This week I break down five of the most outrageous pardons Donald Trump has handed out this term—from sitting members of Congress accused of foreign bribery, to crypto executives tied to money laundering, to a former foreign president convicted of running what U.S. prosecutors called a narco-state.

But it doesn’t stop there.

We also dig into the honorable mentions—including George Santos, major crypto fraudsters, and mega-donors whose sentences vanished after conviction. In total, Trump has now issued over 1,600 pardons and commutations this term alone.

This episode isn’t about left versus right. It’s about what happens when accountability becomes optional, loyalty becomes legal immunity, and the justice system quietly splits into two different realities.

If you’ve ever wondered whether laws still apply equally in America—this episode answers that question.

This week, we sprint through the biggest headlines at the intersection of policy, law, and pop culture. The White House releases its 2025 National Security Strategy, with a sharper focus on great powers. The Pentagon confirms the 22nd maritime strike tied to Venezuela, keeping the region on edge. Trump dubs “affordability” a Democratic scam while also collecting a brand-new FIFA “Peace Prize.” In the states, Gov. Tim Walz is under pressure over a widening Minnesota fraud scandal, Texas makes ivermectin available over the counter, and the Supreme Court lets Texas’s contested maps stand for 2026. On the symbolism front, the Park Service removes MLK Day and Juneteenth from fee-free days and adds Trump’s birthday, cue backlash. The White House tangles online with pop star Sabrina Carpenter, and Hollywood jolts as Netflix moves to absorb HBO/Max’s parent. 

Topics Covered

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Forbes says Donald Trump’s fortune jumped roughly $3B in 2025, peaking near $7.3B before giving some back into late fall. In this 10–15 minute solo breakdown, I unpack what actually drove the swing DJT stock, a new three-part crypto stack (memecoin, World Liberty Financial, and a USD stablecoin), key legal rulings that removed liabilities, and old-school licensing/golf income, and ask how much of it is real cash versus paper gains.

In this episode:

Bottom line: The “+$3B” headline was true at the peak and fragile in practice—a story about market prices, new crypto businesses, and a few legal breaks inflating (and deflating) a presidential fortune.

This week’s rundown hits the biggest flashpoints across Washington and beyond. We start with the DC shooting that sparked a political firestorm and a wave of security and immigration moves. Then we unpack Trump’s rapid-fire posts and policy pronouncements, from autopen “nullification” claims to a call to close airspace around Venezuela, plus an unusual back-and-forth with Caracas that ended with reports of a Trump, Maduro call and possible meeting. We cover the administration’s pause on Afghan visas and asylum adjudications, the FDA’s pivot toward stricter vaccine approvals amid controversy over COVID-vax safety claims, and Northwestern’s $75 million settlement on antisemitism allegations. We close on symbolism and optics: the State Department stepping back from World AIDS Day comms. Clear, quick context on what changed, why it matters, and what to watch next.

Topics Covered

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This week, we cover a whirlwind of headlines spanning transparency, tech, city–federal politics, national security, immigration, and the 2026 landscape. Congress green-lights the release of the Epstein files. Larry Summers steps off OpenAI’s board. NYC’s new mayor meets President Trump in the Oval—yes, there’s outfit discourse—while the short-lived “DOGE” department quietly shutters months early. We break down Operation Southern Spear in the hemisphere, the administration’s push to pare back the Endangered Species Act, and Laura Loomer’s viral claim that the GOP has a “Nazi problem.” Plus: ICE plans stepped-up operations in New York City, and Republican senators balk at Trump’s proposed $2,000 “tariff checks.” Clear context, crisp stats, and what to watch next—no fluff.

Topics Covered

Congress votes to release the Epstein files: what’s actually supposed to be made public and the 30-day clock

Larry Summers resigns from OpenAI’s board: why governance and reputational risk matter for AI labs

Zohran Mamdani meets Trump in the Oval Office: optics vs. outcomes on public safety, housing, and federal dollars (and yes, the suit-and-tie chatter)

The DOGE department disbands 8 months early: what happens to the promised “efficiency” savings and projects

Operation Southern Spear: targets, authorities, and escalation risks in the Western Hemisphere

ESA rollback proposal: what changes, who’s affected, and why litigation is a near-lock

Laura Loomer’s “Nazi problem” warning for the GOP: intra-right fault lines and 2026 candidate vetting

Border czar says ICE will ramp operations in NYC: sanctuary politics, legal flashpoints, and resources

GOP senators uneasy about $2,000 tariff rebates: fiscal hawks vs. populist transfers—and the path (or lack of one) through Congress

Visa waits, new fees, thin long-haul flight capacity, and a steep Canada pullback are weighing on international travel to the U.S.—even as domestic trips hold up. In this 10–15 minute solo breakdown, I cut through the noise with a quick industry primer, the latest arrivals/spend trends, and what’s driving 2025’s underperformance vs. 2019 and 2024.

In this episode:

How the tourism engine works typically (≈3% of U.S. GDP; $1T+ in traveler spend; who the top source markets are)

The scoreboard: arrivals vs. last year and 2019, spend trends, and air/visa friction

What’s dragging inbound: consulate queues, added visa costs, limited China flight capacity, strong-dollar stretches, and “border vibe” effects

Canada deep-dive: multiple late-2025 months showing ~20–30% YoY declines, with border states feeling it first

Who’s most exposed: long-haul metros (NYC, SF/LA, LV, Honolulu) and drive-market corridors (NY/MI/WA/VT/ME)

What to watch next: NTTO monthly prints, visa-wait improvements, China capacity decisions, and high-frequency spend data

Bottom line: Domestic travel is fine; international inbound is the pain point. Unless visa friction eases, fees stabilize, and long-haul capacity improves, inbound will lag until the event tailwinds of 2026 kick in.

This week’s rundown moves fast: Democrats end the 43-day government shutdown, a new tranche of Epstein files heads for daylight, and the White House floats a 50-year mortgage option that has economists split. We break down what actually changed at the grocery store as the administration rolls back tariffs on dozens of food imports, and we talk through a viral (and bizarre) moment from the Syrian president’s White House visit, the cologne clip. Plus: new State Department guidance that raises alarms about visa denials tied to health conditions like obesity, and a sweeping U.S. designation of several European antifa groups as terrorist organizations. 

Topics Covered

Democrats end the federal shutdown: what’s funded now, what’s punted, and the real economic hit

Epstein files: what’s new vs. recycled, and how the next release could land

50-year mortgages: modest monthly savings vs. big lifetime interest—who wins, who doesn’t

Food tariff rollback: which categories are affected and how soon prices might reflect it

The cologne moment at the White House: protocol, optics, and whether any policy came out of it

Visas & health: how new guidance could change consular decisions and who’s at risk

Antifa designations: legal implications (sanctions, immigration bars, material-support laws) and likely pushback

After weeks of brinkmanship, Democrats ended the standoff with a clean(ish) continuing resolution—no ACA subsidy extension in the bill text—and public patience wore thin. In this 10–15 minute solo breakdown, I walk through what changed, why the leverage didn’t convert, and what it means for the next funding fights.

In this episode:

This week, we unpack a headline-heavy slate: Zohran Mamdani shocks NYC, Trump thumbs the scale by endorsing Andrew Cuomo, Democrats hold New Jersey with Mikie Sherrill, and Abigail Spanberger makes history in Virginia. We compare what these Democratic wins have in common—and where the coalitions and messages diverge. Plus: Gov. Greg Abbott’s “100% tariff on New Yorkers” trolling, California’s newly approved redistricting maps and what they mean for 2026, Tesla shareholders green-lighting Elon Musk’s eye-popping pay package, and a post-election spat between George Santos and Curtis Sliwa. We close with a Culture Corner on the legacy of Dick Cheney and how his era still shapes today’s fights over executive power. Quick, clear, and no fluff—what matters, why it matters, and what to watch next.

Topics Covered

NYC: Zohran Mamdani wins; Trump endorses Cuomo

New Jersey: Democrats hold the governor’s office

Virginia: Abigail Spanberger elected governor

Common threads vs. key differences across the Dem wins

California approves new congressional maps

Tesla shareholders OK Elon Musk’s mega pay package

George Santos vs. Curtis Sliwa drama

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Tensions are spiking: F-35s in Puerto Rico, Venezuelan troop surges, boat strikes at sea, and louder great-power echoes. In this 10–15 minute solo explainer, I break down what “war” would actually look like here (hint: incidents and limited strikes, not an invasion), why the standoff escalated, and what to watch next.

In this episode:

What’s happening right now—and what “counts” as war

Why tensions spiked: counternarcotics ops, Essequibo, and Caracas politics

The hard numbers so far on boat strikes, seizures, and casualties

Who’s backing whom: Maduro’s appeals to Russia/China and regional blowback

The legal/political guardrails that limit escalation

An easy escalation ladder: from intercepts → limited strikes → (unlikely) state-on-state war

What signals to watch in the coming days

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