Joe Rogan, Theo Von & More Are TURNING On Trump & ICE

What this episode is about

The discussion highlights growing disillusionment among conservatives regarding Trump's administration and the Department of Justice, particularly in relation to the challenges faced by ICE in complying with court orders. A Justice Department attorney expressed frustration over the agency's inefficiency, signaling a decline in interest for legal positions within the administration as recruitment efforts struggle to attract qualified lawyers who support Trump’s agenda.

Key takeaways

• If you think ICE compliance is tough, try getting a lawyer to respond — apparently, it's like pulling teeth.
• Once sought-after roles in the DOJ are now begging for legal minds on social media — a sign of desperate times.
• Turns out even Kid Rock can't help right-wingers compete with Bad Bunny at the Super Bowl; bring on the nostalgia!
• When artists cancel on Trump, it’s not just a snub — it’s a full-on revolt against authoritarian aesthetics.
• The Kennedy Center renovation plan? A monument to tastelessness, promising nightmares instead of culture — RIP artistic integrity.

Who speaks in this episode?

• Jon Lovett (Guest) · 11 min speaking

What is discussed, and when

1. 0:00 – 3:00: Donald Trump, J.D. Vance, Roger Als
2. 3:00 – 6:00: Philip Glass, Donald Trump, Issa Ray
3. 6:00 – 9:00: Simply Safe, Mint Mobile
4. 9:00 – 12:00: J.D. Vance, Roger Als
5. 12:00 – 15:00: J.D. Vance, Roger Als, Kate Blanch

Notable quotes from "Joe Rogan, Theo Von & More Are TURNING On Trump & ICE"

• I'm sorry. Not all of our jobs can be as fun as fondly reminiscing about serial sexual abuser Roger Als.

  about Roger Als · at 0:00

• A lawyer and are interested in becoming an A USA, that's an assistant US attorney, and support President Trump and anti-rime agenda, DM me.

  about Donald Trump · at 1:57

• There's one problem. Getting actual artists to go along with it. Major performers canled including Philip Glass and Issa Ray. Plus sales were anemic for all the replacement…

  about Philip Glass · at 5:17

• Still overpaying for wireless, be a good friend. Tell your friends about Mint Mobile. Stop paying way too much for wireless just because that's how it's always been. Mint…

  about Mint Mobile · at 6:47

• Security systems only take action after someone has already broken in. That's too late. Simply Safe's active guard outdoor protection can help prevent break-ins before they…

  about Simply Safe · at 8:15

• Like when would he have ever even come across it. Here is J. D. Vance laughing about that exchange later with Megan Kelly.

  about J.D. Vance · at 11:34

• US Deputy Attorney General and Trump's former personal lawyer, Todd Blanch, was asked about other alleged participants in Epstein's crimes on Fox News.

  about Kate Blanch · at 12:24

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

• Donald Trump — Person · Primary referenced political figure · 2 mentions · first at 2:01
  Central target of criticism across DOJ/ICE compliance, media dynamics, the Kennedy Center controversy, and the Epstein-files discussion.
• J.D. Vance — Person · Referenced political surrogate / commentator · 4 mentions · first at 0:07
  Used as an example of pro-Trump messaging shifting around the Epstein files and of normalizing sexist media tropes ("smile").
• Roger Als — Person · Referenced media figure (as alleged abuser) used for satire/critique · 3 mentions · first at 0:02
  Invoked as a symbol of sexist newsroom culture ("tell women to smile") and framed in the transcript as a serial sexual abuser.
• Kaitlan Collins — Person · Referenced journalist (questioner in Oval Office exchange) · 2 mentions
  Appears in a described confrontation where Trump attacks her and makes a sexist remark; later discussed by JD Vance as a 'perceptive' moment.
  You are the worst reporter. No wonder CNN has no ratings because of people like you. she's a young woman.
• Philip Glass — Person · Referenced artist (boycott/cancellation example) · 2 mentions · first at 5:21
  Cited as a major performer who pulled work from the Kennedy Center in protest of Trump administration values and influence.
• Kate Blanch — Person · Referenced government official / legal spokesperson · 1 mention · first at 12:26
  Presented as US Deputy Attorney General and Trump's former personal lawyer, commenting on potential prosecutions tied to Epstein.
• Issa Ray — Person · Referenced artist (boycott/cancellation example) · 1 mention · first at 5:23
  Mentioned as a major performer who canceled in the Kennedy Center context, illustrating resistance from prominent artists.
  Artists to go along with it. Major performers canled including Philip Glass and Issa Ray. Plus sales were anemic for all the replacement shows which included Angels in America.…

Sponsors

• Simply Safe — Product · Sponsor · 3 mentions · first at 7:58
  Advertised as a home security system offering peace of mind with AI-powered cameras and professional monitoring.
• Mint Mobile — Product · Sponsor · 2 mentions · first at 6:37
  Promoted as a cost-effective wireless service provider during the podcast.

Full transcript with timestamps

0:00 I'm sorry. Not all of our jobs can be as fun as fondly reminiscing about serial sexual abuser Roger Als. It's also like JD Vance is acting like Trump invented telling women to smile more, which is ridiculous. Roger Als invented that. Let's get into it. What a week. On Tuesday, a Justice Department attorney was in federal court to explain why ICE had repeatedly failed to comply with court orders. and she cracked, "Said the government's lawyer to the judge, I wish you would just hold me in contempt of court so I could get 24 hours of sleep."

0:40 Interesting. Do you think that they let ICE prosecutors get a good night's sleep in jail? When you think about it, the lawyer, Julie Lei, added, "The system sucks. This job sucks." She also told the judge that getting ICE to comply with court orders or even to respond to her messages was like pulling teeth. I have never in my life felt better about not going to law school. Have fun trying to get ICE to answer your increasingly desperate emails while you sniff the armpit of that Anne Klein blazer you've been wearing for 4 days.

1:14 I'm over here typing bunino into rhymeszone.com. The Justice Department has since removed Lei from her role in these cases. This isn't the kind of thing you can just come back from at ICE, like shooting a nurse. Totally correct. That's the right reaction. I think the joke is ethically sound. Your reaction was correct. We're all good. We're all good. We're going to move forward. There are so many openings at the Department of Justice that the administration is, and this is real, recruiting lawyers on social media, said an administration official, "If you are a lawyer and are interested in becoming an A USA, that's an assistant US attorney, and support President Trump and anti-rime agenda, DM me."

2:07 Boy, things at DOJ are pretty far gone. Thank you. Uh these used to be these used to be jobs that lawyers would line up for, but fewer and fewer people want to be associated with this administration. And that is true in the media as well. Many who welcome Trump on their shows barely a year ago for friendly hearings are turning on him like Andrew Schultz.

2:34 ICE murdered an American citizen in cold blood and then the Trump administration called him a domestic terrorist.

2:40 Yeah. Yeah. That's it. Yeah. Like plain and simple. Yeah. I see the administration trying to spin it. Um, and it's [ __ ] disgusting.

2:49 And you can tell he's sincere because he's dressed like a slam poet who's about to tell us what rhymes with regarded. Rogan, Tim Dylan, Theo von Schultz, all of them are turning on Trump.

3:05 You don't want militarized people in the streets just roaming around snatching people up, many of which turn out to actually be US citizens. They just don't have their papers on them. Are we really going to be the the Gestapo? Where's your papers? Is that what we've come to?

3:19 So when you do these random raids, you're going to provoke a lot of anger because this is barbarism.

3:24 Trump has an authoritarian energy. When I saw these last few weeks in Minnesota, I didn't think was possible to happen in the United States of America. They're trying to find ways around the system. And what that says to me when you're willing to shred the Constitution to preserve your it's not only your power, but your ideas of what should happen. It is incredibly unamerican.

3:41 It's very simple. Either we defeat the MAGA movement once and for all or every podcast will ultimately become Pod Save America. Your move, nation. The Pod Save Americas will continue until morale improves. Now, it's true in the broader culture as well. Right-wingers can try to counterprogram Bad Bunny and Green Day at the Super Bowl, but all they have is this. A Turning Point USA halftime show featuring Kid Rack and three people you have never heard of. No offense to Brantley Gilbert, who I am sure is one of the finest Brantleys working today.

4:22 And Gilbert's, I assume. How old is Kid Rock going to be, by the way, before he drops the kid? The only thing he looks like he's rocking these days is a stubborn case of planter fasciitis. And speaking of arch support, Trump is not only trying to build a big dumb monument to himself on a patch of grass in Virginia.

4:46 Yeah, that's right. Speaking of art support, come on. I'm just saying that was a We're going to probably edit this out because why am I like patting myself on the back for a transition bringing the show to a stop to be like I went from planner fasci artist to this with speaking of I mean that's that's beautiful. You should be you should be grateful to me. Don't do that. Don't don't encourage me. Uh and while he's going to build this arch, he's also trying to transform the Kennedy Center in his own image. But there's one problem. Getting actual artists to go along with it. Major performers canled including Philip Glass and Issa Ray. Plus sales were anemic for all the replacement shows which included Angels in America. Oops. All Roy Cones, Melania Live, Sunday in the Park with George Wallace, Ice on Ice, and the actual Book of Mormon and Cats.

5:50 Philip Glass, for his part, said he pulled his symphony because the Trump administration is in direct conflict with the values of his work. After all, Trump is bringing the country straight down, while Glass believes in just kind of going up a little and down a little and up a little and down a little. So, so Trump announced on Sunday he would shut down the Kennedy Center for 2 years for renovations. I'm sure though Trump has something tasteful in mind.

6:17 Uh, I'm not ripping it out. And I'll be using the steel. So, we're using the structure. We're using some of the marble. And some of the marble comes down.

6:25 RIP. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Fitting that you will be blown apart as the nation looks on in horror. Love or Leave It is brought to you by Mint Mobile. Every group has someone who insists on doing things the hard way. The one friend who's still paying for a subscription they forgot they had. The one who refuses to update their phone because it still works. When you're still overpaying for wireless, be a good friend. Tell your friends about Mint Mobile. Stop paying way too much for wireless just because that's how it's always been. Mint exists purely to fix that. Same coverage, same speed, just without the inflated price tag. The premium wireless you expect unlimited talk, text, and data, but at a fraction of what others charge. And for a limited time, get 50% off 3, 6, or 12 month plans of unlimited premium wireless.

7:06 Bring your own phone and number. Activate with eim and minutes. And start saving immediately. No long-term contracts. No hassle. With a 7-day money back guarantee, customer satisfaction ratings in the mid90s. Mint makes it easy to try and see why people don't go back. Our friend Nina from Vote Save America is always telling all of her friends about the money she saved since switching to Mint Mobile and how the wireless service and data speeds are just as good as her old provider. She came and told us in person, which was cool. Ready to stop paying more than you have to? New customers can make the switch today for a limited time. Get unlimited premium wireless for just $15 per month. Switch now at mintmobile.com/loit.

7:38 That's mintmobile.com/lovit. Upfront payment of $45 for the three months, $90 for the six-month, or $180 for the 12-month plan required, $15 per month, equivalent. Taxes and fees extra. Initial plan term only, over 50 gigabytes may slow when network is busy. Capable devices required. Availability, speed, and coverage varies. Additional terms apply. See mintmobile.com. Love it or leave it is brought to you by Simply Safe. Let's talk about something we all want. Peace of mind. For most, that starts with knowing your home and your loved ones are safe. That's why you can trust Simply Safe, the security system millions of Americans rely on to protect what matters most. And this month, I'm excited to share an exclusive offer with you. 50% off a new Simplysafe system when you order today. Traditional security systems only take action after someone has already broken in. That's too late. Simply Safe's active guard

8:20 outdoor protection can help prevent break-ins before they happen. AI powered cameras backed by live professional monitoring agents monitor your property and detect suspicious activity. If someone is lurking around or acting suspiciously, those agents see and talk to them in real time, activate spotlights, and even contact the police all before they have the chance to get inside your home. No long-term contracts or cancellation fees. Monitoring plans start affordably at around $1 per day. 60-day satisfaction guarantee or your money back. Named best home security systems by US News and World Report 5 years in a row. Ranked number one in customer service among home security providers by both Newsweek and USA Today. That was my experience. I set up a Simply Safe customer support was great. The app was great. So why wait?

8:55 Protect your home today and enjoy 50% off a new Simplysafe system with professional monitoring at simplysafe.com/loit. That's simply.com/loit. There is no safe like Simply Safe. And the Epstein files are a part of the story. Trump's great trick is advocating for the most powerful and entrenched interests on earth while acting as if he's some counterculture rebel. That's why he points RFK Jr. and Tulsi Galbbert, a [ __ ] you to the medical establishment, a [ __ ] you to the intelligence establishment. That's why he brings in Cash Patel and Dan Banchino assigned to the conspiracy theorist that he's on their side ready to hold the reptilians and aliens to account. Here's JD Vance two weeks before the election.

9:33 release the list. Seriously, we need to release the Epstein list. That that is an important thing. But once Trump came back to power, we went from Pam Bondi saying the Epstein client list was sitting on her desk to Cash Patel saying the Epstein client list didn't exist.

9:52 Who, if anyone, did Epstein traffic these young women to besides himself? Himself. There is no credible information. None. If there were, I would bring the case yesterday that he traffked to other individuals. And the information we have again is limited.

10:10 And now we know that that is just not true. Here is one sickening example of an email sent to Jeffrey Epstein by a person whose identity the Department of Justice is still protecting. It says, quote, "Thank you for a fun night. Your littlest girl was a little naughty." Better get this one to the crime lab cash. Might be worth sending this one to the boys at Quantico. Perhaps there's a serial killer, a diabolical genius, locked in a dungeon somewhere, and you can crack the case with the help of a sharp but untested rookie, beautiful perhaps, in a plain way to see if she might coax the mad men's help in unlocking this mystery. Or you could just remove the [ __ ] black bars from in front of the [ __ ] name.

