The Bunker – News without the nonsense

Donald Trump acts as though he’s a master Putin-whisperer – but is he simply just being played by the Russian leader? Ian Garner, a historian focused on Russian propaganda and culture, and the author of Z Generation: Into the Heart of Russia's Fascist Youth, joins Chris Jones to discuss the relationship between these two world leaders, their latest discussions and what we can read from their latest moves. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Chris Jones. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donald Trump appears to be selling out Ukraine in talks with Putin, meanwhile his authoritarian power grab in the US continues. What can we expect from negotiations in the coming days? And how will Europe react? Gavin Esler and Jacob Jarvis discuss the latest news and how it will impact the rest of the world in Start Your Week. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Gavin Esler. Audio production: Tom Taylor. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For the first time, a woman will serve as White House Chief of Staff – but who is Susie Wiles? As Trump’s closest confidante, is Susie Wiles the most powerful woman in the world? Today in The Bunker, Jacob Jarvis speaks with Michael Kruse, senior staff writer at POLITICO, to explore Wiles’ history, her influence over Trump, and whether she can keep Elon Musk under control. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editors: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a world where politicians and oligarchs make wild plans, we often hear the cry “They’re reading too much science fiction.” But instead, should our leaders read MORE about alternate futures and the unforeseen consequences of technology? Clarke Award-winning author Adrian Tchaikovsky – of Children of Time and Dogs of War fame – tells Andrew Harrison why science fiction’s job is more complex than just predicting the future… how it can explain egotists like Musk… and the science fiction he thinks Starmer should read. • Adrian Tchaikovsky’s new book Shroud is available for pre-order. Adrian’s choices for Keir Starmer: • After Atlas by Emma Newman • The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi • Ministry For The Future by Kim Stanley Robinson • Support us on Patreon for early episodes and more • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trump denied links to Project 2025, the right-wing manifesto for a conservative president, throughout his campaign. But despite this, many of his actions in office so far have looked familiar to those who read the document. To discuss how closely he’s following it, Gavin Esler speaks to Andy Kroll from ProPublica, who’s been diving into the connections and their implications. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editors: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A shock new poll has put Reform ahead of Labour for the first time – could this be just a short-term protest, or could this be the start of a shake-up of Britain’s status quo? Today in The Bunker, Alex von Tunzelmann is joined by Ben Walker, senior data journalist at The New Statesman and founder of Britain Elects to discuss the numbers and ask if it’s time to start worrying about them. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. • Go to proton.me/thebunker to receive a 38% discount on Proton Mail www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex von Tunzelmann. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editors: Tom Taylor. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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From school canteens to prison kitchens, the quality of the meals served in public institutions is often alarmingly poor. But rather than accepting this, could fixing the issue boost Britain in ways we might not realise? In today’s episode, Coco Khan speaks with Kevin Morgan, Professor of Governance and Development at Cardiff University and author of Serving the Public, to explore how better institutional food can boost public health, support local businesses, and perhaps even lead to the economic growth politicians desire. Buy Serving the Public: The Good Food Revolution in Schools, Hospitals and Prisons. through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Coco Khan. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editors: Tom Taylor. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Billionaires are often praised as disruptive innovators, philanthropists, or brilliant problem solvers – but they’re also a clear sign of growing inequality. So, are they ever truly a force for good? Today in The Bunker, Zing Tsjeng is joined by Carl Rhodes, Dean of the UTS Business School at the University of Technology Sydney and author of Stinking Rich, to answer the question: is there such a thing as a good billionaire? Buy Stinking Rich: The Four Myths of the Good Billionaire through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Zing Tsjeng. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editors: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trump’s first term might have been a political nightmare, but at least it was a golden age for truth-telling journalism. But this time, news outlets from the Washington Post to CNN have bent the knee to MAGA with indecent, craven haste – while papers like the New York Times have retreated, terrified, into euphemism. What do the news oligarchs think they’ll get from Trump? And will there be anything left of a free media when he is done with them? “Our incumbent media are failing us terribly,” US media analyst Jeff Jarvis tells Gavin Esler, “and we are in the middle of a coup… It’s business interests über alles.” • “Liberal America is enraged by the liberal press and is turning away from it.” • Support us on Patreon for early episodes and more . • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

China’s gamechanging A.I. “DeepSeek” came out of nowhere to grab headlines and in turn rock financial markets. The release of the free app triggered a sharp reaction, wiping out a trillion dollars in value from major U.S. based A.I. firms. – and raising questions over America’s dominance in the realm of artificial intelligence. Is this a sign of an industry in flux, or the beginning of a major shift? Alex von Tunzelmann is joined by tech journalist Karen Hao to examine the implications of DeepSeek’s rise. • Go to proton.me/thebunker to receive a 38% discount on Proton Mail • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex von Tunzelmann. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editors: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trump’s trade war has begun as he seeks to bully the world with tariffs. What’s going on and what effects will we see in the coming days? And how will his whims wreak havoc on global relations? And looking closer to home, Brexit’s back on the menu. Starmer is off to meet EU leaders, what should we look out for? Gavin Esler and Ros Taylor discuss this and more as they lay out the week ahead. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ros Taylor with Gavin Esler. Audio production: Tom Taylor. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Bunker panel is back! This week, we dive into the wild world of podcasting. Anyone with a mic and a Wi-Fi connection can broadcast their thoughts to the masses – but should they? This month, the panel debates the pros and cons of the ever-expanding political podcast landscape. Are bro-casts speeding us toward cultural collapse? What are our biggest podcasting icks? And should there be legal restrictions on men aged 30-45 from purchasing microphones? Join host Jacob Jarvis with an all-star lineup of guests: Podmasters head honcho Andrew Harrison; audio reviewer at The Observer, Miranda Sawyer, and founder of London Centric and former media editor at The Guardian, Jim Waterson. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donald Trump is often labeled a threat to democracy – but could political myths perpetuated by ordinary Americans be just as much of an issue? Millions of voters confidently cling to political myths as if they were hard truths, unaware that they’re propping up the fake news they claim to hate. In this episode of The Bunker, Chris Jones speaks with Dr. Casey Burgat, host of Mastering the Room and author of We Hold These Truths: How to Spot the Myths That Are Holding America Back, to examine the heart of misinformation, its far-reaching effects on democracy, and the fundamental misconceptions shaping America. Buy We Hold These Truths: How to Spot the Myths That Are Holding America Back through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Chris Jones. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editors: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The number of artists being “cancelled” seems to be growing every day. But is it ok to continue to enjoy the art they made even if they’re awful people? Today on The Bunker, Rafael Behr sits down with philosophy professor Mary Beth Willard, author of Why It's OK to Enjoy the Work of Immoral Artists, to explore whether we can truly separate the art from the artist, uncover the real power of cancelling an artist, and ask: how do these choices shape the future of art and accountability? • Buy Why It’s OK To Enjoy Immoral Artists through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Rafael Behr. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editors: Tom Taylor and Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trump is constantly talking about tariffs and has started to use the threat of them as part of his geopolitical bullying campaign. What impact would these measures have across the world? Why is he so set on them? Ros Taylor asks Dmitry Grozoubinski, author of Why Politicians Lie About Trade... and What You Need to Know About It, to discuss everything you need to know about tariffs and Trump’s trade wars. Buy Why Politicians Lie About Trade... and What You Need to Know About It through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. • Go to proton.me/thebunker to receive a 38% discount on Proton Mail www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Audio production: Tom Taylor. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trump and Starmer had a chinwag over the phone at the weekend – what did we learn and how can the PM navigate this relationship? And what will unfold in the aftermath of Trump’s manic first week? Plus, we look at clashes at home as the government targets Farage, as well as the latest world news, with updates from Gaza and Ukraine. Author and historian Alex von Tunzelmann joins Jacob Jarvis to talk through the week ahead and recent news you might have missed. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Alex von Tunzelmann. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why did otherwise civilised Germans welcome Hitler’s message of hatred and racial supremacy so fervently? Laurence Rees wrote and produced the acclaimed BBC series The Nazis: A Warning From History as well as documentaries on Auschwitz, Stalin, the Russian Front and the Holocaust. He talks to Andrew Harrison about his new book The Nazi Mind, where he examines the psychological mechanisms that drew Germany into the horrors of the Second World War – and how those same deep compulsions are revitalising the far-right today. • Buy The Nazi Mind through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too. • Support us on Patreon for early episodes and more. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The past 12 months have seen stunning reverses for both Russia and for Iran’s ‘Axis of Resistance’ in the Middle East. Rebels humiliated Putin in Syria and Israel devastated Iranian proxies such has Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon – albeit it at appalling human cost. Is the region finally turning a corner? Does the ceasefire really mean Israel has “won”? Could the Iranian regime fall? RUSI fellow Jason Pack of the Disorder podcast explains connects the threads of a crucial period for the region. • Support us on Patreon for early episodes and more. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On December 14, 2012, Robbie Parker's world was shattered. His daughter, Emilie, was among the victims of the tragic Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. As if the grief of losing a child wasn’t enough, Robbie and other parents were forced to confront an unthinkable challenge: a wave of harassment and lies spawned by conspiracy theorists. In this episode, Robbie Parker, author of A Father's Fight, joins Gavin Esler to discuss his legal battle with conspiracy theorist talking head Alex Jones and the struggle to protect his daughter’s memory amidst a sea of disinformation. Buy A Father's Fight: Taking on Alex Jones and Reclaiming the Truth About Sandy Hook through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editors: Tom Taylor. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The online radicalisation of men and ‘incels’ by the far right is well documented – but what about the women they target? What role do forums for mums and Instagram food vlogs play in luring women into movements that seek to undermine their freedoms? Today in The Bunker, Lois Shearing, author of Pink-Pilled: Women and the Far Right, joins Zoë Grünewald to explore how these groups operate and what can be done to stop them. Buy Pink-Pilled: Women and the Far Right through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too. https://uk.bookshop.org/a/13277/9781526170699 • Go to proton.me/thebunker to receive a 38% discount on Proton Mail • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Zoë Grünewald. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Robin Leeburn Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donald Trump will officially become the president of the United States today – what will he say as he lays out his plans for America? And how will he shake things up on the global stage? Gavin Esler talks Jacob Jarvis through what we should we should expect from the beginning of Trump’s second presidency. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Gavin Esler. Audio production: Tom Taylor. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Keir Starmer wants Britain to “mainline artificial intelligence into its veins” and says A.I. will transform the our lives for the better. But as job automation races ahead, is anyone listening to the voices of working people? Has Labour been captured by the A.I. lobby? Mary Towers leads the TUC’s work on A.I. She tells Andrew Harrison what we need to do to make this Fourth Industrial Revolution work for everyone – not just Big Tech and corporate cost-cutters. • Support us on Patreon for early episodes and more • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. Written and presented by Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A special crosspost from our geopolitics podcast This Is Not A Drill. After 15 months of horror, a ceasefire and hostage release deal triggers rejoicing in Israel and Palestine. But the deal is ambiguous and built around only a gradual release of Palestinian prisoners and Israeli hostages, with no agreement to end the war yet. While Trump rushes to claim credit, some fear the deal is so loose it might collapse. Could this conflict reignite? Gavin Esler talks to Middle East expert Dr H.A. Hellyer of RUSI, the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security, about Israel and Gaza’s fragile moment of hope. • No longer on Twitter? Follow Gavin Esler and This Is Not A Drill on BlueSky. • Support This Is Not A Drill to continue by backing us on Patreon. You’ll get early, ad-free editions, merchandise and more. Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Original theme music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com. Executive Producer Martin Bojtos. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. This Is Not A Drill is a Podmasters production podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mark Zuckerberg has announced he’s ditching fact checking on Facebook and across Meta platforms. This is starting in the US, but how far will it go? And how much worse will it make the content on his social media channels? Chris Jones speaks to tech journalist and LBC correspondent Will Guyatt to find out why the Facebook boss is making these changes, beyond just cosying up to Trump, and what their impact will be. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Chris Jones. Audio production: Tom Taylor. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production https://www.podmasters.co.uk/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices