Pod Save America The Worst Way to Spend $200 Billion
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Mar 20, 2026 
Juliana Stratton, Illinois lieutenant governor and Democratic Senate nominee, joins for a sharp conversation after her primary win. They dig into the Pentagon’s $200 billion ask for Trump’s Iran war, the risk of rising gas and food costs, chaotic Capitol Hill hearings, AIPAC’s role in Illinois primaries, Trump’s gold coin grift, and Stratton’s blunt anti-Trump campaign message.
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The War Hurts Republicans More Than It Fires Them Up
- Pfeiffer says the politics are dangerous for Republicans because the war depresses GOP enthusiasm more than it excites the base.
- He notes strong disapproval runs about double strong approval, while gas prices and inflation make the issue worse for independents.
The $200 Billion Ask Is a War Authorization Vote
- Favreau and Pfeiffer frame the Pentagon's extra $200 billion request as a de facto vote to authorize Trump's war.
- Favreau contrasts the cost with free school lunches for five years, six years of ACA subsidies, or nearly eliminating U.S. medical debt.
Joe Kent's Exit Turns the Imminent Threat Claim Into a Scandal
- Joe Kent's resignation matters because it undercuts Trump's claim that Iran posed an imminent threat.
- Pfeiffer says two senior intelligence officials contradicted the president's stated reason for war, which should be treated as a major scandal.