It's One Ballroom, Donald, How Much Could It Cost?

It's One Ballroom, Donald, How Much Could It Cost?

From Pod Save America by karen Bautista

May 8, 2026 · 1h 38m · Episode 1158

About this episode

The episode discusses Republican spending on Trump's ballroom, gas prices, and features an interview with Tom Steyer about his gubernatorial campaign in California.

Congressional Republicans plan to spend $1 billion in taxpayer money on Trump's ballroom, claiming the money is necessary for "security" — and creating a huge political problem for themselves. The president and his cabinet make a show of ignoring the pain Americans are feeling at the gas pump, as the US and Iran circle around an underwhelming peace deal. JD Vance's 2028 stock slides as Republican voters turn their attention to Marco Rubio. Dan and Jon discuss the latest, including how Democrats should respond to a new wave of Republican gerrymandering in the South and a new report from The Atlantic that Kash Patel has been handing out personalized bottles of bourbon while on the job. Then, Tom Steyer stops by the studio to talk to Lovett about his race for California governor.

People in this episode

Hosts: Dan, Jon

Guest: Tom Steyer

Topics covered

  • political spending
  • Republican gerrymandering
  • California governor race
  • Trump administration
  • US-Iran relations
  • gas prices
  • 2028 election

Keywords

  • Trump
  • ballroom
  • Republicans
  • gerrymandering
  • Tom Steyer
  • California
  • gas prices
  • Kash Patel
  • 2028 election

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Congressional Republicans, Trump, The Atlantic

Places: California, US, Iran

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