The Latest

Last week on Fox News the subject of vigilante violence was center focus as the network lionized Daniel Penny, a former Marine who was acquitted of criminally negligent homicide for killing a homeless man, while lambasting the public reaction towards the cold-blooded assassination of the CEO of UnitedHealthcare. The folks at Fox also seemed disappointed that Black Lives Matter protesters weren’t rioting across the country over Penny’s acquittal. Sean Hannity and Dr. Drew Pinsky both weaved fairy tales about the healthcare system in the United States while Hannity also obsessed over mysterious drones, Jessica Tarlov schooled her co-hosts on Biden’s economic accomplishments and Tom Homan said he would prosecute governors if they got in the way of his plans for mass deportations.

Maya is joined by Matthew D. Taylor, expert on Christian Nationalism and Independent Charismatic Christianity, and Jeremy Alder, comedian and survivor of a fundamentalist missionary upbringing. Can we punch up at Christian Nationalism - oh Hell yes and we had better start doing so NOW!

Today Rick details the chilling effect of ABC's capitulation in a lawsuit brought by Trump, examining its dangerous implications for press freedom and journalism in America. He warns that this decision sets a precedent, emboldening Trump and others to intimidate media outlets into silence through lawsuits, threats, and governmental pressure. He explores how corporate interests, fear of retaliation, and the erosion of trust in the media are undermining the free press—a cornerstone of democracy.

Legal experts Jen Taub and David Pepper explain how we can all take the fight to protect our freedoms to Trump. We are far from powerless! Jen and David break down how to use that power in our communities, states, and the courts.

LP Co-founder George Conway refuses to be quiet as he joins Rick to dissect Trump's cabinet nominees and his administration's deterrence of actual "good talent." Follow George Conway on Bluesky at https://bsky.app/profile//gtconway.bsky.social. Follow Rick Wilson at @TheRickWilson on X or at https://bsky.app/profile/therickwilson.bsky.social at Bluesky, and subscribe to his Substack at therickwilson.substack.com.

Amee Vanderpool writes, "This question seems to bounce within an echo chamber in the media and no one has been able to catch it, or really attempt to answer it, so I'm looking for clues."

In the bizarro world that is Trump's America, Michael Flynn sued Rick. In today's special episode, Rick details the case and how, at long last, he prevailed. A victory for common sense and free speech.

MAGA's mobilization continues. What can we do to fight back? Plus: Kari Lake at Voice of America? More yikes. And what's Joe's take on the latest from Syria? As we look ahead - what does Joe's ideal candidate for President look like for 2028? It's not a trick question. What do they need to be doing right now to build the strongest possible base? Joe has one piece of advice they can't ignore.

Al From writes, "I never want a president — even Trump — to fail. But I don’t want a president to fail the country, either. "

Yeah, hate and Donald Trump won. Hope and Kamala Harris lost, but that's not the end of America's story. It’s time to get to work earning the hearts, heads and trust of Gen Z by talking to them now - not just before the next election. The good news? It was a perception election we have the power to shift those perceptions. Maya's guest Victor Shi has a lot of good news and hope that you won't want to miss!

Last week on Fox the outrage machine was on overdrive as the overpaid stuffed shirts expressed their disgust at President Biden’s decision to pardon his son Hunter. Judge Jeanine conveniently forgot to mention that Trump pardoned her ex-husband, Steve Doocy and Emily Compagno both declared that the president-elect was already improving the economy and Jesse Watters joked about annexing Canada and Greenland while promoting conspiracy theories about Iran rigging the 2020 election.Jessica Tarlov was the only person on the network that mentioned Donald J. Trump also pardoned a family member. Hunter Biden had fallen off the radar of Fox News but last week it was suddenly the most important topic in the world.

Is democracy in decline? Clearly. In this episode Rick sits down with Emily Amick, co-author of Democracy in Retrograde, to discuss the challenges facing American democracy and how to reclaim civic engagement in the age of polarization and outrage. They explore the rise of minority rule, the impact of social media on public discourse, and the erosion of community ties. Emily shares actionable insights from her book, including how individuals can create sustainable civic action plans and rebuild connections to strengthen democracy. Emily's book, Democracy in Retrograde, available now.

Did Assad's ouster from Syria reveal the weakness of Putin and Russia? How will Putin react to the humiliation - and are Russians growing weary of him yet? Is the Trump-Putin strategic bromance on the rocks? Julia Davis, creator of Russian Media Monitor, joined Rick, Joe, and Stuart for a fascinating discussion of all that and much more. Catch up now!

Debuting a new installment of the LP podcast, Rick reads and answers mail from our devoted LP audience. If you'd like Rick to answer your burning question, please email it to podcast@lincolnproject.us for future Q+A episodes. Follow Rick Wilson at @TheRickWilson on X and all the other social media platforms, and subscribe to his Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. Join the fight with Lincoln Project at www.lincolnproject.us and follow us on X at @ProjectLincoln. And please subscribe, rate and review this podcast, thank you!

Without Freedom, We Are Lost Is America heading toward a tyrannical, authoritarian system? Taking for granted our basic pursuit of freedom? In today's episode Rick is joined by historian and Yale professor Timothy Snyder to discuss his latest book, On Freedom. Building on the themes of his influential work On Tyranny, Snyder explores the deeper meaning of freedom, its vulnerabilities in modern America, and how to preserve it against rising authoritarian tendencies. The conversation digs into the dangers of "sado-populism," the distortion of free speech, and the seductive appeal of authoritarianism. Snyder offers a powerful case for the value of freedom as a cornerstone of human dignity and creativity. Timothy's book, On Freedom, available now.

How can we hold Trump accountable? That work starts now. What can we do about some of these insane nominees? Plus - Joe explains why the Trump coalition is much more fragile than many people realize. Why the next two years are a huge opportunity for yet another realignment - and why Democrats have to take advantage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s an open question if Trump and his Project 2025 minions have hearts, but they do understand that hearts and minds are won in our schools and universities—places, Jason Stanley explains, that democratic societies across the world are now ill-prepared to defend against the fascist assault currently underway. How do we punch back at those trying to erase our history to change the future? Maya and Jason talked how to punch up and back!

John Avlon joins Rick for a come-to-Jesus discussion about what Democrats got wrong in 2024. Follow John Avlon on X @JohnAvlon. Follow Rick Wilson at @TheRickWilson on X and subscribe to his Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. Join the fight with Lincoln Project at www.lincolnproject.us and follow us on X at @ProjectLincoln. And please subscribe, rate and review this podcast, thank you!

Juliet Jeske looks at the right-wing propaganda machine trying desperately to distract viewers from Trump's unqualified, radical sex scandal-plagued nominees, with segments about Kamala Harris "wasting" donor money by spending it.