The Al Franken Podcast

JD Vance has had an unorthodox rise to power. After a troubled childhood, he joined the Marines, graduated from Yale Law School, became a best-selling author, and then won a seat in the U.S. Senate. And now, at only 41, he is Vice President to Donald Trump, a man who Vance once described as "America's Hitler" and "cultural heroin."In this Best Of episode, we revisit our June 2025 conversation with The Atlantic’s George Packer. His piece, “The Talented Mr. Vance,” explores Vance's political transformation and whether he genuinely evolved his political views or cynically abandoned his principles for ambition.We also look at the Democrats' path forward. Packer shares how they can respond to Trump's appeal to disengaged voters.Read Packer’s writing in The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/author/george-packer/

Trump can call it whatever he wants, but we are at war with Iran. Podcast host and YouTube star Brian Tyler Cohen joins us again to break down how Trump has dragged us into this wildly unpopular war. How long will we be there? What are our objectives? And who is behind the bombing of the Iranian girls' school that killed 175 people? Early investigations suggest America is responsible, but Trump blames... the Iranians?And the GOP attack on democracy continues as voters become disillusioned with the Trump agenda. Will John Thune and the Republicans blow up the filibuster to pass the SAVE America Act?Plus, the gutting of ACA subsidies, Medicaid cuts, food assistance slashed, and how Trump's trade war has made good on absolutely none of his cost-of-living promises.SUBSCRIBE to Brian's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/briantylercohenLISTEN to Brian’s podcast, “No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen”: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/no-lie-with-brian-tyler-cohen/id1515399733SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY VISITING OUR SPONSORS:Save money on your wireless bill with Mint Mobile. Visit https://www.mintmobile.com/franken. Make sure you tell them you heard about this deal from The Al Franken Podcast!Get up to 15% off your skincare subscription needs at https://www.oneskin.co/franken

America is at war with Iran. It's the eighth time that Donald Trump has attacked another country since he began his second term (despite pledging "no new wars" during his campaign). To break it all down, we're joined by foreign affairs expert David Rothkopf and Paul Rieckhoff, Iraq War vet and CEO of the Independent Veterans of America.We take a look at the difficult history between America and Iran along with the current military campaign Trump has started in the region. Trump and his administration have yet to outline exactly WHY we are fighting, and with Americans already dying, it's no surprise that this war is extremely unpopular. Not to mention, this is costing our country a billion dollars a day and will only become more expensive as the war expands. David and Paul discuss the long term impact this might have for America and the Middle East and how it may escalate in the region and could signal a scary moment for the global nuclear arms race.READ David Rothkopf in The Daily Beast: https://www.thedailybeast.com/author/david-rothkopf/SUBSCRIBE to David's Substack "Need to Know": https://davidrothkopf.substack.com/LISTEN to David’s podcast "Words Matter" with fellow friend of the show Norm Ornstein:https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/dsrs-words-matter/id1420216970LEARN more about Paul's organization, Independent Veterans of America: https://independentveteransofamerica.org/LISTEN to Paul's podcast, Independent Americans: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/independent-americans-with-paul-rieckhoff/id1457899667SUPPORT THE AL FRANKEN PODCAST BY VISITING OUR SPONSORS:Refresh your wardrobe with Quince! Get free shipping and 365-Day returns at https://www.quince.com/franken

We're joined by our friend and National Voting Rights Correspondent for Mother Jones, Ari Berman! Ari is here to break down the alarming ways the Trump administration is laying the groundwork to cheat and interfere in the 2026 midterms and what is standing in their way.The seizure of ballots from Fulton County, GA is a remarkable escalation of Trump's war against democracy. What could he, Tulsi Gabbard, and the rest of his goons be up to?We also do a deep dive on the SAVE America Act and all the ways it would disenfranchise voters. But Ari suggests that it might not have the intended outcome that Trump and the Republicans are hoping for. Plus, we get analysis of all of the redistricting happening around the country and how some of Trump's demands could backfire. READ Ari’s work in Mother Jones: https://www.motherjones.com/author/ari-berman/SUPPORT THE SHOW BY VISITING OUR SPONSORS:Visit American Giant to get their Classic Full Zip Hoodie and other cold weather staples. Get 20% off of your first order by entering the code FRANKEN at checkout! https://www.american-giant.com

Our good friend and host of The Fast Politics Podcast, Molly Jong-Fast, returns to the show! Molly’s recent writing in the New York Times has covered the Epstein files and why only a fraction of them have been made public. We tackle the Prince Andrew arrest, Howard Lutnick's lies, and the DOJ’s blatant attempt to scrub the files that have been made public.We also get into the SAVE Act and how this is just another attempt by Republicans to subvert democracy. Republican Senators know that the midterms spell trouble for them, so suppressing votes is their best strategy. Will the GOP blow up the filibuster? Does John Thune care more about democracy than Mike Johnson?Plus, we get Molly's thoughts on the latest CBS vs. Stephen Colbert saga, Trump's EPA destroying climate progress, ICE crackdowns around the country, and MUCH more.LISTEN to Molly's podcast, Fast Politics: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fast-politics-with-molly-jong-fast/id1645614328READ Molly's writing in the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/by/molly-jong-fast

We're joined by our good friend, Mark Leibovich from The Atlantic, to go through a laundry list of current Trump controversies, including his immigration enforcement, blatant corruption, and focus on retribution. Not to mention, Attorney General Pam Bondi's complete meltdown over the Epstein files in Congress this week. We also look at how Trump's new management style involves humiliation rather than firing. So far, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has managed to keep her job, but Mark explains how Trump still made her pay. Plus, we look at Mark's most recent piece about the Democratic Party and its future. With a large majority of the party unhappy with Democratic leadership, how can the party rally to be successful in the midterms and find the right candidate to take back the Presidency in 2028?READ Mark's work in The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/author/mark-leibovich/SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY VISITING OUR SPONSORS:Save money on your wireless bill with Mint Mobile. Visit https://www.mintmobile.com/franken. Make sure you tell them you heard about this deal from The Al Franken Podcast!Get up to 15% off your skincare subscription needs at https://www.oneskin.co/franken.

We're joined by our good friend, Dahlia Lithwick, Senior Editor at Slate and host of the Amicus podcast, to cover a wide range of topics, including the courts and their role during this difficult time in American history. We start with Minnesota and the disturbing actions of ICE that have rattled the nation. From the ICE abduction of 5-year-old Liam Ramos to the murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, Dahlia connects the dots between eroding civil liberties and a Supreme Court that has systematically dismantled accountability. We also discuss Trump's recent FBI seizure of ballots in Georgia and what that could mean for our democracy. Dahlia issues a strong warning about where all of this could be heading and how we need to be prepared for it.Plus, Dahlia walks us through some of the cases currently before the Supreme Court: the further gutting of the Voting Rights Act, controversial redistricting, Trump's retribution, and tariffs.READ Dahlia in Slate: https://slate.com/author/dahlia-lithwickLISTEN to Dahlia's podcast, Amicus: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/amicus-with-dahlia-lithwick-law-justice-and-the-courts/id928790786SUPPORT THE SHOW BY VISITING OUR SPONSORS:Refresh your wardrobe with Quince! Get free shipping and 365-Day returns at https://www.quince.com/franken

After another horrifying murder and ICE’s continued unwelcome presence in Minnesota, Al is joined by friend of the show, political scientist, and emeritus scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, Norm Ornstein, to discuss what is happening in their home state.After widespread reports of American citizens being detained, ICE using children as "bait," and the murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, the Trump administration seems open to drawing back the ICE presence in Minnesota. Al and Norm discuss what a possible deal could look like to get them out of the state. Will Stephen Miller and Kristi Noem face any consequences for their lies and aggression? After spending time meeting with organizers in the Twin Cities, Al shares what he learned from constitutional observers and others making their community safer and caring for each other. We also discuss the danger of the federal government getting its hands on state voter rolls. Was Trump's invasion ever about enforcing immigration laws? Or was it more about retribution? LISTEN to Norm's podcast "Words Matter" with fellow friend of the show David Rothkopf: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dsrs-words-matter/id1420216970SUPPORT THE SHOW BY VISITING OUR SPONSORS:Visit American Giant to get their Classic Full Zip Hoodie and other cold weather staples. Get 20% off of your first order by entering the code FRANKEN at checkout! https://www.american-giant.com