10:54 Of course, we know why this shift happened once Ro Connor and Thomas Massie forced the release of the Epstein files. Trump is mentioned tens of thousands of times across 3,500 files, which is why Trump is so annoyed when the topic comes up. Like when Trump yelled at CNN's Caitlyn Collins for asking about Epstein's victims.

11:10 What would you say to the survivors? You are the worst reporter. No wonder CNN has no ratings because of people like you. You know, she's a young woman. I don't think I've ever seen you smile. I've known you for 10 years. I don't think I've ever seen a smile on your face.

11:26 You know why? You know why you're not smiling? cuz you know you're not telling the truth.

11:30 It's weird that Trump even knows that women can smile. Like when would he have ever even come across it. Here is J. D. Vance laughing about that exchange later with Megan Kelly.

11:43 There was a moment in the Oval Office. I wasn't even in there, but you know, I was in the West Wing and somebody sent me where he was talking to Caitlyn Collins. She she's asking a question. The president says, "Why don't you ever smile?"

11:53 Yeah. And it's actually like so perceptive. Every once in a while you have to smile. Roger Als used to tell us that. Every once in a while you can remember smile. Show the viewers that you have a heart.

12:02 Have some fun. I'm sorry. Not all of our jobs can be as fun as fondly reminiscing about serial sexual abuser Roger Als. It's also like JD Vance is acting like Trump invented telling women to smile more, which is ridiculous. Roger Als invented that. US Deputy Attorney General and Trump's former personal lawyer, Todd Blanch, was asked about other alleged participants in Epstein's crimes on Fox News.

12:32 Uh, is there any chance that any of these individuals who partied with Epstein and engaged in um uh you know, relations with minors will be prosecuted?

12:44 Any chance? We I'll never say no. And we will always investigate any evidence of misconduct, but as you know, it is not a crime to party with Mr. Epstein. And here's hoping a lot of these guys get to party with Epstein again real soon. Uh yeah,

13:04 Trump, for his part, is pretending to be bored with the whole thing. I think it's really time for the country to get onto something else, you know, now that nothing came out about me other than it was a conspiracy against me, literally by Epstein and other people.

13:19 Added Trump. We should put this thing to rest and all just agree I got away with it. Conspiracy by Epste. Walk me through the logic of how that works. Uh he was in on it. Pretty d I mean masterful plan. We don't suspect Epste of having put all this to work then died. Sort of strange strange conspiracy by Epstein. Of course, many of the people we've learned were connected with Epstein were not involved in Epstein's abuse of minors. But it does raise the question, why were so many wealthy and powerful and successful people drawn into Epstein's orbit? This is a disgraced financier, a registered sex offender. How does he become this connector and convenor and dispenser of favors at the core of it? Beneath the sophisticated dinners with fascinating guests, beneath the mansions and jets and aesthetic of respectability, beneath the money and all the ways it can insulate you from consequences. At the

14:16 core of all of it was the abuse and exploitation of children. That was the source of all the power he accumulated. And that is evil. But so is a culture in which someone could get away with it for so long. And so many powerful people, even those who are not necessarily part of any crime, never question their association with a monster, their moral responsibility. Why would it even come up? Trump was never a threat to this revolting, godless, cirridic elite. He is the living embodiment of it. A Trump presidency and all its cruelty and its carelessness and its depravity can only exist in a world where Jeffrey Epstein is possible. There are over 38,000 references to Trump in the Epstein Files. Now, some of those mentions may be duplicates and fakes, but still, it's a lot of mentions, especially when you consider that the target number of times to be mentioned in the Epstein Files is zero.

15:14 Compare that to me, the innocent John Lovevet, only mentioned once in a news roundup about an article I wrote for The Atlantic about the Republican party. And I just want to say, hey, whichever love it or leave it writer went to the Epstein files and searched my name. Okay, fine. Good.

15:54 It it or

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "Joe Rogan, Theo Von & More Are TURNING On Trump & ICE"?

Jon Lovett (Guest).

What is "Joe Rogan, Theo Von & More Are TURNING On Trump & ICE" about?

The discussion highlights growing disillusionment among conservatives regarding Trump's administration and the Department of Justice, particularly in relation to the challenges faced by ICE in complying with court orders. A Justice Department attorney expressed frustration over the agency's inefficiency, signaling a decline in interest for legal positions within the administration as recruitment…

What is mentioned in this Lovett or Leave It episode?

9 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Donald Trump, J.D. Vance, Roger Als, Kaitlan Collins, Philip Glass, Kate Blanch. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "Joe Rogan, Theo Von & More Are TURNING On Trump & ICE"?

The episode runs 16 min; the transcript is about 2,799 words in 37 timestamped sections.

More from Lovett or Leave It

• All analyzed episodes
• Books mentioned on Lovett or Leave It
• People mentioned on Lovett or Leave It
• Sponsors mentioned on Lovett or Leave It
• Topics mentioned on Lovett or Leave It