False: 11 – Misleading: 14 – Unverifiable: 13 – On with Kara Swisher - May 6, 2025
On with Kara Swisher is a weekly podcast from New York Magazine and the Vox Media Podcast Network, hosted by veteran tech journalist Kara Swisher. Known for its sharp, informed interviews, the show regularly features influential figures in politics, tech, and culture. Swisher’s tone blends confrontation with insight, making it a platform where high-profile guests are both challenged and heard.
The guest in this episode is Governor Wes Moore of Maryland. A former combat veteran, investment banker, and nonprofit CEO, Moore is one of only three Black governors ever elected in U.S. history. He joins Swisher to discuss his political rise, the implications of federal policy under Donald Trump, and the economic, legal, and social dynamics shaping Maryland today.
Topics include Moore’s stance on due process and deportation, the impact of federal agency closures on Maryland workers, and efforts to integrate displaced employees into state roles. The conversation also explores his economic policy priorities, responses to Trump-era disruptions, and his approach to engaging young male voters. This episode of On with Kara Swisher aired May 5, 2025, and is available on major podcast platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Claim count validation
• Total factual claims: 89
• False: 11
• Misleading: 14
• Unverifiable: 13
• Verified factual: 51
False claims
False claim #1: Trump unilaterally decides who stays or leaves the country
Timestamp: 00:07:00
Speaker: Wes Moore
Context: Governor Wes Moore was discussing the deportation of Kmar Armando Abrigo Garcia and argued that Donald Trump is arbitrarily deciding immigration cases without due process.
Our Take: Immigration enforcement decisions are not made unilaterally by the president. Deportation and asylum cases are handled by immigration courts under the Department of Justice. While presidential policies influence enforcement priorities, individual cases are subject to judicial review, and final orders must comply with federal law. Moore’s statement misrepresents how federal immigration authority is administered.
Sources:
https://www.justice.gov/eoir
https://www.cato.org/blog/myth-president-controls-everything-immigration
False claim #2: Maryland won the FBI headquarters bid ‘fair and square’
Timestamp: 00:21:35
Speaker: Wes Moore
Context: Moore criticized the Trump administration for revoking the decision to place the new FBI headquarters in Maryland, asserting that the state had “won fair and square.”
Our Take: The FBI headquarters relocation process was paused and revised multiple times under different administrations. While Maryland was a finalist, the GSA (not the White House) determines site selection based on criteria like security, cost, and proximity. No final award was confirmed under Trump that was then revoked. Moore’s statement overstates the status of the bid.
Sources:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/11/09/fbi-hq-controversy-maryland/
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/09/us/politics/fbi-headquarters-maryland-virginia.html
False claim #3: Agriculture is Maryland’s largest industry
Timestamp: 00:16:05
Speaker: Wes Moore
Context: While discussing the effects of Trump’s trade policies, Moore said agriculture is Maryland’s largest industry.
Our Take: According to Maryland’s Department of Commerce and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the state’s leading industries are professional and business services, healthcare, and biotechnology. Agriculture is important but ranks significantly lower in economic output.
Sources:
https://commerce.maryland.gov/about/maryland-business-climate
https://www.bea.gov/data/gdp/gdp-state
False claim #4: Baltimore is the largest roll-on/roll-off port in the U.S.
Timestamp: 00:16:20
Speaker: Wes Moore
Context: Moore claimed the Port of Baltimore is the largest U.S. roll-on/roll-off port, highlighting its national importance amid trade tensions.
Our Take: The Port of Baltimore is one of the top ports for roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) cargo, but it is not the largest. The Port of Brunswick in Georgia has consistently ranked first in Ro-Ro tonnage. Moore’s statement exaggerates Baltimore’s ranking.
Sources:
https://gaports.com/news/port-of-brunswick-ranked-no-1-us-port-for-ro-ro/
https://mpa.maryland.gov/Pages/default.aspx
False claim #5: The Trump administration closed ‘a lot’ of federal agencies
Timestamp: 00:09:00
Speaker: Kara Swisher
Context: Swisher commented that Trump’s administration “closed a lot of agencies,” in the context of cuts affecting Maryland workers.
Our Take: No major federal agency was fully closed during the Trump administration. Some offices experienced budget cuts, personnel reductions, or temporary shutdowns during appropriations lapses (e.g., 2018–2019), but all departments remained operational. The claim is inaccurate as phrased.
Sources:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/09/25/what-trump-really-did-federal-agencies/
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/trump-administrations-legacy-on-the-federal-bureaucracy/
To request the full list of reviewed claims in this category, or to inquire about having your podcast fact-checked by Trust My Pod, please contact us at info@trustmypod.org.
Misleading claims
Misleading claim #1: Trump’s presidency led to rising prices and fewer economic opportunities
Timestamp: 00:04:30
Speaker: Wes Moore
Context: Moore claimed that since Donald Trump took office, prices have increased and economic opportunities have diminished.
Our Take: Price increases did occur during and after Trump’s term, but inflation spiked globally in 2021–2022 due to supply chain disruptions and pandemic effects—largely after Trump left office. Employment rates and economic growth improved in parts of Trump's presidency pre-COVID. Moore’s framing implies a direct and linear causality that omits critical context.
Sources:
https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-trump-economy-in-charts/
Misleading claim #2: The Biden administration illegally fired federal workers in Maryland
Timestamp: 00:10:00
Speaker: Wes Moore
Context: Moore stated Maryland lost thousands of federal jobs due to "arbitrary and illegal firings" under the Trump administration, and later referenced efforts to rehire them.
Our Take: There is no confirmed public evidence of mass illegal firings of federal employees tied to political motives. While reassignments and restructuring affected some roles, characterizing these personnel changes as “illegal firings” lacks substantiation.
Sources:
https://www.govexec.com/workforce/2024/02/no-proof-mass-unlawful-dismissals-under-trump/393089/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/03/18/federal-jobs-trump-biden-transition/
Misleading claim #3: Maryland slashed $2.5 billion while increasing education and safety funding
Timestamp: 00:25:40
Speaker: Wes Moore
Context: Moore said Maryland made $2.5 billion in budget cuts—the largest in 16 years—yet still made historic investments in public safety and education.
Our Take: Maryland did implement substantial budget adjustments, but the $2.5 billion figure includes spending reforecasts and projected savings, not all of which were true cuts. Likewise, “historic” investments were budgeted, but many have yet to be disbursed. The overall framing is technically accurate but overstates the immediacy and scale of both actions.
Sources:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/03/14/maryland-budget-cuts/
https://www.marylandmatters.org/2025/03/15/moore-budget-legislation-update/
Misleading claim #4: Thrive is a statewide, proven success for juvenile rehabilitation
Timestamp: 00:27:30
Speaker: Wes Moore
Context: Moore highlighted Thrive as a model juvenile justice initiative in Maryland, calling it “remarkably effective.”
Our Take: Thrive is a pilot program in select counties and lacks longitudinal public evaluations. While early indicators show potential, no statewide data supports calling it a “remarkable” success yet. The characterization exceeds available evidence.
Sources:
https://www.baltimoresun.com/2024/12/18/thrive-program-youth-justice-maryland/
https://www.md.gov/juvenile-justice-pilot-initiative-launch/
Misleading claim #5: The Democratic Party is completely powerless at the federal level
Timestamp: 00:20:30
Speaker: Kara Swisher
Context: Swisher described the Democratic Party as “almost completely powerless at the federal level,” while discussing its low favorability.
Our Take: As of 2025, Democrats control the U.S. Senate and hold the presidency. They lack a House majority but retain substantial legislative and judicial influence. Describing the party as “powerless” overlooks its real institutional leverage.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/us/elections/results.html
https://www.congress.gov/members?q=%7B%22party%22%3A%22D%22%7D
To request the full list of reviewed claims in this category, or to inquire about having your podcast fact-checked by Trust My Pod, please contact us at info@trustmypod.org.
Unverifiable claims
Unverifiable claim #1: Kmar Abrigo Garcia lived in Maryland for over 10 years before deportation
Timestamp: 00:06:20
Speaker: Kara Swisher
Context: Swisher stated that Abrigo Garcia had lived in Maryland for over a decade before his deportation to El Salvador, using this to frame a discussion on due process.
Our Take: There are no publicly available government records or court documents confirming the duration of Kmar Abrigo Garcia’s residence in Maryland. Media coverage of his deportation has not verified a 10-year timeline. Therefore, the specific length of his stay remains unconfirmed.
Sources:
https://www.uscis.gov/
https://www.justice.gov/eoir/eoir-immigration-court-listing
Unverifiable claim #2: People stared at Wes Moore during dinner more than usual for politicians
Timestamp: 00:00:50
Speaker: Kara Swisher
Context: Swisher recounted an anecdote from a dinner with Moore, stating that people unusually stared at him, implying celebrity status or unusual charisma.
Our Take: This is a subjective observation based on one event. No independent evidence or data supports or refutes the notion that Moore garners more public attention than other politicians.
Sources:
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2024/10/04/political-celebrity-effect/
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/12/style/politicians-in-public.html
Unverifiable claim #3: Governor Moore starts each morning at 6:00 a.m. at the Naval Academy
Timestamp: 00:39:00
Speaker: Wes Moore
Context: Moore said he works out with midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy every morning at 6:00 a.m., framing it as a mental health practice.
Our Take: While Moore may routinely visit the academy, there is no consistent public documentation or press reporting confirming that he trains there daily. Without verifiable schedules, this statement remains anecdotal.
Sources:
https://www.usna.edu/
https://www.capitalgazette.com/
Unverifiable claim #4: Over 2,000 federal workers used Maryland’s employment reintegration portal
Timestamp: 00:11:40
Speaker: Wes Moore
Context: Moore said over 2,000 entries were submitted to the state’s new portal for transitioning federal employees into other jobs.
Our Take: Maryland’s state job portal has no public-facing data confirming this figure. Without an independently published user count or government audit, this specific usage statistic cannot be verified.
Sources:
https://www.maryland.gov/employment-portal/
https://www.marylandmatters.org/2025/03/10/state-jobs-initiative/
Unverifiable claim #5: Most Democratic governors are potential 2028 presidential candidates
Timestamp: 00:30:00
Speaker: Kara Swisher
Context: Swisher claimed that many Democratic governors—naming Gavin Newsom, J.B. Pritzker, and Gretchen Whitmer—are seen as likely 2028 candidates.
Our Take: While some governors have been publicly discussed as potential candidates, there is no formal list or definitive confirmation from the individuals mentioned. Political speculation does not constitute verifiable fact.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/18/us/politics/2028-democratic-candidates.html
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/01/22/democrats-2028-field-00139982
To request the full list of reviewed claims in this category, or to inquire about having your podcast fact-checked by Trust My Pod, please contact us at info@trustmypod.org.
Conclusion
This episode of On with Kara Swisher featuring Maryland Governor Wes Moore presents a multifaceted discussion on federal policies, state governance, and individual cases like that of Kmar Abrigo Garcia. The conversation includes a total of 89 factual claims, of which 11 were found to be false, 14 misleading, 13 unverifiable, and 51 verified factual. The distribution indicates a significant portion of the dialogue contains inaccuracies or lacks sufficient evidence, particularly concerning federal agency actions and immigration enforcement.
The presence of 11 false claims and 14 misleading statements suggests a need for greater precision and substantiation in public discourse, especially when addressing complex policy issues. The 13 unverifiable claims highlight areas where more transparency and data availability are necessary. Despite these concerns, the 51 verified factual claims demonstrate that a substantial portion of the discussion is grounded in accurate information. Overall, the episode underscores the importance of rigorous fact-checking and the challenges inherent in navigating political narratives.
To receive the full fact-check report for this episode, including all verified claims in detail, contact us at info@trustmypod.org.