Podcast Summary: "What A Day" – Episode: Trump: Here We Go Again

Podcast Information:

• Title: What A Day
• Host: Jane Coaston (Crooked Media)
• Description: A 20-minute daily briefing focusing on what truly matters each morning, offering in-depth reporting and substantive analysis on current big stories and emerging trends without the hype or fake outrage.
• Episode Title: Trump: Here We Go Again
• Release Date: January 21, 2025

I. Introduction to the Episode and Main Topics

In the January 21, 2025 episode of What A Day, host Jane Coaston delves into the whirlwind of events surrounding Donald Trump's second inauguration as the 47th President of the United States. The episode navigates through Trump's inauguration speech, the executive orders he signed, the Senate confirmations of his cabinet picks, internal administration dynamics, and the aftermath involving President Biden's final acts before leaving office.

II. Trump's Second Inauguration

A. Speech Highlights and Promises

Donald Trump delivered his second inaugural address at the Capitol Rotunda, marking his return as President at the age of 78—the oldest individual to assume the office in U.S. history.

• Key Excerpts from Trump's Speech:
  • [00:02] "The golden age of America begins right now. From this day forward, our country will flourish and be respected again all over the world."
  • [01:35] "My recent election is a mandate to completely and totally reverse a horrible betrayal and all of these many betrayals that have taken place and to give the people back their faith, their wealth, their democracy, and indeed, their freedom. From this moment on, America's decline is over."

Trump's speech echoed themes from his first inauguration, critiquing previous administrations for leading the country into decline and pledging a robust agenda to restore America's former glory.

B. Analysis with Todd Zwillick

Jane Coaston engages in a discussion with Todd Zwillick, a longtime Washington reporter, about Trump's ambitious promises and the concept of "deliverism."

• [02:27] Jane Coaston: "Trump has made a ton of promises... there's no way he can keep them all, and I don't think he really plans to."
• [03:00] Todd Zwillick: "There are a bunch of things that Donald Trump will be able to deliver on... but things like tax free overtime, no taxes on tips... it's gonna be really hard."

Zwillick highlights the feasibility of Trump's promises, distinguishing between achievable policy shifts—such as immigration reform—and more complex economic promises that require substantial fiscal maneuvering.

III. Cabinet Confirmations and Administration Seats

A. Tech Oligarchs' Positions

Trump strategically seated prominent tech leaders—Jeff Bezos (Amazon), Sundar Pichai (Google), Mark Zuckerberg (Meta), and Elon Musk—prominently alongside his family during the inauguration. These individuals sat in front of Trump’s cabinet picks, signaling their significant influence within his administration.

• [04:56] Jane Coaston: "But their front and center presence says a lot about who is going to have the President's ear in a second term."

B. Republicans Shunted to Overflow

Conversely, Republican governors were placed in an overflow room, indicating a shift in influence away from traditional party figures towards tech magnates.

• [04:39] Donald Trump: "As we gather today, our government confronts a crisis of trust... the pillars of our society lay broken in seemingly incomplete disrepair."

This arrangement underscores a potential realignment of power dynamics within the administration, favoring tech industry leaders over conventional Republican politicians.

C. Implications for Policy and Influence

The prominent placement of tech oligarchs suggests that Trump's second term may heavily favor technological and corporate interests, potentially sidelining the working class and traditional Republican bases.

IV. Executive Orders Signed by Trump

A. Immigration Policies

Trump swiftly moved to implement a stringent immigration agenda through a series of executive orders:

• Border Enforcement: "Tasking the military with border enforcement was one of them" ([10:45] Eugene Daniels).
• Designation of Cartels as Terrorist Groups: Strengthening actions against drug cartels.
• National Emergency at Southern Border: Increasing military and Department of Defense involvement.
• Shutting Down Asylum and Refugee Admissions: Tightening immigration controls significantly.

B. Pardons for January 6 Insurrectionists

In a controversial move, Trump issued pardons for individuals involved in the January 6th insurrection, including prominent figures like former Representative Liz Cheney.

• [09:57] Donald Trump: "And as soon as I leave, I'm going to the Oval Office and we'll be signing pardons for a lot of people, a lot of people to walk."
• [20:01] Donald Trump: "Why are we helping Liz Cheney? I mean, Liz Cheney is a disaster. She's a crying lunatic."

C. Attempts to Modify Birthright Citizenship

One of the most contentious executive orders aimed to end birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants, challenging constitutional protections.

• [11:52] Eugene Daniels: "They're trying to get rid of birthright citizenship... It is in the Constitution... Trump is willing to call the bluff of the Supreme Court to say, I dare you to take down this executive order that I signed."

V. Discussion with Eugene Daniels (Politico’s White House Correspondent)

Jane Coaston converses with Eugene Daniels about the implications and potential fallout from Trump's executive orders.

A. Impact and Legal Challenges of Executive Orders

• Daniels emphasizes that many of Trump's orders are symbolic signals to his base rather than immediately actionable policies due to constitutional limitations.
• [17:08] Eugene Daniels: "Other people are gonna have to figure this out, right?... The lawyers within the administration are gonna have to fight this as soon as lawsuits happen."

