Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes

Grant Hermes
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Politics has never been more chaotic, and most podcasts just add to the noise. Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes cuts through it. Grant is an AP Award-winning journalist with over a decade of on-the-ground reporting on the biggest political stories, scandals, and elections in America. Twice a week, he takes the stories dominating the headlines and breaks them down in plain English — no jargon, no spin, no shouting. If you care about what’s happening in this country but you’re exhausted by how it’s being covered, this is the show for you. Real reporting. Clear explanations. Actual context. Make It Make Sense drops three times a week. Subscribe so you never miss it.

  1. 1 day ago

    Trump Has Made $1.8 Billion From Crypto While President. A Corruption Researcher Explains How.

    Zach Everson is the research director at Public Citizen and the head of their Trump Accountability Project. He is a former Forbes reporter who has spent a decade tracking how Donald Trump uses the presidency to make money. This term, he says, the scale is incomparable to the first. Forbes estimates Trump has made roughly $1.9 billion from crypto since being reelected. That includes the meme coin, the USD1 stable coin backed by a UAE-linked investment firm, and World Liberty Financial, which sold 49% of itself to the UAE's national security advisor days before Trump was inaugurated. Zach breaks down exactly how each product works, why the money flows to Trump even when the coins are essentially worthless, and why a $2 billion investment from a foreign government's financial arm into a product Trump controls is the most serious emoluments case no one is talking about. They also get into why this corruption isn't breaking through with the public the way it should, what it would actually take to stop a future president from doing the same thing, and why Zach says Trump has opened a Pandora's box that neither party has closed. CHAPTERS: 0:00 Trump is using the presidency to make money in broad daylight. This is how. 1:53 Meet Zach Everson: 10 years tracking Trump's business interests at Forbes and Public Citizen 2:47 Why Zach left Mar-a-Lago visitor tracking behind and went all-in on crypto 4:15 The difference between Trump's first and second term: from $100K ballroom rentals to billions 6:38 How Trump went from "crypto is thin air" to making $1.9 billion from it 7:10 The NFTs, World Liberty Financial, the meme coin, and the USD1 stable coin explained 10:00 How the meme coin makes money even when it's worthless 11:30 The UAE invested $2 billion into Trump's stable coin. Here's what they got in return. 13:30 Forbes pegs Trump's crypto earnings at $1.9 billion since reelection 15:00 Why crypto is the perfect influence-peddling vehicle: public blockchain, hidden identities 16:00 85% of Trump's stable coin is held overseas. What that actually means. 17:05 The emoluments clause, the UAE's national security advisor, and the case no one is bringing 18:11 Sponsor: Cozy Earth 19:47 How Trump's for-profit presidency escalated from a soap bar to billions in crypto 22:15 Why the public stopped caring about Trump's corruption and what it would take to change that 23:05 Don Jr. up sevenfold, Eric Trump worth $400 million: the children's cut 25:34 Why the slush fund broke through when the crypto billions didn't 27:04 How do we stop the next president from doing this? What guardrails could actually work? 29:57 Wrap-up and where to find Zach's work LINKS:  MAKE IT MAKE SENSE SUBSTACK  PUBLIC CITIZEN PROMO CODES:  This episode is sponsored by Cozy Earth. Summer nights and a chaotic news cycle are a rough combo — at least your sheets shouldn't make it worse. Cozy Earth's bamboo sheets and brushed bamboo pajamas are temperature-regulating, insanely soft, and built for actually sleeping cool. Use code MIMS25 at CozyEarth.com for 30% off — and when you do, you're also supporting the show. Support the show Follow along on social media  X: @GrantHermes Insta: @Grant__Hermes Tiktok: Grant_Hermes

    31 min

  2. 2 days ago

    Trump Hadn't Been Seen in a Week And Then Showed Up Like This?

