Episode Summary: "Trump's Never-Ending Enemies List"

Podcast: What A Day (Crooked Media)
Host: Jane Coaston
Date: January 23, 2026

Main Theme

This episode dives into the Trump administration's escalating use of federal law enforcement and the Department of Justice (DOJ) against political enemies—real and perceived. In particular, it focuses on actions taken in Minnesota, such as the prosecution of protesters and public officials, the expansion of ICE home raids, and the questionable legal justifications behind these moves. The conversation is supported by expert legal analysis from Ken White, criminal defense attorney and host of the "Serious Trouble" podcast, as well as clips and commentary from Vice President J.D. Vance and other administration figures.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. DOJ Prosecutions and Political Targeting in Minnesota

• DOJ announced federal charges against Minneapolis protesters who disrupted a church service; the pastor was allegedly a top ICE official. The timing coincided with VP J.D. Vance’s visit to the state ([00:29]).
• Vice President Vance denied that federal officers have immunity, stating:

  "No, I didn't say... officers who engaged in wrongdoing would enjoy immunity. That's absurd." —J.D. Vance ([01:32])

• Contradicted by Stephen Miller, who, in a Fox News appearance, insisted:

  "You have immunity to perform your duties... no city official, no illegal alien, no leftist agitator or domestic insurrectionist can prevent you." —Stephen Miller, Deputy Chief of Staff ([01:50])

• The DOJ is seen as weaponizing its power, investigating Minnesota officials (including Democratic Governor Tim Walz), alleging they obstructed federal immigration enforcement ([05:52]).
  • Ken White calls the federal basis for this investigation “completely bogus” ([06:40]).

2. Legal Analysis with Ken White

• Purpose of Jack Smith’s Congressional Testimony:
  "He was giving his side of the story, and Democrats saw it as an opportunity to get out a narrative about what really happened... Republicans thought it would go well for them, which speaks to their ongoing complete lack of judgment." —Ken White ([03:40])
• Takeaways from the Hearing:
  "This is largely performative for Congress... We didn't learn a lot new... The only new thing... is the ongoing willingness to carry water for false Trump narratives." —Ken White ([04:51])
• Use of the Ku Klux Klan Act:
  Episode discusses how the act is misapplied against protesters:
  "Not every disruption is a federal crime... Unless something is done with a specific intent to injure... that is not a violation of the Klan Act." —Ken White ([08:43])
• Attempted prosecution of former CNN anchor Don Lemon fails in court due to lack of any evidence he conspired to injure or oppress anyone ([10:17]).

3. ICE Raids, Warrants, and Fourth Amendment Concerns

• Shift to Administrative Warrants:
  "An administrative warrant is one employee of the executive branch telling another employee... yes, you can go do this... Basically, we want to give ourselves permission to go into people's houses." —Ken White ([11:57])
• Likelihood of this Policy Holding Up in Court:
  "No, I don't think it will. And most Fourth Amendment experts do not think it will... But there are very few remedies that work." —Ken White ([13:02])
• Expert Oren Kerr’s Critique:

  "His reaction was, if they have a theory why this is right, I would like to see it. Which is the equivalent of me saying: you all are completely full of shit." —Ken White ([13:02])

4. Vice President Vance’s Minnesota Visit & Public Outcry

• Vance claims empathy while defending ICE actions, such as allegedly detaining a five-year-old boy:

  "And I'm a father of a five year old... I think to myself, oh my God, this is terrible... Well, I do a little more research and find that the five year old was not arrested..." —J.D. Vance ([17:48])

• Jane Coaston’s skepticism on Vance’s statements and empathy:

  "Nothing he says has been verified... empathy is not something I would expect from him." —Jane Coaston ([18:13])

5. Abortion Policy and Conservative Pressure

• The administration rolled out new anti-abortion measures:

  "Trump's policies target the usual suspects, blue states with abortion protections and federal funding tied to Planned Parenthood. But... anti-abortion activists aren't very impressed." —Jane Coaston ([19:12])

6. “Board of Peace” in Gaza and PR Spin

• Kushner presents development plans for Gaza at Davos, focusing on “workforce housing” and “tourism” while the humanitarian crisis persists ([20:25]).
• Jane highlights the disconnect:

  "New Gaza, more buildings, fewer Gazans. Great." —Jane Coaston ([20:41])

7. White House Social Media Misconduct

• The White House posted an altered image of an arrested activist to make her look like she was crying ([21:17]).
• Attempted press accountability:
  "The press office simply replied with a link... and said, in part, enforcement of the law will continue. The memes will continue." —Jane Coaston ([22:04])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Congressional hearings:

  "It was not largely successful in making any of those narratives sound credible because Jack Smith was able to respond in a restrained and yet forceful way." —Ken White ([04:11])

• On prosecuting public officials for opposing ICE:

  "There is no valid basis for any actual federal criminal charges against anything that any of the Minnesota people have done. It is simply not a federal crime to say ICE should fuck off. Which they should." —Ken White ([06:40])

• Constitutional critique:

  "The Fourth Amendment disagrees." —Jane Coaston, challenging the administration’s warrant practices ([02:43])

• On administration’s strategic communications:

  "The memes will continue. Thank you for your attention to this matter. None of these people will see heaven." —Jane Coaston, reading White House press office reply ([22:04])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:23: Vance on the "Titanic" economy analogy
• 01:41: Miller’s claim of ICE immunity
• 02:43: Jane Coaston’s critique of warrantless ICE entry
• 03:22-14:02: Interview with Ken White, featuring legal breakdown of various DOJ actions and interpretations
• 17:48: Vance responding to report of ICE detaining a 5-year-old
• 19:12: Discussion of new Trump anti-abortion policies and conservative response
• 20:25: Kushner’s Gaza development plan
• 21:17: White House image manipulation incident

Tone and Language

• The episode's tone is brisk, dryly humorous, and at times cutting—Jane Coaston’s asides and skepticism provide both levity and pointed critique.
• Ken White’s analysis is direct, candid, and sometimes irreverent (e.g., "completely full of shit").

Further Resources

• For more analysis, Jane recommends listening to Hysteria’s episode featuring activist Kat Abigailzale ([23:00]), focusing on activism in the face of federal pressure.