywhere in the world. There are more patents that come out of there per capita, probably in most any place in the world. But he was given an opportunity and he made good use of it. I admire him and congratulate.

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[Paige Desorbo]

Upgrade your drawer with Tommy John. Save 25% for a limited time at tommyjohn.comfort. see site for details.

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[James Carville]

In for.

[Joanna Coles]

That Donald Trump, among other things that he said over the last couple of days, has said that he wants the VA hospitals treating veterans, not to treat veterans who aren't married and to avoid or if they want, they can choose not to treat veterans who are Democrats. I'm not sure how they would know that, which seems even for Donald Trump to be a pretty off the wall statement. And I'm just curious as to what you make of it.

[James Carville]

You got a week. No you don't. So I'm going to try to distill it as much as I can. There are 17.6 veteran suicides a day in the United states.

[Joanna Coles]

How many?

[James Carville]

17.6 a day.

[Joanna Coles]

That's terrible.

[James Carville]

The most sacred contract that any government can make is what is soldiers and sailors. Look, you come in, we're not going to pay you very much. You're more likely to get hurt or injured or have something bad happen to you during this than most other people. But what we're going to do in exchange for that is we're going to give you good health care, good benefits. We're not going to leave you in a large and of course, Trump, the couple bone spurs himself, has no idea. Using these soldiers on Saturday afternoon to his own sort of glory, decides that he's going to pick and choose what veterans get. What? You know, during the 92 campaign, one of the big honors that I got is we did an event with the Tuskegee Airmen. Oh, yeah, it was this very famous squadron of black pilots in World War II. I don't know, but my sense is most of them were Democrats. You know about a reception. He was some of the most honorable people that we've ever had in our country. And the fact that. How do you determine if you registered Democrat? I mean, I have no idea what he's talking about. But Donald Trump is a man of no cous. No upbringing, no sense of curiosity, who doesn't have the remotest idea of what service. But by the way, why would he give any veteran anything? He told General Kelly that they were all fools, right?

[Joanna Coles]

Suckers and losers.

[James Carville]

Yeah, suckers and losers. You cannot. We don't have the time, and I don't have the vocabulary to say what a wretched person this guy is.

[Joanna Coles]

I think you do have the vocabulary. It's a family podcast. You mentioned the parade, the big birthday parade. Do you think he was wounded by the protests? The no Kings protests in 2000 cities across America? I mean, the 60s, the between 4 and 6 million people who turned up to protest peacefully.

[James Carville]

I think he was more wounded by the parade. Didn't turn out like he thought it would. He thought there would be masses of people. The soldiers were clearly. So you're a soldier and they call you, and maybe you're stationed in North Carolina or somewhere, and you got to come to Washington for your weekend. You got to show up, up five hours before the parade. It's a Saturday in June. All right, you gotta dress up in uniform. You gotta march, I don't know how many miles, you know, very happy about it. And for what? Not to engage an enemy, not to. To do anything. I mean, it was a 205th anniversary United States Army. It did. And of course, Trump makes it all by himself. And you can see that these youngsters were not particularly enthusiastic about being there, having been, I guess I was a Marine, not a soldier, but I wouldn't have liked having to go march around on a Saturday afternoon. Glorification of some idiot jerk. But then I think they. I don't blame them for the way that felt.

[Joanna Coles]

So the no Kings protests that took place in 2000 cities across America. Donald Trump has now said he wants to target a Lot of those cities and use ICE to double down on those cities to go after what he claims are illegal immigrants and criminals. Is that plausible? Is one able to actually get that done?

[James Carville]

I don't know. He might. He might deal with facial recognition and God knows what and, you know, nefarious people. Or they could. Who knows? We could have people like diamond each other out and say, well, I know Johnny. He was there. Or I know Melissa, and she spoke at it. And could they use the IRS to target that person? Could they try to revoke their passport? I don't know. Could they have arrested? Open investigation. I don't put anything. Pass it. You know, again, when you tell me you're afraid, you're not afraid enough. You're not afraid enough.

[Joanna Coles]

Right? We're not afraid enough. Well, he says that we've got a big week coming up. James, I very much hope that you will come back to us. Us and talk to us again soon because your perspective is so valuable.

[James Carville]

Well, thank you.

[Joanna Coles]

And we love hearing from you.

[James Carville]

Well, thank you. I wish I was in.

[Joanna Coles]

I wish you were in the south of France too. I'm gonna go and have a glass.

[James Carville]

Please do that.

[Joanna Coles]

All right. Good tip.

[James Carville]

Thank you.

[Joanna Coles]

Okay, bye. Be very afraid. Well, not the happiest note, notes on which to end, but I like to think of James sitting calmly now, sipping his red wine in his farmhouse in the Shenandoah Valley. And I'm about to go and have a glass of on the Quazette. Join me on Sunday for a conversation with Evan Osnos. He decodes the super yachts and the crazy habits of the uber wealthy, the plutocracy, the uber billionaires. Which is perfect for the weekend before Jeff Bezos's wedding to Lauren Sanchez in Venice. Join us then. So even if you're a billionaire, listening to this be beast. This podcast was produced by Devon Rogerino and Anna Von Erson, and it was edited by Jesse Millwood.

[Paige Desorbo]

Hey, I'm Paige desorbo and I'm always thinking about underwear.

[Hannah Berner]

I'm Hannah Berner, and I'm also thinking about underwear, but I prefer full coverage. I like to call them my granny panties.

[Paige Desorbo]

Actually, I never think about underwear. That's the magic of Tommy John.

[James Carville]

Same.

[Hannah Berner]

They're so light and so comfy. And if it's not comfortable, I'm not wearing it.

[Paige Desorbo]

And the bras, Soft, supportive, and actually breathable.

[Hannah Berner]

Yes. Lord knows the girls need to breathe. Also, I need my PJs to breathe and be buttery, soft and stretchy enough for my dramatic tossing and turning. At night. That's why I live in my Tommy John pajamas.

[Paige Desorbo]

Plus they're so cute because they fit perfectly.

[Hannah Berner]

Put yourself on to Tommy John.

[Paige Desorbo]

Upgrade your drawer with Tommy John. Save 25% for a limited time at tommyjohn.comfort. see site for details.

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[James Carville]

Want more great listens? Check out our comedy podcast the Last Laugh and our Star Studded the Daily Beast [e-mail] podcasts if you enjoyed this.

[Paige Desorbo]

Episode, consider becoming a Daily Beast subscriber. Subscribing is the best way to feed the beast and support all of your podcasts as we cover what might become the darkest timeline. Head to to thedailybeast.com membership podcast and sign up today.