    Trump went seven full days without a public appearance. When he resurfaced, it was first in a pre-taped podcast interview with a friendly outlet where he didn't look well, and then in an unscheduled Oval Office press conference where he struggled to follow questions, compared a flat reflecting pool to skyscrapers, and told Kaitlin Collins to smile more. That press conference also produced the clearest sign yet that the Iran conflict is not a ceasefire in any meaningful sense of the word. The US has now fired on six civilian merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump couldn't say the word "ceasefire" when asked directly. Congress noticed. The House passed a war powers resolution to end the Iran conflict last night, with four Republicans crossing party lines. The Senate already passed its own version two weeks ago. What happens if Trump ignores both, and what it means for the midterms, is what Grant breaks down today. Also: Todd Blanche gets rewarded for protecting Trump's immunity deal with a nomination for Attorney General, the $1.8 billion slush fund is dead on paper but not really, and Sen. Lindsey Graham is already working on a replacement. Going Postal: The New USPS Rule To Surveil Your Vote PROMO CODES:  This episode is sponsored by Cozy Earth. Summer nights and a chaotic news cycle are a rough combo — at least your sheets shouldn't make it worse. Cozy Earth's bamboo sheets and brushed bamboo pajamas are temperature-regulating, insanely soft, and built for actually sleeping cool. Use code MIMS25 at CozyEarth.com for 30% off — and when you do, you're also supporting the show. Support the show Follow along on social media  X: @GrantHermes Insta: @Grant__Hermes Tiktok: Grant_Hermes

    20 min

  3. 4 days ago

    Trump's $1.8 Billion Slush Fund Is Collapsing. His Own Party Is Turning on Him.

    Two federal judges have now stepped in to freeze Trump's $1.8 billion anti-weaponization slush fund. One judge in Virginia halted all payouts. A judge in Miami reopened the entire IRS lawsuit after 35 former federal judges called the settlement a fraud on the court. The DOJ quietly backed down Monday and said it would comply. That means the Trump loyalists who were promised a payout for their loyalty are not getting one, at least for now. And the Republicans in the Senate are furious. Grant also breaks down the Bill Pulte appointment as acting DNI, why legal experts say it may be illegal, what the Iran ceasefire collapse actually means for oil prices this summer, and Trump's "I don't care" tell that one of his own biographers says is code for something specific. CHAPTERS 0:00 Everything that went wrong for Trump this week 1:52 Bill Pulte named acting DNI: who he is and why the appointment may be illegal 4:08 How Pulte used housing agencies to go after Trump's political enemies 6:00 Iran ceasefire collapse: what actually happened over the weekend 8:13 What Trump's "I don't care" actually means, according to his biographer Michael Wolff 8:40 Oil at $150 a barrel? Gas could hit $6 by Fourth of July 11:00 Sponsor: Cozy Earth 12:37 The $1.8 billion slush fund explained: how a lawsuit against himself became an immunity deal 15:00 Two judges freeze the slush fund: Virginia halts payouts, Miami reopens the IRS case 17:09 The DOJ backs down, Trump loyalists get nothing, and Senate Republicans revolt 19:00 The "wounded bear caucus": why a furious GOP Senate is Trump's biggest problem right now THINGS YOU FORGOT FROM CIVICS CLASS PROMO CODE This episode is sponsored by Cozy Earth. Summer nights and a chaotic news cycle are a rough combo — at least your sheets shouldn't make it worse. Cozy Earth's bamboo sheets and brushed bamboo pajamas are temperature-regulating, insanely soft, and built for actually sleeping cool. Use code MIMS25 at CozyEarth.com for 30% off — and when you do, you're also supporting the show. Support the show Follow along on social media  X: @GrantHermes Insta: @Grant__Hermes Tiktok: Grant_Hermes

    20 min

  4. 29 May

    A CIA Veteran Says Trump Is Using "National Security" the Way Dictators Do. He's Seen It Before.

    Steve Cash from The Steady State is back on the show this week. He spent his career as a prosecutor, CIA counterterrorism officer, and DHS intelligence official. He also lived and worked in countries run by authoritarian leaders. What he's watching happen in the United States right now looks familiar. In this conversation, Grant and Steve break down how "national security" has become the Trump administration's all-purpose justification for avoiding oversight, accountability, and logic. When everything is national security, Steve argues, nothing is. They also get into the other half of the story: the ballroom, the arch, the UFC cage going up on the White House lawn, the reflecting pool redesign, Trump Penn Station. What does it mean when a sitting president is spending war cabinet meetings talking about monument construction? Steve Cash is a co-founder of The Steady State, a national security organization made up of former intelligence, diplomatic, and defense officials.  CHAPTERS: 0:00 The ballroom, the bunker, and what Trump keeps giving away about White House security 2:39 Dictator aesthetic: why authoritarian leaders always build monuments to themselves 7:28 "Dictator chic" and the architecture of power from Saddam Hussein to Mar-a-Lago 9:20 The UFC cage on the White House lawn and the logic of bread and circuses 11:13 The juxtaposition: a national security bunker next to an open-air arena for 5,000 people 13:35 Sebastian Gorka's counterterrorism strategy and labeling political opponents as terrorists 16:00 When "national security threat" means anyone who disagrees with Trump 17:39 The Soviet playbook: how making everything national security makes nothing national security 19:11 Sponsor: Cozy Earth 21:00 How do we trust national security assessments after Trump? Can it be rebuilt? 22:13 Steve's Churchill analogy: we're still fighting on the beaches 24:30 The six biggest national security threats in the next six months 26:58 Trump's claim we don't need the Strait of Hormuz, Cuba, Venezuela, and a president who can't keep the wars straight 28:18 Trump's health, his inability to track facts, and what it means when we can't trust any information 30:08 How to fight back: get smart, find allies, embrace the risk, and hold fast LINKS: The Steady State: https://www.thesteadystate.org Steady State Substack: https://steadystate1.substack.com/ Subscribe on Substack: Mimsnewspod.substack.com Support the show Follow along on social media  X: @GrantHermes Insta: @Grant__Hermes Tiktok: Grant_Hermes

