Mehdi Unfiltered

On Tuesday, in a groundbreaking new report, the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory officially concluded that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. This comes ahead of the members of the commission stepping down later this year, after announcing their resignations this summer amid the US's escalating attacks on UN personnel.“The Commission concludes that the State of Israel bears responsibility for the failure to prevent genocide, the commission of genocide, and the failure to punish genocide against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip,” the report says.In this exclusive interview, Mehdi speaks with two of the commissioners behind this report: Chair Navi Pillay of South Africa and commissioner Chris Sidoti, one of Australia's most prominent human rights lawyers.In the interview, Pillay – who previously served as president of the UN's International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda – immediately draws parallels between genocide in Gaza and the Rwandan genocide.“It's when I came to the deliberate shooting of the single standing building where the fertility clinic was and the embryos. That immediately reminded me of the Rwanda genocide where I was a judge and where they ripped the bellies of pregnant women, pulled out the fetuses because they wanted to kill off the entire Tutsi group,” Pillay recounts.Pillay and Sidoti also both point out that unlike the Rwandan genocide, Palestinians in Gaza do not have neighboring countries they can escape to.“There is nowhere that the people of Gaza can go to escape this slaughter,” Sidoti tells Mehdi. “And yet the slaughter has continued.”The commissioners also address criticism that their report does not cover Hamas's war crimes, with Pillay noting that the commission has addressed Hamas's war crimes in previous reports.“It doesn't mean to me that every time you have to strike some kind of balance as if the parties are equal,” she explains. “They are not equal. One is the occupier and the other is occupied.”You can watch the full interview above to hear Mehdi press the commissioners on why it has taken almost two years for them to declare that Israel is committing a genocide, and why Israel prevented their commission from investigating claims of rape and sexual violence from both sides. He also asks whether they fear retaliation from the US for their report, after the Trump administration's sanctioning of ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan and UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese.If you're not a paid subscriber, please do consider upgrading your subscription today and supporting independent journalism. Check out Zeteo's other stories from this week: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zeteo.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn this week's episode of Mehdi Unfiltered, Mehdi is joined by Syrian official Qutaiba Idlbi, who discusses Al-Sharaa's upcoming appearance at the United Nations, responds to Israel's relentless assault on Syria, and defends the new Syrian government's track record. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn this week's episode of Mehdi Unfiltered, Mehdi is joined by Sudan experts Nesrine Malik and Neimat Ahmadi to discuss the dire situation in Sudan. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn this week's episode of Mehdi Unfiltered, Mehdi is joined by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who calls Trump's presidency a ‘fascist authoritarian takeover' and reveals what he will do if the president tries to send the military to Minneapolis.SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn one of Zeteo's most heated back-and-forth interviews yet, Mehdi presses former Israeli ambassador to the US Danny Ayalon on how on earth he can possibly try and defend Israel's heinous actions in Gaza.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comWhere does ICE deport a stateless immigrant to? Wherever they want, apparently. In this segment of Mehdi Unfiltered, Mehdi speaks to Ward Sakeik, a stateless Palestinian whom the Trump administration tried to illegally deport not once, but twice.“‘I can send you to China, I can send you to Somalia, I could send you to Congo, I can send you wherever I want to send you,'” Sakeik recalled one ICE official telling her during 140 days in detention, even though she is protected by a Deferred Enforced Departure order that makes removing her from the United States illegal.Sakeik's attorney, Maria Kari, says “Americans need to wake up to the lie that ICE is taking ‘criminals' off the street because they're not. As of June, 70% of the people that ICE has arrested had no criminal history, just like Ward,” and adds that ICE took extra steps to make sure the attempts at deporting Sakeik would go unimpeded.In one attempt, ICE tried to deport Sakeik in the middle of the night to the border of Israel, of all places. They got as far as bringing her to the tarmac before calling it off as a result of Israel's bombing of Iran. “Why do you put somebody on a Boeing in the middle of the night? That's because their family's likely not awake, their lawyers likely not around, and the courts are not there to give you emergency relief. So all that is happening by design,” says Kari.Paid subscribers can watch the full interview above to hear Sakeik detail the conditions she was detained under, how some ICE officials told her she shouldn't have been detained in the first place, and whether she could be detained yet again.Free subscribers can watch a 4-minute preview. Consider becoming a paid subscriber to Zeteo, and never hit another paywall again!In case you missed them, here are some of our latest stories:

