Kristi Noem Scandal Explodes, DC Gossip Goes Full Housewives and Our April Fool’s Fail

It’s Meghan’s first week back and we accidentally kicked things off by convincing everyone Miranda was leaving the show. She’s not. We’re sorry. Kind of. Then we get into the scandal everyone is talking about. The alleged situation involving Kristi Noem’s husband has taken over the internet. While we are not here to kink-shame, we are asking serious questions about hypocrisy, judgment, and national security risks when personal behavior collides with public power. We’re joined by Capitol Hill reporter Juliegrace Brufke, who brings the tea from inside Washington, where politics is starting to look a lot more like reality TV. From rumored affairs and DC “honeypots” to why members of Congress might not pass their own security clearances, nothing is off limits. We also break down: The Kristi Noem controversy and what actually matters Why DC is becoming “Real Housewives” with legislation Ongoing scandals involving figures like Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Sanford TMZ entering the political gossip space A wild round of “Spill Without Getting Sued” Plus Bravo drama, Jen Shah updates, and why Miranda might now be open to her return. As always, we wrap with your questions, including motherhood chaos, reality TV scandals, and what happens when politics and pop culture fully collide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meghan McCain is back from maternity leave and officially returns to Citizen McCain with Miranda Wilkins and guest S.E. Cupp for a wide-ranging conversation on everything she missed and everything that somehow got even crazier while she was gone. Meghan shares what life has been like after welcoming baby Ransom, why returning from maternity leave feels like being shot out of a cannon, and why she is grateful for the time and support to be home with her family. Then the show dives into the biggest headlines, including rising anxiety over Iran, mixed messaging from the Trump administration, Lindsey Graham’s war talk, and why so many Americans still feel confused about what the actual strategy is. Also in this episode: Kristi Noem’s exit from DHS and the chaos around her firing Airport shutdown fallout, TSA line nightmares and what that means for summer travel The increasingly absurd conservative podcast wars Why Meghan, Miranda and S.E. feel politically homeless in today’s climate A quick detour into Bravo, Ryan Murphy, political sex scandals and why none of this feels normal anymore Meghan is back, the group chat energy is restored, and the chaos is very much still here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Miranda Wilkins is joined by Seena Ghaznavi and Yemisi Egbewole for a packed episode, including the official return date for Meghan McCain. We break down the airport chaos happening across the country, from massive TSA delays to government shutdown fallout, and what it could mean for summer travel. Then we get into rising tensions with Iran, conflicting messaging from the Trump administration, and what may actually be happening behind the scenes. Plus: Afroman wins his lawsuit in a major First Amendment case A reality TV scandal shakes up The Bachelorette A deep dive into the “manosphere” and the influencers targeting young men And yes, Miranda shares her airport conspiracy theory. Meghan McCain returns Monday, March 30, and the show goes back to two episodes a week. Many thanks to our advertiser, QUINCE! Use code "MCCAIN" to get free shipping and 365-day returns. https://www.quince.com/mccain #ad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Miranda Wilkins fills in for Meghan McCain and dives into Joe Kent’s resignation, the growing MAGA divide over Iran, and what it says about where Trump’s coalition is headed next. She’s joined by Billy Binion of Reason and Lydia Moynihan of the New York Post to break down the messy messaging around Iran, the fractures inside the America First movement, and why some of Trump’s loudest supporters suddenly seem a whole lot less aligned. They also get into the bizarre Megyn Kelly-Mark Levin feud, the Timothée Chalamet opera uproar, DOGE’s underwhelming legacy, and why the internet keeps serving up conspiracy theories, Bigfoot sightings, and general end-of-days energy leaving Miranda asking, "are we okay?" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Miranda Wilkins is filling in while Meghan McCain is still out on maternity leave, and this week she’s joined by Ryan Girdusky and Yemisi Egbewole to break down the chaos coming out of Iran, the White House’s wildly mixed messaging, and why so many voters still have no idea what the actual endgame is. They get into the growing divide inside the MAGA coalition over military action, why Marco Rubio suddenly looks like the most visible person in the administration, and whether JD Vance is actually the heir apparent or just the guy with the title. Then they dive into Kristi Noem’s very obvious not-a-promotion, the absurd DHS spending questions that helped tank her, and why her whole tenure felt more like cosplay than governing. They also touch on the latest Epstein mess, Bill Clinton being Bill Clinton, and wrap with a little palate cleanser courtesy of Sweet Brown, because truly, ain’t nobody got time for that. Many thanks to our advertiser, QUINCE! Use code "MCCAIN" to get free shipping and 365-day returns. https://www.quince.com/mccain #ad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Miranda Wilkins is filling in while Meghan McCain remains out on maternity leave, and she’s joined by Mo Kelly and Daily Mail Chief Campaign Correspondent Nikki Schwab to break down a chaotic week in politics. They start with the confusing messaging around the U.S. strikes on Iran. Officials say the threat was imminent, but the administration still hasn’t clearly explained the endgame. The panel discusses the political risks if the conflict drags on, the split reaction among voters, and whether the White House is intentionally keeping its strategy vague. Next, they dig into the wild results from the Texas primaries. Dan Crenshaw is out, Tony Gonzalez heads to a runoff despite major scandal, and the Democratic race between James Tallarico and Jasmine Crockett reveals a lot about where both parties’ bases are heading as the midterms approach. Finally, they tackle the latest twists in the Epstein investigation. Newly circulating deposition clips from Bill Clinton, congressional leaks, and a chaotic rollout of documents have raised even more questions about whether the investigation will produce real accountability. And because the internet always delivers a bizarre moment of comic relief, the show wraps with the funniest corporate feud of the week: Burger King trolling McDonald’s after the company’s CEO posted a painfully awkward burger taste test video. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Okay, so President Trump spoke for basically two business days, and Miranda, Ben Ferguson, and Salena Zito are here to translate what mattered and what was just… noise. They hit the economy, tariffs, taxes, housing, healthcare, and whether any of this is going to change what you feel at the grocery store next week. Then it gets spicy: the Olympics discourse spiral, why people are over politics infecting everything, and the right's very messy civil war over Candace Owens. Also, Miranda may or may not have accidentally taken out Karen Bass with a cold. Allegedly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This one is a ride. Miranda's joined by Billy Binion and Yemisi Egbewole and they go from missing person media frenzy to 2028 tryouts in Munich to RFK Jr. and Kid Rock in a cold plunge... in jeans, for some reason. They break down why Savannah Guthrie's mom's disappearance is getting wall-to-wall coverage, why the internet detective thing usually makes everything worse, and how certain cases get attention while others get ignored. Then they pivot to Dems basically starting 2028 early, including AOC's viral moments, her fight with the New York Times, and who actually has a shot. Finally, they react to the MAHA ad that feels like a fever dream and ask the obvious question: who is this even for? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Miranda hosts solo while Meghan remains on maternity leave, joined by Mo Kelly and Kristen “Colonel Kurtz” Lacefield for a wide ranging conversation about power, trust, and the chaos cycle dominating the news. They break down the massive Epstein document release and what millions of pages actually tell us about elite accountability, public transparency, and why powerful people rarely face consequences. The discussion turns to outrage fatigue, conspiracy spirals, and whether constant information drops are making Americans informed or simply exhausted. Then the panel tackles the escalating situation in Minneapolis, ICE enforcement tactics, civil liberties concerns, and how immigration politics collide with public perception. They also dig into new polling showing economic anxiety shaping voter attitudes ahead of the midterms and why perception often matters more than the data. To close, the mood lightens with the coming Super Bowl culture clash, from Bad Bunny and Green Day to the rival conservative halftime event and why entertainment has become inseparable from politics. It is a conversation about power, media, and the modern American attention span. Many thanks to our advertiser, QUINCE! Use code "MCCAIN" to get free shipping and 365-day returns.  #ad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Miranda hosts solo while Meghan is out on maternity leave, joined by Ben Ferguson and Christine Rosen for a wide-ranging and intense breakdown of one of the most chaotic political weeks yet. The panel dives into the fallout from violent incidents involving ICE and Border Patrol in Minnesota, the leadership scramble inside DHS, Stephen Miller and Kristi Noem pointing fingers, and why Republican trust in ICE just dropped eight points in two weeks. They debate whether this is a messaging failure, a tactics failure, or both, and what it means for the administration moving forward. The conversation then turns to rising political violence after Rep. Ilhan Omar was sprayed at a town hall and other recent attacks on public officials. The group discusses security failures, online radicalization, social media outrage culture, and why politicians across parties are becoming increasingly vulnerable targets. Finally, they shift to the looming Big Tech trial, where Meta and other platforms face lawsuits over alleged harm to children. Miranda, Ben, and Christine unpack what the case could mean for social media regulation, parental responsibility, algorithm design, and whether Silicon Valley can actually be held accountable. It’s a raw, unscripted conversation about institutional trust, digital addiction, political extremism, and the growing consequences of a hyper-online culture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices