The Oath and The Office

Two Squared Media Productions
  • 4.9 (555)
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Mixing sharp wit and serious political fire, The Oath and The Office is where hard-hitting constitutional analysis meets razor-sharp comedy. Distinguished political science professor Corey Brettschneider teams up with comedian John Fugelsang to break down the most powerful 35 words in American democracy—the presidential oath of office. Every president swears to “preserve, protect, and defend” the Constitution, but what happens when one openly attacks democracy and the rule of law itself? Each week, Corey and John pull no punches, exposing the latest threats to the rule of law and demanding accountability. Smart, fearless, and wickedly funny—this is the civics lesson you can’t afford to miss.

  1. 1D AGO

    Is Trump Committing War Crimes? Lawrence Douglas on Hegseth, Nuremberg, and the Criminal State

    Can a president commit war crimes? Can a defense secretary? And what would it take to hold either one accountable? Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang open with the Supreme Court showdown over Trump’s attack on birthright citizenship. After Trump became the first sitting president to attend oral arguments at the Court, Solicitor General D. John Sauer faced tough questioning from several justices, including Chief Justice John Roberts, who delivered the line of the day: “It’s a new world. It’s the same Constitution.” Corey and John break down why the administration’s argument looked weak, why Wong Kim Ark remains the key precedent, and what the hearing may signal about the fate of Trump’s effort to gut birthright citizenship. They also discuss the latest chaos inside Trump’s Justice Department after Pam Bondi was pushed out as attorney general and replaced, for now, by Todd Blanche, another Trump loyalist. From there, they turn to the Supreme Court’s move that could wipe away Steve Bannon’s contempt conviction, and what it says about accountability in Trump’s Washington. Then Corey and John are joined by Lawrence Douglas of Amherst College, professor of law, jurisprudence, and social thought, and author of "The Criminal State", for a chilling conversation about whether Trump is committing war crimes, whether Pete Hegseth could face exposure as a war criminal, and how leaders who authorize brutality can be held to account. They explore the continuing relevance of Nuremberg, the legal meaning of crimes carried out by the state, and whether American institutions still have the power to confront criminality at the top. This is a sober, urgent discussion about impunity, presidential violence, and the future of the rule of law

    1h 2m

  2. APR 2

    Before Project 2025: How the Right Built Trump’s Power Grab (with David Sirota)

    Trump’s attack on birthright citizenship is only part of the story. The bigger danger is a decades-long effort to free the presidency from constitutional limits. Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang begin by breaking down Trump’s latest argument against birthright citizenship, why it misreads the Constitution, and what is really at stake in the legal fight. Then David Sirota joins to trace the deeper roots of Trump’s power grab: the conservative blueprints that helped lay the groundwork for Project 2025, the lessons of Nixon and Reagan, and the long campaign to expand executive power. In this episode: Trump’s attack on birthright citizenshipwhy the constitutional case against it failsthe antecedents of Project 2025Nixon, Reagan, and the growth of presidential powerwhy the No Kings protests matterwhat reforms could restore real limits on the presidency This episode is about more than one policy fight. It’s about how the presidency was reshaped, and whether American democracy can still impose meaningful limits on executive power.

    1h 5m

  3. MAR 26

    Mueller Warned Congress. Trump Celebrated His Death.

    Trump’s reaction to Robert Mueller’s death was grotesque. But the deeper question is what Congress failed to do when Mueller was alive: why didn’t it impeach Trump based on the Mueller report? Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang revisit Mueller’s findings, the Nixon parallel, and the constitutional failure that still shapes Trump’s presidency. Then: a major Supreme Court voting-rights case out of Mississippi, ICE at airports as a new front in Trump’s immigration crackdown, and a federal judge’s ruling against Pentagon restrictions on defense reporters. Plus, a listener from the U.K. asks a question many Americans are asking too: could Trump really defy the Constitution and try for a third term? This week’s episode connects the week’s biggest legal and political stories into one urgent question: how many constitutional guardrails are still holding? Learn more about the ACLU and its upcoming Supreme Court case at aclu.org/barbara.

    45 min

  4. MAR 19

    Stacey Abrams on the SAVE Act: The New Voter Suppression Threat

    Is the SAVE Act really about election security — or is it a new blueprint for voter suppression? On this episode of The Oath and The Office, Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang break down the latest fight over the SAVE Act, why its proof-of-citizenship requirement could make it harder for millions of eligible Americans to register and vote, and what this battle reveals about the future of democracy. Then Stacey Abrams joins the show to explain what the bill would do, why it is so dangerous, and how the broader attack on voting rights fits into the Trump-era push to undermine democratic institutions. Also in this episode: Gregory Bovino is out, Judge Boasberg pushes back against politically charged legal tactics, and Trump lashes out at the courts yet again. This is a conversation about voter suppression, constitutional democracy, and who gets to decide the future of the country. Learn more about the ACLU and its upcoming Supreme Court case at aclu.org/barbara.

    1h 10m

  5. MAR 12

    Trump’s War and the Imperial Presidency

    Trump’s shifting war aims are a warning sign of the imperial presidency. We examine how changing justifications for war weaken democratic accountability, whether Congress can still use the power of the purse to stop an illegal war, how the Anthropic story reflects resistance to expanding executive power, why the growing influence of billionaires in American elections is making constitutional democracy even more fragile, and why Kristi Noem’s exit at Homeland Security was a rare reminder of how congressional oversight is supposed to work—even if her replacement may not be better. This episode is sponsored by Princeton University Press. Learn more about Mark Peterson’s new book, The Making and Breaking of the American Constitution: A Thousand-Year History: https://hubs.ly/Q0432vyk0

    54 min

  6. MAR 5

    Can Congress Stop Trump’s War?

    As the prospect of a U.S. military clash with Iran returns to the headlines, Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang break down the constitutional stakes: who actually controls the power to start—and stop—a war? They explain the War Powers Resolution of 1973, why Congress passed it after Vietnam, how the 60-day clock is supposed to work, and why the law was weakened in the 1980s—leaving presidents with wide room to maneuver. What can Congress realistically do today if Trump escalates conflict? They also discuss Bill Clinton testifying before Congress—and what it reveals about accountability, separation of powers, and the political checks that still matter. Plus: listener questions on billionaire political influence and citizen resistance. The Oath and The Office is hosted by Corey Brettschneider (Brown University professor and author of The Presidents and The People, ABA Silver Gavel Award) and John Fugelsang (SiriusXM host).

    52 min

  7. FEB 26

    Trump Loses in Court — But Pressure Remains on the Press and Late Night (with Mike Pesca)

    Trump just suffered a major Supreme Court defeat. A significant tariffs ruling limits presidential power and reasserts Congress’s authority — applying a doctrine once confined to agencies directly to a president. But don’t mistake this for resolution. A reauthorization attempt could trigger a new wave of litigation and deepen the constitutional fight. Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang also examine how Judge Cannon stalled Jack Smith at a pivotal moment — and what the prosecution of a former prince reveals about how accountability for powerful leaders can succeed… and how it can fail. Then we widen the lens. Mike Pesca (The Gist, NPR) joins us to explore “soft” censorship and the pressure facing American journalism — including the late-night flashpoint. Can regulatory scrutiny, “equal time” rhetoric, and public threats chill speech without an outright ban? We discuss the FCC’s evolving posture, the late-night controversy, the Bari Weiss debate (and Mike’s distinct take), and what citizens can actually do to resist intimidation. The courts may be holding. But pressure on speech — and democratic guardrails — is intensifying.

    59 min

  8. FEB 19

    Title Trump’s FCC Pressures Late Night — Even as Resistance Wins

    Trump’s FCC is pressuring late-night TV — and CBS is hesitating. What happens when regulators don’t censor speech outright, but make networks afraid to air it? In Minnesota, democratic guardrails held. A far-right witness was exposed in a Senate hearing and a judge blocked cuts to critical public health funding. Proof that pushback can succeed. Then the counter-move. Under the Trump administration, the Federal Communications Commission has signaled it will enforce the equal-time rule against late-night and daytime talk shows — a shift that made CBS lawyers nervous about Stephen Colbert’s interview with James Talarico, a Texas Senate candidate. Colbert has blasted the move as political intimidation, and critics argue it reflects a broader effort to chill speech rather than a neutral application of regulatory fairness rules. What happens when government doesn’t censor speech outright — but makes networks afraid to air it? Plus: a Presidents’ Day special — five presidents who threatened democracy and the warning signs we’re seeing again. Drawing on The Presidents and The People, Corey Brettschneider connects today’s battles to the deeper history of democratic erosion — and what it takes to stop it. 📘 Get The Presidents and The People: https://www.amazon.com/Presidents-People-Threatened-Democracy-Citizens/dp/1324006277

    1h 4m
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Hosts & Guests

4.9
out of 5
555 Ratings

About

Mixing sharp wit and serious political fire, The Oath and The Office is where hard-hitting constitutional analysis meets razor-sharp comedy. Distinguished political science professor Corey Brettschneider teams up with comedian John Fugelsang to break down the most powerful 35 words in American democracy—the presidential oath of office. Every president swears to “preserve, protect, and defend” the Constitution, but what happens when one openly attacks democracy and the rule of law itself? Each week, Corey and John pull no punches, exposing the latest threats to the rule of law and demanding accountability. Smart, fearless, and wickedly funny—this is the civics lesson you can’t afford to miss.

Information

  • Creator
    Two Squared Media Productions
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    62
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Corey Brettschneider
  • Show Website
    The Oath and The Office

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