Can Democrats Sell Affordability?

Summary

What A Day – Episode Summary

Episode: Can Democrats Sell Affordability?
Date: May 6, 2026
Host: Jane Coston
Guest: Rep. Greg Casar (Chair, Congressional Progressive Caucus); Greg Walters (Crooked News Editor)
Theme: Examining the Democratic Party’s effort to reclaim “affordability” as a political agenda and the challenges they face vis-à-vis Trump’s messaging and current national issues.

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Episode Overview

This episode delves deeply into the political strategy behind the Democrats' new focus on "affordability" as a policy priority, especially as it relates to combatting the persistent cost of living concerns haunting American households. Host Jane Coston interviews Representative Greg Casar about the Congressional Progressive Caucus' new legislative package, "The New Affordability Agenda." The conversation branches into how Democrats can connect with working-class voters, the struggle between policy details and messaging, and ongoing issues such as the Iran crisis and the controversy over White House spending.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump’s Reaction to Democrats Embracing “Affordability” (00:17–01:10)

• Trump is notably irritated by Democrats pushing “affordability” — a message he feels should be his. He claims, “They got one good line of bullshit. That’s one thing I’ll say about it.” (00:54)
• Polls indicate Trump is underwater on cost-of-living approval (23% approval; 62% disapproval), setting the table for Democrats to capitalize.

2. Introduction to the “New Affordability Agenda” (02:03–04:12)

What the Agenda Seeks:

• As Rep. Greg Casar summarizes:
  “The New Affordability Agenda is our list of fresh, bold policies that will save the average American family money.” (02:21)
• Focused on tangible basics:
  “Every single family that I know of in my district is struggling with the basics. The utility bills, the grocery bill, the increased gas prices.” (02:25)
• Explicitly targets corporate interests and the ultra-wealthy:
  “...going after the corporate interests, the super powerful, the ultra rich that are screwing you over.” (02:43)

Key Proposals Highlighted:

• Lower Utility Bills Act: Prevents utility companies from passing on luxury expenses and excessive profits to ratepayers.
  “Sometimes a fourth of your bill is just their profit—way more than a normal business. So this bill says screw that. That is no longer allowed.” (03:25)
• Childcare Costs: Cap at $10/day or 7% of income.
• General Approach: Legislative specifics designed to show voters a real plan, not just rhetoric.

3. Worker-Focused Messaging and Lessons from 2024 (04:12–06:34)

• Casar acknowledges Biden’s pro-worker stance but critiques “status quo” perceptions:
  “There’s another part of the party… asking for us to go the opposite way, or corporate forces... But that would be a huge failing and a huge problem.” (04:57)
• Voter feedback:
  “...so many of the voters I talk to that voted for Trump this time, that maybe voted for Biden last time, said that they didn’t know if we were willing to stand up to the special interests that are screwing them over...” (05:25)
• Casar’s critique of “nothing will fundamentally change”:
  “I think we need to turn the page on that and say, no, we actually do need things to fundamentally change.” (05:48)
• Calls for bolder policies:
  “We need for there to be a really significant new tax on millionaires and billionaires and corporations. We need big pharma to make less money for you to have cheaper prescription drugs.” (05:53)

4. Messaging vs. Policy: Battling Cultural Narratives (06:34–08:26)

• Jane Coston questions whether policy alone can solve cultural divides.
• Casar’s rhetorical approach:
  “We cannot come to this knife fight with a policy book…The policies in the New Affordability agenda tell a story and they pick a fight.” (07:03)
• Identifies the importance of naming “villains”:
  “Donald Trump knew how to tell a story and how to pick a fight... But it wasn’t a Venezuelan mom who jacked up your rent. It was Wall Street hedge funds.” (07:15)
• Democrats must counter “scapegoating the vulnerable” with clarity on “real villains”—big business, special interests. (08:00)

5. Competing with Trump’s Populist Economic Rhetoric (08:26–11:07)

• Coston presses on how Democrats can respond to Trump’s performative, easy-to-grasp promises (“no tax on tips,” etc.).
• Casar argues for immediate, visible impact:
  “I think we need simple proposals that will immediately improve your life.” (09:27)
• Example:
  “Okay, the gas prices are up. We’re going to have a windfall profits tax on those guys in the oil industry... and send you a rebate of hundreds of dollars...” (09:42)
• Memorable Quote:
  “We need populist policies that go right to the point rather than what Democrats have sometimes done, which is instead of a headline policy, kind of get into the fine print and negotiate things that are going to lower drug prices over the course of the next 10 years.” (10:25)

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Segment: News Update—Kamikaze Dolphins and Iran

[14:45–19:52] Jane Coston, Greg Walters

1. The “Kamikaze Dolphins” Rumor

• Satirical banter about a viral claim concerning Iran deploying mine-carrying dolphins to disrupt shipping; source traced to a single, weakly sourced news report.
  • “Our crack news team here at Crooked media looked into this and it seems to have started with a single report in the Wall Street Journal citing unnamed Iranian officials who told the reporter that Iran might unleash, quote, mine carrying dolphins to menace U.S. warships.” (15:24)
• Walters debunks sensational headlines, referencing absurdist media and past stories (like Hamas “capturing” an Israeli spy dolphin in 2015).
  • “But the idea that Iran has like a fleet of killer dolphins that they’re about to unleash...for now is very, very thinly sourced.” (15:55)
• Humorous pop culture references (Dr. Evil, sharks with laser beams) punctuate the segment.

2. Update on “Project Freedom” and the Hormuz Crisis

• Despite the Trump administration’s claims, the plan to secure oil shipping lanes is floundering:
  • “The short answer is, Jane, it’s not going so hot. In fact, it’s not going at all. Trump paused Project Freedom last night...” (17:52)
• Despite the “ceasefire,” Iran has escalated attacks: “Since the ceasefire was announced, Iran has fired at commercial vessels nine times and seized two container ships. And they’ve attacked U.S. forces more than 10 times...” (18:22)
• Coston and Walters express skepticism at whether this is really a “ceasefire”:
  • “...that seems like a lot of shooting for a ceasefire.” (18:29)
  • “It does seem more than...what I would call a ceasefire ceasefire, you know.” (18:32)
• Trump’s evasive answers amplify the absurdity:
  • “A missile is slightly faster.” (19:19)

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Segment: The Trump Ballroom Controversy

[20:00–21:46]

• Ongoing back-and-forth about who is paying for Trump’s massive White House ballroom, with costs ballooning from $200 million to $300 million, now buried in a $1 billion “security upgrades” provision in new legislation.
  • “Republican senators have slipped language seeking $1 billion for security aspects of the ballroom and into their new immigration enforcement package...” (20:30)
  • “...the actual text of the legislation says it can’t pay for the ballroom, just for security upgrades...But don’t tell the White House that, because the White House said...the bill would pay for the ballroom.” (20:47–21:13)
• Sarcastic commentary:
  • “It’s like saying that you get one free ballroom when you sign up for a ludicrously expensive monthly subscription package.” (21:26)

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Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• Jane Coston on Trump’s Fitness Advice:
  “Please just go for a walk on today’s show.” (00:22)

• Trump on the Democrats:
  “I’ll tell you one thing, they got one good line of bullshit.” (00:54)

• Greg Casar on the Democratic Agenda:
  “...the ultra rich that are screwing you over.” (02:43)
  “We cannot come to this knife fight with a policy book.” (07:02)
  “It wasn’t a Venezuelan mom who jacked up your rent. It was Wall street hedge funds.” (07:20)
  “We need populist policies that go right to the point rather than what Democrats have sometimes done, which is...lower drug prices over the course of the next 10 years.” (10:23)

• Jane Coston summarizing voter cynicism:
  “Are we trying to solve a cultural problem with politics and policy?” (06:36)

• Greg Walters (on Iran):
  “But the idea that Iran has like a fleet of killer dolphins that they’re about to unleash...for now is very, very thinly sourced.” (15:55) “Right, Jane, who are you going to believe, Chuck Grassley or your lion eyes?” (21:13)

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Additional Memorable Moments

• Humorous adversarial riffing about whether “[Trump’s] little boats [are] faster than a dolphin” and pop culture insertions (Dr. Evil, “sharks with laser beams”) (17:06–19:27).
• Satirical banter on government spending and shifting narratives about White House renovations.

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:17–01:10: Trump “affordability” soundbite, poll numbers
• 02:03–04:12: Rep. Casar outlines "New Affordability Agenda"
• 04:12–06:34: Discussion on winning back working class voters
• 06:34–08:26: Policy vs. narrative, framing “villains”
• 08:26–11:07: How to counter Trump’s economic messaging
• 14:45–19:52: Kamikaze dolphins, Iran update, war theater parody
• 20:00–21:46: Trump “ballroom” controversy, legislation details

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Tone & Language

• The conversation is direct, frequently humorous, occasionally sarcastic, and deeply skeptical of political spin from both parties.
• Coston maintains a journalistic but openly conversational and at times mocking stance toward political absurdities (“Don’t tell PETA,” “One free ballroom when you sign up for a ludicrously expensive monthly subscription.”).
• Rep. Casar’s tone is both earnest and feisty, eager to draw clear battle lines against corporate power.

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Conclusion

This episode of What A Day offers a sharp, jargon-free (but unsparing) look at the Democratic effort to own the “affordability” conversation and the hurdles posed by both perception and real economics. Through pointed questions and lively debate, it highlights the struggle to transform ambitious policy into effective messaging against Trump’s populist—but shallow—promises, all against the backdrop of ongoing political and international absurdities.

Useful for:

• Listeners interested in the details and strategy behind current Democratic economic messaging
• Anyone curious about the inner workings and narratives shaping the 2026 political landscape
• Those seeking both policy analysis and media-literacy with a comic twist

Transcript

[Jane Coston]

It's Wednesday, May 6th. I'm Jane Coston, and this is what a Day. The show that is making it clear. Do not follow President Donald Trump's fitness advice. Here he is on Tuesday, speaking during a press conference celebrating the return of the presidential fitness test.

[Donald Trump]

I work out so much, like about one minute a day, max.

[Jane Coston]

Please just go for a walk on today's show. Does Iran have kamikaze dolphins? And who's actually paying for Trump's ballroom? The answer will probably not surprise you. Let's start with the buzzword of the 2026 affordability. Fighting for an affordable future for every American is a pretty solid political strategy, which may be why Trump is annoyed that Democrats are using it. Here he is at an event at a Florida retirement community last week.

[Donald Trump]

I come into office and I say, wow, look at how high these prices are. And the Democrats start screaming, affordability. Affordability. They're the ones that cause the problem. I'll tell you one thing, they got one good line of bullshit. That's one thing I'll say about it.

[Jane Coston]

But he's annoyed for a good reason. Well, not good for him. See, Americans have noticed that Trump has not made good on his campaign promise to make America affordable again. A new Washington Post ABC News poll found that just 23% of Americans like how Trump is handling the cost of living, which could explain why he has a 62% disapproval rating in that same poll. Some Democrats are seeing an opportunity not just to beat Trump, but to come up with a strategy to move forward as a party. That's why last week, members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus announced the New Affordability Agenda, a series of bills intended to help Americans wallets. But can they convince the voters who believed in Trump's economic plan back in 2024? To find out, I spoke to Texas Democratic Representative Greg Cassar. He's the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Representative Cassar, welcome to what a day.

[Greg Cassar]

Thanks for having me.

[Jane Coston]

Last week, the Congressional Progressive Caucus, of which you are the chair, announced a package of bills called the New Affordability Agenda. There's a lot going on here, a lot of pieces, so can you give me the elevator pitch? What is the New Affordability Agenda?

[Greg Cassar]

The New Affordability Agenda is our list of fresh, bold policies that will save the average American family money. Every single family that I know of in my district is struggling with the basics. The utility bills, the grocery bill, the increased gas prices. And this is the Progressive Caucus's response, saying, there are things we can do to save every American family a ton of Money by going after the corporate interests, the super powerful, the ultra rich that are screwing you over.

[Jane Coston]

How will these bills do that?

[Greg Cassar]

Well, let's just get into the specifics of, say, one of them. A bill called the Lower Utility Bills act that I introduced, Chair of the Progressive Caucus alongside Josh Riley, who. Who represents one of the most competitive and one of the more conservative districts that any Democrat in the country represents. And what we are seeing is that people's electric bills have gone up sometimes 50% just in the last few years. And these for profit companies are doing things like charging their new private jets to you, saying they need to raise your utility bill for that. They're asking for crazy profits. Sometimes a fourth of your bill is just their profit way more than a normal business. And so this bill says screw that. That is no longer allowed. So we have bills like that. We have bills to cap child care costs at $10 a day for most Americans at max 7% of your income. Attack the big costs hitting your life. Because we can't just say the word affordability over and over again and expect that's going to win us election. People are looking for our real ideas. People know that we oppose Trump and we should continue to do so and hold them accountable. But then we also have to have a pitch on how we're going to make your everyday life better.

[Jane Coston]

You've said in various conversations that your focus here is on American workers. You did a lot of traveling around after the 2024 election, talking to people, talking to people in red states, talking to people who voted for Trump and talking to workers. But President Biden tried focusing on workers. He was very pro worker, very pro union. He joined an autoworker picket line. He did a lot of things that I think a lot of people who are pro union, pro labor would have dreamed of. And still a lot of American workers, even people who benefited from those policies, voted for Trump in 2024. Why do you think this plan will get them on board with Democrats?

[Greg Cassar]

Look, there has always been a part of the party that has been pushing a more working class agenda. And I supported and pushed for many of those great things that Joe Biden did. But there's another part of the party, especially after this election lost to Donald Trump, that are asking for us to go the opposite way, or corporate forces that are saying we should just roll over and play dead, not have an agenda. This election just points out how bad Trump is. But that would be a huge failing and a huge problem. Because while holding Trump accountable is very important, it can't be all we do, because so many of the voters I talk to that voted for Trump this time, that maybe voted for Biden last time, said that they didn't know if we were willing to stand up to the special interests that are screwing them over that or upset with the system. And while I agreed with so much of what Joe Biden did and said while in office, I think what he said at a big donor meeting once, that nothing will fundamentally change, I think that is a big problem. I think we need to turn the page on that and say, no, we actually do need things to fundamentally change. We need for there to be a really significant new tax on millionaires and billionaires and corporations. We need big pharma to make less money for you to have cheaper prescription drugs. We need to tax the huge windfall profits the oil companies are making right now off of this war and give the money back to you. So I think we need to double down on the pro worker part of the Joe Biden agenda and make sure that we don't just sort of fall into, let's say we win the majority, which would be very challenging, but I think we will do it. And then if all we do is Trump accountability, folks won't find out what Democrats are really for.

[Jane Coston]

I think a better way for me to ask this question is what we saw in 2024 was Democrats were like, here's a list of all the things that we have done on behalf of workers and folks who are struggling. Here are the ways in which we are trying to improve your life. And Trump offered, therefore, they them. I'm for you. Are we trying to solve a cultural problem with politics and policy?

[Greg Cassar]

Yeah. We cannot come to this knife fight with a policy book. In part, of course, these are policies. And as a policymaker, we should have them on the campaign trail. We should know what we're going to vote for in the majority. But this is also different than your typical list of policies coming from a policymaker. The policies in the New Affordability agenda tell a story and they pick a fight. Donald Trump knew how to tell a story and how to pick a fight. He said your rent is higher because of Venezuelan asylum seekers. He said your health care is worse because of the LGBT community. But it wasn't a Venezuelan mom who jacked up your rent. It was Wall street hedge funds. It's not woke politics or LGBT youth that are making your health care worse. It's big pharmaceutical CEOs. And so we need to be willing to pick the villains in the story and make sure it's the real villains and that we solve the real problems. Because so many of the voters we've lost think that we're the party of the status quo. If you go and ask them, that's what you hear every single day. They may not have gotten the message from Washington, D.C. or the consultants. They just sense that the Democratic Party is wishy washy or not strong or just as bought off by special interests as anybody else. We've got to break free of that and, and point out who the real villains in the story are. That way we can re solidify our base, bring solidarity back into the story and take on the folks that are really screwing folks over, rather than allowing Donald Trump to scapegoat the vulnerable.

[Jane Coston]

Now, Trump has been constantly touting his worker friendly policies. And I'm using air quotes because a lot of the policies he's talking about, the big beautiful bills, no tax on tips, and overtime, the small business summit he hosted this week, a lot of those, when you get into the nitty gritty, you're like, hang on a second, this actually doesn't do very much for people. But how can you talk to voters and say, you know, Democrats are for workers, when what they heard during the election and what they've heard recently is, oh, you know, no tax on tips. Here's what Trump has done. You know, you mentioned you don't want to get into a knife fight with policy, but how are we able to kind of go tit for tat? How are we able to fight Trump on these issues given that he has said that he wants to lower the cost of living? He hasn't. And, you know, he's talked about being president of the American worker. How do you contest that?

[Greg Cassar]

Well, look, everything's gotten more expensive. Inflation is higher this year than it was last year and the year before that. And no matter how much propaganda Trump puts out there, you cannot deny the fact that people are struggling right now and their bank accounts are running out at the end of the month. And so we have to step into that and say, not only that, we're against what Trump is doing, screwing you over and having lied to you, I think we need simple proposals that will immediately improve your life. So when I go, and as I have gone to about half a dozen Republican held districts and talked to independent voters and voters that went the other way last election, folks say, okay, that guy, I voted for him, I voted for Trump, he lied to me. What are you going to do? And I think having something simple, not something that's going to take years to implement. But something direct like, okay, the gas prices are up. We're going to have a windfall profits tax on those guys in the oil industry that are making money hand over fist and send you a rebate of hundreds of dollars for the extra gas payments you've had to make. People get that when Donald Trump is saying, yeah, you can write off on your taxes about this much of overtime and it winds up being not nearly as much as people thought. I think we go right at them and say, our overtime plan is to make overtime pay double time. It should pay double your wage. We should update that law. That hasn't been updated in nearly 100 years. So I think we need populist policies that go right to the point rather than what the Democrats have sometimes done, which is instead of a headline policy, kind of get into the fine print and negotiate things that are going to lower drug prices over the course of the next 10 years. Because we're going to sort this and that out for a lot of voters. They don't see the change fast enough and I think it has people lose face in democracy and in both parties.

[Jane Coston]

Representative Cassar, thank you so much for joining me.

[Greg Cassar]

Thank you very much.

[Jane Coston]

That was my conversation with Texas Democratic Representative Greg Cassar. Unlike pretty much everything else right now, the price of this podcast is still $0. So if you want to support us another way, make sure to subscribe. Leave a five star review on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, watch us on YouTube and share with your friends. More to come after some ads. What a Day is brought to you by Aura Frames. Are you like me in that you have hundreds of photos in your camera roll that never see the light of day? Auraframes has been a game changer for me. Now I'm finally seeing those memories I worked so hard to preserve. With Aura Frames you get free unlimited storage. Add as many photos and videos as you want and you can preload photos before it ships. Keep adding from anywhere, anytime, just by texting them straight to the frame or by using the free Aura app. AuraFrames the easiest way to share memories named number one by Wirecutter. You can save them the perfect gift by visiting auraframes.com for a limited time. Listeners can get $25 off their best selling Carver Matte frame with code WAD. That's a U R A frames.com promo code. Wade Support the show by mentioning us at checkout. Terms and conditions apply. What a Day is brought to you by Acorns. So many people are focused on where their money is today. Acorns is a financial wellness app that cares about where your money is going tomorrow and with the Acorns potential screen, you can find out what your money is capable of. Acorns is a smart way to give your money a chance to grow. Acorns is easy. You can sign up in minutes and start automatically investing your spare money even if all you've got is spare change. Acorns grows with you whether you're just starting out or thinking about settling down. Acorns supports your big and small goals across every life stage and Acorns is all in one. No more finance apps cluttering up your phone with Acorns. You can invest, save and give your money a chance to grow in one trusted place. Sign up now and Acorns will boost your new account with a $5 bonus. Investment join the over 14 million all time customers who have already saved and invested over $27 billion with Acorns. Head to acorns.comswad or download the Acorns app to get started. Paid non client endorsement compensation provides incentive to positively promote Acorns tier 2 compensation provided potential subject to various factors such as customers accounts, age and investment settings. Does not include Acorns fees. Results do not predict or represent the performance of any Acorns portfolio. Investment results will vary. Investing involves risk. Acorns Advisors LLC and SEC registered investment advisor view important [e-mail] WAD Premier hosts

[Greg Cassar]

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[Jane Coston]

I asked our host a question about the house last night and he got back to me super quick.

[Greg Cassar]

See, that's the Premier Host move right there.

[Jane Coston]

I wish I had a Premier Group chat.

[VRBO Host / Weight Watchers Advertiser]

I asked them where we should have

[Jane Coston]

dinner last night and they left me on read. I know you saw it. It says it.

[Greg Cassar]

Classic group chat move. Don't walk into a surprise. Book a top rated vrbo. Stay with a Premier host. If you know you vrbo,

[Jane Coston]

you know what they say. Early bird gets the ultimate vacation home. Book early and save over $120 with VRBO because early gets you closer to the action. Whether it's waves lapping at the shore or snoozing in a hammock that overlooks. Well, whatever you want it to so you can all enjoy the payoff come summer with Verpo's early booking deals. Rise and shine. Average savings $141 select homes only Head of Line here's what else we're following today. Joining me is Crooked's news editor Greg Walters to talk about the big stories. Hey, Greg.

