Mehdi Unfiltered

Jason Stanley, philosophy professor and author who studies fascism and political rhetoric, and Olivia Troye, former Trump national security advisor turned critic, discuss alarming shifts in power. They tackle ICE and DHS as instruments of coercion. They debate risks of militarized domestic policy, recycled authoritarian plans, foreign adventurism as distraction, and why institutional guardrails may be gone.

Don Winslow, award-winning crime novelist known for books about drug cartels, discusses receiving violent threats that forced him to cancel parts of his book tour. He recounts online smears and assassination and kidnapping threats. Conversation also covers the normalization of political violence and where responsibility lies in today's polarized discourse.

Vali Nasr, U.S. Middle East expert and former State Department advisor, provides concise analysis. He discusses Iran’s harsh, rapid crackdown and why the regime shifted tactics. He explores how this protest differs from past movements. He examines the murky death tolls and the effects of information blackouts.

Quinlan Koch, pastor at First Lutheran Church of Red Wing and faith leader arrested during an ICE protest, shares his perspective. He recounts the prayerful sit-in at the Minneapolis–St. Paul terminal. He contrasts hymn-singing clergy with police in riot gear. He discusses community impact in Red Wing and faith-driven calls to de-escalate and protect neighbors.

Robert Garcia, U.S. Congressman from California and oversight ranking member focused on immigration reform and accountability. He condemns attacks on Ilhan Omar and ties violent rhetoric to Trump. He outlines plans to pursue Kristi Noem, Stephen Miller, Elon Musk and other powerful figures for scrutiny. He explains urgency around ICE abuses and pushes for stronger prosecutorial and legislative action.

Sulaiman Khan, Imran Khan's son and public advocate for his release, and Qasim Khan, another son active in international advocacy, discuss Imran’s reported prison conditions and isolation. They recount blocked visits and calls. They outline plans to return to Pakistan, concerns about legal harassment and censorship, and fears about political and military risks.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn this week’s segment from Mehdi Unfiltered, Mehdi is joined by Australian journalist Antoinette Lattouf to discuss how sharing a Humans Rights Watch report on Gaza got her fired, and the legal battle the followed.SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED’ ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comIn this week’s segment from Mehdi Unfiltered, Mehdi is joined by the founders of Track AIPAC, Cory Archibald and Casey Kennedy, to discuss their work and the cost that comes with it. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED’ ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

In this engaging conversation, author and journalist Michael Steinberger, known for his book *The Philosopher in the Valley*, dives deep into the controversial world of Palantir. He explains the company's data analytics capabilities and unpacks the mystique surrounding CEO Alex Karp, comparing him to Elon Musk. The duo tackles the intertwining of tech and militarism, discusses Palantir's ties to Israel and its controversial role in AI targeting, and examines Karp's political alignment, shedding light on how the company has reshaped perceptions of defense technology.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comThe US’s ousting of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro over the weekend was a shock and surprise for many. But for Venezuela expert Eva Golinger, it was just the kind of action she has been warning about for years.In this ‘Mehdi Unfiltered’ interview, Golinger – a lawyer, former adviser to Maduro’s predecessor, Hugo Chávez, and author of The Chávez Code – joins Mehdi to discuss how the country is reacting to Maduro’s ousting.WATCH ‘MEHDI UNFILTERED’ ON SUBSTACK:https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfilteredFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan