To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes

Bloomberg's Tim O’Brien joins Charlie Sykes to unpack a whirlwind week in politics, from Trump’s business entanglements—including a dubious new mobile phone venture—to his rage-fueled media attacks after mixed intelligence on Iran. They explore how Trump’s blending of public power and private profit continues unchecked, and why it's reshaping the presidency in dangerous ways. Plus, the pair dive into the fallout from New York’s mayoral primary, growing Democratic fractures, and how the GOP is poised to weaponize progressive wins. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Charlie Sykes and Susan Glasser break down the chaos of the current moment—from Trump's controversial strike on Iran to the media’s collective amnesia and the deepening crisis of national credibility. They explore the dangerous implications of conducting war in a post-truth era, where the commander-in-chief is often the most unreliable narrator. Plus, a look at the Democratic meltdown in New York and why political performance is outpacing pragmatism across both parties. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Charlie Sykes is joined by Iraq War veteran and Independent Americans host Paul Rieckhoff for a sobering conversation on the U.S. bombing campaign against Iran and the implications of Donald Trump’s unilateral decision to launch it. They unpack the erosion of guardrails around war powers, the growing risks of domestic instability, and the unnerving absence of public debate. With both urgency and reflection, they challenge listeners to consider not just what’s happening—but what’s next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Olivia Troye, former Homeland Security advisor to Mike Pence, joins Charlie Sykes to share her firsthand experience observing immigration court and the chilling tactics now being employed by ICE. They discuss the erosion of due process, the rise of politically motivated enforcement, and the broader consequences of fear-based governance under Donald Trump. From domestic crackdowns to foreign policy brinkmanship, Troye offers a sobering warning about what happens when law enforcement becomes a weapon and leadership thrives on chaos. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the 10th anniversary of Trump’s infamous escalator ride, Charlie Sykes and Ryan Lizza reflect on a decade that has radically transformed American politics, media, and civic norms. From the reshaping of both political parties to the growing threat of political violence and institutional collapse, they explore how the Trump era has become the gravitational force around which everything now orbits. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Charlie Sykes welcomes Atlantic writer Tom Nichols for a fiery, wide-ranging conversation on a week that felt pulled from a dystopian novel. From a U.S. Senator being manhandled at a press conference to Trump’s military parade dreams and the radicalization of the armed forces, Nichols warns of authoritarian drift masked as political theater. They also dig into Israel’s bold strike on Iran, and whether the world is stumbling into a war it won't be able to control. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Charlie Sykes is joined by legal analyst and Talking Feds host Harry Litman for a sobering conversation about Donald Trump's latest maneuvers to militarize immigration enforcement—and what it signals for the future of American democracy. From the potential invocation of the Insurrection Act to the silence of military leadership, the two explore how far Trump might go and whether any meaningful guardrails remain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Charlie Sykes is joined by political scientist and author Brian Klaas for a sobering look at how modern politics has come to attract the worst kinds of personalities—and why that’s no accident. They unpack the structural rot that fuels a rise in psychopathy, narcissism, and performative extremism among elected officials, and discuss the accelerating shift from public service to influencer-style spectacle. From Trump’s latest authoritarian overtures to the international view of America’s democratic backsliding, Klaas and Sykes make the case that the real danger isn’t the chaos itself—but how numb we’ve become to it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Senator Angus King joins Charlie Sykes for a sobering conversation on the erosion of constitutional norms, the rise of authoritarianism, and Congress’s failure to defend its own power. Drawing lessons from history—including Margaret Chase Smith’s defiance of McCarthyism—King warns that America’s democratic experiment is more vulnerable than most realize. From executive overreach to geopolitical isolation, this episode explores what’s at stake when ambition no longer counteracts ambition. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Charlie Sykes and Adam Kinzinger dig into the political fallout from Elon Musk's dramatic split with Donald Trump, examining what it means for MAGA loyalty, conservative orthodoxy, and the future of Republican messaging. They explore how the culture war has overtaken fiscal policy, the strategic shifts in the war in Ukraine, and the geopolitical implications of China’s dominance in rare earth minerals. The episode also highlights the dangerous consequences of performative politics, from renaming ships to gutting battery research, as America prepares for a new era of warfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.