Ravi kicks off the show with the latest update in the Epstein scandal — a resurfaced birthday letter allegedly sent from Donald Trump to Jeffrey Epstein. He unpacks the implications of Trump's denial, the GOP's strategic calls to "release the list," and what's really at stake in the fight over grand jury testimony. From there, he turns to Trump's latest attacks on Obama, FEMA, and the U.S. dollar, connecting the dots between the President's social media meltdowns, a hollowed-out disaster response agency, and the economic fallout of chaotic trade policy.

Carter Sherman then joins the show to talk about her new book, The Second Coming: Sex and the Next Generation’s Fight Over Its Future, which explores Gen Z’s shifting attitudes toward sex, porn, dating apps, and sexual education. Ravi and Carter discuss how digital culture, incel ideologies, and the collapse of comprehensive sex ed are shaping the next generation’s understanding of intimacy and power.

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Ravi unpacks a chaotic week in politics, with Trump’s Epstein scandal spiraling into an unprecedented crisis for his MAGA coalition. He explores how conspiracy thinking fuels Trump’s base and why this case feels different.

Next, is America’s crisis infrastructure at risk? Ravi reviews FEMA’s botched disaster response in Texas. He then turns to the president’s recent erratic shifts on Ukraine and the economy and why they may signal a looming economic storm, linking Trump’s tariff threats, service sector pressure, and politicized debt policy to potential stagflation.

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Ravi welcomes The Atlantic’s Tyler Austin Harper back to the show for a wide-ranging conversation on some of the week’s biggest headlines, from the Diddy verdict and the dangers of prosecutorial outreach to Bernie Sanders’ recent appearance on Rogan and Trump’s escalating legal attacks on the press.

They then turn to Zohran Mamdani’s win in the New York City mayoral primary and explore what the victory suggests about shifting ideas of political “moderation” and deep divides within Democratic messaging.

Finally, Ravi and Tyler dive into Tyler's recent piece, "What We Lose When We're Priced Out of Our Hobbies," reflecting on the value of personal passions and their growing role as a political and social force.

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Ravi is joined by Bradley Tusk to break down one of the wildest political upsets in recent memory: Zohran Mamdani’s decisive win in the New York City mayoral primary. They unpack how it happened, why Cuomo flamed out so badly, and what Mamdani needs to do next if he wants to govern the city.

From campaign strategy to trash collection, rent freezes to charter schools, Ravi and Bradley dive into what kind of mayor Mamdani might be and what it will take to make the leap from activist to executive. They also discuss how current Mayor Eric Adams will fare running as an independent in the general, if Cuomo may try to jump back in, and what the national Democratic establishment is getting wrong in their rush to draw lessons from this race.

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Are Israel and Iran on the brink of war? Ravi takes a closer look at the rapidly escalating conflict and the unsettling possibility that the U.S. is more deeply involved than most Americans realize. He also explores the growing battle within MAGA over America’s role on the global stage, the political opportunism accompanying the recent wave of political violence, and how the Trump administration’s threats to ramp up deportation efforts could upend key industries that rely on undocumented workers.

Patrick McGee then joins Ravi to discuss his new book Apple in China, a sweeping investigation into Apple’s entanglement with the Chinese state. They discuss how one of the world’s most powerful companies may have supercharged America’s biggest geopolitical rival and what that means for the future of geopolitics, tech, and our iPhones.

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Learn more about Ravi's novel: GARBAGE TOWN

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Follow Ravi at @ravimgupta

Follow The Branch at @thebranchmedia

Notes from this episode are available on Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/

Lost Debate is available on the following platforms: 

• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lost-debate/id1591300785

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7xR9pch9DrQDiZfGB5oF0F

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LostDebate

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Ravi opens with a deep dive into the unfolding chaos in Los Angeles, where the Trump administration has deployed federal agents and Marines to respond to the ongoing immigration protests. He breaks down what we know so far, why the deployment of federal troops may set a dangerous precedent for civilian law enforcement, and what else is at stake from a legal and constitutional perspective.

