As the killing of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis roils the country, Harry breaks down the fallout with Susan Glasser. Then, turning to the week's main discussion, three stellar journalists—Susan, Emily Bazelon, and Ruth Marcus—join Harry to break down Trump's assaults on the rule of law that made Pretti's death possible. From the corruption of the FBI and the carnage in Minnesota to Trump's escape from the prosecutions brought by Jack Smith, the trio engage in a wide-ranging discussion anchored in their in-depth reporting. Can the FBI withstand another year of Kash Patel's leadership? Is Jack Smith next on Trump's list of targets for reprisal? Finally, are the tragic events in Minnesota, as Susan says, Trump's most Trumpian accomplishment?
Mentioned in this episode:
Harry's Substack on the aftermath of Alex Pretti's death: https://harrylitman.substack.com/p/congress-must-act-now
Susan's piece on Trump's actions in Minnesota: https://www.newyorker.com/news/letter-from-trumps-washington/the-minnesota-war-zone-is-trumps-most-trumpian-accomplishment
Emily's report on the FBI: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/01/22/magazine/trump-kash-patel-fbi-agents.html
Ruth's piece on Jack Smith: https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-lede/jack-smiths-closing-argument
Ruth's profile of Pam Bondi: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/08/25/pam-bondi-profile
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