To unlock Politicology+ visit politicology.com/plus

This week, Ron Steslow and Hagar Chemali (Former spokesperson for the U.S. Mission to the UN) meet in studio to discuss the senior administration officials who accidentally shared attack plans with a journalist on Signal.

Then, we dive deeper into whether the perception of Trump as a consistent liar can create a paradoxical stability in global affairs, how an information war threatens an entire financial system, and revisiting the stakes of the AI race.

Finally, we head to Politicology+ where we discuss two recent convictions in a plot to kill Iranian-American journalist and dissident Masih Alinejad and the boldness of our enemies engaging in transnational repression on American soil.

Segments this week:

(04:43) Signal leak

(27:19) Trust collapse

Not yet a Politicology+ member? Don’t miss all the extra episodes on the private, ad-free version of this podcast. Upgrade now at politicology.com/plus.

Send your questions and thoughts to [email protected] or leave a voicemail at ‪(202) 455-4558‬

Follow this week’s panel on X (formerly Twitter):

https://twitter.com/RonSteslow

https://x.com/HagarChemali

Related media:

Segment 1: 

The Atlantic - The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans - The Atlantic

The Atlantic - Here Are the Attack Plans That Trump’s Advisers Shared on Signal - The Atlantic

Segment 2: 

Global Superpowers’ Strategies for Energy, Economics, and War | Reality Roundtable #16

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the second part of this two-episode conversation, Stanford Professors Mehran Sahami and Jeremy Weinstein join Ron Steslow to discuss their book System Error: Where Big Tech Went Wrong and How We Can Reboot.

(07:11) The modern day trolley problem

(16:54) Reorienting invention toward problem solving

(23:16) The other skills tech companies need

(28:53) The problem of the inventor/CEO

(39:57) What companies and governments can do to reshape how big tech operates

Purchase System Error:

https://systemerrorbook.com/

Politicology is supported by listeners like you. Can you pitch in right now at https://politicology.com/donate?

Follow Mehran and Ron on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/mehran_sahami

https://twitter.com/RonSteslow

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this two-episode conversation, Stanford Professors Mehran Sahami and Jeremy Weinstein join Ron Steslow to discuss their book System Error: Where Big Tech Went Wrong and How We Can Reboot.

(05:42) Why they decided to write their book

(10:56) How venture capital has shaped Silicon Valley

(19:04) Optimization mindset meets Democracy

(37:36) Our privacy boundaries when it comes to government and private companies

Purchase System Error:

https://systemerrorbook.com/

Politicology is supported by listeners like you. Can you pitch in right now at https://politicology.com/donate?

Follow Mehran and Ron on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/mehran_sahami

https://twitter.com/RonSteslow

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To unlock Politicology+ visit politicology.com/plus

This week, Ron Steslow and Mike Madrid (author of The Latino Century) discuss ‘supply-side progressivism’ and Ezra Klein and Derrek Thompson’s new book Abundance, and what their vision for the progressive government looks like.

Then, we dive deeper into what the Trump team means when they say they are “detoxing” the economy, why and how they are remaking the world financial and security order, why it seems so chaotic, and the stakes of their approach.

Finally, we head to Politicology+ where we answer some of your excellent questions — including about Ruben Gallego, what winning the AI fight might look like, and what the hell Gavin Newsom is doing.

Segments this week:

(03:06) Abundance 

(35:51) Retrenchment

Not yet a Politicology+ member? Don’t miss all the extra episodes on the private, ad-free version of this podcast. Upgrade now at politicology.com/plus.

Send your questions and thoughts to [email protected] or leave a voicemail at ‪(202) 455-4558‬

Follow this week’s panel on X (formerly Twitter):

https://twitter.com/RonSteslow

https://x.com/madrid_mike

Related media:

Segment 1: 

Reason - Lawn-sign liberalism vs. supply-side progressivism

NYT - Book Review: ‘Abundance,’ by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson - The New York Times

The Kobeissi Letter - Housing Affordability Chart

The Kobeissi Letter - Mortgage Refinance Denial chart

The Free Press - How Democrats Failed American Cities

Segment 2: 

All In - Scott Bessent Interview

NYT - Gillian Tett Discusses Donald Trump and the Economy

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pat Condo (Founder and CEO of Seekr Technologies)  joins Ron Steslow to discuss the media landscape, their search tool that uses Artificial Intelligence to index websites and news stories to rate the content so readers can make better informed choices about what they read. 

