Designated Survivor (2016) s02e19 Episode Script
Capacity
1 Previously on "Designated Survivor" The D.
C.
power grid, the Space Station, the President's therapy tapes, it's all the same hacker Gamine.
Gamine had to be someone who knew the president was seeing Dr.
Louden, meaning someone in this building.
To hell with whoever leaked the shrink tapes.
You're the President.
What do you mean the Cabinet voted to have me removed? They're invoking the 25th Amendment.
Mr.
President.
Ethan West.
The idea here, sir, is to give you an opportunity to explain yourself.
ETHAN: It's simple The White House produces witnesses and documents.
And you, sir You answer my questions.
I did tell Dr.
Louden that we were friends.
I'm cross-referencing the roll with the 34 folks who visited the Oval and could've known about Louden.
Andrea Frost is the only name that appears on both lists.
Andrea Frost? - Hannah! - [SCREAMS.]
[GUNFIRE.]
Agent down! I need an ambulance! KENDRA: Dr.
Louden.
Aaron.
Emily.
You.
West is only calling four witnesses.
That he's apprised us of.
But depending on how his case is going, we may be in for a few surprises.
He's not obligated to follow typical notification procedures? He's not, sir.
The 25th Amendment proceeding - is not a typical hearing.
- One day prep.
No, it's not.
Sir, the procedures here are simple.
The cabinet has already voted to remove you.
They've tabled that vote in favor of this hearing.
But the burden of proof is yours.
So I start at a disadvantage.
Yes, sir.
West will inquire into anything since your swearing in that touches your fitness to hold office.
And we have no idea what his questions will be.
So I'm gonna have to just sit there and watch him tear my life apart.
No, sir.
You're going to sit there and watch us win.
[TELEPHONE RINGS.]
Hey, Hannah.
You didn't answer my calls.
- I was at the hospital.
- Yeah, like, 10 hours ago.
Hey, you can't see the President like this.
He needs to know that Andrea Frost is the hacker.
- And a murderer! - We need incontrovertible evidence of that, - not a circumstantial case.
- Oh, the hell we do.
You think you can just waltz into the Oval with blood on your shirt and convince the President that his close friend I don't care who the hell she is, Aaron.
Hannah, I'm on your side here.
But you'll have one shot at persuading the President.
Go home, all right.
Get cleaned up.
Gather your thoughts.
Keep working the case.
I have been working this for months.
Hannah, I'm sorry about Damian.
I am.
But this has to be bulletproof.
What, you want a smoking gun? We may never get that.
Meanwhile, she's still out there.
Hannah, I'm not asking you.
[SIGHS.]
Hey, the press wants to know where we are with the budget.
In process.
Deadline's tonight or it's a government shutdown.
We got through this every year.
We're close to a deal.
- How close? - Very close.
The Senate leadership finally agreed to fund the Medicaid cost-of-living increases.
Great.
An $8-billion win for us.
What do they want in return? Just a few minor compromises.
They're gonna come in and button it up.
We'll get the bill on the President's desk tonight.
Yeah, we should probably get that on his desk sooner than that.
I'll get them in here.
Damaging release of the President's therapy notes.
Kirkman's therapist, Dr.
Adam Louden, paints a troubling portrait of a presidency in turmoil.
I think that's everything.
It's time, Mr.
President.
- I need a moment.
- Yes, sir.
[SIGHS.]
That's not what I said.
Those are your words on those tapes, aren't they, doctor? - Yes, but - You didn't say the President was suffering from PTSD? You're taking it out of contex You didn't say that the President was anxious and depressed? The leak of my tapes has been professionally devastating for me.
I'm not gonna sit here and let you compound that humiliation by mischaracterizing my conclusions.
If you're not gonna let me answer, I don't need to be here.
The floor is yours, doctor.
I never said, at any time, that Tom Kirkman was not fit to be President of the United States.
But your notes say he doubts he can do the job.
Self-doubt is common when we lose a loved one.
Do you think his symptoms disqualify him from the Presidency? I have no expertise as to the necessary qualifications of the Oval Office.
Dr.
Louden, has the President improved since you started treating him? Absolutely.
PTSD, anxiety, depression All normal responses to a tragedy Have they diminished in the intervening months? Yes, the diagnoses on my tapes were provisional.
Is the President currently in sound mental and emotional health? He is.
Thank you.
You say he's improved, but he has good days and bad days, right? Yes.
Like us all.
Mr.
Shore, do you have an opinion as to the President's conduct of the war against Kunami? I'm not sure what you're asking.
How did he do, Mr.
Shore? How'd he do? Well, he brought to justice a leader of a regime that set off a dirty bomb on American soil and was about to gas its dissidents But we didn't find out about the gas until after we declared war.
Yes.
And the justification for war The dirty bomb The Emir wasn't behind that, was he? Not directly, no.
So, what we need to talk about is how the President made his decision to plunge this country into war.
Secretary Krantz is consulting with NATO.
Trying to build a consensus for a military option.
We don't need a consensus.
We were attacked.
Yes, sir, but moving without advising our allies I don't see the value of getting bogged down in diplomatic discussions.
There's a protocol here, sir.
We were attacked! The protocol is strike back.
So, he discarded advice.
He refused to confer with his allies, and he started a war.
Which is his constitutional prerogative.
To not verify facts before putting lives at risk? That's his prerogative? Yes.
And that's just irrational, right? We won the war.
Removed a tyrant.
If that's irrational, then sign me up.
Mr.
Shore, is war ever rational? A conscious decision to kill other human beings may be necessary, but rational, no.
I wouldn't call it that.
George Washington.
Woodrow Wilson.
FDR.
All took us into war.
By that definition, they were all irrational, correct? Correct.
Then I think President Kirkman's in good company.
ELLENOR: Let's take a recess.
CHUCK: Here's the bank camera's shot of the assassin's car.
You can't really make out the license plate.
You can make out the first two numbers.
And they trace back to a silver sedan registered to Apache Aerospace Andrea Frost's company.
Yes, and those two digits also come back to 814 other plates registered in the district.
Okay, how many of them are silver sedans? - Hannah, you're not listening.
- How many? We also found more writings.
Recent anti-government postings that we can trace back to Gamine.
And we know that Gamine is Andrea Frost.
We're getting there, okay? But it's still not enough.
It is for me.
Chuck, she's not just a-a saboteur.
She's a killer.
The plumber who broke into NASA.
Damian.
They're both dead.
We keep looking for evidence that we already have! I'm sorry.
About Damian.
I don't know what to say.
Aaron, I'm ready.
With or without you.
HANNAH: These are postings from the dark web message boards over several years by someone named Gamine.
- Gamine? - Yes, the postings are anti-government and anti-establishment.
- Okay.
- Gamine is obsessed with the British mathematician Alan Turing as you can see from the codes that I've highlighted from the hacks.
These all have a Turing signature.
Here's the clincher.
Gamine who we know is responsible for the posts and the hacks and, we believe, several murders Bought a Turing notebook from an auction and had it sent to a private club in D.
C.
The only person who is a member of that club and who has visited the White House is Andrea Frost.
Agent Wells, you have been a tremendous asset to your country and to this administration.
But I'm deeply troubled by what you've just told me, and for a number of reasons.
But I'll start with the biggest one first.
You do know who Andrea Frost is? Unfortunately, sir, I do.
She's not just a close personal friend of mine.
She's a widely respected industrialist.
Someone who helped us save astronauts from the Space Station, helped us find the dirty bomb.
All so she could get close to you, sir.
I'm sorry.
I might be missing something here.
