<![CDATA[The Contrarian: Talking Feds ]]>

<![CDATA[The Contrarian: Talking Feds ]]>https://www.contrariannews.org/s/podcastshttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Xwc-!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc4f43f26-99a5-4e86-b68c-3a49044ae3b5_1280x1280.pngThe Contrarian: Talking Feds https://www.contrariannews.org/s/podcastsSubstackMon, 20 Apr 2026 19:15:59 GMT<![CDATA[Trump's "Absolute Fiasco"]]>https://www.contrariannews.org/p/trumps-absolute-fiascohttps://www.contrariannews.org/p/trumps-absolute-fiascoMon, 20 Apr 2026 14:23:59 GMT

In our latest Contrarian episode, Norm Eisen, Norm Ornstein, and Jen Rubin join Harry to assess new flashpoints in Trump’s nonstop quest to escape accountability and his hasty efforts to claw free of his war in the Middle East. The group takes stock of Trump’s stumbling attempts to find a deal with Iran, which seem likely to leave the U.S. weakened and isolated. The panel also weighs the bombshell state charges against an ICE agent and the odds that Trump could name two new Supreme Court justices before year’s end.

]]><![CDATA[Carte Blanche and an Inside Strait]]>https://www.contrariannews.org/p/carte-blanche-and-an-inside-straithttps://www.contrariannews.org/p/carte-blanche-and-an-inside-straitMon, 13 Apr 2026 14:02:16 GMT

With Trump’s two-week ceasefire hanging in the balance, Harry turns to Kristy Greenberg, Jason Kander, and Jasmine Wright to make sense of a week of reversals and u-turns for Donald Trump. What are the new revelations about how Trump decided to strike Iran? And if the status quo stands, will the U.S. have lost its war of choice? Can new Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche do any better than Pam Bondi at sating Trump’s appetite for retribution? And what do another pair of Democratic overperformances in off-cycle elections augur for November?

]]><![CDATA[Bondi, Bombs, and Birthright]]>https://www.contrariannews.org/p/bondi-bombs-and-birthrighthttps://www.contrariannews.org/p/bondi-bombs-and-birthrightMon, 06 Apr 2026 14:09:28 GMT

Attorney General Pam Bondi is out. Harry talks with all-star journalists Aaron Blake, Liz Landers, and Scott MacFarlane to break down why Trump rewarded Bondi's obsessive loyalty with an abrupt and humiliating firing. Next, the panel tries to make sense of Trump's primetime address about his increasingly opaque goals in the month-old war with Iran. Finally, the group analyzes the arguments in the birthright citizenship case and considers whether Trump has already notched a partial victory, regardless of the final verdict.

]]><![CDATA[Departure of Justice]]>https://www.contrariannews.org/p/departure-of-justicehttps://www.contrariannews.org/p/departure-of-justiceMon, 30 Mar 2026 14:03:18 GMT

In his latest effort to trace the Department of Justice’s downward spiral, Harry talks with DOJ veterans Paul Fishman and , along with reporter Evan Perez. The panel assesses the DOJ’s obstructive tactics on the Minnesota investigations, the retribution prosecutions that keep coming despite loss after humiliating loss, and the new revelations about Trump’s misuse of classified documents. Finally, the panel closes with some reflections on the life and work of former FBI Director Robert Mueller.

]]><![CDATA[Dire Strait]]>https://www.contrariannews.org/p/dire-straithttps://www.contrariannews.org/p/dire-straitMon, 23 Mar 2026 17:00:05 GMT

Three superb journalists—Natasha Korecki, Ali Vitali, and Jacob Weisberg—join Harry on to break down another grinding week of war with Iran. Ali explains why a major Trumpworld resignation offered another sign that MAGA will soon be an “utter mess.” Back in D.C., Democrats stormed out over Pam Bondi’s prevarications; Jacob lays out a strategy for them to hold Bondi to her subpoena. Finally, Natasha gives the panel a tour of the Illinois primaries and what the results signal for the shape of a resurgent Democratic party.

Mentioned in this episode:

Natasha’s reporting: https://www.nbcnews.com/author/natasha-korecki-ncpn1286792

Ali’s Way Too Early: https://www.ms.now/way-too-early

Juliana Stratton’s campaign ad: https://www.facebook.com/JulianaForIL/videos/they-said-it-were-all-thinking-it/967001489339870/

]]><![CDATA[Hegseth: Unleashed and Unhinged]]>https://www.contrariannews.org/p/hegseth-unleashed-and-unhingedhttps://www.contrariannews.org/p/hegseth-unleashed-and-unhingedMon, 16 Mar 2026 14:01:21 GMT

As a second week of war slips by without Iran’s promised collapse, David French, David A. Graham, and Juliette Kayyem join Harry to assess the administration’s apparent unpreparedness and growing tally of grave mistakes. The group discusses the dangers that could come with a prolonged conflict and the cold comfort provided by Pete Hegseth’s rant-filled briefings. Finally, they turn to the vital news being overlooked amid the war: Trump’s relentless push to overhaul voter requirements and collect states’ voter data ahead of the midterms.

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]]><![CDATA[A Man, No Plan, Iran]]>https://www.contrariannews.org/p/a-man-no-plan-iranhttps://www.contrariannews.org/p/a-man-no-plan-iranMon, 09 Mar 2026 14:26:29 GMT

In this episode, Harry and guests Jonathan Alter, Conor Lamb, and Mara Liasson break down a fast-moving week with massive overtures in domestic and international news. The discussion starts with the escalating war with Iran — including new reporting on Russia reportedly providing intelligence to Tehran and the growing debate in Washington over war powers and the cost of the conflict. Then, they turn to the 2026 midterm landscape, where early primaries in places like Texas and North Carolina offered the first real clues about the fight for Senate control. And finally, they discuss the first cabinet sacking of Trump’s 2.0, as Kristi Noem was the first head to roll.

]]><![CDATA[Bombs and Bombast]]>https://www.contrariannews.org/p/bombs-and-bombasthttps://www.contrariannews.org/p/bombs-and-bombastMon, 02 Mar 2026 15:16:58 GMT

Susan Glasser, Bill Kristol, and Jon Lemire join Harry to assess the prospects for military action against Iran, the ways DOJ incompetence and testimony from the Clintons are changing the Epstein story, and Trump's longest-ever State of the Union address. Why hasn't Trump tried to sell his operation against Iran to the American people, and what's his endgame for it? Is the DOJ's Epstein transparency becoming a blatant coverup? And is it time to retire the traditional State of the Union?

]]><![CDATA[Tariffs Trumped]]>https://www.contrariannews.org/p/tariffs-trumpedhttps://www.contrariannews.org/p/tariffs-trumpedMon, 23 Feb 2026 15:03:10 GMT

In the wake of the Supreme Court verdict striking down Trump's tariffs, Harry breaks down the decision with a trio of top-notch legal analysts: Kyle Cheney, Adam Klasfeld, and Mimi Rocah. The group digs into the court's rare rebuff of the president and the infighting among the conservative Justices. Next, the panel turns to the lower courts' angry rulings against Trump's deportation drive, even including—finally—a contempt finding. To finish, they examine the arrest of ex-Prince Andrew and weigh the chances for similar accountability in the U.S.

]]><![CDATA[Bad Bondi]]>https://www.contrariannews.org/p/bad-bondihttps://www.contrariannews.org/p/bad-bondiTue, 17 Feb 2026 14:38:34 GMT

Talking Feds stalwarts Norm Ornstein, Tara Setmayer, and Charlie Sykes join Harry to review Pam Bondi’s flailing theatrics before Congress as well as a raft of other embarrassments for the Trump administration. After panning the DOJ’s determination to avoid transparency on Epstein, the group turns to the sudden federal retreat in Minnesota and a searing courtroom humiliation for Pete Hegseth. To close, they break down the stirrings of mutiny within Trump’s party and the president’s effort to rewrite election rules.

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]]><![CDATA[Live from Princeton: A Contrarian Quartet]]>https://www.contrariannews.org/p/live-from-princeton-a-contrarianhttps://www.contrariannews.org/p/live-from-princeton-a-contrarianMon, 09 Feb 2026 14:03:25 GMTContrarian stalwarts Norm Eisen, Asha Rangappa, and Jen Rubin join Harry for a special episode filmed in front of a live audience at Princeton University. They begin with the cataclysmic fall of the Washington Post and what it shows about Trump's power to demolish even the most powerful civic institutions. From there, they turn to the deportation effort, which seems to be running itself into the ground, and Trump's latest noises about election interference. They end with some measured but forceful optimism for American democracy in 2026.

]]><![CDATA[Cracks in the ICE]]>https://www.contrariannews.org/p/cracks-in-the-icehttps://www.contrariannews.org/p/cracks-in-the-iceMon, 02 Feb 2026 15:18:15 GMT

It was a tumultuous week on the streets and in the courts, with panelists Kristen Holmes, Juliette Kayyem, and Josh Marshall joining Harry to break it all down. ICE's reign of terror in Minnesota continues, even as top Trump officials sing a softer tune after nationwide outrage over the death of Alex Pretti. The panel marches through the latest fallout from Pretti's killing, as well as the newest attempts by the DOJ to advance Trump's agenda elsewhere, from the arrest of Don Lemon to the shocking raid on a Georgia election office.

]]><![CDATA["Are You F***ing Kidding Me?"]]>https://www.contrariannews.org/p/are-you-fing-kidding-mehttps://www.contrariannews.org/p/are-you-fing-kidding-meMon, 26 Jan 2026 15:30:47 GMT

As the killing of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis roils the country, Harry breaks down the fallout with Susan Glasser. Then, turning to the week's main discussion, three stellar journalists—Susan, Emily Bazelon, and Ruth Marcus—join Harry to break down Trump's assaults on the rule of law that made Pretti's death possible. From the corruption of the FBI and the carnage in Minnesota to Trump's escape from the prosecutions brought by Jack Smith, the trio engage in a wide-ranging discussion anchored in their in-depth reporting. Can the FBI withstand another year of Kash Patel's leadership? Is Jack Smith next on Trump's list of targets for reprisal? Finally, are the tragic events in Minnesota, as Susan says, Trump's most Trumpian accomplishment?

]]><![CDATA[Trauma and Terror in Minnesota]]>https://www.contrariannews.org/p/trauma-and-terror-in-minnesotahttps://www.contrariannews.org/p/trauma-and-terror-in-minnesotaTue, 20 Jan 2026 14:16:43 GMT

In our latest Contrarian episode, Norm Eisen, Katie Phang, and Jen Rubin join Harry for a deep dive on ICE’s rampage through Minnesota. The panel reviews the legal and political prospects for stopping what local leaders call a “federal invasion.” Can congressional Democrats restrain ICE? What about the broad-gauge lawsuit brought by Minnesota? Then the panel turns to whether the Administration has stepped on the third rail with its investigation of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, which Powell denounced as an obvious pretext for Trump’s crusade to control interest rates.

]]><![CDATA[Gasoline on the Fire]]>https://www.contrariannews.org/p/gasoline-on-the-firehttps://www.contrariannews.org/p/gasoline-on-the-fireMon, 12 Jan 2026 16:03:12 GMT

Guest host brings together former Senator Barbara Boxer, Norm Ornstein, and Stuart Stevens to break down the Trump administration’s mounting aggression, at home and abroad. The four talk through the shocking killing of Renee Good in Minnesota and the fallout from the toppling of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Then, they dig into a deeper story: how congressional Republicans became the devoted, crucial enablers of Trump’s worst impulses.

]]><![CDATA[Military Madness]]>https://www.contrariannews.org/p/military-madnesshttps://www.contrariannews.org/p/military-madnessMon, 29 Dec 2025 15:29:54 GMT

Talking Feds closes out 2025 with a close look at the institutional damage and lawlessness Trump has imposed on an essential arm of the U.S. government: the Department of Defense. CNN’s Natasha Bertrand, the Washington Post’s Alex Horton, and retired Major General Steven J. Lepper take Harry inside a Pentagon transformed by cowboy-in-chief Pete Hegseth. Why is the U.S. blowing up boats near Latin America? Did Hegseth oversee a war crime in the Caribbean? And what are the potential domestic dangers of the legal reasoning powering Trump’s new uses of the military?

]]><![CDATA[The [REDACTED] Files]]>https://www.contrariannews.org/p/the-redacted-fileshttps://www.contrariannews.org/p/the-redacted-filesMon, 22 Dec 2025 15:55:59 GMT

As the Department of Justice slow-walks an over-redacted release of its files on Jeffrey Epstein, convenes CNN’s Aaron Blake, former Senator Heidi Heitkamp, and NOTUS White House correspondent Jasmine Wright to analyze the administration’s ham-handed noncompliance. The trio also dig into Vanity Fair’s explosive revelations about the White House and Trump’s top aide Susie Wiles. They close by considering the administration’s escalations in the Caribbean and the real motives behind them. And, late in the episode, Harry offers a reflection on Rob Reiner’s passing.

]]><![CDATA[Dents in the Armor]]>https://www.contrariannews.org/p/dents-in-the-armorhttps://www.contrariannews.org/p/dents-in-the-armorMon, 15 Dec 2025 15:38:25 GMT

In this latest Talking Feds episode, Harry talks to Alisyn Camerota, David French, and Jonathan Lemire about whether President Donald Trump is finally losing his grip on the Republican Party. Why couldn’t Trump convince Indiana Republicans to back his gerrymander scheme for the state? Have his famed rallies have lost their political magic? And can the president overcome deepening scrutiny of his aggressive military moves in the Caribbean and far-fetched legal maneuvers in the courts?

]]><![CDATA[Indict, Strike, Repeat]]>https://www.contrariannews.org/p/indict-strike-repeathttps://www.contrariannews.org/p/indict-strike-repeatMon, 08 Dec 2025 14:59:06 GMT

On this week’s Talking Feds, turns to , , and Jacob Weisberg to delve into the DOJ’s latest humiliations, the furor over strikes in the Caribbean, and Trump’s racist outbursts. What will it take for Attorney General Pam Bondi to give up the case against Letitia James? Did Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth oversee a criminal missile attack, in addition to risking troops with his Signal messages? And why are Trump’s immigration crackdown and hate-filled outbursts prompting so little pushback?

]]><![CDATA[Halligan, Bondi, and Other Turkeys]]>https://www.contrariannews.org/p/halligan-bondi-and-other-turkeyshttps://www.contrariannews.org/p/halligan-bondi-and-other-turkeysMon, 01 Dec 2025 16:03:24 GMT

For his latest periodic deep dive on the Department of Justice, talks to DOJ veterans Paul Fishman and Amy Jeffress as well as reporter Anna Bower to assess an institution that looks to be coming apart at the seams. The panel digs into the political and legal flashpoints facing the Department, including its response to the embarrassing dismissals of the prosecutions against James Comey and Letitia James, the revival of possible contempt sanctions against the department, and the prospect that Pam Bondi may act as Trump’s firewall for the Epstein files.

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