Podcasts about trump white house

Popok explains that the Trump administration continues to steal America's money by refusing to dip into the $800 billion treasury department surplus to immediately pay back $140 billion in phony tariff tax dollars that they stole. And they're trying to make Americans and their businesses jump through hoops maybe lasting up to seven years to get the refunds. That's why Senate democrats are coming to the rescue to pass new legislation to force those refunds within the next 90 days and quash Trump‘s temper tantrum to punish the American people because he lost the Supreme Court. Sundays for Dogs: Get 50% OFF your first order of Sundays. Go to https://sundaysfordogs.com/LEGALAF50 or use code: LEGALAF50 at checkout. Visit https://meidasplus.com for more! Remember to subscribe to ALL the MeidasTouch Network Podcasts: MeidasTouch: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/meidastouch-podcast Legal AF: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/legal-af MissTrial: https://meidasnews.com/tag/miss-trial The PoliticsGirl Podcast: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-politicsgirl-podcast Cult Conversations: The Influence Continuum with Dr. Steve Hassan: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-influence-continuum-with-dr-steven-hassan The Weekend Show: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-weekend-show The Ken Harbaugh Show: https://meidasnews.com/tag/the-ken-harbaugh-show Majority 54: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/majority-54 On Democracy with FP Wellman: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/on-democracy-with-fpwellman Uncovered: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/maga-uncovered Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Trump Administration has announced its vision for America's future in the second half of the decade, starting in 2026, and running beyond his presidency. Given the cast of characters comprising the Trump White House, it is hard to believe that anything would be of interest to them which doesn't prioritize Israel, though they claim to be “America First”.In the State Department's “Strategic Plan 2026-2030”, Little Marco Rubio lays out a plan for the American Empire to dominate Latin America through exclusionary trade deals, predatory loans, and outright threats. The American Empire is announcing to the world that it has set its sights on South America for domination. Prepare accordingly.—Video ChannelsWatch the video version of Macroaggressions:Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/Macroaggressions YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MacroaggressionsPodcastBrighteon: https://www.brighteon.com/channels/macroaggressions/—MACRO & Charlie Robinson LinksHypocrazy Audiobook: https://amzn.to/4aogwmsThe Octopus of Global Control Audiobook: https://amzn.to/3xu0rMmWebsite: www.Macroaggressions.ioMerch Store: https://macroaggressions.dashery.com/ Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/macroaggressionspodcast—Activist Post FamilySign up for the Activist Post Newsletter: https://activistpost.kit.com/emailsActivist Post: www.ActivistPost.comNatural Blaze: www.NaturalBlaze.com —Support Our SponsorsGround Luxe Grounding Mats: https://GroundLuxe.com/MACROReplace Your Mortgage: www.WipeOutYourMortgageNow.comC60 Power: https://go.ShopC60.com/PBGRT/KMKS9/ | Promo Code: MACROChemical Free Body: https://ChemicalFreeBody.com/macro/ | Promo Code: MACROWise Wolf Gold & Silver: https://Macroaggressions.Gold/ | (800) 426-1836LegalShield: www.DontGetPushedAround.comEMP Shield: www.EMPShield.com | Promo Code: MACROChristian Yordanov's Health Program: www.LiveLongerFormula.com/macroAbove Phone: https://AbovePhone.com/macro/Van Man: https://VanMan.shop/?ref=MACRO | Promo Code: MACROThe Dollar Vigilante: https://DollarVigilante.spiffy.co/a/O3wCWenlXN/4471Nesa's Hemp: www.NesasHemp.com | Promo Code: MACROAugason Farms: https://AugasonFarms.com/MACRO—

Trump and Hegseth are both reading from the same page, trying to assure Americans that this attack on Iran won't become a drawn out conflict with no good options for exit

Friend of Them Before Us, Katy Talento is a Harvard-trained epidemiologist, naturopathic doctor, and former Trump White House health policy advisor who spent two decades inside the DC healthcare machine — then left to help everyday people and employers outsmart it. She writes about health policy, natural medicine, and how to live like a human — from real food and hormonal health to how to cut your medical bills in half using rules she personally helped write. All of it's at KatyTalento.com.For some of her recent articles, check out:Infertile, her guest post for our TBU substack - https://thembeforeus.substack.com/p/infertileOutsmart the Medical Billing Trap — a free step-by-step playbook for patients to fight back against medical bills, using rules she personally helped write in the White House https://www.katytalento.com/p/outsmart-the-medical-billing-trap?r=158d0wHospitals are Soviet-style Hellscapes Unfit for Humans - A Patient, Caregiver and Policy Manifestohttps://www.katytalento.com/p/hospitals-are-soviet-style-hellscapesSee more from Katy at @katytalento for IG, X, LinkedIn and https://www.facebook.com/katytalento.nd/

Darrell Castle talks about the State of the Union Address by reviewing a few of the things President Trump said and the reaction of his opponents, as well as providing a Constitutional response. Transcription / Notes SOTU – A RESPONSE Hello, this is Darrell Castle with today's Castle Report. This is Friday the 27th day of February in the year of our Lord 2026. I will be talking about the State of the Union Address delivered last Tuesday by President Donald Trump. I will comment on a few of the things he said and on the reaction of his opponents to those things and then I will do what I am often asked to do and that is give a Constitutional response. The President spoke for almost two hours the longest speech in SOTU history. He spoke mostly about the achievements of his second term and he mentioned that America is entering a golden age. He emphasized patriotism and heroes and he invited many of them to the speech including the gold medal winning men's Olympic hockey team. According to the reports I've seen more than 70 Democrats chose not to attend the speech but most of them did and they exercised their choice which was to set and glare straight ahead or occasionally to boo him. He noticed and called them out repeatedly for their failure to muster even the most basic bipartisanship in moments that should have been beyond partisan politics. For example, the President invited “a woman who has been through hell,” Anya Zarutska, whose daughter Iryna fled war torn Ukraine only to be murdered on a train in Charlotte North Carolina.  Yes, the killer had many past felonies only to be released on bail when he killed Iryna with a knife. The Democrats could not muster any energy to stand for her mother. That was bad but not the worst moment for Democrats. He held them up for the whole country to see in their worst moment and they went for it. “One of the great things about the State of the Union is how it gives Americans the chance to see clearly what their representatives really believe. So, tonight, I'm inviting every legislator to join with my administration in reaffirming a fundamental principle. If you agree with this statement, then stand up and show your support. The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.” Who, in good conscience could not agree with that statement and Republicans certainly did. They stood, clapped, and whistled for a full two minutes in a raw, spontaneous reaction, but the Democrats didn't even move. Not a shuffle or even a courtesy clap, just nothing. He let that sink in for a moment then twisted the knife. “isn't that a shame? You should be ashamed of yourselves, not standing up.” I think people noticed as post speech polls indicated especially since illegal immigration was the most important issue of the 2024 election. His invitation to stand was not an attack on immigrants, nor was it hateful. Instead, it was a simple invitation to endorse common sense publicly. The American people elect and pay their leaders and in exchange for power and the honor of election those leaders must prioritize the needs of their constituents. It is the most basic social contract of the American government and it's hard to see how anyone could not grasp it immediately. However, I will point out that the theme transcends immigration. Whether you call it America first or you simply understand that we are all Americans and illegal immigrants especially murderers, torturers, and rapists are not, it is or should be a basic requirement of holding office. Washington is now filled with politicians who have agendas that take priority in their minds over Americans. Yes, for some its Ukraine first, for some its Somalia first, and for some perhaps even the President its Israel first. Now, let me finalize this concept and attempt to link it to Constitutional government and what that would mean. My view is that anyone who thinks that there is a single group who should come ahead of Americans in the minds of officeholders should not be in politics. Let them get a job in Silicon Valley, but please stay away from politics. In reference to the Constitution, I want to say a few words about Iran and what appears to be steamrolling toward an extended war. Like refusal to stand for the concept that American politicians should put the interests of Americans ahead of those of illegal immigrants, American politicians are bound by oath to the Constitution to oppose the drive to fight wars and attack other countries which have not harmed America in any way on behalf of others. This coming war is so obviously unconstitutional that I wonder if anyone in Washington even knows what it means anymore. I will also point out that if the U.S. Constitution is not enough for some of our globalist neo-con politicians, it is also a clear violation of the U.N. Charter which the U.S. signed in 1948. The charter forbids attacking countries which have not harmed you and are not a threat to you but the U.S. has done that many times especially since 1991. A nation does not have to attack to violate the charter because even threats and intimidation are also forbidden. The threat to Iran of you have 10 days to comply with my demands or something very bad will happen to you is an obvious violation. The idea of I am much stronger than you and you have something I want so if you don't give it to me I will take it by force is also an obvious violation. I oppose an attack on Iran for many reasons and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Dan Caine apparently agrees with me. He has reportedly warned the President that an act of war against Iran carries significant risks including a prolonged conflict with high casualties. I understand that General Caine has the President's respect so maybe his views will prevail over Bibi's but I doubt it. Rumors abound that on one of Bibi's six visits to the Trump White House he threatened the President with what is known as the Samson option. In other words, it you don't do this thing for me I will bring down the entire temple by attacking Iran with nuclear weapons. There can be no reasonable doubt at this point that the coming war is for the purpose of greater Israel. If you don't believe me I invite you to listen to Tucker Carlson's interview with Ambassador Mike Huckabee conducted in Israel about a week ago. In that interview Huckabbe essentially admitted it and said it would be OK. Back to honoring the U.S. Constitution I have spent 37 years of my life defending it along with Western Civilization itself. I now have no confidence that the battle can be won. In other words, it appears that I lost the battle and a return to Constitutional government is impossible. As you probably know, I was a presidential candidate for the Constitution Party and I knew then that by some chance if I was elected it would mean great sacrifice and possibly even death so let's look at why I feel that way. Politicians seek power to get ahead, and to use the near monopoly on violence the government has to achieve those goals. They become seekers of largesse, and there are other words to describe it, but they seek largesse and they exchange it for votes and for special treatment. Subsidies for certain industries are clear examples of this. The subsidies given to corn farmers require corn ethanol to be mixed with gasoline. Now the corn producers say they could not survive without that largesse and any corn state politician who seeks to cancel it better consider a new line of work. The original ethanol requirement was to prevent global warming but the current President says it's a hoax, but the subsidies continue. Subsidies, bailouts, welfare, giveaways, and other shakedowns are not only unconstitutional, but they are also normally unnecessary and inefficient. For example, tariffs are essentially subsidies for selected industries, paid for by price hikes on consumers. The largesse that tariffs represent are put in place to favor a select group of beneficiaries and disfavor everyone else. Over time, the largesse builds up and becomes a huge drag on the economy. I grew up as a farmer's kid and we kept pigs whose meat the pigs sacrificed to feed us through the winter. With so many piglets sucking their mama the sow, the poor sow grows weaker and weaker, A once healthy, dynamic sow goes into decline and stagnates but the pigs are so addicted they cannot stop sucking until their mother can no longer feed them. So, I tell you what is necessary if this empire is to be saved from the disaster that appears inevitable but word of warning if you actually tried to do these things you would probably not survive. Empires have come and gone throughout history. They turn their money to trash by currency debasement, for example our own currency has lost 99.9% of its value relative to gold and we ask why things cost so much. Affordability crises they call it without any understanding of what actually causes it. Eventually, civil war and the struggle for remaining largesse destroys the empire and starvation and poverty are the result.  Old friend and economist Bill Bonner shares three essential things for a good beginning and I agree with Bill on all of them. So,” 1. protect the integrity of U.S. money and the money system. 2. Do not spend more than you take in, ever. This year revenue is projected at $4.9 trillion and spending is projected at $2 trillion more than that. 3. No wars, and I mean no wars that are not purely defensive.” This sacrificial candidate and hopefully President should announce no more deficits ever. No tariffs, no sanctions, no printing money to pay the debt and no more inflation because a balanced budget is non-negotiable. To do this, abolish the FED immediately. You will have to cut $2 trillion in spending and people will not take kindly to that but rip the band aid off quickly. Take your case directly to the people and tell them look folks we may be the greatest nation in the history of the world but we are going broke. Someone has to do it and if not me who, if not now, when. Explain to the voters that in fiscal year 2019 the $4.9 in revenue would have funded the entire government and it is going to again, this year. One other thing, this all depends on taking control of the military, industrial, intelligence, security, and spy complex so that must be done in conjunction. Remember the last President to attempt to control it was JFK. Never fear, just go on TV and tell the people why you are cutting $500 million from the war budget. Finally, folks, what are the chances the people would support a President who was determined to save his country and return to the Constitution? So close to zero that they could safely be listed as zero. At least that's the way I see it, Until next time folks, This is Darrell Castle, Thanks for listening.

On today's episode: Bill Clinton faces grilling from lawmakers over his connections to Jeffrey Epstein. Hillary Clinton testifies she has no information on Epstein's crimes and doesn't recall meeting him. Brussels orders probe of Mandelson's Epstein ties while EU trade rep. Columbia student detained by ICE is abruptly released after Mamdani meets with Trump. Pakistan is in 'open war' with Afghanistan after latest strikes, defense minister says. Netflix walks away from Warner Bros deal, clearing the path for Paramount. Anthropic CEO says AI company 'cannot in good conscience accede' to Pentagon's demands. US military used laser to take down Border Protection drone, lawmakers say. US advises embassy staff in Israel to leave now if they want, as risk of war hangs over Middle East. Iranian agents obstructed care at hospitals packed with wounded protesters. Walz unveils anti-fraud package after Trump administration threatens to halt Medicaid funds. FedEx says it will return to customers any refunds it gets back from Trump's illegal tariffs. US-Iran nuclear talks wrap up with no announcement of a deal as risk of war looms. Judge rejects request to block Trump White House from building its $400 million ballroom project. Kilmar Abrego Garcia asks US judge in Tennessee to dismiss his criminal case, saying it's vindictive. US moves to cut off a Swiss bank over alleged Iran and Russia money flows. Memorial services for Jesse Jackson begin at Chicago headquarters of his civil rights organization. Third victim dies from wounds suffered in Rhode Island ice rink attack, police say. Fire at an Ohio farm complex kills about 6,000 hogs and smoke is visible for miles. The worst day for Nvidia's stock since last spring drags Wall Street lower. For the first time since 2022, average US long-term mortgage rate dips below 6%. Kevin Durant eclipses an NBA milestone, the reigning No. 4 pick breaks the NBA rookie 3-point record, a rare NCAA feat is achieved in a top men’s college hoops matchup, women’s No. 1 UConn wins again for another 30-win season, a hot start at the Cognizant Classic, an NFL trade and a QB seeks a new team. Cuba says 8 World Baseball Classic delegation members denied US visas. NCAA football oversight committee proposes stiff penalties for violations of transfer portal window. US hockey player Brady Tkachuk slams White House TikTok as 'clearly fake' after anti-Canada slur. UK Green Party wins special election, pushing Starmer's Labour to third place. Human rights situation in Colombia is backsliding, UN warns as nation heads into elections. —The Associated Press About this program Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate. Theme music The News Tonight, used under license from Soundstripe. YouTube clearance: ZR2MOTROGI4XAHRX

Feb. 26, 2026- We explore some of the health care proposals in the governor's budget and consider how the state might spend unanticipated federal dollars. Our guest is Paul Francis, chair of the Step Two Policy Project.

AP Washington correspondent Sagar Meghani reports on a federal judge rejecting a bid to temporarily halt President Trump's $400 million White House ballroom project.

The US Senate may vote soon on one of Donald Trump's most dangerous plots against our free and fair elections yet – the SAVE America Act. Although the Trump White House and its Republican allies in Congress are trying to brand it as a simple set of voter ID laws, Mehdi explains in this monologue why the bill is far more sinister than its name leads on, and why it could threaten everyone from married women to rural voters. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribe WATCH 'MEHDI UNFILTERED' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfiltered FIND ZETEO: Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_news Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonews TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonews FIND MEHDI: Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

NYC is already regretting Mamdani, and he will be a beacon for failure for Democrats. Mamdani unveiled a $127 billion budget for fiscal year 2027 this week — a staggering $5 billion increase over the prior year.But what's $5 billion between socialists, right?To put that into perspective, Mamdani's proposed budget is actually larger than the budgets of 47 U.S. states, including Florida, which has nearly twice the population. And somehow, it still isn't enough. The city is staring down a $5.4 billion deficit, with the real gap potentially closer to $12 billion when you do the actual math.Consider the amount of waste and fraud is in that budget? The number of “learing” centers, and fake hospice facilities. The number of illegals on the public dole, the number of grifters…Bannon, for very obvious reasons, worked feverishly to advance the narrative of “Steve Bannon, Political Genius.” Within the Trump White House, his media leaks became increasingly self-serving. Instead of leveraging media relations to elevate his boss or the MAGA mission, he sought to mythologize himself.And then there is Tucker CarlsonSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

https://media.blubrry.com/counterspin/content.blubrry.com/counterspin/CounterSpin260220.mp3 Right-click here to download this episode (“Save link as…”). Center for Independent Documentary This week on CounterSpin: CNBC, a news outlet, brought viewers the news that Cuba has suspended its annual cigar festival. The postponement, if you wondered, “comes as the island nation's Communist-run government endures its biggest test since the collapse of the Soviet Union.” Assured you've heard both “Communist” and “Soviet Union,” the “biggest test” bit has a link to another CNBC article, same writer, headed “What'sNext for Cuba? Trump Turns the Screws as the Island Runs Out of Jet Fuel.” Now take a breath: Why does Donald Trump get to punish Cuban people? Why is it cute to talk about “turning the screws”? Can other countries “turn the screws” on the United States if they don't like the US and its “capitalist-run” government? And above all: When did illegal actions carried out with the express intent of causing misery for other human beings living in other countries become blah blah blah? The Trump White House is openly trying to harm the Cuban people, and US media are openly trying to sell that to us as something to root for. Reed Lindsay has been reporting and making documentary film in and about Cuba for more than a decade. We hear from him on what you likely won't be hearing from corporate media. https://media.blubrry.com/counterspin/content.blubrry.com/counterspin/CounterSpin260220Lindsay.mp3 Plus Janine Jackson takes a quick look back at press coverage of the Rev. Jesse Jackson. https://media.blubrry.com/counterspin/content.blubrry.com/counterspin/CounterSpin260220Banter.mp3

Top members of the Trump White House just held a secret strategy meeting about the midterms. The big takeaway: It's time for a domestic pivot, with a focus on drug prices, homebuying, and a ban on Congressional stock trading. The show reacts, then talks about a literal poop river in D.C. Steve Hilton talks about the California gubernatorial race and a fascinating poll that points toward a shocking outcome where the state could be picking from two Republicans in the general election. Watch every episode ad-free on members.charliekirk.com! Get new merch at charliekirkstore.com!Support the show: http://www.charliekirk.com/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Top members of the Trump White House just held a secret strategy meeting about the midterms. The big takeaway: It's time for a domestic pivot, with a focus on drug prices, homebuying, and a ban on Congressional stock trading. The show reacts, then talks about a literal poop river in D.C. Steve Hilton talks about the California gubernatorial race and a fascinating poll that points toward a shocking outcome where the state could be picking from two Republicans in the general election. Watch every episode ad-free on members.charliekirk.com! Get new merch at charliekirkstore.com!Support the show: http://www.charliekirk.com/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gene Sperling — the only person to serve as Director of the National Economic Council under two presidents (Clinton and Obama), a senior advisor to President Biden who oversaw the American Rescue Plan, and a consultant and co-writer on NBC's The West Wing — joins the Chuck Toddcast for a wide-ranging conversation. Sperling shares the wild story of how he ended up in Santa Monica, his brush with Aaron Sorkin's legal troubles, and his insider take on how real Washington compares to its fictional portrayals. The conversation then turns to Sperling's deep expertise on the economy, from his defense of the Biden administration's "soft landing" amid global post-Covid inflation to the political lessons of how rising prices have sunk presidencies on both sides of the aisle — including Biden's own re-election bid. The back half of the episode looks squarely at the future. Sperling, who says he's unlikely to serve in another Democratic administration, offers a forceful argument about what comes next: the rising threat of unchecked corporate and tech power, the urgent need for AI policy that puts working people first, and the lessons of globalization that policymakers can't afford to repeat. Drawing on themes from his book Economic Dignity, he makes the case that Americans are hungry for leaders who pair optimism with a real confrontation of economic injustice — and warns that a handful of AI and crypto companies, flush with lobbying dollars, could end up shaping the structure of the economy if left unchallenged. Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life! Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Gene Sperling joins the Chuck Toddcast 02:00 The wild story of how Gene ended up in Santa Monica 03:15 Aaron Sorkin couldn’t meet with Gene due to legal trouble 06:15 Real politics/news look nothing like “West Wing” or “The Newsroom” 07:30 The one truism about the West Wing is good people trying to do good 09:15 Politics is NOT like House of Cards 10:45 West Wing still remains viable, any chance of a reboot? 12:00 What’s the state of the economy? What do you look for? 12:45 Biden economy was strong growth, but high inflation 13:30 Biden achieved the “soft landing” they were trying for 14:45 Inflation was global and mostly due to Covid supply chain shocks 16:15 The American Rescue Plan had many positive effects 17:15 Every head of state poured money into economies during Covid 18:15 Covid was going to result in either inflation or recession 20:00 Obama couldn’t pass enough stimulus during Great Recession 21:00 A little extra stimulus can help offset future unknowns 21:45 Millennials’ future was permanently damaged by Great Recession 23:00 A generation had never seen high inflation until Covid 24:00 Anger over inflation sunk Biden’s re-election 25:00 Inflation is bipartisan, took down 3 different presidents 26:00 Inflation affects everyone, jobs & unemployment don’t 27:15 Every head of state suffered politically post pandemic 29:15 Will Biden baggage sink Pete Buttigieg, or is that overstated? 31:00 Biden’s conflict was empathy for suffering vs touting achievements 33:15 Biden had the tiniest of margins to pass major legislation 34:30 Gene is unlikely to work in a future Democratic administration 35:15 Pitchforks are being sharpened for corporations and big tech 36:00 Will worker rage fuel the next election? 37:00 Presidents that do well offer optimism, but confront economic injustice 38:30 People don’t want to feel like they are being extracted for profits 40:30 AI growth can’t come at the expense of working people 42:00 AI policy should be shaped around improving conditions for people 43:15 What lessons from globalization can be used to alleviate AI disruption? 45:00 Clinton believed in robust response to globalization 46:00 Clinton couldn’t implement strong safety net after losing congress 47:45 You have to have policies where people don’t feel left behind 49:30 We need to create and fund jobs that create dignity 50:15 We need to create an economic dignity floor for all Americans 52:15 When is a company too big to regulate? 54:30 If companies are disproportionately determining policies, they’re too big 55:15 Crypto & AI are getting what they want from huge lobbying money 56:00 A handful of AI companies could determine structure of the economy 58:15 The Trump White House has invited corporate influenceSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd takes a hard look at the state of American governance and institutional trust — or the lack of it. He starts by reflecting on the historical significance of three consecutive one-term presidents, ranking his top five most underrated commanders-in-chief and arguing that both Biden and Trump are unlikely to be viewed as consequential a century from now. From there, Todd pivots to a searing indictment of the current moment: from the Epstein reckoning exposing the government's inability to tell the truth, to DHS being treated as a political plaything by Kristi Noem and Corey Lewandowski, to the DOD endangering lives in the El Paso FAA incident with zero accountability, to Moderna alleging that HHS refused to even review an mRNA flu vaccine under RFK Jr.'s watch. He connects the dots across a pattern of institutional dishonesty — a Justice Department focused on narrative management, masked ICE agents no one can justify, a fired antitrust chief clearing the way for powerful interests, and a "hostage system" style of governing that holds federal paychecks as leverage — making the case that when the government lies this often, it forfeits the benefit of the doubt on everything, and that the Epstein scandal isn't just a story about one man, but a mirror reflecting a system designed to protect the powerful. Then, Gene Sperling — the only person to serve as Director of the National Economic Council under two presidents (Clinton and Obama), a senior advisor to President Biden who oversaw the American Rescue Plan, and a consultant and co-writer on NBC's The West Wing — joins the Chuck Toddcast for a wide-ranging conversation. Sperling shares the wild story of how he ended up in Santa Monica, his brush with Aaron Sorkin's legal troubles, and his insider take on how real Washington compares to its fictional portrayals. The conversation then turns to Sperling's deep expertise on the economy, from his defense of the Biden administration's "soft landing" amid global post-Covid inflation to the political lessons of how rising prices have sunk presidencies on both sides of the aisle — including Biden's own re-election bid. The back half of the episode looks squarely at the future. Sperling, who says he's unlikely to serve in another Democratic administration, offers a forceful argument about what comes next: the rising threat of unchecked corporate and tech power, the urgent need for AI policy that puts working people first, and the lessons of globalization that policymakers can't afford to repeat. Drawing on themes from his book Economic Dignity, he makes the case that Americans are hungry for leaders who pair optimism with a real confrontation of economic injustice — and warns that a handful of AI and crypto companies, flush with lobbying dollars, could end up shaping the structure of the economy if left unchallenged. Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit the publishing of the Communist Manifesto and argues that while its critiques of the excesses of capitalism were correct… it’s revolutionary prescriptions led to the worst authoritarian states in modern history. He also answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life! Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 03:30 We’ve had 3 straight one term presidents, deem them all failures 04:45 Inability to win reelection will always be seen as an asterisk 05:45 Top 5 most underrated presidents 06:00 James Polk was the only voluntary one term president 06:45 James Garfield was a fierce advocate for civil rights 07:30 George H.W. Bush was accomplished, but not a good politician 08:30 John Quincy Adams laid out modern American infrastructure 09:00 Jimmy Carter did many things that have aged well 10:15 In 100 years, Biden & Trump likely won’t be viewed as consequential 11:45 Biden & Trump can’t be evaluated fairly for many years 12:30 What does a real reckoning look like in the Trump era? 13:45 The institution least capable of reckoning with Epstein is the government 14:15 The private sector is forcing accountability, the government isn’t 15:15 Trust is the currency of government, and Trump’s doesn’t have it 16:15 The Justice Department is only worried about narrative management 17:30 The system looks like a club, designed to protect the powerful 18:45 Epstein is a test of whether the government can tell the truth 20:00 DHS shutting down, politicians using paychecks as leverage 20:30 We a governing via a “hostage system” 21:45 There isn’t a single good argument for masking ICE agents 22:15 The Democrats’ demands are not extreme, they’re common sense 23:15 Noem & Lewandowski treating DHS like their personal plaything 24:00 Pattern of government saying one thing, facts saying another 25:15 Whatever Noem says first, you can’t believe it. She gaslights the public 26:00 The government has lied too many times, gets no benefit of the doubt 26:45 El Paso FAA incident is case study for public distrusting institutions 27:45 DoD was lying to the FAA, FAA pulled the emergency brakes 29:00 DoD put lives in danger with no accountability 29:30 Moderna says HHS refused to review MRNA flu vaccine 30:15 The U.S. is not a stable country to develop & release products 31:00 Kennedy only offers crackpot theories & totally unfit for office 32:00 We can’t trust the government to tell us the truth about anything 32:30 DOJ fired antitrust chief, powerful interests get what they want 34:00 Epstein isn’t just a scandal, it’s a mirror 43:30 Gene Sperling joins the Chuck Toddcast 45:30 The wild story of how Gene ended up in Santa Monica 46:45 Aaron Sorkin couldn’t meet with Gene due to legal trouble 49:45 Real politics/news look nothing like “West Wing” or “The Newsroom” 51:00 The one truism about the West Wing is good people trying to do good 52:45 Politics is NOT like House of Cards 54:15 West Wing still remains viable, any chance of a reboot? 55:30 What’s the state of the economy? What do you look for? 56:15 Biden economy was strong growth, but high inflation 57:00 Biden achieved the “soft landing” they were trying for 58:15 Inflation was global and mostly due to Covid supply chain shocks 59:45 The American Rescue Plan had many positive effects 1:00:45 Every head of state poured money into economies during Covid 1:01:45 Covid was going to result in either inflation or recession 1:03:30 Obama couldn’t pass enough stimulus during Great Recession 1:04:30 A little extra stimulus can help offset future unknowns 1:05:15 Millennials’ future was permanently damaged by Great Recession 1:06:30 A generation had never seen high inflation until Covid 1:07:30 Anger over inflation sunk Biden’s re-election 1:08:30 Inflation is bipartisan, took down 3 different presidents 1:09:30 Inflation affects everyone, jobs & unemployment don’t 1:10:45 Every head of state suffered politically post pandemic 1:12:45 Will Biden baggage sink Pete Buttigieg, or is that overstated? 1:14:30 Biden’s conflict was empathy for suffering vs touting achievements 1:16:45 Biden had the tiniest of margins to pass major legislation 1:18:00 Gene is unlikely to work in a future Democratic administration 1:18:45 Pitchforks are being sharpened for corporations and big tech 1:19:30 Will worker rage fuel the next election? 1:20:30 Presidents that do well offer optimism, but confront economic injustice 1:22:00 People don’t want to feel like they are being extracted for profits 1:24:00 AI growth can’t come at the expense of working people 1:25:30 AI policy should be shaped around improving conditions for people 1:26:45 What lessons from globalization can be used to alleviate AI disruption? 1:28:30 Clinton believed in robust response to globalization 1:29:30 Clinton couldn’t implement strong safety net after losing congress 1:31:15 You have to have policies where people don’t feel left behind 1:33:00 We need to create and fund jobs that create dignity 1:33:45 We need to create an economic dignity floor for all Americans 1:35:45 When is a company too big to regulate? 1:38:00 If companies are disproportionately determining policies, they’re too big 1:38:45 Crypto & AI are getting what they want from huge lobbying money 1:39:30 A handful of AI companies could determine structure of the economy 1:41:45 The Trump White House has invited corporate influence 1:49:45 What if Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie ran on “accountability” ticket 1:51:00 A bipartisan ticket of “pox on both their houses” could be powerful 1:51:45 ToddCast Time Machine February 21st, 1848 1:52:00 Marx & Engels publish the communist manifesto 1:52:45 Monarchies were colliding with modern economic forces 1:54:15 Marx argued that capitalism is destabilizing if left unchecked 1:55:15 If the manifesto was called something else, how would we view it? 1:55:45 Marx doesn’t argue reform, says that capitalism will destroy itself 1:56:30 Communist states didn’t emerge until decades after manifesto 1:57:15 Manifesto gave dictators arguments to grab power 1:58:00 Marx talked in economics, dictators exploited his language 1:59:30 Communism took hold in places where industrialization fell behind 2:00:15 Manifesto gets invoked badly by both sides in American politics 2:01:00 Marx’s diagnosis was spot on, his solutions were questionable 2:02:30 Lack of regulation for AI will push people to radicalism 2:03:00 Ask Chuck 2:03:15 Does something seem off with the administration’s economic numbers? 2:07:30 Do we need a punchier title than “Gate” for political scandals? 2:10:00 Do we need to withhold congressional salaries during shutdowns? 2:14:00 Missing intellectuals like Rahm Emmanuel leading the country 2:16:00 What is the criteria for impeachment of cabinet members? 2:18:45 Favorite football/baseball players as a kid?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why Pam Bondi's crashout is indicative of much deeper rot in the Trump White House - and why yelling about the Dow on the Hill isn't changing anything for Trump. He's mentioned in the Epstein files over... checks notes... a MILLION times! And how far is Trump willing to go to steal the election? And are we ready to fight back? Why Joe is less concerned about the state of the Democratic Party than some might believe. It's not about a blue wave anymore. It's a change wave.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the past couple of weeks, Senate Republicans have come up with this plan to bring back the talking filibuster, all in an effort to pass the SAVE America Act. On paper, it is clever. Force Democrats to physically hold the floor to block voter ID legislation that polls as an 80-20 issue. Make them read the phone book. Make them look unserious. Put Jon Ossoff and other swing-state Democrats on the record defending a position that is wildly unpopular nationally.I actually think it would be smart politics. It's also never going to happen.The reason is simple: Senate institutionalists. John Thune does not want to be the Republican leader who weakened the filibuster, even in a limited way. The Senate sees itself as the “august deliberative body,” not the truck stop chaos of the House. No one wants on their résumé that they chipped away at the 60-vote threshold. The irony is that nothing in the rules prevents a talking filibuster. It simply fell out of use. But reviving it would still be seen as escalation.Politics Politics Politics is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.And escalation is not what senators do to each other lightly. They are there for six years. They share committee rooms and green rooms. They nurse grudges quietly. They do not enjoy public humiliation.So while conservatives may draw up elaborate procedural roadmaps, this one caps out at tradition. And tradition, in the Senate, wins more often than base energy.The Shutdown Nobody WinsMeanwhile, we are entering an actual shutdown this weekend because Senate Democrats blocked a Department of Homeland Security funding bill after the House had already left town. Democrats escalated their demands from a handful of changes to what is effectively a multi-point overhaul. The problem is not moral clarity. The problem is math.When you shut down the government, history suggests you rarely get what you want. Often, you get nothing. The Trump White House already has a blueprint from the last shutdown: keep the pain manageable, move money around where possible, and wait for pressure to build. If that pressure intensifies, especially around TSA delays, FEMA responses, or spring break travel, Democrats will face the same brutal reality every minority party faces during a shutdown.Just like in the fall, they will have to cut a deal.And when they do, their base will not celebrate incremental concessions. They will accuse leadership of caving. The drawdown of ICE activity in Minneapolis, which could have been framed as a win condition, has already been overtaken by new demands.That is the trap. You negotiate past your leverage point because your base expects maximalism. Then you are left explaining why the maximalist outcome was never achievable in the first place.A State of the Union CircusAll of this sets up a February 24th State of the Union that looks increasingly like a circus. Some House Democrats are openly discussing protests, despite Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries urging restraint.We have seen these moves before. Last year's disruptions did not damage Trump. If anything, they made him look calmer by comparison. When the visuals are heckling and signage next to moments crafted for television, the protest becomes the spectacle, not the message.The deeper issue is control. Neither Mike Johnson nor Hakeem Jeffries appears to have ironclad command over their conferences. The margins are thin. The base pressure is intense. And Trump remains such a polarizing figure that restraint feels like betrayal to some members.So expect noise. Expect moments engineered for viral clips. And expect very little institutional discipline.Chapters00:00:00 - Intro00:04:03 - Talking Filibuster DOA00:18:06 - Update00:18:33 - Shutdown00:22:36 - ICE in Minnesota00:25:50 - Democrats SOTU Plans00:28:55 - Interview with Stella Tsantekidou on UK Politics and Epstein01:13:06 - Wrap-up This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.politicspoliticspolitics.com/subscribe

February 10, 2026; 6pm; The Epstein scandal is rocking the Trump White House again, and this time featuring the notorious Epstein Island, where Trump's commerce chief visited, a confession he made today after years of lying. MS NOW's Ari Melber reports. Former FBI General Counsel Andrew Weissmann joins. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The much-anticipated visit of Colombian President Gustavo Petro to the White House couldn't have gone better given the circumstances. Let it not be overlooked that President Trump needs an ally in Colombia now that he is "running" Venezuela.  This week, Adriaan Alsema of Colombia Reports and Richard McColl of Colombia Calling provide an analysis of Colombian President Gustavo Petro's trip to meet President Trump and also, why former Colombian president Andres Pastrana is in hot water over the Epstein files. The Colombia Briefing is reported by Emily Hart.

The Friday pandemonium begins! First up: The Trump White House's Racist Post of the Day. Greg wasn't here today, but that doesn't mean there wasn't any special election action yesterday. There was! And we don't know who won! But it was exciting nonetheless, because a Dem "wins" either way. The seat won't actually be filled until April, but they may still be battling over DHS funding at that point. We'll see! Because today ends in a "y," Trump is trying desperately to name more things after himself. Yesterday, it was "TrumpRx," his Groupon-style website for discounts on a whopping 43 different pharmaceutical drugs. Today, it's Washington's Dulles airport and New York's Penn Station. Christine O'Donnell was famously "not a witch," but this guy is, and he was at the Clay County, MN Gop caucus earlier this week, laughing at Mike Lindell and casting a hex on the gathering. A two-fer! From Minneapolis, meanwhile, we're urged not to ignore the economic impact of the ICE/CBP siege. And perhaps lend a hand, if we can.  An ancient scroll, from 1987, may contain clues to a path toward accountability for ICE/CBP and other abusive federal "officials." With so much unsanctioned, un-uniformed "law enforcement" activity going on out there, it was probably only a matter of time until someone tried to take Luigi Mangione's detention into their own hands. It did not work. But on the other hand, neither did an actual DOJ effort to sanction Judge Boasberg. And not just because the effort was baseless and nonsensical! Have you heard that most Democrats are actually uninterested in shielding Bill Clinton from inquiry with regard to the Epstein files? Well, I guess The Hill hasn't. And as for things you should look into this weekend: You may have missed this Trump bribe (because it was reported in close proximity to this other Trump bribe). Anyhoo, the Senator that caught wind of that first bribe also wants us to know that something seriously f-ed up is happening over at the CIA.

-Rob cheers Senator Eric Schmitt's epic verbal flamethrower aimed at a George Soros–funded NGO, declaring that “it's not 2020 anymore” and that fraud—not racism—is finally on trial. -Rob celebrates the implosion of legacy media, mocks the Washington Post's shrinking relevance, and explains that journalism isn't dying—it's just moving to people who tell the truth. -Morgan Murphy, national security analyst, U.S. Navy captain, and former Trump White House official, joins via the Newsmax Hotline to break down Iran, China, Russia, Greenland, and why poking a U.S. aircraft carrier is a fantastic way to lose a drone. Today's podcast is sponsored by : RELIEF FACTOR - You don't need to live with aches & pains! Reduce muscle & joint inflammation and live a pain-free life by visiting http://ReliefFactor.com  BIRCH GOLD - Protect and grow your retirement savings with gold. Text ROB to 98 98 98 for your FREE information kit! To call in and speak with Rob Carson live on the show, dial 1-800-922-6680 between the hours of 12 Noon and 3:00 pm Eastern Time Monday through Friday…E-mail Rob Carson at : RobCarsonShow@gmail.com Musical parodies provided by Jim Gossett (http://patreon.com/JimGossettComedy) Listen to Newsmax LIVE and see our entire podcast lineup at http://Newsmax.com/Listen Make the switch to NEWSMAX today! Get your 15 day free trial of NEWSMAX+ at http://NewsmaxPlus.com Looking for NEWSMAX caps, tees, mugs & more? Check out the Newsmax merchandise shop at : http://nws.mx/shop Follow NEWSMAX on Social Media:  -Facebook: http://nws.mx/FB  -X/Twitter: http://nws.mx/twitter -Instagram: http://nws.mx/IG -YouTube: https://youtube.com/NewsmaxTV -Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/NewsmaxTV -TRUTH Social: https://truthsocial.com/@NEWSMAX -GETTR: https://gettr.com/user/newsmax -Threads: http://threads.net/@NEWSMAX  -Telegram: http://t.me/newsmax  -BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/newsmax.com -Parler: http://app.parler.com/newsmax Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

X star and author Raw Egg Nationalist joins the ThoughtCrime crew to discuss the week's most indispensible topics, including: -Is masculinity dying, and if so, why? -Why is Barack Obama linking events in Minneapolis to raising pit bulls? -Why is the Trump White House posting memes about penguins with a death wish? Watch every episode ad-free on members.charliekirk.com! Get new merch at charliekirkstore.com!Support the show: http://www.charliekirk.com/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ThoughtCrime crew discusses the week's most indispensible topics, including:-Why is Barack Obama linking events in Minneapolis to raising pit bulls?-Was Dilbert creator Scott Adams right about what he got canceled for?-Why is the Trump White House posting memes about penguins with a death wish?Support the show

January 30, 2026; 8pm: Tonight, brand new, blaring alarms over Donald Trump's creeping police state. Then, at least some of the Epstein documents the Trump White House didn't want you to see. New names, new questions and plenty of redactions in the latest release of Epstein docs.  Want more of Chris? Download and follow his podcast, “Why Is This Happening? The Chris Hayes podcast” wherever you get your podcasts.To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

X star and author Raw Egg Nationalist joins the ThoughtCrime crew to discuss the week's most indispensible topics, including: -Is masculinity dying, and if so, why? -Why is Barack Obama linking events in Minneapolis to raising pit bulls? -Why is the Trump White House posting memes about penguins with a death wish? Watch every episode ad-free on members.charliekirk.com! Get new merch at charliekirkstore.com!Support the show: http://www.charliekirk.com/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck digs into the political fallout surrounding Kristi Noem, Stephen Miller, and a Trump White House that remains intensely reactive to public opinion. While Noem keeps her job—for now—new polling paints a bleak picture for both her and the administration, with Trump’s economic numbers underwater, disapproval near all-time highs, and even his own base increasingly uneasy with ICE’s aggressive tactics. Chuck unpacks why Noem’s performative politics may make her expendable, why Miller is untouchable as Trump’s “bizarro Dick Cheney,” and how Trump’s inner circle is once again showing signs of instability as voters question whether the president is focused on the issues that actually matter. The conversation then zooms out to a broader diagnosis of America’s democratic dysfunction, drawing on Chuck’s recent campus speech about why this moment feels uniquely unstable. From razor-thin modern elections and the collapse of congressional responsibility to unsettling parallels with 19th-century politics, Chuck argues that the presidency has become overly powerful because Congress has failed to govern. Fixing what’s broken, he warns, won’t come from political elites—it will require engaged citizens, serious institutional reform, and possibly constitutional amendments to rebuild a government voters have been loudly signaling they no longer trust. Finally, Chuck answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and expands on his Hall of Fame rant in light of Bill Belichick not getting in on the first ballot. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life! Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Timeline: 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 03:00 Kristi Noem still has her job, but Trump is reactive to public opinion 04:15 Noem’s profile feels like someone Trump is willing to dump 05:15 Trump will never fire Stephen Miller 06:00 Miller understands how to work government like a bizarro Dick Cheney 07:30 Does Miller have a conservative vision, or is he just a reactionary? 09:00 Trump may use Kristi Noem as a heat shield 10:00 Noem’s theatrics have created terrible optics 12:15 New Fox News poll has terrible numbers for Trump 14:15 Numbers in the poll could spell doom for Kristi Noem 15:15 Only 61% of Republicans say country is better off today 16:00 Trump’s numbers on the economy are underwater 17:45 Trump’s disapproval near all-time highs 18:45 Voters don’t think Trump is spending enough time on the economy 20:30 Trump’s job rating higher than almost all the individual issues 21:45 59% think ICE has been too aggressive 24:00 Even parts of Trump’s base think ICE has been too aggressive 25:00 Support for abolishing ICE has doubled since 2018 26:00 Trump’s inner circle never stays around for long 27:00 If Fox runs the poll extensively on air, Noem is in trouble 28:45 Chuck’s campus speech on where we are now & how to get out of it 29:45 We may have grown up in a more stable outlier era of American history 31:30 The cold war kept both parties sober & more mainstream 32:45 Six of our 21st century presidential elections decided by 5pts or less 33:15 Politics today is more similar to the 19th century 34:00 We’re too occupied with the presidency due to congress failing 35:00 Congress is more occupied with keeping power than legislating 36:30 We aren’t getting out of this until congress becomes functional 37:00 We will need constitutional amendments to fix the democracy 38:30 The citizens will need to fix this, can’t depend on congress 39:15 Voters gave a primal scream that they wanted a better government 46:30 Ask Chuck 46:45 Who in real life is Veep’s Mike McClintock based on? 49:30 Impact of Native American voters on elections? 52:45 What signs will the GOP show if they think they’ll lose the senate? 56:00 The viral blue/yellow dress feels like a metaphor for politics 58:15 Any connection between income inequality and growing isolationism? 1:04:00 Why is Nathan’s Famous allowed to be bought by a Chinese company? 1:06:30 Hall of Fame rantSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck digs into the political fallout surrounding Kristi Noem, Stephen Miller, and a Trump White House that remains intensely reactive to public opinion. While Noem keeps her job—for now—new polling paints a bleak picture for both her and the administration, with Trump’s economic numbers underwater, disapproval near all-time highs, and even his own base increasingly uneasy with ICE’s aggressive tactics. Chuck unpacks why Noem’s performative politics may make her expendable, why Miller is untouchable as Trump’s “bizarro Dick Cheney,” and how Trump’s inner circle is once again showing signs of instability as voters question whether the president is focused on the issues that actually matter. The conversation then zooms out to a broader diagnosis of America’s democratic dysfunction, drawing on Chuck’s recent campus speech about why this moment feels uniquely unstable. From razor-thin modern elections and the collapse of congressional responsibility to unsettling parallels with 19th-century politics, Chuck argues that the presidency has become overly powerful because Congress has failed to govern. Fixing what’s broken, he warns, won’t come from political elites—it will require engaged citizens, serious institutional reform, and possibly constitutional amendments to rebuild a government voters have been loudly signaling they no longer trust. Then, author and writer for The New Yorker, Jason Zengerle joins the Chuck ToddCast for a deep dive into his book “Hated By All The Right People” about Tucker Carlson’s rise—and why he’s become the clearest avatar for the unraveling of modern American conservatism. The conversation traces how Carlson’s personal history, elite upbringing paired with outsider grievance, and long-running resentments toward figures like Bill Kristol helped shape a worldview centered on anger, masculinity, and cultural backlash. Though he styles himself as anti-establishment, Tucker remains very much a Washington insider, increasingly influential even after leaving Fox News and emerging as the true heir to Rush Limbaugh, with real political impact on figures like J.D. Vance. Chuck and Zengerle also explore how Trump subsumed conservatism, why Tucker may be the figure best positioned to keep Trumpism alive after Trump, and how white male grievance now sits at the core of conservative cultural politics. From the Iraq War’s role in Carlson’s ideological shift to his calculated positioning on Israel, media, and elite power, the episode asks what “real America” conservatism even means anymore—and whether there’s any path back for Never Trumpers, institutional Republicans, or business leaders who’ve bent the knee to a movement that no longer resembles the party they once knew. Finally, Chuck answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and expands on his Hall of Fame rant in light of Bill Belichick not getting in on the first ballot. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life! Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 07:00 Kristi Noem still has her job, but Trump is reactive to public opinion 08:15 Noem’s profile feels like someone Trump is willing to dump 09:15 Trump will never fire Stephen Miller 10:00 Miller understands how to work government like a bizarro Dick Cheney 11:30 Does Miller have a conservative vision, or is he just a reactionary? 13:00 Trump may use Kristi Noem as a heat shield 14:00 Noem’s theatrics have created terrible optics 16:15 New Fox News poll has terrible numbers for Trump 18:15 Numbers in the poll could spell doom for Kristi Noem 19:15 Only 61% of Republicans say country is better off today 20:00 Trump’s numbers on the economy are underwater 21:45 Trump’s disapproval near all-time highs 22:45 Voters don’t think Trump is spending enough time on the economy 24:30 Trump’s job rating higher than almost all the individual issues 25:45 59% think ICE has been too aggressive 28:00 Even parts of Trump’s base think ICE has been too aggressive 29:00 Support for abolishing ICE has doubled since 2018 30:00 Trump’s inner circle never stays around for long 31:00 If Fox runs the poll extensively on air, Noem is in trouble 32:45 Chuck’s campus speech on where we are now & how to get out of it 33:45 We may have grown up in a more stable outlier era of American history 35:30 The cold war kept both parties sober & more mainstream 36:45 Six of our 21st century presidential elections decided by 5pts or less 37:15 Politics today is more similar to the 19th century 38:00 We’re too occupied with the presidency due to congress failing 39:00 Congress is more occupied with keeping power than legislating 40:30 We aren’t getting out of this until congress becomes functional 41:00 We will need constitutional amendments to fix the democracy 42:30 The citizens will need to fix this, can’t depend on congress 43:15 Voters gave a primal scream that they wanted a better government 50:30 Jason Zengerle joins the Chuck ToddCast 52:00 Why Tucker Carlson is the avatar for unraveling of conservatism 53:30 Tucker was abandoned by his mother, how did that affect his journey? 54:15 That abandonment shaped his worldview about women 55:30 Tucker’s anger at Bill Kristol is a big part of his evolution 57:30 Kristol has become the stand in for media elites in Tucker’s mind 58:30 Tucker tried to be a younger, cooler version of George Will 59:30 Carlson is very much a DC insider, but portrays himself as outsider 1:01:00 Tucker wasn’t a rich kid, but was raised like one 1:03:00 Tucker & Trump similarly hung with the elite, but felt like outsiders 1:03:45 Tucker trashed Trump in texts while praising him on the air 1:04:30 Tucker was more willing to criticize Trump than other Fox hosts 1:06:00 Tucker wasn’t viewed as a top-tier personality at Fox for years 1:06:45 Fox News is bigger than the on-air personalities 1:07:45 Leaving Fox didn’t diminish Tucker’s standing, more influential now 1:09:30 Tucker is the true heir to Rush Limbaugh 1:10:15 Tucker was influential in getting J.D. Vance elected in Ohio 1:11:15 Vance & Tucker are very ideologically aligned 1:12:30 White male grievance is central to conservative cultural politics 1:14:15 Tucker believes what he says & has a larger project for America 1:15:15 Tucker is more Pat Buchanan than Rush Limbaugh 1:16:00 Iraq war was very influential in changing Tucker’s ideology 1:17:15 Tucker needled Jewish Neocon Republicans by criticizing Israel 1:19:00 Tuckers sees party energy is anti-Israel & getting ahead of it 1:20:45 What is the definition of conservatism in “real America”? 1:21:45 Conservatism has been subsumed by Trump 1:23:00 Will conservatism snap back to its prior form after Trump is gone? 1:25:30 Tucker seems like the figure that could keep Trump’s politics alive 1:27:15 Tucker says he’s not mad at the Murdochs but he is 1:28:30 Tucker didn’t agree to be interviewed for the book, why? 1:31:15 Tucker likes to bash the media, but he’s one of their favorite sources 1:32:30 Tucker left D.C. after protestors showed up to his house 1:33:45 Who are the “camps” that will fight for control after Trump? 1:34:45 Ted Cruz & Rand Paul are the only two non “blood & soil” prominent R’s 1:36:00 Trump is the least “MAGA” person in the MAGA movement 1:37:45 Where do the Nikki Haley, John Kasich type voters go? 1:38:45 Business leaders have bent the knee to Trump 1:39:45 Who in conservative media world was most willing to talk? 1:41:00 Tucker doesn’t spend much time talking to people he disagrees with 1:42:30 Tucker wants to go back to a male & white dominated society 1:43:45 The Never Trumpers won’t be taking back the party 1:45:00 What Jason is working on at The New Yorker 1:48:00 Marco Rubio’s evolution has been fascinating 1:53:00 Chuck’s thoughts on interview with Jason Zengerle 1:53:30 Ask Chuck 1:53:45 Who in real life is Veep’s Mike McClintock based on? 1:56:30 Impact of Native American voters on elections? 1:59:45 What signs will the GOP show if they think they’ll lose the senate? 2:03:00 The viral blue/yellow dress feels like a metaphor for politics 2:05:15 Any connection between income inequality and growing isolationism? 2:11:00 Why is Nathan’s Famous allowed to be bought by a Chinese company? 2:13:30 Hall of Fame rantSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Group Chat: Rising water and rising anger over this week's flood chaos.And, frustration over planned reforms for renters and their landlords.Plus - a rare climbdown and shift in tone from the Trump White House. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mehdi Hasan is a prominent broadcast journalist in America who's forthright anti-Trump and pro-Palestinian opinions have thrust him to the fore of many of the big issues facing the country today. He is the founder and editor-in-chief of Zeteo, previously hosting The Mehdi Hasan Show on MSNBC, and his work straddles the line between conventional journalism and advocacy-driven argument. In this episode of Ways to Change the World he tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy why he believes American democracy is facing an “existential threat', what he expects to happen next in Gaza and whether Labour can withstand the rise of Nigel Farage's Reform UK. In the podcast, Mehdi makes accusations against several US companies. Comcast rejects any suggestions it may have engaged in misconduct by donating to the new $400 million ballroom under construction at the Trump White House. Responding to Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who asked the media and Internet company if there had been a quid pro quo, they said: “Comcast's pledged donation included no specific limitations or conditions on how the proceeds were to be used or spent. Furthermore, Comcast made the donation with no expectations of receiving anything in return and the implication that the donation has anything to do with a potential transaction involving Warner Brothers Discovery is categorically false.”When Paramount settled their lawsuit with President Trump they said the money was going to be allocated to Trump's future presidential library, not paid to him "directly or indirectly".The company also noted the settlement does not include a statement of apology or regret.Responding to reports in the Financial Times that a donor to Donald Trump's reelection campaign had received the first barrels of oil obtained from Venezuela after America seized president Maduro, a White House spokesman said: “President Trump always does what is in the best interest of the American people, such as brokering this historic energy deal with Venezuela immediately following the arrest of narcoterrorist Nicolás Maduro. The media's continued attempts to fabricate conflicts of interest are a tired attempt to distract from the incredible work only this president is capable of achieving.” The White House has also rejected accusations of corruption. Israel denies accusations of genocide and ethnic cleansing.

January 21, 2026; 6pm; MS NOW's Ari Melber breaks down the international chaos shaping President Trump's first month of 2026, with new insights from his interview with former Trump White House lawyer Ty Cobb. Ambassador Michael McFaul joins the discussion. Plus, the Supreme Court appears skeptical of President Trump's bid to take control of the independent Federal Reserve, with analysis from NYU law professor Melissa Murray. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

ICE's New Disturbing Low. Is NATO Dead? Thoughts on the End of the Iraq War. Snowpocalypse ‘26. Garry Newman is Something Good. And So Are Our Allies. On this special bonus episode of Independent Americans, host Paul Rieckhoff cuts through a blizzard of news and chaos with retired four-star General Barry McCaffrey. From Trump at Davos mocking allies and floating military action toward Greenland, to ICE crackdowns stretching from Minneapolis to Maine and talk of deploying the 11th Airborne toward American cities, it is a deep, unflinching look at a country on the brink of something very dangerous.​ McCaffrey details how the Trump White House has shattered global trust, why he believes NATO as we knew it is effectively dead, and how turning ICE and federal law enforcement into camouflaged, armored shock troops erodes vital trust between cops and communities. He explains the real-world implications of Trump's threats to “wipe Iran off the face of the earth,” his pirate-like seizures of Venezuelan oil, and his efforts to use the Army-Navy game, the National Guard, and active-duty forces as partisan political props. Paul and the General also dig into the quiet end of the U.S. troop presence in Iraq, the lessons of Vietnam and the War on Terror, the danger of believing war can be easy or bloodless, and the collapse of once-strong national security institutions.​ You'll hear McCaffrey's blunt assessment of Trump as a lawless, destabilizing commander in chief, his concern that the United States now looks like a “predator nation,” and his warning that law enforcement and the military are being dangerously politicized in ways that will take at least a decade to repair. Paul weaves in his own on-the-ground perspective—from CNN and NewsNation hits to his work with American Veterans for Ukraine and his fight against ICE abuses that are traumatizing kids like five-year-old Liam Ramos—alongside moments of hope, from Randy Newman's music to stories of French allies who promise to “be there” when America is in trouble. It is a conversation that embodies the five I's—independence, integrity, inspiration, information, and impact—at a time when Americans are increasingly independent and hungry for trustworthy voices and real perspective. Because every episode of Independent Americans with Paul Rieckhoff breaks down the most important news stories--and offers light to contrast the heat of other politics and news shows. It's independent content for independent Americans. In these trying times especially, Independent Americans is your trusted place for independent news, politics, inspiration and hope. The podcast that helps you stay ahead of the curve--and stay vigilant. -WATCH video of this episode on YouTube now. -Learn more about Paul's work to elect a new generation of independent leaders with Independent Veterans of America. -Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.  -Check the hashtag #LookForTheHelpers. And share yours.  -Find us on social media or www.IndependentAmericans.us.  -And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch now in time for the new year.  -Check out other Righteous podcasts like The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra, Uncle Montel - The OG of Weed and B Dorm.  Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led Righteous Media.  And now part of the BLEAV network!  Ways to listen: Spotify • Apple Podcasts • Amazon Podcasts  Ways to watch: YouTube • Instagram  Social channels: X/Twitter • BlueSky • Facebook    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

California Governor Gavin Newsom outrageously criticized European leaders for cowering to President Donald Trump. Gov. Newsom's shocking comments against the Trump Administration's foreign policy came at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Will the comments backfire on Newsom? The Sekulow team discusses Newsom's embarrassing rhetoric, the Trump White House's plan to acquire Greenland, the ACLJ's legal work – and much more.

PJ asks if the Taoiseach should visit the Trump White House on Patrick's Day, hears from so many people who want a bridge named after the late Don O'Leay of The Life Centre, talks to a man who says that the ghost in Coláiste Eamann Rís Deerpark campus is harmless and he chats to him. And more... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado told an audience in Washington that she's confident democracy will return to her nation. But almost two weeks after the seizure of former President Maduro, Machado revealed little of her own plans. As Nick Schifrin reports, that hasn't stopped the Trump White House from engaging with the rest of the Maduro regime they left in place. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado told an audience in Washington that she's confident democracy will return to her nation. But almost two weeks after the seizure of former President Maduro, Machado revealed little of her own plans. As Nick Schifrin reports, that hasn't stopped the Trump White House from engaging with the rest of the Maduro regime they left in place. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

There's a difference between constitutionally protected free speech and acts of civil disobedience that could lead to arrests. Still, it's not clear that Renee Good in Minneapolis was interfering illegally with ICE operations. And civil disobedience isn't terrorism under traditional definitions. Also: today's stories, including how the Trump White House wants to make sure Smithsonian museum exhibits conform to its ideology; how efforts to diversify rare earth supply chains are bringing new attention to war-ravaged Myanmar; and how since the start of the war in Ukraine and Western sanctions, getting from Russia to the rest of Europe has become a frustration. Join the Monitor's Ira Porter for today's news.

Masked ICE agents are on a rampage in Minneapolis, in Portland, and throughout the United States. The Trump White House and the Pentagon have seized the fifth oil tanker carrying Venezuelan oil. Brian Becker and Layan Fuleihan discuss.This is a preview of a patrons-only episode. Subscribe at https://www.patreon.com/TheSocialistProgram to hear the full episode, get access to all our patrons-only content, and help make this show possible.

Darrell Castle discusses the raid in Venezuela, the capture or arrest of Nichalas Maduro and his wife and whether it was beneficial to anyone. TRUMP'S VERSION OF THE MONROE DOCTRINE Hello, this is Darrell Castle with today's Castle Report. This is Friday the 9th day of January in the year of our Lord 2026. I will be discussing the raid in Venezuela and the capture or arrest as the DOJ calls it of Nichalas Maduro and his wife and their criminal prosecution by US Federal authorities in the federal district court of New York. Did it benefit anyone, was it right or wrong, was it legal or illegal. Yes, folks 2026 has barely started and it has already been quite a year. Was the capture of Maduro an indication by the administration that one year of his term is complete and now the gloves come off. I certainly think that was one of the many intentions of the raid, but not the most significant by any means. What then was the real intent or reason for the raid. The truthful answer to that question is, I don't know and neither does anyone else. We look at it and we see the results short term but what was in his mind only he knows for sure. Let's look first at the legality of the raid. In my opinion it was clearly legal if US law is the judge. The 1973 War Powers Resolution allows the president to deploy military forces; however, he chooses without prior approval of congress if he decides its in the national security interest of the United States. Its's more than a little hypocritical for any Democrat with a microphone to scream illegal because they could always repeal the War Powers Act but they don't/ Why not, because they use it too, and they want it available. When Hillary Clinton rejoiced at the death of Muammar Gaddafi who was killed in a US bombing attack while apparently asleep in his bed, was that illegal. What about when George Bush sent American forces into Iraq and eventually hanged Saddam Hussein, was that illegal. In fact, Trump should be thanked by Maduro and his supporters in congress because he could have sent a cruise missile through his window but instead he arrested him. The DOJ insists this was a law enforcement action whereby a wanted fugitive was arrested in a foreign country. So, the question is, what do you mean by illegal. Clearly it does not violate US law so perhaps you mean it violates your sense of consciousness or morality. Well, most of what the US government does violates my sense of morality but that is not the judge.  I guess the argument then is that it violates international law. My answer is that international law is a nebulous concept that doesn't even exist anymore. International law was invented at Nuremburg as a way to justify dealing with Nazi war criminals when there was little real evidence of the crimes with which they were charged. In other words, it began and ended at Nuremburg. OK then, did anything good come out of the raid. Yes, lots of things, starting with the way the raid was conducted. This was perhaps the greatest and most successful special forces raid in history. Conducted in a foreign capital with very few known casualties. As I said he could have just put a warhead on Maduro's forehead but he didn't so in that sense the rule of law is intact. To carry that thought forward, the President has this very elite force the best of the best and he is committed to using them to accomplish his foreign policy rather than mobilizing vast armies with coalition partners at a cost of hundreds of billions. Everyone around the world took notice and the countries you would expect voiced their disapproval, but at the same time they know he is not bluffing and when he warns that he will act it is prudent to pay attention. It was a demonstration of what the US military can do especially when you consider that Venezuela supposedly had the latest version of Russian and Chinese anti-air defense system. It was Trump's version of, we are still here and we are still the best so pay attention. The other benefit that it is hard to argue against is that Maduro is a very bad man and Venezuela will be better off without him. There was an election in 2024 which was won by Edmundo Gonzalez but Maduro used his military to hold on to the most addictive thing in the world, power. He was so bad as a leader that 20% of the Venezuelan population left the country. I personally know many Venezuelan people some of whom live here in America and some in Venezuela and they are happy he is gone. The pro Maduro crowds of young white liberals marching through the streets of New York are really anti-Trump not pro Maduro. I guess one can justify supporting a vicious dictator if it means hurting Trump. The crowds of Venezuelan people rejoicing in the streets of Caracas are far more important than those in New York. Sometimes I think the people in such demonstrations have lost touch with reality. Certainly, they have lost touch with the needs of ordinary people if they ever had touch with them. It reminds me of when Trump sent the National Guard into the most crime ridden cities to help slow violent crime. Washington DC was the first but my city of Memphis was also included. The people in New York marching against the deployment were probably the same as the pro Maduro crowd but in the streets it was different. I talked to many people in my law office who live out there with reality and that reality is constant fear of violent crime. People told me in no uncertain terms that they were glad to see the Guard on the streets and they felt safer walking or going shopping. The people of the cities worry about whether their kids will be killed in a drive by, and so they are glad for protection. So, Maduro was a very bad man who caused many to leave their country and many more were starving. Yes, he was a leader who lived in palatial luxury while his people starved. Venezuela has one of the largest deposits of petroleum in the world but the people have no gas. We learned after Maduro's capture that the infrastructure of pumping and getting oil to market was in such a poor state that it could take ten years to fully bring it up to speed. Venezuela has all this wealth under its soil and under its ocean but no one cared enough for the people to exploit it for their benefit. Will the American oil companies that are competing for Venezuelan oil use it for the people's benefit. Well, that is a good question but I believe that while trump is president they will. Right now, Venezuela is left in a highly volatile and uncertain phase of its history. Who will lead after Maduro. Delci Rodriguez, Maduro's vice president is in charge as I record this. She talked tough but only for a moment and then she saw the light and started saying something like I will be glad to cooperate with the Americans and I am just glad to be here. That is of course another point and that is that he did leave her in power and let natural progression take its course. Opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado said that she would like to see Gomzalez given power because he won the election in 2024 but Trump seems committed to let the laws of succession take their course. So, the next several months are very uncertain and many questions remain. Will Roddriguez accommodate US pressure and demands, defy them, or perhaps some hard line socialist from Maduro's old party, The United Socialist Party of Venezuela, will try to seize power. One thing should be obvious though and that is that the US military will be used if it becomes necessary so the leaders of that country obviously know that. So, the President is reimposing the Monroe Doctrine to protect US interests in this hemisphere. When President Monroe announced his doctrine in 1823 or 24 it was to be a two-way street. To the European colonists he said stay out of our hemisphere and we will stay out of yours. Spain had colonies so it was primarily directed at them and it eventually took the Spanish-American War to get Spain out of the Caribbean. It would be hard to argue that the US has stayed out of European affairs since the US has fought two World Wars and currently has bases and troops all over Europe. In addition, the US has China surrounded by bases and carrier battle groups so two-way street, no not yet. Perhaps it indicates a return to the old Monroe doctrine whereby the US watches its own back yard and lets others do the same. I for one would be happy if that were the policy. In regard to that thought Trump has repeatedly referred to the Venezuelan oil deposits as “our oil. “Is he bringing a Machiavellian concept of might makes right to the table with that expression. No, he is referring to the contracts US companies had with the Venezuelan government before Hugo Chavez took power in 1998. One of Chavez's first acts was to nationalize the oil industry thus stealing all the oil, at least from an American point of view. So, Trump is referring back to the pre-Chavez days and saying by contract that oil is ours and you should thank me instead of criticizing me for enforcing contracts and the rule of law. None of that had anything to do with Nicholas Maduro of course since it happened long before he took power. Chavez named Maduro as his successor from his death bed in 2010. Venezuela is supposed to have free elections but if you know the history of that region you know that often free elections are in name only. You've probably noticed that I have spent very little time on the topic of drug interdiction. That's because the whole concept is ridiculous and had very little to do with US military action. Slowing the flow of narcotics into the US was at best a side benefit but it made for good theater. Interestingly, Bibi Netanyahu made his fifth visit to the Trump White House just before this happened. Bibi has been complaining for some time that Venezuela was allowing Iran to train its terrorists there and he wanted something done about it. So, was it an Israeli operation? I don't know since knowing is virtually impossible but I will wager it didn't hurt. Finally, folks, from all this talk you might get the impression that I am in favor of this attack but no I'm afraid not. America first to me means that we have enough problems at home to last all of our lifetimes and I think the American people are about sick of Foreign policy. Rather than empire building or the imperialism of Pax Americana our concerns are or should be here at home. I reject these grandiose schemes in favor of home and family the way it should be. Let us raise our children in peace and prosperity and keep the price of ground beef modest. At least that's the way I see it, Until next time folks, This is Darrell Castle, Thanks for listening.

After the January 3rd bombing of Venezuelan neighborhoods, military facilities and the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores, the Trump White House and Pentagon are still imposing a full scale naval blockade against Venezuela. The Trump administration is claiming they've fundamentally changed the Venezuelan government but the facts don't bear this out. Many of the oil concessions they may now receive were long ago offered by Maduro himself. Brian is joined by Manolo De Los Santos, the executive director of The People's Forum in New York, to discuss how the government in Venezuela is still mobilizing the nation in defense of its sovereignty.Join the The Socialist Program community at http://www.patreon.com/thesocialistprogram to get exclusive content and help keep this show on the air.

Is the U.S. built to make things, or just regulate them? On this end-of-year episode of Bring It Home, JP Hampstead breaks down trillions in manufacturing and industrial investment announcements from 2025, with many tied to direct negotiations with the Trump White House, and what they actually mean for America's re-industrialization push. JP also dives into a powerful idea from Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future by Dan Wang, reviewed by Charles Yang in American Affairs: China as an engineering state and America as a "lawyerly" society. ⁠Follow the Bring It Home Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brian speaks with author and historian Aaron Leonard about his book "Menace of Our Time: The Long War Against American Communism.”  Leonard's book is a riveting account of the extraordinary efforts by politicians. At the moment that the Trump White House is issuing Executive orders deeming people with anti-capitalist views as domestic terrorists it is important to learn about the history of anti-communist witchhunting in the United States during the past century. Get the book here: https://www.rutgersuniversitypress.org/menace-of-our-time/9781978841802See all of Aaron's work here: http://aaronleonard.net/Join the The Socialist Program community at http://www.patreon.com/thesocialistprogram to get exclusive content and help keep this show on the air.

Harry talks to veteran reporter Chris Whipple to get the inside scoop on his bombshell account of the Trump White House's inner workings. The two discuss why Trump's Chief of Staff Susie Wiles was so unguarded in her interviews with Whipple. They cover Wiles's sharp criticisms of administration officials and her admissions of serious wrongdoing by the president, including misleading the public on the Epstein files. The two dig deep into the details—several as yet overlooked—from one of most important stories written about Trump. Mentioned in this episode:  Whipple's reporting:  https://www.vanityfair.com/contributor/chris-whipple Harry's interview with Marty Lederman: https://youtu.be/JhN8PZNic9Y Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the Department of Justice slow-walks an over-redacted release of its files on Jeffrey Epstein, Harry convenes CNN's Aaron Blake, former Senator Heidi Heitkamp, and NOTUS White House correspondent Jasmine Wright to analyze the administration's ham-handed noncompliance. The trio also dig into Vanity Fair's explosive revelations about the White House and Trump's top aide Susie Wiles. They close by considering the administration's escalations in the Caribbean and the real motives behind them. And, late in the episode, Harry offers a reflection on Rob Reiner's passing. Mentioned in this episode: Aaron's reporting: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.cnn.com/profiles/aaron-blake Jasmine's reporting: https://www.notus.org/jasmine-wright The Vanity Fair story on the Trump White House: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/trump-susie-wiles-interview-exclusive-part-1 The New York Times story on Trump and Epstein's relationship: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/18/us/jeffrey-epstein-donald-trump.html The New York Times story on how Epstein built his wealth and power: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/16/magazine/jeffrey-epstein-money-scams-investigation.html The Talking Feds episode with Rob Reiner: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-witness-has-left-the-room/id1456045551?i=1000445365427 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vanity Fair publishes a candid interview with White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles in which she makes eye-popping admissions about Trump, Elon Musk, and many more. Trump interrupts the season finale of Survivor to deliver an angry, meandering primetime address on the economy, and the administration moves closer to war with Venezuela, announcing a blockade of oil tankers trying to enter or leave its ports. Jon and Dan discuss all the latest and then turn to Trump's new executive orders on gender-affirming care and medical marijuana, Speaker Mike Johnson's inability to hold his coalition together, and DNC Chair Ken Martin's decision to bury a much-anticipated postmortem report on the 2024 election. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Join Washington Examiner Senior Writer David Harsanyi and Federalist Editor-In-Chief Mollie Hemingway as they analyze the Trump White House's decision to entertain a sit-down with Vanity Fair, discuss the Islamic terrorist attack on Jews at Bondi Beach and the shooting at Brown University, and examine emails showing the FBI did not believe there was probable cause to raid President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence. They also share their thoughts on Trump's response to the murder of Rob Reiner and review several books and movies, including Hamnet.The Federalist is a nonprofit, and we depend entirely on our listeners and readers — not corporations. If you value fearless, independent journalism, please consider a tax-deductible gift today at TheFederalist.com/donate. Your support keeps us going.

The New Republic’s Meredith Shiner examines Susie Wiles’ unhinged interview about what’s happening inside the Trump White House.MSNOW’s Paola Ramos details Latino voters and their Trump regrets.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Click On Picture To See Larger PictureCalifornia is destroying their gasoline market, they want the state to own it, socialism. Oil prices are dropping, gas prices are dropping soon gas will be close to $1. Trump is reversing the [CB] illusion, jobs are being returned to the private sector. All in preparation to go back to the Constitution. The [DS] will continue to push back and try to delay everything Trump is trying to do. The House is prepared to make his EO into law, this will protect the country into the future. Trump had the real Generals stand behind him, these are the individuals that will protect the Republic from the [DS]. Trump is undoing decades of corruption, exposing the [DS] treasonous crimes, they will fight to hide their treasonous acts but this will fail. In the end the Military is the only way. Economy (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); https://twitter.com/US_OGA/status/2000639453866651711?s=20 https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/2000951982874636662?s=20 https://twitter.com/profstonge/status/2000628845918265518?s=20 https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/2000925538131829101?s=20 https://twitter.com/RealEJAntoni/status/2000925018281402525?s=20 https://twitter.com/profstonge/status/2000952081012940948?s=20 https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2000966123274068007?s=20 https://twitter.com/RealEJAntoni/status/2000936248370717073?s=20 https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2000922549060858200?s=20   $2,000 per household, depending on the number of workers.” “[The economy] is gonna start lifting off in Q1 and Q2.” This is HUGE! Political/Rights https://twitter.com/KanekoaTheGreat/status/2000701268806062358?s=20 https://twitter.com/KanekoaTheGreat/status/2000713713423196652?s=20 https://twitter.com/KanekoaTheGreat/status/2000766725231665257?s=20 https://twitter.com/KnightsTempOrg/status/2000645606964933100?s=20 WEIRD? Police Publish and Quickly Delete Photos of Rob Reiner's Son Being Cuffed for Slaughtering Parents, Give No Explanation Nick Reiner, the 32-year-old son of liberal activist and famed director Rob Reiner, has been arrested and charged with the brutal murder of his parents. The LAPD Gang and Narcotics Division published dramatic photos of Nick's handcuffed arrest on Instagram on Monday, but quickly deleted them without explanation. Rob Reiner, 78, known for classics like The Princess Bride, Spinal Tap, and When Harry Met Sally, and his wife Michele Singer Reiner, 68, were found stabbed to death in their Brentwood, Los Angeles home on Sunday afternoon. The New York Post reports: Nick Reiner, whose face is blurred out, is seen being forced to the ground with his hands cuffed behind his back, according to one photo. Another snap showed law enforcement pushing the suspect against the front of a squad car. In the caption, the unit only identified the man as “a double homicide suspect.” The arrest was made by US Marshals with the assistance of the LAPD's robbery homicide division, according to the post. An LAPD spokesperson declined to comment when asked why the force's gang and narcotics unit deleted the arrest photo shortly after it was published. The since-deleted photos: Nick, who has long battled severe drug addiction starting in his teens, co-wrote and starred in the 2016 semi-autobiographical film Being Charlie, directed by his father, which chronicled a young man's struggles with substance abuse and rehab. Insiders report that Nick “really resented” his father and “hated himself for not being as successful,” amid ongoing family tensions. The night before the murders, Rob and Nick reportedly got into a “very loud argument” at Conan O'Brien's Christmas party, loud enough for other guests to notice. Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/nypost/status/2000870292227260695?s=20 https://twitter.com/barrycunningham/status/2000736216354853228?s=20   lists are…well you know. TAKE A LISTEN https://twitter.com/RealSLokhova/status/2000919590449394156?s=20 Real Texas Conservative  The tragic deaths of filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife Michele on December 14, 2025, have cast a somber shadow over Hollywood, prompting reflections on legacy, loss, and the lingering scars of political division. In response, President Donald Trump’s Truth Social post on December 15, 2025 – framing their passing through the lens of “Trump Derangement Syndrome” (TDS) – has ignited controversy. Yet, when examined against the backdrop of Reiner’s decade-long barrage of vitriolic rhetoric against Trump, the statement emerges not as callous, but as an appropriate blend of pointed satire, genuine sympathy, and a timely concern for mental health. This piece builds an ironclad case for its fittingness, rooted in factual history, psychological insight, and legal precedent. To understand the appropriateness of Trump’s words, one must first confront the unyielding hostility Reiner directed at him since 2015. Reiner, celebrated for directing classics like “This Is Spinal Tap” and “The Princess Bride,” transformed into one of Trump’s most vocal detractors after his presidential candidacy. In a 2016 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Reiner labeled Trump a “con man” and “dangerous,” warning he would erode democratic norms. This escalated over the years. By 2018, Reiner tweeted comparisons of Trump to Hitler, accusing him of fostering fascism and white supremacy. His 2024 documentary “God & Country” explicitly tied Trump’s influence to Christian nationalism, portraying it as a threat to American democracy. Reiner’s social media feed became a relentless stream of attacks, calling Trump a “pathological liar,” “sociopath,” and “existential danger” in posts that amassed millions of views. Even in 2025, shortly before his death, Reiner urged boycotts of Trump-related events, framing his re-election as apocalyptic. These were not isolated jabs but a sustained campaign, often personal and inflammatory, that Reiner himself admitted stemmed from deep-seated outrage. This history of antagonism, predominantly initiated by Reiner, sets the stage for why Trump’s response is not only defensible but proportionate. Far from escalating the feud posthumously, Trump’s post acknowledges Reiner’s talents – “a tortured and struggling, but once very talented movie director and comedy star” – while attributing the tragedy to TDS, a “mind-crippling disease” fueled by “raging obsession.” This framing isn’t baseless invention; it’s grounded in credible psychological analysis. Critics have questioned the timing of Trump’s post, issued just a day after the tragedy, as potentially too raw or opportunistic. However, this immediacy is precisely what makes it authentic and effective, aligning with Trump’s longstanding style of direct, unfiltered leadership in a 24/7 news cycle where narratives solidify within hours. Historical precedents abound; consider how President Lincoln addressed critics’ deaths or political losses with prompt wit during the Civil War, using fresh moments to foster national introspection and prevent distorted legacies. Similarly, Trump’s swift response cuts through emerging media spin – already framing Reiner solely as a heroic anti-Trump voice – by injecting balance and psychological truth right when public discourse peaks. Delaying would risk seeming calculated or detached, whereas this timing underscores sincerity, especially paired with the post’s sympathetic close. In essence, it’s not haste but strategic candor, transforming grief into a teachable moment on division’s dangers before emotions calcify. Transitioning from personal history to broader insight, TDS has been recognized by mental health experts as a manifestation of intense political polarization leading to real psychological strain. Psychiatrist Dr. Keith Ablow, in analyses shared on platforms like the Mark Simone Show, described TDS as rooted in “mass hysteria,” where individuals project anxieties onto a political figure, resulting in paranoia, chronic stress, and potential health declines. Research in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology supports this, linking partisan hatred to elevated cortisol levels, anxiety disorders, and weakened well-being. Trump’s reference to TDS isn’t mockery; it’s a diagnostic observation, highlighting how Reiner’s fixation – evident in his own words – might have contributed to personal tolls, especially amid reports of familial strife surrounding the deaths. By raising this, Trump shifts the narrative from vendetta to vigilance, urging awareness of how ideological obsessions erode lives. Moreover, the post’s satirical edge aligns with a storied tradition of political commentary, making it intellectually apt rather than insensitive. Trump employs hyperbole – “driving people CRAZY” amid America’s “Golden Age” – to underscore the irony of Reiner’s paranoia against tangible achievements like record economic growth, Middle East peace accords, and energy independence during his administration. This mirrors Jonathan Swift’s exaggerated proposals in “A Modest Proposal” or Abraham Lincoln’s witty rebukes of critics, using humor to expose societal flaws without literal malice. Legally, such expression is shielded by the First Amendment; the Supreme Court’s ruling in Hustler Magazine v. Falwell affirms that satirical opinions about public figures, absent provable falsehoods, are protected speech. Trump’s “reportedly due to” phrasing acknowledges speculation, ensuring it remains opinion, not defamation. What elevates the statement to appropriateness is its undercurrent of grace amid past unkindnesses, including Trump’s rare direct engagement with Reiner pre-tragedy despite the instigations. The post concludes with “May Rob and Michele rest in peace!” This isn’t perfunctory; it’s a sincere extension of sympathy, humanizing both parties and transcending the feud while modeling reciprocity in an era of unrelenting acrimony. Trump’s words match rhetoric’s intensity yet cap it with compassion and a mental health caveat, turning potential gloating into a nudge toward understanding division’s toll. In conclusion, Trump’s response is ironclad in its fittingness because it reciprocates a decade of Reiner’s attacks with measured satire, validates psychological realities, and prioritizes sympathy over score-settling. It doesn’t diminish the tragedy but illuminates division’s costs, encouraging reflection. Postscript: While the author is not an attorney or mental health practitioner, his nearly two decades as a seasoned content writer and editor have honed expert research skills, enabling rigorous analysis grounded in verifiable facts and legal precedents. https://twitter.com/DC_Draino/status/2000931274744324237?s=20 https://twitter.com/AlecLace/status/2000700955457630718?s=20 https://twitter.com/KurtSchlichter/status/2000694706054029700?s=20  reason for it. Sadly, past experience, teaches us that the most likely reason for the lack of transparency is that the answers are not going to support the left-wing agenda of the local Rhode Island Democrats. I could be wrong. But if I was wrong, I have a nagging suspicion. I would've had answers to those questions already. The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of this man. Trump blames Brown, not FBI, for delay in finding shooting suspect President Trump blamed Brown University for the delay in locating the suspect in the fatal mass shooting on the school's campus in Rhode Island on Saturday. “You'd really have to ask the school a little bit more about that because this was a school problem,” Trump said when asked on Monday if FBI Director Kash Patel has told him why it's been difficult for the FBI to identify the suspected shooter. “They had their own guards. They had their own police. They had their own everything, but you'd have to ask that question really to the school, not to the FBI. We came in after the fact, and the FBI will do a good job, but they came in after the fact,” he said. Source: thehill.com War/Peace https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2000694318512652750?s=20 JUST IN: US OBLITERATES 3 More Venezuelan Drug Boats Just Hours After President Trump Designates Fentanyl as a Weapon of Mass Destruction United States Southern Command on Monday announced that Joint Task Force Southern Spear took out three narcotrafficking vessels in the Eastern Pacific.  A total of eight “narco-terrorists” were killed in the strikes. “Intelligence confirmed that the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and were engaged in narco-trafficking,” US SOUTHCOM said. Video from the strikes shows massive explosions on each boat, turning them into burning piles of rubble. https://twitter.com/Southcom/status/2000756230252314901?s=20 Source: thegatewaypundit.com Trump: Syria is a key part of peace efforts in the Middle East Washington, Dec. 16 (SANA) U.S. President Donald Trump described the developments in Syria this year as “remarkable,” highlighting that the United States is committed to ensuring lasting peace in the Middle East, with Syria playing an essential role in that peace. Source: sana.sy 1306 Q !xowAT4Z3VQ ID: e7b971 No.1248119 Apr 30 2018 10:51:06 (EST) Define the terms of the Iran nuclear deal. Does the agreement define & confine cease & desist ‘PRO' to the republic of Iran? What if Iran created a classified ‘satellite' Nuclear facility in Northern Syria? What if the program never ceased? What other bad actors are possibly involved? Did the U.S. know? Where did the cash payments go? How many planes delivered? Did all planes land in same location? Where did the U1 material end up? Is this material traceable? Yes. Define cover. What if U1 material ended up in Syria? What would be the primary purpose? SUM OF ALL FEARS. In the movie, where did the material come from? What country? What would happen if Russia or another foreign state supplied Uranium to Iran/Syria? WAR. What does U1 provide? Define cover. Why did we strike Syria? Why did we really strike Syria? Define cover. Patriots in control. Q British Intelligence Head Says Prepare for War Against Russia  The newly appointed head of MI6, Blaise Metreweli, formerly known by her position as “Q”, is literally the granddaughter of factual Ukraine Nazi, Constantine Dobrowolski.  Now, as head of MI6 Metreweli wants war with Russia. In a rather remarkable speech to the British people, Blaise Metreweli proclaimed Europe is in “the space between peace and war,” with a direct military conflict with Russia looming as the biggest threat.  Metreweli declared, “Our world is being actively remade, with profound implications for national and international security.” Source: theconservativetreehouse.com https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/2000898313579561365?s=20 https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/2000896186413441184?s=20   have already been filed. The World Bank estimates the total at $524 billion over the next decade – triple Ukraine’s 2024 GDP. Zelensky: “It’s not enough to force Russia into a deal. It’s not enough to make it stop killing. We must make Russia accept that there are rules in the world.” Mechanism: Register of Damage (created 2023): collects claims from individuals, companies, and the Ukrainian state. Claims Commission: reviews, validates, and awards compensation case-by-case. Categories: sexual violence, child deportations, infrastructure destruction, religious sites bombed. Funding plan: Frozen Russian assets held by the EU, supplemented by member contributions. Dutch FM David van Weel: “The goal is to have validated claims that will ultimately be paid by Russia.” Enforcement? Still being worked out. Complication: Trump's team floated amnesty for war crimes as part of a peace deal – makes prosecuting the very individuals being billed impossible. Next steps: Convention takes force after 25 nations ratify it (if funds secured). Russia calls frozen-assets proposal “illegal,” denies war crimes, threatens retaliation. Reality check: This is post-WWII-style reparations applied to an ongoing conflict. The $524B estimate covers through 2024 only – 2025's escalated attacks on utilities, transport, and civilians already make the number outdated. https://twitter.com/AwakenedOutlaw/status/2000626884145754206?s=20   breaking out. Their position is legitimately insane. Sadly, what’s clear is that the European leadership is comprised of war-mongering, bloodthirsty psychopaths. The idiom, “With friends like these, who needs enemies?” comes to mind. Only in this case, it’s not a sarcastic observation. ______ EU Globalists Threaten to Dump $2.34 Trillion in U.S. Debt to Stop Trump's Ukraine Peace Deal JUST IN: Senate Advances $900 BILLION Defense Spending Bill with Military Aid to Ukraine Senate advances $900 billion defense spending bill The US Senate on Monday voted to end the filibuster and advance the National Defense Authorization Act to a final vote.  The bipartisan vote, 76-20, invoked cloture on the bill, bringing it one step closer to final passage, which could still take days. Still, some lawmakers seek to amend the bill further, which would then require House passage before landing on the President's desk. Burchett: Big vote tonight was the NDAA, National Defense Authorization Act, and it was $900.6 billion. There’s money in there for, of course, Ukraine, $800 million total, and some other things, money in there for recognizing an Indian tribe out of North Carolina— has nothing to do with national security— Syria, money, Iraq. But we just got to quit this stuff. Somebody's, America’s got to start paying attention. Trump didn’t even ask for that. You’ve got the war pimps that push for this stuff. And they always will tell you, Oh, it’s, “Burchett, man, they’re gonna spend all that money here buying those missiles.” You know, is that what we’re basing our votes on is they’re going to buy implements to kill other people on? I’m all for getting rid of our enemies, but this is just too much, way too much, and things are just not what they appear. We need to wake up. I voted no. Over 100 Democrats voted to pass this. That ought to tell you right there what this is about. Got some liberal stuff tucked in there, and it’s over 3000 pages. We get it on Sunday, and we’re voting on it today. There’s no way, no way, we will ever know what was in there, and just— anyway, frustrated, we’ll keep fighting. Thank y’all for sending me here. Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/2000775317577744797?s=20   commands down to 8. Under the plan expected to be presented to Secretary Hegseth this week: U.S. Central Command, European Command, and Africa Command would be downgraded and placed under a new “U.S. International Command.” U.S. Southern Command and Northern Command would merge into “U.S. Americas Command” (Americom), reflecting the administration’s shift toward Western Hemisphere operations. The remaining commands: Indo-Pacific, Cyber, Special Operations, Space, Strategic, and Transportation. A senior defense official on the urgency: “Time ain’t on our side, man. The saying here is, ‘If not us, who, and if not now, when?'” The plan aligns with Trump’s national security strategy declaring that “the days of the United States propping up the entire world order like Atlas are over.” Former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel expressed concern: “The world isn’t getting any less complicated. You want commands that have the capability of heading off problems before they become big problems.” Congress has required the Pentagon to submit a detailed blueprint before any changes can take effect. The Monroe Doctrine comes to CENTCOM. https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2000687672936030583?s=20   been done long ago, which is eradicate the cartels that are plaguing the Western hemisphere via drug/human trafficking. The cartels have gone unchecked for decades, while they murder millions of Americans and commit heinous crimes against humanity. Trump confirms that designating the cartels as a foreign terrorist organizations “is a big deal from a legal and military standpoint”. Trump is going to use the full force of the US MIL to shut this entire corrupt network down. The Dems/MSM, and the weaklings on the Right, are going to squeal and moan the entire way, but this must be done. Trump is going to neutralize this threat to the American People and do what past Presidents failed to do. Medical/False Flags [DS] Agenda https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/2000857179142680769?s=20   been part of it. Her late father served as a colonel in the Somali army under dictator Siad Barre, whose regime carried out mass killings in the 1980s. That makes her backstory more complicated than she lets on. A resurfaced video shows a man resembling Omar's father discussing brutal tactics. There's no proof he committed war crimes, but some say he was close enough to know what was happening. Photos also show Omar's siblings with General Morgan – known as the “Butcher of Hargeisa” – and Omar herself at a 2022 event where Morgan was present. One relative even referred to him as “uncle.” Omar hasn't commented on the new findings, and her silence has led some to question how she can call for accountability abroad without addressing her own family's history. https://twitter.com/JamesRosenTV/status/2000723473182965780?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2000723473182965780%7Ctwgr%5Eb493e83212e9c33013500c56069b3622c19b2e21%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fredstate.com%2Frusty-weiss%2F2025%2F12%2F16%2Fice-officials-rip-ilhan-omar-over-ridiculous-story-about-her-son-being-racially-profiled-n2197175 https://twitter.com/thestoicplumber/status/2000748048683815183?s=20 https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2000742064959455252?s=20 U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro: D.C. Authorities Were Artificially Deflating Crime Stats With ‘Manipulated' Numbers https://twitter.com/USAttyPirro/status/2000637280789188855?s=20  into MPD's reported deflation of crime statistics. The need for accurate information to fight crime is essential. After a review of almost 6000 reports and the interview of over 50 witnesses, it is evident that a significant number of reports had been misclassified, making crime appear artificially lower than it was. The uncovering of these manipulated crime statistics makes clear that President Trump has reduced crime even more than originally thought, since crimes were actually higher than reported. His crime fighting efforts have delivered even more safety to the people of the District. The conduct here does not rise to the level of a criminal charge. However, it is up to MPD to take steps to internally address these underlying issues. Source: breitbart.com https://twitter.com/amuse/status/2000822708389745055?s=20 There is FEC data analysis that strongly suggests that Mark Kelly, Elissa Slotkin, Jason Crow, Chris Deluzio, Chrissy Houlahan and Maggie Goodlander have been recipients of illegally laundered campaign funds. Kelly is currently under investigation. They’re all backed by Soros!! President Trump's Plan https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/2000710555674325272?s=20  extremists after transitioning. https://twitter.com/george18kennedy/status/2000781888152129887?s=20   Staff of the Army (senior uniformed leader of the U.S. Army, member of the Joint Chiefs). – Admiral Daryl Caudle – Chief of Naval Operations (senior uniformed leader of the U.S. Navy, member of the Joint Chiefs). – General Eric M. Smith – Commandant of the Marine Corps (senior uniformed leader of the U.S. Marine Corps, member of the Joint Chiefs). – General Kenneth S. Wilsbach, USAF – Chief of Staff of the Air Force (senior uniformed leader of the U.S. Air Force, member of the Joint Chiefs). – General B. Chance Saltzman, USSF – Chief of Space Operations (senior uniformed leader of the U.S. Space Force, member of the Joint Chiefs). https://twitter.com/MJTruthUltra/status/2000668738203312188?s=20 TAKE A LISTEN https://twitter.com/nicksortor/status/2000725299420352640?s=20 https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2000916623243300901?s=20   Something BETTER be done about this. https://twitter.com/RobLutherLawyer/status/2000697951295840722?s=20 https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2000961090612813971?s=20 https://twitter.com/SusieWiles/status/2000943061627548148?s=20   story. I assume, after reading it, that this was done to paint an overwhelmingly chaotic and negative narrative about the President and our team. The truth is the Trump White House has already accomplished more in eleven months than any other President has accomplished in eight years and that is due to the unmatched leadership and vision of President Trump, for whom I have been honored to work for the better part of a decade. None of this will stop our relentless pursuit of Making America Great Again! https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2000957946352820238?s=20  codification of the President’s executive orders.” “A very aggressive legislative agenda coming right out of the gates in January. We’re going to continue to work, for example, on health care to continue to bring costs down for the American people, to bring down the cost of living overall.” “He’s up to about 200 of those [orders], probably about 150 of them are codifiable by Congress and we’re working steadily through that list.” “You’re going to see us delivering for the American people while the effects of that giant piece of legislation that we did on July 4th, got signed on July 4th, comes into implementation.” “So much more, much more yet to do and the President and I talk about that almost every day and he’s excited about it and I am.” https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/2000685717497004167?s=20 to procedurally gum up the works behind the scenes. JD Vance Points Out the Consequence of the Senate “Blue Slip” Veto of Judicial Nominees It was passed by Congress on May 13, 1912, and ratified on April 8, 1913 The 16th Amendment to the United States Constitution grants Congress the authority to impose and collect income taxes without the need to apportion them among the states or base them on census data. constitution.congress.gov It was passed by Congress on July 2, 1909, and ratified on February 3, 1913. all of this is an outcome of the 17th Amendment, which stopped the state legislatures from having control over their senators.  Under the original constitutional framework, the Senate was designed to represent the interests of the state, as the Senators were appointed by state legislature, not popular votes.  The Sea Island assembly destroyed this cornerstone when they triggered the 17th Amendment. Repeal the 17th Amendment, and just about everything in federal government changes. Machiavelli said, “It must be remembered that there is nothing more difficult to plan, more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to manage than a new system. For the initiator has the enmity of all who would profit by the preservation of the old institution and merely lukewarm defenders in those who gain by the new ones.”  A prescient and oft repeated quote that is pertinent to the situation. When our founders created the system of government for our constitutional republic, they built in layers of protection from federal control over the lives of people in the states.  Over time, those protections have been eroded as the federal bureaucracy has seized power.  One of the biggest changes that led to the creation of the permanent political class was the 17th Amendment. Our founders created a system where Senators were appointed by the state legislatures.  In this original system, the Senate was bound by obligation to look out for the best interests of their specific states.  Under the ‘advise and consent‘ rules of Senate confirmation for executive branch appointments, the intent was to ensure the presidential appointee -who would now carry out regulatory activity- would not undermine the independent position of the states.  .When the 17th Amendment (direct voting for Senators) took the place of state appointments, the perspective of ‘advise and consent' changed.  The Senate was now in the position of ensuring the presidential appointee did not undermine the power of the permanent bureaucracy, which is the root of power for the upper-chamber. Senate committees, Homeland Security, Judiciary, Intelligence, Armed Services, Foreign Relations, etc. now consists of members who carry an imbalanced level of power within government.  The Senate now controls who will be in charge of executive branch agencies like the DOJ, DHS, FBI, CIA, ODNI, DoD, State Dept and NSA, from the position of their own power and control in Washington DC. In essence, the 17th Amendment flipped the intent of the constitution from protecting the individual states to protecting the federal government. Seventeenth Amendment- “The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures. When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.” (link)   The biggest issue following the passage of the 17th Amendment became Senators who were no longer representing the interests of their state.  Instead, they were representing the interests of the power elite groups who were helping them fund the mechanisms of their re-election efforts. A Senator only needs to run for re-election every six years.  The 17th Amendment is the only amendment that changed the structure of the Congress, as it was written by the founders. Over time, the Senate chamber itself began using their advice and consent authority to control the executive and judicial branch.  The origination of a nomination now holds the question: “Can this person pass the Senate confirmation process?” source: theconservativetreehouse.com https://twitter.com/j3669/status/2000683161273897213?s=20 https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2000952036238746070?s=20 https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2000671858417422538?s=20   is going to save the GOP, AGAIN. (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");

December 11, 2025; 8pm: Tonight, Pete Buttigieg on the spectacular redistricting fail in Indiana and the waning power of the Trump White House. Then, the surreal scene on Capitol Hill as the leader of Trump's deportation force is confronted in the House. And what today's big healthcare vote means for Americans already getting crushed by the Trump economy.  Want more of Chris? Download and follow his podcast, “Why Is This Happening? The Chris Hayes podcast” wherever you get your podcasts.To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

MeidasTouch host Ben Meiselas reports on the press conference that just unfolded in the White House as Trump's press Secretary Karoline Leavitt admitted to Trump's war crimes and showed fake MRI results for Trump while throwing an Admiral and Navy Seal Team Six under the bus. PDS Debt: Get your free assessment and find the best option for you right now at https://PDSDebt.com/meidas Visit https://meidasplus.com for more! Remember to subscribe to ALL the MeidasTouch Network Podcasts: MeidasTouch: ⁠https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/meidastouch-podcast⁠ Legal AF: ⁠https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/legal-af⁠ MissTrial: ⁠https://meidasnews.com/tag/miss-trial⁠ The PoliticsGirl Podcast: ⁠https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-politicsgirl-podcast⁠ Cult Conversations: The Influence Continuum with Dr. Steve Hassan: ⁠https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-influence-continuum-with-dr-steven-hassan⁠ Mea Culpa with Michael Cohen: ⁠https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/mea-culpa-with-michael-cohen⁠ The Weekend Show: ⁠https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-weekend-show⁠ Burn the Boats: ⁠https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/burn-the-boats⁠ Majority 54: ⁠https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/majority-54⁠ Political Beatdown: ⁠https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/political-beatdown⁠ On Democracy with FP Wellman: ⁠https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/on-democracy-with-fpwellman⁠ Uncovered: ⁠https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/maga-uncovered⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the past few days, Republicans have suffered some major losses at the ballot box, Supreme Court justices have expressed skepticism about tariffs and Congress's refusal to end the government shutdown will result in thousands of canceled flights. It adds up to a very bad week for the Trump White House.In a special round-table episode, The Times's national political correspondent Lisa Lerer, the White House correspondent Tyler Pager and the congressional editor Julie Davis try to make sense of it all.Guests: Julie Hirschfeld Davis, congressional editor at The New York Times.Lisa Lerer, a national political correspondent for The New York Times.Tyler Pager, a White House correspondent for The New York Times, covering President Trump and his administration.Background reading: Republicans point fingers after their losses, but not at Trump.Here are five takeaways from the Supreme Court argument over tariffs.As the hours dwindled before flight cuts, the government spent most of the time in silence.Photo: Haiyun Jiang/The New York TimesFor more information on today's episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.