In this episode, we go deep into the role of family in political power, unpacking how nepotism operates under the cloak of democracy. From Donald Trump’s inner circle—Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump—to Turkey’s “damat” politics with Berat Albayrak and Selçuk Bayraktar, we explore how family ties become pathways to influence, wealth, and legitimacy.

Building on our conversations about institutions, personalities, and the “strongman myth,” we examine how political dynasties are constructed—not just in the U.S. and Turkey, but across the world. From the Bush family to the Trudeaus, this isn’t new. But the scale, stakes, and consequences may be different. What happens when (very)underqualified relatives are handed extraordinary power? How do these networks shape economies, foreign policy, and democratic norms? And what are the real-world consequences—from economic crises to global conflict?

This episode asks a simple but urgent question: when power stays in the family, how do we pay the price?