The Mark Thompson Show

New financial disclosures show President Donald Trump reported more than $2.2 billion in income during 2025, a dramatic increase from the roughly $600 million he reported the previous year. The filings indicate that much of the surge came from cryptocurrency ventures, digital tokens, licensing agreements, and other business interests that expanded after his return to the White House. The disclosures are already fueling renewed debate over presidential ethics, conflicts of interest, and whether a sitting president should be able to profit from private business ventures while serving in office.
A federal judge is dealing the Pentagon another legal setback, blocking a policy that required journalists from The New York Times to be escorted by government officials while reporting inside the Pentagon. The ruling found the restriction likely infringed on press freedoms and underscored the constitutional role of an independent press in holding government accountable. 
We we welcome  presidential historian John Rothmann, host of the podcast ‘Around the Political World With John Rothmann’ to talk politics. 
The conversation continues with the wonderful author Jared Yates Sexton.
The Mark Thompson Show 
7/1/26
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In a major victory for Donald Trump, the Supreme Court cleared the way for the president to remove members of independent federal agencies, marking one of the most significant expansions of presidential authority in decades. The ruling allows the administration to move forward with the firings of officials at agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission, while broader legal challenges continue, and it signals that longstanding protections designed to insulate independent regulators from political pressure may no longer hold. 
It’s a double whammy powerhouse kind of show as we welcome Pulitzer Ptize winning author and investigative journalist David Cay Johnston and amazing author and scholar Sarah Kendzior. 
The Mark Thompson Show 
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The Supreme Court handed Donald Trump another major legal setback, delivering rulings that pack significant consequences.
Underwhelming. That seems to be the consensus of attendees of The Great American State Fair. It’s President Trump's official 250th-anniversary celebration on the National Mall  going on through July. The fair was organized by Freedom 250, that’s the Trump administration-created group that seemed formed to compete with the congressionally established America250 organization. Most states participated,  but Maine, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania refused to send delegations, citing costs, scheduling conflicts, and politicization concerns. Other states left their booths unstaffed, with visitors finding empty displays at Hawaii and Alaska. From the sparse crowds to the half-empty booths, the fair highlights a fractured nation struggling to celebrate together. 
iHeart political analyst Gary Dietrich will stop by to talk politics. 
*programming note: Sarah Kendzior will be on the show Tuesday this week instead of her usual Monday.
The Mark Thompson Show 
6/29/26
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Here we go again. Ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz is at a standstill again. The United Nations International Maritime Organization halted its plan to evacuate stranded ships after a British military report confirmed a vessel was struck by a projectile off the coast of Oman. The attack occurred just hours after Iran threatened ships using the UN-backed evacuation route without Tehran's permission. Iran's newly established Persian Gulf strait authority has now warned that any transit outside its designated routes will not receive safe passage guarantees. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, visiting the Gulf to reassure American allies, emphasized Washington's commitment to keeping the strait open saying "If that stops, then we're going to have a problem.” We’ll talk about the back and forth nature of the Iran War negotiations and the complications of Trump’s attempted exit ramp out of this conflict. Michael Shure and Mo Kelly join for ‘This Week in Politics.’ A little love for our Florida friends and a trip to the movies with The Culture Blaster Michael Snyder and we are ready for the weekend.

For years, the Trump family organization cultivated lucrative relationships with Persian Gulf allies, but according to recent reporting, his decision to wage war on Iran and his unpredictable leadership have severely damaged his standing in the region. Now, major business figures and government officials, once friendly with Trump, are feeling betrayed. .Analysts say regional leaders that actively tried to prevent the war are angry over Trump's decision-making. That includes Emirati business leaders and government officials that say Trump's war reversed years of strategic cooperation. We’ll examine the growing rift between Trump and his once-loyal Gulf supporters. Corey Brettschneider is a political science professor at Brown University. He will join us to talk politics. Former federal prosecutor, now defense attorney, David Katz will stop by the show to look at big cases and recent court rulings.

In a stunning political move this week, President Donald Trump cancelled a planned ceremonial signing of a major bipartisan housing affordability bill at the Capitol. The bill, which passed both chambers of Congress by overwhelming margins, would have addressed critical housing affordability challenges facing Americans.
Trump is using the bill as leverage to force lawmakers to pass his proposed "SAVE AMERICA ACT," which would implement a radical overhaul of voting procedures. In a post on Truth Social, Trump declared the housing news conference and signing cancelled "until such time as we pass the desperately needed SAVE AMERICA ACT, which I consider to be a National Emergency."
There has also been a significant legal setback for the Trump administration's immigration enforcement agenda comes from the ruling of a federal judge. U.S. District Judge P. Casey Potts ruled that ICE agents can no longer conduct arrests at immigration courthouses across the country. Judge Pitts, a Biden appointee, vacated the Trump administration's policies that were implemented via executive order last year, determining that the Department of Justice failed to provide adequate legal justification for the enforcement tactics. He called them "arbitrary and capricious," and said the Trump administration did not properly consider how arresting noncitizens at courthouses would impact people pursuing lawful immigration status. 
We welcome John Rothmann - presidential historian and the host of ‘Around the Political World with John Rothmann’ to the show to discuss this and the latest on negotiations to end Trump‘s Iran war.
The conversation continues as we welcome author and political commentator Jared Yates Sexton to the show
The Mark Thompson Show 
6/24/26
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Vice President JD Vance says there is "very good" progress in Switzerland  with Iran negotiations. He says Iran is agreeing to allow nuclear inspectors back into the country following initial negotiations . Was he sitting at the same table as Iran’s negotiators? Iran's foreign ministry spokesman says nope, there  are no "plans for IAEA inspections" of nuclear sites,  Iran maintains the Strait of Hormuz will "never return to its pre-war conditions" and that Iran will maintain control of the vital waterway. Vance painted a positive picture with a new communication line established between negotiators to prevent incidents and ensure safe commercial transit through the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, the U.S., Iran, and Lebanon are creating a "deconfliction cell" to enforce the agreed ceasefire across all fronts. If negotiations are going so well, why is the Pentagon seeking roughly $80 billion to cover costs of the U.S. war against Iran? It’s part of a massive $1.5 trillion military budget proposal. However, lawmakers are expressing skepticism about Trump's memorandum of understanding with Iran and hesitation over increased Pentagon funding amid rising costs of living for Americans. 
On the matter of the botched renovation of the reflecting pool, journalists pushed President Trump for proof after he claimed a very long slit was made in the paint at the bottom of the reflecting pool. There’s no evidence to back up those claims, but Trump seems to be laying the blame squarely on vandalism as the pool now has to be re-emptied and repaired.
We put it all to David Cay Johnston, Pulitzer Prize winning author and investigative journalist, from Iran to the mishaps on the national mall. 
Plus, entertainment reporter Lisa Joyner will join  us to talk about Hollywood,  podcasting  and  her love of animals.
The Mark Thompson Show 
6/23/26
Today's Guests Links
Lisa Joyner https://www.youtube.com/@PlusOnewithLisaandMorgan
Prof. David Cay Johnston at RIT, Pulitzer Prize winning Author & Investigative Journalist  https://bsky.app/profile/davidcayjohnston.bsky.social

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Iran negotiations are causing uncertainty inside the Trump administration. President Trump recently joked that if the negotiations succeed, he'll take full credit, but if it fails, he's handing the blame to Vice President JD Vance. It might seem like a joke on the surface, but it may also indicate that Trump is positioning Vance as the face of the Iran negotiations, despite Vance's initial opposition to the war. Vance has had to come to the president’s defense repeatedly over this very unpopular war. Could it impact Vance's 2028 presidential aspirations?  Is Vance’s role allowing Secretary of State Marco Rubio to stay under the radar?
 We welcome iHeart TV and Radio political analyst Gary Dietrich to the show to discuss.
The brilliant author and scholar Sarah Kendzior will stop through to talk politics.
The Mark Thompson Show 
6/22/26
Patreon subscribers are the backbone of the show! If you’d like to help, here’s our Patreon Link:
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More than 160 military recruits at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas are battling a flu outbreak instead of completing training. Just weeks before the outbreak, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ended mandatory flu vaccination for the military, citing bodily autonomy and concerns about "overreaching mandates.” According to The Guardian, after the vaccine became optional in April 2026, only about 40% of recruits chose to get vaccinated. Now, at least 160 servicemembers living in tight quarters are sick and they're being ordered to get vaccinated as part of containment efforts. This outbreak highlights the consequences of policy changes in military medicine and raises critical questions about military readiness and individual choice versus collective safety in environments where isolation isn't an option. In addition, there seems to be trouble with Trump‘s Iran deal. The US/Iran talks set to be held in Switzerland are being called off. That’s because Israel and Hezbollah are still attacking each other in Lebanon. On top of that, Trump said the Strait of Hormuz would reopen but now, a surprise: Iran says fees/tolls to cover cost of managing the strait will take effect at end of 60-day negotiation period. So now the world will pay the price for Trump‘s decision to attack Iran? Mo Kelly is in for Mark Thompson. We welcome Michael Shure for a look at ‘This Week in Politics’ and Michael Snyder for a look at the latest movies. Add a sprinkle of Friday Fabulous Florida and it’s another great show to ease you into your weekend,