This episode of Filtered with TJ Walker takes you through four sharp stories about law, branding, and political theater.

Smart, centrist analysis with practical media-literacy lessons in every segment.

Americans say they need more money to feel secure, but fresh polling shows the real frustration is about how we save and spend, not just how much we make. In this episode of Filtered with TJ Walker, we unpack the gap between income and happiness, from everyday coffee victories to long-term financial freedom.

Then we widen the lens:

TJ ties all of this back to one core question: Are we structuring our money, politics, and tech in ways that make us freer, or just more miserable?

Topics covered:

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You can also watch the video version on YouTube: Filtered with TJ Walker.

New York’s elites were supposed to be running for the exits under democratic socialist mayor Zohran Mamdani. Instead, luxury rents are soaring, and the billionaires are staying put. At the same time, Mexico has quietly become the top buyer of U.S. goods, reshaping “America First” economics while China slips back.

In this episode of Filtered with TJ Walker, we look at the day’s top business, tech, and culture stories through the lens of communication and power:

New York City & Mamdani: Why the “rich exodus” was mostly right-wing fairy tale plus realtor gossip, and what the numbers actually show.

Mexico’s rise: How Mexico overtook China as America’s top customer, what that says about supply chains, and why most voters never hear the real story.

Democracy innovation: Inside the German-speaking corner of Belgium where ordinary citizens are drafted by lottery to write real laws – and why that model is spreading.

Trump, AI & MAGA: How Trump’s embrace of Silicon Valley AI barons is pushing him out of step with his own base on jobs, kids’ safety and state power.

Pardons & corruption: A nursing-home magnate steals tens of millions, does three months, pays nearly $1 million to scandal-plagued lobbyists – and walks away with a full Trump pardon, as the president cashes in on crypto and foreign perks.

Grab bag: AOC’s growing political machine and 2028 ambitions, a “golden age of travel” dress-code crusade, and the right-wing media war over Epstein, Nick Fuentes, and who owns MAGA after Trump.

Communication Q&A: How long should you really prepare for a big speech – and what matters more than your slide deck?

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Today on Filtered with TJ Walker, we follow the money and the power:

Listen in for forward-looking analysis on media consolidation, AI, pharma power, and the evolving Trump era – all through the lens of how narratives are sold to you every day.

Americans keep being told we’re hopelessly divided. The data says otherwise. In this episode of Filtered with TJ Walker, we begin with a massive Gallup democracy survey, which shows that Americans are surprisingly united on several key issues: rejecting political violence, supporting leaders' willingness to compromise, embracing free speech, and even embracing multiculturalism. The “civil war” may be more of a media storyline than a public reality.

Then we turn to Fox News’ own polling, which delivers brutal news for Donald Trump: voters overwhelmingly say the economy is bad and they blame Trump more than Biden, even on grocery prices.

Next, we break down Trump’s latest social media outburst, accusing Democratic lawmakers of “sedition, punishable by death,” and the rare moment when top Republicans publicly say, “I don’t agree with that.” Is his grip finally slipping?

We cleanse the palate with New York’s first “aroma ad” in the Grand Central subway, where vanilla-pine holiday scent replaces the usual underground stench.

Finally, we look at Rupert Murdoch’s California Post, a West Coast spin-off of the New York Post, and ask if this is real innovation or just another Murdoch misfire in a state where the New York Times has quietly become the dominant “local” paper.

In the grab bag, we cover powerful new research showing midlife exercise can cut dementia risk by up to 45 percent, and a growing wave of congressional Republicans who are, very cautiously, planning for a post-Trump future.

If you care about democracy, media power, your wallet, and your brain, this one’s for you.

Nvidia just posted a $31.9 billion profit and a colossal revenue surge on the back of the A.I. boom. Is this sustainable transformation, or the center of an A.I. bubble ready to pop? TJ Walker unpacks Nvidia’s dominance, “circular” AI investment deals, and why some economists think we’re in a “rational bubble” that could still move the economy to a higher long-term growth path.

In this episode, we also cover:

Plus:

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Big Tech just beat the government in court. Self-driving taxis are rolling out fastest in red states. Congress suddenly finds the courage to demand Epstein files be released. And Donald Trump is throwing a lavish White House welcome for Saudi Arabia’s crown prince despite the CIA’s conclusion that he ordered Jamal Khashoggi’s murder.

In this episode of Filtered with TJ Walker, we break down:

Meta vs. the FTC – why the latest antitrust defeat matters for competition, start-ups and investors

Robotaxis & regulation – Waymo, Zoox and why Texas and Florida are outpacing blue-state holdouts

“Refuse illegal orders” – Democratic veterans telling the military what to do if Trump crosses the line

Epstein files – Congress’s 427–1 vote, Trump’s months-long resistance, and what he might be hiding

Trump & MBS – the optics, the bone-saw reality of Khashoggi’s murder, and what it says about U.S. values

Grab bag – Bill Maher exits the road over shooting fears, a Texas Ten Commandments ruling, a pickleball ban fight in California, and Joe Rogan’s return to #1 on Apple’s podcast chart

We close with audience Q&A on starting a freelance consulting business: specialization, marketing every day, and turning testimonials into revenue.

This episode examines six powerful stories shaping the national conversation. Larry Summers retreats from public life after Epstein-related emails surface. Most U.S. homes have lost value over the past year. Donald Trump faces open defiance within MAGA over the Epstein files. Shark Tank delivers its weakest season ever. Billionaire Bill Ackman’s dating advice becomes a viral punchline. And Ted Danson offers a blueprint for staying purposeful at 77.

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00 - Teaser: Six Stories That Define the Moment

Today’s episode connects five major stories shaping global politics and technology.

Plus insights on communication, media literacy, and political narratives.

In today’s episode of Filtered with TJ Walker, we examine a nation stretched to its limits.

A sweeping, unfiltered look at politics, tech, culture, and the future.