B. Comparison with Trump's First Term

Daniels notes that while the current executive actions are more organized than the chaotic execution of the first term, they still face significant legal and logistical hurdles.

• [13:12] Eugene Daniels: "The pardons were really Interesting... He is clearly signaling over and over to the people that voted for him."

VI. Senate Confirmations and Nomination Progress

A. Marco Rubio as Secretary of State

Marco Rubio was unanimously confirmed as Secretary of State, marking the first cabinet pick approval post-inauguration.

• [20:46] Eugene Daniels: "The nomination of the great Senator Marco."

B. Other Nominations Advancing

Several other key positions saw progress in confirmations:

• John Ratcliffe for CIA Director: Advanced with a 14-3 vote, opposition mainly from Democrats.
• Pete Hegseth for Defense Secretary: Approved to move to the Senate floor with unanimous Republican support.
• Kristi Noem and Russell Vogt: Nominations for Department of Homeland Security and White House Budget Director, respectively, also advanced.

VII. Doge Department Dynamics

A. Ramaswamy’s Departure and Gubernatorial Bid

Vivek Ramaswamy, initially tapped to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) alongside Elon Musk, is exiting to pursue a gubernatorial race in Ohio.

• [20:51] Jane Coaston: "Ramaswamy is reportedly peacing out because he's gearing up to launch a gubernatorial bid in his home state of Ohio next week."

B. Elon Musk Leading Doge Solo Amid Lawsuits

Elon Musk will now helm Doge independently, facing immediate challenges as the department faces multiple federal lawsuits shortly after Trump's inauguration.

• [21:38] Jane Coaston: "Musk will now lead Doge solo, and he's got his work cut out for him because his department was sued just minutes after Trump was sworn in."

This development reflects internal tensions and the precarious standing of new governmental entities under Trump's administration.

VIII. Biden’s Preemptive Pardons

Before leaving office, President Joe Biden issued a series of pardons addressing perceived injustices against political figures and family members.

A. Pardoned Individuals

• Mark Milley: Former Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
• Dr. Anthony Fauci: Former public health official.
• Liz Cheney: Former Representative and House Special Committee member investigating January 6th.

B. Biden's Statement and Trump’s Reaction

Biden justified the pardons as acts to prevent unfair prosecution of public servants, while Trump vehemently criticized the decision.

• [20:18] Jane Coaston: "Biden said, 'These public servants have served our nation with honor and distinction and do not deserve to be the targets of unjustified and politically motivated prosecut.'"
• [20:01] Donald Trump: "Why are we helping Liz Cheney?... She's a crying lunatic."

The contrasting responses highlight the deep political rifts and ongoing tensions between the two administrations.

IX. Conclusion and Ongoing Political Chaos

The episode underscores the tumultuous nature of Trump's return to the White House, marked by ambitious yet contentious executive actions, strategic cabinet appointments favoring tech elites, internal administration conflicts, and lingering political battles from the previous administration's final days. Jane Coaston emphasizes that the political landscape remains volatile, with potential ramifications for upcoming midterm elections and the overall stability of Trump's second term.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Donald Trump [00:02]: "The golden age of America begins right now. From this day forward, our country will flourish and be respected again all over the world."

• Donald Trump [01:35]: "My recent election is a mandate to completely and totally reverse a horrible betrayal and all of these many betrayals that have taken place and to give the people back their faith, their wealth, their democracy, and indeed, their freedom. From this moment on, America's decline is over."

• Jane Coaston [04:56]: "But their front and center presence says a lot about who is going to have the President's ear in a second term."

• Todd Zwillick [03:00]: "There are a bunch of things that Donald Trump will be able to deliver on... but things like tax free overtime, no taxes on tips... it's gonna be really hard."

• Eugene Daniels [11:52]: "They're trying to get rid of birthright citizenship... It is in the Constitution... Trump is willing to call the bluff of the Supreme Court to say, I dare you to take down this executive order that I signed."

• Donald Trump [20:01]: "Why are we helping Liz Cheney?... She's a crying lunatic."

• Jane Coaston [09:57]: "Trump signed an executive order on Monday granting ByteDance a 90 day extension to sell."

Key Takeaways:

• Ambitious Agenda: Trump’s second term is characterized by sweeping executive orders aimed at immigration reform, restructuring federal policies, and asserting control over technological and corporate sectors.

• Strategic Appointments: The inclusion of tech billionaires and oligarchs in prominent administrative roles signifies a potential shift towards prioritizing technological innovation and corporate interests over traditional political bases.

• Legal and Constitutional Challenges: Efforts to modify established constitutional rights, such as birthright citizenship, face significant legal hurdles and pushback from the judiciary.

• Internal Administration Struggles: Recent departures and lawsuits within departments like Doge indicate potential instability and challenges in implementing Trump’s policy agenda.

• Political Tensions: Biden’s preemptive pardons and Trump's retaliatory statements exacerbate the existing political divide, setting the stage for contentious electoral battles ahead.

This comprehensive summary encapsulates the multifaceted discussions and analyses presented in the What A Day episode, providing listeners—whether familiar with the podcast or not—with a clear and detailed overview of the key events and their broader implications in the current political landscape.