On this week’s episode of the Power Lines podcast:

Pentagon reporters walked out after Pete Hegseth’s team demanded they sign a loyalty pledge—effectively banning the press from one of the most powerful buildings in the world. Oliver and Jon take you inside the standoff, breaking down what led to the walkout and what it means for press freedom.

Then, NBC lays off 150 staffers, gutting its diversity reporting teams as MSNBC and CNBC spin off into a new company. What do the cuts signal about the future of network news and corporate fear of government retaliation over DEI?

Finally, the Manosphere fractures. Joe Rogan, Tim Dillon, Theo Von, Andrew Schulz and more are blasting Trump’s ICE raids as cruel. Are the podcasters who helped Trump win the election turning on the right?

Plus, Trump melts down over his new Time cover, Zohran Mamdani speaks directly to Trump during his Fox News appearance ahead of the NYC mayoral debate, and Olivia Nuzzi reemerges at Vanity Fair with a new book and renewed controversy over her relationship with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

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Power Lines is the official podcast of Status, where veteran journalists Oliver Darcy and Jon Passantino break down their exclusive reporting and deliver sharp, uncompromising analysis on how information moves and shapes society. From the Fourth Estate to Silicon Valley to Hollywood, they scrutinize the powerful institutions driving narratives, shaping perception, and steering the culture. __________________________________________________________________________________________

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