The Lincoln Project

America is bleeding out from within. In just the past few years, the U.S. has been rocked by political violence, extremist attacks, and assassinations that have pushed democracy to the brink. From right-wing radicals to left-wing extremists, the rhetoric of hate has turned deadly, fueling a surge in domestic terrorism and political assassinations. The killing of Charlie Kirk in Utah and the shocking assassination of Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband are the latest wake-up calls, and no side has clean hands. Hate has become a political strategy, amplified by social media algorithms, AI echo chambers, and corrupt politicians who profit from division and literal blood money. While the powerful get richer, ordinary Americans are left living in a democracy under threat—where both sides have stopped listening—and it has to stop. • • • • • Follow Rick Wilson at @TheRickWilson on X and @therickwilson.bsky.social on Bluesky, and subscribe to his Substack at therickwilson.substack.com.  Join the fight with the Lincoln Project at www.lincolnproject.us and follow LP on X at @ProjectLincoln. If you'd like to help us continue our critical work, visit https://action.lincolnproject.us/helplp to make a difference. Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets at BollandBranch.com/LINCOLN.

Donald Trump’s New York story isn’t just about gold-plated towers—it’s about shady deals, mob ties, bankruptcies, and the grift that built his so-called empire. In this episode, host Rick Wilson sits down with Jonathan Mahler of The New York Times Magazine to dig into Trump’s corruption in New York real estate, his mob connections, and how those dirty deals shaped the man who would later seize the presidency. Together, they expose the Trump Tower backstory, the bankruptcy bailouts, and the pattern of fraud and scandal that defined Trump long before MAGA. This deep-dive connects the dots between Trump’s shady New York origins and the current chaos of his political empire, revealing how the same real estate scams, mafia ties, and financial fraud that fueled his rise are still driving his downfall today. • • • • • You can purchase Jonathan Mahler’s newest book ‘THE GODS OF NEW YORK: Egotists, Idealists, Opportunists, and the Birth of the Modern City: 1986-1990’ wherever fine books are sold, and you can follow him on X @jonathanmahler. Follow Rick Wilson at @TheRickWilson on X and @therickwilson.bsky.social on Bluesky, and subscribe to his Substack at therickwilson.substack.com.  Join the fight with the Lincoln Project at www.lincolnproject.us and follow LP on X at @ProjectLincoln. If you'd like to help us continue our critical work, visit https://action.lincolnproject.us/helplp to make a difference. Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets at BollandBranch.com/LINCOLN. #ad

The free market just flatlined—and Donald Trump pulled the plug. While pretending to be the defender of capitalism, Trump has become its greatest enemy. His new 10% stake in Intel, combined with a push for Soviet-style business control, exposes the breathtaking hypocrisy of MAGA’s so-called “free enterprise” movement. Just like his idol Vladimir Putin—who used the exact same strategy to crush rivals and consolidate power—Trump is turning America into his own oligarch’s playground. In this episode, Rick Wilson digs into Trump’s Silicon Valley power grab, how this MAGA Marxism echoes Putin’s authoritarian economics, and why Republicans are terrified to admit their Dear Leader has turned into a communist in a red hat. If Trump is going to "socialize" private businesses, then why doesn't he focus on getting American equity in healthcare and insurance companies? In Trump's orbit, NOTHING is ever free, and more often than not, cruelty is the point.  • • • • • Follow Rick Wilson at @TheRickWilson on X and @therickwilson.bsky.social on Bluesky, and subscribe to his Substack at therickwilson.substack.com.  Join the fight with the Lincoln Project at www.lincolnproject.us and follow LP on X at @ProjectLincoln. If you'd like to help us continue our critical work, visit https://action.lincolnproject.us/helplp to make a difference.

**Content Warning: The following episode features the story of a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein, references sexual assault, and may be triggering. Please take care.** This week, Rick sits down with Jess Michaels, who is a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse, to expose not just the predator himself, but the powerful system that enabled him. As Jess tells her story of surviving the billionaire’s web of wealth, rot, and silence, the shadows of Epstein’s empire loom larger than ever. Ghislaine Maxwell has just been transferred to Fort Bryan under suspiciously tight secrecy. At the same time, Trump’s administration continues stonewalling the release of the Epstein files—burying evidence that could finally reveal who protected, funded, and joined Epstein in his crimes. In a country where the rich and powerful still shield predators, this conversation is a raw reminder of what it takes to survive, to fight, and to demand truth when the system was manipulated to cover it up. Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie will co-host a press conference at the U.S. Capitol tomorrow, September 3rd, at 10:30 a.m. ET, joined by survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell—several of whom will speak publicly for the first time—as they push for the release of Epstein-related files. This bipartisan event advances their “Epstein Files Transparency Act” and a discharge petition aimed at forcing a House vote on fully unsealing the sealed documents.  • • • • • You can support Jess Michael's SA advocacy work at https://www.jessmichaelsspeaks.com/ and on Instagram at @jessmichaelsspeaks.  Follow Rick Wilson at @TheRickWilson on X and @therickwilson.bsky.social on Bluesky, and subscribe to his Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. 

Forget ballot stuffing — the real con is happening at the drafting table. Rick Wilson and redistricting assassin Dave Daley rip into the 2025 gerrymander scam that’s turning democracy into a rigged casino. The lines are drawn, the fix is in, and voters are the suckers at the table. From Texas to New York, Republicans are carving maps like mobsters carving turf — locking in power before a single vote is cast. Rick and Dave break down the cartographic crime scene, torch the Democrats sleepwalking through it, and lay out what it means when the map decides the outcome before the voters ever get their say. Time to wake up! • • • • • Follow Dave Daley @davedaley3 on X. You can purchase his books 'Antidemocratic: Inside the Far Right's 50-Year Plot to Control American Elections' & 'Ratf**ked: Why Your Vote Doesn't Count' wherever fine books are sold. Follow Rick Wilson at @TheRickWilson on X and @therickwilson.bsky.social on Bluesky, and subscribe to his Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. Join the fight with the Lincoln Project at www.lincolnproject.us and follow LP on X at @ProjectLincoln. If you'd like to help us continue our critical work, visit https://action.lincolnproject.us/helplp to make a difference. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former UN Ambassador, attorney, and foreign affairs expert Mr. John Bolton stops by the studio to talk with Rick about America's status on the global stage. Bolton articulates all of the complicated moving pieces of how America impacts the world and sheds light on threats toward the U.S., the effect of tariffs on our U.S. allies, Russia and Ukraine, and local security.  ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ You can check out Rick Wilson at @TheRickWilson on X and @therickwilson.bsky.social on Bluesky, and subscribe to his Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. Join the fight with the Lincoln Project at www.lincolnproject.us and follow LP on X at @ProjectLincoln. If you'd like to help us continue our critical work, visit ⁠https://action.lincolnproject.us/helplp⁠ to make a difference. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Rick's Elephant in the Room is fighting the fight where it's at. And, not to go too hard on Dems, but they *could* stop hating the game and instead take a page out of Gavin Newsom's playbook. When Newsom logs on, Donald Trump takes the L. This past week has been one nonstop stream of viral trolls, clapbacks, and dunks, with Newsom torching Trump across social media. We’re breaking down how the Governor of California has become Trump’s worst online nightmare—and why the internet can’t get enough of it. • • • • • Follow Rick Wilson at @TheRickWilson on X and @therickwilson.bsky.social on Bluesky, and subscribe to his Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. Join the fight with the Lincoln Project at www.lincolnproject.us and follow LP on X at @ProjectLincoln. If you'd like to help us continue our critical work, visit https://action.lincolnproject.us/helplp to make a difference. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Texas just went full throttle and dropped the wildest political heist of 2025 — a mid-decade redistricting blitz where Republicans rigged the map, Democrats fled the state, and cops chased lawmakers like it was a Netflix drama. Add in nationwide “Fight the Trump Takeover” protests and blue states plotting revenge, and you’ve got the biggest battle for Congress before 2026. Rick sits down with Texas Senators Carol Alvarado and Ronald Gutierrez to unpack what they are doing to resist this insanity. This episode breaks down the Texas gerrymander gone nuclear—and why it could decide whether Trump’s GOP keeps America on lockdown. • • • • • You can keep up with Senator Gutierrez @RolandForTexas on X, and Senator Alvarado @CarolforTexas on X. Follow Rick Wilson at @TheRickWilson on X and @therickwilson.bsky.social on Bluesky, and subscribe to his Substack at therickwilson.substack.com.  Join the fight with the Lincoln Project at www.lincolnproject.us and follow LP on X at @ProjectLincoln. If you'd like to help us continue our critical work, visit https://action.lincolnproject.us/helplp to make a difference. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Rick's Elephant in the Room is the redistricting gunfight in Texas. Ahead of the 2026 midterms and to mitigate Trump's terrible polling numbers, Governor Abbott and the Texas GOP just “remixed” democracy — and not in the fun, dancefloor kind of way. They’re locking in their power with lines so crooked they make Watergate look like a paperwork error. Meanwhile, Democrats in California and New York are quietly plotting their revenge, armed with their own gerrymandering strategies and a deep desire to watch the GOP eat crow. Rick breaks down how this cartographic coup could reshape the House, kneecap voter power, and make every election for the next decade feel rigged before the first ballot drops. If you’re not mad yet, you’re not paying attention. • • • • • Follow Rick Wilson at @TheRickWilson on X and @therickwilson.bsky.social on Bluesky, and subscribe to his Substack at therickwilson.substack.com.  Join the fight with the Lincoln Project at www.lincolnproject.us and follow LP on X at @ProjectLincoln. If you'd like to help us continue our critical work, visit https://action.lincolnproject.us/helplp to make a difference. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most of us have heard by now that the US is experiencing an ongoing disinformation war online, taking on damage from our global adversaries, various capitalistic social media platforms, and, worst of all, Trump, MAGA, and the far-right. Dr. Caroline Orr Bueno -- a PhD in Disinformation and Social Networks who's built a resistance against political propaganda -- sits down with Rick to shed light on algorithmic tyranny and how the Trump admin is trying to seize control of algorithms, social media, and news to further weaponize information. Dr. Caroline explains the difference between primitive and logical thinking, and how hate feeds the algorithm more than any other form of engagement. She and Rick impart some crucial advice about how to avoid being a puppet to the algorithm and ways to cut off its access for the greater good. Just remember, if a service is free, YOU are the product.  • • • • • Follow Dr. Caroline Orr Bueno on X and Instagram at @RVAwonk, on Bluesky  at @rvawonk.bsky.social‬, and on Substack at @weaponizedspaces. Follow Rick Wilson at @TheRickWilson on X and @therickwilson.bsky.social on Bluesky, and subscribe to his Substack at therickwilson.substack.com.  Join the fight with the Lincoln Project at www.lincolnproject.us and follow LP on X at @ProjectLincoln. If you'd like to help us continue our critical work, visit https://action.lincolnproject.us/helplp to make a difference. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices