Podcast Summary: The Jim Acosta Show – Live with Tara Settmayer Release Date: May 12, 2025
Host: Jim Acosta
Guest: Tara Settmayer
Location: Virgin Hotel, New York City

1. Introduction and Webby Awards Celebration

The episode opens with Jim Acosta welcoming Tara Settmayer to a special live edition of his show from New York City. Tara shares exciting news about her team attending the Webby Awards, highlighting their recent win.

• Jim Acosta [00:08]: "Welcome to a very special and very brief edition of the Jim Acosta show..."
• Tara Settmayer [01:02]: "This is the first year that my organization won because we're new..."

Jim congratulates Tara and her team, acknowledging the suspense surrounding their award acceptance.

2. Donald Trump's Alleged $400 Million Qatar Plane Grift

A significant portion of the discussion centers on former President Donald Trump's alleged acceptance of a $400 million plane from Qataris. Both hosts label this act as a grift and discuss its implications.

• Jim Acosta [01:49]: "Donald Trump accepting a $400 million plane from the Qataris and claiming somehow this is not a grift..."
• Tara Settmayer [02:08]: "This is not a thing. Okay, like, you don't do this. There's no such thing as a legal $400 million gift from a foreign government."

They delve into the legal and ethical concerns, referencing the Emoluments Clause and the potential for foreign influence in the U.S. government.

• Tara Settmayer [03:01]: "They weren't thinking of $400 million luxury jets, but they were thinking of equivalent to that back in the day."

3. Emoluments Clause and Foreign Influence

The conversation highlights the significance of the Emoluments Clause in preventing foreign governments from exerting undue influence over U.S. officials through gifts or favors.

• Tara Settmayer [02:58]: "Air Force One should never be from a foreign government anyway. Boeing has traditionally done this. This is an American company."

4. Hypocrisy in Political Reactions

Jim and Tara critique the double standards in political reactions, particularly how similar actions by different administrations are perceived differently.

• Jim Acosta [03:22]: "What if Obama were to take a free Air Force One from the Middle East? Some country in the Middle East... John Hannity would have a stroke."
• Tara Settmayer [03:37]: "They would do chapter and verse documentaries on the corruption of this. If it were Barack Obama..."

5. Trump's Grifting and Meme Coins

The duo discusses Trump's ongoing grift tactics, including the introduction of meme coins linked to his presidency, which they argue facilitate direct corruption.

• Tara Settmayer [04:53]: "He is the grifter in chief."
• Jim Acosta [04:42]: "He wants to give out this, what, a VIP raffle? To come to his golf course and take a tour of the White House..."

6. Democratic Strategies and White House Grift

Jim emphasizes the need for Democrats to focus on the corruption within the White House, suggesting that maintaining integrity is a unifying issue for all Americans.

• Jim Acosta [04:17]: "Every Democrat and any, I mean really, you know, red, white and blue blooded American should agree on, which is that the White House should not be for sale."

7. Immigration Policies and Racial Underpinnings

The conversation shifts to recent immigration policies that appear to favor white Afrikaners from South Africa, exposing underlying racist motives.

• Jim Acosta [05:24]: "We shut down the borders. People can't come into the country anymore. Unless you're an Afrikaner..."
• Tara Settmayer [05:52]: "This whole thing started from some conspiracy theory about these lies about white farmers in South Africa being attacked..."

8. Historical Context of Afrikaners and Influential Figures

Tara provides historical context, connecting current Afrikaner immigrants to their Nazi roots and influencing figures like Elon Musk and Peter Thiel.

• Tara Settmayer [05:52]: "Elon Musk's grandparents were Nazis that escaped Canada to move to South Africa with apartheid..."
• Tara Settmayer [06:00]: "Peter Thiel lived in a town that was modeled after little like Nazi Germany town."

9. Power of Independent Media and Webby Awards Significance

The hosts highlight the importance of independent media in today’s landscape, celebrating the recognition by the Webby Awards and its role in empowering creators.

• Tara Settmayer [07:21]: "The Webbies have been around for 29 years, but they've really emerged over the last 10 or 12 years because of the Internet and social media..."
• Jim Acosta [07:24]: "It's kind of incredible what's happening. It's a moment."

10. Event Celebration and Closing Remarks

As the episode concludes, Jim and Tara discuss attending the Webby Awards, expressing excitement over the event and the notable personalities expected to attend.

• Jim Acosta [07:57]: "So Tara and I are going to race down to the Webbies. I'll try to shoot some pictures..."
• Tara Settmayer [08:14]: "I'm so mad at Snoop for what he did. So selling out and performing at Trump's inauguration."

Jim wraps up the show with heartfelt congratulations to Tara and her team, affirming the significance of the evening.

• Jim Acosta [08:36]: "Reporting live from New York, this is Jim Acosta with the Great Tara. Congratulations to Tara and her group..."

Notable Quotes:

• Jim Acosta [01:49]: "Donald Trump accepting a $400 million plane from the Qataris and claiming somehow this is not a grift..."
• Tara Settmayer [02:58]: "Air Force One should never be from a foreign government anyway."
• Tara Settmayer [04:53]: "He is the grifter in chief."
• Jim Acosta [04:17]: "The White House should not be for sale."
• Tara Settmayer [05:52]: "These are the people we're dealing with here."
• Jim Acosta [07:24]: "It's kind of incredible what's happening. It's a moment."

This episode of The Jim Acosta Show delves deep into political corruption, the implications of foreign influence in American governance, and the rising significance of independent media. Through lively discussion and sharp critique, Acosta and Settmayer provide listeners with a comprehensive analysis of pressing political issues, all while celebrating achievements in the media landscape.