Background Briefing – October 1, 2025
Background Briefing offers an educational approach to providing information in an era of “fake news.”
Background Briefing
3:00 PM PACIFIC TIME: MONDAYS - THURSDAYS
Background Briefing offers an educational approach to providing information in an era of “fake news.”
How Trump Turns Crisis Into Power: The Shutdown, the Military, and the War on Truth
As a potential government shutdown looms, economist Robert Kuttner joins the program to unpack how Donald Trump is exploiting the crisis—using racist deepfakes and disinformation to shift blame and consolidate power. Later, historian Stuart Schrader discusses Trump’s alarming rhetoric to military leaders and the rise of “enemy within” narratives, while climate scientist Michael Mann exposes … Continued
Trump’s DoJ Goons, a Gaza Flotilla Under Fire, and the Elusive Pursuit of Peace
With former defense lawyers turned consiglieres running Trump’s Justice Department, the rule of law gives way to retribution as prosecutors target his perceived enemies. We then hear from an activist aboard a Gaza-bound flotilla attacked by Israeli drones, before turning to veteran peace negotiator Robert Malley for insight into the collapse of diplomacy and the … Continued
Inside MAGA’s Authoritarian Blueprint: From Trump’s Leninists to Musk’s Techno-Fascism
Sidney Blumenthal exposes the far-right ideologues—Bannon, Miller, Vance, and Leo—shaping Trump’s authoritarian vision to purge dissent and create a one-party state. Then, as Trump trashes the UN and cedes global leadership to China, we examine the rise of a new axis of power and the merging of Christian nationalism with Silicon Valley’s techno-fascism under Elon … Continued
Could Democracy Collapse Before 2026? Media Censorship, Endless War, and the Return of Trump
As billionaires tighten their grip on media and silence critical voices like Jimmy Kimmel, Richard Parker warns that corporate power is eroding the public’s access to truth and dissent. We then examine Zelensky’s grim warning of an arms race without end, and Chris Whipple’s revelations about how Biden’s inner circle helped pave the way for … Continued
Trump’s UN Meltdown, Pseudoscience Promises, and Empty Words on War
At the UN General Assembly, Trump insults world leaders, boasts of a “golden age,” and claims other nations are “going to hell” while offering hollow pledges to end global conflicts. Later, experts expose the deadly harm of his false “autism cure” announcement and the emptiness of his rhetoric on Gaza and Ukraine, revealing a presidency … Continued
The Illusion of Recognition: Palestine, Bolsonaro, and the Politics of False Justice
As Western nations rush to recognize Palestine, Ahmed Moor warns that symbolic gestures risk masking inaction while Gaza’s suffering continues without an arms embargo or accountability. We then turn to Brazil’s reckoning with Bolsonaro’s coup attempt—what the U.S. failed to do with Trump—and close with a reflection on faith and forgiveness amid the moral collapse … Continued
The Richest Man in the World, Trump’s Buddy Larry Ellison, Will Soon Own Most of the Media–Trump’s MAGA Apparatchik Brendon Carr Uses Charlie Kirk to Kill Free Speech–Time For Jimmy Kimmel to Sue the Trump Administration
The Richest Man in the World, Trump’s Buddy Larry Ellison, Will Soon Own Most of the Media and We Will Have Government TV and Wall-to-Wall Fox News We begin with the frightening strides Trump is making towards a fascist takeover of American democracy as his notches up big wins in his war on the media … Continued
The Fed Lowers Interest Rates As Risks of Unemployment Have Risen–The Monetization of the Presidency By the Most Corrupt and Criminal President Ever–How the Democrats Can Shut Down the Government and Not Get Blamed
The Fed Lowers Interest Rates As Risks of Unemployment Have Risen We begin with the Fed lowering interest rates today from 4.3% to 4.1% with an expectation that two more rate cuts will follow in response to the recent precipitous drop in the labor market, announcing that “Downside risks to employment have risen.” Joining us … Continued
Background Briefing – September 16, 2025
Background Briefing offers an educational approach to providing information in an era of “fake news.”