Shows
Grounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouThe Art of the... DistractionAs pressure mounts over the Epstein files, the Trump administration is leaning on an old target: former President Barack Obama. Ned Price, who served in various government roles related to national security and diplomacy, joins Grounded to discuss the latest accusations of treason being thrown at Obama from the Trump administration related to Russian interference in the 2016 election. What’s the end game? Where do previous investigations fit into the conversation? What do accusations like this mean for our national security and international relations? We break it all down.
2025-07-281h 08Grounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouIn Our Defense...How can the U.S. government best fund our military and defense? It’s not just a political issue—it’s a national security issue. On this episode dedicated to our defense budget and national security, we’re joined by former Navy Under Secretary Erik Raven and Kate Käufer, both of whom served as advisers to Jon Tester when he served as Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Defense. We discuss how our current defense budget compares to years past, the big security risks facing us as a nation, artificial intelligence, and areas of hope looking ahead.
2025-07-251h 07Grounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouList? What List?The focus on the Epstein files continues to intensify, despite President Trump trying to talk about literally anything else (enter the Washington Commanders). Longtime political analyst and independent journalist Chris Cillizza joins JT & MG to discuss what this means for MAGA as loyalists start saying things like, “Dangling bits of red meat no longer satisfies.” Could this be the “thing” that causes Trump to lose his base? Plus, Colbert, Hunter Biden and the further fracturing of legacy journalism.
2025-07-221h 06Grounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouMake it RainFormer Trump “fixer” Michael Cohen joined JT & MG for an unfiltered live conversation about the Jeffrey Epstein files, the fracture inside MAGA and what Donald Trump’s end game. The chat became lively many times, including when talking about Congress, beef with both political parties and the idea of a town hall in Butte, America.
2025-07-171h 07Grounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouWe’ll Do it LiveRyan Busse, a former firearms executive who ran for governor in Montana, joined JT & MG for a live coffee chat about the big headlines from over the weekend. FEMA, fury over Epstein, cuts to medicaid, public lands, immigration… we hit on a lot. Here’s a spoiler: Tester says Congress needs to do its job.
This episode was recorded live on the morning of July 14, 2025.
2025-07-1454 min
The ButteCast with Bill FoleyNo. 276: Maritsa GeorgiouMaritsa Georgiou is a well-respected journalist in Montana and around the nation. Her reporting on the planned removal of United States Postal Service boxes leading up to the largely mail-in election of 2020 earned her the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Television Political Journalism. It might have also thwarted a conniving attempt to swing the election.A year earlier, the Montana Broadcasters Association awarded her the E.B. Craney Award for Television Broadcaster of the Year.Maritsa started working for NBC Montana when she was still a junior at the University of Montana i...2025-07-101h 29Grounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouWith Friends Like ThisEveryone’s favorite Senate bromance reunites for this lively episode of Grounded. Despite repeatedly saying he doesn’t like Jon Tester, Sen. Cory Booker joins us to chat about the vibe in the U.S. Senate, the record-breaking filibuster, and what it will take to win as a Democrat in 2026. Booker talks about his efforts to be more creative when it comes to good trouble and what everyone can do to raise awareness. Plus, he tries to convince us to turn Grounded in a lifestyle show.
2025-07-081h 12Grounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouTreason...?Nothing was off limits in this episode with Miles Taylor, who was once a part of the Trump administration and was later exposed as the author of a 2018 NYT op-ed under the pen name, “Anonymous.” We talked about Taylor’s initial concerns working for Trump 1.0, what’s different in Trump 2.0, retribution for even associating with dissenters and more. Taylor gives us an in-depth view of life in Trump’s crosshairs, his fears about the potential use of sophisticated counterterrorism technology against political foes, and why he thinks Elon Musk has the power to stop political retaliation.
2025-07-021h 02Grounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouPistol PeteAs the Senate participates in a “vote-a-rama,” we unpack what’s happening with former Sec. of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, including his top three issues with the “Big, Beautiful Bill.” How does Mayor Pete stay engaged AND grounded? Plus, the announcement from Sen. Thom Tillis that he’s not running for reelection, air travel concerns and the 2028 race for the White House. PB & J(T) weigh in!
We recorded this episode live on our Substack channel, so please excuse some of the glitches!
2025-06-3048 min
Hello WhitefishHello Whitefish - Jon Tester & Maritsa Georgiou (Episode 25)Today’s guests are former Montana senator Jon Tester and veteran Montana journalist Maritsa Georgiou. They have teamed up to launch the new political podcast “Grounded”. Each week, they break down the latest in political developments and interview a variety of politicians, journalists and other guests to bring insight into breaking news.
