Hosts: Adam Gardiner and Marty Carpenter
Waltz nominated to be UN ambassador, Rubio steps in as interim advisor
President Donald Trump's national security advisor Michael Waltz is expected to step down. This comes after growing frustrations with Waltz after he added a reporter to a Signal chat with top Trump officials that discussed a US military strike on Houthi rebels in Yemen. Trump had repeatedly defended both Waltz and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth following the Signal incidents. Marco Rubio will act as national security advisor and Waltz is now being nominated for United Nations Ambassador. Marty and Adam discuss how all this played out this morning and what’s next.
Is Donald Trump’s involvement in crypto ethical?
Donald Trump is hosting a special crypto related dinner on May 22. The event, which is black-tie optional and hosted at the president’s private club in the Washington area with a reception for the top 25 holders. A “VIP White House Tour” will take place the following day, the site says. The website also hosts an active leaderboard displaying the usernames of top buyers. Trump's involvement with crypto has drawn plenty of criticism due to his changing stance. It raises the question: should the president be involved in this? Adam and Marty break down how Trump became a player in in the crypto scene.
You need to be OK with having less
President Donald Trump addressed the first 100 days of his presidency yesterday as well as giving an update on the tariff situation with China. He said that factories are closing "all over China" because they are not doing business right now. And it seems like what the administration is saying, is that you need to be OK with less. The administration has continuously blamed previous administrations for the situation they're in right now. Marty and Adam talk about how they see this move by the Trump administration playing out.
The EPA has been busy
The focus for the first 100 days of President Trump's second administration has been on the economy and tariffs and leaked group chats about national security... but there are other things going on as well. Some of those things we aren't hearing as much about are coming from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In the background of everything that's going on, the EPA has been working to clean up the air, lowering energy costs for Americans, and making the US one of the AI capitals of the world. Adam and Marty look at look at what the EPA has been doing over the past few months.
How do federal decisions affect us in Utah?
When Congress makes sweeping decisions about spending, debt, or entitlements, those choices don’t just stay in Washington. They ripple across the country—and often land in very real, very local ways here in Utah. The Gardner Institute has released a new series of reports showing how deeply Utah is connected to the federal government—from Medicaid to public lands to defense, housing, and more. Natalie Gochnour, Director, Kem C. Gardener Policy Institute, joins Marty and Adam to discuss the impact these federal decisions are having right here in Utah.
How does government intervention affect Utah businesses?
Government intervention in business is always a sensitive subject. It’s hard to find the balancing point between what’s too much... and too little. Troy Keller, Office of Regulatory Relief, joins Adam and Marty to discuss what happens when the government intervenes too little... or too much. They talk about how government regulation is impacting Utah businesses.
Utah is becoming a “trend-setter” on a national scale
Florida is following Utah's lead by banning the addition of fluoride to public drinking water. Utah was the first state to ban fluoridation of public water during its 2025 legislative session. Is Utah becoming more relevant on the national political stage? Marty and Adam take a look at what Utah has done over the past few years to become a “trend-setter” nationally.
Politicians are getting more creative with their outreach
Senator Elissa Slotkin (Michigan) was invited to play Call of Duty Black Ops 6 with young constituents last week. Let's just say that it was a steep learning curve from Pac-Man. This isn't the first time we've seen unconventional methods to try and relate with younger voters. Adam and Marty discuss some of the things they’ve seen politicians doing to humanize themselves and be more relatable to voters.
View all episodes
