The Muckrake Political Podcast

This is a free preview of the Weekender edition of the podcast. In order to unlock the full episode, as well as live shows, the mailbag, and exclusive access to our Discord server, head over to Patreon.com/MuckrakePodcast. Your support keeps this project going and keeps us editorially independent. Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman break down a national address from Donald Trump that played out like a second-grader trying to fake his way through a book report. Between the threats to bomb Iran back to the Stone Age and the bizarre claim that the Strait of Hormuz will just "naturally" reopen, the performance was a desperate attempt to stall for time as market futures cratered. The conversation digs into the grim reality behind the rhetoric, featuring an administration paralyzed by the choice between a catastrophic ground war and a global economic depression. We also look at the exit of Pam Bondi from the DOJ. Whether it’s a mutual destruction pact over the Epstein files or a move to bring in a more aggressive interim AG like Todd Blanche, the corruption is out in the open. The episode also covers the Supreme Court battle over birthright citizenship, the Chinese hack of the FBI's surveillance systems, and the psychosexual disaster of the modern GOP—specifically the "bimbo-ification" and roleplay scandals surrounding Brian and Kristi Noem. To wrap things up, the guys share their Weekender recommendations, including a look at the chaotic documentary chronicling the disaster of Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis.

Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman analyze a flurry of conflicting signals regarding potential boots-on-the-ground operations in Iran. While the Pentagon floats plans for "weeks-long" missions, Donald Trump’s recent interviews suggest a far more indefinite and chaotic strategy involving oil seizures and uranium. The duo explores the disconnect between military reality and the "professional" regime change narratives being fed to a leader who seems increasingly lost in the tides of history. The conversation then shifts to the psychological toll of authoritarianism, sparked by reports that the acting head of ICE has been hospitalized twice for stress-related issues. Jared and Nick discuss how the human spirit repels the work of oppression and why the "banality of evil" eventually breaks those tasked with carrying it out. Finally, they look toward Russia, where rumors of a coup against Vladimir Putin highlight the ultimate misery of the modern dictator. In this episode: The "Bar Fight" analogy: Why Iran won't back down and why Trump is locked in. Modern warfare: Drones, robots, and the tragic return of flag-draped coffins. The "Wile E. Coyote" economy and the impending rug pull. A retrospective on 9/11, Al Gore, and how the "Liberal Order" finally broke.

Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman break down a week of absolute cognitive dissonance: a President receiving military briefings via two-minute "action" reels, an economy that seems to be running on Wile E. Coyote physics, and a landmark legal reckoning for the tech giants who built our fractured reality. From charging electric cars at gas stations that sell steak to the "suicide mission" plans for Kharg Island, it’s a deep dive into the crumbling facade of the American empire. The Michael Bay Briefing: NBC reveals that Donald Trump’s primary source for Iran war updates is a "things blowing up" compilation. The Wile E. Coyote Economy: Why the markets remain eerily calm while the petrodollar system is in flames. The Great Tech Reckoning: Landmark judgments against Meta and YouTube for mental health damages could be the "Big Tobacco moment" for Silicon Valley. The CBS Exodus: Ratings are cratering as the network pivots toward billionaire-friendly propaganda. Culture Corner: Nick struggles through the "dystopian burnout" of Paradise, while Jared survives the 760-page psychological warfare of Pynchon’s Gravity’s Rainbow. If you’re listening to this preview, head over to Patreon.com/muckrakepodcast to become a patron. You’ll get access to the full show, live chats, and Q&A sessions. We remain editorially independent and ad-free because of your support.

Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman take stock of a government too broke to staff its own airports and an administration whose solution is to flood them with ICE agents. An idea that originated, no joke, with a caller to the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. From there, the guys trace the authoritarian logic of filling institutional vacuums with paramilitary loyalists, and what that means for the next time you try to catch a flight. They also dig into Trump's Iran ultimatum that expired without consequence, the fake negotiations that briefly bounced the markets back up, and why every country on earth is currently doing the math on going nuclear. And if you think Russia planning a fake assassination of Viktor Orban sounds familiar, Jared and Nick have some thoughts on that too. Support the show by signing up to our Patreon to hear the full Weekender episode each Friday as well as special Live Shows and access to our community discord: http://patreon.com/muckrakepodcast 00:00 Mercury in Retrograde 01:26 ICE at the Airports 07:23 Fascism Fills the Vacuum 09:20 TSA Was Always Security Theater 16:08 Iran's Ultimatum That Wasn't 20:20 Europe Bails, the Petrodollar Wobbles 27:33 Fertilizer, Fuel, and Food Prices 31:34 Democrats Move Against Schumer 38:05 Operation Game Changer 43:33 Butler PA and the USS Gerald Ford

This is a preview of our Weekender show. To listen to the whole show and unlock lots of extras like access to our Discord discussion and Live Shows, become a patron at http://patreon.com/muckrakepodcast Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman dive into the escalating strikes on Iranian oil refineries and the potential death of the petrodollar to the "Two Pricks Protocol" on display during the Markwayne Mullin confirmation hearings, the guys break down the evolutionary progress toward "stupid fascism." 00:00 — Personal Christmas: NCAA tournament talk and Wisconsin's "dreaded" 5-seed. 01:10 — Black Gold: The speed run toward economic collapse via Iranian oil strikes. 10:40 — Event Horizon: How America bet the empire on a finite substance. 20:10 — Nuclear Newt: Gingrich mistakes satire for a viable military strategy. 30:50 — Two Pricks Protocol: A masterclass in punchable pedantry between Paul and Mullen. 40:20 — Watch List: Deep dives into Begonia and the capitalist insanity of Neighbors.

Co-hosts Nick Hauselman and Jared Yates Sexton analyze a world barreling toward escalation as the Trump administration stares down a closed Strait of Hormuz. While the American economy teeters, European allies have begun navigating their own paths, negotiating directly with Iran and signaling a massive fracture in the Western alliance. The duo examines the disconnect between military reality and the hubris of an administration that seems to have ignored the tactical nightmares of Persian topography and drone warfare. From the potential collapse of the petrodollar to the suspicious timing of Chinese military sorties around Taiwan, the conversation maps out the crumbling of the American global order. This episode also dives into the bizarre rift between Donald Trump and Tucker Carlson. With Carlson alleging a CIA-led criminal referral against him, Nick and Jared peel back the layers of deep politics, investigating whether this is a genuine investigation or a shot across the bow in a brewing far-right civil war. Join our patreon and unlock a lot of great content like Live Shows and our Discord discussion: http://patreon.com/muckrakepodcast

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 at patreon.com/muckrakepodcast Nick Hauselman returns to join Jared Yates Sexton just in time to survey a global landscape that grows more barren by the second. This week, the pair dives deep into the worsening quagmire in the Strait of Hormuz. The Trump administration’s "mission accomplished" rhetoric has met the cold reality of an Iranian "kill box." As the economic soil thins and the President takes strategic advice from a Vladimir Putin phone call, Jared and Nick wonder if there’s any off-ramp left before the drone footage starts hitting home. These analysts also examine the absurd dominance rituals currently defining the West Wing. This includes Kash Patel’s pathetic UFC-inspired FBI training alongside the strange revelation that JD Vance and Marco Rubio are clomping around in oversized $150 Florsheim shoes. The episode wraps with some much-needed cultural escapism. They discuss the perfection of Silence of the Lambs and the disco-country stylings of Johnny Blue Skies. It’s a world where the adults have left the building. The guys in charge are more worried about their shoe size than a global supply chain collapse. Buckle in for a bumpy weekend.

Nick Hauselman is out, leaving Jared Yates Sexton to handle operations. In this episode, Jared gets into the weeds regarding the quagmire in Iran, where the U.S. has no plan and things keep trending in the direction of chaos and destruction. With each passing day, off-ramps continue to disappear, so what are we to make of this crisis? To support the show, head over to http://patreon.com/muckrakepodcast and become a patron. You'll gain access to the Friday Weekender episode and future live shows, including mailbags where Jared and Nick answer your questions.

The humiliation of Kristi Noem is finally complete as co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman discuss Donald Trump shipping her off to a fake "envoy" role to make room for Senator Mark Wayne Mullen. It is a transition from calculated propaganda to pure, unadulterated incompetence at the head of the DHS. While the administration celebrates the end of "woke" military restraint, the actual war in Iran is turning into a localized catastrophe. A recent strike on an Iranian school has claimed the lives of over 100 children because a hallucinating AI program flagged it as a military target. This is the new face of American warfare where accountability is offloaded to an algorithm while Pete Hegseth postures on cable news. We are burning a billion dollars a day on a conflict that has no exit strategy and a commander-in-chief who treats war crimes like a branding exercise.

The U.S. and Israel have officially decapitated the Iranian leadership. Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman break down the first 48 hours of a conflict that is rapidly spiraling out of control. While the administration claims a swift victory, the reality suggests a massive regional war is only just beginning. Donald Trump is already shifting his timeline for the conflict in every media appearance. The hosts examine his rambling press availability where he discussed military projections and ballroom curtains in the same breath. It is clear that the leader of the free world has no long-term goal for this campaign. The conversation dives into the terrifying logistics of the Iranian response. Iran is currently firing missiles in all directions to test the limits of American munitions. The hosts discuss the high cost of defense and the possibility of running out of interceptors within weeks. This episode also covers growing dissent within the American military apparatus. Leaks from the officer class suggest the Pentagon explicitly warned against this strike. Finally, the duo looks at domestic fallout and the immediate push for authoritarian crackdowns. The empire is flagging and the people at the wheel are currently eating the game piec