DeProgram with Ted Rall and Jamarl Thomas

cartoonist Ted Rall and CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou catch you up on the one-two punch of Tuesday’s Democratic electoral sweep coupled with the understanding that voters blame Republicans for the shutdown, reduced SNAP benefits, the Obamacare benefits crisis and now, a looming crisis facing America’s aviation system.

• Supreme Court Seems Likely to Overturn Trump's Tariffs: The Supreme Court convenes intense oral arguments, probing Trump's invocation of the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to slap sweeping tariffs on imports from dozens of countries, including China, Canada, and Mexico. Justices, including conservatives like Chief Justice John Roberts, Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh, voice deep reservations about relying on declared emergencies for unchecked economic powers, questioning if such broad powers unconstitutionally delegate Congress's authority under the major-questions doctrine. As plaintiffs—ranging from toy importers in Illinois to Democratic-led states like Oregon—argue that erratic tariff announcements spike costs and sow uncertainty for businesses, the administration counters by citing historical precedents like Nixon's similar uses, framing a loss as "catastrophic" for U.S. economic health amid global trade wars. Markets rise on the SCOTUS news, signaling Wall Street’s displeasure with Trump’s trade policies.

• Crisis in the Skies: The FAA will reduce flights at dozens of major airports as early as tomorrow if no shutdown deal is reached, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced. Ten percent of air traffic at 40 airports would be cut, though the details of which specific airports will be impacted was not revealed. “As we start to implement this draw down in service, it will be restricted to these 40 high volume traffic markets,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said. “We’re going to ask the airlines to work with us collaboratively to reduce their schedules.” The “draw down in service” at these busy airports comes as air traffic control staffing shortages during the shutdown of have caused delays. Controllers are considered essential employees and must work during the shutdown, but are not being paid. Duffy has said some are calling in sick to work other jobs or as protest for not getting paid.

• White House Blamed for High Prices: As Democrats celebrate the elections, Republican analysts say voters are sending Trump a message: get your eye back on the ball—here in the States. Americans, gripped by economic discontent, prioritize affordability over immigration or culture wars, citing persistent inflation, 22% electricity rate hikes in New Jersey, federal workforce cuts impacting Virginia, and the 36-day government shutdown eroding food assistance and health subsidies. Allies like James Blair and Steve Bannon urge Trump to refocus on pocketbook promises—lowering prices, implementing job-creating investments, and addressing "inherited disasters" from Biden—echoing warnings from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene that neglecting economic populism invites electoral disaster heading into 2026 midterms.

Political cartoonist Ted Rall and CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou tell you what the Democrats’ elections sweep means and what comes next for the future of their party and the country.

• Zohran Mamdani's Triumph: Once again, “DeProgram” called the election results on the nose, within 0.5 percent. Over two million New Yorkers cast votes, doubling 2021 turnout and electing 34-year-old democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani as New York's 111th mayor, toppling Andrew Cuomo's dynasty-backed machine. Mamdani forges a bold coalition, rallying young gentrifiers in Bushwick alongside working-class South Asian immigrants in Queens, while flipping Bronx and Brooklyn's Black and Latino strongholds by double-digit margins despite $40 million in superPAC smears laced with Islamophobia. This upset signals a generational revolt, with Mamdani poised to tax the ultra-rich for affordability reforms amid Trump's shadow. Is progressivism the future of the Democratic Party?

• Exxon's Covert Climate-Denial Campaign in Latin America: Newly unearthed documents expose that Exxon funneled cash to the Atlas Network in the late 1990s and 2000s, bankrolling Spanish translations of denialist tracts like Fred Singer's anti-Kyoto Treaty screeds and flying U.S. skeptics to Buenos Aires seminars on COP4's eve to sway ministers and media. The strategy sowed doubt about global warming in the Global South, aiming to torpedo UN treaties by stoking economic fears, with $50,000 checks (equivalent to $100,000 today) fueling events that echo today's Amazon tipping points and irreversible coral die-offs. As Brazil gears up for COP30, this revelation underscores fossil fuel giants' enduring sabotage of planetary survival.

• Airspace Chaos Next Week?: Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy threatens to shut down swaths of U.S. airspace next week if the 35-day shutdown persists, citing 3,000-controller shortages fueling "mass chaos" at hubs like JFK and Newark, where lines stretch hours amid fatigue-driven delays. Essential workers are still working without pay, with 393 FAA facilities hitting triggers—four times last year's rate—forcing reduced flight volumes and risking a Thanksgiving meltdown. This brinkmanship pressures Democrats, highlighting Trump's fiscal warfare's human toll on travel and safety.

• The War for the Democratic Party: Center-left Abigail Spanberger storms to Virginia's first female governorship with 57% against Winsome Earle-Sears, while center-left Mikie Sherrill secures New Jersey's helm by double digits, both hammering affordability and Trump cuts amid economic angst. California voters approve Prop 50, redrawing maps for five Democratic House seats, countering GOP gerrymanders as turnout surges in anti-Trump backlash. These wins—from Mamdani's populist fire to moderate surges—expose party fractures over ideology, fueling 2026 midterm battles and a progressive-centrist showdown.

Political cartoonist Ted Rall and CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou explore the legacy of Dick Cheney, America's most powerful modern vice president and chief architect of the "war on terror,” Israel’s top army lawyer imprisoned after she exposed IDF’s sexual abuse of a Palestinian detainee, the shakeup at the Heritage Foundation over Tucker Carlson's interview with Nick Fuentes, and Tanzania's sham elections and resulting street unrest.

• Dick Cheney’s Death: Complications from pneumonia and cardiac disease kill the influential VP at 84, surrounded by loved ones praising his legacy of national service and personal virtues like fly fishing. As the neoconservative architect of post-9/11 wars including the Iraq invasion based on lies, he leaves a polarizing mark, ending his political life by criticizing Trump and endorsing Harris. Recent tributes highlight his bunker directives on 9/11 and unyielding defense of torture, shaping two decades of brutal U.S. foreign policy.

• Israel’s Wrong Scandal: Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi's remains in jail on fraud and obstruction charges, following a frantic beach search sparked by her disappearance post-resignation. The whistleblower leaked a video revealing soldiers' knife sodomy assault on a Palestinian at Sde Teiman, causing severe rectal perforation and rib fractures. Weirdly, Israelis are mad at HER. The saga, also detaining ex-prosecutor Matan Solomesh, amplifies Israel's polarization, eclipsing abuse inquiries amid Netanyahu allies' insults like "resume the lynch."

• Heritage Shakeup: Chief Kevin Roberts announces reassignments amid uproar over defending Tucker Carlson's Nick Fuentes interview. Roberts' reaffirms anti-antisemitism efforts and anti-cancel culture stance, balancing Israel views while pushing Heritage 2.0 unity and moral conviction.

• Tanzania Election Violence: Africa’s crises spread. President Samia Suluhu Hassan takes office privately amid 98% "win" after banning Chadema, with leader Tundu Lissu in solitary on treason charges facing execution, as over 1,000 protesters reportedly die in crackdowns—bodies piling in streets, mass graves piling up under internet blackouts. Schools close, transport stops, hospitals overflow with bullet-riddled youth, despite 2021 reforms now reversed into worse repression than "Bulldozer" Magufuli. Pope Leo calls for dialogue, AU applauds, but opposition vows endurance against the "total sham," echoing African disputed polls in Cameroon and Ivory Coast.

Political cartoonist Ted Rall and CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou explain why Wednesday's landmark hearing before the Supreme Court about President Trump's tariffs may be the most important constitutional case of our lives, how AI spending surges toward $400 billion this year on infrastructure may be a warning sign of a corporate bubble about to burst, how New York City’s big mayoral election tomorrow will widen the schism within the Democratic Party and handicaps the seriousness of Trump’s threats of "guns-a-blazing" military action against Nigeria over alleged Christian persecution.

• Supreme Court Tariff Showdown: The Supreme Court hears arguments Wednesday on Trump's IEEPA tariffs, deciding if the 1970s law authorizes import taxes amid global trade reshaping. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says that Trump raised alarms on a trade crisis tipping point, justifying emergency leverage like a theoretical pre-2008 housing warning. A loss risks chaotic refunds, revenue dips brightening fiscal outlooks, and undermined deals, curbing the Oval Office's quick "tariff switch."

• AI Bubble Warnings: Tech firms project $400 billion in AI infrastructure spending this year, outpacing Apollo's moon mission costs every 10 months, yet U.S. consumers spend only $12 billion annually on services. Startup “Thinking Machines” secures $2 billion at $10 billion valuation without products, with Mira Murati dodging investor questions in absurd pitches. Hyperscalers use Special Purpose Vehicles and accounting gimmicks to hide high costs and low revenues, driving momentum in stocks detached from fundamentals as usage declines in enterprises.

