One phone call is certainly not doing the trick when it comes to bringing Russia and Ukraine together to end the war. Trump had a marathon call with Putin and afterward both men spoke to the press expressing very different opinions about the outcome of the discussion and what comes next. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was in front of a Senate hearing discussing deportations and whether the Trump administration has the power to suspend habeas corpus. She told senators “Habeas corpus is a constitutional right that the president has to be able to remove people from this country.” She was immediately corrected, but perhaps she should spend less time on hair and make up and more time on learning what’s in the Constitution she swore to uphold. Michael Shure is back in the Captain’s chair today. We welcome John Rothmann to the show to talk politics. It’s the Planet, Stupid! continues with a discussion Mark had with Paul Rice, the founder of Fair Trade, USA.

While Republicans are bickering about the extent of cuts to America’s safety net programs for the poorest among us, they are also concerned about tax cuts, increasing debt ceilings and numbers that may indicate debt that will plague generations to come.
We welcome Pulitzer Prize winning author and investigative journalist David Cay Johnston to discuss the nations debt, where we stand with tariffs and much more.
Mark sat down with Yale history professor Greg Grandin to explore his new book “America, América.” It’s a deep look at what our American ideals have always been and where and why we seem to have fallen short
Are we raising our kids to be kind and ready for a diverse world. In this new anti-DEI landscspe, how can we do better. Mark speaks with psychiatrist Dr. Samantha Sweeney, author of “Culturally Competent Kids: Raising Children to Thrive in a Diverse World.”
It’s Tech Tuesday. Jefferson Graham, former USA Today technology columnist, will join us to talk about the future of Google.
The Mark Thompson Show 
5/20/25
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Late Sunday night, Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill”
cleared an important House Committee. Conservatives that wanted deeper cuts to MedicAid got some changes made that led them toward advancing this massive tax cut and border security package. Speaker Mike Johnson isn’t saying what the changes include, calling them minor things. 
It was a crazy music related weekend for Trump. He posted a video of himself lip syncing Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” and he unleashed verbal attacks on Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift. 
Michael Shure is in for Mark Thompson today. 
We welcome iHeart Radio and TV political analyst Gary Dietrich to the show to talk politics. 
The Mark Thompson Show 
5/19/25
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This one is a real head scratcher. The Department of Homeland Security is reportedly considering a reality television show called “The American” that would have immigrants competing for U.S. citizenship. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem is said to be supportive of the idea but it has not yet been officially approved. We have thr good fortune to welcome D~L Cauvin to co-host the show. Add in journalist Jim Avila, a dash of Friday Fabulous Florida and The Culture Blaster, Michael Snyder, and you’ve got yourself a great start to the weekend!

Trump‘s “Big Beautiful Bill” isn’t so beautiful for poor people. Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee voted in favor of big cuts to Medicaid. The issue now goes to the House Budget Committee to be merged with legislation from other committees, like the House Agriculture Committee. Ag members voted along party lines to cut as much as $300 billion in nutritional food aid. Both issues affect the poorest Americans and are part of Trump’s efforts to slash spending to pay for Republicans’ domestic policy agenda. From arguments on birthright citizenship to rumblings that the Trump administration has plans to suspend habeas corpus, there are many legal issues to discuss. Enter former federal prosecutor and now defense attorney, David Katz. J-L Cauvin is in for Mark. His background as both a lawyer and a comedian makes for an intelligent and lively conversation.

Donald Trump’s sons Eric and Donald Jr. are about to rake in large sums of money by taking their American Bitcoin mining firm public on the Nasdaq exchange. The company is merging with Gryphon Digital Mining in an all-stock merger. 
As the Trump administration announces the framework of a tariff deal with China, Chinese President Xi Xinping appears to be sidestepping Trump and looking to smooth trade relations with South American countries while denouncing bullying and isolationism. 
We welcome Pulitzer Prize winning investigative journalist and author David Cay Johnston to the show to discuss it all.
Jefferson Graham returns for Tech Tuesday. He’ll take a look at Apple’s fall pricing and whether tariffs are expected to have an effect.
The Mark Thompson Show 
5/13/25
Patreon subscribers are the backbone of the show! If you’d like to help, here’s our Patreon Link:
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It would be one of the most valuable gifts ever received by the United States of America; a Boeing 747-8. The commercial model sells for $400 million, but the price could go way up if they trick it out for top-notch luxury, extra security and all the bells and whistles you would expect on Air Force One.  If Trump accepts that gift, as he indicates he will, does that mean the United States is beholden to Qatar? 
Trump advisor Steven Miller says the Trump administration is looking for ways to suspend the writ of habeas corpus. That means you could be arrested and no one has to tell you why, and no one has to make sure that you appear before a judge theoretically, authorities could do anything with you and take you anywhere and your family would never know where you ended up. Are we looking at the end of the Constitutional privileges we all enjoy? We’ll explore.
IHeart television and radio political analyst Gary Dietrich will join the conversation. 
The Mark Thompson Show 
5/12/25
Patreon subscribers are the backbone of the show! If you’d like to help, here’s our Patreon Link:
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Trump keeps tapping his favorite Fox talent pool to help fill government jobs. This time, Judge Jeanine Pirro will be stepping in to head the largest U.S. Attorney’s office in the country. Trump wants Pirro to be the interim U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C. but there’s no word on whether that comes with the possibility of permanence. We have a great guest lineup on today’s Mark Thompson Show, including author Sarah Kendzior. In addition to her many books, including: They Knew, Hiding in Plain Sight, The View From Flyover Country and Thd Last American Roadtrip, Sarah Kendzior cohosted the podcast “Gaslit Nation” covering corruption in the US and the rise of autocracy. We’ll talk politics with our favorite duo: journalists Michael Shure and Jim Avila. Then we press the fun button for “Friday Fabulous Florida” and The Culture Blaster Michael Snyder will slide in with plenty of pop culture love, movie reviews, and more.

The Vatican makes history with the first Pope from America! Robert Prevost becomes Pope Leo XIV. We’ll have details. DOGE is working to create a centralized government database that would include pooling the personal information of millions of Americans and non citizen residents. The move violates long held privacy and security protections. Elon Musk and his DOGE crew have been amassing data from across the government. The Washington Post says the single info hub could “advance multiple Trump administration priorities, including finding and deporting undocumented immigrants and rooting out fraud in government payments.” Will there be a Covid booster available this autumn? The head of the FDA, Dr. Marty Makary, said he needs better data when asked if the FDA would be approving Covid boosters before the winter. We welcome Dr. Paul Offit, an internationally recognized expert in virology and immunology, to discuss it. Trump administration lawyers are formally invoking state secrets privileges in an effort not to turn over documents in the Kilmar Abrego Garcia case. We turn to our esteemed legal expert, former federal prosecutor, and now defense attorney, David Katz. Having trouble sleeping? Same. Let’s find out how to get a handle on that with Vital Signs featuring our medical expert Dr. Michael Daignault.