Épisodes

  • MAGA Is Blaming the Judges — with Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse

    MAGA Is Blaming the Judges — with Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse
    Dec 4 2025
    Senator Sheldon Whitehouse joins us for one of our most important conversations yet. We examine MAGA’s escalating effort to blame and target judges who uphold the rule of law — from GOP attacks on Judge Boasberg to the broader push to weaponize impeachment. Senator Whitehouse lays out what Congress can still do now, and the reforms needed to protect democracy in the long term.
    But first: John and Corey break down Trump’s shocking pardon of the convicted former Honduran president — and the disturbing reports of potentially unlawful military orders in the Caribbean.
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    1 h et 13 min
  • Political Prosecutions Blow Up — Judge Rules Trump’s Prosecutor Was Illegally Appointed

    Political Prosecutions Blow Up — Judge Rules Trump’s Prosecutor Was Illegally Appointed
    Nov 27 2025
    A judge has blown up Trump’s indictments of James Comey and Letitia James — ruling the special prosecutor was illegally appointed. Corey and John explain why this strikes at the heart of Trump’s “retribution” agenda and how the fight raises fundamental separation-of-powers questions at the core of our democracy.

    Then: Pete Hegseth threatens to court-martial a sitting U.S. Senator for warning the military not to obey illegal orders. Corey breaks down the rule that service members must refuse unlawful commands — and why Hegseth’s attack is so dangerous. Plus: Trump talks about disbanding DOGE entirely, and Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani holds a bizarre press conference with Trump in the Oval Office.

    A sharp, urgent episode on the week’s most alarming constitutional abuses — and what they mean for the rule of law heading into 2026.

    Hosted by Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang, The Oath and The Office delivers clear, expert constitutional analysis at the moment democracy needs it most.
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    50 min
  • Trump Cornered Amid Epstein Panic

    Trump Cornered Amid Epstein Panic
    Nov 20 2025
    Epstein files erupt in Washington, leaving Trump suddenly cornered as Republicans push for their release. Corey and John break down Trump’s push to stretch presidential immunity by labeling even unofficial conduct as “official,” the Supreme Court’s new asylum case at the border, and Tucker Carlson’s move to platform extremist Nick Fuentes. A sharp look at power, democracy, and rising hate in politics.
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    52 min
  • Trump’s Shutdown Ends — Why Did Justice Jackson Let Him Withhold SNAP Benefits?

    Trump’s Shutdown Ends — Why Did Justice Jackson Let Him Withhold SNAP Benefits?
    Nov 13 2025
    Trump’s shutdown is finally over — but the way it ended reveals deeper problems inside our democracy. In this episode of The Oath and The Office, Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang break down how Trump pushed the country to the brink, why Democrats stepped in to end the standoff, and why the courts never had the chance to weigh in.

    We analyze Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s surprising procedural move that allowed Trump to pause food-stamp payments — and why she signaled she would have ruled differently if the full Court had acted. We also examine the Supreme Court’s refusal to hear Kim Davis’s appeal, what it means for marriage equality, new reporting on whether Trump’s allies profited from presidential pardons, and the surreal “Sandwich Guy” case that raises real questions about American democracy.

    The shutdown may be over, but its aftermath shows how political chaos becomes a test of the Constitution — and how fragile the rule of law remains.
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    51 min
  • The Case That Could Finally Stop Trump | Dahlia Lithwick

    The Case That Could Finally Stop Trump | Dahlia Lithwick
    Nov 6 2025
    This week on The Oath and The Office, Corey and John trace the pattern of Trump’s lawlessness — from unions suing over his surveillance of non-citizens’ social media to his effort to strip gun rights from marijuana users, a selective “law and order” move aimed at his non-allies.

    Then Corey sits down with Slate’s Dahlia Lithwick for a wide-ranging conversation about the Supreme Court tariffs case — and what it could mean for the limits of presidential power. Together they explore three central issues: Trump’s abuse of emergency powers, the DOJ’s misleading statements in court, and what Corey and Dahlia agree amounts to a DOJ shakedown.

    It’s a conversation about how far Trump’s lawlessness has gone — and whether this case might finally be where the courts push back.
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    1 h et 1 min
  • From Tariffs to Nukes — How Congress Can Stop Trump’s Power Grabs | Rep. Ted Lieu

    From Tariffs to Nukes — How Congress Can Stop Trump’s Power Grabs | Rep. Ted Lieu
    Oct 30 2025
    Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang trace how “no taxation without representation” connects to today’s fight to restore Congress’s power in the face of Trump-style presidential overreach. Corey discusses his Supreme Court brief on tariffs and the Founders’ vision for legislative control. Then Rep. Ted Lieu joins to talk about his bill banning first-strike nuclear attacks without congressional approval — a bold move to stop future presidents from seizing unchecked power. From tariffs to nukes, this is the battle to reclaim Congress’s constitutional role — and defend democracy itself.
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    59 min
  • When Courts Fail and Universities Fight Back

    When Courts Fail and Universities Fight Back
    Oct 23 2025
    In this week’s episode of The Oath and The Office, Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang break down a deeply concerning new ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals — one that sides with Trump and the military, expanding executive power and eroding the cornerstone principle of civilian control.

    Corey explains how this decision, though largely overlooked, fits into a broader trend of judicial retreat: courts stepping back from their constitutional role as a check on power. From the weakening of voting rights to the courts’ growing deference to the executive branch, this case reveals how democracy can be hollowed out not in one blow, but by a series of quiet decisions.

    They also turn to Brown University’s rejection of Trump’s so-called “Academic Freedom Compact” — a rare act of institutional courage in an era when too many are willing to trade truth for access.

    Plus, Corey shares what he saw and experienced at the No Kings March in New York City and they feature audio from the rally. Hear what democracy sounds like, then watch Corey’s full field report here: youtube.com/watch?v=laNgItx5swk&t=299s
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    55 min
  • Trump’s Self-Coup: The Three Prosecutions that Expose It

    Trump’s Self-Coup: The Three Prosecutions that Expose It
    Oct 16 2025
    Three prosecutions. One plan.
    In this episode of The Oath and The Office, Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang trace how the cases against Letitia James, James Comey, and soon John Bolton all fit into a single story — Donald Trump’s ongoing self-coup. These prosecutions aren’t random. They’re part of an authoritarian blueprint to punish independent officials and destroy the separation of powers.

    We’ll break down why the charges are constitutionally baseless, how Trump is turning the justice system into a weapon, and why even fair-minded judges may not be enough to stop him. The Founders gave us juries as the last line of defense — but can that safeguard still hold in the age of presidential impunity?

    From threats to use the Insurrection Act against protesters in Portland and Chicago to his abuse of emergency powers for 100% tariffs on China, this episode follows a single, chilling through-line: unchecked presidential power.

    We also discuss a major Supreme Court case challenging state bans on abusive “conversion therapy” for minors — and why its First Amendment reasoning is dangerously wrong, twisting the idea of free speech to protect a harmful and discredited practice.
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    53 min