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn this segment of Mehdi Unfiltered, George Conway, former Republican and Lincoln Project co-founder, talks to Mehdi about how the media continues to normalize Trump, and the double standards on covering his mental fitness. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comAre you one of those people still arguing about the 2024 election? Who can't help but wonder how Trump got away with staging himself as the “peace” candidate, convincing so many Muslim and Arab Americans to vote for him, as he promised to end the war in Gaza?Well, then this interview is for you!In this ‘Mehdi Unfiltered' segment, Bishara Bahbah, the founder of Arab Americans for Trump (now renamed Arab Americans for Peace) and Trump's unofficial mediator with Hamas, tells Mehdi that he still believes, “that the president wants to end this war.”Mehdi presses the Palestinian-American businessman and activist on Trump's unfettered support for Israel's genocide and mad starvation, asking him that if he called Biden ‘Genocide Joe', “would you also call Donald Trump ‘Genocide Donald'?”"No, I wouldn't," Bahbah tells Mehdi, who then pushes back against Bahbah in what becomes a tense exchange on partisanship and double standards. Mehdi also challenges Bahbah on what he makes of Trump's use of the word ‘Palestinian' as a slur; Bahbah defends his relationship with Trump as “a partnership,” and the two also discuss the latest round of ceasefire talks with Israel, where Bahbah served as a mediator between the US and Hamas.Bahbah explains why he believes Hamas does want “to reach a ceasefire agreement” – and reveals what it's like negotiating with the group.Paid subscribers can watch the full 30-minute wide-ranging interview above, and hear why Bahbah thinks a permanent ceasefire is still “months” away.Free subscribers can watch a 5-minute clip. Consider becoming a paid subscriber today to support the work we're doing and never worry about a paywall again!Check out Zeteo's other recent stories:

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn this week's episode of Mehdi Unfiltered, Mehdi is joined by former FTC commissioner Alvaro Bedoya, who claims that his firing was a part of Trump's scheme to, “enrich his billionaire besties.” SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn this week's episode of Mehdi Unfiltered, Mehdi is joined by acclaimed Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha to discuss the latest on Gaza and the genocide denialism from media organizations covering it. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn this week's episode of Mehdi Unfiltered, Mehdi is joined by former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich to discuss Trump's assault on democracy, the capitulation by media organizations and universities to Trump, and the complicity of Democrats in Israel's genocide in Gaza.SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn this week's episode of Mehdi Unfiltered, Mehdi is joined by former Obama speechwriter David Litt to discuss his new book 'It's Only Drowning: A True Story of Learning to Surf and the Search for Common Ground,' the Manosphere, and what Democrats can learn from Zohran Mamdani's successful primary victory.SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

One of the biggest scandals in recent US history is effectively no longer going to be investigated.Infamous child sex offender and disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein had no client list. His death was just a suicide. Case closed.That seems to be the position President Donald Trump's DOJ is now taking after months of people across his administration suggesting they would release this notorious list that they claim Democrats were keeping secret. (Did you see our video compiling all the statements and their 180 turn?)Now, the MAGA world is in turmoil. They're blaming Trump's Attorney General Pam Bondi, accusing her of incompetence and even a "cover-up". We're not here to defend Bondi, but why aren't they upset with Trump for... you know... being friends with Epstein, his “closest”… for decades?Mehdi takes a deep-dive into their decades-long friendship, and brings all the receipts, from private jets to lavish parties to young women and much more.This video is free for all subscribers. If you think the work Zeteo's doing is important, consider donating or upgrading your subscription.Here are Zeteo's other recent stories: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zeteo.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn this segment of Mehdi Unfiltered, journalist and author of ‘Syria: Civil War to Holy War?' Charlie Glass speaks to Mehdi about the future of Syria after the fall of the Assad regime.SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn this week's episode of Mehdi Unfiltered, Mehdi is joined by former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to discuss the New York Times' coverage of democratic primary winner Zohran Mamdani, false allegations of antisemitism made against Mamdani, and whether de Blasio would ever consider running for political office again.SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasanNo Paywall copy This video is being shared without a paywall. If you believe in the work we do and want to see more of it, do consider becoming a paid subscriber. And if you're not ready for the commitment, then a donation would still go a long way. 

