The Precap | Desi Lydic on White House Construction Grift and Business Casual Rebels

Desi Lydic breaks down Trump’s trip to Japan, which included a shockingly firm handshake from new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, decadent gifts to win the president’s heart, and a quick survey for the U.S. Navy about magnets. Plus, Troy Iwata is pretty sure Trump's embarrassing antics in Tokyo are the worst things America has ever done to Japan. Grammy Award-winning musician Lucy Dacus joins Desi Lydic to discuss “Forever Is a Feeling: The Archives,” an expanded edition of her latest record, which has been called the “most romantic album of 2025.” They talk about what makes a good love song, why writing this music felt like therapy, whether fame has impacted her creative process, and how her song “Best Guest” inspired her to get ordained and perform weddings on tour at a time when the Trump administration is threatening LGBTQ+ unions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After Trump echoes a complaint that he's unappreciated by Americans for his "sacrifices," Jon Stewart looks at all the things the president has accomplished without getting proper recognition, like going against protocol to tear down the East Wing of the White House for an ostentatious ballroom, or blowing up Venezuelan boats without due process. Jon also takes a look at the Republicans properly eating s**t for the president and determines that a third term is the only appropriate show of gratitude for this poor little billionaire. New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani sits down with Jon Stewart to discuss building a campaign on delivering politics that “aspire for more than what you’re living through,” ensuring his tax plans aren’t just popular but precedented, taking safety beyond the NYPD to job and housing security, reaching the hearts of young voters with inviting rhetoric, and whether the days of endorsements deciding elections have come to an end. To get simple, online access to personalized, affordable care for ED, Hair Loss, Weight Loss, and more, visit http://hims.com/dailyshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week's host Desi Lydic joins Daily Show writer Kat Radley to preview the week to come, and recap the best recent headlines. They dig in to the White House East Wing demolition, Trump's demand for $230 million for... reasons, New York's polka-dotted resistance to ICE, Elizabeth Warren's C-word slip, and Kim Kardashian's social anxiety approved fashion statement. They also lay down their predictions for World's Sexiest Man, and look forward to some deliciously tainted Argentinian beef imports. To get simple, online access to personalized, affordable care for ED, Hair Loss, Weight Loss, and more, visit http://hims.com/dailyshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Completely normal, and unproblematic, that's what you'd say about these former mayors of New York City! As we anticipate the election of a new mayor, relive the old days with these Jon Stewart and Trevor Noah interviews of Rudy Giuliani, Michael Bloomberg, and Bill de Blasio, and Eric Adams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Like and subscribe and don't stop doomscrolling while you listen to The Daily Show tackle the scourge of social media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michael Kosta dives into the alleged involvement of Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat star Terry Rozier in illegal gambling schemes. Plus, Donald Trump continues to defend the construction of his mega-sized White House ballroom as he fully demolishes the East Wing. And Josh Johnson thanks the contractor-in-chief on behalf of waltz-loving podcast bros everywhere. Jordan Klepper dives into "Fox & Friends" co-host Lawrence Jones, who is breaking the mold as a Black libertarian at a conservative, white-centric network. However, Jones’s unusual interview skills and angry MAGA undertones suggest he really is one of them. Jeff Tweedy, Grammy award-winning frontman of the band Wilco and bestselling author, sits down with Michael to discuss his new solo album, “Twilight Override,” named to evoke his feeling of getting older and watching a world that “appears to be getting darker.” Tweedy also discusses why he’s glad to have spent his formative years as a musician in the midwest, his theory that repressed trauma after Covid is one cause of present-day chaos, and the need for everyone to spend less time on their phones and more time with people who love them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While thousands of government employees are working without pay during the ongoing government shutdown, Donald Trump is squeezing $230 million from the Department of Justice as compensation for the "damage" of being federally investigated. Michael Kosta breaks down the conflict of interest that's so bad, it even has legal experts saying "duh," and Troy Iwata gives a peek into what new grifts the president is cooking up in his corruption lab. Protein is everywhere now: Doritos, ice cream, cereal, air. Lewis Black takes a look at the new health craze tricking Americans into thinking they can have their protein-filled cake and eat it too, and asks what could happen if you consume too much protein (hint: it involves s**tting your pants). Ryan Holiday, creator of “Daily Stoic” and author of "Wisdom Takes Work," sits down with Michael to discuss teaching children Stoicism by example, how wisdom calibrates courage, discipline, and justice, the difference between schooling and true education, and the spectrum of Stoicism in public figures from Abraham Lincoln to Elon Musk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michael Kosta checks in on Trump's latest White House makeover, which includes demolishing the First Lady's quarters to build a gigantic ballroom in the East Wing. Plus, while a Democrat apologizes for problematic Reddit posts, Trump's nominee for special counsel blames his pro-Nazi text messages on AI, and Ronny Chieng teaches politicians how to get away with racism. From Fox News to Trump, everyone on the Right is calling NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani a "communist.” Desi Lydic sits down with Joe Sims, the co-chair of the Communist Party USA, to discuss how we’re using the C-word all wrong. Catherine Bracy, author of “World Eaters: How Venture Capital is Cannibalizing the Economy,” talks to Michael about the evolution of venture capital, from its origin as a mid-20th-century funding solution for risky companies with big potential for technological advancement, to the harmful economic backbone of the tech industry it has become today. She describes how the investment structure of venture capital pressures companies to “move fast and break things,” has made for a tech industry that prioritizes investors, often at the expense of consumers, how that model has festered into other corners of the economy, including housing, and how the organization she co-founded, TechEquity, is working to put guardrails on Silicon Valley to ensure that tech benefits everyone, not just a few people at the top. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jon Stewart examines the "No Kings" protests that failed to meet Fox News’s violent expectations, why Trump fits the mold of a gold-smeared monarch, and how even the Declaration of Independence foreshadowed Trump’s king-ish antics. “It’s got to be a bottom-on-up revolution, not a top-down.” Senator Bernie Sanders sits down with Jon to discuss his latest book, "Fight Oligarchy." They talk about harnessing the energy of the "No Kings" rallies to build a clear vision for the Democratic party, prioritizing universal healthcare and affordable housing expansion, how Trump has embraced some socialist policies, the danger of corporations and oligarchs regulating the government, and making AI work for working people. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week's host Michael Kosta joins Daily Show writer Zach DiLanzo to break down all the news they missed, and preview the week to come. They dig into Trump's Nobel Peace Prize campaign fail, Time Magazine's unflattering flattery, the short deployment of overweight Texas National Guard troops, what to wear to a protest, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices