Dysfunction and instability are here to stay
Dysfunction and instability are here to stay  
Podcast: The David Pakman Show
Published On: Fri Aug 28 2026
Description: -- On the Show: -- Donald Trump is framing the midterms around himself, helping Democratic turnout and worrying Republicans who wanted local focus -- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is leaving without a designated replacement, rotating officials through briefings instead -- The Trump administration threatens to demolish the Kennedy Center after a court blocked adding Trump’s name to the building -- Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins blamed high beef prices on a Biden war on cattle while withholding import country details -- White House aide Natalie Harp gained top-level access to Donald Trump while operating over a year without a security clearance -- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appeared breathless on TV, comparing Iran sanctions to D-Day and asking Iranian troops to disarm -- The Friday Feedback segment -- On the Bonus Show: Twenty-four hours of madness on Donald Trump's Truth Social page, and much more... ⚠️ Ground News: Get 40% OFF their unlimited access Vantage plan at https://ground.news/pakman 🥐 Wildgrain: Use code PAKMAN for $30 off & free croissants FOR LIFE at https://wildgrain.com/pakman 🛡️ Incogni lets you control your personal data! Get 60% off their annual plan: http://incogni.com/pakman -- Become a Member: https://davidpakman.com/membership -- Subscribe to our (FREE) Substack newsletter: https://davidpakman.substack.com -- Get David's Book: https://bit.ly/m/attention -- TDPS Subreddit: http://www.reddit.com/r/thedavidpakmanshow -- David on Bluesky: https://davidpakman.com/bluesky -- David on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/davidpakmanshow (00:00) Start (01:01) Trump wants the midterms to be about him (07:36) Karoline Leavitt is leaving with no replacement (16:39) Trump threatens to demolish Kennedy Center (23:33) Trump official blames high beef prices on Biden (31:26) Natalie Harp easily got into Trump's inner circle (38:39) Scott Bessent compares Iran sanctions to D-Day (46:13) Friday Feedback segment Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices