What A Day

Joe Kent – someone you’ve probably never heard of – made huge news on Tuesday. He was the director of the National Counterterrorism Center – until he posted a resignation letter on Twitter. In it, Kent wrote directly to President Trump: “I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.” This is the first major defection from the administration over the war – and it might not be the last. For more on Kent’s letter and what it means for the MAGA Right, we spoke with Jonathan Lemire. He’s a staff writer at The Atlantic and co-host of Morning Joe on MSNOW.
And in headlines, the SAVE America Act is creating real problems for Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Chief Justice John Roberts speaks out against targeting judges, and FBI Director Kash Patel hosts his own version of a meet and greet at Quantico.
Show Notes:

Check out Jonathan's reporting – www.theatlantic.com/author/jonathan-lemire

Call Congress – 202-224-3121

Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy

What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast

Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/

For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

This week, the Senate will hold a confirmation hearing for Oklahoma Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin, President Donald Trump's pick to replace Kristi Noem as Department of Homeland Security Secretary. In some ways, he’s not very different from his predecessor. Mullin also smeared Renee Good and Alex Pretti following their killings by federal immigration officials in Minnesota. He endorses the President’s debunked theory that the 2020 election was stolen. And he threatened to fight the head of the Teamsters union back in 2023 during a Senate committee hearing over a Twitter spat. Burgess Everett, Congressional bureau chief at Semafor, joins the show to talk more about Senator Mullin, the DHS shutdown, and what else to watch for on the Hill this week.
And in headlines, FBI Director Kash Patel and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard testify before Congress about global security threats, thousands of workers go on strike at a Colorado meatpacking plant, and Trump continues to insist the war with Iran will wrap up “soon.”
Show Notes:

Check out Burgess reporting – www.semafor.com/author/burgess-everett

Call Congress – 202-224-3121

Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy

What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast

Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/

For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The war in Iran has essentially closed the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most important oil transfer point, sending oil prices over $100 a barrel with the potential to go even higher. And yet, the odds of the Trump administration suddenly pivoting to invest in renewable energy are pretty much zero. Last year, the Department of Justice submitted a brief urging the Supreme Court to take up a case that could limit cities' and states' ability to sue oil and gas companies for environmental damage — and the court has agreed to hear it. For more on what's at stake here, we spoke with Mike Meno. He's the communications director for the Center for Climate Integrity, an advocacy organization that works with communities to hold Big Oil accountable.
And in headlines, the head of the Federal Communications Commission makes another thinly veiled threat, the Kennedy Center Board is expected to vote on President Trump's grand renovation plans today, the department tasked with keeping Americans safe at home is still shut down.
Show Notes:

Check out the Center For Climate Integrity 

Call Congress – 202-224-3121

Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy

What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast

Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/

For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The war with Iran has already killed more than a thousand Iranians, including 175 people killed at an elementary school on February 28th. Remember America First? That swath of the MAGA movement that purportedly wanted to stay out of foreign entanglements and wars to focus on problems that Americans were facing right here at home? Today, the same GOP that called Kamala Harris a warmonger is giving the war with Iran two thumbs up. And while some notable anti-war figures on the right have been speaking out against the conflict, Trump and the Republican Party are full speed ahead despite struggling to justify their actions. Tommy Vietor, co-host of Crooked Media’s Pod Save the World and former spokesperson for the National Security Council in the Obama administration, joins to discuss the American First presidency that isn't.
And in headlines, the Senate passes a housing bill with overwhelming bipartisan support but House GOP members are unlikely to get on board, Department of Homeland Security funding talks continue to stall, and the White House is keeping busy posting tasteless memes about the war.
Show Notes:

Check out Pod Save The World – https://tinyurl.com/4n6y99mu

Call Congress – 202-224-3121

Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy

What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast

Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/

For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The war with Iran has already killed more than a thousand Iranians, including 175 people killed at an elementary school on February 28th. According to multiple news outlets, a preliminary report from the U.S. military says the U.S. was at fault for that strike. President Donald Trump previously said Saturday that Iran was at fault for the attack and then, on Wednesday, replied, "I don't know about it," when a reporter asked him about the investigation. It's part of a larger pattern in the Trump administration's messaging about the war. From why we're in this conflict in the first place, to what our goals are, to when this war will end, there's a fog around everything. Arizona Democratic Senator Mark Kelly joins the show to discuss how members of Congress are dealing with the White House's stonewalling.
And in headlines, President Donald Trump travels to Ohio and Kentucky to downplay concerns about the economy, no one has any idea what Kristi Noem's new job entails, and newly released deposition videos show a former DOGE staffer struggling to answer basic questions about DEI.
Show Notes:

Call Congress – 202-224-3121

Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy

What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast

Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/

For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday