The Real News Podcast

Daily Reports, specials, and podcasts by The Real News Network (TRNN). TRNN makes media connecting you to the movements, people, and perspectives that are advancing the cause of a more just, equal, and livable planet. TRNN is a nonprofit media organization. We do not accept advertising revenue or corporate sponsorship. Sign up for our newsletter at therealnews.com Text us at (410) 431-0868 Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support.

  1. Fired & Jailed: Attacks on Free Speech Under Trump

    1d ago

    Fired & Jailed: Attacks on Free Speech Under Trump

    Mahmoud Khalil was detained and arrested at his Manhattan apartment. The video is chilling. Plainclothes agents are there. They refuse to give their names. He’s handcuffed and shoved into the back of a car. His wife — eight months pregnant — watches and tries to understand what’s happening. This is not a scene from some dark chapter of a distant past filled with black-and-white photos of bygone dictatorships. This happened here, in the United States of America, in 2025. In this podcast series, in the lead-up to the country’s 250th anniversary, journalists Michael Fox and Marc Steiner look at the battle for our free speech rights today, and attacks on people speaking out in the United States. Hosted by Michael Fox and Marc Steiner. Theme music by Michael Fox, Jordan Klein, and Daniel Nuñez. Other music from Blue Dot Sessions and Epidemic Sound. Production and Sound Design by Michael Fox and Stephen Frank.  Editorial support by: Kayla Rivara and Heather Gies.  Research by Ben Schweiger. Guests:  Lisa Femia, Staff Attorney, Electronic Frontier FoundationCorinna Mullin, CUNY professorDavid Rubin, Staff Attorney, Foundation for Individual Rights and ExpressionAllen Chaney, Legal Director, ACLU - South CarolinaResources:  The Charlie Kirk purge: How 600 Americans were punished in a pro-Trump crackdown  Clemson Settles With Professor Fired for Kirk CommentsRetired police officer jailed over Charlie Kirk post settles lawsuit for more than $800K The war on our sight Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support. Help us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer. Follow us on: Bluesky: @therealnews.com Facebook: The Real News Network Twitter: @TheRealNews YouTube: @therealnews Instagram: @therealnewsnetwork Become a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!

    1h 9m
  2. HondurasGate: Leaks Reveal Right-Wing Plot to Dismantle Latin American Left

    May 28

    HondurasGate: Leaks Reveal Right-Wing Plot to Dismantle Latin American Left

    On the morning of April 30, the Spanish website Diario Red and the television channel Canal Red began to release a series of leaked audio recordings between powerful right-wing figures in the Americas. They called it HondurasGate. By May 6, the outlets had released a total of 37 WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram messages.  What they reveal is a shocking network pushing undermine leftist leaders in the region. It’s one of the biggest political scandals in the Americas in years… and it implicates the Trump administration, Israel, Argentina's libertarian president, a load of right-wing Honduran officials in underhanded activities to take down political opponents… with thousands of dollars funneled into a right-wing propaganda outlet, allegedly located in the United States. The messages have been independently verified twice, confirming that they are not AI-generated. And you have likely heard little, if nothing, about them. Today, host Michael Fox walks you through the leaks. What they are, what they mean, and the repercussions for the region. This is Episode 11 of Under the Shadow, Season 2. Under the Shadow is an investigative narrative podcast series that walks back in time, telling the story of the past by visiting momentous places in the present. Season 2 responds in real time to the Trump administration’s onslaught on Latin America. Hosted by Latin America-based journalist Michael Fox. This podcast is produced in partnership between The Real News Network and NACLA. It is supported, in part, by Global Exchange. Theme music by Michael Fox’s band, Monte Perdido. Monte Perdido's 2024 album Ofrenda is available on Spotify, Deezer, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you listen to music. Other music from Blue Dot Sessions and Epidemic Sound. Script editing by Heather Gies. Hosted, written, produced, mixed, and edited by Michael Fox. Guests:  Arturo DominguezAlberto Maresca Resources:  You can check out Michael Fox’s Patreon.Here is Arturo Dominguez’s latest piece on this, “How Far Will Trump Go to Destabilize Latin America"Alberto Maresca’s latest article is, "‘Hondurasgate’ and the tragedy of automatic alignment in Latin AmericaYou can check out hondurasgate.ch for all the background and more information about the leaks.You can listen to the links at youtube.com/@hondurasgateYou can check out Valeria Duarte's reporting on HondurasGate. She is the journalist at Diario Red who broke the story.This is the YouTube site for Canal Red Latinoamerica, the television news outlet that broke HondurasGate. Under the Shadow, Season 1: You can check out the first season of Under the Shadow by clicking here The Beginning: Monroe and migration | Under the Shadow, Episode 1Panama. US Invasion. | Under the Shadow, Episode 13The legacy of Monroe | Under the Shadow, Bonus Episode 4  Support Under the Shadow Please consider supporting this podcast and Michael Fox’s reporting on his Patreon account: patreon.com/mfox. There you can also see exclusive pictures, video, and interviews. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support. Help us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer. Follow us on: Bluesky: @therealnews.com Facebook: The Real News Network Twitter: @TheRealNews YouTube: @therealnews Instagram: @therealnewsnetwork Become a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!

    58 min
  3. Baltimore Security Officers Fired and Removed from Schedules After Lawful Strike

    May 27

    Baltimore Security Officers Fired and Removed from Schedules After Lawful Strike

    Nearly a year after workers voted to authorize a strike, non-union city and commercially contracted security officers in Baltimore, MD, walked off the job on April 9 on an Unfair Labor Practice strike against their employers, Abacus Corporation, Metropolitan Protective Services, and Urban Development Solutions. Now, Local 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) say that workers have been retaliated against by Metropolitan Protective Services (MPS), alleging that the city contractor “fired and harassed workers following [the] lawful strike.” MPS denies these allegations and claims “that no employees have been terminated due to union involvement.” In this episode of Working People, we speak with Victoria Cox, a former MPS employee who worked to reach the rank of sergeant, and Daril Riley, a former MPS employee who reached the rank of corporal. Both Cox and Riley have had their shifts taken off the schedule—and, essentially, their jobs taken away—and both have been put under investigation by MPS since the strike in April. Additional links/info: Maximillian Alvarez, Working People / TRNN, “Underpaid, uninsured, held at gunpoint: Baltimore security guards strike for a union”SEIU Local 32BJ website, Facebook page, and InstagramKatherine Wilson, Baltimore Sun, “Baltimore contract security officers at city properties prepare to strike” Featured Music: Jules Taylor, Working People Theme Song Credits: Audio Post-Production: Jules Taylor Statement from Derrick Parks, CEO and President of Metropolitan Protective Services (5/26/26):  Metropolitan Protective Services, Inc. (MPSI) maintains that no employees have been terminated due to union involvement. We fully support our employees' right to choose whether or not to join a union. The individuals recently removed from the schedule were terminated for failing to maintain the current Maryland guard license required by the Maryland State Police. Regarding Sergeant Cox, she was removed from the schedule at the specific request of the client following multiple advisements regarding violations of client policy and insubordination. Of our 175 employees, only six have been removed from the schedule or terminated, all due to licensing issues or performance concerns. We find these allegations to be without merit and believe they are being used by the union to exert pressure on the company. Furthermore, we have received reports of union representatives harassing employees who chose not to join, including unauthorized site visits and the use of derogatory language. MPSI is currently considering filing a cease and desist order and a harassment lawsuit to protect the rights of our staff. Our priority remains protecting all employees, regardless of their union status. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support. Help us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer. Follow us on: Bluesky: @therealnews.com Facebook: The Real News Network Twitter: @TheRealNews YouTube: @therealnews Instagram: @therealnewsnetwork Become a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!

    30 min
  4. William C. Anderson: "We Don’t Have a Functional Left" Today

    May 27

    William C. Anderson: "We Don’t Have a Functional Left" Today

    In 2026, fascism in the US is rising while “the left” descends further into powerlessness, goofiness, and irrelevance—but, author William C. Anderson argues, it doesn’t have to stay that way. In this episode of Rattling the Bars, Anderson returns to the show for an unflinching conversation with former political prisoner and host Mansa Musa about the state of the political left today and the lessons organizers and everyday people can learn from the Black Liberation Movement and figures like the late Russell Maroon Shoatz.  Editor's Note: This conversation was recorded on May 1, 2026. Guests: William C. Anderson is a writer and activist from Birmingham, AL. His work has appeared in outlets ranging from The Guardian, MTV, Truthout, British Journal of Photography, to Pitchfork. He is the author of The Nation on No Map: Black Anarchism and Abolition, and co-author of As Black as Resistance: Finding the Conditions for Liberation. He’s also the co-founder of Offshoot Journal and provides creative direction as a producer of the Black Autonomy Podcast. Additional links/info:  William C. Anderson, Prism / TRNN, “Another Way Out: We need a mosaic movement, not fragmented ‘leftism’” Credits: Producer / Videographer / Editor: Cameron Granadino Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support. Help us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer. Follow us on: Bluesky: @therealnews.com Facebook: The Real News Network Twitter: @TheRealNews YouTube: @therealnews Instagram: @therealnewsnetwork Become a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!

    38 min
  5. "You Can’t Say ‘Genocide’”: How US Media Sanitized Israel’s Destruction of Gaza

    May 21

    "You Can’t Say ‘Genocide’”: How US Media Sanitized Israel’s Destruction of Gaza

    In her new book, The Complicit Lens, media scholar Robin Anderson reveals how legacy media in the US presented Israel’s genocidal violence in Gaza as defensive and justified, casting doubt on IDF bombings, employing passive language to deflect blame for atrocities, and repeating Israeli talking points, often word-for-word. In this episode of The Marc Steiner Show, Marc speaks with Anderson about the ways US media has systematically run interference for Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza, aligning its coverage with Israeli military narratives while downplaying—and even condoning—the wholesale massacre of Palestinians.  Guests: Robin Andersen is professor emerita of media studies at Fordham University and an award-winning author of a dozen single- and co-authored books. Her work examines film, television, and media coverage of war, the environment, politics, and elections. Anderson edits the Routledge Focus Book Series on Media and Humanitarian Action, serves as a Project Censored Judge, and contributes to the annual State of the Free Press. Andersen is on the Board of Directors of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR), where she also writes regularly, and is an Izzy Award Judge for the Park Center for Independent Media. Her writing has appeared in a range of outlets, including CounterPunch, LA Progressive, The Progressive, Salon, Common Dreams, and ScheerPost. Additional links/info:  Robin Anderson, OR Books, The Complicit Lens: US Media Coverage of Israel’s Genocide in Gaza Credits: Producer: Rosette SewaliStudio Production: David HebdenAudio Post-Production: Stephen Frank Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support. Help us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer. Follow us on: Bluesky: @therealnews.com Facebook: The Real News Network Twitter: @TheRealNews YouTube: @therealnews Instagram: @therealnewsnetwork Become a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!

    27 min
  6. Kim Kelly: Coal Miners are Dying, and Trump Betrayed Them

    May 20

    Kim Kelly: Coal Miners are Dying, and Trump Betrayed Them

    Since the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump and his acolytes, rightwing media, and coal industry barons and lobbyists have obsessively painted the picture of Trump as a friend to coal miners and the so-called “undisputed champion of beautiful clean coal.” But as labor journalist Kim Kelly reports at In These Times, “the simpering ​’Trump digs coal’ image the administration seeks to project is vastly at odds with the actions it’s taken to limit miner protections, endanger their health, and exacerbate the black lung crisis consuming Central Appalachia.” In this episode of Working People, we speak with Kelly about the Trump administration’s latest betrayal of coal miners and their families and its underreported attack on the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission and abrupt, unprecedented firing of FMSHRC Commissioner Moshe Z. Marvit.  Additional links/info: Kim Kelly website, X/Twitter page, TikTok, Bluesky page, and InstagramKim Kelly, In These Times, “Trump’s latest target: Coal miners’ safety”Jordan Barab, Confined Space, “Friday night massacre at Mine Safety Review Commission”Kim Kelly, In These Times, “The Trump administration ramps up its war on coal miners”Kim Kelly, In These Times, “Trump to coal miners: Drop dead” Featured Music: Jules Taylor, Working People Theme Song Credits: Audio Post-Production: Jules Taylor Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support. Help us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer. Follow us on: Bluesky: @therealnews.com Facebook: The Real News Network Twitter: @TheRealNews YouTube: @therealnews Instagram: @therealnewsnetwork Become a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!

    33 min
  7. Ghada Karmi: How Gaza Shattered the Myth of Coexistence

    May 15

    Ghada Karmi: How Gaza Shattered the Myth of Coexistence

    Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza has shattered long-held hopes for Palestinian-Israeli coexistence and exposed the global systems sustaining the decades-long destruction of Palestine and the dispossession of Palestinians. In this special edition of the The Marc Steiner Show, commemorating the solemn anniversary of the Nakba, Marc speaks with world-renowned author and physician Ghada Karmi about the destruction of Gaza, the collapse of faith in a political solution, and the deepening despair felt by many Palestinians and Israelis alike today.  Guests:Ghada Karmi was born in Jerusalem. Forced from her home during the Nakba, she later trained as a Doctor of Medicine at Bristol University. She established the first British-Palestinian medical charity in 1972 and was an Associate Fellow at the Royal Institute for International Affairs. She is the author of numerous books, including the best-selling memoir In Search of Fatima and One State: The Only Democratic Future for Palestine-Israel. Credits:Producer: Rosette SewaliStudio Production: Cameron GranadinoAudio Post-Production: Stephen Frank Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support. Help us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer. Follow us on: Bluesky: @therealnews.com Facebook: The Real News Network Twitter: @TheRealNews YouTube: @therealnews Instagram: @therealnewsnetwork Become a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!

    30 min
4.5
out of 5
280 Ratings

About

Daily Reports, specials, and podcasts by The Real News Network (TRNN). TRNN makes media connecting you to the movements, people, and perspectives that are advancing the cause of a more just, equal, and livable planet. TRNN is a nonprofit media organization. We do not accept advertising revenue or corporate sponsorship. Sign up for our newsletter at therealnews.com Text us at (410) 431-0868 Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support.

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