• NYC Mayoral Frenzy: Candidates crisscross New York’s five boroughs, as early voting surges past 735,000 ballots under sunny skies with 50-minute waits. Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani mobilizes 100,000 volunteers for 200,000 door knocks, eyeing record-breaking get-out-the-vote amid barbs accusing Andrew Cuomo of being Trump’s puppet. As Mamdani prepares for victory, the progressives-vs-corporatists schism in the Democratic Party will once again explode.

• Trump Thereatens to Invade Nigeria: Trump orders Pentagon planning for potential "guns-a-blazing" intervention in Nigeria, citing Christian persecution and halting aid. Spokesman Daniel Bwala counters that unilateral action is impossible in sovereign Nigeria, blaming misleading outdated Boko Haram reports. Violence impacts Christians and Muslims via insurgents and gangs; Tinubu rejects designation, vowing faith community protections.

Political cartoonist Ted Rall and CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou take you from nuclear brinkmanship to economic sabotage and humanitarian crises.

• Nuke Testing Is Back: Trump shocks the globe by ordering the Pentagon to immediately resume U.S. nuclear weapons testing after a 33-year moratorium, while en route to a high-stakes summit with China's Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea. Citing Russia's recent trials of nuclear-capable Burevestnik missiles and Poseidon underwater drones—said by the Kremlin to be non-nuclear detonations—and China's arsenal doubling to 600 warheads since 2020, Trump insists on matching rivals "on an equal basis" despite huge U.S. stockpiles leading at around 5,177 warheads. This reversal of post-Cold War policy, issued just 100 days before New START's 2026 expiration, draws sharp rebukes from Beijing urging CTBT compliance and Moscow warning of reciprocal actions, heightening fears of a renewed arms race.

• Argentine Beef Are Not America First: American ranchers erupt in fury as Trump's administration quadruples low-tariff beef imports from Argentina to try to slash soaring steak and hamburger prices, advancing the plan despite fierce objections from farm-state Republicans like retiring Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, who corner USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins in meetings. House Republicans, including Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.), fire off a scathing letter decrying the move as a "betrayal of America First principles," arguing it undercuts domestic producers amid record-high U.S. cattle prices and Argentina's unbalanced trade surplus. While White House officials tout long-term industry boosts like expanded grazing and disaster relief, the policy—tied to bolstering ally President Javier Milei—exposes deepening GOP fractures.

• SNAP Benefits Crisis Threatens GOP: As Saturday looms, 42 million low-income Americans face a devastating SNAP freeze, with Democrats accusing the Trump administration of "weaponizing hunger" by illegally withholding $6 billion in contingency funds despite prior shutdown precedents. A coalition of 25 states and D.C. sues USDA, highlighting the program's historic first lapse and available pots of money—like those tapped for WIC earlier this month—while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer blasts Trump for turning children, seniors, and veterans into "political pawns." OMB defends reserving funds solely for disasters like Hurricane Melissa, but experts decry the stance as "blatantly lawless," amplifying shutdown pressures as federal paychecks miss Friday's cycle and anti-hunger rallies surge.

• Dutch Election: In a nail-biting upset, centrist D66 surges to a near-tie with Geert Wilders' far-right Party for Freedom, each clinching 26 seats in the 150-seat Dutch parliament as 99.6% of votes tally, marking D66's historic near-tripling from nine seats and PVV's sharp drop from 2023 highs. Wilders, who triggered the snap poll by torpedoing the 11-month coalition over migration disputes, vows to block D66-led talks despite exclusion by rivals, while leader Rob Jetten hails voters' pivot to "positive forces" amid housing crises and healthcare woes. This unprecedented deadlock delays coalition formation, with analysts eyeing a centrist bloc excluding populism even as PVV-lite JA21 gains nine seats, signaling Europe's shifting tides against hard-right dominance.

Political cartoonist Ted Rall and CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou explain the battle between a federal judge and the Trump Administration over SNAP Benefits, Congressional skepticism over the DoD's Drug Boat Strikes and rumors that Pakistan Will Send Troops to Gaza.

• SNAP Benefits Battle Intensifies: A Boston federal judge signals that she will overturn the Trump administration's refusal to release $5.3 billion in emergency funds, threatening food-stamp aid for 42 million Americans amid the government shutdown. Judge Indira Talwani questions the White House’s logic in suspending SNAP entirely, emphasizing Congress's intent to protect families from hunger, while states like New Mexico pledge $30 million and New York fast-tracks $30 million more to bridge gaps. Lawsuits from 25 Democratic-led states argue that the Republican position violates federal law, as partial payments loom uncertain and food banks brace for surging demand.

• So Trump Calls for the “Nuclear Option”: Not that nuclear option, the Senate one. One month into the shutdown, with Democrats scoring a rare political win, the President is calling for a radical change to the Senate and representative democracy itself. Meanwhile, Gen Z voters are turning against Team Red in a big way: The latest YouGov/Economist poll, conducted from Oct. 24-27, found that 20% of adults under the age of 30 approved of Trump, a 30-point drop from February, when 50% of 18-to-29-year-olds approved of Trump and 42% disapproved.

• DoD Doesn’t Know Dick: Defense officials admit in a classified briefing they cannot identify the victims killed in 14 air strikes conducted in the Caribbean over the past two months, claiming at least 57 lives, frustrating bipartisan lawmakers demanding oversight. Rep. Sara Jacobs highlights the Trumps’ unsatisfactory answers on linking vessels to terrorist groups, while primarily cocaine-laden boats fuel doubts about curbing fentanyl flows amid 70% overdose links. A new Pacific strike kills four more—who?—escalating concerns over legality as the Senate eyes war powers restrictions.

• Pakistan Gaza Troop Rumors: Reports rare roiling the Muslim world that Pakistan is planning to deploy 20,000 troops to a International Stabilization Force in Gaza, brokered via alleged CIA-Mossad deals in order to neutralize Hamas and secure buffers under Trump's 20-point plan. Officials say the claims are fake news, stressing no troop commitments despite advanced internal talks, while economic incentives like World Bank relief dangle. Backlash brews from Iran, Turkey, and Qatar, threatening Pakistan's Muslim-world ties as the ISF eyes handover to Palestinian Authority.

Political cartoonist Ted Rall and CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou tell you about the Pete Buttigieg surge, the last days of a fading Biden, covering up Israel’s murder of Abu Akleh, and how honeytraps are infiltrating the West.

• Team Democrat Is All About Pete: Confirming Ted’s prediction, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is the Democratic Party’s early presidential frontrunner in New Hampshire, topping Gavin Newsom, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Kamala Harris in a new University of New Hampshire Granite State Poll. Capturing 19%, Buttigieg leads Newsom by 4%, with Ocasio-Cortez at 14% and Harris at 11%, while Bernie Sanders garners 8% and IJB Pritzker secures 6%. New Hampshire highlights Buttigieg’s dominance with a +75% net-favorability rating (81% favorable, 6% unfavorable). On the Republican side, Vice President JD Vance commands a massive lead in the same poll among 688 likely voters, securing 51% support and dwarfing former Nikki Haley (9%), Tulsi Gabbard (8%), and Marco Rubio (5%).
• Biden Report: A bombshell 91-page House Oversight Committee staff report, based on over a dozen interviews with Biden aides, declares that dozens of Joe Biden’s executive actions “cannot all be deemed his own” amid advisers propping up the president during his physical and cognitive decline. The document details Biden’s inner circle meticulously stage-managing appearances, lightening workloads, limiting steps walked, minimizing cabinet meetings, seeking Hollywood direction for events, and using teleprompters at intimate gatherings. Executive orders and pardons signed by autopen, including Hunter Biden’s sweeping clemency, face calls to be voided for lacking traceable presidential consent, with former chief of staff Jeff Zients admitting ignorance of autopen operators.
• Shireen Abu Akleh Shooting Cover-Up: U.S. officials are deeply divided over the 2022 fatal shooting of Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in the West Bank, with some convinced Israeli forces intentionally targeted her despite the State Department’s equivocal assessment blaming “tragic circumstances” without intent. Retired Col. Steve Gabavics, former chief of staff at the U.S. Security Coordinator office leading the review, publicly challenges the findings, asserting evidence like radio traffic awareness of journalists, clear visibility from a sniper vehicle, and precise shots indicate deliberate action. Gabavics clashes with boss Lt. Gen. Michael Fenzel, who sidelines him and stands by cautious conclusions to preserve Israeli cooperation, as internal drafts soften language on intent.
• Seductive Spying: Moscow and Beijing are unleashing seductive spies flooding U.S. tech heartlands, stealing secrets through lust and lies in a new “sex war” exploiting human weaknesses for psychological and economic warfare. Experts highlight China targeting startups, academia, and DoD projects with attractive operatives on LinkedIn and at conferences, while Russia revives figures like Anna Chapman and deploys honeytraps marrying targets for lifelong operations. Cases include Fang Fang seducing U.S. politicians, pitch competitions extracting IP, and thefts costing up to $600 billion annually, giving adversaries an asymmetric advantage as America avoids such tactics. Or do we?

Political cartoonist Ted Rall and CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou tell you about Argentina’s midterm elections, where President Javier Milei’s party secures a landslide victory, the US-China trade deal framework forged at the ASEAN summit, arrests in the audacious $102 million Louvre crown jewel heist, and the US-China race for Pacific seabed minerals in the Cook Islands. Plus, we answer your questions about any topic you want while we’re live!

• Argentina’s Midterm Elections: Javier Milei’s La Libertad Avanza party dominates Argentina’s midterm elections, scoring 41% of the vote, 13 Senate seats, and 64 lower-house seats. His radical right-wing austerity cuts and deregulatory agenda gain traction, though critics highlight job losses and strained public services as the economy tanks. President Trump’s $40 billion bailout underscores Milei’s MAGA ties, raising worries about American imperialism.

• US-China Trade Deal Framework: The US and China agree on a trade deal framework at the ASEAN summit, pausing 100% tariff threats for now and addressing TikTok’s US sale. China delays export controls on critical minerals for a year, while both sides aim to boost US soya bean exports. This truce eases global trade war fears ahead of Trump and Xi’s Thursday meeting. Can these tensions be resolved?

• Louvre Jewel Heist: French authorities arrest suspects linked to the $102 million Louvre jewel theft, with one caught at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. The heist, executed in under eight minutes, targeted historic treasures like Empress Eugénie’s diadem. Investigators work to recover stolen items, as the museum reels from national humiliation and cultural loss.

• US-China Seabed Mineral Race: The US and China intensify exploration of polymetallic nodules in the Cook Islands’ Pacific seabed, rich in cobalt and nickel. Environmental concerns clash with geopolitical ambitions, with 38 countries urging a mining moratorium. The Cook Islands balances scientific research with potential commercial development, navigating global pressures.

Tune in to the “DMZ America Podcast” as nationally-syndicated editorial cartoonists Ted Rall and Scott Stantis interview Pulitzer Prize-winning political cartoonist Matt Wuerker of “The Politico.” They’ll discuss their own cartoons about the news and issues of the week, as well as those of their peers. Don’t be surprised if the state of the media and cartooning come up as well.

Matt Wuerker, born in 1956, is renowned for his incisive, visually rich commentary on the absurdities of power. A graduate of Lewis & Clark College with a BA in 1979, he honed his craft as chief editorial cartoonist for the student newspaper, The Pioneer Log, blending satire with masterful draftsmanship inspired by Saul Steinberg and 19th-century masters like A.B. Frost.

Since 2006, Wuerker has been Politico's founding staff cartoonist, his watercolors, cross-hatching, and animated works appearing on front pages and gracing outlets like The Washington Post, The New York Times, and The Nation. A 2009 and 2010 Pulitzer finalist, he clinched the prize in 2012 for cartoons that "persuade rather than rant," alongside the 2010 Herblock Award for courageous editorial art. Based in D.C. near the National Zoo, Wuerker delights in the "political circus," wielding humor to illuminate truth with minimal supervision.

On DeProgram with Ted Rall and John Kiriakou: mysterious bodies washing ashore in Trinidad prompt questions about U.S. military strikes in the Caribbean, Silicon Valley tech bros convince Trump to cancel a federal troop surge in San Francisco, and a U.S. official warns Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu that stunts like a bill to annex parts of the West Bank could cause the U.S. to cut off Israel entirely.

• Not So Fun in the Sun: Unidentified corpses with burn marks and missing limbs wash ashore in Trinidad, linked to U.S. military strikes targeting Venezuela’s supposed drug boats. Trinidad’s Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar supports the U.S. campaign, but locals question the lack of asking questions about the dead. The mystery deepens as two Trinidadians, Chad Joseph and Rishi Samaroo, are reportedly killed in a recent strike, raising concerns about civilian casualties.

• Silicon Valley Tells Trump To Back Off SF: Tech bros Jensen Huang and Marc Benioff persuade President Trump to stop his planned federal troop invasion in San Francisco. Their influence, backed by millions in contributions, underscores a cozy relationship with the White House. Critics warn that unelected CEOs are shaping policies that impact millions, sidelining ordinary citizens.

• Israel-US Relations At Lowest Point Ever: Israel’s Knesset advances bills to annex parts of the West Bank, shocking U.S. Vice President JD Vance during his visit and angering Trump. A U.S. official warns that Netanyahu’s actions could end U.S. ties to Israel entirely.