Big thanks to former White House counsel Ty Cobb for joining us on Grounded this morning. We shared some laughs and also talked about some very serious concerns about the rule of law, the Supreme Court hearing on birthright citizenship, the president’s threats to pull out of NATO, and more. Plus, how he came to work for the first Trump administration and his memories of his friend, former FBI director Robert Mueller.

We could have done an entire episode about the lengthy Trump cabinet meeting at the White House earlier today, including the 5 minutes spent talking about pens and sharpies (Yes, really). We cover a little bit of that with THE Sharon McMahon, America’s Government Teacher, author of The Preamble on Substack and also The Small and the Mighty (with newly illustrated version We Are Mighty out May 19). We also dive into other topics like the war in Iran, concerns about the 2026 election, and the lessons learned from the people of Minnesota. Plus, a spicier version of Sharon and why she says hope is the most grounded stance available to us.

If you’re worried about the future, Knowa De Baraso should help ease some concerns. The 14-year-old podcast host and political phenom is not only engaged—he’s bold. You may remember Knowa from the viral clip of him confronting the conspiracy peddling (and now Minnesota gubernatorial candidate) Mike Lindell at the 2024 DNC. We talk about how he became interested in politics, his plans to be active in the 2026 midterms, and what leaders need to do to reach the next generation.

Plus, JT doesn’t hold back on recent headlines from a Pentagon press briefing.

We owe the parents of Kalpana Narlikar and Leo Auerbach an apology. A few weeks ago, we recorded a conversation with these two Georgetown University undergrads. Between the State of the Union and a new war, I completely forgot we had it on deck.

Narlikar and Auerbach are students in JT’s discussion group this semester at Georgetown. They were kind enough to sit down with us to chat about the issues most important to their generation, how they view the political landscape, and also what gives them hope. Don’t miss the broken chair that is sure to become a new inside Grounded joke.

We hit on bipartisan conversations, ICE policies, the national debt, artificial intelligence, and normalized mayhem.

“We don’t know anything different than the pandemonium and the craziness that we’re seeing,” Auerbach said. “I don’t think our generation knows a normal politics. I don’t think we know decorum, I don’t think we know diplomacy, and I don’t think we know dialogue.”

Ahead of our conversation with the students, we break down the Georgia special election results, the latest on Iran, the shoes making political headlines, and more reflections on Montana political bombshells.

Dover Air Force Base received another fallen U.S. soldier Monday night as a result of the war in Iran. The Pentagon says Army Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, 26, of Glendale, Kentucky died Sunday from injuries he sustained in an attack March 1 on the Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia. There’s no audio on the recorded feed, which punctuates the sober reality of this moment.

We talk about the latest Iran updates with Tara Setmayer, who is the co-founder and CEO of the Seneca Project and also a longtime political commentator and former GOP communications director.

We discuss the mixed messages from the administration on the status of this war in Iran, renewed threats against Cuba, and a new video that appears to show a U.S. tomahawk missile hitting near a school where 168 people—mostly kids— were killed.

She also talks about leaving the Republican party, messaging musts for successful political campaigns in 2026, and primary season infighting. Plus, Trump’s new threats about overhauling our voting laws ahead of the midterms.

To quote one of the many text messages I received Wednesday, what the hell is happening in Montana?!?!?!

First it was Rep. Ryan Zinke announcing he wouldn't run for reelection days before the deadline to file in Montana. Not to be outdone, Sen. Steve Daines made a similar shocking move just minutes before the deadline to file, sparking confusion and, for some, anger. In the middle of it all, former University of Montana President Seth Bodnar made months of chatter official, filing to run for U.S. Senate as an independent.

We chat about the massive political news, how it could shape the 2026 midterms as a whole, and also some other political headlines in this baby episode of Grounded.

It’s hard to keep track of the latest developments in the new U.S. war in Iran, mostly because we are seeing conflicting information coming from the administration—including differing timelines and justifications.

Part of the justification given for this new war has circled around Iran’s nuclear ambitions, with Trump on Saturday saying Iran attempted to rebuild its nuclear program.

This is subject matter Tom Countryman knows intimately well. He was the Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation. From 1994 to 1997 he was the special advisor to United States Ambassador to the United Nations Madeleine Albright on Middle East affairs. He was on his way to an arms control conference in 2017 when Trump relieved him of his duties.

We discuss the justifications, the timing of the attack, the negotiations it interrupted, and what this means for the future of diplomacy. How does Iran function without a government or organized opposition? Plus, what keeps him up at night and the very real scenarios he sees as a threat.

If we’re the frogs, it’s getting hot in here (And no, JT hasn’t heard the 2002 Nelly hit of the same name).

Thanks to former U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance for joining us live on Substack to dissect a plethora of headlines, why we’re (again) the frogs in the increasingly hot pot of water, and the importance of civil discourse in this moment. Plus, the individual actions that keep Vance an optimist, and why she’s confident we won’t see the nationalization of elections.

We also spend time discussing her book, Giving Up Is Unforgivable: A Manual for Keeping a Democracy, which combines lessons on history and civics and provides a roadmap for survival. Oh, and chickens—both literal and figurative.