In a major blow to American healthcare, Congress has let the ACA subsidies expire. This means higher premiums and, as a result, fewer Americans enrolling. We are joined by Wendell Potter, former VP of Corporate Communications for Cigna turned whistleblower and healthcare reform advocate. Since 2009, Wendell has pulled back the curtain on how insurance giants game the system to prioritize profits over patients.Wendell shares the two stories demonstrating the inhumanity of the American healthcare system that pushed him to speak out. He also talks about the impact of the expiring subsidies and why it could be what he calls a "death spiral." But don't worry! Donald Trump has a plan... or at least concepts of a plan.Al and Wendell talk about the accomplishments of the ACA, while also acknowledging that Democrats should have done more to strengthen it during the Biden administration. Now with Trump and the Republicans in charge, any chance at meaningful reform is out the window.Plus, we revisit the December 2024 murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and why that struck a nerve with so many Americans.READ Wendell's substack, HEALTH CARE un-covered: https://healthcareuncovered.substack.com/SUPPORT THE SHOW BY VISITING OUR SPONSORA smarter way to handle your shipping needs! Try ShipStation free for 60 days at https://www.shipstation.com and enter the code FRANKEN.

As tensions escalate in Minnesota and Donald Trump threatens to invoke the Insurrection Act, ICE’s brutality continues. We are joined by the current Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota and candidate for the U.S. Senate, Peggy Flanagan, to discuss the crisis in her and Al's home state. Flanagan details the cover-up and lies surrounding the Renee Good investigation. The DOJ has withheld evidence and prohibited the state from investigating the case, while lying about how the officer who shot Good has “absolute immunity.” It is clear Trump, Kristi Noem, JD Vance, and the administration have no interest in justice.Flanagan also shares stories of the vibrant Somali community who have contributed so much to the state, despite the attempts to malign them. She also shares stories of talking to constituents around the state and how she's finding common ground with rural farmers over the cost of healthcare and tariffs. LEARN about and DONATE to Peggy's campaign: https://peggyflanagan.com/SUPPORT THE SHOW BY VISITING OUR SPONSORS:Save money on your wireless bill with Mint Mobile. Visit https://www.mintmobile.com/franken. Make sure you tell them you heard about this deal from The Al Franken Podcast! Get up to 30% off your skincare subscription needs at https://www.oneskin.co/franken

We had a chaotic start to the new year with Donald Trump invading Venezuela and kidnapping dictator Nicolás Maduro. We’re joined by The Atlantic's David Frum to help us make sense of and give us important context on the situation. Trump says that America is running the country and might be there for years to come. It sounds more like old-fashioned imperialism than a democratic transition.Trump has openly admitted that this is about oil. He says he's taking Venezuelan oil and putting it into a special account controlled only by the President. Isn't it the job of Congress to appropriate how money is spent in this country?We also discuss the administration's plans for Greenland. Are we actually prepared to seize it from our NATO ally, Denmark? Trump says yes. How crazy is that?!Al also shares his thoughts on the horrific situation in his home state of Minnesota as ICE’s reckless aggression led to the murder of Renee Good.READ David Frum in The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/author/david-frum/LISTEN to The David Frum Show: https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/the-david-frum-show/SUPPORT THE SHOW BY VISITING OUR SPONSORS:Bundle up with some warm weather clothes from Quince! Get free shipping and 365-Day returns at https://www.quince.com/FrankenVisit American Giant to get their Classic Full Zip Hoodie and other cold weather staples. Get 20% off of your first order with code FRANKEN at checkout! https://www.american-giant.com

In this Best Of episode, we revisit our 2023 conversation with Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. We talked to Sen. Whitehouse about his book, “The Scheme,” which examines how dark money and radical right wing activists worked tirelessly to gain control of the Supreme Court.Sen. Whitehouse lays out all the key players in this effort, including The Federalist Society and Leonard Leo, the main architect of this mission. By filtering dark money through dozens of agencies and blocking Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland, the right wing has a chokehold on the SCOTUS majority. As a result, we've seen rulings that are horrible for abortion rights, climate change, voting rights, and so much more.Sen. Whitehouse also explains some of the ways that the extremist takeover of the judicial system can be reigned in, but it's going to be a fight. READ Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse's book, “The Scheme”: https://thenewpress.org/books/9781620978344/

In this Best Of episode, we revisit our 2020 conversation with Jimmy Kimmel! We go through his long career, beginning with his start in radio and his transition to television.We discuss the birth of Jimmy’s late night show back in 2003 and how, in his own words, the show was "genuinely terrible.” With time, Jimmy figured it out and established a template for what makes a good show and learned what makes a good guest versus a bad guest. A major turning point for Jimmy was when his son battled health challenges. He became more vocal on issues like healthcare, which led to him butting heads with the GOP over their attempts at repealing the Affordable Care Act. While this interview was in 2020, Jimmy continues to butt heads with the GOP, which resulted in his censorship battle with ABC and the Trump administration earlier this year.WATCH Jimmy Kimmel Live! https://www.youtube.com/jimmykimmelliveREAD what I wrote when Kimmel was (temporarily) taken off air: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/political-commentary/trump-attack-political-satire-kimmel-colbert-1235431290/Visit our sponsor Ghostbed and get 25% off of your purchase. Use the code FRANKEN at checkout: https://www.ghostbed.com/FrankenBundle up with some warm weather clothes from Quince! Get free shipping and 365-Day returns at https://www.quince.com/Franken

Throughout the 2024 election, we all heard about the dangers of Project 2025, yet somehow it’s worse than we imagined. Trump continuously said he didn't know anything about it (but he did), and nearly a year after his swearing in, we've seen a huge portion of it already implemented. We're joined by The Atlantic’s David A. Graham, author of the new book, “The Project: How Project 2025 is Shaping America.”In just 138 pages, David covers the entire 920-page document. He explains how many of the authors of Project 2025 saw Trump's first term as a failure because he was stopped from accomplishing his core goals - like building the border wall and repealing Obamacare. The answer was to create a shadow administration that would guide his policy decisions if he made it back to office.We run through a variety of issues that are being influenced by Project 2025, including immigration and border security, education, and trade. And we discuss the most influential figure, Russell Vought, current Director of the Office of Management and Budget. One of his main priorities? Inflict pain on government employees.Plus, Al remembers his friends, Rob and Michele Reiner.READ David's book, “The Project”: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/800230/the-project-by-david-a-graham/Visit our sponsor Ghostbed and get 25% off of your purchase. Use the code FRANKEN at checkout: https://www.ghostbed.com/FrankenProtect yourself and your family from cybercrime this holiday season with 75% off from our sponsor Webroot! https://www.webroot.com/frankenBundle up with some warm weather clothes from Quince! Get free shipping and 365-Day returns at https://www.quince.com/Franken

As we approach the end of 2025, we take a look back at what happened around the world in Trump’s first year back in office. We're joined by two of the best foreign policy writers we know: Franklin Foer and Anne Applebaum from The Atlantic! We discuss the EIGHT wars and conflicts that Trump has single handedly ended, while also examining the ongoing conflicts in The Middle East, Ukraine, Venezuela, and more.Anne and Frank explain why Trump's Middle East peace plan isn't holding up and why we all should have been skeptical of it from the start. We also look at why the administration's plan for peace between Russia and Ukraine looks like it was written by the Russians themselves. And, of course, we discuss Trump's blatant corruption in both of those theatres.Anne also shares her heartbreaking firsthand account of what the USAID cuts have done to the rest of the world. It highlights the shortsightedness of the entire first year of Trump’s second term.READ Franklin's work in The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/author/franklin-foer/READ Anne's work in The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/author/anne-applebaum/Check out our sponsor Ollie for premium dog food! Go to https://www.ollie.com/franken and use code FRANKEN to get 60% off your first box.

We're joined by the great Mark Leibovich from The Atlantic to run through some of the wild stories fresh out of Washington. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth is facing criticisms on multiple fronts: Not only was it reported that he ordered the killing of two survivors from a bombed alleged drug trafficking boat, a Pentagon Inspector General also found that he put American troops' lives in danger with his reckless messages on Signal. Could we see Trump turn on Hegseth?We also recap the marathon Cabinet meeting. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spent his time kissing Trump's ass, and Trump (when he was awake) broke out into an maliciously racist rant about Somalis.Plus, we talk MORE shady pardons (including the former Honduran President and convicted drug trafficker), Trump's sinking approval ratings, and Dick Cheney!READ Mark's writing in The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/author/mark-leibovich/Protect yourself and your family from cybercrime this holiday season with 75% off from our sponsor Webroot! https://www.webroot.com/frankenVisit our sponsor OneSkin for all of your skincare needs! Use the code FRANKEN at checkout to get 15% off of your order: https://www.oneskin.co/FRANKENGet 10% off your first order from Graza Olive Oil. Use the code FRANKEN at checkout: https://partners.graza.co/FRANKENVisit our sponsor Ghostbed and get 25% off of your purchase. Use the code FRANKEN at checkout: https://www.ghostbed.com/Franken

One of Donald Trump's most successful initiatives in his second term has been making himself and his family richer than ever. We're joined by The New Yorker’s David Kirkpatrick, who earlier this year wrote a piece outlining all the ways the legendary grifters have cashed in during Trump’s presidency. The Trump family has long been associated with shameless cash grabs, but we have reached new levels of corruption by using his office for their money-making schemes: international real estate deals, Trump-branded merchandise, and cryptocurrency.David lays out the long list of ethical implications involved and calculates the staggering amount of money Donald Trump and his family have made off of his presidency.READ David's piece “The Number” in The New Yorker: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/08/18/the-numberProtect yourself and your family from cybercrime this holiday season with our newest sponsor, Webroot! Use code FRANKEN at checkout: https://www.webroot.com/frankenGet free shipping and 365-day returns on wardrobe shopping with our sponsor, Quince! Use code FRANKEN at checkout! https://www.quince.com/frankenVisit our sponsor OneSkin for all of your skincare needs! Use code FRANKEN at checkout to get 15% off of your order: https://www.oneskin.co/FRANKEN

In Donald Trump's second term, we've seen a flurry of pardons and commutations. Of course, every President is granted the pardon power, but with this administration, pardons often seem to have a price tag. We're joined by Liz Oyer, former US pardon attorney (appointed by Biden and fired by Trump), to discuss some of the shadier pardons doled out during Trump's second term (so far). Oyer lays out how several of Trump’s pardons are motivated by money, loyalty, and retribution. Of course, we discuss the blanket pardon of the January 6th rioters, but we also examine the pardon of cryptocurrency-crook Changpeng Zhao, who Oyer says "might be the most corrupt pardon in American history."We dig into Trump's current pardon attorney, Ed Martin, a political operative who believes in "No MAGA left behind." Even Republicans found him too extreme to be a US Attorney, so Trump put him in charge of pardons and commutations. Plus, we get Oyer's unfiltered opinion of the Ghislane Maxwell/Jeffrey Epstein saga AND Hunter Biden's pardon at the end of Joe Biden's term. READ Liz Oyer's Substack at https://www.lawyeroyer.com/Check out our sponsor Ollie for premium dog food! Go to https://www.ollie.com/franken and use code FRANKEN to get 60% off your first box.Check out our sponsor OneSkin for all of your skincare needs! Go to https://www.oneskin.co/FRANKEN and use code FRANKEN to get 15% off of your order.

After 43 days, the longest government shutdown in American history has finally ended. We're joined by Catherine Rampell from The Bulwark and MSNBC to talk about how it finally came to a close and why a lot of Democrats are mad at their party. Catherine details how the Trump administration used the shutdown as an excuse to inflict as much pain as possible on SNAP recipients. Not only did the administration go to court to stop SNAP payments, they also punished any stores that might have tried to help them with discounts. As always, the cruelty is the point.Trump’s promise to fix the economy was one of the biggest reasons he was re-elected, but prices are higher on nearly everything around the country. Trump's approach is to lie about affordability while Americans struggle with economic anxiety. All the while, he's flopping around on his tariff policies, creating more and more chaos and confusion. Plus, the average age of first time homebuyers is now 40 years old and the Trump administration has floated the idea of a 50-year mortgage plan. Catherine explains why that could be disastrous for would-be homeowners.READ Catherine in The Bulwark: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-the-supreme-court-could-save-christmas-trump-tariffsWATCH Catherine on MSNBC's The Weekend Primetime: https://www.msnbc.com/weekend-primetimeGet 10% off your first order from Graza Olive Oil. Use the code FRANKEN at checkout: https://partners.graza.co/FRANKENCheck out our newest sponsor Ghostbed and get 25% off of your purchase. Use the code FRANKEN at checkout: www.ghostbed.com/Franken

The Democratic Party showed signs of life all around the country with last week's off-season elections. Helping us make sense of it all is Molly Jong-Fast, opinion writer for The New York Times and host of the Fast Politics podcast!Molly examines NYC's new mayor, Zohran Mamdani, and why his campaign was so successful. Can he actually deliver on the promises he's made in the campaign? Molly shares her thoughts on some lessons Democrats nationwide could learn from his win.All of this is going on during the longest-ever government shutdown with a President holding a "Great Gatsby”-themed party at Mar-a-Lago while the economy struggles and Trump continues his tariff wars.Plus, Molly gives her perspective on the redistricting battles around the country, the nationwide ICE raids, Trump corruption, and more!LISTEN to Molly's podcast “Fast Politics”: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fast-politics-with-molly-jong-fast/id1645614328READ Molly’s latest piece in The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/03/opinion/trumps-great-gatsby-party-did-not-accept-snap.html