We discussed what’s been happening around the state since the last election cycle, some of the neverending issues affecting our country and whats new with their podcast. Check out “Grounded” on your preferred streaming platform.
2025-06-2949 minGrounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouCitizens DividedAn episode dedicated to the Citizens United decision of 2010 and its impacts on the way our political system works today. It’s estimated the campaign spending in former Sen. Tester’s most recent 2024 race neared $300 million, a huge departure from the $27.5 million spent during his first Senate race in 2006. We talk with the president of End Citizens United, an organization founded in 2015 that aims to reform campaign finance in the United States. We dig into the decision itself, the effects on today's campaigns and what people can do to demand more transparency in political spending.
2025-06-2837 minGrounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouI Said What I SaidVeteran journalist Terry Moran joins Grounded to talk about life after his departure from ABC News. We chat about what he’s seeing on the ground in Springfield, Ohio— home to a large population of Haitian immigrants trying to figure out what’s next since the Trump administration revoked their temporary protected status. Where do they go from here? How can the rest of us help? Plus, Moran takes us inside his notable (and at times combative) interview with President Trump and the massive pivot his life took after a late night post on social media.
2025-06-2750 minGrounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouCourage“I do not understand this adhesive that holds them so tight when they know that things are wrong.”
Former Montana Gov. Marc Racicot (and former chair of the RNC) talks with JT and MG about getting booted from the Montana Republican Party after speaking out against Donald Trump, when he thinks the viciousness in politics took a hard turn, and his continued efforts to speak out and be engaged.
Plus, JT and MG break down new rulings by the Senate parliamentarian that reject a section of the GOP budget bill that would have mandated the sale...2025-06-241h 03Grounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouWar GamesDemocratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin (who served alongside military in Iraq) of Michigan joins JT and MG to unpack the events that unfolded in Iran over the weekend, where we go from here, ideas for the future of the Democratic Party and her recent spicy exchange with Sec. of Defense Pete Hegseth. Plus, a little love for Detroit and Minnesota.
2025-06-2351 minGrounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouPut a Dollar in the Swear JarGrounded gets spicy with our friend Katie Phang, a former prosecutor, longtime legal analyst and former host of the Katie Phang Show. We chat about Iran, the Tucker Carlson v. Ted Cruz video, the necessary evolution of informative media and why Katie thinks there’s still a measure of respect for the Judicial Branch. If you’ve found yourself thinking you want more profanity from Grounded, this is the episode for you!
2025-06-201h 11Grounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouDouble DutyWe had planned to solely chat with former Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn for this episode, but something happened Wednesday night that prompted us to add another guest to the mix. Dunn and JT share some behind the scenes anecdotes about Jan. 6, 2021, and their response to the Trump administration calling the LA protesters insurrectionists. We also talk to Land Tawney with the American Hunters and Anglers Action Network about new language in the Big, Beautiful Bill that would sell off public lands.
2025-06-121h 09
The Jim Acosta ShowFmr. Sen. Jon Tester and Maritsa Georgiou of "Grounded Podcast," Steve Schmidt, and Journalist Nick Valencia live from protest site in LA.It’s not every day you can hear from a former blue senator from a red state, a thought leader like Steve Schmidt and live reporting from seasoned journalists on the scene of the biggest story in the nation. This program can bring you all of that. Don’t forget to support the work of “The Jim Acosta Show” and consider becoming a paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jimacosta.substack.com/subscribe2025-06-121h 06Grounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouHistory RepeatsWe tried something new in episode 26 by having a LIVE conversation with Dr. Heather Cox Richardson, America’s favorite historian. We cover the unrest in Los Angeles, the public Elon Musk/Donald Trump feud and the defining moments she thinks will be remembered in future history books. Plus, what keeps her up at night? What gives her hope? How does she decompress? You’ll hear it all on this special extended edition of Grounded.
2025-06-101h 29Grounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouDissidentIn the 25th episode of Grounded, fellow Montanan and Pearl Jam co-founder Jeff Ament joins JT and MG to talk politics, music and Big Sandy, Montana. We ask about the viral moment when his bandmate Eddie Vedder defended Bruce Springsteen against attacks from President Trump, the concert poster that landed the Secret Service at his door, and the way his upbringing and college years shaped his viewpoints. Look for bonus music content on our Substack!
https://groundedpodcast.substack.com/
2025-06-0454 minGrounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouFightJT & MG talk to journalists Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes who just co-authored their fourth book together about the 2024 presidential campaign cycle. They cover insider perspectives from both the Biden and Trump campaigns, the debate that unleashed a summer of political chaos and what happens now as Democrats try to figure out their path forward in the middle of a Trump 2.0 presidency.
2025-06-011h 04Grounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouMinnesota NiceMinnesota Gov. Tim Walz joins JT and MG to talk about what went wrong for the Harris/Walz campaign, the future of the Democratic Party, and the governor’s political plans. What do Democrats need to do to win back rural America and the working class? Is there room for a moderate candidate in today’s political environment? We also make sure to talk about the Minnesota State Fair, Montana breakfast joints, and high school football. An episode you don’t want to miss!
2025-05-291h 02Grounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouFealty over Loyalty“We’re not doomed yet, but we’re running out time that we need.” That’s what former Ambassador John Bolton said to JT & MG in the latest episode of Grounded about our global security risks. We ask what keeps him up at night, the best path forward for unity, President Trump’s relationship with authoritarians and more. He also spills the beans about who he actually voted for in 2024.
2025-05-2743 minGrounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouThe Bright Red LineIs due process in trouble in America? We discuss with Dave Aronberg, a former state attorney in Florida, who also worked alongside current U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. He tells JT and MG why he believes due process is still intact. He also explains why he doesn’t think AG Bondi will cross what he calls the bright red line. Let’s go to law school!
2025-05-2041 minGrounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouBetting the FarmFormer Sec. of Agriculture Dan Glickman joins the pod to chat about the effect of tariffs on American farmers and access to food we eat. We also discuss concerns over DOGE cuts within the U.S. Forest Service, bipartisan cooperation, and what Jon Tester really thinks about going to State of the Union addresses.
2025-05-1256 minGrounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouInside OutJT & MG chat with Olivia Troye, who worked as a national security adviser to former Vice President Mike Pence. They unpack the latest Trump interview on Meet the Press, what’s likely happening behind closed doors at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. and the reasons she left the Trump 1.0 administration in the summer of 2020. Olivia also tells JT & MG what keeps her up at night and what gives her hope moving forward.
2025-05-051h 09Grounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouPassing the TorchSen. Dick Durbin, who announced his retirement last week, joins JT & MG to chat about that decision after more than four decades in Congress, his experience at Pope Francis' funeral, the future of the Democratic party and more. Plus, what he fears will be the “most serious constitutional crisis since the Civil War.”
2025-04-2859 min
The Chuck ToddCastThe Decline Of Local Journalism + Money Is Corrupting PoliticsChuck begins by weighing in on a new Pew Research poll showing a significant drop in President Donald Trump’s approval rating since his inauguration. He highlights the erosion of support among non-voters as a potential warning sign for the president. Chuck also shares his concerns about the administration’s apparent deference to Russia in the latest Ukraine peace agreement.Next, he’s joined by Jon Tester and Maritsa Georgiou to discuss their new podcast, the underrepresentation of middle America in the media, and why members of Congress should spend more time outside the Washington, D.C. bubble...2025-04-241h 24Grounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouMargaritaville MirageFresh off his return from El Salvador to visit a Maryland man deported in error, Sen. Chris Van Hollen joins JT & MG to for an inside look at what led up to his meeting, the “margaritas” placed at the table for social media optics, and why he thinks this is a constitutional crisis. CVH and JT explain why every American should care about this case and the precedent it sets.
2025-04-2248 minGrounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouPublic Lands, Public HandsFormer Bureau of Land Management director (and Montanan!) Tracy Stone-Manning joins JT and MG to dissect new concerns over threats to public lands. They get into the weeds on the difference between proposals to sell public land for tax breaks and affordable housing solutions. The conversation also covers what DOGE cuts could mean for our great outdoors and what people can do to keep public lands in public hands.
2025-04-1733 minGrounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouTariffiedEconomic concerns over tariffs and the markets persist and JT and MG chat all about it with University of Michigan economist and public policy professor Justin Wolfers (who sometimes goes by his alter ego Fed Lasso). Hear why he says we’re in the middle of two economic crises and his predictions for what’s ahead. Will prices ever come down? What about accusations of market manipulation in the Oval Office? What does the U.S. stand to win in this trade war? A fascinating conversation you don’t want to miss!
2025-04-1446 minGrounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouSimplifying SAVEAhead of a scheduled US House vote on the SAVE Act, JT and MG discuss its potential impacts with Greta Bedekovics with the Center for American Progress. What will the SAVE Act mean for voters across the country if it passes through Congress? What impact will it have on married women who took their husband’s last name? How is it different than President Trump’s executive order on elections? We break it all down.
2025-04-1025 minGrounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouFree FallIt's the economy, stupid! Jon and Maritsa dig into what's happening with tariffs, Wall Street and your finances with former White House economic adviser Jared Bernstein, who also chaired the U.S. Council of Economic Advisers under President Joe Biden. How did the Trump administration come up with this tariff formula? Are we heading for a recession? What should we be doing right now? We ask all of these questions and more!
This is a free episode of Grounded! If you'd like to get exclusive content or chat with other subscribers, please visit our Substack! 2025-04-0748 minGrounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouHonoring Our PactAfter a wild political week that included a 25+ hour speech on the Senate floor and sweeping new tariffs, former VA Sec. Denis McDonough joins JT & MG to explain the importance of the programs he helped implement, and what's at stake for our veterans with proposed cuts to staff and those very programs.
2025-04-0456 minGrounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouBad SignalFormer Sec. of Defense Leon Panetta unpacks SignalGate with JT and MG, including the questions he would ask if he were leading the investigation. The three also discuss foreign policy related to Iran and Greenland, and how Elon Musk’s DOGE cuts compare to the balanced budget Sec. Panetta helped craft when he was the director of the Office of Management and Budget under President Bill Clinton.
2025-04-0157 minGrounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouSchooledJT and MG weigh in on the Signal scandal and take up the Trump executive order to dismantle the Department of Education (which officially takes an act of Congress). So now what? Randi Weingarten, the President of the American Teachers Federation, joins Jon and Maritsa to break down what it means for you.
2025-03-2744 minGrounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouFourth EstateLegendary political journalist Sam Donaldson joins Jon and Maritsa to discuss what’s changed since he covered the White House, what he would do if he were still in the briefing room, and the moment in history he says the United States has never fully recovered from.
2025-03-2344 minGrounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouNo LuckJon and Maritsa discuss news headlines including a new legal fight over the Trump administration's use of a centuries-old war time law to deport hundreds of Venezuelans alleged to be gang members. The pair also chat about a deal to cut 10,000 USPS employees, cuts to Voice of America, and the Autopen signature you're likely to hear a lot more about.
2025-03-1729 minGrounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouTrouble in ParadiseFormer U.S. Ambassador to Russia (and native Montanan) Michael McFaul joins Jon and Maritsa on a special edition of Grounded. The trio discuss what McFaul calls similarities between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin’s ideologies, the history lessons he wants Americans to pay attention to, and what keeps him optimistic about the future.
2025-03-1538 minGrounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouOh, CanadaIn this week’s episode of Grounded, we hear from former Republican political strategist Steve Schmidt, who now hosts The Warning with Steve Schmidt on Substack. Hear his warning to Americans across all political ideologies, his criticisms of Democrats AND Republicans in Congress, and what he says you should do if your elected representatives aren’t being responsive.
2025-03-1036 minGrounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouThe Middle FingerVeteran political journalist Jim Acosta joins Jon and Maritsa to reflect on what’s happening with the White House press corps, the fiery Trump/Vance/Zelenskyy exchange in the Oval Office, and what Jim says to people who give him the middle finger at Trump rallies.
2025-03-0447 minGrounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouPentaGONE"When you're not going to follow the law, the first thing you want to do is get rid of the lawyers."
Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee and a former Army paratrooper, joins JT & MG to discuss in simple terms the Pentagon’s Friday night massacre as the Trump administration purged multiple military leaders including Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. CQ Brown Jr. and multiple JAGs.
2025-02-2548 minGrounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouLong Live the KingSen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) joins Jon Tester and Maritsa Georgiou to discuss her time in Ukraine on the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion along with concerns over what comes next in the war in light of recent comments made by President Donald Trump about Ukraine and the country’s president.
2025-02-2132 minGrounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouCold CutsFormer U.S. Senator Jon Tester and political journalist Maritsa Georgiou speak with former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson about confusion over recent firings within the federal government, tariffs, how some legal decisions could backfire on red states, and the outcasting of Republicans who go against President Trump.
2025-02-1743 minGrounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouIs this legal?Former U.S. Senator Jon Tester and political journalist Maritsa Georgiou talk with former White House ethics counsel Richard Painter about the legal pushback against executive actions issued by the Trump administration, what could transpire if the White House ignores the judicial branch, and what history teaches us about the system of checks and balances.
2025-02-1037 min
Grounded with Jon Tester & Maritsa GeorgiouPreview of Grounded with Jon Tester and Maritsa GeorgiouA Super Bowl Sunday preview of our new venture: Grounded with Jon Tester and Maritsa Georgiou. We hope you'll join us for our inaugural episode this week when we talk to Richard Painter, who served as the chief White House ethics lawyer in the George W. Bush administration. If you have questions for us or Richard, you can send them to groundedpcast@gmail.com.
2025-02-0903 min