Useful Idiots with Katie Halper and Aaron Maté

Useful Idiots, LLC
  • 4.5 (4.4K)
  • Politics
  • Updated Weekly

Useful Idiots is an informative and irreverent politics podcast with journalist Aaron Maté and podcaster/writer Katie Halper. Episodes feature analysis of the political news of the week and exclusive interviews, with humor, commentary and dissection of why both Republicans and Democrats suck. Join Aaron and Katie as they examine important stories that have slipped through the cracks and what the media got wrong – and laugh about whatever is left to laugh about.

  1. 3d ago

    “Lying is part of their religion”

    Go to https://groundnews.com/useful to get 40% off the unlimited access Vantage plan and unlock world-wide perspectives on the stories shaping our world. Pre-order Aaron's new book on the Ukraine war: Their Blood, Our Bullets https://orbooks.com/catalog/their-blood-our-bullets/ Check out Quince and use our code https://quince.com/useful for a great deal: https://www.quince.com Check out TruDiagnostic and use our code USEFUL for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.com Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/IDIOTS Check out Chilipad and use my code sleep.me/USEFUL for a great deal: https://sleep.me/useful ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Support our work and get the extended interview with former OSCE Monitor Benoit Paré: https://open.substack.com/pub/usefulidiots/p/extended-interview-zelenskys-days?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web Watch the Friday Free-For-All: Hillary Clinton Claims Netanyahu KNEW About October 7 Before Attack https://usefulidiotspodcast.com Join us LIVE on Youtube every Monday at 10am EST for Monday Mourning, where we watch the Sunday morning news shows so that you don't have to. Our Sponsors: * Check out Quince and use my code quince.com/USEFUL for a great deal: https://www.quince.com * Check out TruDiagnostic and use my code USEFUL for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

  2. 6d ago

    Zelensky’s Days in Power Are “Numbered,” Ukraine Suffers “Unwinnable” Defeat

    Go to https://groundnews.com/useful to get 40% off the unlimited access Vantage plan and unlock world-wide perspectives on the stories shaping our world. See the film American Doctor, with a Director Q&A moderated by Katie, TONIGHT in NYC: https://americandoctorfilm.com/buy-tickets Read our guests' books: Guerres contre l'Iran by Jacques Baud: https://www.strandbooks.com/guerres-contre-l-iran-9782315028641.html What I Saw in Ukraine by Benoît Paré: https://booksrun.com/9782959860119-what-i-saw-in-ukraine-2015-2022-diary-of-an-international-observer Ukraine: The Great Manipulation by Benoît Paré: https://olivea.savnora.shop/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=237305594 Pre-order Aaron's new book on the Ukraine war: Their Blood, Our Bullets https://orbooks.com/catalog/their-blood-our-bullets/ Check out Quince and use our code https://quince.com/useful for a great deal: https://www.quince.com Check out TruDiagnostic and use our code USEFUL for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.com Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/IDIOTS Check out Chilipad and use my code sleep.me/USEFUL for a great deal: https://sleep.me/useful ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Support our work and get the extended interview with former OSCE Monitor Benoit Paré: https://open.substack.com/pub/usefulidiots/p/extended-interview-zelenskys-days?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web Watch the Friday Free-For-All: Hillary Clinton Claims Netanyahu KNEW About October 7 Before Attack https://usefulidiotspodcast.com Join us LIVE on Youtube every Monday at 10am EST for Monday Mourning, where we watch the Sunday morning news shows so that you don't have to. This week we hear from two different guests with insider perspectives on the Ukraine Proxy War: first is Jacques Baud, a former Swiss intelligence officer and NATO analyst who published early reports that Ukraine was overmatched in this war and should make peace. For expressing this analysis, the European Union sanctioned him, accusing him of spreading conspiracy theories and pro-Russian propaganda. Jacques is now barred from using his own bank account or even buying himself food. It seems Russiagate truly never ends. Our second guest is Benoît Paré, who was a monitor on the ground for the OSCE after the Maidan Coup in Ukraine from 2014 to 2022 during the civil war which eventually led to the Russian invasion. For our full interview with Benoît, which gets into false flags, civil war, and whether Russia will be able to hold onto its advantage in the next year, please subscribe and support our work. You’ll also get our Friday Free-for-All: here’s a screenshot from today’s episode that gives an idea of the insanity we went through watching an episode of Morning Joe, starring Hillary Clinton and Donny Deutsch. 00:00 Intro 02:20 Hillary Clinton Claims Netanyahu KNEW About October 7 Before Attack 07:40 Aaron's take: Did Netanyahu know? 08:04 Jacques Baud interview 24:00 Why the far-right party in Europe just won elections 36:59 EU Sanctions Jacques for his reporting 48:49 It's illegal to bring Jacques food 57:26 Benoît Paré interview 1:00:10 The greatest media manipulations over the Ukraine War 1:11:07 An argument for the Ukrainian side Our Sponsors: * Check out Quince and use my code quince.com/USEFUL for a great deal: https://www.quince.com * Check out TruDiagnostic and use my code USEFUL for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

  3. Sep 7

    The State of the Strait: Trump officials panic as Iran tightens its grip over the Strait of Hormuz

    Go to https://groundnews.com/useful to get 40% off the unlimited access Vantage plan and unlock world-wide perspectives on the stories shaping our world. Pre-order Aaron's new book on the Ukraine war: Their Blood, Our Bullets https://orbooks.com/catalog/their-blood-our-bullets/ Check out Quince and use our code https://quince.com/useful for a great deal: https://www.quince.com Check out TruDiagnostic and use our code USEFUL for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.com Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/IDIOTS Check out Chilipad and use my code sleep.me/USEFUL for a great deal: https://sleep.me/useful ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Support our work and get the ad-free interview with Hana Masud: https://open.substack.com/pub/usefulidiots/p/ad-free-israel-loses-control-over?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web Watch the Friday Free-For-All: JD Vance just admitted Iran was NEVER a nuclear threat in desperate attempt to cover for Trump’s economic meltdown https://www.usefulidiotspodcast.com/p/jd-vance-just-admitted-iran-was-never?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web Join us LIVE on Youtube every Monday at 10am EST for Monday Mourning, where we watch the Sunday morning news shows so that you don't have to. Our Sponsors: * Check out Quince and use my code quince.com/USEFUL for a great deal: https://www.quince.com * Check out TruDiagnostic and use my code USEFUL for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

  4. Sep 4

    Israel LOSES CONTROL over Settler Terrorists, Forced to Confess to Teen Murders

    Go to https://groundnews.com/useful to get 40% off the unlimited access Vantage plan and unlock world-wide perspectives on the stories shaping our world. Pre-order Aaron's new book on the Ukraine war: Their Blood, Our Bullets https://orbooks.com/catalog/their-blood-our-bullets/ Check out Quince and use our code https://quince.com/useful for a great deal: https://www.quince.com Check out TruDiagnostic and use our code USEFUL for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.com Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/IDIOTS Check out Chilipad and use my code sleep.me/USEFUL for a great deal: https://sleep.me/useful ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Support our work and get the ad-free interview with Hana Masud: https://open.substack.com/pub/usefulidiots/p/ad-free-israel-loses-control-over?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web Watch the Friday Free-For-All: JD Vance just admitted Iran was NEVER a nuclear threat in desperate attempt to cover for Trump’s economic meltdown https://www.usefulidiotspodcast.com/p/jd-vance-just-admitted-iran-was-never?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web Join us LIVE on Youtube every Monday at 10am EST for Monday Mourning, where we watch the Sunday morning news shows so that you don't have to. Hana Masud is a Palestinian-American Chicago-based psychologist and professor whose family has been in the West Bank village of Al-Mughayyir for hundreds of years. This week, in an attempt to ethnically cleanse Hana’s village, masked Israeli settlers, accompanied by Israeli soldiers, stormed into the homes of two Palestinian shepherds and stole their sheep, which are these farmers’ livelihood. When young protesters came out to stop the theft, Israeli soldiers opened fire on them and killed Hana’s 17-year-old cousin and another teenager. In a difficult but important discussion, we see videos of how Israeli settlers systematically create terror against Palestinians: school shootings, beating anyone who dares to report settler violence, stealing sheep, burning and uprooting trees, and one nauseating video of a young settler draining the water supply of a village as a woman begs him to stop. At times the violence and evil can feel like it has no end, but Hana tells us how she still finds hope in the world and the lesson she learned from Gabor Maté on how to grow through the pain of trauma. This episode is free to all, please share to spread Hana’s voice. 00:00 Intro 00:39 We made the news! Our feud with Brian Stelter and an NBC journalist 05:30 Scott Bessent has a crazy new scapegoat to blame for rising oil prices 09:03 Netanyahu advisor just gave Trump his new orders 11:44 Hana Masud interview 15:47 Settlers attack Hana's village and kill her cousins 27:22 Settlers are also school shooters 30:15 This is so sadistic 34:27 Hana responds to Netanyahu over the murder of her cousins Our Sponsors: * Check out Quince and use my code quince.com/USEFUL for a great deal: https://www.quince.com * Check out TruDiagnostic and use my code USEFUL for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

  5. Aug 31

    Settler Terrorists Attacked Three NBC Journalists in the West Bank – Did Meet the Press Cover It?

    Go to https://groundnews.com/useful to get 40% off the unlimited access Vantage plan and unlock world-wide perspectives on the stories shaping our world. Pre-order Aaron's new book on the Ukraine war: Their Blood, Our Bullets https://orbooks.com/catalog/their-blood-our-bullets/ Check out Quince and use our code https://quince.com/useful for a great deal: https://www.quince.com Check out TruDiagnostic and use our code USEFUL for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.com Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/IDIOTS Check out Chilipad and use my code sleep.me/USEFUL for a great deal: https://sleep.me/useful ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Support our work and get the ad-free interview with Professor Richard Sakwa: https://www.usefulidiotspodcast.com/p/subscriber-only-ad-free-cias-secret?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web Watch the Friday Free-For-All: “Your parents will die young like mine!” Lindsey Graham’s Sister Unveils New Senate Campaign Promise https://usefulidiotspodcast.com Join us LIVE on Youtube every Monday at 10am EST for Monday Mourning, where we watch the Sunday morning news shows so that you don't have to. Our Sponsors: * Check out Quince and use my code quince.com/USEFUL for a great deal: https://www.quince.com * Check out TruDiagnostic and use my code USEFUL for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

  6. Aug 28

    CIA’s Secret Moscow Trip Causes PANIC in Ukraine

    Go to https://groundnews.com/useful to get 40% off the unlimited access Vantage plan and unlock world-wide perspectives on the stories shaping our world. Pre-order Aaron's new book on the Ukraine war: Their Blood, Our Bullets https://orbooks.com/catalog/their-blood-our-bullets/ Check out Quince and use our code https://quince.com/useful for a great deal: https://www.quince.com Check out TruDiagnostic and use our code USEFUL for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.com Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/IDIOTS Check out Chilipad and use my code sleep.me/USEFUL for a great deal: https://sleep.me/useful ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Support our work and get the ad-free interview with Professor Richard Sakwa: https://www.usefulidiotspodcast.com/p/subscriber-only-ad-free-cias-secret?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web Watch the Friday Free-For-All: “Your parents will die young like mine!” Lindsey Graham’s Sister Unveils New Senate Campaign Promise https://usefulidiotspodcast.com Join us LIVE on Youtube every Monday at 10am EST for Monday Mourning, where we watch the Sunday morning news shows so that you don't have to. This week, a big development for the proxy war in Ukraine: CIA Chief John Ratcliffe made a surprise visit to Moscow, and depending on which corporate outlet you read, the reason for the trip is confusing. The Wall Street Journal says Ratcliffe went to issue a warning to the Russians, (‘Don’t you dare attack NATO.’) But the New York Times reported that Racliffe was merely sharing some friendly advice that the war isn’t going well for Russia and they should end it before it widens further. Either way, the CIA in Moscow, nearly five years into the war, surely means something is about to happen. To help sort out the confusion, we are joined by Richard Sakwa, author and Professor Emeritus at the University of Kent, who specializes in Russian and European Politics. He explains that, while Russia has dominated the war so far, time is actually not on their side. Useful Idiots: This war has been going on for a long time, and the longer it drags on, the bigger the risk that it widens beyond Russia and Ukraine.Richard Sakwa: That’s precisely the argument of the hardliners, the hawks in Russia, who basically say that time is not on Russia’s side in the sense that the West is in a vanguard of crossing all of Russia’s red lines.Putin himself also added to the warnings that Ukraine and the West are opening a Pandora’s box. It wasn’t quite clear yet what is in that box.In response, [UK Prime Minister] Burnham himself then said, ‘Well, you started the fire.’ Now that shows an extraordinary intellectual and conceptual myopia that the West has been locked into since the beginning of this conflict. They simply cannot understand the underlying logic of this conflict, as if Putin woke up one fine morning in February and attacked Ukraine in his mad zeal to re-establish the Soviet Empire if not the Russian EmpireSo it’s just an entrenched a position. And of course, this raises, as you suggest, that if Russia does not respond, then it is a sign of weakness.00:00 Intro 01:47 Dana Bash MELTS DOWN over Hasan Piker comments 06:24 Caught on tape: showing when Dana Bash said that EXACT THING to Netanyahu 07:41 Professor Richard Sakwa interview 08:22 Why is the CIA in Moscow? 15:31 Who really wants the war to expand? 25:31 The West is crossing Russia's Red Lines 30:43 Boris Johnson admits it again 39:10 Zelensky knew ALL ALONG Our Sponsors: * Check out Quince and use my code quince.com/USEFUL for a great deal: https://www.quince.com * Check out TruDiagnostic and use my code USEFUL for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

