The Coffee Klatch with Robert Reich

Friends,Today Heather and I discuss Trump’s sending Texas National Guard troops into Chicago, Illinois — over the objections of Chicago’s mayor and Illinois’s governor. His indictment of New York Attorney General Letitia James, after having indicted James Comey — both of whom tried to hold him accountable for some of his actions during his first term. And his targeting of so-called “liberal” organizations. We also examine the government shutdown, his peace plan for Israel and Hamas, his aid to Argentina — and why Trump is helping bring peace and stability to other parts of the world while sowing chaos in America and declaring war on the “enemy within.”Please grab a cuppa, pull up a chair, and join the conversation. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertreich.substack.com/subscribe

Friends,Today, Heather and I assess the government shutdown and explore its connection to Trump’s meeting this week with the military’s top brass, his attempt to create a police state in America, declare war on Venezuela, make war on “the enemy within,” occupy big Democratic cities, and lead an anti-democracy movement. We also find some reasons for hope. Please pull up a chair, grab a cuppa, and join in the conversation. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertreich.substack.com/subscribe

Vish Shankar, an Inequality Media correspondent from Wisconsin, joins the discussion on a politically charged week. They delve into James Comey's indictment and its implications for DOJ integrity. The panel dissects strategies for Democrats to counteract increasing authoritarian behaviors, including media control and recent tariffs affecting the economy. Vish emphasizes protecting health care subsidies while discussing looming government shutdowns and targeting civil servants. They reflect on public awareness of these dictatorial tendencies and what economic populism could look like for Democrats.

Friends,Today Michael and I take a deep dive into ABC’s decision this week to fire late-night entertainer Jimmy Kimmel — and why ABC caved to Trump and Trump’s FCC. The decision came barely two months after CBS canceled Stephen Colbert’s contract, for similar reasons. What’s the underlying story?Are we on the verge of an authoritarian clampdown on criticism of the Trump regime? If so, what are our options and responsibilities? We explore the economics and the politics of free speech, what it requires from all of us. Please pull up a chair, grab a cuppa, and join the conversation. PS: You can find my new book, Coming Up Short, at your local bookstore, or order through bookshop.org, which supports local bookstores. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertreich.substack.com/subscribe

Friends,Today Heather and I take a hard look at political violence in America — not just this week’s heinous assassination of Charlie Kirk but other violence I’ve witnessed, and the nation’s history of violence in politics — and we ask whether there’s something unique to American culture that harbors such deep hatred that people feel compelled to murder others for their political beliefs. Yesterday, Trump doubled down on blaming what he calls the “radical left” for political violence in the United States. During an appearance on “Fox & Friends,” Trump was asked about the presence of radical individuals on both sides of the aisle and how it can be fixed to bring the country together. His response:“The radicals on the right oftentimes are radical because they don’t want to see crime. They don’t want to see crime. Worried about the border. They’re saying, We don’t want these people coming in. We don’t want you burning our shopping centers. We don’t want you shooting our people in the middle of the street. The radicals on the left are the problem, and they’re vicious and they’re horrible and they’re politically savvy, although they want men and women sports, they want transgender for everyone, they want open borders.”Instead of helping the country come together, Trump continues to pull us apart. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertreich.substack.com/subscribe

Friends,Trump’s economy is going down what he describes as a “sh*thole.” Job growth has stalled and prices continue to rise. The problem is it’s not just Trump’s economy; it’s also our economy. Today, Heather and I try to give some context to the bad economic news — looking at what it means politically, who is suffering most, and how it can possibly be turned around. Along the way, we talk about the extraordinary push-back by the federal courts and the hopes for the Democrats, and we venture into larger themes such as the centrality of science and truth in a democracy. Please pull up a chair, grab a cuppa, and join our conversation. Oh, and don’t forget to buy my new book, Coming Up Short (you can support local bookstores by ordering it at bookshop.org), and see Heather and Elliot Kirschner’s new movie about my last class, The Last Class (to find a theater near you, click here). This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertreich.substack.com/subscribe

Friends,Today Heather and I come to you from one of our favorite local bookstores to emphasize the importance of free speech, free expression, and freedom to criticize the current regime — even as it seeks ever-greater control over the media, universities, museums, and our cities. Our neofascist emergency worsens.Please pull up a chair, grab a cuppa, take our poll, and join in the conversation. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertreich.substack.com/subscribe

Friends,Michael and I are coming to you today from the Empire Café in Houston, Texas, where the coffee is superb and the service comes with a smile (the café’s motto is “corporate coffee sucks”). It’s a bit noisy here (for which I apologize) but, hey, that’s what you get when you mix it up with real people. While I’m apologizing, I also want to apologize for the petition that was inadvertently posted on this page yesterday. When its provenance couldn’t be validated, I had it taken down. I should have had it checked before it was posted but wasn’t able to because I’ve been on a book tour. Again, my apologies. Today, Michael and I dive into Trump’s plans for additional state gerrymandering around the country and his occupation of Washington, D.C. — both parts of his second attempted coup on America, designed to prevent a free and fair election in the midterms of 2026. Please pull up a chair, grab a cuppa, take our poll, and join the conversation. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertreich.substack.com/subscribe

Friends, Today, Heather and I discuss Trump’s occupation of Washington, D.C.; his meeting with war-criminal Putin; his takeover of key industries; his demands that Republican governors gerrymander their states to find more Republican seats; and his widening corruption. (If I had written the previous sentence several years ago, I would have thought it a parody. But it’s not. It’s real, and it’s fascist thuggery)Please pull up a chair, grab a cuppa, take our poll, and join in the discussion. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertreich.substack.com/subscribe

Friends,Today Heather and I look into Trump’s efforts to get payoffs (such as the 24-karat gold bar that Apple’s Tim Cook gave him apparently in return for exempting Apple from import taxes on semiconductors); Trump’s attacks on facts he doesn’t like (such as the latest jobs report); and his methods of achieving political outcomes he wants (such as instructing Texas to come up with five more House seats). We explain how each of these connects to one another, and how the result is the opposite of democracy. Please pull up a chair, grab a cuppa, take our poll, and join in the discussion. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertreich.substack.com/subscribe