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comMajor leaders in the Democratic party – including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and NY Governor Kathy Hochul – have still refused to endorse Democratic nominee for New York Mayor, Zohran Mamdani, despite him winning the primary fair and square. In this ‘Mehdi Unfiltered' interview, Mehdi presses Doug Jones, a former Democratic senator from Alabama, on the matter. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn this segment of Mehdi Unfiltered, Libertarian comedian Dave Smith talks to Mehdi about Trump's strikes on Iran, Israel's genocide in Gaza, and whether Trump is at risk of losing his MAGA base.SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn this week's episode of Mehdi Unfiltered, Mehdi is joined by New York City Comptroller and former New York City mayoral candidate Brad Lander to discuss Zohran Madani's win in the city's democratic mayoral primary, his arrest by DHS, and his future in a potential Mamdani administration.SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn this ‘Mehdi Unfiltered' interview, House Democrat Joaquin Castro does not hold back on criticizing Trump's bombing of Iran, telling Mehdi that Trump and Netanyahu have now given Iran, “an incredible incentive to become like North Korea, that the world feels that it can't really mess with because they've got nuclear weapons.”SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn this segment of Mehdi Unfiltered, Mehdi sits down with top UN official Tom Fletcher, who has traveled to conflict zones across the world but says ‘nothing was as bad as going to Gaza.'SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn this "Mehdi Unfiltered" interview, Mehdi challenges Democratic Congresswoman and ‘Squad' Member Summer Lee on her party's dismal polling, with Lee telling Mehdi that her party is, “still waking up late.”SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn this week's episode of Mehdi Unfiltered, Mehdi is joined by UNICEF spokesperson James Elder to discuss his observations from his latest visit to Gaza, the risk of famine in the region, and why aid distribution has become a ‘death trap.'SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn this week's episode of Mehdi Unfiltered, Mehdi is joined by 'Game of Thrones' star Liam Cunningham to discuss Gaza and his advocacy for the people of Palestine. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn this week's episode of Mehdi Unfiltered, Mehdi is joined by law professor and podcaster Leah Litman to discuss her new book 'Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad Vibes,' and break down the influence of Republican justices on US politics, why “they view themselves as victims and use that to victimize everyone else,” and the decades-long strategy the GOP used to roll back key rulings like Roe.SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn this segment of Mehdi Unfiltered, Amanda Litman, co-founder of Run for Something and author of When We're in Charge: The Next Generation's Guide to Leadership, speaks to Mehdi about the US's gerontocracy problem and how younger leadership could revitalize the Democratic Party.SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn this segment of Mehdi Unfiltered, Greg Grandin, historian and author of America, América: A History of the New World speaks to Mehdi about what the US can learn from Latin America when it comes to fighting fascism. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comJust weeks before last year's US presidential election, California Congressman Ro Khanna, the so-called ‘rep for Silicon Valley', told Mehdi that he'd be “surprised” if billionaire Elon Musk joined the Trump administration in an official role.Now, over six months later, Musk has become perhaps one of the most powerful people in the United States government, with Khanna now saying that Musk – who has said he will be stepping back from DOGE – “needs to be held accountable.”“I was surprised, but I turned out to be both right and wrong. Wrong obviously that he joined, right that he'd get quickly frustrated and exhausted and leave,” Khanna tells Mehdi. “He's the only person I know who's gone from 65% approval to 35% approval… He went on a cultural crusade. And what he didn't realize is that Americans will cheer you to put rockets up in space, but they don't want those folks making decisions for them.”In this wide-ranging interview, Mehdi and Ro Khanna discuss the congressman's online feuds not only with Musk, but also Vice President JD Vance. When Mehdi asked Ro Khanna why he spars with JD Vance so often, whether it's because he sees Vance as the heir to Trump or just because he finds Vance annoying, Khanna replied, “probably the latter.”“JD is the only one who's making some pretense of trying to give an intellectual justification to what Trump's doing. Even Trump doesn't say, ‘I want to deprive people of due process.' He says, ‘I don't know about it.' JD Vance is saying, ‘No, no… an immigrant shouldn't have due process in this country,'” Khanna says to Mehdi.Mehdi also presses the congressman on his own party, with Khanna admitting that Democrats were too cautious in this past election, despite President Donald Trump constantly endorsing extreme policies, such as pardoning Jan. 6 rioters and buying Greenland.“If you get one person promising sweeping change and the other party saying, ‘well, we're basically going to give you what you've had for 40 years,' people keep rolling the dice and saying, ‘let's roll the dice because what we've had for 40 years hasn't worked,'” Khanna tells Mehdi.Khanna also calls for the “loudest condemnation” of the Netanyahu government's actions in Gaza and reveals what he thinks the next Democratic presidential nominee should say about Israel and Gaza. (Will that be Khanna himself? Mehdi, of course, asked the question!)Paid subscribers can watch the half-hour interview to hear Mehdi and Ro Khanna discuss the congressman's plan to help Democrats try and win back MAGA voters, the recent fighting between India and Pakistan, and, yes, whether or not he is laying the groundwork for a presidential bid in 2028.Free subscribers can watch the first 5-minutes of the interview. Do consider becoming a paid subscriber to Zeteo and skip the paywall every time!Here are some other Zeteo stories you may have missed:

In this segment of Mehdi Unfiltered, surgeon Tom Potokar in Khan Younis says he's ‘sick and tired' of describing the horror on the ground to international media, and yet seeing no action from Western leaders.SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zeteo.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comWhen Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's extremist far-right Minister of National Security, made a recent visit to Capitol Hill, he ended up crossing paths with a group of pro-Palestine activists. That group included award-winning Palestinian author and journalist Laila el-Haddad, whose books include ‘Gaza Mom: Palestine, Politics, Parenting, and Everything in Between.'El-Haddad joined Mehdi on set in Washington DC to discuss the confrontation, which she caught on video and shared widely on Instagram.“I personally looked at him and said, ‘You were responsible for killing my family members in Gaza,' el-Haddad tells Mehdi, adding that Ben-Gvir “was shouting back at us, and he had to be restrained because he was trying to lunge at us.”Discussing the role the last Democrat administration had with regards to Israel-Palestine and the 2024 presidential election result, Laila el-Haddad also notes that the genocide in Gaza will be Joe Biden's “lasting legacy,” saying his failure to take a stand against Israel “is one of the reasons that we have Trump sitting here today.”If you're a paid subscriber, you can watch the full interview above to hear el-Haddad reflect on the Uncommitted movement in 2024, the Trump crackdown on college campuses, the newly introduced West Bank Violence Prevention Act, and what happened to a lawsuit she was a plaintiff that aimed to hold the Biden administration accountable for their complicity in genocide.Free subscribers can watch a 6-minute preview. Consider becoming a paid subscriber today to watch the full interview.Here are some other Zeteo stories you may have missed:

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comAs Donald Trump and the Republican Party fight to pass his “big, beautiful bill” to cut taxes for the wealthy and gut federal spending for key federal agencies and social support programs, a new podcast miniseries from The Lever is pulling back the curtain on how Republicans became the face of the anti-tax movement.David Sirota, the founder and editor-in-chief of The Lever and a former speechwriter and senior adviser to Bernie Sanders, joins Mehdi to discuss the podcast, “Tax Revolt”, and the surprising state where the movement took off in the 1970s: California.Sirota tells Mehdi that while “Democrats were the Santa Claus of spending programs,” Republicans realized they could be “the Santa Claus of tax cuts.”But as Sirota explains, Republican voters are beginning to sour on the idea of tax cuts as more people have learned that while this “Santa Claus” provides gifts “to the very richest,” those benefits aren't trickling down to those who need them most.“We're living through a time where you can see every day the actual real-world effects of prioritizing tax cuts over a government that can accomplish the most basic necessities that we need it to accomplish,” Sirota tells Mehdi.You can click here to listen to The Lever's new podcast miniseries, “Tax Revolt”, which is available wherever you get your podcasts.Paid subscribers can watch the full interview above to hear Mehdi and Sirota discuss the parts of Donald Trump's playbook that trace back to the early days of the tax revolt, the lasting impacts of a California ballot measure that has made it nearly impossible to raise taxes in the state, and whether AOC is the heir to Bernie Sanders' movement.Free subscribers can watch a 6-minute preview only. Consider becoming a paid subscriber today to watch the full interview.Don't miss Zeteo's new documentary:

It doesn't take much under Trump's authoritarian system of governance for anyone to find themselves in the crosshairs of one agency or the other. For attorney Clay Jackson, it was the simple act of telling an immigrant family their rights and offering to find them pro bono counsel.“I'm licensed in three states. Every one of those states has a rule that says lawyers have an obligation to provide pro bono assistance to people in their community, I thought it was that simple.” Sadly for Jackson, it was not.Following his meeting with a family, Jackson received a visit from state agents who refused to identify themselves, and then accused him of obstructing an immigration investigation. When Jackson went public with the story, he was immediately fired.“I didn't think that doing something like this would cost me my job,” he says, “When I see big white shoe law firms, quote, ‘make a deal' with a presidential administration that's pretty clear in its intent to test every single constitutional boundary that exists, it would be impossible for me as an attorney to tell a client that their interests are represented to the fullest extent.”Watch the full interview above to hear Jackson's account of how he thinks he was targeted, the status of the family he was helping, and whether this was a high-level attempt at intimidating lawyers who help immigrants under threat of deportation. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zeteo.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIt's been over a month since shocking footage emerged of masked ICE agents arresting Tufts Doctoral Student Rümeysa Öztürk, after her visa was terminated simply for co-authoring an op-ed in the student newspaper calling for the university to divest in Israel.Since then, Rümeysa has been confined to an ICE detention center in Louisiana, where her US Representative, Ayanna Pressley, met with her late last month.In this powerful interview for ‘Mehdi Unfiltered,' Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley tells Mehdi about the “harrowing” conditions Rümeysa has been facing in her detention center – which Pressley says, “has a long documented history of human rights violations and abuses.”“She suffered several very severe asthma attacks while there, received inadequate medical care. There has been no religious accommodation, in fact, not only on a dietary aspect, but when it comes to a space to pray, a Quran. Her hijab was removed without her consent by one of the nurses,” Pressley tells Mehdi.Pressley emphasizes to Mehdi how the Trump administration has completely ignored due process, and explains just how dire the implications of Rümeysa's case are for the country.“This is laying the ground foundationally and will be a threat to everyone. This means that this could be you tomorrow for suffering a miscarriage, because in Trump's America, that's been criminalized. This means this could be you tomorrow for reading a banned book,” Pressley says. “With this dictator in chief, simply because you have a dissenting opinion from his worldview, you could find yourself incarcerated.”During the second half of the interview, Mehdi asks Pressley about President Donald Trump's first 100 days of his second term, as well as the state of the Democratic party.“I do not believe, Mehdi, that this is about weathering the next four years. I believe this will dictate the next 100,” Pressley says to Mehdi.Paid subscribers can watch the full 26 minutes of this engaging interview with Pressley, to hear her discuss Trump and Republicans' plans to potentially cut Medicaid, reporting that Democrats were told to stand down on visiting wrongly deported legal resident Kilmar Abrego Garcia, and Congresswoman AOC's decision to pass on seeking a leadership position in the House.Free subscribers can watch the first 5 minutes of the interview. This is a conversation you won't want to miss, with Pressley completely unbarred in her answers. Consider upgrading to a paid membership to watch it in full.Congresswoman Pressley recently joined Substack. You can find her at https://substack.com/@reppressley.