[Greg Walters]

Hey, Jane.

[Jane Coston]

Okay, Greg, I have big news for you. We've officially reached the kamikaze dolphins stage of the war with Iran, at least judging by a question from a reporter from the right wing Daily Wire to Secretary of War little boy Pete Hegseth and General Dan Kane on Tuesday morning

[VRBO Host / Weight Watchers Advertiser]

for Secretary Hegseth, are there still concerns about mines in the strait? And can you kind of clarify these reports of kamikaze dolphins that we've heard about?

[Greg Walters]

I haven't heard the kamikaze dolphin thing. It's like sharks with laser beams. Right?

[Greg Cassar]

And I can't confirm or deny whether we have kamikaze dolphins, but I can confirm they don't.

[Jane Coston]

Kamikaze dolphins, Greg.

[Greg Walters]

That's right, Jane. Never mind the Navy seals, which is of course a human special ops team. We're talking about actual dolphins. Our crack news team here at Crooked media looked into this and it seems to have started with a single report in the Wall Street Journal citing unnamed Iranian officials who told the reporter that Iran might unleash, quote, mine carrying Dolphins to menace U.S. warships.

[Jane Coston]

I love unnamed Iranian officials.

[Greg Walters]

They give some amazing quotes. But okay, fact check. Some countries including the US and the Soviet Union have trained up so called milit marine mammals including dolphins and sea lions for stuff like mind detection. But the idea that Iran has like a fleet of killer dolphins that they're about to unleash to if you will change the tide of war for now is very, very thinly sourced. And there have been questionable reports on this sort of thing in the past, including the time Hamas claimed to have captured a quote, Israeli spy dolphin.

[Jane Coston]

Yes, a real sentence that really happened in 2015. But I see that none of this hesitation and questioning stopped Fox News talking head Jesse Walters from just running with it like it was reality and claiming it shows that Iran is getting desperate.

[Greg Cassar]

Kamikaze dolphins.

[Greg Walters]

The Persians want to strap mines to

[Greg Cassar]

dolphins to weaponize the strait.

[Jane Coston]

Don't tell PETA.

[Greg Walters]

These rogues are desperate.

[Jane Coston]

Yeah. Forcing Tehran to call in the war dolphins for backup shows Donald Trump has the Iranians right where he wants them.

[Greg Walters]

Right. And it's worth noting that General Kane's first reaction to this whole thing was to quote Dr. Evil from Austin Powers, specifically the time he said, I have one simple request

[Donald Trump]

and that is to have sharks with

[Greg Cassar]

freaking laser beams attached to their heads.

[Greg Walters]

So that's the stage we're at in this war, Jane. And reminder, Dr. Evil didn't even get his laser sharks. He got ill tempered mutated sea bass. But I digress. I think this entire conversation reflects the fact that the Trump administration is stuck in a very bad situation. And speculation about how this log jam might get broken is getting downright weird because there are no easy answers.

[Jane Coston]

Yeah. So where are we with Trump's master plan to guide tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, AKA Project Freedom?

[Greg Walters]

The short answer is, Jane, it's not going so hot. In fact, it's not going at all. Trump paused Project Freedom last night, supposedly in the name of boosting peace talks. But the blockade remains in place, and it's worth noting that there has been quite a lot of shooting lately. Here's General Kaine on Tuesday morning. Since the ceasefire was announced, Iran has fired at commercial vessels nine times and seized two container ships. And they've attacked U.S. forces more than 10 times, all below the threshold of restarting major combat operations.

[Jane Coston]

Greg, I am not a big war doer, but that seems like a lot of shooting for a ceasefire.

[Greg Walters]

It does seem more than like what I would call a ceasefire ceasefire, you know, like you. Not exactly like a war guy, but Trump is basically trying to tell us that this is no big deal.

[Jane Coston]

Can I ask you about Iran, Mr. President?

[Donald Trump]

Yes.

[Jane Coston]

They fired at U.S. ships several times

[VRBO Host / Weight Watchers Advertiser]

in the last 24 hours. What do they need to do to violate the ceasefire?

[Donald Trump]

They fired them in little boats with pea shooters, you know, the peashooters. Little boat with little. You know why? Because they don't have any boats anymore. Their navy is comprised of. They call them little boats. Right. And they're fast. Yeah, they're so fast that, that they had eight of them and they're all gone. And they're fast, but they're not fast like a missile. A missile is slightly faster.

[Jane Coston]

One you'll find out, is not an answer. So he didn't answer the question. But are those little boats faster than a dolphin? Greg?

[Greg Walters]

I have no idea. Someone should ask Pete Hegseth. But we also know that Project Freedom didn't exactly crack open the Strait of Hormuz. We saw four ships go through the strait on Monday. According to S and P Global Market Intelligence. Pete Hegseth said two US Commercial ships went through accompanied by US Destroyers.

[Jane Coston]

But before this war, the rate going through the Strait of Hormuz was something like 130 ships a day. Right?

[Greg Walters]

Right. So we've only got to go from 4 to 130 or just a 3150% increase. And we're back in Business.

[Jane Coston]

Speaking of business, let's talk about the ballroom.

[Greg Cassar]

Back to the ballroom, I'm afraid. I just wanted to ask because in July, the White House said that it would cost 200 million. Yesterday, the President said 300 million. Is 300 million now the operative figure? And why did it go up by so much?

[VRBO Host / Weight Watchers Advertiser]

300 million is the figure.

[Greg Cassar]

And again, it's not going to cost

[VRBO Host / Weight Watchers Advertiser]

the taxpayers a dime.

[Jane Coston]

That was in October of 2025. But in May 2026, you're paying for the ballroom if the White House gets its way, right?

[Greg Walters]

I mean, I heard Mexico will pay for the wall, Jane, but yeah, surprise, surprise. Republican senators have slipped language seeking $1 billion for security aspects of the ballroom and into their new immigration enforcement package, the one they're hoping to ram through with no Democratic support.

[Jane Coston]

Now, this is the time in which I get to be very pedantic, because funnily enough, the actual text of the legislation says it can't pay for the ballroom just for security upgrades for the White House complex. Chuck Grassley, a spokesperson, even told the Washington Post, quote, this bill does not fund ballroom construction. But don't tell the White House that, because the White House said in a statement Tuesday that the bill would pay for the ballroom.

[Greg Walters]

Right, Jane, who are you going to believe, Chuck Grassley or your lion eyes? You know, I think that saying that this ballroom will cost nothing except for the $1 billion security bill is a bit rich. It's like saying that you get one free ballroom when you sign up for a ludicrously expensive monthly subscription package.

[Jane Coston]

Don't judge what I get on cable. And somehow I feel confident that by next month we'll have yet another explanation for how much Trump's Imperial Ballroom will cost and who's going to pay for it. But, Greg, I would never let you pay for my ballroom.

[Greg Walters]

The Dolphins will pay for your ballroom, Jane.

[Jane Coston]

And that's the news. Before we go in more dystopian news. The Bezos backed Met gala has happened and you already know who has thoughts on this week's Keep It. Guest hosts Riri Chaney and Kyla Buchanan talk through the biggest looks and moments from the night. Plus, a sequel nobody asked for. But maybe we all deserve Devil Wears Prada, too. New episodes of Keep It Drop every Wednesday, wherever you get your podcasts or on YouTube. That's all for today. If you like the show, make sure you subscribe, leave a review, wonder at Delta's decision to stop serving you a Coke or a bag of pretzels on a short flight, and tell your friends to listen. And if you're into reading and not just about how as of May 19, Delta will no longer serve snacks or beverages on flights shorter than 350 miles, like D.C. to New York or LA to San Francisco. Like me, what a Day is also a nightly newsletter. Check it out and [e-mail] subscribe I'm Jane Coston and where am I gonna get a Biscoff cookie now? What a Day is a production of Crooked Media. It's recorded and mixed by Desmond Taylor. Our associate producer is Emily Foer. Our producer is Kaitlyn Plummer. Our video editor is Joseph Dutra. Our video producer is Johanna Case. We have production help today from Greg Walters, Matt Berg and Ethan Oberman. Our senior producer is Erica Morrison and our senior vice president of news and politics is Adrienne Hill. Our theme music is by Kyle Murdoch and Jordan Cantor. We had help today from the Associated Press. Our production staff is proudly unionized with the Writers Guild of America East.

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