Republicans in Congress, at President Trump's request, are calling take-backsies on $9 billion in funding for PBS, NPR, and foreign aid. 

Despite all three of those things remaining wildly popular, Congress is preparing to pass a bill to claw back money it has already approved. It's a move we haven't seen done successfully in 33 years. 

Grant breaks down why defunding public media could mean putting lives at risk and why not funding foreign aid will put lives at risk. 

Plus, how this bill might be cover for an illegal act by the White House, and why it could end up driving a wedge between Democrats. 

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The Make America Great Again movement is splitting at the seams after the Department of Justice said there wasn't a "client list," something Trump's base supporters had been calling for to be released for years. 

Fueled by the belief that Epstein was the key to uncovering a cabal of child abusers or worse, they helped Trump retake the White House, believing he was their benevolent, billionaire savior from the "deep state."

But after he said it was no big deal, the base started to revolt, and Trump hasn't been able to get a handle on this scandal. Grant talks about how the Epstein conspiracy became what it is, what the latest controversy is and how it could mean trouble for Trump in the not-so-distant future. 

LINKS: 

Get Real News

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After the unexpected victory of Zohran Mamdani in the New York mayoral primary, one question has emerged; is this the new model for Democrats. 

The party has been listless without a clear vision or leader or message to voters and has begun to show cracks about what the future should look like. 

Grant talks with Amanda Litman, Cofounder of Run For Something and author of When We're In Charge: The Next Generation's Guide To Leadership about what Democrats can learn from younger leaders, how the party has to adapt or die in the face of a second Trump presidency, and what we can all learn by embracing a new kind of leader. 

LINKS: 

Run For Something

When We're In Charge

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Trump blows through his 90 deals in 90 days deadline, extending when he'd finally make good on threats to start tariffs to August 1. 

But if he's the Deal Maker in Chief, then why would he need to extend the timeline? 

Grant talks about the few deals that have been made, what's been happening in the meantime and what it'll mean for all of us when we go to buy things for the next few months. 

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With the passage of the Big Beautiful Bill, US immigration forces are getting a major boost in funding. A lot of it is going to ICE for new agents as enforcement increases in how militaristic it looks and acts. But most of the funding is going to building new places to hold immigrants before they're likely deported.

Grant breaks down how the money is being used, where it's coming from, and whether we can call what the Administration wants to create concentration camps, like some people have been saying. 

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The state of Texas is dealing with massive, deadly flooding just outside San Antonio. 

While the National Weather Service did predict heavy rain and gave warnings, the floods have claimed the lives of 82 people (at the time of this episode), with dozens more still missing. Meteorologists say the forecasts and coordination were as good as they could be given massive cuts to NWS and NOAA. 

Grant walks through those cuts, how they affected Texas, how they're already affecting all of us, and why cuts to FEMA could mean more disasters for longer. 

LINKS TO HELP: 

The Kerr County Flood Relief Fund

TEXSAR

World Central Kitchen 

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Congress passes Trump's Big Beautiful Bill. Despite its name, it will cut more than a trillion from Medicaid. It will make deep cuts to SNAP, clean energy, college endowments, and increase state and local taxes. 

It will mean giving huge tax breaks to the ultra-rich and making the poorest Americans pay more. It's not at all popular, but it's what Trump wanted, so it's what he got. 

Except... he doesn't seem to know what's in it, and as Grant explains, he's been making promises to members to use executive orders to change the bill after he signs it into law (which he can't do).  

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The Senate passed the One Big Beautiful Bill that's filled with a budget that's going to remake Medicaid, SNAP, and American wealth for a generation. It passed by a super narrow majority, 51-50, and now heads to the House, where it's expected to pass before hitting Trump's desk on the Fourth of July. 

Grant talks about how the bill got passed, despite being massively unpopular. What it does. What you're going to hear that it does, and what happens next. 

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A quick bonus episode about the Supreme Court ruling in Trump v. CASA that might remake the way federal laws are applied and enforced across the country, making for a messy and chaotic legal system. 

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In the conversation about the US bombing Iran, there has been a lot of talk about the mission, the policy behind it, and how well it worked. 

But one of the main driving reasons Trump chose to approve the mission hasn't been talked about: the religious extremism inside his administration. 

Grant talks with Matt D. Taylor, the senior Christian scholar and the Institute of Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Studies about the influence of Christian Zionism, Christian Dominion, and Christian nationalism on Trump and it's getting more extreme.

LINKS:

Institute for Islamic, Christian and Jewish Studies 

Center for Peace Diplomacy 

The Violent Take It By Force 

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