To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes

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.

Economist Justin Wolfers joins Charlie Sykes to unpack the economic whiplash of Donald Trump’s on-again, off-again trade wars, explaining why the president's tariff policies are more than just political theater—they’re rewriting the rules of international trade. In a lively, metaphor-rich conversation, they explore the constitutional implications of executive overreach, the fragility of global trust, and why bad policy still sticks even after walk-backs. Also on the menu: toxic masculinity, burrito economics, and why we might all be cheering for the churro. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Historian Julian Zelizer joins Charlie Sykes to discuss Donald Trump’s growing hostility toward former allies—from the Federalist Society to Elon Musk—and what it signals about a second Trump term. They explore the erosion of institutional guardrails, the chilling effects on higher education, and the constitutional dangers of unchecked presidential power. Plus, how Trump’s loyalty-first mindset is reshaping the judiciary, trade policy, and America’s global reputation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Charlie Sykes is joined by veteran journalist Ron Fournier to discuss the unraveling of Donald Trump’s once-close alliances with Elon Musk, Vladimir Putin, and Benjamin Netanyahu. They unpack the transactional nature of power, the scale and brazenness of political corruption, and the challenge of escaping America’s two-party stranglehold. The episode also explores whether a practical, independent political movement—like one emerging in Michigan—might be the key to redefining the nation’s political future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Garry Kasparov, a renowned Russian dissident and former world chess champion, dives deep into the troubling implications of what he terms the "Putinization" of America. He discusses Trump’s admiration for authoritarian leaders and the concerning erosion of American democracy. Kasparov highlights the risks of unchecked executive power and the looming threat posed by misinformation. With lessons from Russia, he emphasizes the urgency for action in the face of rising authoritarianism and the importance of safeguarding democratic values for the upcoming 2026 elections.