← The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell
The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell
Trump base mad after Trump uses taxpayer money to help MAGA pal in Argentina
00:42:05
Tonight on The Last Word: Americans are starting to feel the impact of the ongoing government shutdown. Also, a new poll finds Democrats with a large lead in the Virginia governor’s race. Plus, ICE agents are causing chaos in southern California. And scientists revive the weather damage database cut by Donald Trump. Rep. Ro Khanna, David Noriega, Larry Sabato, Memo Torres, and Adam B. Smith join Jacob Soboroff.
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- [00:00]
Jacob Soboroff
What are you doing in a meeting? That could have been an email.
- [00:02]
Maurices Advertiser
Losing interest.
- [00:04]
Jacob Soboroff
Don't let it happen to your money, too. Vanguard's Cash plus account can't help you.
- [00:07]
Commercial Announcer
At work, but we can help with your savings.
- [00:09]
Maurices Advertiser
Find out how much interest you could.
- [00:10]
Jacob Soboroff
Earn@Vanguard.Com cashplus offered by Vanguard Marketing Corporation.
- [00:14]
Commercial Announcer
Member FINRA and SIPC.
- [00:15]
Maurices Advertiser
At Maurices, we're all about great jeans. You know, the ones that fit you just right, the ones that go from work days to weekends and everywhere in between. The ones that simply make you feel good because you don't just wear jeans, you live in them. With 24, five sizes, five lengths and six denim brands, you've got options and fit experts in every store. To make jean shopping easier, find great jeans starting at $29.90 in stores and at Marisa's.com now it's time for the.
- [00:47]
Jacob Soboroff
Last Word with one of the best reporters there is out there and one of my favorite colleagues, Jacob Soboroff, who's in for Lawrence. Hi, Jacob. It's so good to see you again. You are too kind, Jen. I have an admission to make that I thought it was a little weird at first when I was listening to you talk to James Carville about him renovating his bathroom. But then as I thought about is true, it is crazy how hard it was for James Carville to renovate his bathroom and Donald Trump. You just tear down the White House. It's really. It's a really. I was saying to Chris earlier, sometimes you kind of try to look ahead to the week and what we can.
- [01:21]
Commercial Announcer
Plan and what we can look out.
- [01:22]
Jacob Soboroff
For, what's happening in cities. And then it's like a week ago, the East Wing goes around, you know, so that's where we're at. Who do you have on tonight? Anyone good?
- [01:30]
Memo Torres
R.I.P.
- [01:30]
Jacob Soboroff
R.I.P. east Room Y so I will say I don't vote for the Pulitzer Prizes, but if anyone out there is wondering who my bet is on, it is Memo Torres from La Taco. If you do not know Memo Torres, this is one of the great journalists in the United States of America right now. The way they have been documenting at this small independent news organization in Los Angeles, the ICE raids that are happening here is, I think, definitionally public service. And so a future Pulitzer Prize winner coming up tonight. If you don't know him, you guys stick around. Amazing. I can't wait to watch. Thanks. You go have a great weekend, Jen. Thanks, Jacob. Have a great show. All right. See you. So it is day 24 of the government Shutdown. And Donald Trump is continuing to corrupt the presidency into a for profit and for him venture. This week alone, he tore down the east wing of the White House, a building that belongs to the American people, not him, to make room for a ballroom. Using money from donors including Comcast, the parent company of NBCUniversal, which was included on a list of top donors to the project. New polling conducted this week shows just how unpopular Donald Trump's project is. 53% of Americans disapprove of the demolition and just 23% approve. Donald Trump pardoned the founder and former CEO of Binance, the world's largest crypto exchange who was convicted of violating federal anti money laundering laws. Changpeng Zhao, who goes by cz, has strong ties to the Trump family's own crypto operation. Yesterday, White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt was asked about Binance's close ties with the Trump family on the pardon of Changpeng Zhao. Apologies if I'm mispronouncing that name. Binance has significant business interests with World Liberty Financial, the president's family's crypto company. How do you respond to the allegations.
- [03:21]
David Noriega
From Democrats that this is a corrupt act?
- [03:24]
Jacob Soboroff
I would respond and say the president is exercising his Constitution constitutional authority to grant clemency requests. Senator Elizabeth Warren wrote, quote, cz pleaded guilty to a criminal money laundering charge and was sentenced to prison. But then he financed President Trump's stablecoin and lobbied for a pardon. Today, he got it. If Congress does not stop this kind of corruption, it owns it. And then there is the bombshell New York Times report that Donald Trump is demanding The Justice Department, aka you, the American taxpayer, pay him $230 million in compensation for past criminal investigations, which some Republicans are having a hard time defending. The Hill reports, quote, GOP senators, including members of the Judiciary Committee, don't know how to respond to the story. He shouldn't decide because he's his former lawyer. Senator Lindsey Graham said when asked whether Attorney General Todd Blanche should recuse himself from the decision on whether to pay Trump for damages related to the investigations of former special counsel Jack Smith. But Graham says the president has a right, just as any American does, to seek compensation if the Justice Department's investigation and prosecution were deemed to be damaging and wrongful. He has a right to make a claim if he was wronged, he said. He has a right to make a claim if he was wronged, he said. Senator Kevin Cramer, a staunch Trump ally, warned a payout to the president, okayed by his subordinates at the justice of department could give liberal Democrats a good talking point ahead of the next election. Cramer said Trump probably should get something for wrongful prosecutions, but he said he would leave it to the American Bar association and other legal ethics experts to decide whether it's appropriate that Blanche has power to sign off on the settlement, given his professional ties to Trump's legal defense. This comes AS polling shows 56% of Americans believe that Trump is a dangerous dictator, while 41% believe Trump is a strong leader. Today, New York Attorney General Letitia James pleaded not guilty in a case brought by the Trump DOJ alleging bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution. The New York Times reports, quote, the hearing for Ms. James, her first court appearance since being indicted this month, was a routine opening procedure in a prosecution that is anything but. Her case was pursued at Mr. Trump's demand over the objections of career prosecutors and may serve as a bellwether for the president's broader efforts to seek retribution against his perceived enemies. Ms. James stands accused of lying about her purpose in buying a Virginia House in 2020. Prosecutors say that while she said the house would be a secondary residence, she in fact used it as a rental investment property, renting it to a family of three. But Ms. James great niece has lived in the house since 2020 and testified to a Norfolk grand jury that she does not pay rent. Ms. James has reported only $1,350 in rent from the property. On her tax forms after her arraignment, the attorney general said this this is not about me. This is about all of us and about a justice system which has been weaponized, a justice system which has been used as a tool of revenge. This justice system which has been used as a tool of revenge.
- [07:05]
Maurices Advertiser
And a.
- [07:06]
Jacob Soboroff
Weapon against those individuals who simply did their job and who stood up for the rule of law and a justice system which unfortunately is nothing, being used as a vehicle of retribution. We are just one week away from November 1st when the shutdown starts, affecting groceries and insurance premiums and daily life for millions upon millions of Americans. November 1st marks the start of open enrollment under the Affordable Care act, the Washington Post reports premiums for the most popular types of plans sold on the federal health insurance marketplace. Healthcare.gov will spike on average by 30% next year, according to final rates approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and shown in documents reviewed by the Washington Post. The higher prices, affecting up to 17 million Americans who buy coverage on the federal marketplace, reflect the largest annual premium increases by far in recent years. The Higher premiums, along with the likely expiration of pandemic era subsidies, mean millions of people will see their health insurance payments double or even triple in 2026. The out of pocket increase to consumers could be worse this year than in 2018 because additional federal funding for tax credits that subsidize the cost of the plans is set to expire. And that's not all. The shutdown is also threatening food assistance for millions of low income Americans in at least 25 states starting on the 1st of November. And inflation is up, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which shows that consumer prices rose 3% last month as the Trump tariffs continue to make everyday items more expensive. New polls show 57% of voters disapprove of Trump's handling of the economy, while 38% approve. As the second longest shutdown in the history of the United States enters its fourth week, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said this about Donald Trump. He can try to extort $230 million to line his pockets from the Department of Injustice. Somehow the Trump administration found $40 billion to bail out a right wing wannabe dictator in Argentina, but can't find a dime to extend the Affordable Care act tax credits in order to make life and healthcare more affordable for hardworking American taxpayers. And Donald Trump is demolishing parts of the White House in real time. Why? So he can construct some gaudy ballroom where he can be celebrated as if he was a king? Leading off our discussion tonight is Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna of California. He is a member of the House Oversight Committee. It's good to see you, Congressman.
- [10:10]
Congressman Ro Khanna
Good to see you.
- [10:12]
Jacob Soboroff
Thanks so much. So, in response to Trump's pardon of the former Binance CEO, you heard what Senator Elizabeth Warren said. If Congress doesn't stop this kind of corruption, Congress owns this kind of corruption. Explain to me how exactly Congress can do that.
- [10:28]
Congressman Ro Khanna
Elizabeth Warren is spot on. Look, we have a president who is enriching himself and his family in an obscene wealth that is unprecedented in American history. And people need to wake up to what's going on. It's corruption right before our very eyes. I mean, you had a foreign billionaire who was convicted criminally of money laundering to Hamas and to Iran, and he invests money in the President's family's stablecoin and that basically helps him get a pardon. And the president's family is making millions of dollars. As President United States, I'm introducing a resolution to say that we need to stop the president, his family, or any members of Congress from trading in Crypto, and certainly from accepting any money from foreign governments or foreign entities, it is corrupt.
- [11:27]
Jacob Soboroff
One of the enduring images, I think, Congressman, from the inauguration, was the circle of tech Bros around and in the proximity to the President. United States. You represent Silicon Valley. How are leaders in the tech industry reacting to Trump's pardon?
- [11:47]
Congressman Ro Khanna
They're not reacting enough. I mean, the reality is many of them are hiding under a table because they fear the President's wrath. I mean, he's someone who's tweeting out to get CEOs fired, literally. He is someone who could tomorrow decide to put a tariff on your company's products simply out of retribution. And as Hakeem Jeffries pointed out, he's got corruption because Melee was a corrupt leader in Argentina. He's giving them 40 billion doll. Why the corruption matters because that $40 billion would be enough to cover one year of the affordable care tax credits for the 17 million people that you talked about. So instead of having 17 million Americans not have their premiums double, we're giving money to a corrupt Argentinian leader.
- [12:38]
Jacob Soboroff
We sure are. And we're going to have a live report coming up from Buenos Aires. But before we do, you know, I think it's important to mention that the top Democrats on the judiciary and the oversight committees, Jamie Raskin and Robert Garc, announced that they're launching their own investigation into this $230 million payment that the President wants. Is it possible? I think a lot of people obviously want to see this payment stopped, but what's the mechanism that can be used?
- [13:07]
Congressman Ro Khanna
The ultimate mechanism is we've got to win back Congress, and we've got to commit once we win back the White House, that we will get every dollar misappropriated of the US Tax money back. But, you know, I mean, basically, he sued the federal government, and now he's saying, well, I get to decide whether my lawsuit should go through. And even Trump is kind of smiling at the corruption of it. I mean, even he's saying, yeah, there's something a bit odd about me deciding to give myself $230 million. I have a lot of confidence that Jamie Raskin and Robert Garcia are going to be able to do the investigation, but they will be able to do it with much more authority if they are chairs. But I just think that we are not talking enough as a party about the obscene corruption that is going on. I mean, they hit Democrats when there's actually no corruption. They just make it up. Here you've got corruption happening in front of our own eyes. Someone is using the presidency to get money from foreign governments, to build wealth, to have the US Taxpayers give his own family money. And we have got to stand up for basic ethics and transparency in public service in this country.
- [14:19]
Jacob Soboroff
Congressman Ro Khanna, thank you. It's great to see you.
- [14:22]
Congressman Ro Khanna
Thank you so much.
- [14:25]
Jacob Soboroff
The reports of that $230 million payout to Trump come after the president agreed to as we were discussing a 20 or even $40 billion bailout of Argentina as his buddy and Mar a Lago visitor, Argentinian President Javier Milei, is struggling to stay in power. If the Make Argentina Great Again with American Taxpayer Money campaign was not bad enough, Trump is adding to American suffering with his ad hoc tariffs. The Washington Post reports many farmers, like soybean farmer Bobby Couples, support President Donald Trump. Couples voted for him in the last three elections, but they have been crushed by the effects of his trade war with China. Now they're bewildered by Trump's rush to aid Argentina, a decision they see as antithetical to his campaign promises. Earlier this spring, Trump's tariffs on China prompted the country to halt purchases of U.S. soybeans. Then he offered a $20 billion bailout to Argentina, whose soybean crop sales to China have replaced those from U.S. farmers. And this week, Trump announced that the United States would buy beef from Argentina to bring down prices for US Consumers, opening a rift between him and another bloc of rural supporters, cattle ranchers, whose top industry group on Wednesday disavowed the president as some Republican officials scrambled to talk Trump out of the plan. Trump's commitment to helping Argentina and its embattled president, Javier Milei, a political ally, has appeared at odds with his America first policy platform, raising rare objections from some in his base. Joining us now is MSNBC correspondent David Noriega from Buenos Aires. David, you have been there in Argentina reporting all week. What are you hearing about about Trump's moves in Argentina?
- [16:15]
David Noriega
Yeah, Jacob, I came here mainly to try to understand what's behind and who benefits from this extremely unusual $20 billion lifeline to the Argentinean economy and the Argentinian president, because it really is Extremely unusual, this $20 billion of US taxpayer money straight from the US treasury to prop up a foreign currency. The last time something like this happened was back in the 90s when Mexico was facing a currency crash. At the time, there was a clear economic explanation for that move. The Mexican and American economies are closely intertwined. An economic crisis in Mexico would have immediate effects in the United States. That is not the case here. The Argentinian economy can tank, in fact, has Tanked many times with virtually no consequence for the U.S. so why.
- [16:59]
Larry Sabato
Right?
- [16:59]
David Noriega
What explains this $20 billion, possibly $40 billion in additional funding? Everyone that I speak to here, Jacob, from big businessmen in the cattle industry to economists, to regular Argentinian workers and retirees, if they like the bailout or if they don't like the bailout, they all seem to take for granted. They all seem to agree that the purpose of it, the function of it, is transparently political. So Javier Millet, the Argentinian president, he's a far right populist and eccentric TV personality, very Trumpish in many respects. There are close ties between Milei's circle and Trump's circle, and Milei is in some trouble. There are legislative elections here on Sunday, and his political survival depends on the result. His ability to get his economic agenda through the Congress depends on what happens on Sunday. Many analysts here expect him to take a beating. And significantly, over the last few weeks, the Argentinian peso was declining, was in steep decline up until that intervention from the U.S. treasury. So, Jacob, you know, when you talk to people here, it's pretty clear to them that this is not going to have any clear benefit for the American people. And as you pointed out, in fact, some of Trump's moves in Argentina harm some Americans who supported him, like cattle ranchers and farmers. I was wondering, wondering, though, if maybe there could be some kind of beneficial effect for the Argentinian people at least. And there is some geopolitical argument to be made. Some Argentinians here make it that the US Is countering Chinese influence and Argentina, and American influence is better for Argentinians than Chinese influence. It's all somewhat abstract. And when I asked, you know, I had a conversation with one specific person that stuck with me. She owns a small business, a small restaurant. I met her at a market restaurant where she was buying wholesale to supply her restaurant. And I asked her, do you think that people like you here in Argentina will see the benefits of this $20 billion? And she was very clear in her answer. She said, absolutely not. The people who will benefit are wealthy investors around the world, including in the United States. What this will do, in her words, is help people who already have money use that money to make more money.
- [19:04]
Jacob Soboroff
David, it is very clear that American, at least some American cattle ranchers, feel they are being royally screwed by what Donald Trump is doing. What are the. And it's clear that maybe folks in Argentina have a different perspective. But what could Donald Trump's policies do to these, to these global beef markets? I mean, once A buyer's got a new supplier. Why would they even come back to American suppliers at all?
- [19:29]
David Noriega
Right, well, look, first of all, the people involved in the Argentinian beef industry that I've been speaking to, which is everyone from ranchers and breeders to the middlemen to the consumers, for the most part, they're very excited about this. They're actually a little bit bemused by it. The ones that I speak to, they really didn't expect this kind of. They see it as a very generous intervention from the world's greatest power, which has promised to quadruple imports into the US Of Argentinian beef. They're thrilled. Unlike the American ranchers were quite angry about it. The Argentinian ranchers and beef producers say that this is a tremendous opportunity for them. It's going to be great for business. They've always aspired to a greater share of the American market, and this presents them an opportunity to do so. And Argentinians, the Argentinian export, the commodity export sectors here in Argentina are benefiting in a number of ways from. From Trump's policies. As you mentioned, retaliatory tariffs by China against the United States are affecting American farmers. Argentina, Argentinian farmers of soybeans and other crops are benefiting from that, are able to take over that share of the exports to China that American farmers are losing. There was a moment, in fact, right when Treasury Secretary Scott Besant was promising to extend this $20 billion lifeline to Argentina, that Milei, the president, close ally to Donald Trump, suspended export taxes from Argentina to China, allowing Argentinian soybean farmers to dramatically increase their exports to China. So he was essentially sort of accepting lifelines from both sides, right, from the United States and from China at the same time. What's very clear here on the ground, everyone that I speak to who is in favor of Milei and in favor of these bailouts and in favor of these policies, they're again, Jacob, actually quite surprised by what they perceive as this sudden generosity on the part of the American president.
- [21:18]
Jacob Soboroff
David Noriega, it is so good to have you on the ground at Argentina at a moment like this. The Make Argentina Great Again with American Taxpayer Dollars campaign. David Noriega, thank you so much. Coming up, we are just 10 days away from election day with the biggest prize being the Virginia's governor race. And that race just took on new importance. Stick around. We got more on that.
- [21:45]
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- [22:40]
Maurices Advertiser
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- [23:10]
Larry Sabato
Hey, Riley Herbst here with 2311 Racing, waiting for the bus, staring at traffic crawl hard pass.
- [23:17]
Jacob Soboroff
I rev up Chumba Casino instead. Fast spins, blazing winds.
- [23:22]
Larry Sabato
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- [23:32]
Jacob Soboroff
VGW Group Void where prohibited by law CTC's 21+ sponsored by Chumba Casino we're just 10 days away from election day 2025, and a new Washington Post George Mason poll shows Democrat Abigail sp with a double digit lead in the Virginia's governor's race. She's at 54%, with Republican Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earl Sears at 42%. The Virginia race is the biggest prize on election day 2025 one because it's the first test of voter sentiment after 10 months of Trump 2.02 because the governor of Virginia is currently a Republican. So this would be a flip of power to the Democrats. And three as this program has reported on, the Democrats now control both chambers of the Virginia State Legislature. And with that power, Democrats are moving to counter Trump's redistricting scheme and draw a new congressional map ahead of the midterm elections in 2026 it comes as former President Barack Obama has gone all in on fighting Trump's redistricting scheme. Obama endorsed Proposition 50 in California strikingly with blunt language. California, the whole nation is counting on you. Democracy is on ballot November 4th. Republicans want to steal enough seats in Congress to rig the next election and wield unchecked power for two more years. With Prop 50, you can stop Republicans in their tracks. Prop 50 puts our elections back on a level playing field, preserves independent redistricting over the long term and lets the people decide. Return your ballot today. Vote yes on 50. Last night, Obama did a call with California Governor Gavin Newsom where he said Trump and Republicans are trying to insulate themselves from the people's judgments. Judgments like the 50% of voters who say they want Democrats to take control of Congress next year. And how about the 52% of independent voters who want Democrats to oust Republicans? Only 32% of independent voters want Republicans to keep control. President Obama will campaign with Abigail Spanberger in Virginia on Monday, November 3rd, on the eve of Election Day. Joining us now is Larry Sabato, director of the center for Politics at the University of Virginia. Professor, it's good to see you.
- [25:52]
Commercial Announcer
Thank you.
- [25:53]
Larry Sabato
Jared Gibb.
- [25:54]
Jacob Soboroff
Let's start with Virginia Governor, you have the unique advantage of being local with a perspective on national trends. I wonder how you see the race. You reading any tea leaves from early voting? Because it started on September 19th, if I'm not mistaken.
- [26:07]
Larry Sabato
Yes, we have a very early system here and a lengthy system here. Look, there hasn't been a single nonpartisan poll that is with a sponsor that does not lean to either party that has had Spanberger behind. She's behind only in Republican sponsored polls. Or really it's a tie more than anything else. I think she's ahead somewhere between seven and 10 points. It may be a little bit more than that, depending on where the turnout is. The early voting is usually tilted to Democrats. Exactly how tilted? It's tough to say from the data that we have available. But you would rather be Spanberger at this point than you would be winsome Earl Sears? Very much so.
- [26:52]
Jacob Soboroff
This is, you know, I think it's fair to say that this is the first ballot test in a purple state of how voters feel about 10 months of Donald Trump. What is it that you're looking for exactly in terms of. In terms of trend lines that you get extrapolate out to the midterms, especially with the control of Congress potentially hanging in the balance.
- [27:10]
Larry Sabato
Sure. And you have to be cautious. Obviously, there's a whole year to go. In the Donald Trump era, there are 47 headlines a day that can change things. But what I'm looking for is obviously the margins. The greater the margin by which Spanberger wins, the greater the indication that at least in purple states, there's a lean away from Trump. And you have to remember Trump has never been popular here, very unpopular. He lost all three elections here by sizable margins. One was a massive landslide, 10 points. Joe Biden beating by in 2020. So there's nothing unusual about Trump being unpopular in Virginia, but I think he's even more unpopular than normally. And because of that, maybe the Democratic ticket can pull through. There have been some unfortunate developments for the Democratic candidate for attorney general. We only elect three statewide positions. Governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general. The more interesting thing, Jacob, that nobody focuses on is that all 100 seats in the House of Delegates are up right now. Democrats control it 51 to 49. If they're going to pull off this redistricting scheme that they have proposed and it was kept pretty quiet and it's fascinating, they need a few extra seats. They need some a cushion there come January when the new General assembly is sworn in. And I think they'll get it. Everything I see suggests they're going to move up considerably in the House of Delegates. And if they do have Spanberger, even though she has no role in a referendum which will have to be held just like California, it's going to be significant to have her as a new governor pushing hard for this.
- [28:55]
Jacob Soboroff
Professor Larry Sabato, it's great to see you. Thank you so much. Have a good weekend.
- [28:58]
Larry Sabato
You, too.
- [29:00]
Jacob Soboroff
Coming up, are you more physically fit than a fifth grader? The answer for some ice recruits is maybe not. We'll tell you why next. And I'll be joined by the reporter I am an absolute awe of. Memo Torres. What are you doing in a meeting? That could have been an email.
- [29:20]
Maurices Advertiser
Losing interest.
- [29:21]
Jacob Soboroff
Don't let it happen to your money, too. Vanguard's CashPlus account can't help you at.
- [29:25]
Commercial Announcer
Work, but we can help with your savings.
- [29:27]
Maurices Advertiser
Find out how much interest you could.