(02:26) From navigation technology to search technology

(05:46) Why he decided to create Seekr

(37:50) What makes Seekr different from other search engines

(44:22) The incentive structure for news organizations 

(51:20) How Seekr measures political lean in articles

(55:20) How AI generated news stories can change the media landscape 

(1:02:06) Pat’s end goal in creating Seekr

You should check out Seekr: https://news.seekr.com/

Follow Ron on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/RonSteslow

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To unlock Politicology+ visit politicology.com/plus

This week, we’ll talk about turbulence in the stock market and the fight over the Continuing Resolution to avert a shutdown

Then, we talk about a new Facebook whistleblower who detailed the lengths Meta was willing to go to to operate in China. 

Finally, we head to Politicology+,where we’ll preview Alex Isenstadt’s new book Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump’s Return to Power

Joining Ron Steslow on this week’s panel: 

Alex Isenstadt (Senior Political Reporter at Axios and Author of Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump’s Return to Power)

Matt Lewis (Author of Filthy Rich Politicians and Too Dumb to Fail) 

Segments this week:

(03:06) Market Turbulence and Continuing Resolution

(25:19) Facebook 

Not yet a Politicology+ member? Don’t miss all the extra episodes on the private, ad-free version of this podcast. Upgrade now at politicology.com/plus.

Read Alex’ book Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump’s Return to Power— https://bit.ly/4kvx94g

Send your questions and thoughts to [email protected] or leave a voicemail at ‪(703) 239-3068‬

Follow this week’s panel on X (formerly Twitter):

https://twitter.com/RonSteslow

https://x.com/axiosalex

https://x.com/mattklewis

Related reading:

Segment 1: 

CNN - Stocks close out volatile day as investors say market is ‘sick and tired’ of Trump’s tariff chaos | CNN Business

The Hill - Treasury secretary forecasts ‘detox period’ for US economy

WSJ - GOP Holdout Thomas Massie Repels Attacks From Trump—Again - WSJ

Axios - Trump's secret power protection plan: A $500 million war chest

Politico - EPA's Zeldin terminates $20B in Biden climate grants - POLITICO

Segment 2: 

WP - Meta, Mark Zuckerberg considered censorship for China, whistleblower says - The Washington Post

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt Lewis, Alex Isenstadt and host Ron Steslow discuss Alex’s new book Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump’s Return to Power

Read Alex’ book Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump’s Return to Power— https://bit.ly/4kvx94g

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Katty Kay (veteran reporter and four-time NYT bestselling author) joins host Ron Steslow to discuss her new book The Power Code: More Joy. Less Ego. Maximum Impact for Women (and Everyone), co-written with Claire Shipman. 

(02:12) Katty’s background and why she started looking at power 

(07:07) Women are passing men in college degrees, but not the boardroom 

(13:10) Why women have been more likely to avoid power 

(16:10) “Power over” vs “power to”

(20:20) How reframing power changes how women approach power

(25:57) The connection between power and status 

(33:04) Your brain on power

(38:30) Does power corrupt? 

(54:30) What can you do to improve your power code? 

Get The Power Code: https://www.kayandshipman.com/books

Follow Ron and Katty on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/RonSteslow

https://twitter.com/KattyKay_

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To unlock Politicology+ visit politicology.com/plus

This week, President Trump’s first address to congress of his second term.  

Then, we talk about Third Way leading the charge as Democrats rethink not only their brand but their positions as they plan for the future of the party.

Next, we turn our attention to AI for some provocative, non-technical considerations that are neither theoretical nor distant. 

Finally, we head to Politicology+,where we’ll go behind the scenes of the White House’s accelerating plans to create a strategic crypto reserve.

Joining Ron Steslow on this week’s panel: 

Matt Bennett (Founder & Executive Vice President for Public Affairs at Third Way)

Andy Kroll (Investigative Reporter at ProPublica)

Segments this week:

(03:06) Trump’s Speech

(39:18) Democrats Comeback Retreat 

(41:55)Artificial General Intelligence 

Not yet a Politicology+ member? Don’t miss all the extra episodes on the private, ad-free version of this podcast. Upgrade now at politicology.com/plus.

Send your questions and thoughts to [email protected] or leave a voicemail at ‪(703) 239-3068‬

Follow this week’s panel on X (formerly Twitter):

https://twitter.com/RonSteslow

https://x.com/ThirdWayMattB

https://x.com/AndyKroll

Related reading:

Segment 2: 

Politico - Centrist Dem group rails against leftist identity politics and purity tests - POLITICO

Third Way - Comeback Retreat Takeaways

Segment 3: 

NYT - Opinion | The Government Knows A.G.I. Is Coming - The New York Times

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marc Polymeropoulos on that Oval Office Disaster and the Trump Admin’s Abandonment of Ukraine

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices