Podcast Summary: The New Yorker Radio Hour

Episode: Senator Adam Schiff on How the Trump Administration Targets Its Opponents

Date: December 5, 2025
Host: David Remnick (WNYC Studios and The New Yorker)
Guest: Senator Adam Schiff (California)

Episode Overview

This episode features an in-depth conversation between David Remnick and Senator Adam Schiff, examining how the Trump administration uses political power to target its opponents—most notably Schiff himself. They discuss ongoing investigations into Schiff, the weaponization of the Justice Department, intra-party Republican fears, congressional investigations, the erosion of democratic norms, and the responsibilities of citizens amid escalating political polarization.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Schiff’s Place on Trump’s “Enemies List”

• Schiff has been a persistent critic of Trump, notably leading the first impeachment and investigating January 6.
• Trump has personalized his attacks on Schiff with epithets and direct accusations.
• Remnick opens by contextualizing Schiff’s high profile in Trump's crosshairs.
  • [02:06] Donald Trump (clip): “Adam Schiff is one of the lowest forms of scum I’ve ever dealt with in politics. He’s a horrible human being, very dishonest.”
• Schiff highlights Trump’s use of media to identify and attack his most effective opponents, linking it to personal experience with Jared Kushner and Trump’s TV habits.
  • [03:26] (On Trump): “He spends an inordinate amount of time thinking about me. I live rent free in that guy’s head, and let me tell you, it’s pretty scary in there.”
  • [05:09] (On Kushner/TV): “…he picks his enemies by seeing who’s effective against him on TV.”

2. Investigations & Accusations of Mortgage Fraud

• Remnick probes Schiff about the recent Justice Department investigation and its credibility.
• Schiff denies wrongdoing and believes these accusations are strategic attacks used on multiple political opponents.
  • [06:26] “The accusation is a loose accusation of mortgage fraud and they’re making it against all their political opponents... there’s no there there and they know it, too.”
• References that similar cases against other Trump critics have been dismissed in the courts.
  • [06:54] “We’ve seen how well that has gone in Virginia... having their cases thrown out.”

3. Rule of Law, Mueller Investigation, and Impeachments

• Remnick asks Schiff about mistakes in the Russia probe and the broader legal campaign against Trump.
  • [07:40] Schiff: “No, I don’t think we got anything wrong.”
  • [08:12] “January 6th... hard to imagine a bigger crime against a democracy than incitement of insurrection.”
• Schiff distinguishes between substantial federal cases and views on state cases, notably Letitia James' civil actions.
• Schiff rejects the Republican narrative of the DOJ being weaponized against Trump.
  • [09:17] “That’s a complete fiction of fabrication.”

4. On Merrick Garland’s DOJ Tactics

• Schiff argues Garland acted “too cautiously” in investigating Trump, concerned more with restoring institutional reputation than accountability.
• This hesitance, Schiff argues, enabled Trump’s survival and ongoing political resilience.
  • [09:42] “They moved with alacrity against the foot soldiers... not at all for an entire year against the higher ups.”
  • [10:09] “That laudable aim... taken too far, amounted to a kind of immunity for the president.”

5. Trump’s Mindset and Psychological Dynamics

• Discussion on Trump’s sense of victimhood, rage, and sense of invulnerability post-impeachments and legal challenges.
• Schiff delves into Trump’s “blind spots” and likens them in reverse to those of Robert Mueller.
  • [11:20] “...You make your own truth through repetition.”
  • [12:16] “Trump being a pathological liar, can’t envision anyone else committed to the truth... the other, like Trump, has no moral compass and doesn’t believe anyone else does either.”

6. Congressional Fears and Republican Inaction

• Remnick questions why so many Republicans privately object to Trump but rarely act publicly.
• Schiff notes the climate of fear: personal and constituent safety, political reprisal, and rationalizations for inaction.
  • [18:57] “They’re afraid... I had one very senior Republican tell me, you have to understand, it’s not just that he will punish us, he’ll punish our whole state.”
  • On rationalization: [19:47] “If I don’t vote for RFK Jr., you should see who they’ve teed up to run against me...”

7. Venezuela Strikes and Congressional Investigations

• Remnick raises the controversial boat strikes in the Caribbean and allegations against Pete Hegseth.
• Schiff confirms bipartisan concern and outlines war powers resolutions offered, but expresses doubt about Republicans pursuing real accountability.
  • [22:14] Remnick: “Is that a war crime?”
  • [22:15] Schiff: “It would be a war crime if those reports are accurate. It’s also murder. Will Republicans take the next step to hold anyone accountable? I’m very doubtful about that.”

8. Congressional Oversight and Trump Allies’ Tactics

• Discussion of committee hearings with Trump allies Kash Patel and Pam Bondi employing aggressive deflection and personal attack strategies.
• Schiff criticizes the lack of Republican support for real oversight, noting these witnesses perform for an “audience of one.”
  • [24:32] “The only person she owes her job to is Donald Trump.”
• On FBI morale and Trump’s appointments: Concerns about the rank and file’s growing dissatisfaction and the risks of incompetence (e.g., Patel, Gabbard).
  • [25:44] “If [Patel] doesn’t last, it’s because he keeps embarrassing [Trump]... because he’s incompetent and in way over his head.”
  • On Tulsi Gabbard: [26:39] “Willfully destructive... Intel analysts know that if they write things that contradict the president’s preferred narrative, they’re gone.”

9. The Greatest Fears for Democracy & Pathways Forward

• Remnick asks about Schiff’s greatest fears and hopes for democracy’s restoration.
• Schiff’s deepest concern is the subversion of fair elections, but he remains hopeful, seeing engaged citizens as democracy’s saviors.
  • [28:30] “Is that somehow they’re successful in thwarting the one remaining mechanism for accountability, and that is the election.”
  • [29:10] “I think what will save us are the American people themselves... gathering by the millions to protest... It’s going to be the citizens that save us. We need to make sure that their votes still matter.”
• Emphasizes the importance of everyday acts of civic engagement and kindness.
  • [31:00] “People are taking steps to support their neighbors, to support each other... millions of acts of kindness... give me the confidence to know we’re going to get through this.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Trump’s fixation:
  “I live rent free in that guy’s head, and let me tell you, it’s pretty scary in there.” — Adam Schiff [03:26]
• On Republicans’ private misgivings:
  “At that level, I don’t understand it at all. At a different level, I understand it completely. They’re afraid.” — Adam Schiff [18:57]
• On DOJ restraint:
  “That laudable aim... taken too far, amounted to a kind of immunity for the president.” — Adam Schiff [10:09]
• On citizen activism:
  “It’s going to be the citizens that save us. We need to make sure that their votes still matter.” — Adam Schiff [29:10]
• On enduring hope:
  “Millions of acts of kindness, of devotion to our democracy that give me the confidence to know we’re going to get through this.” — Adam Schiff [31:00]

Important Timestamps

• [02:06] – Trump’s direct attacks on Schiff
• [03:26] – Schiff on being a top Trump antagonist
• [06:26] – Schiff addresses mortgage fraud accusations
• [07:40] – Schiff on the Russia investigation’s accuracy
• [09:17] – Schiff refutes DOJ weaponization narrative
• [10:09] – Critique of Merrick Garland’s DOJ tactics
• [11:20] – Trump’s psychological approach to truth
• [18:57] – Republican congressional fears
• [22:14] – Potential war crimes and congressional accountability
• [24:32] – Congressional oversight and Trump loyalists’ tactics
• [29:10] – The role of citizens in preserving democracy
• [31:00] – The power of everyday acts for democracy

Tone and Language

The conversation blends the seriousness of institutional and democratic threats with a wry, candid tone. Schiff is alternately grave, sardonic, and reflective, often using humor to underscore the surreal moments or personal attacks he’s faced. Remnick steers the discussion with skepticism, curiosity, and moments of exasperation at political inaction.

Conclusion

Senator Adam Schiff expresses both alarm and resolve regarding the state of American democracy under the Trump administration, emphasizing accountability, the danger of political cowardice, and the resilience of civic activism. He calls upon American citizens to continue defending democratic processes, asserting that, ultimately, hope lies in their collective action and engagement.