S2 Ep151: Trump’s Half-Baked Border Plan Collides With Legal Reality (w/ Andrew Weissmann)
The Illegal News with Sarah Longwell
The Bulwark
4.9 • 3.4K Ratings
🗓️ 17 March 2026
⏱️ 56 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Andrew Weissmann joins Sarah Longwell to explain Trump’s failed attempt to target Fed Chair Jerome Powell—and why a judge shut it down as harassment. They also discuss the Trump admin's bizarre border strategy that’s collapsing in court, as DOJ lawyers admit they’re being forced to bring cases they can’t prove. Plus: a major Supreme Court fight over immigrant protections, and new warning signs around Trump’s broader legal strategy heading into 2026.
Review of State Bar Complaints and Allegations Against Department of Justice Attorneys: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/03/05/2026-04390/review-of-state-bar-complaints-and-allegations-against-department-of-justice-attorneys
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Pre-order Andrew's new book, "Liar's Kingdom":
- Chatham Bookstore signed copies: https://bit.ly/4aXHu4R
- Politics & Prose signed copies: https://bit.ly/4aALp8Q
- Amazon: https://amzn.to/3MHQ8MR
- Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/402H2xc
- Bookshop.org: Bookshop.org: https://bit.ly/3N5hVa3
Pre-order Sarah’s book, How to Eat an Elephant, coming in September: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-eat-an-elephant-sarah-longwell/1149619381?ean=9781250464170
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the illegal news. I'm Sarah Longwell, publisher of the bulwark. It's Tuesday, |
| 0:05.7 | March 17th, happy St. Patrick's Day to those who celebrate, but more importantly, a very happy |
| 0:12.1 | birthday to my guest co-host, Andrew Weissman. Andrew, happy birthday. Thank you. I'm surprised you |
| 0:18.2 | started with St. Patrick's Day. And not your birthday? |
| 0:22.4 | Yeah. |
| 0:22.8 | Was that out of order? |
| 0:24.1 | Out of order. |
| 0:25.3 | I see. Well, it's because I had a little bit, which is I am interested. |
| 0:30.2 | You've always had your birthday on St. Patrick's Day. |
| 0:32.3 | I imagine it's the same day every year. |
| 0:35.2 | That would be correct. |
| 0:36.5 | Do I have to take the big crayons out again? This is going to be |
| 0:39.1 | like the running theme of like, you know what? I have an idea. You know what? I'm going to send you |
| 0:46.5 | a box of big crayons. Okay. I appreciate that. Listen, the whole premise of this show is that I am in fact |
| 0:52.5 | not a lawyer. I'm not somebody who went to law school. |
| 0:55.0 | And so you've got to explain things to me slowly. |
| 0:57.3 | And so all I'm trying to understand here is your birthday. |
| 1:01.1 | George left. George was like, he ran out of crayons. |
| 1:03.8 | He ran out of crayons. |
| 1:05.8 | He's like, I cannot explain the legal news to this woman any longer. |
| 1:10.3 | He's like, good luck. |
| 1:11.9 | Good luck, Andrew. |
... |
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