    36 min

  5. 28 May

    Iran Violated The Ceasefire While Making A Deal, Troops Ready To Invade Cuba & Trump's Face On Money

    It's a grab bag episode, because everything is happening at once. Iran launched missiles at Kuwait AND drones near the Strait of Hormuz while reportedly agreeing to a 60-day ceasefire extension. Troops are massing in the Caribbean ready to invade Cuba. Trump's DOJ is investigating E. Jean Carroll, the woman he was found to have sexually assaulted in civil court and owes $91.6 million. DHS is reportedly planning to shut down 70% of international travel. And Trump skipped meeting the 14 service members wounded in the war he started, while he was in the same building. AND there's now a UFC cage match arena going up on the White House lawn. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 01:45 Iran "Ceasefire" — Violations & The New MOU Deal 06:30 Cuba Invasion — Troops Are Ready 10:00 Trump's Polls Hit Record Lows 12:15 The Reflecting Pool Rant & Penn Station 16:00 Trump Wants His Face on a $250 Bill 19:30 The UFC Arena on the White House Lawn 23:00 DOJ Targets E. Jean Carroll 27:30 Trump Skipped the Wounded Soldiers at Walter Reed 30:00 Wrap-Up The Invisible Wall Is Being Built How Does The Government Make Money?  PROMO CODES:  This episode is sponsored by Cozy Earth. Summer nights and a chaotic news cycle are a rough combo — at least your sheets shouldn't make it worse. Cozy Earth's bamboo sheets and brushed bamboo pajamas are temperature-regulating, insanely soft, and built for actually sleeping cool. Use code MIMS25 at CozyEarth.com for 30% off — and when you do, you're also supporting the show. Support the show Follow along on social media  X: @GrantHermes Insta: @Grant__Hermes Tiktok: Grant_Hermes

    20 min

  6. 26 May

    Trump said the Iran deal was 'DONE.' Now we're back at war.

    Trump spent the weekend claiming an Iran deal was basically done, just some last-minute details to iron out. Except that those "details" were Iran's entire nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz. Then Qatar had to take over the negotiations. Then the deal wasn't a deal. Then bombs started falling again. Grant breaks down the full Iran saga, the not-deal-deal, the Abraham Accords demand that stunned Middle Eastern leaders into silence, the Atomic Energy Commission that hasn't existed since 1975, and what it all actually means for a war that isn't ending anytime soon. PLUS, Trump's 3rd visit to see a doctor in 13 months, and how he says it went. THEN: The Democratic Party's autopsy report was a disaster. Run for Something's Amanda Litman is back to explain exactly why, what it means for 2026 and beyond, and who (if anyone) should be leading the party right now. WHY AREN'T TERM LIMITS? PROMO CODE: This episode is sponsored by Cozy Earth. Summer nights and a chaotic news cycle are a rough combo — at least your sheets shouldn't make it worse. Cozy Earth's bamboo sheets and brushed bamboo pajamas are temperature-regulating, insanely soft, and built for actually sleeping cool. Use code MIMS25 at CozyEarth.com for 30% off — and when you do, you're also supporting the show. CHAPTERS: 0:00 – Intro: The "done" deal that wasn't done 2:45 – Iran negotiations fall apart in real time 6:00 – Qatar takes over and the deal collapses 9:30 – Trump demands 9 Muslim nations join the Abraham Accords 13:00 – The Atomic Energy Commission gaffe (it closed in 1975) 16:30 – US resumes bombing & the War Powers Act problem 20:00 – Trump's 3rd physical in 13 months 23:00 – Ad break 24:30 – Interview: Amanda Litman on the Democratic autopsy disaster 28:00 – What the DNC actually does (and why it matters) 33:00 – Ken Martin and the failure of party leadership 39:00 – Is there time to save the Democratic Party before 2026? 44:00 – Who should replace Ken Martin? 49:00 – Can Democrats rebuild trust with voters? 53:00 – Wrap-up Support the show Follow along on social media  X: @GrantHermes Insta: @Grant__Hermes Tiktok: Grant_Hermes

    37 min

  7. 26 May

    The DOJ Is Being Dismantled From the Inside, A Former Insider Explains What We're Losing

    The Department of Justice has lost over 10,000 employees. The acting Attorney General, Todd Blanche, appears to be auditioning for the permanent job by doing whatever the President wants. The FBI Director, Kash Patel, has faced serious misconduct allegations, and nothing has been done about it. So what does it actually mean for the rest of us? Grant sits down with Stacey Young, founder of Justice Connection, an organization supporting current and former DOJ employees navigating this unprecedented moment, for a frank conversation about the $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund, the erosion of institutional trust, and what rebuilding the DOJ might actually look like.  Chapters: 0:00 – Intro: What's Happened to the DOJ2:20 – The $1.8 Billion "Slush Fund" — Most Corrupt Act Ever?4:33 – Jan. 6 Prosecutors React: "One Devastating Blow After Another"8:00 – 10,000+ DOJ Employees Gone: What That Actually Means12:00 – Lowering Standards & Begging People to Apply15:00 – Todd Blanche vs. Pam Bondi: Why It Got Worse18:44 – Ad: Ground News (40% Off)21:02 – Kash Patel and the FBI: A "Corrupt Clown" Running the Show26:00 – The Career Employees Still Showing Up Every Day29:00 – How to Rebuild the DOJ — and Who Needs to Be at the Table32:00 – How YOU Can Help Right Now33:24 – Wrap-Up & Substack PlugsJustice Connection PROMO CODES:  The news is chaotic enough — you shouldn't also have to wonder if you're only getting half the story. Ground News shows you how every outlet, left, right, and center, is covering the same event, so you can see the full picture instead of just one side's version of it. Their Blindspot feed even surfaces stories that are being ignored by one side of the political spectrum entirely. Less echo chamber. More clarity.  Go to https://bit.ly/4dvTblK for 40% off their best plan, the Vantage subscription. Support the show Follow along on social media  X: @GrantHermes Insta: @Grant__Hermes Tiktok: Grant_Hermes

    35 min

  8. 21 May

    The DNC's 2024 Autopsy Is a Mess, Here's Everything Wrong With It

    The Democratic Party just released its long-awaited autopsy of the 2024 Harris campaign, and it's not what voters were promised. The 192-page report has no executive summary, no conclusion, no sourcing, and is riddled with basic factual errors. The DNC itself won't endorse it. So what does it actually say, and why was it released at all? Today, Grant breaks down what's in the report, what's glaringly missing (hint: Gaza), and what this tells us about the Democratic Party six months out from the midterms. 🔔 Subscribe so you don't miss new episodes — new videos drop weekly. CHAPTERS: 0:00 Intro 1:15 What an autopsy report is supposed to do 3:00 What's wrong with this one 6:30 What the report actually says 10:45 The economy & messaging failures 14:00 Immigration, climate & abortion 17:20 The Israel/Gaza blackout 20:10 Why Ken Martin is now under fire 23:00 What this means for the midterms PROMO CODES:  The news is chaotic enough — you shouldn't also have to wonder if you're only getting half the story. Ground News shows you how every outlet, left, right, and center, is covering the same event, so you can see the full picture instead of just one side's version of it. Their Blindspot feed even surfaces stories that are being ignored by one side of the political spectrum entirely. Less echo chamber. More clarity.  Go to https://bit.ly/4dvTblK for 40% off their best plan, the Vantage subscription. Support the show Follow along on social media  X: @GrantHermes Insta: @Grant__Hermes Tiktok: Grant_Hermes

    20 min
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About

Politics has never been more chaotic, and most podcasts just add to the noise. Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes cuts through it. Grant is an AP Award-winning journalist with over a decade of on-the-ground reporting on the biggest political stories, scandals, and elections in America. Twice a week, he takes the stories dominating the headlines and breaks them down in plain English — no jargon, no spin, no shouting. If you care about what’s happening in this country but you’re exhausted by how it’s being covered, this is the show for you. Real reporting. Clear explanations. Actual context. Make It Make Sense drops three times a week. Subscribe so you never miss it.

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