State of the Union features video podcasts by independent media. A partial list includes: Leigh McGowan, PoliticsGirl; Rick Wilson; The Lincoln Project; Marc Elias, Democracy Docket; Steve Schmidt, The Warning; Joe Walsh, The Social Contract; Heather Cox Richardson, Letters From an American; Simon Rosenberg, Hopium Chronicles; Jim Acosta; David Rothkopf; Jen Rubin, The Contrarian; Charlie Sykes, To the Contrary; and others.
Videos on YouTube are usually available but may have ads. Videos on Substack usually are ad-free but may require a subscription. Subscriptions may require an annual fee or may be free.
Stuart Stevens Breaks Down Minnesota Live | "Stephen Miller & Kristi Noem Must Be Prosecuted"
Stuart Stevens delivers a blistering indictment of Stephen Miller and Kristi Noem, arguing they must be criminally prosecuted for directing what he calls an ICE “death squad.” He lays out why state attorneys general—not Washington—may be the only path to accountability and warns that the Republican Party has become a fully extremist movement.
YouTube (11:42)
Rick's Elephant in the Room this week is peak TACO — Trump Always Chickens Out. After floating threats against Greenland and saber-rattling his way into another foreign policy meltdown, Donald Trump took the stage at Davos and delivered a speech so erratic it left allies openly alarmed (as he GRIPPED the podium). The World Economic Forum appearance wasn’t just inflammatory — it reinforced how isolated the United States has become under Trump’s chaos-first diplomacy. Within days, Trump backed down on Greenland, proving once again that the bluster is loud but the follow-through is weak. Meanwhile, NATO allies are openly questioning whether the U.S. can still be trusted, global markets are spooked, and America’s credibility keeps sliding. This episode breaks down Trump’s Davos meltdown, the Greenland bluff, and why the world is done taking U.S. threats seriously.
YouTube
One Year of Trump 2.0 with Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Molly Jong-Fast and Rick Wilson
Ruth Ben-Ghiat has spent her career studying fascism, strongmen, and authoritarian regimes. She's a historian at NYU and author of "Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present." And she has a warning for America.In this urgent conversation, Ruth breaks down what she's seeing in Trump's first year back in office—and she's seen it before. The ICE operations in Minneapolis that operate like Mussolini's fascist militia. The public humiliation tactics used by dictators throughout history. The way Trump's obsession with the Nobel Peace Prize is driving his threats against Greenland and NATO.Jim Acosta is joined by Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Rick Wilson (co-founder of The Lincoln Project), and Molly Jong-Fast (MSNBC contributor) to discuss:
- Are we witnessing an authoritarian takeover in real time?
- Why ICE's tactics mirror fascist militias from history
- Trump's Greenland obsession and what it reveals about his psychology
- Why NATO allies are bending the knee instead of pushing back
- The Minnesota ICE raids as a "test case" for nationwide operations
- How public spaces become theaters for authoritarian humiliation
- Why Republicans won't stop Trump even though they could
- What the 2026 midterms could mean for democracy
- The encouraging signs: Democratic wins, Cook Political Report moving 18 races blue
- Ruth's message to Americans: Use every tool you still have
This Week in Politics | Explainer
We’re living through a major realignment of the global order.
YouTube | Substack (51:48)
Trump’s Letter to Norway Should Be the Last Straw
Will Republicans in Congress ever step in?
Read this brief article.
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Greg Sargent On Stephen Miller's Dark Vision For ICE And The Breakdown Of The Rule Of Law In Minnesota
Here is Greg’s big takeaway about the moment: "...so I think that people like you and me have been waiting for a moment like this one in the sense that we have wanted the country to awaken to the threat that Trump poses. And the shooting of Renee Good, that horror in Minneapolis, I think has jarred the country into a new state of awakening about what’s happening right now. And the country’s engaged. And I think one really clear sign of that is that Democrats are finally stepping out of their defensive crouch on this issue and going pretty hard at it."
As you'll see in the video, I read a comment which Hopium community member Tim Wegener left on this morning’s post, Restoring Rule Of Law and Reining In Ice. Here are Tim's words:
"As a resident of the Twin Cities, I cannot describe for you what is happening here and capture it accurately. There are over 2000 ICE agents here. As I understand it, the Minneapolis police force is 1,200 full time officers. As Simon mentioned, they are going door to door in some neighborhoods without warrants. They are pulling US citizens out of cars for no reason and jailing them for hours. They are making traffic stops (which they have zero authority to do) and pulling US citizens out of cars and jailing them.
We are under siege and that is not hyperbole. Schools are closed. Families are not leaving their homes. Networks have sprung up, led by a number of churches, to deliver food to families. Whatever you are seeing or reading in the news is not nearly capturing the lawlessness, the fear and the anger.
The bravery of our citizens in pushing back cannot be overstated. The observers who keep document these atrocities are heroes. The organizations that are training constitutional observers deserve our thanks. Minnesota is not going to go down without giving it our all."
To Tim, and all Minnesotans, we are incredibly grateful for your courage in this challenging time. You have become an inspiration to us all, and we will be by your side every step of the way… keep working hard everyone. We have a lot of hard and important work ahead. — Simon.
Politics Chat
Heather Cox Richardson: Letter From An American
Substack Link
Renee Good, JD Vance, + the Death of Accountability
This week, we confront MAGA’s escalating performative cruelty following the killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis — a woman shot and killed by an ICE officer and then posthumously smeared as a “domestic terrorist” to justify the violence. As facts emerged, the Trump movement did what it always does: lied, dehumanized, and closed ranks around power. JD Vance went even further, effectively arguing for blanket immunity for federal agents, treating U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as an untouchable arm of the state — Trump’s modern secret police. This episode breaks down how authoritarian movements manufacture enemies, why disinformation follows state violence every time, and how Donald Trump’s political culture rewards cruelty over truth. This isn’t about law and order — it’s about power without accountability, the erosion of civil liberties, and what it means when a political movement decides some lives are disposable. Say her name: Renee Good.
YouTube
Politics Chat, January 8, 2026
YouTube (43:01)
Get full, free access to Letters from an American here:
Heather Cox Richardson, Letter From An American
Trump Has Abandoned Any Concept Of Rule Of Law, At Home And Abroad—A New Talk With Rep. Adam Smith
Sending along an interview I just wrapped up with our good friend Rep. Adam Smith, the Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee. Adam is in the middle of it all right now and I’m grateful he was able to spend some time with us this afternoon.
YouTube
Donald Trump poses a threat to civilization
Trump’s domestic and foreign policies – ranging from his attempted coup against the United States five years ago, to his incursion into Venezuela last weekend, to his current threats against Cuba, Colombia, and Greenland – undermine domestic and international law. But that’s not all.
They threaten what we mean by civilization.
The moral purpose of civilized society is to prevent the stronger from attacking and exploiting the weaker. Otherwise, we’d be permanently immersed in a brutish war in which only the fittest and most powerful could survive.
This principle lies at the center of America’s founding documents – the Declaration of Independence, the constitution and the Bill of Rights. It’s also the core of the postwar international order championed by the United States, including the UN charter – emphasizing multilateralism, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.
Read the full article. It’s not long. Support independent media.
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