Episode summary
Host Dave Rubin covers the sudden death of South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham at age 71, just hours after returning from Ukraine where he pushed for additional Russian sanctions against the backdrop of ongoing U.S.-Iran military conflict. Graham, who died from aortic dissection, had spoken with President Trump shortly before his death about the SAVE Act, appearing completely healthy the day prior. Trump called Graham's defense of Brett Kavanaugh during confirmation hearings one of the top moments in Senate history and mourned the loss of a loyal friend. The episode examines suspicious timing given Graham's foreign policy activism and recent targeting at Khomeini's funeral. Rubin also covers Minnesota Governor Tim Walz pardoning an illegal immigrant convicted of repeatedly sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl, preventing ICE deportation until federal authorities intervened. In New York, Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration attempted unauthorized contact with Iran's IRGC-linked UN ambassador, prompting State Department intervention. The Trump administration announced formal designation of Antifa as a terrorist organization with international coordination. Mamdani also released an immigrant enclave map erasing Little Italy, Jewish communities, and other historical neighborhoods while highlighting recent arrivals, sparking backlash from Italian-American residents. The show discusses ongoing Iran strikes after Tehran violated a temporary ceasefire agreement, Mitch McConnell's continued absence from the Senate with questions about his health and his wife's China trip during his hospitalization, and Democratic positioning for the 2028 presidential race.
