Ro Khanna on Elon Musk and Fighting the Establishment

The Conversation with Dasha Burns

POLITICO

Government, Politics, News

4.4 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 22 June 2025

⏱️ 49 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

California Rep. Ro Khanna is one of the Democratic Party’s key progressive voices, but he has no problem picking fights with his fellow Democrats or aligning himself with conservatives when he sees common ground. “I'm kind of blunt-spoken. I say what's on my mind,” he tells POLITICO’s Dasha Burns. In this week’s episode, Khanna lays out his concerns about the U.S. getting involved in the Israel-Iran conflict, why he thinks Democrats lost voters to Trump and how he thinks the party can win them back. “I actually think that at the end of Trumpism, this country is going to be exhausted by the bombast,” he tells Burns. “I think we need to offer a substantive vision for the country and to elevate the American debate.” (Note: This interview was conducted prior to Trump’s announcement on Saturday evening that the U.S. bombed three Iranian nuclear sites. Here is Rep. Khanna’s response to this announcement.) Plus, senior politics editor Sally Goldenberg joins Burns to discuss the crowded, chaotic New York City primary mayoral race and its national implications for the Democratic Party. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	On June 25th, Ironheart arrives on Disney Plus.
0:03.0	What is going all with you?
0:04.8	From Marvel Television, an executive producer, Ryan Coogler.
0:07.8	I wanted to build something undeniable, but now I'm in trouble.
0:10.7	Don't miss the sixth episode of Vand.
0:12.7	I joined a crew of criminals, and now I'm about to get killed by a deranged man in a cake.
0:17.4	Be the first to experience the all-new series.
0:20.5	You've bitten off a hell of a lot more than you can chew.
0:22.6	I don't cook a lot.
0:23.6	Marvel Television's Iron Hard.
0:25.6	Streaming June 20th, only on Disney Plus.
0:27.6	18 plus subscription required.
0:28.6	Decencies apply.
0:34.6	Welcome to The Conversation. I'm Dasha Burns, White House Bureau Chief for Politico.
0:41.0	And every week on this show, I bring one of the most compelling voices in Washington and beyond in for a chat to find out how they're navigating this incredible era of American politics.
0:53.0	And today, I'm joined by California Congressman Roe Kana.
0:56.5	I wanted to talk to him this week because he's been coming up all over my feed. He's been
1:00.5	outspoken on the Israel-Iran conflict. He has these progressive economic policies he's been very
1:07.1	vocal about, but he's been critical of how Senator Schumer has been responding on
1:11.7	Iran and Israel. He's also been critical of how Democrats have approached the economy, and he's
1:17.4	made some surprising friends across the aisle, including Steve Bannon, who's been out there praising
1:23.1	him. Plus, his district encompasses Silicon Valley. So you better bet I wanted to talk to him about
	...

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