State of the Union features video podcasts by independent media. A partial list includes:
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.
Elon's Baby Mama Spills The Tea on MAGA's Pay-To-Play Influencer Campaigns
Elon Musk’s ex and former MAGA social media influencer Ashley St. Clair joins Rick Wilson to expose the truth behind the MAGA influencer ecosystem—how it works, who profits, and why it’s starting to fall apart in real time. From clout-chasing grifters to coordinated messaging and manufactured outrage, this episode breaks down the business model behind right-wing social media and the hypocrisy fueling it. As the MAGA movement fractures and influencers turn on each other, this is the inside story of a political media machine built on clicks, cash, and chaos—and what happens when the audience finally sees through it.
Trump's Fed Pick is a Spineless Disgrace
In today’s “To the Contrary” Podcast, Justin Wolfers does not mince words. Come for the rage, stay for the economics lesson. In today’s podcast, Wolfers also reminds us that the threat to jail the Fed Chair is the kind of thing that you see in tinpot dictatorships — not something that is done in any serious industrialized country.
Trump’s Failed, Illegal War Is Breaking His Presidency, And The Republican Party Too
Polling and mid-term prospects darkened for Republicans this week. How long will their 2026 candidates keep blindly following a failed, corrupt, and deeply unpopular President?
YouTube (28:24)
The complete podcast includes Q and A and is posted on Hopium Chrononicles:Hopium Chronicles (54:49)
Heather Cox Richardson: Today in Politics | Explainer
Topics covered in today’s Politics Chat: Instability in the Trump administration as (female) cabinet departures continue, Kash Patel Atlantic story and FBI leadership concerns, Wall Street Journal reporting on Trump's conduct during Iran crisis, U.S.-Iran conflict and Strait of Hormuz closure, Trump approval ratings at historic lows, 2026 election war chest and voter roll manipulation efforts, Christian nationalist Bible-reading campaign, UAE financial backstop talks and World Liberty Financial ties, FISA Section 702 renewal fight in Congress, Haitian TPS discharge petition and Republican defections, Tucker Carlson breaks with Trump, Democratic governors and 2028 presidential candidate activity.
YouTube (46:09)
LIVE: Pete Buttigieg BRINGS DOWN The House in RED STATE!!
Meidas Touch, April 18, 2026Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg hosts a Win the Era town hall in Tulsa, bringing together a packed crowd for a conversation on unity and community action. The event focuses on empowering people to get involved locally and make a real impact where they live.
YouTube (1:11)
Visit https://meidasplus.com for more!
What Americans should learn from Hungary’s rejection of authoritarianism
After 16 years of authoritarian rule, Hungary's pro-democracy opposition crushed Viktor Orban's party and won a supermajority in parliament. Leah and Ezra break down the early lessons — building a new opposition movement, driving massive turnout, and preparing for election sabotage. If they can do it, we can do it. Plus: a red-district Indivisible group in Colorado showing what effective grassroots organizing actually looks like. And yes, bad dad puns and live Q&A with the movement.
YouTube (1:00)
Why Orbán’s Fall Should Worry Trump and MAGA
Timothy Snyder on Viktor Orbán's election loss, Trump, MAGA authoritarianism & lessons for democracy. The historian and "On Tyranny" author joins Preet Bharara to break down what Orbán's stunning defeat by Peter Magyar means for Trump, MAGA, and the global far-right — and what it reveals about how democracies can fight back. Snyder explains why "democracy" alone doesn't rally voters and what message Democrats must actually run on, while unpacking his provocative warning that some form of terrorism may be Trump's best electoral bet in 2026. They also why Snyder's most urgent lesson from "On Tyranny" — do not obey in advance—matters more than ever.
The Trump Regime Is Rotting, Decaying, Crumbling, Unraveling, Falling Apart
Friends, last night I got together with members of our proud, plucky, and patriotic community at Hopium Chronicles for a special edition of our weekly gathering, something I called The Fall Of Orban Dance Party. While there wasn’t a lot of dancing there was plenty of celebration. For Orban’s dramatic fall is major blow to Trump, Vance, Putin, and the Greater MAGA project, and another sign of the decay, rotting, crumbling and weakening of the Trump regime.
That’s the major message in my talk this week - the Trump project is failing, floundering, and falling apart. Trump was already in a weakened position due to the failure of his economic strategy, the harms he has brought to farmers and small businesses across the country, the rejection of his ICE terror regime/mass deportations, our collective revulsion at the Trump-Epstein scandal, his unprecedented corruption, and his cuts to health care and food assistance programs while giving his friends enormous tax breaks. He was already historically unpopular, and Democrats have been overperforming and winning elections of all kinds across the country, even in red states. Then he launched an illegal, unpopular, and failed war in Iran, one that has thrown the whole world and our own economy into a profound crisis.
YouTube (28:12)| Hopium Chronicles
Heather Cox Richardson: Politics Chat, April 16, 2026
Topics covered in today’s Politics Chat: Hungary's Magyar election victory and democratic opposition theory, Biden vs. Magyar approaches to political legitimacy, MAGA Republicans as illegitimate political party, House Joint Resolution 140 on Boundary Waters copper sulfide mining, Saudi sovereign wealth fund pullback, House War Powers Resolution on war with Iran fails by one vote, Lina Khan's new antitrust center at Columbia Law, House Democrats' corruption committee, 25th Amendment legislation, Russell Vought's congressional testimony, what Moms for Liberty local school board losses signal on a national scale.
We’re live here on YouTube and Facebook every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm Maine time (3 pm PT).
YouTube (46:31)
The Pope vs. Trump's Evil
Donald Trump has doubled down on his fight with Pope Leo. Steve Schmidt breaks down why Trump and MAGA keep digging the hole deeper.
YouTube(9:18)
How America Is Losing the World | Lunch Money with Paul Krugman
Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman and historian Heather Cox Richardson are joining forces for Lunch Money, a new monthly conversation series. Krugman writes the popular Substack newsletter bearing his name; Richardson's Letters from an American reaches over 6 million readers every day. Join them for a wide-ranging, thoughtful, and provocative conversation about whatever is on their ever-curious minds.
Find Heather's Letters from an American here.
Find Paul's Substack here (33:18)
The Real Reason America Is In Such Danger Right Now…and the Solution
The ceasefire with Iran and subsequent peace talks have taken a predictably disastrous turn. JD Vance has utterly failed as a negotiator. Trump has returned to his maximalist aggression and threatens to blockade the Strait of Hormuz. It’s clear that America, and the world, are in danger. Joe Cirincione and Jon Wolfsthal join David Rothkopf to take a look at what makes the President’s latest moves so perilous and why a fundamental change in the way we perceive our democracy is needed to right the ship.
Dead Air with Steve Schmidt & Dean Blundell: The "Balloonacy" of It All
On this episode of "Dead Air," Dean Blundell and I break down this past week's top stories. From the bizarre "balloonacy" surrounding Kristi Noem's husband to the sudden firing of Pam Bondi, the hypocrisy is reaching a breaking point. But beyond the political theater lies a darker reality: the systemic medical neglect of children at the ICE detention center in Dilley, Texas. Dr. Angela Rasmussen and Dr. Anita Patel joined us for this part of the discussion.