We dive into Ivanka and Jared's Albanian nightmare. What were they really up to while trying to develop a private island in Albania on protected land, and what are the ramifications of this secret operation in the broader war of democracy vs. fascism? Why are they trying to buy an island in a part of the world notorious for sex trafficking?  These questions matter in light of Ivanka's brother marrying Epstein's longtime banker, and the new bombshell reporting out of the New York Times. The Times reports that the Kremlin Klown Kar (KKK) in the White House uses our tax payer-funded Situation Room–meant for sensitive national security matters–to plot the ongoing Epstein cover-up, protecting Epstein's longtime friend, convicted felon Donald Trump. Look to the show notes for a gift link of the New York Times' reporting.  For this week's bonus show, Russian mafia expert Ogla Lautman helps connect the dots on what is up with Ivanka and Jared's mysterious island in Albania, a part of the world known for sex-trafficking. Should we be concerned? The Albanian people are–they're storming their own government in a growing anti-corruption movement over Jared and Ivanka's attempts to buy an ecologically protected island.  We also discuss Ben Black, Leon Black's son, getting a job in the Trump administration. Both father and son are all over the Epstein files.  To listen to this full episode and support our independent journalism, subscribe to Gaslit Nation on Patreon.com/Gaslit or GaslitNation.Substack.com – thank you to everyone who supports the show – we could not make Gaslit Nation without you!    Show Notes:  Inside the White House Freakout Over the Epstein Files The president's top advisers gathered in a series of Situation Room meetings as they struggled to contain a scandal engulfing Donald Trump himself. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/10/magazine/trump-epstein-files-white-house-vance-doj.html?unlocked_article_code=1.pVA.8Bpw._gUv6lvoFPWC&smid=url-share   Situation Room Scramble Over Sick Trump Fetish Claim Revealed https://www.thedailybeast.com/situation-room-scramble-over-sick-trump-fetish-claim-revealed/   Records: SC woman accused Trump, Epstein of sexual abuse in 1980s https://www.wistv.com/2026/03/09/records-sc-woman-accused-trump-epstein-sexual-abuse-1980s/   Donald Trump groped me in what felt like a 'twisted game' with Jeffrey Epstein, former model alleges https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/23/donald-trump-accuser-stacey-williams-jeffrey-epstein   Dozens of FBI records apparently missing from Epstein files, including Trump accuser interviews https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/24/us/epstein-files-trump-accuser-missing-files-invs   Justice Department publishes documents with sexual assault allegations against Trump https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/05/donald-trump-epstein-files-allegations-00816123   Opening clip: Rep. Garcia on MSNow https://bsky.app/profile/robertgarcia.house.gov/post/3mnzjwzllis2l   "House Oversight Ranking Member Robert Garcia says he plans to formally ask Chairman Comer to bring JD Vance, Susie Wiles, and Kash Patel before the Committee in light of the new NYT Epstein reporting." https://bsky.app/profile/kylegriffin1.bsky.social/post/3mnzj3dj7ns2z   Trump appointee leading $205bn US agency had personal ties to Epstein, emails show https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/03/ben-black-investment-trump-epstein   Join our community of listeners and get bonus shows, ad free listening, group chats with other listeners, ways to shape the show, invites to exclusive events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Discounted annual memberships are available. Find your community at GaslitNation.Substack.com or Patreon.com/Gaslit

Think of the 2016 U.S. presidential election as a marriage between the Russian mafia in the West and the Russian mafia in the East. Now, there's talk out of Moscow that Trump has agreed to build a literal tunnel connecting Alaska to Russia, with Elon Musk's help. Russian mafia expert Olga Lautman of the Trump Tyranny Tracker joins us to ring the alarm on this MAGA-backed project, an insane move right when Russia's own neighbors are digging trenches to protect themselves from Putin. So many crimes, so little time to cover them all. That's exactly why Gaslit Nation is joining forces with Olga and the Trump Tyranny Tracker. Together, we'll connect the dots and help you stay grounded against Steve Bannon's deliberate demoralization strategy of "flooding the zone with sh*t." We are up against a global kleptocracy enabled by opportunists across corporate America, the mainstream media, and elite law firms. None of us can do this work alone, which is why Andrea and Olga are partnering up. We're here to make covering this horror show more sustainable, build real civic power, and carry each other through the chaos to stay vigilant and fight back. We also look at why the liaison for Trump's ballroom project took a trip to Moscow. Was he in search of a bribe? Is the ballroom just another Kremlin money-laundering scheme? For this week's bonus show, out Thursday, made with love and rage for our listeners who make our independent journalism possible, out later this week, we look at Jared and Ivanka's mysterious Albanian island–what are those two up to?  Join our community of listeners and get bonus shows, ad free listening, group chats with other listeners, ways to shape the show, invites to exclusive events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Discounted annual memberships are available. Find your community at GaslitNation.Substack.com or Patreon.com/Gaslit Show Notes: Join Gaslit Nation's Songwriting Workshop June 22nd at 4pm ET with Leslie Nuss. Be sure to subscribe to Patreon.com/Gaslit or GaslitNation.Substack.com to join live or get the recording. Learn more about Leslie Nuss here: https://leslienuss.com/ Want to hear your music on Gaslit Nation? Submit it here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1-d_DWNnDQFYUMXueYcX5ZVsA5t2RN09N8PYUQQ8koq0/edit?ts=5fee07f6&gxids=7628 Knicks Clip: https://www.instagram.com/p/DZVpIn3yX1d/ Clip: "My mayor's Muslim / My bagel's Jewish / My Christian's Dior / Knicks in four!" https://www.instagram.com/reels/DZP8-3zRKYJ/ Clip: Trump is booed louder than the Spurs at Madison Square Garden https://bsky.app/profile/phillewis.bsky.social/post/3mnsxpyssls2s A "Putin-Trump Tunnel" Connecting Russia and Alaska? Putin's Wallet Says an Agreement Will Be Signed Tomorrow https://olgalautman.substack.com/p/a-putin-trump-tunnel-connecting-russia Underwater tunnel from Russia to Alaska will be built: Putin envoy https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/underwater-tunnel-russia-alaska-built-185910791.html ICE is spending millions of dollars on iris scanners, expanding its arsenal of tech tools https://www.npr.org/2026/05/27/nx-s1-5822429/ice-buys-iris-scanners-tech-tools 'Democracy isn't working': Many young adults believe voting is not important, AP-NORC poll finds https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/democracy-isnt-working-many-young-adults-believe-voting-is-not-important-ap-norc-poll-finds AP-NORC America 250 Poll: Only a third believe the American Dream still exists. https://apnorc.org/projects/ap-norc-america-250-poll/ GEO Group's "Dark Money" Donation to a Group Tied to a Top Lawmaker: ICE's top detention contractor donated $250,000 to a group linked to Representative Jim Jordan, who chairs a committee overseeing the agency — these types of donations are usually cloaked in secrecy. https://www.npr.org/2026/05/27/nx-s1-5822429/ice-buys-iris-scanners-tech-tools Join our community of listeners and get bonus shows, ad free listening, group chats with other listeners, ways to shape the show, invites to exclusive events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Discounted annual memberships are available. Become a Democracy Defender at Patreon.com/Gaslit EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community There's now a California Signal Group for Gaslit Nation listeners to find each other and connect in that state. Join on our Patreon or Substack!  The Gaslit Nation Outreach Committee discusses how to talk to the MAGA cult. Join on our Patreon or Substack!  Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other. Join on our Patreon or Substack!  Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other. Join on our Patreon or Substack!  Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect. Join on our Patreon or Substack!  Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join. Join on our Patreon or Substack!  Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group. Join on our Patreon or Substack!  As always, keep it kind in our chat groups, extend grace and assume good faith. A culture of care is how we build a better world.  

We need to talk about the "creator economy" and the stylish influencers pushing disinformation and misinformation directly into our feeds. The more glossy you are, the more attention you get–and attention is the new currency. That is the same ethos of the princess-haired women swanning around Mar-a-Lago. It's a deliberate dumbing down of society. When gloss replaces the time-intensive grind of investigative journalism, the autocrats and oligarchs who push this strategy distract and confuse us, and ensure important voices who can't win a Sephora Hunger Games get shut out.  In this week's bonus show, Gaslit Nation also covers the chilling expansion of America's police state, focusing on the horrifying conditions at the Delaney detention center in New Jersey. Inmates are on hunger strike to demand basic human rights, mirroring the brutal history of political prisoners under Stalin's regime. We must raise our voices, pressure our elected officials (like Governor Mikie Sherrill), and refuse to look away. Do not let the Mar-a-Lago face creator economy and the attention-hungry gatekeepers confuse and wear you down. Stay grounded in your moral force and amplify the truth. Listen to the full episode on Patreon and support our independent journalism. Shape the show and raise your voice at the Gaslit Nation Salon Monday at 4 PM Eastern. Look out for exciting announcements this coming Monday with a special sneak peak exclusively for our Patreon supporters. Can't make it? Listen to the recording later only on Patreon.com/Gaslit. Thank you to everyone who supports the show.  Show Notes: Opening clip: Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath & EdTech https://www.youtube.com/shorts/dFgGnY87MGw Clip: Editor Sara Hadir spreading Ryan Grim's disinformation https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYxFSFvIvfL/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== Watch Andrea Chalupa's journalistic thriller, Mr. Jones https://www.samuelgoldwynfilms.com/mr-jones/# Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin by Timothy Snyder https://bookshop.org/p/books/bloodlands-europe-between-hitler-and-stalin-timothy-snyder/8fa8bc938f216251?ean=9781541600065&next=t On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/558051/on-tyranny-by-timothy-snyder/ Orwell and the Refugees: The Untold Story of Animal Farm by Andrea Chalupa https://www.amazon.com/Orwell-Refugees-Untold-Story-Animal-ebook/dp/B007JNKF5G "They raped every German female from eight to 80" by Antony Beevor in The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/books/2002/may/01/news.features11 Go Back to Where You Came From: And Other Helpful Recommendations on How to Become American by Wajahat Ali https://www.porchlightbooks.com/products/go-back-to-where-you-came-from-wajahat-ali-9781324050322 Listen to Andrea's sweeping discussion with Wajahat Ali on his Substack show, The Left Hook https://substack.com/@gaslitnation/note/p-200496672?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=2mrjsl Watch the classic investigative journalism film, Spotlight https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPZhUM8VlpQ Ryan and Emily DEBATE: Did Soviets END The Holocaust? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJuwsu109YM Laurie Santos, professor at Yale, on how students today just stare at their phones https://www.instagram.com/p/DZJUBPCHyM4/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D The toll on press covering Delaney Hall https://bsky.app/profile/marisakabas.bsky.social/post/3mnarxbejw22l Learn more about the hunger strike and protests at the Delaney Hall detention center in New Jersey https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jun/02/ice-detention-camp-delaney-hall Contact Representative Mikie Sherrill to demand action on Delaney Hall https://sherrill.house.gov/contact Sign up for the Gaslit Nation Patreon to attend the upcoming songwriting workshop with Leslie Nuss on June 22n at 4pm ET and access the exclusive Monday Salons https://www.patreon.com/gaslit  

Trump is what happens when a bunch of slave owners set up a government to protect their wealth by establishing elite rule through the Senate, Electoral College, and no one fixing it for 250 years. We can and will build a better country from the ashes of MAGA's dumpster fire. We return to our summer 2025 conversation with Osita Nwanevu, a contributing editor for The New Republic, a columnist for The Guardian, and the author of the new book The Right of the People: Democracy and the Case for a New American Founding. Look out for an all new episode of Gaslit Nation this Thursday on Trump starting to pull the U.S. out of NATO, the moral stain on America of Delaney Hall where there is an ongoing hunger strike over inhumane conditions and a cover-up by the Department of Homeland Security. We're up against the same forces that carried out the genocide of the Native Americans and the authoritarian terror of slavery. But this time, millions of Americans are standing up, fighting back. Look out for Thursday's bonus show, available in full for our Patreon subscribers who make Gaslit Nation possible. At this Monday's salon at 4pm ET get ready for some big announcements about the future of the show as we dig in our heels to rebuild our democracy and demand accountability. More soon! EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: June 22nd Songwriting Workshop with Leslie Nuss. Come explore the power of art at our Monday June 22nd Gaslit Nation Salon at 4pm ET opened with a songwriting workshop by Leslie. Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community Join the California Signal Group for Gaslit Nation listeners to find each other and connect in that state - available on Patreon.com.  The Gaslit Nation Outreach Committee discusses how to talk to the MAGA cult - available on Patreon.com.  Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other - available on Patreon.com.  Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other - available on Patreon.com.  Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect - available on Patreon.com.  Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join - available on Patreon.com.  Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group - available on Patreon.com.  As always, keep it kind in our chat groups, extend grace and assume good faith. A culture of care is how we build a better world.  Show Notes: Listen to Andrea's recent interview with Jonathan Fink on his YouTube show Silicone Curtain: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqbUFEGX03Q The Right of the People Democracy and the Case for a New American Founding By Osita Nwanevu https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/704686/the-right-of-the-people-by-osita-nwanevu/ Russia slams key Ukrainian cities in one of deadliest offensives in months https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/01/europe/russia-attack-kyiv-building-damage-intl-hnk New Jersey sues Delaney Hall operators for access after allegations of inhumane conditions https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/02/us/delaney-hall-new-jersey-ice-protests-tuesday  

In this week's Gaslit Nation bonus show, we dive deeper into the "Iron Triangles" of corruption that enabled Epstein's network, with a special focus on the women co-conspirators. Like Trump is the rotting face of a death cult fascist movement that will outlive him, Epstein was a figurehead of a sprawling transnational crime syndicate, one enabled by powerbrokers still operating in plain sight.  Joining this discussion are investigative filmmaker Dave Pederson, the producer of the anti-corruption documentaries Americonned and Super Size Me, and OSINT investigator Patrick Duggan who created a searchable database of the Epstein files before the DOJ could delete them. As Felon 47 uses the might of his regime to harass survivor E. Jean Carroll, for risking her life to stand up to him for sexual assault, they want us demoralized and checked out. Instead, fight back by watching and amplifying her new documentary, out now, Ask E. Jean, and go to the Gaslit Nation Action Guide for more ways to fight back.  Join our community of listeners and get bonus shows, ad free listening, group chats with other listeners, ways to shape the show, invites to exclusive events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Discounted annual memberships are available. Become a Democracy Defender at Patreon.com/Gaslit   Show Notes:   Watch: Official Trailer of the documentary Ask E. Jean: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgyI8GStcao   Part I: Ghislaine Maxwell and the Intelligence Pipeline https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-other-man-who-links-melania-directly-to-epstein/   The Astonishing Work of Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez https://carriekaufman.substack.com/p/the-astonishing-work-of-alisa-valdes   Investigative journalist Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez says she was attacked by energy weapons for her explosive investigations connecting Epstein to military intelligence, says she is fleeing the US https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:tz7mjvor7gjmglqsggkc5cn6/post/3mmsmyqvzok22   Havana Syndrome Is Real - and They Tried to Bury It (with Michael Weiss) - Part One https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/havana-syndrome-is-real-and-they-tried-to-bury-it/id1728340033?i=1000756556282   The Quiet War: Invisible Attacks https://www.youtube.com/live/gAD0BnkNme8   The Man Who Links Melania Directly to Epstein https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-other-man-who-links-melania-directly-to-epstein/   Video: Melania Trump denies close ties to Jeffrey Epstein https://youtube.com/shorts/W3pCW8UU8cc?si=SxWAh3LX8KPrHrjU   The E. Jean Carroll Interview https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes/the-e-jean-carroll-interview/   Congress members say Delaney Hall detainees fed small portions 'often' containing maggots https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/delaney-hall-hunger-strike-protests/6506125/   Greg Sargent: "Just insane. New Jersey Gov Mikie Sherrill says DHS just denied state health inspectors full access to Delaney Hall. She's calling for it to be shut down." https://bsky.app/profile/gregsargent.bsky.social/post/3mmwotxgask23  

Who were the women who worked with Jeffrey Epstein? In Part I of this series, we look at Ghislaine Maxwell, transnational crime royalty as the daughter of MI6/Mossad double-agent and disgraced British media mogul Robert Maxwell, whose dying wish was to connect Maxwell with a young upstart in New York named Epstein.  Joining this discussion are investigative filmmaker Dave Pederson, the producer of the anti-corruption documentaries Americonned and Super Size Me, and OSINT expert Patrick Duggan who created a searchable database of the Epstein files before the DOJ could delete them. We also discuss the analysis by investigative journalist Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez that Maxwell was Epstein's handler in an intelligence long-game going back to the O.S.S., predecessor to the C.I.A.  Important historical context to our discussion: In 2011, then FBI Director Robert Mueller gave the "Iron Triangles" speech, revealing that transnational crime today works like an industry: fancy Western institutions like banks, law firms, and PR firms launder the money and reputations of shadowy crime and rogue intelligence syndicates, who are further served by their paid-off political operatives and politicians. In the speech, Mueller promised to crack down on the head of the Russian mafia, Semion Mogilevich, nicknamed the "boss of all bosses." Instead, Mogilevich was mysteriously taken off of the FBI's Most Wanted List in 2015, at a time the FBI was busting Russian spy rings in New York City, including Kremlin recruitment of college girls, including one Andrea may have encountered at a foreign policy event. A year later, Donald Trump, after decades of financial dealings with dirty Russian money, would be elected president with the Kremlin's illegal help. The 2016 election was a transnational coup decades in the making. In 1999, a high-level U.S. source leaked to the New York Times, undermining a sensitive intelligence operation between the FBI and MI6 to close-in on Russian mafia infiltration in the West, especially Mogilevich. In reporting from that time, The Guardian wrote:  "Author Jeffrey Robinson - whose latest book, The Merger, was published by Simon and Schuster last week - says that organised criminals such as Mogilevich are enjoying massive success using Harvard Business School techniques. 'Mogilevich typifies the new global criminal,' says Robinson. 'These men don't rob banks, they buy them. They take full advantage of globalisation, ill-equipped law enforcement and lax money-laundering laws - especially in Britain - using the City of London as their onshore gateway to the offshore world. 'This case is the tip of the iceberg. The City is an absolute cesspool and it will remain a cesspool because the people in charge don't care. Mogilevich is not the only one, the Bank of New York is not the only place."  Russian oligarchs are the Russian military industrial complex. Mogilevich oversees "weapons trafficking, contract murders, extortion, drug trafficking, and prostitution on an international scale," according to the FBI. It would be easy to buy-off U.S. officials, like the FBI's Charles McGonigal who was paid with our tax dollars to fight the Russian mafia, but was instead on their payroll. Intelligence agencies in the U.S. – the FBI and the CIA – have faced virtually no oversight and accountability for most of their existence, leading to the explosive Church Committee Congressional hearings, exposing that the CIA and FBI were involved in covert mind control experiments, illegal coups and science fiction-style assassination programs, and violent infiltration of political opposition groups on U.S. soil. You can learn more about that in our recent episode on the Church Committee Report – in the show notes. Listen to Part I now. Part II will be out this Thursday as Gaslit Nation's Bonus Show, with a continued discussion of the women who worked with Epstein, and what they may reveal about the Iron Triangles that illegally helped bring a Russian asset/traitor to power. To listen to this week's bonus show, be sure to subscribe at Patreon.com/Gaslit at the Truth-teller ($5/month) or higher – discounted annual subscriptions are available, and you can give the gift of membership. Thank you to everyone who supports the show – we could not make Gaslit Nation without you.   Show Notes:   Opening song: Unreal by Jizzy Cream. Check out Jizzy Cream's music here: https://babyfantasyclub.bandcamp.com/track/unreal   Have a song for Gaslit Nation? Submit it here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1-d_DWNnDQFYUMXueYcX5ZVsA5t2RN09N8PYUQQ8koq0/edit?ts=5fee07f6&gxids=7628   Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez: The Terrifying Real Reason For Jeffrey Epstein's Remote Zorro Ranch Emerges When You Examine the Ranch Next Door https://substack.com/home/post/p-193590181 Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez: Epstein Likely Wasn't the Boss. So Who Was? https://alisav.substack.com/p/epstein-likely-wasnt-the-boss-so February 5, 2026 from The Times: "Jeffrey Epstein was introduced to Ghislaine Maxwell by her brother Kevin as part of a plan for the paedophile financier to help the Maxwell family "move money", according to a previously undisclosed account of the origins of the scandal. Kevin Maxwell, once Britain's biggest bankrupt, was "instructed to meet Epstein by his father", Robert Maxwell, according to FBI records of conversations with a former business associate of the Maxwells that have been released by the US Department of Justice.  Kevin later introduced Ghislaine to Epstein and was responsible for placing her office in New York near Epstein after Robert Maxwell's death in 1991, the business associate is said to have claimed. Kevin allegedly negotiated an "understanding" with Epstein and Ghislaine whereby Epstein "would become involved in the Maxwell financial affairs". https://www.thetimes.com/article/0b5bfceb-3c2a-4ffa-aa2f-74e38a395a1e   US charges Russian 'spies' suspected of trying to recruit New Yorkers https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jan/26/us-charges-alleged-russian-spies-new-york   Traitors in the FBI https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes/traitors-in-the-fbi/ "Donald Barr's 26-page O.S.S. file, obtained from the National Archives, gives a detailed account of his transition from the military to intelligence work. In 1944, he shipped off to Europe. He suffered from hay fever and 20/200 vision; much of his time overseas was spent hospitalized with allergies. The next year, he was assigned to the O.S.S. His interviewer found him to be "a quiet, unassuming person ... matured beyond his age." In late 1945, he moved to Washington to begin work at the Interim Research and Intelligence Service, which would become the State Department's in-house intelligence bureau." https://www.congress.gov/116/meeting/house/110938/documents/HHRG-116-JU00-20200728-SD051.pdf   Epstein's Transnational Torture Syndicate: https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes/the-torture-syndicate/   Ex-FBI counterintelligence chief Charles McGonigal sentenced to 50 months in prison for working with Russian oligarch https://abcnews.com/US/fbi-counterintelligence-chief-charles-mcgonigal-sentencing-begin/story?id=105642391   Watchdog reveals new misconduct by jailed former FBI official and Chinese firm https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/watchdog-reveals-new-misconduct-jailed-former-fbi-official-chinese-fir-rcna216856   Russian mafia target the City https://www.theguardian.com/world/1999/aug/22/paulfarrelly.tonythompson   The Playbook for Defeating MAGA: The Church Committee Report https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes/the-playbook-for-defeating-maga-the-church-committee-report/   FBI Archive: FBI Most Wanted Semion Mogilevich https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/news/stories/2009/october/mogilevich_102109   2013: Russian mafia boss still at large after FBI wiretap at Trump Tower https://abcnews.com/US/story-fbi-wiretap-russians-trump-tower/story?id=46266198    2013: Feds: Russian Mob Ran Celebrity Poker Games https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/feds-russian-mob-ran-celebrity-poker-games/   2015: Reputed Philly mobster Semion Mogilevich bumped from FBI's 'Ten Most Wanted' list  https://www.phillyvoice.com/reputed-philly-mobster-bumped-fbis-ten-most-wanted-list/   A guide to Russia's wartime oligarchs https://www.proekt.media/en/guide-en/russian-war-oligarchs-en/   Maxwell buried on Mount of Olives https://www.upi.com/Archives/1991/11/10/Maxwell-buried-on-Mount-of-Olives/4340689749200/   New docs say Jeffrey Epstein collaborated with the Russian mob to loot the New York Daily News, then tried to help Mort Zuckerman discard it when reporting became inconvenient. https://prospect.org/2026/02/26/newspapers-did-not-kill-themselves-jeffrey-epstein-mort-zuckerman-daily-news/   The State of the Union is Sadistic Elites on a Crime Spree https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes/the-state-of-the-union-is-sadistic-elites-on-a-crime-spree/   The Military-Industrial Complex Speech (1961) https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/historic-document-library/detail/the-military-industrial-complex-speech-1961   Robert Mueller's 2011 Iron Triangles Speech discussed on Gaslit Nation: https://www.damemagazine.com/2018/08/07/robert-mueller-saw-trump-coming-in-2011/   "Charles McGonigal, who oversaw counterintelligence at the FBI, was sentenced to over two years in prison for money laundering and sanctions evasion related to his dealings with Deripaska and others." https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-shestakov-mcgonigal-deripaska-fbi-crime/33563333.html   The Church Committee Report https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes/the-playbook-for-defeating-maga-the-church-committee-report/  

With convicted felon, six-time bankrupt trust fund kid Donald Trump illegally looting $1.8 billion of our tax-payer dollars for violent traitors who tried to overturn our democracy on January 6, it's time to dream big for our country. All ideas are on the table, including a Maidan-style revolution, as we must rebuild from the ashes. Gaslit Nation is here to tell you that a better world is possible.     This week's bonus show, available for Gaslit Nation supporters at the Truth-teller level and higher, continues our discussion with veteran war correspondent James Verini. He is the author of the powerful new book The Theater: Courage and Survival in the Defining Atrocity of the Ukraine War. In Part II of our discussion we discuss Palantir, owned by staunchly anti-democratic Peter Thiel, operating in Ukraine–the vanguard of democracy.    See you at the Gaslit Nation Salon Monday at 4pm ET – look out for the Zoom link to join the discussion then, and also the recording of this week's salon – on the AI-acapolyse trying to thrust millions of Americans into poverty, while the self-appointed tech gods hoard wealth and power, using our stolen copyrighted work. To join the salons, get bonus shows, all shows ad free, and more, subscribe at Patreon.com/Gaslit – discounted annual memberships are available, and you can give the gift of membership. Thank you to everyone who supports the show.  Want to hear Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chats, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit! Show Notes:   The Theater: Courage and Survival in the Defining Atrocity of the Ukraine War By James Verini https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Theater/James-Verini/9781668062203   'Dancing on bones': Mariupol theatre to reopen with staging of Russian fairytale https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/25/mariupol-bombed-theatre-reopen-russification-ukraine   Trump Wants a Repeat of Bush v. Gore. Amy Coney Barrett Might Make It Happen. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2020/10/trump-wants-a-repeat-of-bush-v-gore-amy-coney-barrett-might-make-it-happen/   The Pro-Money Court: How the Roberts Supreme Court Dismantled Campaign Finance Law https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/pro-money-court-how-roberts-supreme-court-dismantled-campaign-finance-law   Gaslit Nation Read and Resist Book Club Featuring Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning: https://www.patreon.com/posts/read-and-resist-132804210?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link   Matt Taibbi's past comes back to haunt him https://www.cascadepbs.org/all/2017/10/matt-taibbis-past-comes-back-to-haunt-him/   Matt Taibbi filed a Trumpian, free speech-chilling lawsuit against me. A judge just threw it out https://www.ms.now/opinion/matt-taibbi-free-speech-defamation-lawsuit Opening clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMrNO6VjqiA&list=RDrMrNO6VjqiA&start_radio=1

Ukraine is winning, and a botox-bloated Putin looks like a dead-man walking. While the spineless MAGA right still tries to block aid, Ukrainian innovation has turned Russia's imperialist delusion into an embarrassing nightmare, as predicted on Gaslit Nation at the start of the full-scale invasion. Award-winning war reporter James Verini, author of The Theater: Courage and Survival in the Defining Atrocity of the Ukraine War, joins Gaslit Nation to discuss the desperation rattling Moscow. Putin wanted a grand Cold War rematch, but instead, he's trapped in a catastrophic, modern-day Afghanistan with a staggering one million Russian casualties. The reality the MAGA death cult and isolationists ignore? Ukraine is the true vanguard of global democracy. They are out-innovating Goliath with world-leading drone technology and defending the open society while MAGA lackeys play craven partisan games. Putin's radical, Dugin-fueled imperial ego has officially broken Russia, much like Trump's is breaking the U.S. To beat Big Tech censorship, subscribe to Gaslit Nation's Patreon at the Truth-Teller level or higher today. Thank you to everyone who supports the show and joins our lively Monday salons–recordngs are available, only on Patreon. EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community New! There's now a California Signal Group for Gaslit Nation listeners to find each other and connect in that state. Join on Patreon.  The Gaslit Nation Outreach Committee discusses how to talk to the MAGA cult. Join on Patreon.  Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other. Join on Patreon.  Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other. Join on Patreon.  Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect. Join on Patreon.  Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join. Join in Patreon.  Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, join on Patreon.  As always, keep it kind in our chat groups, extend grace and assume good faith. A culture of care is how we build a better world. Join our community of listeners and get bonus shows, ad free listening, group chats with other listeners, ways to shape the show, invites to exclusive events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Discounted annual memberships are available. Become a Democracy Defender at Patreon.com/Gaslit Show Notes: Opening clip: Spanish actor Javier Bardem at the Cannes Film Festival, saying what needs to be said: https://bsky.app/profile/hannibal.bsky.social/post/3mm4eomatbk2t The Theater Courage and Survival in the Defining Atrocity of the Ukraine War By James Verini https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Theater/James-Verini/9781668062203 Russia in No Mood for Celebration on Kremlin's Biggest Day of the Year: As the country heads into Victory Day, the economy is stalling, internet restrictions are growing and the Kremlin is fearing Ukrainian attacks. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/08/world/europe/russia-mood-victory-day.html?unlocked_article_code=1.jlA.mQvz.bsjmfvh1AxHe&smid=url-share Ukraine is forging the future of war: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/17/world/killer-robots-ukraine-ebola-qatar.html?unlocked_article_code=1.jlA.Tkdm.TaPFOgd0QcG8&smid=url-share Kyivan Rus, then and now: How has Russia distorted the history of Kyivan Rus? https://kyivindependent.com/kyivan-rus-then-and-now/ The men who could succeed Vladimir Putin https://theweek.com/feature/briefing/1024619/putins-potential-successors Democrats bypass Mike Johnson on Ukraine aid with GOP help https://www.axios.com/2026/05/13/ukraine-aid-discharge-petition-mike-johnson-kiley Putin health fears as Russian president appears at victory parade with 'swollen' face https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/putin-health-fears-as-russian-president-appears-at-victory-parade-with-swollen-face/ar-AA22ZIE7

Convicted felon Trump went to China and brought his son Eric along on the nepo-baby express. Eric runs the family business. And by "family business," we mean a transnational crime network of bribes operating like a geopolitical yard sale, selling out our country to the highest bidder. While they were there, Dictator Xi Jinping told the U.S. to back off defending Taiwan. And Trump, in defiance of decades of established U.S. foreign policy, is suddenly sounding suspiciously wishy-washy on approving arms deals for Taiwan. Which is just music to Xi's ears. It's the 1930s all over again, complete with secret alliances of transactional autocrats, and the people forced to build their own resistance networks in the storm.  How do we get through this era without having to literally storm the beaches of Normandy again? To help us figure it out, we're bringing you Part II of our discussion with Ciara Torres-Spelliscy. She is a Brennan Center fellow, a law professor at Stetson University, and the author of Corporatocracy: How to Protect Democracy from Dark Money and Corrupt Politicians. (And if you missed Part I, where we discussed how American corporations funded Trump's violent January 6th coup attempt, go back and listen to it right here). It's easy to despair right now, but the resilience of the people, especially powerful community networks, reminds us that the Constitution still matters, and protects everyone on our soil. We are not powerless against a corporatocracy eager to cash in on transactional autocrats. We just need to confront the absolute, unmitigated disaster that was the Reagan Revolution, undo its damage by building localized power through groups like the States Project, and commit to a relentless, stubborn defiance. We can and will do it, together. Because there's no other choice.  To listen to this full episode, subscribe at the Truth-teller tier, which is just $5 a month, or higher on Patreon. We have discounted annual subscriptions, and you can even give the gift of membership to that uncle who still thinks trickle-down economics works. A massive thank you to everyone who subscribes to Gaslit Nation—we literally could not make this show without you. Show Notes: Corporatocracy How to Protect Democracy from Dark Money and Corrupt Politicians https://nyupress.org/9781479828371/corporatocracy/ Corporatocracy - Part I: https://gaslitnation.libsyn.com/corporatocracy 'No idea it was coming': Pentagon officials stunned by Hegseth decision on troops in Poland https://www.politico.com/news/2026/05/14/poland-pentagon-hegseth-troop-withdrawl-surprise-00922169 Eric Trump, Who Runs the Family Business, Hops Along on the Plane to China https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/13/us/politics/eric-trump-china.html?unlocked_article_code=1.ilA.uxcA.YKSI7CnAWkZs&smid=url-share Poland railway blast was unprecedented act of sabotage, says Donald Tusk https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/17/poland-railway-blast-was-unprecedented-act-of-sabotage-says-donald-tusk Opening clip: https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3mlvc3nzpjc23

Gaslit Nation unmasks the real villain: the corporations hijacking our democracy, using Trump as a distraction as they loot and destroy our country. Ciara Torres-Spelliscy, a Brennan Center fellow and professor of law at Stetson University College of Law, and author of Corporatocracy: How to Protect Democracy from Dark Money and Corrupt Politicians, explains how corporations funded Trump's violent coup attempt on January 6, 2021.  In Part I of our discussion, Torres-Spelliscy shows us the inner-workings of corporate greed, and why boardrooms are fine with Trump chaos. In Part II of our discussion, out Thursday in our bonus show for Patreon (get access to that for $5/month at the Truth-teller level), we discuss concrete ways to fight back, including as the corporate lobbyists on the Supreme Court kill what's left of the Voting Rights Act, which Americans gave their lives for.  Gaslit Nation is being censored by the corporations that run Big Tech. We see a drop in views after one of our videos, on a topic such as exposing Epstein's transnational crime network, receives a lot of views. We immediately see a drop in viewership of our videos that come after. Your help amplifying Gaslit Nation–sharing our episodes on your social media, joining our Patreon even as a free member to help amplify our voice–makes a big difference in fighting back. America is sinking in a Trumpian swamp of corporate greed and corruption, but the people can and must organize to build a better world–like generations before us who prevailed to give us the rights under attack today.  Thank you for everyone who supports the show. We could not make Gaslit Nation without you.  Join our community of listeners and get bonus shows, ad free listening, group chats with other listeners, ways to shape the show, invites to exclusive events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Discounted annual memberships are available. Become a Democracy Defender at Patreon.com/Gaslit EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community New! There's now a California Signal Group for Gaslit Nation listeners to find each other and connect in that state. Join here! The Gaslit Nation Outreach Committee discusses how to talk to the MAGA cult, available on Patreon.  Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.  Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.  Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.  Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.  Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.  As always, keep it kind in our chat groups, extend grace and assume good faith. A culture of care is how we build a better world. 

Today is Andrea's birthday. Gaslit Nation is celebrating the only way we know how: by re-reading Dorothy Thompson's 1941 essay, "Who Goes Nazi?", on how to tell who among you at your next dinner party would become a Nazi if given the chance. How does she know? She met these types during the Nazi takeover of her beloved Austria and Germany, hotbeds of intellectual thought and progressive movements, including for LGBTQ and women's rights, before traditional conversatives and business elites put an end to all that by joining forces with a fringe death cult led by a narcissist conspiracy theorist.  Our Gaslit Nation Salon at 4pm ET will open with the reading of the first ten pages of Andrea's screenplay-in-progress, read by Gaslit Nation listeners, and featuring voices from the past reminding us how to overcome the threats we face. To join us today, sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit -- discounted annual memberships are available and you can give the gift of membership. Thank you to everyone who supports the show. We could not make Gaslit Nation without you.  Want to hear Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chats, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!  

In this special bonus show, Gaslit Nation reminds you that Hitler and Trump rose to power in very similar ways, and why we must stay grounded in that historical truth. The fate of the world literally depends on it. The Holocaust and World War II happened, because people didn't want to believe it would be so bad. Normalcy bias is a dangerous coping mechanism.  As the world marks the 81st anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, with Putin, like Hitler, hiding in his bunker, reports of his hands shaking, of parades canceled or scaled back across Russia–it's a reminder that we can stand up to fascism, when we align our will with a higher purpose, like Ukraine and its allies.  To celebrate the power of remembering, and Andrea's birthday (caaaaake!), we're opening this Monday's Gaslit Nation Salon at 4pm E.T. with a reading of the first 10 pages of her screenplay, about the power of forbidden love in a time of fascism. To join us, look out for the Zoom link posted Monday morning on Patreon. This week's bonus show, available in full for our subscribers at the Truth-teller ($5/month) level and higher, we continue on with Gal Beckerman about his new book How to Be a Dissident. Listen to Part I here.  Want to hear Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chats, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit! Show Notes:  How to Be a Dissident https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2026/5/5/how-to-be-a-dissident Putin, 73, Spotted 'In Pain' With Sickly Shriveled Hand https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/putin-73-spotted-pain-sickly-155649060.html Hitler and the Nazis: Evil on Trial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6eIox2vOiA Jessica Valenti on The Heritage Foundation's Plan to Subjugate Women https://jessica.substack.com/p/new-project-2025-250-years-heritage

On this hopeful Gaslit Nation, we confront the MAGA fascist takeover with a look at the ultimate antidote: how to be a dissident. Andrea talks with The Atlantic's Gal Beckerman about his inspiring new book, How to Be a Dissident. While the establishment chooses conformity to protect their wealth, we explore the rare, stubborn individuals—from the abolitionists to the neighbors in Minnesota forming mutual care networks—who ask themselves the only question that matters: Can I live with myself if I obey in advance? As the toppling of Kremlin allies Assad and Orban, and soon Trump, have reminded us: the human spirit's desire for expression is the one thing a dictatorship can never defeat. Join us this Thursday for part two of our discussion on the Gaslit Nation Bonus Show–how to survive the stomach ache of fear and build an unrelenting culture of resistance. To listen to the full episode, subscribe to our Patreon at the Truth-Teller level ($5/month) or higher. And don't forget to save the date: we are opening our May 11th Gaslit Nation Salon at 4 p.m. ET to celebrate Andrea's birthday with an exclusive reading of a smutty screenplay in progress. Every bit of support gives us the freedom to tell the truth, so thank you for making this show possible–we could not make Gaslit Nation without you.  Join our community of listeners and get bonus shows, ad free listening, group chats with other listeners, ways to shape the show, invites to exclusive events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Discounted annual memberships are available. Become a Democracy Defender at Patreon.com/Gaslit  EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community New! There's now a California Signal Group for Gaslit Nation listeners to find each other and connect in that state. Join on Patreon.  The Gaslit Nation Outreach Committee discusses how to talk to the MAGA cult. Join on Patreon.  Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other. Join on Patreon.  Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other. Join on Patreon.  Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect. Join on Patreon.  Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join. Join on Patreon.  Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group. Join on Patreon. As always, keep it kind in our chat groups, extend grace and assume good faith. A culture of care is how we build a better world.   

Here's what you missed at last week's Gaslit Nation Salon: a lively debate among our listeners over whether Trump, or his allies, somehow staged the WHCD assassination attempt. The discussion opens with a look at the same heightened "unreality" created by Putin in Russia, thanks to a well-funded propaganda operation and conspiracy theories to come to power and stay in power. To join today's Gaslit Nation Salon, find the Zoom link, along with our recordings, at Patreon.com/Gaslit. Thank you to everyone who supports the show. We could not make Gaslit Nation without you. 

In this week's Gaslit Nation Bonus Show, Daniella Mestyanek Young, The Knitting Cult Lady, author of the new book The Culting of America, explains how to get justice for survivors and protect children from Christian nationalist cults to Epstein's transnational crime network–better laws, better leaders, and ban home-schooling. "When countries outlaw homeschooling, it is one of the best protections that children can be given," she says. This week's bonus show also includes a look at serial predator Eric Swallwell, a rising star of the Democratic Party establishment, who has long been plagued by rumors. But despite that, he was the establishment's chosen one to lead the fourth largest economy in the world as California's governor, an important stepping stone to the White House. How can a predator protect us from Epstein's crime cult–which hasn't been brought to justice–or release the full files, as mandated by law? They can't.  While the interview with The Knitting Cult Lady is available to all listeners, to hear the full episode be sure to subscribe at the Truth-teller tier ($5/month) or higher and support the show. Save the date! We're opening the May 11th (Andrea's birthday!) Gaslit Nation Salon at 4pm ET with a reading of an excerpt of one of Andrea's screenplays. Come one, come all, and celebrate with us at Patreon.com/Gaslit. Thank you to everyone who supports the show.  For a look at how to take back our country from John Robert's pro-Jim Crow Supreme Court, check out the expert advice from past guests in our show notes.  Show Notes: Supreme Court Resources: Ari Berman on standing up to the GOP's minority rule: https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2024/4/23/minority-rule Elie Mystal on expanding the Supreme Court: https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2024/10/15/expand-the-court-the-elie-mystal-interview Leah Litman on the lawless MAGA cult and the Supreme Court: https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2025/5/21/lawless?rq=Supreme%20Court Who will protect us from the Supreme Court? https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2023/12/06/supreme-court-jesse-eisinger-part-1?rq=Supreme%20Court Six Solutions to Fix the Supreme Court https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/policy-solutions/six-solutions-fix-supreme-court The only way to end the class divide: the case for abolishing private schools https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/aug/24/the-only-way-to-end-the-class-divide-the-case-for-abolishing-private-schools How California Democrats Got Behind Swalwell — and Quickly Abandoned Him https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/12/us/california-democrats-eric-swalwell.html The whisper network that caught up to Eric Swalwell https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/13/influencers-allegations-eric-swalwell-00869517 How Did California Democrats Let Eric Swalwell Get This Far, Anyway? They surely knew about his misconduct ages ago. And more broadly, California Democrats aren't doing their party any favors. https://newrepublic.com/article/208972/democrats-boot-eric-swalwell-california Why Democrats Are Accusing the FBI of Trying to 'Smear' Rep. Eric Swalwell https://www.aol.com/news/why-democrats-accusing-fbi-trying-200552331.html How Eric Swalwell's fall was brought on by a network of women who organized online https://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/npr/nx-s1-5784021/how-eric-swalwell-s-fall-was-brought-on-by-a-network-of-women-who-organized-online Manhattan prosecutor investigates abuse claims against congressman Eric Swalwell https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c7vq0jnn0yro Swalwell pushes back, and a Dem crime shift in Sacramento https://www.politico.com/newsletters/california-playbook-pm/2026/04/07/swalwell-pushes-back-and-a-dem-crime-shift-in-sacramento-00862465  How Eric Swalwell Rose to the Top of Democratic Politics as Rumors Followed Him https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/04/15/nation/eric-swalwell-resigned-governor-race/ GOP's Chances of Winning House After Supreme Court Voting Rights Act Move https://www.newsweek.com/gop-chances-winning-house-supreme-court-voting-rights-act-11897294   

Is America a cult? How can we help those trapped in cult-like thinking? Discussing her new book The Culting of America, Daniella Mestyanik Young, a US Army veteran, intelligence officer, and survivor of the notorious Children of God cult, joins Gaslit Nation to help us identify coercive control in our own lives, and in our White House.  Daniella breaks down the "sex cult math" of her upbringing, identifying the same tactics of coercive control now fueling the MAGA movement. Trump has pulled disparate groups into a singular cult of personality, where he is viewed as a "flawed vessel" of a "perfect God" delivering a Christian theocracy coming after our rights.  As a counter-terrorism expert, Daniella warns that the "arrogance" of Trump and his son-in-law Jared Kushner's war of choice in Iran is a classic cult leader trap. Tyrants lose when they start "sampling their own Kool-Aid," she points out. She also advises on how to help those in your life who have fallen down the conspiracy theory rabbit hole of cult-like thinking, to help them find their way to reality. This is an episode not to miss.  Save the date! At the Gaslit Nation Salon on Monday May 11 4pm ET, we'll start with a special reading of an excerpt of one of Andrea's screenplays. To join the festivities, become a member at Patreon.com/Gaslit - thank you to everyone who supports the show.  Want to hear Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chats, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit! Show Notes: Yes, Some Government Conspiracies Are Real, like MKUltra: Welcome to The Church Committee Report https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2026/1/28/the-playbook-for-defeating-maga-the-church-committee-report?rq=The%20Playbook%20for%20Defeating%20MAGA%3A%20The%20Church%20Committee%20Report  EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community New! There's now a California Signal Group for Gaslit Nation listeners to find each other and connect in that state. Join on Patreon.  The Gaslit Nation Outreach Committee discusses how to talk to the MAGA cult. Join on Patreon.  Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other. Join on Patreon.  Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other. Join on Patreon.  Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect. Join on Patreon.  Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join. Join on Patreon.  Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group. Join on Patreon.  As always, keep it kind in our chat groups, extend grace and assume good faith. A culture of care is how we build a better world. 

We've received questions and comments from Gaslit Nation listeners about the assassination attempt at the White House Correspondents' Dinner over the weekend. Here's our response. We can discuss at today's Gaslit Nation Salon at 4pm ET, along with whatever is happening in your neck of the woods. Sign up on Patreon.com/Gaslit to join the discussion: https://www.patreon.com/posts/zoom-link-for-156366425?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link Join our community of listeners, get bonus shows, ad free listening, group chats, ways to shape the show, invites to exclusive events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more. Discounted annual memberships are available. Become a Democracy Defender at Patreon.com/Gaslit Show Notes: Opening Clip: Obama Roasts Trump in 2011: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4H47RaRDadY Dr. Bandy Lee Interview on Gaslit Nation: https://www.patreon.com/posts/confederacy-of-114975456?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link  MAGA Is Increasingly Convinced The Trump Assassination Attempt Was Staged https://www.wired.com/video/watch/maga-is-increasingly-convinced-the-trump-assassination-attempt-was-staged

On Monday May 11 at 4pm ET at the Gaslit Nation Salon, get ready for a big peek behind the curtain. To celebrate Andrea's birthday, we're starting that day's salon with a production of the first 15 pages or so of one of her antifa screenplays. It's based on a story longtime Gaslit Nation listeners may recognize. And we'll leave it there. To get your ticket and support the show, join our community of listeners at Patreon.com/Gaslit, get all episodes ad free, bonus shows, exclusive invites, and more. Thank you to everyone who supports the show! 

While Orban's gang of Kremlin-paid criminals burn proof of their crimes, the new leadership in Hungary goes after their propaganda machine and GOP allies who used Hungarian taxpayer money to fund CPAC. This is against U.S. law. If America had a real DOJ and functional Congress, all Republican officials would be investigated for being foreign agents of Hungary and therefore Russia.  "Foreign governments are barred from spending money in American elections, and Americans are forbidden from soliciting or accepting it," wrote Rep. Mike Levin on Twitter (we will never call it X). "If these allegations are true, this is a direct attack on the integrity of American democracy…The American people deserve to know exactly what flowed from Orban's government into this country's political ecosystem, who was on the receiving end, and what it bought." As Gaslit Nation has long warned, Orban's regime was funneling money and instructions from Russia to MAGA world. The RussiaGate transnational crime network never stopped. The crime spree continues and has only grown stronger. We told you so!.  In this week's Gaslit Nation, we're re-running our interview with Peter Hidas, who as a young student helped ignite the 1956 Hungarian Uprising. Peter's story is a testament to what ordinary people can do when they refuse to bow to tyranny. The revolts that shook the Iron Curtain in 1956 laid the groundwork for the movements that would one day bring down the Soviet empire.  This week's bonus show, available to subscribers at the Truther-teller ($5/month) and higher, will look at the latest in U.S. politics, including the Virginia election results, and where we need to keep the pressure on. To our Patreon supporters, see you at Monday's salon. Thank you to everyone who supports our independent journalism–we could not make this show without you! The song featured in this week's episode is "Election Day" by The Spiders. Check out their music at thespidersband.com If you have a song to share on Gaslit Nation, submit it here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1-d_DWNnDQFYUMXueYcX5ZVsA5t2RN09N8PYUQQ8koq0/edit?ts=5fee07f6&gxids=7628  Join our community of listeners and get bonus shows, ad free listening, group chats with other listeners, ways to shape the show, invites to exclusive events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Discounted annual memberships are available. Become a Democracy Defender at Patreon.com/Gaslit EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community New! There's now a California Signal Group for Gaslit Nation listeners to find each other and connect in that state. Join on Patreon.  The Gaslit Nation Outreach Committee discusses how to talk to the MAGA cult. Join on Patreon.  Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other. Join on Patreon.  Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other. Join on Patreon.  Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect. Join on Patreon.  Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join. Join on Patreon.  Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group on Patreon.  As always, keep it kind in our chat groups, extend grace and assume good faith. A culture of care is how we build a better world.  Show Notes: How to Overthrow a Dictator (Featuring the history of Andrea's father-in-law Mihai Sedaru Barbul) https://sites.libsyn.com/124622/how-to-overthrow-a-dictator  Viktor Orbán built a 'propaganda machine.' Hungary's next leader must dismantle it https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/19/europe/orban-propaganda-media-magyar-hungary-intl  Péter Magyar accuses outgoing foreign minister of destroying confidential documents https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/04/13/peter-magyar-accuses-outgoing-foreign-minister-of-destroying-confidential-documents Suppressed and 'spied on' under Orban — now the press can taste freedom https://www.thetimes.com/world/europe/article/hungary-viktor-orban-press-freedom-magyar-vj9wb0lnp Orban supporters 'burn documents' as Russian allies face prosecution in Hungary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlqqjAvcp4Q Trump Taps Palantir to Compile Data on Americans https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/30/technology/trump-palantir-data-americans.html Palentir lays the groundwork to justify genocide. Some animals are more equal than others. This is literally Orwell: https://bsky.app/profile/andreachalupa.bsky.social/post/3mjumz5lwk22h What can the West learn from Peter Magyar's victory in Hungary? https://theweek.com/world-news/trump-magyar-orban-hungary-maga-politics Videos Show Russian Youths Chant Anti-War Song in St. Petersburg https://www.newsweek.com/videos-russian-youths-chant-anti-war-song-st-petersburg-10883035  Hungary PM Orbán's advisor in hot water for saying resisting Russia is irresponsible https://www.euronews.com/2024/09/26/hungary-pm-orbans-advisor-in-hot-water-for-saying-resisting-russia-is-irresponsible 

Americans must fight a war on two fronts: against MAGA fascism and Democratic Party complacency. Wajahat Ali of the Left Hook on Substack and author of Go Back to Where You Came From: And Other Helpful Recommendations on How to Become American joins Gaslit Nation to discuss how to actually build back better this time.  Donald Trump is America's karma of white supremacy, greed, and misogyny. But while the MAGA virus burns through our institutions, another danger is the "Big Club" in Washington, D.C. where Republicans and Democrats share the same donors, the same golf clubs, and the same refusal to tax the rich.  The DNC thinks they can waltz into power by not being Trump, but voters want a fighter and they want accountability. We are watching a righteous rage build across the globe, from the resistance in Ukraine and Hungary to vigilante violence here at home. When an Amazon worker drops dead and colleagues are told to work around the body, the status quo makes revolution by any means inevitable.  Ukrainians are fighting a war on two fronts: homegrown corruption and Kremlin fascism. We must see ourselves in the same fight. If the Democrats choose the James Carville "possum strategy" and refuse to face reality, they are simply clearing the deck for a more competent autocrat in 2032.  EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community New! There's now a California Signal Group for Gaslit Nation listeners to find each other and connect in that state, availableon Patreon.  The Gaslit Nation Outreach Committee discusses how to talk to the MAGA cult, availableon Patreon.  Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, availableon Patreon.  Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, availableon Patreon.  Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, availableon Patreon.  Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, availableon Patreon.  Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, availableon Patreon.  As always, keep it kind in our chat groups, extend grace and assume good faith. A culture of care is how we build a better world.  Join our community of listeners and get bonus shows, ad free listening, group chats with other listeners, ways to shape the show, invites to exclusive events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Discounted annual memberships are available. Become a Democracy Defender at Patreon.com/Gaslit Show Notes: Amazon Accused of Hiding Worker's Death for a Week, Making Employees Keep Working as Corpse Lay on Floor https://futurism.com/future-society/amazon-accused-hiding-death-week Worker who allegedly set fire to California warehouse compares self to Luigi Mangione https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/10/california-warehouse-arson-luigi-mangione Newsom Vows to Stop Proposed Billionaire Tax in California https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/13/us/newsom-billionaire-tax-california.html Christiane Amanpour and Jill Lepore on CNN: Civil War Confederate President Wasn't Tried, Why It Matters In Trump Case https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXVOIab3ek8  The Black Death by Thomas Asbridge review – a medieval horror story https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/apr/08/the-black-death-a-global-history-thomas-asbridge-review-pandemic-history-covid Why Does "DoorDash Grandma" Keep Showing Up with MAGA Members? https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2026/04/14/has-doordash-grandma-appeared-with-other-gop-leaders-what-to-know/89602972007/ Aaron Rupar: "A woman named Lonna Drewes at a news conference just now accused Eric Swalwell of drugging her drink and sexually assaulting her. Here's part of her statement." https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3mjhtlsrn5i2z David Dayen: "Several important nuggets in here: • Swalwell was rebuilding Newsom's inner circle; he was the establishment hope • One lobbyist: "Were we willing to delude ourselves or not ask questions that should have been asked? 1000%" • His campaign started sending cease-and-desists last year" https://bsky.app/profile/ddayen.bsky.social/post/3mjfu4px42c25 Lesley Abravanel: "In a major shift, Cook Political Report has now moved 4 Senate seats toward the Democrats (NC,GA, OH, NE). That's on top of 5 House races that Cook Political moved leftward just last week, all partly due to Trump's  unpopular war in Iran that sent gas prices skyrocketing." https://bsky.app/profile/lesleyabravanel.bsky.social/post/3mjflo3zkdc2t