Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman break down how Charlie Kirk’s Glendale “memorial” morphed into a full-blown Authoritarian Christian Nationalist pep rally: Stephen Miller’s “I am the storm” theatrics, Tucker Carlson’s martyr-making dog whistles, and Donald Trump turning grief into a campaign stump behind bulletproof glass. They unpack Trump’s bizarre (and impeachable) direct message to Attorney General Pam Bondi, and discuss reporting that Tom Homan accepted $50,000 in a restaurant to-go bag during an FBI sting because of course he did.

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Nick Hauselman has scheduling issues, so Jared Yates Sexton dives into ABC censoring Jimmy Kimmel on behalf of the Trump Administration and the Right, detailing how past authoritarian regimes wrote the playbook and where all of this is likely heading.

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Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman break down the chaotic aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination and how the right is exploiting it. They unpack the instant anti-trans scapegoating, JD Vance’s open calls to wield state power against political opponents, Stephen Miller’s “domestic terrorism” dragnet fantasy, and a media ecosystem already capitulating. They trace the Overton window lurching right, the surveillance machine waiting to be flipped on, and why even an ICE killing barely registers amid the frenzy. It’s the pretext for repression, and the gate is closing unless we act.

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Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman pick up after their emergency pod on the assassination of Charlie Kirk, sorting what’s real from what’s useful to the people in power. Jared digs into accelerationist chatter, the leaky “shells with slogans” narrative, and how a soft target + a gutted FBI creates perfect conditions for chaos. Nick pushes back on the “pro hit” talk (and why a neck shot doesn’t scream sniper), while they break down Trump’s response—an uncanny video wrapped around a ready-made storyline that instantly deputizes repression against political enemies. They also call out the liberal media’s rush to launder Kirk’s record, talk Groypers vs. Kirk, and why “thoughts and prayers” gave way to weaponized certainty in minutes. If it feels like reality is being edited in real time… that’s the point.

In an emergency broadcast, Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman break down the shocking assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. Beyond the tragedy itself, they explore the dangerous ways this moment could be weaponized by the Right, the potential for escalating sectarian violence, and how America’s culture of guns, fascism, and grievance politics has led us here.

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Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton (fighting off an Oasis-induced cold) and Nick Hauselman break down a 6–3 Supreme Court move that lets ICE ramp up racial profiling in Los Angeles and what that signals for Chicago, protest crackdowns, and a country drifting into a “soft civil war.” They dig into reports of banning trans people from buying firearms under the guise of “mental illness,” Cleta Mitchell’s open chatter about using “sovereign emergency powers” to federalize elections, and a Medicare pilot that outsources care decisions to A.I. (what could go wrong!). Plus: Gallup numbers showing Americans actually like immigration and are souring on capitalism, if only Democrats would act accordingly.

Support the show by signing up to our Patreon and get access to the full Weekender episode each Friday as well as special Live Shows and access to our community discord: http://patreon.com/muckrakepodcast

This is a preview of the Weekender. Get full access to the entire episode on our Patreon: http://patreon.com/muckrakepodcast

Co-hosts Nick Hauselman and Jared Yates Sexton unpack a wild week: The Epstein survivors speak and the right tries to launder Trump’s proximity. RFK Jr. does the “don’t trust experts” routine, while Florida moves to end school vaccine mandates. The U.S. blows up a Venezuelan boat with 11 people on board, insisting they were drug smugglers with no evidence.

They talk about how manufactured uncertainty keeps power unaccountable, why shredding public health is the point, and what it means when even Rand Paul sounds like due process. Plus: Oasis in Chicago, beer showers, and why Jaws in IMAX still rips.

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On this Weekender edition, co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman break down the latest authoritarian power plays, from Trump’s attempted purge of federal institutions to RFK Jr.’s overreach at the CDC, and connect the dots on how neoliberalism and authoritarianism reinforce each other. They dig into the economic warning signs, the chilling reality of AI gone wrong, and what systemic reform would really look like. Along the way: Godfather analogies, stagflation déjà vu, Gaza’s grim future with Kushner and Blair, and even an Oasis detour.

Donald Trump’s Oval Office rant took a darker turn this week, openly flirting with dictatorship while floating executive orders on flag burning, renaming the Department of Defense, and even eyeing a federal troop occupation of Chicago. Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman break down the disturbing signs of escalation, the “mad king” dynamic now defining Trump’s behavior, and the growing pushback from leaders like Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. Plus: why authoritarianism always comes wrapped in corruption, distraction, and stolen wealth.

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In this Weekender, co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman dig into shocking reports that the Trump administration is drawing up plans for airstrikes against Mexican cartels — a move that could destabilize the region and push the U.S. into dangerous territory. They also break down Trump’s attempts to rewrite museum history on slavery, the signals of his declining health, Elon Musk’s embrace of J.D. Vance, and what it all means for America’s slide toward authoritarianism. Plus: Texas gerrymandering, Gavin Newsom’s trolling strategy, and James Dobson’s toxic legacy.