Antón Barba-Kay, author of A Web of Our Own Making, then joins the show to explain how Mexican drug cartels have become social media influencers. Ravi and Anton discuss cartel propaganda, TikTok as a national security threat, and the flattening of culture in the digital age.

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Donald Trump and Elon Musk are on a collision course to all-out political war, and it's messier—and more consequential—than anyone expected.

In this breaking news episode, Ravi unpacks how a once-symbiotic alliance devolved into internet warfare, with accusations flying and stakes rising by the hour. He then explores how a Musk-Trump feud could have massive ripple effects on national security, tech policy, and the future of the Republican Party. Finally, Ravi takes a step back to explain why this brewing battle is anything but entertainment.

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Ravi kicks off the episode with a sharp take on the latest headlines, from FEMA’s alarming lack of hurricane preparedness and the fragility of U.S. supply chains to the growing indicators that the country is headed towards stagflation. He also reflects on new reports about Elon Musk’s drug use, the rising political influence of tech elites, and what the new film Mountainhead suggests about this current moment in time.

Jamie Hodari, founder of Industrious and now a senior executive at CBRE, then returns to the pod for a wide-ranging conversation on the future of work and community. Ravi and Jamie discuss the acquisition of Industrious, the growing tension between autonomy, connection, and fulfillment, and the risks and possibilities of an AI-disrupted labor force.

Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570

Learn more about Ravi's novel: GARBAGE TOWN

---

Follow Ravi at @ravimgupta

Follow The Branch at @thebranchmedia

Notes from this episode are available on Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/

Lost Debate is available on the following platforms: 

• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lost-debate/id1591300785

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7xR9pch9DrQDiZfGB5oF0F

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LostDebate

• Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vTERJNTc1ODE3Mzk3Nw 

• iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-lost-debate-88330217/

• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/752ca262-2801-466d-9654-2024de72bd1f/the-lost-debate

Ravi sits down with Steven Wilson, founder of Ascend Charter Schools, for a candid conversation about his new book, The Lost Decade, and the current state of education reform. They discuss Steven’s controversial exit from Ascend and then step back to take a broader look at how DEI orthodoxy and anti-racist ideology have reshaped education reform.

Steven and Ravi reflect on what’s changed in schools over the past decade, exploring the tension between pushing for academic excellence and navigating a fast-changing cultural and political landscape. They also unpack what it means to build school cultures that are both rigorous and inclusive, the role funders play in defining priorities, and why it’s more important than ever to have honest, and sometimes uncomfortable, conversations about the future of education.

Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570

Learn more about Ravi's novel and upcoming events: GARBAGE TOWN

---

Follow Ravi at @ravimgupta

Follow The Branch at @thebranchmedia

Notes from this episode are available on Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/

Lost Debate is available on the following platforms: 

• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lost-debate/id1591300785

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7xR9pch9DrQDiZfGB5oF0F

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LostDebate

• Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vTERJNTc1ODE3Mzk3Nw 

• iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-lost-debate-88330217/

• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/752ca262-2801-466d-9654-2024de72bd1f/the-lost-debate

Journalist Bridget Read joins Ravi to explore the dark side of multi-level marketing schemes - and why they’re more dangerous and widespread than most people realize. In her new book Little Bosses Everywhere, Read breaks down how these so-called business opportunities often lure in vulnerable people, turning dreams of entrepreneurship into financial traps. Ravi and Bridget discuss why MLMs thrive despite dismal success rates, how they’ve reshaped American society, and what they reveal about the American obsession with hustle culture and belonging.

Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570

Learn more about Ravi's novel and upcoming events: GARBAGE TOWN

---

Follow Ravi at @ravimgupta

Follow The Branch at @thebranchmedia

Notes from this episode are available on Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/

Lost Debate is available on the following platforms: 

• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lost-debate/id1591300785

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7xR9pch9DrQDiZfGB5oF0F

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LostDebate

• Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vTERJNTc1ODE3Mzk3Nw 

• iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-lost-debate-88330217/
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/752ca262-2801-466d-9654-2024de72bd1f/the-lost-debate