But your claim that Andrea Frost is responsible for all these hackings and murder is solely based on your assertion that she uses the Internet handle "Gamine" and is a fan of Alan Turing, which by the way, so am I.
Mr.
President, I know that all of this sounds very far-fetched.
But this conclusion is a product of months and months of painstaking work.
Have I ever led you astray before? Thank you, Agent Wells.
That'll be all.
Sir.
Aaron, you were briefed on this from the beginning.
What the hell? Sir, Hannah Wells is the best agent we've got.
I'm not disputing that.
But she didn't prove anything.
In fact, from where I sit, the only thing she managed to do was smear the name of one of our country's greatest entrepreneurs.
I grant you, sir, her case is not ironclad.
But But if you connect all the dots And leap to every possible conclusion, you may May have found the hacker.
Sir, Hannah Wells took down Patrick Lloyd.
She figured out who was behind the dirty bomb.
If she says there's something here, I'm inclined at least to give her the benefit of the doubt.
If you expect me to believe any of this, she needs to come back with more a lot more.
[DOOR CLOSES.]
Can you find me Dax Minter, please? Well, obviously, the therapist tapes concern me.
Not just as an ex-President, but as an American.
And for the country's sake, I hope that President Kirkman continues President Moss.
Stand-up guy.
Road to recovery.
If you say so.
Hey, I know you.
You're Trey Kirkman.
You're the President's brother.
Ethan West.
- I know who you are.
- Really? 'Cause, uh, I mean, if you read the law journals, I-I would get it, but you're not a lawyer.
So, that'd be just like a weird hobby.
Not as weird as a political witch hunt.
Excuse me? If you knew what my brother had been through, the type of man he is, you wouldn't be trying to bring him down.
You'd be giving him a medal.
KENDALL: Excuse me.
I have the documents you wanted, Mr.
West.
Great.
Good.
Thanks.
Nice meeting you.
That's the President's brother.
He's a stand-up guy.
This isn't what we agreed to, Senator.
We had a deal.
Which we're honoring by fully funding the medical research you advocate $6 billion.
Which you're offsetting by eliminating $6 billion in cost-of-living increases to Medicaid.
Meaning that if we were to ever discover new life-saving medication, most Americans couldn't afford it.
Sir, we can't squeeze blood from a stone.
We got to give somewhere.
How about the billions of dollars of pork your two parties have jammed into the budget.
If you're referring to the reasoned compromises that have gotten this budget the votes to pass There's absolutely nothing reasonable about our failure to care for our sick.
I'm not signing it.
Your veto would shut down the government, sir.
You want to avoid a government shutdown, honor the deal.
Or there's the door.
Sir.
[CLEARS THROAT.]
Sir, now may not be the time for hardball.
She's right.
We have 'til midnight to get this sorted out.
Get the budget funded, then we can tackle medical research.
I'm not gonna be forced into making a choice between medical innovation and access to medical care.
That will not be my legacy.
Nope.
It'll be hitting the self-destruct button right before getting dragged out of office.
[SIGHS.]
Dax, thank you so much for coming.
It's great to see you, man.
Always, Tom.
But, I'm assuming the suddenness of my summons means this isn't strictly personal.
Well, I wish it was, but I'm afraid you're right.
Please.
How well do you know Dr.
Andrea Frost? Pretty well.
A woman like that in the tech sphere she's a unicorn.
Certainly makes an impression.
I asked you here because I think you're an excellent judge of character.
And I need you to judge hers for me.
Do you think she's capable of sabotage? Sabotage? Hacking into governmental and technological hubs? If you're asking me, "Could she do it?" Yeah, she's brilliant.
If you're asking me, "Would she?" I'm afraid that's what I'm asking.
You don't get to be the first female tech billionaire without a ruthless streak.
[CHUCKLES.]
Yeah.
[SIGHS.]
But cyber-terrorism? It just doesn't seem to fit the profile of the person I know.
I agree.
But how well do we really know anyone? Mm.
Tom, can I ask if this is related to the hacking Dax, I'm afraid I can't answer anything about this.
So how you doing with everything? [CHUCKLES.]
Well, besides the fact that half the country thinks I'm crazy It's been a hard year.
But I'm getting by.
If you need a breather, I have a bottle of 1823 Louis XIII with your name on it.
When I find the time, I'd love to share it with you.
Until then, I've got a pretty cool reminder of you right here in my office.
They're rolling off the assembly lines as we speak.
Come by.
Take a real one for a spin.
Well, if I'm still sitting in that chair in three weeks, I'll make it a priority.
You will be.
I promise.
Thanks.
Yeah, I'd like to call my next witness, please.
Dr.
Frost.
[DOOR OPENS.]
[SPECTATORS MURMUR.]
She's a private citizen.
She has knowledge of the President's fitness, as per the tapes.
I'm sorry.
Dr.
Frost are you and the President close friends? We're friends, yes.
Does he ever discuss his job with you? Honestly, I don't know if I can do this anymore.
Yes.
So the President confessed doubts to you about his ability to do the job? Dr.
Frost? Yes.
Mr.
President, the conversation you had with Dr.
Frost, who was in the room with the two of you? No one.
Which means she's cooperating with Ethan West.
No, she was subpoenaed.
To testify.
Why would she volunteer details of a private conversation that incriminates you? Hannah Wells gave me a dossier on Dr.
Frost.
I would like to use it to question her.
You want to suggest that she's the hacker, right? Yes, sir.
No, I won't allow it.
Understood? Yes, sir.
[PHONE BEEPS, RINGS.]
Hannah, we need to talk.
AARON: There was no one else in the Oval besides Frost and the President.
And the President sure as hell wasn't cooperating with West, which means that Frost is undermining him.
The President was clear.
We can't question her.
So Frost gets away with it.
Unless you can find an ironclad way to incriminate her.
[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS.]
Mr.
West, I'm Hannah Wells.
FBI.
You got a second? I got half a second.
I'm investigating possible criminal conduct by Dr.
Andrea Frost.
It's not my concern.
It is if you were conspiring with her to undermine the Presidency.
Excuse me? I understand that Dr.
Frost just testified to the contents of a private conversation her and the President had in the Oval Office.
A conversation she related to you.
Wow, is there nobody who doesn't know about this hearing? My point is, if we make a case against Dr.
Frost, and you aided her attack on the White House, that makes you an accessory after the fact.
Let me save you some time, Agent Hannah Wells.
The conversation that you allude to was brought to my attention through this anonymous letter.
I did not co-conspire.
I did nothing wrong.
I just merely received a tip.
- A tip? - A tip.
You know what a tip is, don't you? It's the part of the iceberg that this White House is about to slam into.
The President will never sign this.
Yes, he will, Lyor, because time's up for your boss.
- I'm sorry? - This President's under duress.
We are not.
So we have to be able to look our constituents in the eye tomorrow and explain why we made concessions with someone who is no longer a viable partner.
What do you mean, "no longer viable"? This is the deal, Emily.
The final deal.
And I think this President understands the concept of finality.
We'll be waiting for his answer.
[DOOR CLOSES.]
They know about the hearing.
Yep.
Any leverage the White House had just went up in smoke.
Yeah, if you just inverse those, let's see what those numbers look like.
Yeah.
And then you're gonna need to take that one So, what's next? Excuse me? NASA.
The power grid.
The President's therapy tapes.
- What's your next target? - Do I know you? I'm Hannah Wells.
FBI.
I have no idea what you're talking about, Agent Wells.
But I'm a close friend of President Kirkman's.
Yeah, you're a close friend.
You're trying to undermine his entire administration.
- Is that what friends do? - What? You are not just a saboteur, Dr.
Frost.
You are a murderer.
And your henchmen got the wrong guy.
You have no idea who you're talking to.
- I know exactly - So, let me enlighten you.
I'm someone who keeps her promises.
And if you ever slander me in public again, I promise you this will be your last act working for the government or anyone else.
[REPORTERS CLAMORING.]
Yes, obviously, the White House is aware of the budget deadline, and we're working diligently with the leadership to resolve our differences.
So then you're confident of avoiding a shutdown? Very confident.
Gary Lee.
I'm very confident the world is gonna come crashing down around us.
Maybe don't say that.
You know what Nixon did on his last day in office? He didn't shut the government down.
He got a haircut, okay? He thanked his staff.
Nixon's goose was already cooked.
Our guy is getting plucked in front of our eyes.
And yet, here we are, the hunky-dory brigade.
And we carry on until we're carried out.
That's what we do here.
Yes, Em, I get that.
And I'm down.
But, you know, it's, like Custer's last stand around here.
For all of us.
Look, I have to testify, and I can't take the Fifth.
If I'm asked about telling Chuck to break the law - to protect the President - What are you gonna do? Face the music.
That's the order of business today.
'Til the band stops playing.
Ms.
Rhodes, are you loyal to the President? Of course.
And you follow his directives? I'm his Chief of Staff.
I carry them out.
Let's talk about how you do that.
EMILY: The President deserves a modicum of loyalty.
You laundered evidence.
It's not that simple.
Leaking to make a case against a leaker.
You don't see the irony? You're missing the big picture here, Kendra.
Our guy is out there bleeding and he needs our help.
If we get hemmed in by procedural niceties Hemmed in? Procedural niceties? I don't think I'm the one missing the big picture here.
Well, the President is obsessed with loyalty.
He's not obsessed.
Preoccupied? The President is a very loyal man.
He expects it in return.
And you follow his directives, right? Yes, I said that.
Well, if you're preoccupied with loyalty and you listen to what the President says, then the preoccupation must be his, am I right? Ms.
Rhodes? You know what White House employees can't do? Accost private citizens in public places and defame them.
You're not getting any of this, are you? Hannah, I vouched for you.
To the President.
I put my neck on the line! What the hell were you thinking? They're all dead, Aaron.
Who? Scott Wheeler.
Jason Atwood.
John Foerstel.
Damian Rennett.
Everyone who gets close to me dies.
Yeah.
I'm sorry.
I'm not gonna let Andrea Frost get away with this.
I won't let her.
I'm pulling you from the hack investigation, Hannah.
I have to.
You've done enough.
[DOOR OPENS.]
[DOOR CLOSES.]
Hey.
AARON: Hey, what do you say? It's touch and go.
Kendra's great.
But so is West.
Yeah, I-I don't think I helped the cause.
I don't think I did, either.
Is that the, um, Type 2 diabetes diet? [CHUCKLES.]
I mean, If everything goes south, I figure, you know, we'll have minutes to leave this building.
I-I wanted a souvenir that wouldn't amount to grand theft.
A sugar shaker? You remember Bernie from the cafeteria? - Mm-hmm.
- He put it behind the register.
He said I was oversweetening my cortados.
Sweet revenge.
Yeah.
I'm, uh I'm taking the scorpion paperweight the Governor of Guam left us.
Sting of the tail.
[CHUCKLES.]
Do you ever Do you ever think about us? How do you mean? Well, we had that kiss last year.
Once.
And it was, you know it wasn't bad as far as kisses go.
Definitely serviceable.
You ever wonder what would've happened if there were a sequel? I I did.
But I decided long ago not to pursue it.
Why? Because then you wouldn't be here in my office a year later, exchanging stories about how we're the two lowest-rent crooks in the history of the White House.
MOSS: Well, Mr.
West, what can I do for you? Well, sir, it's more a matter of what can you do for your country? The cabinet is trying to remove President Kirkman, sir.
It's a somber occasion.
I take it they have retained you? I am the humble steward charged with bringing the relevant facts to light, yeah.
I was thinking you may have some.
Mr.
President.
Yes.
Yes, I do.
Would you be willing to share those with the Cabinet? [SIGHS.]
Well, as you say, Mr.
West, it's about what I can do for my country.
How far do your concerns about the President's mental health go back? Months.
At least since the death of his wife.
And what was the basis of this concern? I personally observed President Kirkman's growing and dangerous paranoia.
From the second I named you my Secretary of State, you've been quietly trying to undermine me.
You're disloyal.
And as a member of the President's cabinet, did you also notice the mental deterioration? Since the day of his wife's death, absolutely.
Did you take these concerns to him? Repeatedly.
He was defensive.
Accused me of not supporting him.
What did you notice about his decision-making after his wife died? Erratic.
At times, dangerously impetuous.
At times, crippled by indecision.
You fold in the paranoia, you've got a toxic combination.
So, in your expert opinion, is Tom Kirkman fit to continue as President? No.
No, he is not.
Secretary Moss did you leave the Kirkman administration on good terms? - No.
- What happened? I became weary of President Kirkman's accusations that I was undermining him.
Tired of his failure to follow my counsel.
So I resigned.
In fact, you were fired.
I was not.
Oh, come on, Mr.
Secretary It's "Mr.
President", Ms.
Daynes.
And I know what you're implying.
That I'm here on a vendetta.
Except I was not fired.
In fact, President Kirkman held a press conference in which he acknowledged reluctantly accepting my resignation.
Surely you're not suggesting President Kirkman is a liar.
How much damage did Moss do? A respected ex-President.
He hurt us, sir.
- It was brilliant.
- Excuse me? Moss leaked classified intel.
Now he's testifying against you.
He helps oust you, his legal problems are over.
Right.
If I somehow manage to survive this, my administration's subsequent prosecution of him would look like political retribution.
Yes, sir.
I think Moss is the reason your Cabinet turned against you.
They're all his people.
I appointed them at his recommendation.
They're loyal to him.
I'm betting he orchestrated a whisper campaign.
Primed his people for the 25th.
Well, I can't worry about what he did.
I need to worry about what we're going to do.
Kendra, where to do we stand? We're doing our best, sir, but we need to change hearts and minds, and I'm not sure we're doing that.
I just heard from leadership.
More rollbacks.
Everything we worked for for the last six months, they're throwing out.
Mr.
President, it's gonna get worse by the hour.
You need to make a deal.
This isn't a deal.
They're strong-arming us.
If your last act is shutting down the government, it won't seem like an act of conscience.
- It'll seem like spite.
- Or proof of insanity.
Son of a bitch.
Fine.
Emily, get the Congressional and Senate leadership back up here.
- We need to button this up.
- EMILY: Yes, sir.
[CELLPHONE RINGS.]
Kendra Daynes.
Okay.
Ethan West wants a sit-down.
TOM: There a compromise? Yes, sir.
You step down voluntarily and return to your post as HUD secretary.
What's the President's stated reason for leaving? Pick one.
He's not a politician.
He doesn't like the aesthetic.
No one's gonna bat an eye.
You have a well-deserved reputation for hardball.
Why are you suddenly coming to the table? Because it's a win-win situation.
I mean, do you need a better reason than that? TOM: You're hedging your bets.
You know the deck's stacked against me.
You're worried I might pull out an inside straight.
Whatever my reasoning, it's a gift horse.
Don't look it in the mouth.
I'm sorry, Mr.
West.
But if the Cabinet wants me out of this building, they're gonna have to do it the hard way.