  7. Aug 24

    “Today is D-Day for the economy in Iran”

    Go to https://groundnews.com/useful to get 40% off the unlimited access Vantage plan and unlock world-wide perspectives on the stories shaping our world. Pre-order Aaron's new book on the Ukraine war: Their Blood, Our Bullets https://orbooks.com/catalog/their-blood-our-bullets/ Check out Quince and use our code https://quince.com/useful for a great deal: https://www.quince.com Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/IDIOTS Check out Chilipad and use my code sleep.me/USEFUL for a great deal: https://sleep.me/useful ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Support our work and get the extended, ad-free interview with Sharmine Narwani: https://open.substack.com/pub/usefulidiots/p/extended-interview-trump-afraid-after?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web Watch the Friday Free-For-All: Democrats ADMIT plans to sabotage progressives in general elections against Republicans https://usefulidiotspodcast.com Join us LIVE on Youtube every Monday at 10am EST for Monday Mourning, where we watch the Sunday morning news shows so that you don't have to. Our Sponsors: * Check out Quince and use my code quince.com/USEFUL for a great deal: https://www.quince.com * Check out TruDiagnostic and use my code USEFUL for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

  8. Aug 21

    Trump “Afraid” After Iran Plans New Attacks, Teams with China w/ Middle East Analyst Sharmine Narwani

    Go to https://groundnews.com/useful to get 40% off the unlimited access Vantage plan and unlock world-wide perspectives on the stories shaping our world. Pre-order Aaron's new book on the Ukraine war: Their Blood, Our Bullets https://orbooks.com/catalog/their-blood-our-bullets/ Check out Quince and use our code https://quince.com/useful for a great deal: https://www.quince.com Check out TruDiagnostic and use our code USEFUL for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.com Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/IDIOTS Check out Chilipad and use my code sleep.me/USEFUL for a great deal: https://sleep.me/useful ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Support our work and get the extended, ad-free interview with Sharmine Narwani: https://open.substack.com/pub/usefulidiots/p/extended-interview-trump-afraid-after?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web Watch the Friday Free-For-All: Democrats ADMIT plans to sabotage progressives in general elections against Republicans https://usefulidiotspodcast.com Join us LIVE on Youtube every Monday at 10am EST for Monday Mourning, where we watch the Sunday morning news shows so that you don't have to. On this week’s show we find out that when you launch an unprovoked regime-change war against a big country like Iran, it turns out that not only is it a bad idea militarily, but it might also tank your economy. The US debt just hit a record-setting $40 trillion, rising $3.6 trillion in the last twelve months alone. That high mark being more than double what it was in 2016. Check out the graph: More damning evidence for the 1971 theory With a ballooning military budget for Pete Hegseth’s flailing Department of War and a strangled oil market from Iran’s continued control over the Strait of Hormuz, the US and global economies have been sent reeling. Our guest, Middle East analyst Sharmine Narwani, explains why Iran’s surprise military strength has shocked both US commanders and economists, and gives her prediction that comes out quite bleak for the future of American interests on a global scale: “Major financial institutions around the world are talking about the US potentially losing its position, and the dollar losing its position as a global reserve currency. When that happens, the house of cards falls apart.You cannot finance wars. Nobody wants the dollar. Nobody’s stocking it.You can’t hold other countries to anything if they’re trading in other currencies. If it doesn’t go through New York, you don’t have eyes on things anymore. You lose control.” 00:00 Intro 00:53 Three questions about Hasan Piker 5:00 MS Now tries to get Angie Nixon to ditch the DSA 07:03 Bakari Sellers ADMITS Dems will help Republicans over progressives 07:35 Sharmine Narwani interview 08:27 Refuting Stephen Miller 20:12 US debt hits $40 trillion 23:55 Is Iran a theocracy? 45:08 American power is about to take a huge hit Our Sponsors: * Check out Quince and use my code quince.com/USEFUL for a great deal: https://www.quince.com * Check out TruDiagnostic and use my code USEFUL for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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Useful Idiots is an informative and irreverent politics podcast with journalist Aaron Maté and podcaster/writer Katie Halper. Episodes feature analysis of the political news of the week and exclusive interviews, with humor, commentary and dissection of why both Republicans and Democrats suck. Join Aaron and Katie as they examine important stories that have slipped through the cracks and what the media got wrong – and laugh about whatever is left to laugh about.

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