The Audacity of Pope

The surreal nature of Saturday night at the Washington Hilton has left the country in a state of collective dismay. In this episode, co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman analyze the intersection of political violence, the erosion of load-bearing institutions, and the ethical crossroads facing people of conscience. The conversation centers on the manifesto of the thirty-one year old alleged assailant. The hosts explore the rational or extreme moral arguments used to justify such actions. They delve into the widows fantasy and the psychological impact of living under an administration that many experience as an abusive relationship. The discussion also highlights a neo-feudal shift in Washington which includes the literal and metaphorical distance created by top secret bunkers and the removal of authoritarian agents from the general population. Finally, the hosts reflect on the persecution of the good guys and whether the social contract can ever be restored. Support us at ⁠Patreon.com/muckrakepodcast⁠.

This is a free preview of the Weekender Episode. To listen to the whole episode and unlock more features like exclusive live shows and access to our discord, visit http://patreon.com/muckrakepodcast and become a patron. Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman break down the alarming institutional reaction to the Democratic victory in Virginia, where a circuit court judge barred the passage of redistricting despite a clear majority vote. They discuss how this bright spot for democracy was immediately met with a legal stay, reinforcing the reality that citizens may no longer be able to simply vote their way out of a system where the institutions have been co-opted to prevent actual reform. The conversation turns to the Heritage Foundation's white paper that provides a legal roadmap for the GOP to overturn future elections by targeting mail-in ballots in Democratic powerhouses like California and Illinois. Jared and Nick also analyze the wild coyote economy, where global energy shortages are leading to data rationing in the UK and a looming bailout for Spirit Airlines. Finally, the team examines the bid to pardon Ghislaine Maxwell and takes a detour into Marvel’s Wonder Man to see if independent creativity can survive corporate capture. This comes even as the train is starting to really wobble on the tracks.

Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman dive into the "psychosexual disaster" of the current administration, starting with the total meltdown at the FBI. They break down the bombshell reports regarding Director Kash Patel, whose alleged bouts of excessive drinking have left his security detail unable to wake him—once even prompting a request for "breaching equipment" to reach the director. The guys discuss if Patel’s incompetence is actually a weird form of luck, keeping him from making even more disastrous decisions while the "train really starts to wobble on the tracks." The conversation shifts to the crumbling global order as the war in the Middle East intensifies. With the Strait of Hormuz closed and cruise ships "speed running" through the chaos, Jared and Nick analyze the "Humpty Dumpty" state of the petrodollar. As the UAE and Saudi Arabia look for currency bailouts and reconsider their cultural investments, it’s clear that the material conditions are rapidly lining up against American interests. Finally, the show examines the leaked Supreme Court memos from 2016 that pull back the curtain on Chief Justice John Roberts. While he cultivates a public image of "care and caution," the papers reveal him acting as a "bulldozer" to protect corporate property rights over climate action. These documents expose how the Court functions as a check on democracy to ensure the economic project of the moneyed class remains untouched. To support the show and keep us editorially independent and ad-free, head over to Patreon.com/muckrakepodcast.

Nick Hauselman is joined by Jason Neidleman, a political science professor at the University of La Verne, to dissect a bizarre week in global diplomacy. While ceasefire negotiations between the U.S. and Iran stall out in Pakistan after 21 hours, President Trump and his Secretary of State are nowhere near the table, opting instead to attend a UFC match. The duo discusses the "derangement theory" of Trump’s foreign policy, the strategic sidelining of J.D. Vance, and whether Jared Kushner is using high-stakes peace talks to pitch private investment funds. The conversation also covers the surprising defeat of Viktor Orbán in Hungary despite an unprecedented campaign stump from the American Vice President. Nick and Jason explore the "tit-for-tat" escalation in the Strait of Hormuz, Trump’s surreal midnight attacks on the Pope, and his sudden pivot against Alex Jones. Finally, they examine the political fallout of Eric Swalwell’s sudden exit from the California gubernatorial race following allegations of misconduct. Support the show and get the Weekender at Patreon.com/muckrakepodcast.

Nick Hauselman is out of pocket, so Jared Yates Sexton recorded a Professor Jared episode that's also a joint episode with his series Audio From A Collapsing State getting into Tuesday's apocalypse scare, the "ceasefire" that is secretly a surrender, and what to expect moving forward - spoiler, the fighting likely isn't over. This is a free preview of the Weekender. To hear the whole episode, and to also support the show, head over to http://patreon.com/muckrakepodcast and become a patron.

Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman break down a chaotic weekend in American foreign policy as the official narrative of a dramatic military rescue in Iran begins to unravel. While the government claims a heroic recovery of a missing weapons officer, the details point toward a massive cover-up of a failed special operations ambush near a nuclear site. The duo explores the staggering loss of military hardware and the purge of knowledgeable experts like General Randy George that has left the U.S. command vulnerable. The episode also tackles Donald Trump’s unhinged Easter posts threatening war crimes and his bizarre public disclosure of alleged CIA gun-running operations through the Kurds. With a new 2027 budget proposing a record $1.5 trillion in military spending while gutting domestic agencies, it appears the administration is abandoning diplomacy for a total war footing. From the "peasant mindset" of modern governance to the looming echoes of pre-World War conditions, Jared and Nick examine why the institutions designed to save us are failing in real time. Support the show and get the Weekender at Patreon.com/muckrakepodcast.

This is a free preview of the Weekender edition of the podcast. In order to unlock the full episode, as well as live shows, the mailbag, and exclusive access to our Discord server, head over to Patreon.com/MuckrakePodcast. Your support keeps this project going and keeps us editorially independent. Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman break down a national address from Donald Trump that played out like a second-grader trying to fake his way through a book report. Between the threats to bomb Iran back to the Stone Age and the bizarre claim that the Strait of Hormuz will just "naturally" reopen, the performance was a desperate attempt to stall for time as market futures cratered. The conversation digs into the grim reality behind the rhetoric, featuring an administration paralyzed by the choice between a catastrophic ground war and a global economic depression. We also look at the exit of Pam Bondi from the DOJ. Whether it’s a mutual destruction pact over the Epstein files or a move to bring in a more aggressive interim AG like Todd Blanche, the corruption is out in the open. The episode also covers the Supreme Court battle over birthright citizenship, the Chinese hack of the FBI's surveillance systems, and the psychosexual disaster of the modern GOP—specifically the "bimbo-ification" and roleplay scandals surrounding Brian and Kristi Noem. To wrap things up, the guys share their Weekender recommendations, including a look at the chaotic documentary chronicling the disaster of Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis.

Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman analyze a flurry of conflicting signals regarding potential boots-on-the-ground operations in Iran. While the Pentagon floats plans for "weeks-long" missions, Donald Trump’s recent interviews suggest a far more indefinite and chaotic strategy involving oil seizures and uranium. The duo explores the disconnect between military reality and the "professional" regime change narratives being fed to a leader who seems increasingly lost in the tides of history. The conversation then shifts to the psychological toll of authoritarianism, sparked by reports that the acting head of ICE has been hospitalized twice for stress-related issues. Jared and Nick discuss how the human spirit repels the work of oppression and why the "banality of evil" eventually breaks those tasked with carrying it out. Finally, they look toward Russia, where rumors of a coup against Vladimir Putin highlight the ultimate misery of the modern dictator. In this episode: The "Bar Fight" analogy: Why Iran won't back down and why Trump is locked in. Modern warfare: Drones, robots, and the tragic return of flag-draped coffins. The "Wile E. Coyote" economy and the impending rug pull. A retrospective on 9/11, Al Gore, and how the "Liberal Order" finally broke.

Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman break down a week of absolute cognitive dissonance: a President receiving military briefings via two-minute "action" reels, an economy that seems to be running on Wile E. Coyote physics, and a landmark legal reckoning for the tech giants who built our fractured reality. From charging electric cars at gas stations that sell steak to the "suicide mission" plans for Kharg Island, it’s a deep dive into the crumbling facade of the American empire. The Michael Bay Briefing: NBC reveals that Donald Trump’s primary source for Iran war updates is a "things blowing up" compilation. The Wile E. Coyote Economy: Why the markets remain eerily calm while the petrodollar system is in flames. The Great Tech Reckoning: Landmark judgments against Meta and YouTube for mental health damages could be the "Big Tobacco moment" for Silicon Valley. The CBS Exodus: Ratings are cratering as the network pivots toward billionaire-friendly propaganda. Culture Corner: Nick struggles through the "dystopian burnout" of Paradise, while Jared survives the 760-page psychological warfare of Pynchon’s Gravity’s Rainbow. If you’re listening to this preview, head over to Patreon.com/muckrakepodcast to become a patron. You’ll get access to the full show, live chats, and Q&A sessions. We remain editorially independent and ad-free because of your support.

Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman take stock of a government too broke to staff its own airports and an administration whose solution is to flood them with ICE agents. An idea that originated, no joke, with a caller to the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. From there, the guys trace the authoritarian logic of filling institutional vacuums with paramilitary loyalists, and what that means for the next time you try to catch a flight. They also dig into Trump's Iran ultimatum that expired without consequence, the fake negotiations that briefly bounced the markets back up, and why every country on earth is currently doing the math on going nuclear. And if you think Russia planning a fake assassination of Viktor Orban sounds familiar, Jared and Nick have some thoughts on that too. Support the show by signing up to our Patreon to hear the full Weekender episode each Friday as well as special Live Shows and access to our community discord: http://patreon.com/muckrakepodcast 00:00 Mercury in Retrograde 01:26 ICE at the Airports 07:23 Fascism Fills the Vacuum 09:20 TSA Was Always Security Theater 16:08 Iran's Ultimatum That Wasn't 20:20 Europe Bails, the Petrodollar Wobbles 27:33 Fertilizer, Fuel, and Food Prices 31:34 Democrats Move Against Schumer 38:05 Operation Game Changer 43:33 Butler PA and the USS Gerald Ford