Okay, sir, but when you look back on this, remember I tired to give you a way out.
ETHAN: Mr.
Kirkman, would you do anything to protect your brother? I'm not sure I know what you mean by "anything.
" Well, did you confront me at the White House mess earlier today? I wouldn't call it a "confrontation.
" It was a conversation.
A pretty threatening conversation.
I wonder, uh, did your brother put you up to it? My brother didn't put me up to anything.
So you confronted me of your own volition? Yep.
Well, considering the role I play in your brother's fate, uh, do you think that's rational? I'll let you be the judge of that.
It's irrational, but it's not surprising 'cause your family has a history of mental illness.
We have no such history.
Well, you were diagnosed with bipolar disorder and spent two weeks in the hospital in 1998.
I was under observation.
I was going through a break-up with a long-term girlfriend.
You still on your meds? Yes.
When you're diagnosed, they keep you on the medication as a precaution.
And your mother was hospitalized, too, with depression in 1975.
She was briefly in a facility.
Mental illness runs in your family.
No, being human does.
KENDRA: Mr.
Kirkman, to your knowledge, has your brother ever been treated for any mental illness? No.
Thank you.
Trey.
I'm sorry, Tom.
[DOOR CLOSES.]
For what? I hurt you in there.
You think I'm upset about what you said in there? Why didn't you tell me? [SIGHS.]
I'm your brother.
All those years, everything you were going through.
You were busy with your own life.
I had spent mine being a burden.
I didn't want to be that anymore Trey, you are not a burden.
I know.
I know that now.
I didn't know it then.
When this whole thing is over, regardless of the outcome, I want us to go somewhere.
Just the two of us brothers.
And 40 secret service.
[CHUCKLES.]
Believe it or not, they are pretty good at keeping a low profile.
It's a deal, big brother.
I know just the place.
Fort Knox.
I'll bring one suitcase I was hoping that we could go somewhere that wasn't gonna land you in jail.
- Are you gonna show me the UFOs? - Okay.
Tom, I won't tell anybody.
I swear! I thought I made our position clear.
LYOR: You made yourself perfectly clear.
You are a couple of unprincipled shake-down artists.
Emily, please remind the political director who he is talking to.
Of course.
Lyor, you are talking to a couple of unprincipled shake-down artists.
- Thank you.
- And we're done here.
SEN.
FELLER: You can tell the President that when the government shuts down, he has only himself to blame - for everything.
- No need, Senator.
I think I got the message.
[DOOR CLOSES.]
W Mr.
President Don't worry.
It's just politics.
You're pushing an advantage.
- That's how the game works.
- Yes, sir.
It is.
Problem is, I don't play the game, and I'm not about to start.
You both made a deal, and I expect you to honor it.
Respectfully, sir, circumstances have changed.
Not for me.
But if this is, in fact, my last day, I'm not gonna waste it striking a compromise I don't believe in.
- That's your choice.
- Yes, it is.
It was also my choice to leave Vice President Darby a letter telling her the only budget deal to sign was the one that we had previously negotiated.
I fully expect her to comply with my wishes because, well, she gave me her word like I gave you mine.
Mr.
President So, when the government shuts down, you can explain to the American people that the only people whose word doesn't seem to matter is yours.
Time for playing games, Senators, is over.
Do your job.
[SIGHS.]
[DOOR OPENS.]
Mr.
President, it's time.
Mr.
President, you've listened to all of today's testimony, right? TOM: Yes.
Was any of it untrue? [SIGHS.]
No.
When Dr.
Louden testified about your problems after your wife's death, that was accurate? Yes.
When Aaron Shore said you attacked Kunami without heeding counsel to wait, was that not accurate? Yes.
When Emily Rhodes testifies that you have a pre-occupation with loyalty Yes, that was accurate, as well.
Today, all of you have heard what a deeply flawed man I am, either because members of my family have had to struggle through issues with mental heath or because I have mourned for and miss my wife too much.
Because I have expected loyalty from people that I give it to or because I declared war on a country that I still, to this very day, believe had every intention of harming us.
[SCOFFS.]
The truth is, I've made mistakes but not for any of the reasons that you've heard here today.
I've made mine because I'm human.
And it is human to err.
So I find myself sitting here trying to figure out why I'm fighting for a job that I never asked for that I never wanted.
One that has cost me dearly.
But I believe that the Presidency is more important than any single person.
So that's why I'm here.
I'm fighting for what I believe is the integrity of the Presidency because I have heard absolutely nothing here today that would warrant or justify the removal of someone Anyone From this great office.
[SIGHS.]
It's that simple.
Madam Vice President, esteemed members of the Cabinet, I need to excuse myself.
I have a budget to sign.
Which will be the only Presidential thing I'll do today.
[INTERCOM BEEPS.]
Yes? Thank you, send her in.
Madam Vice President.
Mr.
President, I came to inform you that the Cabinet has concluded its deliberations.
I understand.
Let's get this over with.
The majority of the Cabinet wishes you to continue in your capacity of President.
[EXHALES SHARPLY.]
I was not expecting that.
Please thank them for this opportunity and their support.
Needless to say, this has been a difficult time.
Well, sir, it's behind you now.
It's behind all of us.
Madam Vice President what made them come to this decision? [SIGHS.]
Two things, sir.
Your staff's loyalty to you through everything.
Loyalty is a consequence of leadership.
And leadership is the touchstone of competence.
And the second thing? You.
You, sir.
The Tom Kirkman who started this job 20 months ago Ambivalent, aspirational, honest to a fault Is the same Tom Kirkman that they saw today.
You have not changed one bit, sir.
Thank you, Ellenor.
[CHUCKLES.]
Thank you, Mr.
President.
[DRAWER CLOSES.]
[SIGHS.]
[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS.]
Mr.
President.
Congratulations.
Normally, I'd thank you.
But I think I'll take a pass.
[CHUCKLES.]
That's kind of like thanking the IRS after an audit.
I just want you to know that there was nothing personal, sir.
I'm afraid it was.
It was as personal as it gets.
You should know that the flaws I listed in my testimony, personally, I consider to be assets.
Am I different from my predecessors? Yes.
But it doesn't mean I can't do this job.
The fact is, Mr.
West, you proved my point perfectly.
You had to face adversity.
You're different.
And I consider you to be one of the best lawyers I've ever seen.
Truth is, I'm surprised.
I would've expected you, of all people, to understand that simply being different doesn't necessarily equal bad.
In the end, it doesn't really matter because you lost.
No, sir.
No, I won.
How do you figure? My remit was to elicit facts so the Cabinet can make the right decision.
Mission accomplished.
[SCOFFS.]
How convenient.
It must be nice to live in a world where you can't lose.
No, sir.
It's awful.
Goodbye, Mr.
President.
She's waitingfo.
[SIGHS.]
Thank you.
[DOOR OPENS.]
Thank you for getting here on such short notice.
Mr.
President.
[SIGHS.]
Agent Wells you are a dedicated servant to your country.
You have made sacrifices, both personal and professional, that go beyond the call of duty.
And I want you to know that that has not gone unnoticed.
Thank you, sir.
But today has been an object lesson for me in accountability.
And I believe that everybody in this building needs to be accountable for what they do.
Yes, sir.
The directive I gave Aaron was for you to give me more information on Andrea Frost so you could build a proper case.
Instead, you chose to accost her.
Defame her.
Humiliate her publicly.
Sir, may I explain No, you may not.
Your actions constitute rank insubordination, which I cannot accept.
In other words, you've given me no choice.
You can no longer serve in this administration.
Mr.
President Agent Wells, you've been terminated effective immediately.
Goodbye.
C.
power grid, the Space Station, the President's therapy tapes, it's all the same hacker Gamine.
Gamine had to be someone who knew the president was seeing Dr.
Louden, meaning someone in this building.
To hell with whoever leaked the shrink tapes.
You're the President.
What do you mean the Cabinet voted to have me removed? They're invoking the 25th Amendment.
Mr.
President.
Ethan West.
The idea here, sir, is to give you an opportunity to explain yourself.
ETHAN: It's simple The White House produces witnesses and documents.
And you, sir You answer my questions.
I did tell Dr.
Louden that we were friends.
I'm cross-referencing the roll with the 34 folks who visited the Oval and could've known about Louden.
Andrea Frost is the only name that appears on both lists.
Andrea Frost? - Hannah! - [SCREAMS.]
[GUNFIRE.]
Agent down! I need an ambulance! KENDRA: Dr.
Louden.
Aaron.
Emily.
You.
West is only calling four witnesses.
That he's apprised us of.
But depending on how his case is going, we may be in for a few surprises.
He's not obligated to follow typical notification procedures? He's not, sir.
The 25th Amendment proceeding - is not a typical hearing.
- One day prep.
No, it's not.
Sir, the procedures here are simple.
The cabinet has already voted to remove you.
They've tabled that vote in favor of this hearing.
But the burden of proof is yours.
So I start at a disadvantage.
Yes, sir.
West will inquire into anything since your swearing in that touches your fitness to hold office.
And we have no idea what his questions will be.
So I'm gonna have to just sit there and watch him tear my life apart.
No, sir.
You're going to sit there and watch us win.
[TELEPHONE RINGS.]
Hey, Hannah.
You didn't answer my calls.
- I was at the hospital.
- Yeah, like, 10 hours ago.
Hey, you can't see the President like this.
He needs to know that Andrea Frost is the hacker.
- And a murderer! - We need incontrovertible evidence of that, - not a circumstantial case.
- Oh, the hell we do.
You think you can just waltz into the Oval with blood on your shirt and convince the President that his close friend I don't care who the hell she is, Aaron.
Hannah, I'm on your side here.
But you'll have one shot at persuading the President.
Go home, all right.
Get cleaned up.
Gather your thoughts.
Keep working the case.
I have been working this for months.
Hannah, I'm sorry about Damian.
I am.
But this has to be bulletproof.
What, you want a smoking gun? We may never get that.
Meanwhile, she's still out there.
Hannah, I'm not asking you.
[SIGHS.]
Hey, the press wants to know where we are with the budget.
In process.
Deadline's tonight or it's a government shutdown.
We got through this every year.
We're close to a deal.
- How close? - Very close.
The Senate leadership finally agreed to fund the Medicaid cost-of-living increases.
Great.
An $8-billion win for us.
What do they want in return? Just a few minor compromises.
They're gonna come in and button it up.
We'll get the bill on the President's desk tonight.
Yeah, we should probably get that on his desk sooner than that.
I'll get them in here.
Damaging release of the President's therapy notes.
Kirkman's therapist, Dr.
Adam Louden, paints a troubling portrait of a presidency in turmoil.
I think that's everything.
It's time, Mr.
President.
- I need a moment.
- Yes, sir.
[SIGHS.]
That's not what I said.
Those are your words on those tapes, aren't they, doctor? - Yes, but - You didn't say the President was suffering from PTSD? You're taking it out of contex You didn't say that the President was anxious and depressed? The leak of my tapes has been professionally devastating for me.
I'm not gonna sit here and let you compound that humiliation by mischaracterizing my conclusions.
If you're not gonna let me answer, I don't need to be here.
The floor is yours, doctor.
I never said, at any time, that Tom Kirkman was not fit to be President of the United States.
But your notes say he doubts he can do the job.
Self-doubt is common when we lose a loved one.
Do you think his symptoms disqualify him from the Presidency? I have no expertise as to the necessary qualifications of the Oval Office.
Dr.
Louden, has the President improved since you started treating him? Absolutely.
PTSD, anxiety, depression All normal responses to a tragedy Have they diminished in the intervening months? Yes, the diagnoses on my tapes were provisional.
Is the President currently in sound mental and emotional health? He is.
Thank you.
You say he's improved, but he has good days and bad days, right? Yes.
Like us all.
Mr.
Shore, do you have an opinion as to the President's conduct of the war against Kunami? I'm not sure what you're asking.
How did he do, Mr.
Shore? How'd he do? Well, he brought to justice a leader of a regime that set off a dirty bomb on American soil and was about to gas its dissidents But we didn't find out about the gas until after we declared war.
Yes.
And the justification for war The dirty bomb The Emir wasn't behind that, was he? Not directly, no.
So, what we need to talk about is how the President made his decision to plunge this country into war.
Secretary Krantz is consulting with NATO.
Trying to build a consensus for a military option.
We don't need a consensus.
We were attacked.
Yes, sir, but moving without advising our allies I don't see the value of getting bogged down in diplomatic discussions.
There's a protocol here, sir.
We were attacked! The protocol is strike back.
So, he discarded advice.
He refused to confer with his allies, and he started a war.
Which is his constitutional prerogative.
To not verify facts before putting lives at risk? That's his prerogative? Yes.
And that's just irrational, right? We won the war.
Removed a tyrant.
If that's irrational, then sign me up.
Mr.
Shore, is war ever rational? A conscious decision to kill other human beings may be necessary, but rational, no.
I wouldn't call it that.
George Washington.
Woodrow Wilson.
FDR.
All took us into war.
By that definition, they were all irrational, correct? Correct.
Then I think President Kirkman's in good company.
ELLENOR: Let's take a recess.
CHUCK: Here's the bank camera's shot of the assassin's car.
You can't really make out the license plate.
You can make out the first two numbers.
And they trace back to a silver sedan registered to Apache Aerospace Andrea Frost's company.
Yes, and those two digits also come back to 814 other plates registered in the district.
Okay, how many of them are silver sedans? - Hannah, you're not listening.
- How many? We also found more writings.
Recent anti-government postings that we can trace back to Gamine.
And we know that Gamine is Andrea Frost.
We're getting there, okay? But it's still not enough.
It is for me.
Chuck, she's not just a-a saboteur.
She's a killer.
The plumber who broke into NASA.
Damian.
They're both dead.
We keep looking for evidence that we already have! I'm sorry.
About Damian.
I don't know what to say.
Aaron, I'm ready.
With or without you.
HANNAH: These are postings from the dark web message boards over several years by someone named Gamine.
- Gamine? - Yes, the postings are anti-government and anti-establishment.
- Okay.
- Gamine is obsessed with the British mathematician Alan Turing as you can see from the codes that I've highlighted from the hacks.
These all have a Turing signature.
Here's the clincher.
Gamine who we know is responsible for the posts and the hacks and, we believe, several murders Bought a Turing notebook from an auction and had it sent to a private club in D.
C.
The only person who is a member of that club and who has visited the White House is Andrea Frost.
Agent Wells, you have been a tremendous asset to your country and to this administration.
But I'm deeply troubled by what you've just told me, and for a number of reasons.
But I'll start with the biggest one first.
You do know who Andrea Frost is? Unfortunately, sir, I do.
She's not just a close personal friend of mine.
She's a widely respected industrialist.
Someone who helped us save astronauts from the Space Station, helped us find the dirty bomb.
All so she could get close to you, sir.
I'm sorry.
I might be missing something here.
But your claim that Andrea Frost is responsible for all these hackings and murder is solely based on your assertion that she uses the Internet handle "Gamine" and is a fan of Alan Turing, which by the way, so am I.
Mr.
President, I know that all of this sounds very far-fetched.
But this conclusion is a product of months and months of painstaking work.
Have I ever led you astray before? Thank you, Agent Wells.
That'll be all.
Sir.
Aaron, you were briefed on this from the beginning.
What the hell? Sir, Hannah Wells is the best agent we've got.
I'm not disputing that.
But she didn't prove anything.
In fact, from where I sit, the only thing she managed to do was smear the name of one of our country's greatest entrepreneurs.
I grant you, sir, her case is not ironclad.
But But if you connect all the dots And leap to every possible conclusion, you may May have found the hacker.
Sir, Hannah Wells took down Patrick Lloyd.
She figured out who was behind the dirty bomb.
If she says there's something here, I'm inclined at least to give her the benefit of the doubt.
If you expect me to believe any of this, she needs to come back with more a lot more.
[DOOR CLOSES.]
Can you find me Dax Minter, please? Well, obviously, the therapist tapes concern me.
Not just as an ex-President, but as an American.
And for the country's sake, I hope that President Kirkman continues President Moss.
Stand-up guy.
Road to recovery.
If you say so.
Hey, I know you.
You're Trey Kirkman.
You're the President's brother.
Ethan West.
- I know who you are.
- Really? 'Cause, uh, I mean, if you read the law journals, I-I would get it, but you're not a lawyer.
So, that'd be just like a weird hobby.
Not as weird as a political witch hunt.
Excuse me? If you knew what my brother had been through, the type of man he is, you wouldn't be trying to bring him down.
You'd be giving him a medal.
KENDALL: Excuse me.
I have the documents you wanted, Mr.
West.
Great.
Good.
Thanks.
Nice meeting you.
That's the President's brother.
He's a stand-up guy.
This isn't what we agreed to, Senator.
We had a deal.
Which we're honoring by fully funding the medical research you advocate $6 billion.
Which you're offsetting by eliminating $6 billion in cost-of-living increases to Medicaid.
Meaning that if we were to ever discover new life-saving medication, most Americans couldn't afford it.
Sir, we can't squeeze blood from a stone.
We got to give somewhere.
How about the billions of dollars of pork your two parties have jammed into the budget.
If you're referring to the reasoned compromises that have gotten this budget the votes to pass There's absolutely nothing reasonable about our failure to care for our sick.
I'm not signing it.
Your veto would shut down the government, sir.
You want to avoid a government shutdown, honor the deal.
Or there's the door.
Sir.
[CLEARS THROAT.]
Sir, now may not be the time for hardball.
She's right.
We have 'til midnight to get this sorted out.
Get the budget funded, then we can tackle medical research.
I'm not gonna be forced into making a choice between medical innovation and access to medical care.
That will not be my legacy.
Nope.
It'll be hitting the self-destruct button right before getting dragged out of office.
[SIGHS.]
Dax, thank you so much for coming.
It's great to see you, man.
Always, Tom.
But, I'm assuming the suddenness of my summons means this isn't strictly personal.
Well, I wish it was, but I'm afraid you're right.
Please.
How well do you know Dr.
Andrea Frost? Pretty well.
A woman like that in the tech sphere she's a unicorn.
Certainly makes an impression.
I asked you here because I think you're an excellent judge of character.
And I need you to judge hers for me.
Do you think she's capable of sabotage? Sabotage? Hacking into governmental and technological hubs? If you're asking me, "Could she do it?" Yeah, she's brilliant.
If you're asking me, "Would she?" I'm afraid that's what I'm asking.
You don't get to be the first female tech billionaire without a ruthless streak.
[CHUCKLES.]
Yeah.
[SIGHS.]
But cyber-terrorism? It just doesn't seem to fit the profile of the person I know.
I agree.
But how well do we really know anyone? Mm.
Tom, can I ask if this is related to the hacking Dax, I'm afraid I can't answer anything about this.
So how you doing with everything? [CHUCKLES.]
Well, besides the fact that half the country thinks I'm crazy It's been a hard year.
But I'm getting by.
If you need a breather, I have a bottle of 1823 Louis XIII with your name on it.
When I find the time, I'd love to share it with you.
Until then, I've got a pretty cool reminder of you right here in my office.
They're rolling off the assembly lines as we speak.
Come by.
Take a real one for a spin.
Well, if I'm still sitting in that chair in three weeks, I'll make it a priority.
You will be.
I promise.
Thanks.
Yeah, I'd like to call my next witness, please.
Dr.
Frost.
[DOOR OPENS.]
[SPECTATORS MURMUR.]
She's a private citizen.
She has knowledge of the President's fitness, as per the tapes.
I'm sorry.
Dr.
Frost are you and the President close friends? We're friends, yes.
Does he ever discuss his job with you? Honestly, I don't know if I can do this anymore.
Yes.
So the President confessed doubts to you about his ability to do the job? Dr.
Frost? Yes.
Mr.
President, the conversation you had with Dr.
Frost, who was in the room with the two of you? No one.
Which means she's cooperating with Ethan West.
No, she was subpoenaed.
To testify.
Why would she volunteer details of a private conversation that incriminates you? Hannah Wells gave me a dossier on Dr.
Frost.
I would like to use it to question her.
You want to suggest that she's the hacker, right? Yes, sir.
No, I won't allow it.
Understood? Yes, sir.
[PHONE BEEPS, RINGS.]
Hannah, we need to talk.
AARON: There was no one else in the Oval besides Frost and the President.
And the President sure as hell wasn't cooperating with West, which means that Frost is undermining him.
The President was clear.
We can't question her.
So Frost gets away with it.
Unless you can find an ironclad way to incriminate her.
[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS.]
Mr.
West, I'm Hannah Wells.
FBI.
You got a second? I got half a second.
I'm investigating possible criminal conduct by Dr.
Andrea Frost.
It's not my concern.
It is if you were conspiring with her to undermine the Presidency.
Excuse me? I understand that Dr.
Frost just testified to the contents of a private conversation her and the President had in the Oval Office.
A conversation she related to you.
Wow, is there nobody who doesn't know about this hearing? My point is, if we make a case against Dr.
Frost, and you aided her attack on the White House, that makes you an accessory after the fact.
Let me save you some time, Agent Hannah Wells.
The conversation that you allude to was brought to my attention through this anonymous letter.
I did not co-conspire.
I did nothing wrong.
I just merely received a tip.
- A tip? - A tip.
You know what a tip is, don't you? It's the part of the iceberg that this White House is about to slam into.
The President will never sign this.
Yes, he will, Lyor, because time's up for your boss.
- I'm sorry? - This President's under duress.
We are not.
So we have to be able to look our constituents in the eye tomorrow and explain why we made concessions with someone who is no longer a viable partner.
What do you mean, "no longer viable"? This is the deal, Emily.
The final deal.
And I think this President understands the concept of finality.
We'll be waiting for his answer.
[DOOR CLOSES.]
They know about the hearing.
Yep.
Any leverage the White House had just went up in smoke.
Yeah, if you just inverse those, let's see what those numbers look like.
Yeah.
And then you're gonna need to take that one So, what's next? Excuse me? NASA.
The power grid.
The President's therapy tapes.
- What's your next target? - Do I know you? I'm Hannah Wells.
FBI.
I have no idea what you're talking about, Agent Wells.
But I'm a close friend of President Kirkman's.
Yeah, you're a close friend.
You're trying to undermine his entire administration.
- Is that what friends do? - What? You are not just a saboteur, Dr.
Frost.
You are a murderer.
And your henchmen got the wrong guy.
You have no idea who you're talking to.
- I know exactly - So, let me enlighten you.
I'm someone who keeps her promises.
And if you ever slander me in public again, I promise you this will be your last act working for the government or anyone else.
[REPORTERS CLAMORING.]
Yes, obviously, the White House is aware of the budget deadline, and we're working diligently with the leadership to resolve our differences.
So then you're confident of avoiding a shutdown? Very confident.
Gary Lee.
I'm very confident the world is gonna come crashing down around us.
Maybe don't say that.
You know what Nixon did on his last day in office? He didn't shut the government down.
He got a haircut, okay? He thanked his staff.
Nixon's goose was already cooked.
Our guy is getting plucked in front of our eyes.
And yet, here we are, the hunky-dory brigade.
And we carry on until we're carried out.
That's what we do here.
Yes, Em, I get that.
And I'm down.
But, you know, it's, like Custer's last stand around here.
For all of us.
Look, I have to testify, and I can't take the Fifth.
If I'm asked about telling Chuck to break the law - to protect the President - What are you gonna do? Face the music.
That's the order of business today.
'Til the band stops playing.
Ms.
Rhodes, are you loyal to the President? Of course.
And you follow his directives? I'm his Chief of Staff.
I carry them out.
Let's talk about how you do that.
EMILY: The President deserves a modicum of loyalty.
You laundered evidence.
It's not that simple.
Leaking to make a case against a leaker.
You don't see the irony? You're missing the big picture here, Kendra.
Our guy is out there bleeding and he needs our help.
If we get hemmed in by procedural niceties Hemmed in? Procedural niceties? I don't think I'm the one missing the big picture here.
Well, the President is obsessed with loyalty.
He's not obsessed.
Preoccupied? The President is a very loyal man.
He expects it in return.
And you follow his directives, right? Yes, I said that.
Well, if you're preoccupied with loyalty and you listen to what the President says, then the preoccupation must be his, am I right? Ms.
Rhodes? You know what White House employees can't do? Accost private citizens in public places and defame them.
You're not getting any of this, are you? Hannah, I vouched for you.
To the President.
I put my neck on the line! What the hell were you thinking? They're all dead, Aaron.
Who? Scott Wheeler.
Jason Atwood.
John Foerstel.
Damian Rennett.
Everyone who gets close to me dies.
Yeah.
I'm sorry.
I'm not gonna let Andrea Frost get away with this.
I won't let her.
I'm pulling you from the hack investigation, Hannah.
I have to.
You've done enough.
[DOOR OPENS.]
[DOOR CLOSES.]
Hey.
AARON: Hey, what do you say? It's touch and go.
Kendra's great.
But so is West.
Yeah, I-I don't think I helped the cause.
I don't think I did, either.
Is that the, um, Type 2 diabetes diet? [CHUCKLES.]
I mean, If everything goes south, I figure, you know, we'll have minutes to leave this building.
I-I wanted a souvenir that wouldn't amount to grand theft.
A sugar shaker? You remember Bernie from the cafeteria? - Mm-hmm.
- He put it behind the register.
He said I was oversweetening my cortados.
Sweet revenge.
Yeah.
I'm, uh I'm taking the scorpion paperweight the Governor of Guam left us.
Sting of the tail.
[CHUCKLES.]
Do you ever Do you ever think about us? How do you mean? Well, we had that kiss last year.
Once.
And it was, you know it wasn't bad as far as kisses go.
Definitely serviceable.
You ever wonder what would've happened if there were a sequel? I I did.
But I decided long ago not to pursue it.
Why? Because then you wouldn't be here in my office a year later, exchanging stories about how we're the two lowest-rent crooks in the history of the White House.
MOSS: Well, Mr.
West, what can I do for you? Well, sir, it's more a matter of what can you do for your country? The cabinet is trying to remove President Kirkman, sir.
It's a somber occasion.
I take it they have retained you? I am the humble steward charged with bringing the relevant facts to light, yeah.
I was thinking you may have some.
Mr.
President.
Yes.
Yes, I do.
Would you be willing to share those with the Cabinet? [SIGHS.]
Well, as you say, Mr.
West, it's about what I can do for my country.
How far do your concerns about the President's mental health go back? Months.
At least since the death of his wife.
And what was the basis of this concern? I personally observed President Kirkman's growing and dangerous paranoia.
From the second I named you my Secretary of State, you've been quietly trying to undermine me.
You're disloyal.
And as a member of the President's cabinet, did you also notice the mental deterioration? Since the day of his wife's death, absolutely.
Did you take these concerns to him? Repeatedly.
He was defensive.
Accused me of not supporting him.
What did you notice about his decision-making after his wife died? Erratic.
At times, dangerously impetuous.
At times, crippled by indecision.
You fold in the paranoia, you've got a toxic combination.
So, in your expert opinion, is Tom Kirkman fit to continue as President? No.
No, he is not.
Secretary Moss did you leave the Kirkman administration on good terms? - No.
- What happened? I became weary of President Kirkman's accusations that I was undermining him.
Tired of his failure to follow my counsel.
So I resigned.
In fact, you were fired.
I was not.
Oh, come on, Mr.
Secretary It's "Mr.
President", Ms.
Daynes.
And I know what you're implying.
That I'm here on a vendetta.
Except I was not fired.
In fact, President Kirkman held a press conference in which he acknowledged reluctantly accepting my resignation.
Surely you're not suggesting President Kirkman is a liar.
How much damage did Moss do? A respected ex-President.
He hurt us, sir.
- It was brilliant.
- Excuse me? Moss leaked classified intel.
Now he's testifying against you.
He helps oust you, his legal problems are over.
Right.
If I somehow manage to survive this, my administration's subsequent prosecution of him would look like political retribution.
Yes, sir.
I think Moss is the reason your Cabinet turned against you.
They're all his people.
I appointed them at his recommendation.
They're loyal to him.
I'm betting he orchestrated a whisper campaign.
Primed his people for the 25th.
Well, I can't worry about what he did.
I need to worry about what we're going to do.
Kendra, where to do we stand? We're doing our best, sir, but we need to change hearts and minds, and I'm not sure we're doing that.
I just heard from leadership.
More rollbacks.
Everything we worked for for the last six months, they're throwing out.
Mr.
President, it's gonna get worse by the hour.
You need to make a deal.
This isn't a deal.
They're strong-arming us.
If your last act is shutting down the government, it won't seem like an act of conscience.
- It'll seem like spite.
- Or proof of insanity.
Son of a bitch.
Fine.
Emily, get the Congressional and Senate leadership back up here.
- We need to button this up.
- EMILY: Yes, sir.
[CELLPHONE RINGS.]
Kendra Daynes.
Okay.
Ethan West wants a sit-down.
TOM: There a compromise? Yes, sir.
You step down voluntarily and return to your post as HUD secretary.
What's the President's stated reason for leaving? Pick one.
He's not a politician.
He doesn't like the aesthetic.
No one's gonna bat an eye.
You have a well-deserved reputation for hardball.
Why are you suddenly coming to the table? Because it's a win-win situation.
I mean, do you need a better reason than that? TOM: You're hedging your bets.
You know the deck's stacked against me.
You're worried I might pull out an inside straight.
Whatever my reasoning, it's a gift horse.
Don't look it in the mouth.
I'm sorry, Mr.
West.
But if the Cabinet wants me out of this building, they're gonna have to do it the hard way.
Okay, sir, but when you look back on this, remember I tired to give you a way out.
ETHAN: Mr.
Kirkman, would you do anything to protect your brother? I'm not sure I know what you mean by "anything.
" Well, did you confront me at the White House mess earlier today? I wouldn't call it a "confrontation.
" It was a conversation.
A pretty threatening conversation.
I wonder, uh, did your brother put you up to it? My brother didn't put me up to anything.
So you confronted me of your own volition? Yep.
Well, considering the role I play in your brother's fate, uh, do you think that's rational? I'll let you be the judge of that.
It's irrational, but it's not surprising 'cause your family has a history of mental illness.
We have no such history.
Well, you were diagnosed with bipolar disorder and spent two weeks in the hospital in 1998.
I was under observation.
I was going through a break-up with a long-term girlfriend.
You still on your meds? Yes.
When you're diagnosed, they keep you on the medication as a precaution.
And your mother was hospitalized, too, with depression in 1975.
She was briefly in a facility.
Mental illness runs in your family.
No, being human does.
KENDRA: Mr.
Kirkman, to your knowledge, has your brother ever been treated for any mental illness? No.
Thank you.
Trey.
I'm sorry, Tom.
[DOOR CLOSES.]
For what? I hurt you in there.
You think I'm upset about what you said in there? Why didn't you tell me? [SIGHS.]
I'm your brother.
All those years, everything you were going through.
You were busy with your own life.
I had spent mine being a burden.
I didn't want to be that anymore Trey, you are not a burden.
I know.
I know that now.
I didn't know it then.
When this whole thing is over, regardless of the outcome, I want us to go somewhere.
Just the two of us brothers.
And 40 secret service.
[CHUCKLES.]
Believe it or not, they are pretty good at keeping a low profile.
It's a deal, big brother.
I know just the place.
Fort Knox.
I'll bring one suitcase I was hoping that we could go somewhere that wasn't gonna land you in jail.
- Are you gonna show me the UFOs? - Okay.
Tom, I won't tell anybody.
I swear! I thought I made our position clear.
LYOR: You made yourself perfectly clear.
You are a couple of unprincipled shake-down artists.
Emily, please remind the political director who he is talking to.
Of course.
Lyor, you are talking to a couple of unprincipled shake-down artists.
- Thank you.
- And we're done here.
SEN.
FELLER: You can tell the President that when the government shuts down, he has only himself to blame - for everything.
- No need, Senator.
I think I got the message.
[DOOR CLOSES.]
W Mr.
President Don't worry.
It's just politics.
You're pushing an advantage.
- That's how the game works.
- Yes, sir.
It is.
Problem is, I don't play the game, and I'm not about to start.
You both made a deal, and I expect you to honor it.
Respectfully, sir, circumstances have changed.
Not for me.
But if this is, in fact, my last day, I'm not gonna waste it striking a compromise I don't believe in.
- That's your choice.
- Yes, it is.
It was also my choice to leave Vice President Darby a letter telling her the only budget deal to sign was the one that we had previously negotiated.
I fully expect her to comply with my wishes because, well, she gave me her word like I gave you mine.
Mr.
President So, when the government shuts down, you can explain to the American people that the only people whose word doesn't seem to matter is yours.
Time for playing games, Senators, is over.
Do your job.
[SIGHS.]
[DOOR OPENS.]
Mr.
President, it's time.
Mr.
President, you've listened to all of today's testimony, right? TOM: Yes.
Was any of it untrue? [SIGHS.]
No.
When Dr.
Louden testified about your problems after your wife's death, that was accurate? Yes.
When Aaron Shore said you attacked Kunami without heeding counsel to wait, was that not accurate? Yes.
When Emily Rhodes testifies that you have a pre-occupation with loyalty Yes, that was accurate, as well.
Today, all of you have heard what a deeply flawed man I am, either because members of my family have had to struggle through issues with mental heath or because I have mourned for and miss my wife too much.
Because I have expected loyalty from people that I give it to or because I declared war on a country that I still, to this very day, believe had every intention of harming us.
[SCOFFS.]
The truth is, I've made mistakes but not for any of the reasons that you've heard here today.
I've made mine because I'm human.
And it is human to err.
So I find myself sitting here trying to figure out why I'm fighting for a job that I never asked for that I never wanted.
One that has cost me dearly.
But I believe that the Presidency is more important than any single person.
So that's why I'm here.
I'm fighting for what I believe is the integrity of the Presidency because I have heard absolutely nothing here today that would warrant or justify the removal of someone Anyone From this great office.
[SIGHS.]
It's that simple.
Madam Vice President, esteemed members of the Cabinet, I need to excuse myself.
I have a budget to sign.
Which will be the only Presidential thing I'll do today.
[INTERCOM BEEPS.]
Yes? Thank you, send her in.
Madam Vice President.
Mr.
President, I came to inform you that the Cabinet has concluded its deliberations.
I understand.
Let's get this over with.
The majority of the Cabinet wishes you to continue in your capacity of President.
[EXHALES SHARPLY.]
I was not expecting that.
Please thank them for this opportunity and their support.
Needless to say, this has been a difficult time.
Well, sir, it's behind you now.
It's behind all of us.
Madam Vice President what made them come to this decision? [SIGHS.]
Two things, sir.
Your staff's loyalty to you through everything.
Loyalty is a consequence of leadership.
And leadership is the touchstone of competence.
And the second thing? You.
You, sir.
The Tom Kirkman who started this job 20 months ago Ambivalent, aspirational, honest to a fault Is the same Tom Kirkman that they saw today.
You have not changed one bit, sir.
Thank you, Ellenor.
[CHUCKLES.]
Thank you, Mr.
President.
[DRAWER CLOSES.]
[SIGHS.]
[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS.]
Mr.
President.
Congratulations.
Normally, I'd thank you.
But I think I'll take a pass.
[CHUCKLES.]
That's kind of like thanking the IRS after an audit.
I just want you to know that there was nothing personal, sir.
I'm afraid it was.
It was as personal as it gets.
You should know that the flaws I listed in my testimony, personally, I consider to be assets.
Am I different from my predecessors? Yes.
But it doesn't mean I can't do this job.
The fact is, Mr.
West, you proved my point perfectly.
You had to face adversity.
You're different.
And I consider you to be one of the best lawyers I've ever seen.
Truth is, I'm surprised.
I would've expected you, of all people, to understand that simply being different doesn't necessarily equal bad.
In the end, it doesn't really matter because you lost.
No, sir.
No, I won.
How do you figure? My remit was to elicit facts so the Cabinet can make the right decision.
Mission accomplished.
[SCOFFS.]
How convenient.
It must be nice to live in a world where you can't lose.
No, sir.
It's awful.
Goodbye, Mr.
President.
She's waitingfo.
[SIGHS.]
Thank you.
[DOOR OPENS.]
Thank you for getting here on such short notice.
Mr.
President.
[SIGHS.]
Agent Wells you are a dedicated servant to your country.
You have made sacrifices, both personal and professional, that go beyond the call of duty.
And I want you to know that that has not gone unnoticed.
Thank you, sir.
But today has been an object lesson for me in accountability.
And I believe that everybody in this building needs to be accountable for what they do.
Yes, sir.
The directive I gave Aaron was for you to give me more information on Andrea Frost so you could build a proper case.
Instead, you chose to accost her.
Defame her.
Humiliate her publicly.
Sir, may I explain No, you may not.
Your actions constitute rank insubordination, which I cannot accept.
In other words, you've given me no choice.
You can no longer serve in this administration.
Mr.
President Agent Wells, you've been terminated effective immediately.
Goodbye.