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comMehdi speaks to BAFTA-winning, Oscar-nominated Palestinian Director Farah Nabulsi about her latest film, 'The Teacher,' which centers around the struggle of Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank through the lens of a school teacher there. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn this segment of Mehdi Unfiltered, Lindsey Boylan, former Cuomo aide who blew the whistle on his sexual misconduct, speaks to Mehdi about the former New York governor's mayoral bid.SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn this week's episode of Mehdi Unfiltered, Mehdi is joined by The Atlantic's Derek Thompson to discuss his new book with Ezra Klein, 'Abundance,' and the criticism it's received from progressives.SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn this segment of Mehdi Unfiltered, free speech advocate Nico Perrino talks to Mehdi about the Trump administration's attacks on student protestors and the media, and the right's free-speech hypocrisy. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn this week's episode of Mehdi Unfiltered, Mehdi is joined by MSNBC host Chris Hayes to discuss his new book, ‘The Siren's Call: How Attention Became the World's Most Endangered Resource.'SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn this week's episode of Mehdi Unfiltered, Mehdi is joined by Iranian-American relations expert Trita Parsi to discuss the possibility of a US-Israel-backed war with Iran, and the threat of it all going nuclear. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comAfter enduring almost three months of the Trump-Musk agenda, Democrats finally gained a victory last week, after voters elected Democratic-backed judge Susan Crawford, defeating billionaire Elon Musk's attempt to flip the court to conservative control. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

Ten British nationals are now facing allegations of war crimes over their service in the Israeli military and its war on Gaza. To respond to this groundbreaking news, Mehdi interviews one of the lawyers behind this report: renowned human rights barrister Michael Mansfield KC.SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zeteo.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comMehdi was in New York this past week, and he was joined in the studio for a fascinating and wide-ranging conversation by none other than Molly Jong-Fast, acclaimed author, host of the ‘Fast Politics' podcast, and a special correspondent for Vanity Fair.You might find this to be a cathartic conversation as Mehdi and Molly unleash on the idiocy of the Trump tariffs - and the Trump administration in general.“We are governed by morons,” says Mehdi, “and we are in an episode of ‘Idiocracy.'”“I feel that the thing that got us the most furious was the stupid, right?” responds Molly. “I mean, I'm offended by the racism, I'm offended by the xenophobia, but the thing that keeps me up at night is the moronics. Like, none of this works, right? The math on this does not work.”The two of them also address the deficiencies in the modern, cautious, elderly Democratic Party. “The fundamental problem with Democrats, and this is not all of them, but with the older generation, is they can't get online,” argues Molly. “They can't do a Substack.”She believes the next Democratic presidential candidate has to be a master of messaging and has to be “someone who is gonna go out and do every interview and every podcast.”If you're a paid subscriber, please do watch the full 20-minute conversation above to hear Mehdi and Molly Jong-Fast's fun and passionate political discussion, in which they also tackle the failures of the mainstream media and Molly gives her prediction as to which Trump sycophant in his current cabinet will be fired soon and then write a tell-all book. Free subscribers can watch a 5-minute preview. To watch the full interview, consider upgrading to a paid subscription today.In case you missed them, here are some recent stories from Zeteo:

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comThe United States Constitution was written nearly 240 years ago, laying the foundations for an independent, successful, democratic country. But, like most of the nation's laws, it was written by and for wealthy white men. To put it simply, the US legal system today feels, in some ways, both outdated and discriminatory – especially when it's either under attack or weaponized by Donald Trump. It's this exact issue that Elie Mystal, lawyer, author, and justice correspondent at The Nation magazine, tackles in his new book, Bad Law: Ten Popular Laws That Are Ruining America. Mehdi speaks with Mystal about US democracy, voter suppression, and the Trump administration.SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn this segment of Mehdi Unfiltered, Mehdi interviews the lawyer for a Georgetown scholar who is facing deportation for his pro-Palestine views. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

With the sun setting over Gaza's skyline and warplanes flying overhead, trauma surgeon Dr. Feroze Sidhwa and orthopedic surgeon Dr. Mark Perlmutter huddle in front of their webcam at Nasser Hospital in the south of Gaza to describe some of the horrors they have seen over the last week. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zeteo.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn this segment of Mehdi Unfiltered, culture commentator Taylor Lorenz talks about the ‘Misogyny Slop Ecosystem' and how Republican influencers are using pop culture to funnel women into the right-wing pipeline.SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn this week's episode of Mehdi Unfiltered, Mehdi is joined by New York Times business investigations editor David Enrich to discuss his new book, ‘Murder the Truth: Fear, the First Amendment, and a Secret Campaign to Protect the Powerful.'SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comTrump is once again trying to reassert himself as the law and order president.During his recent joint address to Congress, the president called for a mandatory death penalty for anyone who kills a police officer. This of course comes less than two months after Trump himself pardoned more than 1,500 Jan. 6 rioters, including over 300 who pleaded guilty to either assaulting or obstructing law enforcement.One of those law enforcement officers who was assaulted on Jan. 6 was former Capitol Police Sergeant Aquilino Gonell, who tells Mehdi that he “had to laugh” last week when Trump tried to claim he's on the side of law enforcement.“He is culpable of what led up to January six and the aftermath,” Gonell says to Mehdi. “He sat at the White House and as the events were happening, instead of calming the situation, he continued to tweet about it and make it more volatile for us on that day. And while he was watching it on TV, we were fighting for our lives trying to protect elected officials.”Sgt. Gonell tells Mehdi that he was assaulted by more than 40 rioters that day and had to undergo two surgeries as a result. When asked what his reaction was when Trump pardoned those rioters on his first day back in office, Gonell told Mehdi it was like a “stab in the heart.”“This is a consequence of people not believing that Donald Trump's gonna do what he says that he's gonna do,” Gonell tells Mehdi. “He pardoned these people, now he emboldened them, and instead of doing something positive with their lives, with their second chance, they decide to go back and harass the people who did the right thing on January 6th.”Gonell was specifically referring to an incident a few weeks ago, when he and his fellow former Capitol Police officers were harassed by the ex-Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio. Tarrio had previously been sentenced to over two decades in prison for his role in January 6th, but was ultimately pardoned by Trump.If you are a paid subscriber, watch the full interview to hear Gonell tell Mehdi what it was like to continue protecting the GOP lawmakers who helped incite January 6th, how Capitol Police officers view Trump and his actions from that day, and how Gonell has to interact with members of his own family who still support Trump.Free subscribers can watch the first five minutes of the interview. Consider becoming a paid subscriber today to watch the full segment.In case you missed it, here are some recent stories from Zeteo:

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comElon Musk gets called a lot of names by a lot of people, but not many elected officials find the courage to call him a “dick” without fear of the DOGE bros coming for them, unless you're Senator Tina Smith that is, the Democrat from Minnesota who sat down for a wide-ranging interview with Mehdi in her office on Capitol Hill.“It's so important that we speak out, that we speak the truth, that we don't hold back,” says Smith, a progressive Democrat who found Musk's move to email federal employees asking them to list their weekly completed tasks a step too far for an unelected billionaire.“I felt so angry for everybody who had gotten that email, understanding they were under so much pressure and so much uncertainty anyway, and I'm like… Who are you? Like, what gives you the right?” The answer? Trump, but Smith has a theory about that:“Trump is responsible, but don't you think that sometimes he's happy to have Musk out there, sort of absorbing some of that attack?... it's all performative.”The senator's harsh words are not exclusively reserved for Musk and Trump though, as the Minnesota senator is just as unfiltered in her criticisms of the Democratic Party to which she belongs, a party that she describes today as being “too cautious.”“I think Democrats have to have a real reckoning about the fact that the relationship that we thought we had with voters, our base voters and others, that relationship is not that great. It's weak. People don't think that we're standing up for them.”The Minnesota senator recently announced that she will not be seeking reelection next year, making this her final term as an elected official. “I think there's great power in coming, serving for a while, doing everything that you can, and then moving on,” she tells Mehdi.If you are a paid subscriber, you can watch the full interview above to hear why Smith thinks Democrats should be “getting the hell out of Washington,” the Biden administration's support for Israel, and her response to Mehdi's questions on leadership, Chuck Schumer, and more.Note: This interview was taped just prior to Friday's controversial cloture vote in the Senate.Free subscribers can watch a 10-minute preview. Consider becoming a paid subscriber today to watch the full interview.In case you missed them, here are some of our other interviews with House officials:

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn this week's episode of Mehdi Unfiltered, Mehdi is joined by Democratic Rep. Jim Himes to discuss his censure vote for Rep. Al Green, the detainment of Mahmoud Khalil, and the ‘pro-fascist instincts' of Elon Musk.SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comAntisemitism is sadly very much alive and well in the US, but conservatives want you to believe it is located in the placard-waving crowds at pro-Palestine rallies, or the student protests on college campuses, rather than within their own bigoted ranks, where talk of ‘great replacement' and Nazi-looking salutes are all the vogue right now.The conservative moment in the US has even taken to declaring liberal Jewish critics of Israel as not Jewish enough, says one leading Jewish expert on antisemitism, who warns against the conflating of antisemitism with anti-Zionism.“It's called us JINOs, ‘Jewish in name only,'” Lara Friedman, President of the Foundation for Middle East Peace, tells Mehdi on ‘Mehdi Unfiltered.'“It's a framing that started not with this Trump administration, it was there during the Biden administration, was there during the previous Trump administration… it has almost become a cult-like fealty that is demanded to Zionism and the state of Israel.”Friedman has not been shy to point out the hypocrisy displayed by people who are outraged by phrases like “from the river to the sea,” but are seemingly unbothered by Nazi-looking salutes on stage here in the US.“That brought forth the biggest wave or tsunami of vitriol against me I've ever experienced, which really boiled down to ‘shut up you… and fill in your epithets' followed by the word ‘Jew'. Outright anti-Semitism, including from Jewish people,” she says.Some of the concerns and fears that members of the Jewish community in the US are feeling right now are based on real trends, Friedman says, but those concerns and fears are aimed at the wrong group.“The people that they are afraid of are not the right wingers who…attacked a synagogue in Pittsburgh. The people they're afraid of are the people who are trying to speak out for Palestinian lives and rights.”If you are a paid subscriber, you can watch the full interview above to hear Friedman explain the way in which the right's cynical cozying up to Israel is a way of laundering antisemitism, the dangerous threat posed to free speech by the controversial IHRA definition of antisemitism, and why everyone should pay attention to what Steve Bannon and Elon Musk are saying and doing.Free subscribers can watch a 7-minute preview. Consider becoming a paid subscriber today to watch the full interview.In case you missed them, here are some recent stories from Zeteo:

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn Part Two of Mehdi's interview with Joe Walsh, the former Republican congressman turned Never-Trumper, Mehdi challenges Walsh on his support for Israel's war on Gaza. Mehdi presses Walsh on his use of the term “genocide” to describe Russia's attack on Ukraine but his refusal to apply it to Israel's attack on Gaza; on his smearing of the International Criminal Court for having “anti-israel bias”; and on his refusal to condemn Israel's mass displacement of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, not just Gaza. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH, LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO ‘WE'RE NOT KIDDING' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/were-not-kidding-with-mehdi-and-friendsFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan