Gaslit Nation

With convicted felon, six-time bankrupt trust fund kid Donald Trump illegally looting $1.8 billion of our tax-payer dollars for violent traitors who tried to overturn our democracy on January 6, it's time to dream big for our country. All ideas are on the table, including a Maidan-style revolution, as we must rebuild from the ashes. Gaslit Nation is here to tell you that a better world is possible.  
 
This week's bonus show, available for Gaslit Nation supporters at the Truth-teller level and higher, continues our discussion with veteran war correspondent James Verini. He is the author of the powerful new book The Theater: Courage and Survival in the Defining Atrocity of the Ukraine War. In Part II of our discussion we discuss Palantir, owned by staunchly anti-democratic Peter Thiel, operating in Ukraine–the vanguard of democracy. 
 
See you at the Gaslit Nation Salon Monday at 4pm ET – look out for the Zoom link to join the discussion then, and also the recording of this week's salon – on the AI-acapolyse trying to thrust millions of Americans into poverty, while the self-appointed tech gods hoard wealth and power, using our stolen copyrighted work. To join the salons, get bonus shows, all shows ad free, and more, subscribe at Patreon.com/Gaslit – discounted annual memberships are available, and you can give the gift of membership. Thank you to everyone who supports the show. 
Want to hear Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chats, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!
Show Notes:
 
The Theater: Courage and Survival in the Defining Atrocity of the Ukraine War By James Verini https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Theater/James-Verini/9781668062203
 
'Dancing on bones': Mariupol theatre to reopen with staging of Russian fairytale https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/25/mariupol-bombed-theatre-reopen-russification-ukraine
 
Trump Wants a Repeat of Bush v. Gore. Amy Coney Barrett Might Make It Happen. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2020/10/trump-wants-a-repeat-of-bush-v-gore-amy-coney-barrett-might-make-it-happen/
 
The Pro-Money Court: How the Roberts Supreme Court Dismantled Campaign Finance Law https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/pro-money-court-how-roberts-supreme-court-dismantled-campaign-finance-law
 
Gaslit Nation Read and Resist Book Club Featuring Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning: https://www.patreon.com/posts/read-and-resist-132804210?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link
 
Matt Taibbi's past comes back to haunt him https://www.cascadepbs.org/all/2017/10/matt-taibbis-past-comes-back-to-haunt-him/
 
Matt Taibbi filed a Trumpian, free speech-chilling lawsuit against me. A judge just threw it out https://www.ms.now/opinion/matt-taibbi-free-speech-defamation-lawsuit
Opening clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMrNO6VjqiA&list=RDrMrNO6VjqiA&start_radio=1

Ukraine is winning, and a botox-bloated Putin looks like a dead-man walking. While the spineless MAGA right still tries to block aid, Ukrainian innovation has turned Russia's imperialist delusion into an embarrassing nightmare, as predicted on Gaslit Nation at the start of the full-scale invasion.
Award-winning war reporter James Verini, author of The Theater: Courage and Survival in the Defining Atrocity of the Ukraine War, joins Gaslit Nation to discuss the desperation rattling Moscow. Putin wanted a grand Cold War rematch, but instead, he's trapped in a catastrophic, modern-day Afghanistan with a staggering one million Russian casualties.
The reality the MAGA death cult and isolationists ignore? Ukraine is the true vanguard of global democracy. They are out-innovating Goliath with world-leading drone technology and defending the open society while MAGA lackeys play craven partisan games. Putin's radical, Dugin-fueled imperial ego has officially broken Russia, much like Trump's is breaking the U.S.
To beat Big Tech censorship, subscribe to Gaslit Nation's Patreon at the Truth-Teller level or higher today. Thank you to everyone who supports the show and joins our lively Monday salons–recordngs are available, only on Patreon.
EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

New! There's now a California Signal Group for Gaslit Nation listeners to find each other and connect in that state. Join on Patreon. 

The Gaslit Nation Outreach Committee discusses how to talk to the MAGA cult. Join on Patreon. 

Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other. Join on Patreon. 

Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other. Join on Patreon. 

Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect. Join on Patreon. 

Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join. Join in Patreon. 

Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, join on Patreon. 

As always, keep it kind in our chat groups, extend grace and assume good faith. A culture of care is how we build a better world.

Join our community of listeners and get bonus shows, ad free listening, group chats with other listeners, ways to shape the show, invites to exclusive events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Discounted annual memberships are available. Become a Democracy Defender at Patreon.com/Gaslit
Show Notes:
Opening clip: Spanish actor Javier Bardem at the Cannes Film Festival, saying what needs to be said: https://bsky.app/profile/hannibal.bsky.social/post/3mm4eomatbk2t
The Theater Courage and Survival in the Defining Atrocity of the Ukraine War By James Verini https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Theater/James-Verini/9781668062203
Russia in No Mood for Celebration on Kremlin's Biggest Day of the Year: As the country heads into Victory Day, the economy is stalling, internet restrictions are growing and the Kremlin is fearing Ukrainian attacks. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/08/world/europe/russia-mood-victory-day.html?unlocked_article_code=1.jlA.mQvz.bsjmfvh1AxHe&smid=url-share
Ukraine is forging the future of war: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/17/world/killer-robots-ukraine-ebola-qatar.html?unlocked_article_code=1.jlA.Tkdm.TaPFOgd0QcG8&smid=url-share
Kyivan Rus, then and now: How has Russia distorted the history of Kyivan Rus? https://kyivindependent.com/kyivan-rus-then-and-now/
The men who could succeed Vladimir Putin https://theweek.com/feature/briefing/1024619/putins-potential-successors
Democrats bypass Mike Johnson on Ukraine aid with GOP help https://www.axios.com/2026/05/13/ukraine-aid-discharge-petition-mike-johnson-kiley
Putin health fears as Russian president appears at victory parade with 'swollen' face https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/putin-health-fears-as-russian-president-appears-at-victory-parade-with-swollen-face/ar-AA22ZIE7

Convicted felon Trump went to China and brought his son Eric along on the nepo-baby express. Eric runs the family business. And by "family business," we mean a transnational crime network of bribes operating like a geopolitical yard sale, selling out our country to the highest bidder. While they were there, Dictator Xi Jinping told the U.S. to back off defending Taiwan. And Trump, in defiance of decades of established U.S. foreign policy, is suddenly sounding suspiciously wishy-washy on approving arms deals for Taiwan. Which is just music to Xi's ears. It's the 1930s all over again, complete with secret alliances of transactional autocrats, and the people forced to build their own resistance networks in the storm. 
How do we get through this era without having to literally storm the beaches of Normandy again? To help us figure it out, we're bringing you Part II of our discussion with Ciara Torres-Spelliscy. She is a Brennan Center fellow, a law professor at Stetson University, and the author of Corporatocracy: How to Protect Democracy from Dark Money and Corrupt Politicians. (And if you missed Part I, where we discussed how American corporations funded Trump's violent January 6th coup attempt, go back and listen to it right here).
It's easy to despair right now, but the resilience of the people, especially powerful community networks, reminds us that the Constitution still matters, and protects everyone on our soil. We are not powerless against a corporatocracy eager to cash in on transactional autocrats. We just need to confront the absolute, unmitigated disaster that was the Reagan Revolution, undo its damage by building localized power through groups like the States Project, and commit to a relentless, stubborn defiance. We can and will do it, together. Because there's no other choice. 
To listen to this full episode, subscribe at the Truth-teller tier, which is just $5 a month, or higher on Patreon. We have discounted annual subscriptions, and you can even give the gift of membership to that uncle who still thinks trickle-down economics works. A massive thank you to everyone who subscribes to Gaslit Nation—we literally could not make this show without you.
Show Notes:
Corporatocracy How to Protect Democracy from Dark Money and Corrupt Politicians https://nyupress.org/9781479828371/corporatocracy/
Corporatocracy - Part I: https://gaslitnation.libsyn.com/corporatocracy
'No idea it was coming': Pentagon officials stunned by Hegseth decision on troops in Poland https://www.politico.com/news/2026/05/14/poland-pentagon-hegseth-troop-withdrawl-surprise-00922169
Eric Trump, Who Runs the Family Business, Hops Along on the Plane to China https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/13/us/politics/eric-trump-china.html?unlocked_article_code=1.ilA.uxcA.YKSI7CnAWkZs&smid=url-share
Poland railway blast was unprecedented act of sabotage, says Donald Tusk https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/17/poland-railway-blast-was-unprecedented-act-of-sabotage-says-donald-tusk
Opening clip: https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3mlvc3nzpjc23

Gaslit Nation unmasks the real villain: the corporations hijacking our democracy, using Trump as a distraction as they loot and destroy our country. Ciara Torres-Spelliscy, a Brennan Center fellow and professor of law at Stetson University College of Law, and author of Corporatocracy: How to Protect Democracy from Dark Money and Corrupt Politicians, explains how corporations funded Trump's violent coup attempt on January 6, 2021. 
In Part I of our discussion, Torres-Spelliscy shows us the inner-workings of corporate greed, and why boardrooms are fine with Trump chaos. In Part II of our discussion, out Thursday in our bonus show for Patreon (get access to that for $5/month at the Truth-teller level), we discuss concrete ways to fight back, including as the corporate lobbyists on the Supreme Court kill what's left of the Voting Rights Act, which Americans gave their lives for. 
Gaslit Nation is being censored by the corporations that run Big Tech. We see a drop in views after one of our videos, on a topic such as exposing Epstein's transnational crime network, receives a lot of views. We immediately see a drop in viewership of our videos that come after. Your help amplifying Gaslit Nation–sharing our episodes on your social media, joining our Patreon even as a free member to help amplify our voice–makes a big difference in fighting back. America is sinking in a Trumpian swamp of corporate greed and corruption, but the people can and must organize to build a better world–like generations before us who prevailed to give us the rights under attack today. 
Thank you for everyone who supports the show. We could not make Gaslit Nation without you. 
Join our community of listeners and get bonus shows, ad free listening, group chats with other listeners, ways to shape the show, invites to exclusive events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Discounted annual memberships are available. Become a Democracy Defender at Patreon.com/Gaslit
EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

New! There's now a California Signal Group for Gaslit Nation listeners to find each other and connect in that state. Join here!

The Gaslit Nation Outreach Committee discusses how to talk to the MAGA cult, available on Patreon. 

Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon. 

Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon. 

Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon. 

Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon. 

Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon. 

As always, keep it kind in our chat groups, extend grace and assume good faith. A culture of care is how we build a better world.

Today is Andrea's birthday. Gaslit Nation is celebrating the only way we know how: by re-reading Dorothy Thompson's 1941 essay, "Who Goes Nazi?", on how to tell who among you at your next dinner party would become a Nazi if given the chance. How does she know? She met these types during the Nazi takeover of her beloved Austria and Germany, hotbeds of intellectual thought and progressive movements, including for LGBTQ and women's rights, before traditional conversatives and business elites put an end to all that by joining forces with a fringe death cult led by a narcissist conspiracy theorist. 
Our Gaslit Nation Salon at 4pm ET will open with the reading of the first ten pages of Andrea's screenplay-in-progress, read by Gaslit Nation listeners, and featuring voices from the past reminding us how to overcome the threats we face. To join us today, sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit -- discounted annual memberships are available and you can give the gift of membership. Thank you to everyone who supports the show. We could not make Gaslit Nation without you. 
Want to hear Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chats, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!