The Bullshitter in Chief: SOTU Edition (with Frank Bruni, Joanne Freeman, & Jonah Goldberg)

President Trump just delivered the longest address to Congress in recent history. What did we learn? Preet is joined by Yale history professor Joanne Freeman, columnist Frank Bruni, and political commentator Jonah Goldberg to discuss the actual state of our union.  Plus, what exactly is the “unitary executive theory”? You can now watch this episode! Head to CAFE’s Youtube channel and subscribe.  Show notes and a transcript of the episode are available on our website. Have a question for Preet? Ask @PreetBharara on Threads, or Twitter with the hashtag #AskPreet. Email us at [email protected], or call 833-997-7338 to leave a voicemail. Stay Tuned with Preet is brought to you by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In an excerpt from the CAFE Insider podcast, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance break down the legal challenges to DOGE’s controversial initiatives. Should DOGE’s actions be suspended while litigation continues? And how have federal judges questioned Elon Musk’s official role in DOGE?   In the full episode, Preet and Joyce discuss:  – The resignation of New York’s top FBI official after he resisted President Trump’s effort to purge his office; – DOJ’s pushback against the interim D.C. U.S. Attorney’s reported efforts to open an investigation into comments made by Senator Chuck Schumer about Supreme Court justices; and – Concerns that the Trump administration might defy court orders. CAFE Insiders click HERE to listen to the full analysis. To become a member of CAFE Insider head to cafe.com/insider. You’ll get access to full episodes of the podcast and other exclusive content. Subscribe to our YouTube channel. This podcast is brought to you by CAFE and Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Did the Supreme Court lay the legal foundation for mass incarceration? CAFE Contributor & NYU criminal law professor Rachel Barkow joins Preet to discuss this very question which she explores in her new book, Justice Abandoned: How the Supreme Court Ignored the Constitution and Enabled Mass Incarceration. You can now watch portions of our episodes on YouTube! Head to CAFE’s Youtube channel and subscribe.  Stay Tuned in Brief is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Please write to us with your thoughts and questions at [email protected], or leave a voicemail at 669-247-7338. For analysis of recent legal news, join the CAFE Insider community. Head to cafe.com/insider to join for just $1 for the first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mimi Rocah is the former District Attorney for Westchester County, and Preet’s former colleague at the Southern District of New York. She made national news when she announced her run for DA in 2019, and sent shockwaves through the legal community when she decided not to seek re-election last year.  She joins Preet to discuss her remarkable choice to step away, the political circumstances surrounding her decision, and why DA-ships across the country may be structurally unsound.   Then, Preet discusses the legacy—and threat—of patronage at the DOJ. You can now watch this episode! Head to CAFE’s Youtube channel and subscribe.  Show notes and a transcript of the episode are available on our website.  Have a question for Preet? Ask @PreetBharara on Threads, or Twitter with the hashtag #AskPreet. Email us at [email protected], or call 669-247-7338 to leave a voicemail. Stay Tuned with Preet is brought to you by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In an excerpt from the CAFE Insider podcast, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance break down President Donald Trump’s controversial appointment of conservative podcaster and former Fox News host Dan Bongino as Deputy Director of the FBI.  In the full episode, Preet and Joyce discuss:  – Trump’s nomination of Ed Martin, a former defense lawyer for January 6 defendants, as D.C. U.S. Attorney; and – DOGE initiatives causing uncertainty and confusion among federal employees, including an email requesting information about the work that staff completed the prior week. Joyce also analyzes a federal judge’s decision to adjourn New York City Mayor Eric Adams’s criminal fraud trial and appoint an independent attorney to argue against dismissal of the charges.  CAFE Insiders click HERE to listen to the full analysis. To become a member of CAFE Insider head to cafe.com/insider. You’ll get access to full episodes of the podcast and other exclusive content. Subscribe to our YouTube channel. This podcast is brought to you by CAFE and Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Three years after the start of the Russia-Ukraine war and one month into Donald Trump’s presidency, tensions between the two countries are escalating once again. President Trump recently spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the state of the war, notably excluding Ukraine from the conversation. Host of MSNBC’s “The Saturday/Sunday Show” Jonathan Capehart and The New Yorker staff writer Susan Glasser join Preet to discuss. You can now watch portions of our episodes! Head to CAFE’s Youtube channel and subscribe.  Stay Tuned in Brief is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Please write to us with your thoughts and questions at [email protected], or leave a voicemail at 669-247-7338. For analysis of recent legal news, join the CAFE Insider community. Head to cafe.com/insider to join for just $1 for the first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michael Sandel is a professor of political philosophy at Harvard University. He’s also the author of several publications, including his latest, Equality: What It Means and Why It Matters. Sandel joins Preet to discuss what human nature can tell us about our government, how higher education can foster free expression, and dealing with moral disagreements in our politics. You can now watch this episode! Head to CAFE’s Youtube channel and subscribe.  Show notes and a transcript of the episode are available on our website.  Have a question for Preet? Ask @PreetBharara on Threads, or Twitter with the hashtag #AskPreet. Email us at [email protected], or call 669-247-7338 to leave a voicemail. Stay Tuned with Preet is brought to you by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is the Trump Justice Department establishing a precedent that those who promote the administration’s agenda can evade criminal accountability?  In an excerpt from the CAFE Insider podcast, Joyce Vance and CAFE Contributor Elie Honig, former SDNY Assistant U.S. Attorney, break down the alleged quid pro quo between the Trump administration and NYC Mayor Eric Adams.  In a recent letter, former interim SDNY U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon accused acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove of seeking dismissal of the Adams case to further President Trump’s hardline immigration policies. In the full episode, Joyce and Elie further discuss the turmoil at DOJ stemming from the Adams case: – The resignations of Sassoon, Assistant U.S. Attorney Hagan Scotten, and leaders of DOJ’s public integrity unit after they refused to comply with Bove’s demands; and – The procedure for federal prosecutors to seek dismissal of criminal charges and the upcoming court hearing on the Adams dismissal request. CAFE Insiders click HERE to listen to the full analysis. To become a member of CAFE Insider head to cafe.com/insider. You’ll get access to full episodes of the podcast and other exclusive content. Subscribe to our YouTube channel. This podcast is brought to you by CAFE and Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Does human nature push us towards democracy or autocracy? Renowned political scientist Francis Fukuyama, author of The End of History and The Last Man, joins Preet to discuss attacks on the civil service, the crisis of trust in America, and where history is now headed.  Then, Preet answers questions about the iconic “Princess Bride,” his transition from the U.S. Attorneys Office to the Senate Judiciary Committee, and whether we’re in the midst of a constitutional crisis. You can now watch this episode! Head to CAFE’s Youtube channel and subscribe.  Show notes and a transcript of the episode are available on our website.  Have a question for Preet? Ask @PreetBharara on Threads, or Twitter with the hashtag #AskPreet. Email us at [email protected], or call 669-247-7338 to leave a voicemail. Stay Tuned with Preet is brought to you by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How are federal judges reining in President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency? In an excerpt from the CAFE Insider podcast, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance break down the legal challenges to DOGE’s initiatives.  In the full episode, Preet and Joyce discuss:  – The Trump White House policy loosening guidelines that limited communications with DOJ prosecutors about specific cases; and – The memos issued by Attorney General Pam Bondi outlining DOJ’s priorities, as set by President Donald Trump.  CAFE Insiders click HERE to listen to the full analysis. To become a member of CAFE Insider head to cafe.com/insider. You’ll get access to full episodes of the podcast and other exclusive content. Subscribe to our YouTube channel. This podcast is brought to you by CAFE and Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices