In this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck breaks down the mounting political fallout from a string of fatal and controversial shootings by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, including the killing of ICU nurse Alex Pretti—an incident that has sparked protests, outrage, and deep questions about federal law-enforcement use of force. Bystander video and independent analysis have sharply contradicted official claims that Pretti posed a threat, amplifying criticism from local officials and national figures alike while the Trump administration has scrambled to contain the damage by removing the Border Patrol commander and sending veteran immigration official Tom Homan to Minneapolis to calm tensions.
As Republicans in Congress publicly wrestle with how to respond—and some distance themselves from the administration’s actions—Chuck explores how Trump’s repeated emphasis on which voters supported him personally, rather than addressing the substance of the crisis, is complicating the situation politically. With Minneapolis emerging as a political disaster for Trump, the episode also looks at how Trump’s handling of Kristi Noem and broader GOP infighting could create openings for Democrats, especially as concern grows over civil liberties, federal overreach, and the credibility of government narratives in the face of widespread skepticism and media scrutiny.
Finally, Chuck updates his ToddCast Top 5 governor’s seats most likely to flip in 2026, weighs in on the massive looming cuts to the staff at the Washington Post and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.
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Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction
01:00 Trump attends Iowa event with “affordability message”
01:45 Trump begins to try to walk back from chaos in Minneapolis
02:30 Greg Bovino removed from border patrol role in Minneapolis
03:15 Trump keeps highlighting that Renee Good’s parents voted for him
04:15 Trump sent Tom Homan to Minneapolis to try & calm things down
05:30 Republicans in congress speak out after killing of Alex Pretti
06:30 Trump signals support for Kristi Noem, but could change his mind
07:30 Resentment from Senate R’s over some cabinet secretaries
09:15 Political infighting could become contagious but Trump will back Miller
11:00 Trump is playing political cleanup, but not firing Noem is a mistake
13:00 Not firing Noem would be a political gift for Democrats
14:00 Trump’s trade policy is creating trade deals for other countries, not us
14:45 Minneapolis creates permission slip for Republicans to distance themselves
15:15 Trump’s stop in Iowa was supposed to be a pivot
16:15 Consumer confidence shows the public behaving like it’s a recession
17:00 Consumer confidence lowest since 2014, worse than during pandemic
18:00 Public doubts the job market & job security
20:00 Trump claims inflation is over, that’s not what the public is feeling
21:15 Iowa ranks 50th in nation for economic growth, worst since the 80’s
22:00 Tariffs have devastated Iowa farmers
23:30 If Iowa goes blue, Democrats will win the house and senate
24:15 Trump’s policies have hurt Iowa more than other states
25:00 Trump’s economic message isn’t resonating
26:00 Trump really messed up his gun politics
27:30 Trump will throw anybody under the bus to protect himself
34:45 ToddCast Top 5 governor’s seats most likely to flip
36:00 #1 Kansas
37:45 #2 Iowa
40:00 #3 Michigan
42:15 #4 Arizona #5 Nevada
44:30 The Washington Post announces major cuts to staff
45:15 Hard to understand what Bezos’s vision is for the Post
47:00 How can you be a local paper & not cover the community?
48:15 Post is losing $100m/year but Bezos’s burns tons of cash
48:45 Amazon set $75 million on fire for the Melania documentary
50:30 If Bezos wanted the Post to succeed he could have invested in it
52:45 Bezos should sell the Post rather than gutting it
54:45 The Post editorial page has been diminished under Bezos
56:30 Hopefully Bezos changes course
57:30 Ask Chuck
57:45 How long will this dark period of American history last?
1:04:00 At what point does a blatant lie from a politician qualify as fraud?
1:06:30 Chance that an Ossoff win could catapult him to nomination?
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The Chuck ToddCast