Podcast Summary: The Jim Acosta Show

Episode: Top Dem on House Intel Committee Rep. Jim Himes says DOD "Wasted" Defenseless Boat Strike Survivors plus Rep. Eric Swalwell Runs for CA Gov.

Date: December 4, 2025
Host: Jim Acosta
Guests: Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT), Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA)

Episode Overview

This episode delivers a sharp critique of recent controversial decisions by the Trump administration, particularly focusing on the Pentagon's deadly strike on a suspected drug boat and its aftermath. Acosta speaks first with Rep. Jim Himes, ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, who describes disturbing, possibly illegal military conduct and raises alarms over the continued leadership of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Later, Rep. Eric Swalwell joins to discuss his newly announced campaign for California governor, focusing on urgent issues facing Californians and his vision for leadership under the current climate of federal hostility toward the state.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Congressional Outrage Over Drug Boat Strike (00:07–12:36)

Guest: Rep. Jim Himes

• Briefing on the Strike:
  Himes describes attending a classified briefing where military leaders showed video of the September 2 strike on a suspected drug boat:

  “The video was some of the most disturbing video I've ever seen.” (00:56 – Himes)

• Actions After Initial Strike:
  Two survivors were left clinging to boat wreckage. Himes says they posed no real threat before being killed in a follow-up strike.

  “We watched them do that for a long time, and then we wasted them.” (01:30 – Himes)

• Ethical and Legal Concerns:

  • Himes sees the incident as reminiscent of WWII war crimes, noting a fundamental break from American values:

    “We stood up and said that’s not acceptable. And now sadly, we have a group of people saying that it’s now acceptable for the United States to do this.” (02:06 – Himes)

  • Challenges the administration’s justification that these were “terrorists”:

    “Cartels, as awful as they are... they don’t have political goals. They want to sell their drugs to willing buyers in the United States.” (03:44 – Himes)

  • Critiques murky “fog of war” excuses:

    “There was no fog of war. I've seen the video... this is not a fog of war situation.” (05:38 – Himes)

• Changing Justifications:
  Himes notes the official rationale shifted over time—from cleaning up for “safety of navigation” to neutralizing alleged terrorists.

  “We have two different stories and a Secretary of Defense saying that there was a fog of war issue. I mean, this is just a mess.” (06:27 – Himes)

• Larger Concerns About War and Accountability:

  • The U.S. is not at war, Himes asserts, and thus such military actions lack legal justification.

    “We're not at war... we're really not at war.” (07:02 – Himes)

  • Discusses the implications of Pete Hegseth’s breach of classified information (Signal Gate) and questions his fitness for office:

    “Pete Hegseth put his people and the mission at risk, and his own inspector general says that… his actions put his troops and the mission at risk.” (08:03 – Himes) “He very clearly doesn’t have the character or the disposition for the job that he’s in.” (08:27 – Himes)

• Contextualizing Administration Behavior:

  • Himes draws a parallel between the pardoning of drug lords and harsh military tactics against low-level suspects, highlighting “selective justice.”

    “The former president of Honduras… gets pardoned by the President of the United States.” (08:40 – Himes)

• Broader Critique of Leadership:

  “I don't think there is a job that is more responsible, that is more worthy of the best talent and character that we have. And Pete Hegseth ain't that guy.” (10:48 – Himes)

  • Warns of potential escalation toward military action in Venezuela, but sees key Trump promises and Rubio’s caution as roadblocks:

    “Trump promised to be the guy who didn't get us into any wars… Marco Rubio understands the possible downsides of military action in Venezuela.” (11:22 – Himes)

2. Eric Swalwell’s Run for California Governor (12:37–26:58)

Guest: Rep. Eric Swalwell

• Motivation and Message:

  • Swalwell frames his candidacy as a response to fear and unaffordability created by the Trump administration:

    “People are scared and prices are high. And as to what's scaring them, it's a president who chases through the fields where our immigrants work...” (13:36 – Swalwell) “I'm a fighter and a protector. And I'm going to do that on behalf of Californians when we need it most.” (14:10 – Swalwell)

  • Touts practical experience as a city councilman and planner in Dublin, CA, citing dramatic improvements in education and opportunity.

    “Many of us worked for... a renaissance story in that town where we brought in builders... we added affordable and market rate housing…” (14:40 – Swalwell)

• On-the-Ground Campaigning:

  • Shares conversations with Californians about day-to-day struggles.

    [Video Segment] “The prices are too high. So, yeah, put everything as expensive right here.” (16:25 – Swalwell speaking with restaurant staff)

• Direct Rebuke of Trump on Affordability:

  • Plays Trump’s dismissive comments about affordability, calling them disconnected from people’s struggles.

    “If you talk to real people, if you go to the back of the kitchen... they're working multiple jobs and they're seeing that hard work is not adding up to doing better and dreaming bigger.” (17:05 – Swalwell)

• Policy Visions:

  • Proposes surging housing supply and a “tax holiday” for new small businesses.

    “I want to provide a tax holiday for every new small business... so that they're more focused on hiring individuals...” (17:39 – Swalwell)

  • Praises Gavin Newsom’s leadership and vows to defend California against federal overreach, as Newsom did.

    “I will be an advocate in the same style that you've seen Gavin Newsom not just fight for California, but protect the whole country...” (18:11 – Swalwell)

• Stance on ICE and Immigrant Protections:

  “If an ICE agent commits false imprisonment or assault or kidnapping, that they’ll be held accountable.” (18:58 – Swalwell)

  • Pledges to push for laws requiring ICE agents to identify themselves, removing masks, and ensuring transparency.

    “We're seeing, you know, the end of these masses and unidentified agents over the next year because the Democratic caucus is not going to fund that going forward.” (19:28 – Swalwell)

  • Shares the emotional burden felt by immigrant communities under Trump-era policies.

    “People start to tear up when you bring up immigration and how it's affecting whether people want to go to work or not...” (19:40 – Swalwell)

• National Issues:

  • Discusses the arrest of the January 6 pipe bomber suspect and the emotional toll of that day:

    “... I texted my wife and I told her that I loved her and to kiss our babies because I did not know... what would happen.” (21:08 – Swalwell)

  • Criticizes Trump’s “pardon spree” for January 6 rioters.

    “...all those January six rioters and criminals. And so it makes you wonder what's going to happen in this case.” (22:10 – Acosta)

  • Raises alarms about Jared Kushner’s direct negotiations with Vladimir Putin and potential for corrupt “for profit foreign policy” under Trump:

    “Donald Trump is running a for profit foreign policy. And it's not what's in the best interest of America... It's what will line his pockets and the pockets of his friends and family members.” (23:08 – Swalwell)

• Pushing for Epstein Files Release:

  “Donald Trump... should just be transparent and release his files.” (25:21 – Swalwell)

3. Acosta’s Commentary & Noteworthy Events (26:58–End)

• On the Trumpification of US Institutions:

  • Acosta calls out the renaming of the US Institute of Peace after Donald Trump as an Orwellian display:

    “If you want a very clear cut example of how MAGA has basically become a cult... They have renamed the building that houses the US Institute of Peace the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace.” (27:01 – Acosta)

  • Expresses outrage that a president accused of violent and reckless policies would claim a “peace” legacy.

    “Donald Trump… is the farthest thing from a man of peace.” (37:09 – Acosta)

• The Decimation of US Diplomacy:

  • Cites recent survey: “98% of this country’s professional diplomats (say) workplace morale has fallen since Trump took over…” (29:28 – Acosta)
  • Notes the difficulty for diplomats defending US actions abroad, particularly after revelations from the drug boat strike.

• Conservative Dissent:

  • Quotes George Will’s harsh criticism of the administration:

    "The killing of the survivors... by this moral slum of an administration... should nauseate Americans. A nation incapable of shame is dangerous, not least to itself..." (31:50 – paraphrased from broadcast)

• Immigration and ICE Raids:

  • Shares a New York Times story of a six-year-old boy separated from his father during ICE raids:

    “Little Yang Jin, 6 years old, separated from his father during ICE operations.” (36:08 – Acosta)

  • Condemns ongoing cruelty towards migrants and children.

    “He who terrorizes children, he who terrorizes six year olds is not a peacemaker.” (37:28 – Acosta)

• On Trump’s Rhetoric:

  • Highlights Trump's recent “poisoning of America” comments, tying them to his inflammatory campaign rhetoric about immigrants.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

"We watched them do that for a long time, and then we wasted them... I hope that the video is made public because what I saw was two immensely distressed people clinging to wreckage who we watched for a long time and then killed."
— Rep. Jim Himes (01:30)

“There was no fog of war. I've seen the video... this is not a fog of war situation.”
— Rep. Jim Himes (05:38)

“He very clearly doesn’t have the character or the disposition for the job that he’s in.”
— Rep. Jim Himes on Pete Hegseth (08:27)

“I'm a fighter and a protector. And I'm going to do that on behalf of Californians when we need it most.”
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (14:10)

“If an ICE agent commits false imprisonment or assault or kidnapping, that they'll be held accountable. And they have to know that you will do that. Otherwise we're always going to be on defense.”
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (18:58)

“Donald Trump is running a for profit foreign policy... It's what will line his pockets and the pockets of his friends and family members...”
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (23:08)

“Donald Trump… is the farthest thing from a man of peace. He is the farthest thing from a peacemaker. He who terrorizes children, he who terrorizes six year olds is not a peacemaker.”
— Jim Acosta (37:09)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 00:07–02:36 – Rep. Jim Himes describes the disturbing Pentagon strike video and aftermath.
• 03:16–04:56 – Himes explains why labeling drug cartels as "terrorists" is legally dubious.
• 05:20–06:59 – Disputing "fog of war" justification; shifting official stories.
• 08:03–09:17 – The Signal Gate scandal and calls for Hegseth’s resignation.
• 10:27–11:12 – Himes on unhinged US foreign policy and leadership concerns.
• 13:36–15:26 – Swalwell discusses why he's running and his CA policy experience.
• 16:49–17:05 – Reacting to Trump’s comments dismissing affordability concerns.
• 18:58–19:40 – Swalwell on ICE, accountability, and pledges for reform.
• 21:08–22:10 – Swalwell on the emotional impact of January 6th, pipe bomb case.
• 23:08–24:46 – Trump family foreign policy entanglements and the cost of corruption.
• 25:21–26:48 – On the fight to release Epstein files.
• 27:01–29:39 – Acosta on US institutions being renamed and diplomats’ despair.
• 31:50 – Acosta relays George Will’s “moral slum” op-ed.
• 36:08–37:39 – ICE raids, cruelty to children, condemnation of Trump’s “peace” persona.

Conclusion

Acosta’s show is a scathing indictment of the Trump administration’s conduct on both foreign and domestic fronts—from “wasting” suspects at sea, to pardoning corruption, undermining legal norms, attacking immigrants, and eroding the country’s diplomatic core. Rep. Jim Himes gives a brutally honest congressional assessment of military and leadership failures; Rep. Eric Swalwell presents a vision of California as a beacon of protection and practical progress. Through it all, Acosta’s tone is incredulous and outraged, especially over institutional decay, abuses of power, and the corrosive influence of fearmongering rhetoric.