The Atlantic Current

Tull and Vince do their first “emergency pod” as US and Israeli forces strike Iran. The obvious question: is this another Iraq? Vince and Tull debate, and both offer their predictions for how this very uncertain situation will play out.

A week with major events in the US provides surprisingly little impact, and so Tull and Vince pivot (mostly) to less-covered news. Internal IRS discussions raise yet more risk to the rise of Big Tech in Ireland; a ham-fisted and fatal attempt to enter Mar-a-Lago charges conspiracy theories; the “Clonakilty Test” replaces the “Turing Test” and Vince asks Tull if Ireland feels like it’s on shaky ground.

Tull and Vince discuss the role of the military in their respective countries. Tull explains why Irish neutrality is something of a myth, while Vince details the long-running effects of World War II and Vietnam on American politics. The Irish have the Triple Lock, and Americans a deep-seated belief in their moral superiority. Tull closes by providing Vince a "brutal but brilliant" take on the dimming perception of the US overseas.

Tull and Vince cover the sudden, dark turns for both Seamus Culleton and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. As always, Donald Trump makes an appearance: the billions raked in by his family this term, his confusing attitude toward the press, and the very real risk of a military attack on Iran in the not-too-distant future.

With some help from ChatGPT, Tull and Vince discuss the rapid rise of artificial intelligence. Will AI lead to abundance and bliss — or the enslavement of humanity? And can ChatGPT predict the future of The Atlantic Current, or, in the most human way possible, is it simply trying to insert itself in the episode? A thought-provoking, often funny, and occasionally bizarre episode.

Tull and Vince discuss the case of Seamus Culleton, an Irish immigrant currently held in ICE detention. New revelations have changed public opinion in Ireland, but Culleton's fate still has the potential to upend cross-Atlantic relations.

The Epstein Files make a return in typically bizarre fashion, with odd lies from Howard Lutnick, more binders from Pam Bondi, and a strange but credible claim about Donald Trump's behavior 20 years ago that raises still more questions.

With the Super Bowl completed, Tull and Vince return to the topic of sport. Tull covers the beauty of the GAA, while Vince highlights the geographical insanity and occasional felonies that are part of American college sports. It's an episode with poisoned trees, spiteful fans, and plenty of laughs.

The Epstein Files reach Europe, and may actually have had a more significant impact on the Continent than in the U.S. Governments wobble and royal families are called into question. Meanwhile, key questions remain about Epstein's pre-conviction past and the role played by Donald Trump. A detailed, and often darkly funny, look at the scandal from across the ocean.

With the Super Bowl on Sunday, Vince explains the massive cultural impact of America's biggest event of the year. Tull explains Irish sport; Vince cries in sadness (the Jets) and joy (the Thunder); Tull closes with the story of the most painful cursein the history of sport.

The title says it all. Tull and Vince discuss tragedy in Minneapolis, the bizarre children's book written by the currnet director of the FBI, and insane early-morning posts on Truth Social. An episode alternately hysterical and horrifying.