Under the leadership of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the Pentagon is in disarray. From a lack of transparency on extrajudicial strikes in the Caribbean, to the Signalgate scandal, to kicking out the Pentagon press corp – this administration has put a leader at the helm who is both embarrassing and a threat to national security. This week, Alex hears from The Atlantic’s Nancy Youssef about what it’s like covering the defense beat without access to the Pentagon. She also speaks to Senator Elissa Slotkin, who has told service members that they are not obligated to follow unconstitutional orders, and been targeted by President Trump for doing so. Then Alex and Pod Save the World host Ben Rhodes break down what kind of reputational damage Hegseth is doing to America’s image abroad, and what dangerous precedents are being set for authoritarian countries to follow.

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The Trump administration is using the tragic shooting of two National Guard members by an Afghan national as justification to close the door on immigration, refugees, and asylum seekers trying to enter the US. This week, Alex speaks to an Afghan aid worker who now fears for his family's safety, and then is joined by Joy Reid to talk about how this is all part of a larger MAGA plot to Make America White Again.

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This week, the House and Senate voted nearly unanimously to release all of the files related to the investigation into sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, after President Trump pulled a complete 180 and signaled his support. So how and why did things change? Alex speaks to Marina Lacerda, a survivor of Epstein’s abuse, about why the release is so important for both a sense of justice and her personal healing. Then, Alex is joined by attorney and political commentator George Conway to talk about what the bill in Congress requires, and how to read into the defections of MAGA politicians like Marjorie Taylor Greene, which catalyzed the party’s great reversal on the issue.

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