Printer? I Hardly Know Her!

August 18, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

On the August 17 episode of Pod Save America, the hosts covered a deteriorating foreign policy landscape, a president distracted by personal grievances and ballroom construction, and a Senate map that offers Democrats real hope if they can navigate a minefield of local dynamics. The dominant theme is a commander-in-chief who has no strategy for the war he started, no patience for allies who won't help him with it, and no apparent interest in the well-being of the service members fighting it.

Iran's Strategy vs. Trump's "Strategy of Nothing"

The 60-day ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran expired having produced zero diplomatic progress. The Wall Street Journal reported that intercepted communications show Iran used those two months to prepare for a "bigger, longer war," churning out more missiles and drones. Five Americans were killed during the supposed ceasefire. Trump, meanwhile, has used the period to pretend the war wasn't happening. On Monday, he told Fox News he was considering "bombing the shit out of Oman" for not cooperating, and in an Oval Office press availability, floated the idea of declaring the Strait of Hormuz a U.S. territory. "We control it with a blockade," he claimed, even though the strait is not open and the U.S. does not control it.

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What you'll learn

1 Printer? I Hardly Know Her! — Pod Save America
2 (02:37) **Show Open & Iran Ceasefire Expiration** - The hosts introduce the episode's main topics: the expired Iran ceasefire, Trump's foreign policy, and Senate race updates.
3 (05:35) **Trump's Oval Office Press Availability on Iran** - Trump elaborates on his Iran strategy, including declaring the Strait of Hormuz a U.S. territory.
4 (07:11) **Iran's Strategy vs. Trump's "Strategy of Nothing"** - The hosts analyze Iran's deliberate preparations and Trump's lack of a coherent plan.
5 (11:32) **Trump Cuts Joint Military Exercises with South Korea** - Trump confirms scaling back drills, revealing his real grievance: South Korea refused to help with the Iran war.
6 (16:50) **USS Abraham Lincoln's Horrific Deployment** - The aircraft carrier has been at sea for over 250 days with no port call in 200 days, causing severe morale and mental health issues.
7 (24:40) **John Osoff's Attack on Trump and the "Natalie" Comment** - Osoff goes viral for saying Trump only wants to "travel with Natalie" instead of doing his job, referencing aide Natalie Harp.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Tommy Vietor Jon Favreau

Show Notes

Jon Ossoff attacks Trump for sidestepping his duties to "travel with Natalie," the White House aide known as Trump's "Human Printer," who has a suspiciously close relationship to the president.

Jon, Tommy, and Lovett discuss the new line of attack and the president's response, the end of the 60-day cease-fire agreement with Iran, Trump's decision to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea, and his reaction to the horrible conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln.

Then, they check in on the fight to take back the Senate, Ken Paxton stealing a $1,000 pen, Mary Peltola rejecting Kamala Harris's endorsement, and a new poll in Michigan that has Abdul El-Sayed down four points to Mike Rogers.

Then, Brian Poindexter, a union ironworker, talks to Tommy about his campaign to unseat disgraced congressman Max Miller of Ohio.

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