- [29:28]
Jacob Soboroff
Earn@Vanguard.Com cashplus offered by Vanguard Marketing Corporation member Finran Sipc.
- [29:33]
Commercial Announcer
Everybody sleeps, but no two people sleep alike. At Coop Sleepgoods, we celebrate the way you sleep differently. We believe everyone deserves a great night's sleep with their own pillow. And the adjustable customizable coop pillow makes it easy. Whether you're a side sleeper, a back sleeper, or even a starfish, we've got the perfect pillow for you. Crafted with our innovative memory foam and microfiber fill. Our hypoallergenic pillows adjust to you and not the other way around. Just tailor the fill for the perfect fit. Add some in, take some out until your pillow's just right for you. See why luxury hotels and spas worldwide feature coop Sleepgoods and why we have tens of thousands of 5 star reviews. With our 100 night risk free trial, you've got nothing to lose except those sleepless nights. Get 20% off your first order when you visit coopsleepgoods.com podcastnews that's coopsleepgoods.com PodcastNews.
- [30:28]
Maurices Advertiser
At Maurices, we're all about great jeans. You know, the ones that fit you just right, the ones that simply make you feel good. Because you don't just wear jeans, you live in them. Find great jeans starting at $29.90 in stores and@maurices.com.
- [30:47]
Jacob Soboroff
The Department of Homeland Security's hiring blitz, which has the goal of getting 10,000 new ICE agents on the force by the end of the year, seems to be going off the rails. Shocker. CNN recently reported that a Trump administration official said of the process, quote, it's a shitshow. The report goes on to quote nice official who told CNN HR is not equipped to hire en masse. No one has support staff to support this. That's being emphasized by a report out this week from the Atlantic titled ice's Athletically Allergic Recruits. President Donald Trump's plan to double the size of the ICE workforce has met a foe more powerful than any activist group. It is decimating new recruits at the agency's training academy in Georgia. It is the ICE personal fitness test. More than a third have failed so far, four officials told me, impeding the agency's plan to hire, train and deploy 10,000 deportation officers by January. To pass, recruits must do 15 push ups and 32 sit ups and run 1.5 miles in 14 minutes. That shouldn't be that hard. To put that in context, that is basically the presidential fitness test for fifth graders. Not exactly hardcore warrior stuff. And yet an email from ICE headquarters to the agency's top officials on October 5 lamented that a considerable amount of athletically allergic candidates had been showing up to the academy. They had misrepresented their physical condition on application forms. The email directed leaders at ice's field offices to conduct preliminary fitness exams with new recruits before sending them to the academy. Some of the fresh hires have dropped out of the academy after flunking exams on immigration law and Fourth Amendment limits on officers search authority, one official told me. But the fitness test has been the biggest nemesis to the new recruits. The 1.5 mile run in particular has toppled more trainees than any other requirement, two officials said. And there are more serious issues, NBC News reports. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has placed new recruits into its training program before they've completed the agency's vetting process, an unusual sequence of events as it rushes to hire federal immigration officers to carry out President Donald Trump's mass deportation policy, A current and two former Homeland Security Department officials told NBC News. ICE officials only later discovered that some of the recruits failed drug testing, have disqualifying criminal backgrounds, or don't meet the physical or academic requirements to serve, the sources said. This level of apparent dysfunction at ICE makes this episode of south park seem a lot less like a parody. Have a seat, sir. What makes you want to work for Immigration enforcement? Well, you see, I got a nut. All right, you're hired. Take this to the next station for your physical and orientation video.
- [33:48]
Larry Sabato
That's it.
- [33:51]
Jacob Soboroff
Donald Trump's decision to flood American neighborhoods with seemingly unqualified masked agents and tactical gear has outraged people, understandably. But earlier this month, in an Instagram live, Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez suggested laugh at them. And that is what a lot of people did this past weekend at the no Kings protest. Many showed up wearing inflatable costumes of all shapes and colors. We had frogs and chickens and even Cookie Monster made an appearance, the Washington Post reported. The silliness is the point, said Mike Nellis, a Democratic strategist. All these MAGA guys are out there going, these cities are lawless, they're dangerous. It's like you're matching the absurdity of it. I talked to a man on Saturday here in Los Angeles with that very same sentiment. Tell me what brings you out and to be inside this hot unicorn costume today?
- [34:44]
Commercial Announcer
Well, we're here to represent the loving, hard working community of Los Angeles. We're here peacefully protesting, looking as ridiculous as we can. Just so maybe we appeal to the president because he is a ridiculous leader. That is normalizing abuse of power and we cannot stand and act like nothing is happening.
- [35:07]
Jacob Soboroff
Joining us now is Memo Torres, multimedia journalist and director of engagement at La Taco. Memo, good to see you.
- [35:15]
Memo Torres
Hey, good to see you too, Jacob. Thanks for having me. That was a great interview, by the way. One of my favorites.
- [35:21]
Jacob Soboroff
I love a pink unicorn. Hey, so you've watched more ICE videos than probably just about everyone. I have a feeling you're not surprised that Some of these agents might not be making the physical fitness standards of the agency.
- [35:33]
Memo Torres
Oh, completely. I mean, I think I have nicknames for a dozen of them. I mean, they're out there looking like Buzz Lightyear, but they're, you know, big old masks up and I mean, they're fat. A lot of them. You know, they're just ridiculous. They're quirky, they're dorky. They can't run, they fumble their guns. I mean, they can't even chase after their own cars that they leave and drive when they try to go arrest somebody.
- [35:52]
Jacob Soboroff
In all seriousness, in all seriousness, though, I mean, in recent days here in Los Angeles and all across the country, are you seeing escalation or d. Escalation.
- [36:03]
Memo Torres
We've been seeing escalation actually in the last couple of weeks. We've gone from about 40, 50 average on a weekly basis of people that are being taken from the streets to.
- [36:12]
Jacob Soboroff
The last couple of weeks.
- [36:13]
Memo Torres
We have. We're getting close to 100 now. We've gone to 80 to 90, 96 with the last count. This week was a little less because of yesterday and today. Feel like all the agents went to San Francisco, so probably going to go over there and run into them in a minute.
- [36:28]
Jacob Soboroff
Yeah, you be careful out there. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi recently said that she believes that the local police could arrest federal agents if they break the California law during immigration raids, including in places like San Francisco. The whole MO about the masks and the tactical gear was to terrify these immigrant communities out of existence. Either people would go back into the shadows or self deport or whatever. Is that happening?
- [36:52]
Memo Torres
No, not at all. I mean, I think a lot of those, like the. Are you talking about the no Vigilantes mask act that doesn't go into effect until January 6, next next year and another one doesn't go, in fact into July. But yeah, none of that is happening.
- [37:06]
Jacob Soboroff
You know, I asked you this last time I talked to you, but I think it's important as these rates continue across the country. I was in Chicago a couple weeks ago watching it happen myself. You all have done such an extraordinary job. You might have heard me at the top of the show. You deserve a Pulitzer Prize for the work that you have done and your colleagues at La Taco. A definition of public service, helping people. People watch on the streets every day. Hold these folks accountable and make leaders understand actually the depravity of the stuff that's happening on the streets. What is your advice for people out there who may not have joined the movement? To document ICE who may not have gone to the streets yet to help watch and protect their fellow citizens.
- [37:42]
Memo Torres
Well, what we're seeing in Los Angeles is that the community organizing, the Community Watch members is having the best effect at deterring kidnappings and people being taken from the streets. It's really like a big chess game. And if you get out there, it's only a few people out there. It's not a lot of rocket responders. They need help. And there's a lot of areas in Los Angeles that aren't getting the coverage. There's not a lot of response teams, but there's blind spots that sometimes people get taken and we don't know about it because nobody's really paying attention or going out there to patrol their areas. So community Watch, local response, joining a group or starting one is very highly effective. It's frustrating the hell out of the agents down in OC where they have it locked down. Also in Long beach, places like San Bernardino also are pretty effective as well. So trust in the process. Start a rapid response team and reach out to the ones in LA who have a lot of practice with this.
- [38:35]
Jacob Soboroff
I've said it before, I'll say it again. If you haven't subscribed to La Taco, go on there, sign up, give whatever you can. Follow La Taco and memo on Instagram. They are doing the work that we need right now. Memo, Tourists, thank you so much.
- [38:49]
Memo Torres
Hey, thank you. Always appreciate the support.
- [38:52]
Jacob Soboroff
Appreciate you. Coming up, I witnessed the most destructive wildfires in Los Angeles history firsthand. Hundreds of thousands evacuated from homes over 50,000 acres destroyed. And now Donald Trump is taking away the tools to help keep lives safe from these natural disasters. That's coming up right after the break. It's the costliest wildfire event in American history. Hundreds of thousands evacuated their homes as wildfires raged across Los Angeles county, my hometown, for weeks in January. With high wind gusts and drought conditions fueling their unpredictable spread, the Palisades and Eaton fires burned over 40,000 acres of land, destroying over 16,000 structures, including homes and schools and businesses. 31 people died. The Santa Monica Daily Press reports on how the recovery effort is going in the months since the fires were extinguished. As of July 31, 93% of filed insurance claims had been partially paid, totaling $20.4 billion. County officials reported that 95% of destroyed or damaged parcels had been cleared of debris within seven months. And nearly 800 rebuilding permits have been issued with an average processing time of 52 business days. A Florida resident has been charged with igniting the fire that caused so much devastation. The suspect appeared in court for the first time yesterday, pleading not guilty to charges including arson and destruction of property. The trial set for December. I grew up in the Palisades. It is my home. And it was surreal and it was emotional. And it was imperative to report on the heroic round the clock effort to stop it from being entirely destroyed. You can see the Los Angeles Police Department right here and what's called the edge of the Palisades Riviera telling people to turn their vehicles around and evacuate eastward towards the 405 Freeway. What you're looking at on your screen right now is a beautiful, beautiful, what was a beautiful, beautiful park, Will Rogers State Historic Park. On the other side of that ridge, which is engulfed in flames right now, is the Palisades Village. And that was about as far as I've gone earlier this evening. But we had to turn around. We've been watching those airdrop water airplanes and helicopters fly over this neighborhood right now. And you know as well as I do, if and when this fire crosses over this part of Sunset Boulevard, it'll go down Rustic Canyon towards Pacific coast highway where the fire has been burning in other parts of Pacific Palisades tonight. It's a big community within, as you and Alex Wagner were saying, within the city of Los Angeles. This is not on the outskirts. It's why it's so different. This is not a wildfire in a remote part of Los Angeles County. This is in the heart of one of the biggest communities in the city of Los Angeles. And the time is now for people to get out, if they haven't already. I write about my experience covering those fires in a new book that will be coming out in January titled Firestorms the Great Los Angeles Fires and America's New Age of Disaster. These billion dollar natural disasters have only become more frequent in recent years. Earlier this year, Donald Trump's administration eliminated a program to track the cost of extreme weather events exceeding $1 billion in damage through a federal database. So now a team of scientists, including our next guest, have kept up that work by tracking that same data through an independent non profit group called Climate Central. Joining us now is Adam B. Smith, senior Climate Impact Scientist at Climate Central. Adam, it's great to see you.
- [42:32]
Adam B. Smith
Likewise. Thank you for having me.
- [42:34]
Jacob Soboroff
The last time I talked to you, you were working within the federal government and obviously you're no longer doing that. Given the actions of the Trump administration, what was it that motivated you to continue collecting this data? Why is it so important to have this data and how is it used?
- [42:50]
Adam B. Smith
Yeah, we just heard so much feedback for the revival of this research to continue. Frankly, this data set was just too important to stop being updated. So many people were using it. Demand was coming from decision makers in many different sectors, local community leaders, Congress, academia, and even the general public, because it helps to frame history as we live through history to prepare for the future, and helps us better to prepare based on the information we live through.
- [43:19]
Jacob Soboroff
A theme of what happened during the fires was the extraordinary amount of misinformation and disinformation that was coming out, particularly from the man who now sits in the White House. But it's not just the misinformation and disinformation. It's the categorical elimination of data as we know it. The consequences of not having data like the data that you were collecting for literally hundreds of events over decades and decades of American history, or what going forward, if the federal government doesn't start this up again, what happens?
- [43:51]
Adam B. Smith
So one way of thinking about it is if you do not measure it, you can't manage it. And so that's one way of framing it. And I think that we get caught up in why something happened and what of course, we should do about it. Climate change, we know, is supercharging many of these extremes that lead to billion dollar disasters, but that's not the whole story. As we know in California, and wildfires or flooding or hurricanes along the coast, we also build in harm's way a lot. And then choices that rebuild after disaster are important. But either way you look at it in terms of climate change, supercharging, these extreme events, or how we choose to build and rebuild, those are all driven by human activities and choices. But having information helps us make better choices in the future if we properly learn from that information.
- [44:37]
Jacob Soboroff
If you can't talk about or acknowledge that climate change is real, and that was a directive of this administration at the very beginning. How do you do this work?
- [44:46]
Adam B. Smith
Yeah, I think that there's been kind of a triage effect as far as different programs that have not continued the way they had in the past. And so trying to understand which products and programs are really highly visible and important and maybe even unique like this, this particular project was using the best public and private sector data to do really unique analysis. And so it's a challenging time. But I think we try to keep our eye on the ball in terms of, of trying to continue to rebuild what was effectively kind of slowed down or stopped, but also not only that, but continue to enhance it and add innovative elements based on feedback from the world. For example, we're going down to $100 million in this analysis because the small and medium sized disasters are also important to understand which impact different communities and the lives and livelihoods. So we're trying to even enhance what we did further than what was at noaa.
- [45:43]
Jacob Soboroff
If it were up to Donald Trump, we wouldn't know that the Los Angeles wildfires were the costliest wildfire event in American history, according to the United States government. But because of the work you are doing, Adam Smith, we do. So thank you very much. Good to see you.
- [45:56]
Adam B. Smith
Thank you so much.
- [45:58]
Jacob Soboroff
We'll be right back. That is tonight's last words.
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