THE DAILY BLAST with Greg Sargent

Greg Sargent
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Every weekday, The New Republic’s Greg Sargent brings you a fresh way of thinking about the biggest political stories of the moment, offered up in an entertaining, information-packed conversation with a leading lawmaker, journalist, or newsmaker. We go deep into the stories behind the headlines leading TNR and other news outlets—while making it fun and fast.  

  1. 8H AGO

    Trump’s Ugly New MS-13 Ramblings Wreck His Case Against Abrego Garcia

    President Donald Trump’s case for leaving Kilmar Abrego Garcia to rot in an El Salvadoran prison continues to collapse. In bizarre, rambling remarks to reporters in which Trump talked about Abrego Garcia’s alleged ties to MS-13, Trump revealed the profound weakness of his own arguments. In particularly ugly fashion, Trump basically admitted he knows little about the supposed evidence linking him to the gang—even though this notion is central to the rationale for refusing to bring him back. Today's guest has done deep research into MS-13: Eric Hershberg, a professor of government at American University and a leading contributor to a major report on the gang. He takes us inside this organization—and explains how implausible the case tying Abrego Garcia to it truly is. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    18 min

  2. 3D AGO

    Trump’s Fury at Harvard Darkens as GOPer Openly Admits: “We’re Afraid”

    In an extraordinary escalation of President Trump’s rage at Harvard University, the administration just threatened to block Harvard from receiving foreign students if the university doesn’t provide extensive information on students to the government. Trump also erupted at Harvard on Truth Social, making all kinds of other threats. On another front, GOP Senator Lisa Murkowski openly admitted to a sense of widespread terror of retaliation: “We are all afraid.” We talked to Jeffrey Sachs of Acadia University, a shrewd observer of authoritarianism. He walks us through the details of Trump’s new threat toward Harvard, how it can be challenged, the true nature of Trump allies’ long-term game plan, and whether our institutions will crumble in the face of it all.  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    25 min
  3. Fiasco for Trump as Judge Threatens Contempt amid New Warning in Polls

    4D AGO

    Fiasco for Trump as Judge Threatens Contempt amid New Warning in Polls

    Donald Trump’s illegal deportations are running into more trouble. A federal judge just declared there’s probable cause to find the administration in criminal contempt over the removal of Venezuelans to El Salvador. Meanwhile, a Democratic Senator went to El Salvador to check on Kilmar Abrego Garcia and got a shocking response. And a new polling analysis has a warning for Trump: On immigration, he’s significantly weaker than he appears. We think all this has the makings of a fiasco for Trump: He is heading toward defying the courts on this issue, in a way that could provoke a large backlash. We talked to New Republic staff writer Melissa Gira Grant, author of a good piece on Trump’s use of spectacle on immigration. She deciphers the new ruling, why it’s pushing us toward a crisis, and how Democrats can try to make it all backfire on Trump.  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    23 min

  4. 5D AGO

    Trump’s Unhinged Eruption at Harvard Actually Reveals Big MAGA Weakness

    Harvard University has declared that enough is enough, and it’s now openly refusing to buckle to Trump’s command for subservience on multiple fronts. In response, Trump erupted on Truth Social like a petty tinpot dictator, raging that Harvard should lose its tax exempt status and worse. We think this reveals a hidden weakness: Trump and MAGA know that if institutions don’t capitulate to them, and band together to overcome their collective action problem, the Trump-MAGA assault could very well falter. If there’s some way out of our disastrous mess, it partly involves major institutions doing exactly this, in a concerted, sustained way. We talked to Jonathan Friedman, the managing director of the free expression program at PEN America, about the real nature of Harvard’s pushback, the prospects for more institutions following suit, and the potential for a real united front of resistance to disarm MAGA.  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    21 min

  5. 6D AGO

    “Horrifying”: Trump’s Angry New Rants to Media Openly Defy SCOTUS

    On Monday, Donald Trump met with El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele, and in an act of true infamy, the two authoritarian leaders collectively agreed that wrongfully deported Kilmar Abrego Garcia will not be returned to the United States. And in a series of vile rants, Trump clearly telegraphed his intention to defy the Supreme Court, which has directed the administration to facilitate his return. We talked to Asawin Suebsaeng, a senior political reporter at Rolling Stone magazine and an adjunct journalism professor at the University of Cincinnati, who has been reporting on the Trump team’s plans to ramp up the lawless deportations and defy the high court. He explains what he’s learned about Trump’s true long-term intentions, which he terms “horrifying.” Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    22 min

  6. APR 14

    “Terrifying”: Trump’s Fury at Foes Darkens amid New Alina Habba Threat

    After President Trump raged for weeks at law firms he regards as personal enemies, a number of them just surrendered to him like falling dominoes. That Trump boasted about this on social media so conspicuously represents a dark turn: He’s warning anyone mulling resistance that it’s time to capitulate. Meanwhile, Alina Habba, a loyal Trump henchwoman who is now interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, launched investigations into the state’s governor and attorney general, lodging a dark threat of more to come for those who won’t do Trump’s bidding. We talked to law professor Leah Litman, author of Lawless, a new book about the Supreme Court. She reflects on whether our institutions are folding in the face of Trump’s escalating abuses, which she calls “terrifying,” and what must happen now to prevent the destruction of the rule of law in America.  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    24 min

  7. APR 11

    Fox News Accidentally Wrecks Trump’s Tariff Spin as MAGA Panic Worsens

    After President Trump’s supposed tariff “pause,” we still have a 10 percent tariff on most global imports, the trade war with China is intensifying, and markets have plunged again. Fox News figures are aggressively spinning the “pause” as sheer brilliance, propping up Trump’s own posture that he’s got everything running according to plan. Then a Fox correspondent told the truth: Trump got spooked by the bond markets. This shattered Trump’s illusion of command. Meanwhile, his cabinet members are slathering him with desperate flattery, even as Trump voters in focus groups are getting antsy and MAGA personalities are balking. We talked to historian Nicole Hemmer, the author of books on the right wing media and on conservative politics. She explains the deeper reasons for the right’s extraordinary turn toward Trump sycophancy—and why the tensions inside MAGA will worsen. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    24 min

  8. APR 10

    “Trump Is Backing Down Again”: Hakeem Jeffries Mocks Tariff Flip Flop

    President Donald Trump’s tariff chaos continues. He just announced a big reversal: For 90 days, the reciprocal tariffs will come down, but a universal 10 percent tariff will remain, and he’s hiking tariffs on China into the stratosphere. Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson just moved to prevent the House from voting on whether to rein in Trump’s assertion of unilateral authority to impose the tariffs—a clear abuse of power. This, plus the House GOP gearing up to cut Medicaid by hundreds of billions of dollars, gives Democrats major political openings. Will they capitalize? We talked to Representative Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader, who explains what Trump’s reversal says about his political weakness, why Democrats can seriously contest red-leaning districts next year, and how the party should prosecute the case against Trump’s dictatorial abuses of power.  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    29 min
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    Every weekday, The New Republic’s Greg Sargent brings you a fresh way of thinking about the biggest political stories of the moment, offered up in an entertaining, information-packed conversation with a leading lawmaker, journalist, or newsmaker. We go deep into the stories behind the headlines leading TNR and other news outlets—while making it fun and fast.  

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