Gaslit Nation

Trump’s “Big Evil Bill” sped through Congress, to sell off public lands, gut healthcare, destroy rural hospitals, outlaw state AI regulation for a decade, make it harder to take out loans to go to college, and unleash an immigration enforcement regime bigger than anything we’ve ever seen. ICE will now have a budget bigger than the FBI, DEA, U.S. Bureau of Prisons combined. This is an oligarchy fever dream that will painfully backfire on everyone. Trump’s Big Evil Bill is the blueprint of Project 2025 in action: a theocratic, authoritarian takeover of our democracy. This bill will expand presidential powers, weaken the lower courts, and crush humanitarian protections and put our already militized police state on Russian Olympian super steroids. Russell Vought, Trump’s OMB Director and the architect of Project 2025, made sure the money was there to turn July 4th into a funeral for the American Revolution by installing a mad king.  But here’s the truth hiding in the despair: the more pain this bill causes, the more people it radicalizes. Just as past generations rose up during times of injustice, many Americans, especially those who embraced Trump’s con, like those manosphere-brain rotted Gen Z men, will be forced to wake up. They’ll see the betrayal. They’ll feel it. And some will finally fight back. The far-right had a 40-year plan. We need ours. One model: The Gay Revolution by historian Lillian Faderman. It's the story of how love, courage, and relentless organizing by small groups of determined people, many forced to become activists because of state cruelty like the kind we’re now seeing, and won against impossible odds. The Gay Revolution is our roadmap of hope, and it pays tribute to the countless men and women, many who risked everything, many whose names we may never know, to cast out the darkness with love and defiance.  Go to the Gaslit Nation’s Action Guide and choose action. Choose empathy. Choose to be the liberation this moment demands. EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: NEW DATE! Thursday July 31 4pm ET – the Gaslit Nation Book Club discusses Antoine de Saint Exupéry’s The Little Prince written in the U.S. during America First.  Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.  Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.  Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.  Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.  Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.  Have you taken Gaslit Nation’s HyperNormalization Survey Yet? Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!   Show Notes: The song featured in this episode is First They Came for Queers by Mr. Madam Adam. Find more of their music here: https://music.apple.com/us/album/first-they-came-for-queers/1690696748?i=1690696753 How to Protect Your Community from ICE: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/ice-watch-programs-immigrants-how-to-start How Trump’s bill will supercharge mass deportations by funneling $170bn to Ice https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/02/immigration-trump-big-beautiful-bill Donald Trump’s weapons freeze on Ukraine could bring catastrophe https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/07/02/ukraine-russia-war-trump-weapons-freeze-missiles/ Pardoned Jan. 6 Rioter Who Threatened Police Joins Justice Dept. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/01/us/politics/justice-department-rioter-weaponization.html House taking key vote on Trump's "big, beautiful bill," after GOP holdouts threaten final passage https://www.cbsnews.com/news/house-vote-big-beautiful-bill-rules-committee/

Award-winning journalist Carter Sherman joins to discuss her groundbreaking insights on how political turmoil, particularly the backlash against reproductive rights, is shaping Gen Z's sex lives. She reveals how many young people struggle with intimacy under the shadow of court decisions and societal pressures. Sherman highlights a disturbing rise in misogyny fueled by toxic online culture, yet balances this with tales of activism, showcasing how youth are mobilizing for change in response to political oppression.

After Trump’s return to power in January 2025, Gaslit Nation launched a book club not just to inform, but to fortify. Each selection is a lifeline offering strategy, moral clarity, and community in an age of disinformation and despair.  This isn’t just a book club. It’s a survival toolkit for our time.  Read with us. Build with us. Let’s overcome the chaos together. Join us on the last Monday of every month at 4 PM ET at the Gaslit Nation Salon for a live discussion of that month’s book or film. Recordings are available on Patreon, along with bonus shows, ad-free episodes, and more, at Patreon.com/Gaslit. Discounted annual and gift memberships available. Check out our schedule below:  February – Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl and The Stranger by Albert Camus Survival and absurdity under totalitarianism: one man finds purpose in a concentration camp, another questions meaning under occupation. (Book club recording here). March – From Dictatorship to Democracy by Gene Sharp A handbook of nonviolent action, this foundational text offers strategic tools for dismantling authoritarian regimes. (Book club recording here).  April – Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler A near-future America unravels. A young Black woman builds a new belief system—and a movement—amid societal collapse. (Book club recording here).  May – Stride Toward Freedom by Martin Luther King Jr. How the Montgomery Bus Boycott was won. MLK’s essential guide to grassroots organizing. (Book club recording here).  June – The Gay Revolution by Lillian Faderman The LGBTQ+ rights movement through the stories of those who led it, showing small groups of people make the difference. Book club this coming Monday June 30 4pm ET. July – Le Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry A wartime allegory on wonder, loss, and resistance. Book club: July 28 4pm ET August – The Lives of Others and I’m Still Here Two films where art challenges dictatorship—from East Germany to Brazil.  Book club: August 25 4pm ET  September – Harriet, the Moses of Her People by Sarah Hopkins Bradford Harriet Tubman’s story, in her own words based on interviews with The General herself. Book club: September 29 4pm ET October – Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky + Total Resistance by H. Von Dach Poetry and guerrilla strategy: tools for survival and defiance. Book club: October 27 4pm ET  November – Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer Indigenous wisdom and science for reconnection and gratitude. Book club: November 24 4pm ET December – The Forest Song by Lesya Ukrainka An eco-feminist Ukrainian play that sings of love, rebellion, and resilience. Book club: January 29  

At a time when democracy is under siege from Kremlin-backed strongmen to MAGA disinformation machines, this week’s Gaslit Nation bonus show offers much-needed hope. We unpack the NATO summit, celebrate a major grassroots victory in New York City, and also discuss how to contain Russia with security expert Candace Rondeaux, author of Putin’s Sledgehammer. First up: NATO is finally stepping up. All member nations, except Spain, have committed 5% of their GDP to defense and security by 2035. Predictably, Trump is already trying to take credit, but this shift isn’t about him. It’s a direct response to Putin’s ongoing war in Ukraine. European leaders have learned how to handle Trump’s ego: offering flattery when necessary while quietly strengthening defenses against the very aggression he once downplayed. That’s not concession; it’s strategic diplomacy. Meanwhile, in New York City, there’s real reason to celebrate: Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the Democratic primary for mayor is a major win for grassroots organizing and progressive politics. His campaign, alongside Brad Lander and others, championed public investment, reallocated resources from the NYPD’s military-sized budget, and pushed back against Fox News crime porn fearmongering and disinformation. It’s a clear signal that authentic, coalition-driven campaigns have the power to break through. Is the Democratic Party establishment listening? And finally, don’t miss our powerful conversation with Candace Rondeaux, who outlines how to contain Russian fascism and the ongoing threat of the Wagner Group. As we’re always saying at Gaslit Nation: fascists don’t stop until they’re stopped. Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit! Show Notes Putin’s Sledgehammer – Candace Rondeaux: https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2025/6/17/putins-sledgehammer Manufacturing Impunity (Global Rights Compliance): https://globalrightscompliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Manufacturing-Impunity.pdf Trump’s NATO Summit – AP News: https://apnews.com/article/trump-nato-defense-ukraine-143b53c6429e8de256c8ce0b97fdcd7f Zohran Mamdani’s Victory Speech: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=zohran+mamdani Russian Parcel Attacks in Europe – Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/lithuania-says-russia-responsible-exploding-parcels-that-caused-fires-2024-11-05/ Lander & Mamdani Cross Endorsement Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYH_zerPE3M Danish Study on Mental Health & Society – Newsweek: https://www.newsweek.com/psychology-dark-triad-psychopathy-narcissism-personality-conditions-2085956 IPS Study: Wealth Expands After Taxing the Rich: https://ips-dc.org/report-wealth-expands-after-higher-state-taxes-on-high-income-earners/ Join Weekly Protests at Fox News (Rise and Resist): https://www.riseandresist.org/ Support Gaslit Nation on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/gaslit

With the world on the brink of another war, there’s no one more essential to hear from than Anne Applebaum, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and author of Gulag, Iron Curtain, Red Famine (which cites Andrea’s grandfather, a Holodomor survivor), Twilight of Democracy, and Autocracy Inc. In this urgent conversation, we go to the frontlines of authoritarianism, from MAGA’s playbook at home to Putin’s alliances abroad, from Orban’s Hungary to the rising threat of war with Iran. We begin in Poland. In 2023, a broad democratic coalition ousted the far-right, anti-LGBTQ+ Law and Justice party, which had spent years eroding democratic institutions. But in a razor-thin presidential race this year, that same authoritarian force clawed its way back. The takeaway? Democracy isn’t a destination. It’s a constant, high-stakes battle. “Everybody always wants to write the story of populism and say that it's over, or it's here for good, or we're finished, or we've won. And that's not what the story is going to look like,” says Applebaum. “This is the ongoing struggle that all of us will be in, probably for the next few decades, maybe into the foreseeable future. The argument about the nature of the state is now here with us. And neither one side nor the other has achieved a definitive victory, I would say, either in Europe or in the United States.” Then, Iran. Trump launched airstrikes without congressional approval or public debate, risking another U.S. war. Many in the Iranian opposition welcome blows to the brutal regime, but without strategy or legality, this is more of Trump’s lawless chaos. Meanwhile, Putin watches. His alliance with Iran is not ideological, but tactical, with one shared mission: destabilize democracies and sow chaos worldwide. Applebaum discusses how Hungary became the MAGA model, what Poland’s resistance can teach the U.S., and why the fight for democracy is far from over. This isn’t a time for hope alone. It’s a time to act. Because autocracy isn’t resting. And neither can we. Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, ad-free episodes, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit! EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: NEW! We now have a Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, join on Patreon.  NEW! We now have a Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, join on Patreon.  June 30 4pm ET – America has been here before. Book club discussion of Lillian Faderman’s The Gay Revolution: The Story of the Struggle NEW! Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, join on Patreon.  Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, join on Patreon.  Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, join on Patreon.  Have you taken Gaslit Nation’s HyperNormalization Survey Yet? Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Welcome to the skeptic’s guide to impeachment. Why is a third impeachment effort of Trump necessary? Because demanding impeachment puts every member of Congress on trial, revealing who we can trust and who is bought off.  Meet unanimous consent: the Senate’s dirty little secret, and the power Democrats refuse to use. Imagine if all it took to stop the Senate in its tracks was one simple word: No. Unanimous consent is a very real procedural quirk that gives every single senator, regardless of party or seniority, enormous power. All they have to do is deny consent. Just say no, and legislative business slows to a crawl. Now here’s the catch: Republicans use this tool constantly. Democrats? Almost never. And that’s not because they can’t; it’s because they choose not to. How does unanimous consent work? In the Senate, many of the chamber’s archaic rules can be bypassed if no one objects. This process is called unanimous consent. It’s used for everything from skipping quorum calls to fast-tracking nominations. The idea is to keep things moving. But here’s the shocking part: any senator, at any time, for any reason, can halt this entire process by simply saying, “I object.” Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville famously abused this mechanism to block military promotions for nearly a year. And he paid no price for it. Why? Because it’s perfectly within Senate rules. And yet, while authoritarianism rises, civil liberties are under siege, and people are being literally kidnapped off American streets, not a single Democratic senator has used this tool to slow the machinery down. By mid-April, according to Keira Havens, an organizer of Citizens Impeachment, along with former Congressional staffer for Senator Tina Smith of Minnesota, there were already around 500 recorded unanimous consent agreements in the 2025 Congressional Record. That’s around 500 times every single senator, including vocal Democrats like Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker, gave the green light to fast-track Senate business. They could have slowed things down. They didn’t. In fact, shortly after Cory Booker gave an impassioned speech in a historic filibuster marathon, the Senate used unanimous consent to speed-track a nominee: Jared Kushner’s father, convicted felon Charles Kushner, to become the Ambassador to France. (Poor France!)  Unanimous consent isn't some obscure loophole. It’s an incredibly accessible and completely legal form of leverage: a filibuster on easy mode. You don’t need to prepare a speech. You don’t need to command the floor. Senate Dems just say one word: No. So why aren’t Democrats using it? The excuses vary: wait for the midterms, preserve decorum, respect procedure. But these excuses fail a democracy in crisis. There won’t be a midterm rescue if authoritarianism cements itself into place now. Senators like Elizabeth Warren and Chris Murphy speak out against abuses of power, but actions speak louder than works, especially under the watchful eye of history. It's time to hold Trump and his lawless administration accountable.  What Can You Do? Start using the hashtag: #DemsJustSayNo Tweet at your senators: @SenWarren, @CoryBooker, @ChrisMurphyCT — Why do you keep consenting 500+ times? Educate others. “Unanimous consent” = silent agreement. Break the silence. Join or support organizing efforts like Citizens Impeachment that are pushing for real accountability. The Senate is designed to give each senator power. But power unused is power surrendered. Republicans understand that. Democrats need to learn fast actions speak louder than words.  They can say no. They should say no. And if they won’t, we the people must demand accountability now.  The video of Part II of our discussion will publish on Patreon Monday morning along with the Zoom link for our next Gaslit Nation salon later that day at 4pm ET. See you there!  Show Notes: CitizensImpeachment.com: https://citizensimpeachment.com/ Opening Clip of Rep. Melissa Hortman: Hortman Files House Protest Over Legislature's Treatment Of Women https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1B7kashnD0&t=1s Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman Calls Out White Male Colleagues https://www.teenvogue.com/story/melissa-hortman-calls-out-white-male-colleagues-minnesota Clip of Brad Lander: https://bsky.app/profile/hellgatenyc.com/post/3lrtdzsz4ps2q The two Michael Wolff interviews referenced towards the end of the interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z21Tj19JYag https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRjGoZQShB0 The lawmakers using taxpayer money to pay for ads https://citizensimpeachment.com/ Charles Kushner Senate Vote Confirmation: https://www.congress.gov/nomination/119th-congress/24/4 ICE agents storm Irvine couple's home in search for answers about posters placed around LA https://abc7.com/post/ice-agents-storm-michael-changs-parents-irvine-home-search-answers-posters-placed-around-la/16298909/ EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: NEW! We now have a Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other. Join on Patreon.  NEW! We now have a Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other. Join on Patreon. June 30 4pm ET – America has been here before. Book club discussion of Lillian Faderman’s The Gay Revolution: The Story of the Struggle NEW! Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.  Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.  Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.  Have you taken Gaslit Nation’s HyperNormalization Survey Yet? Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, ad-free episodes, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

This week, Gaslit Nation welcomes a leading expert on the future of warfare and U.S. national security Candace Rondeaux, author of the new book Putin’s Sledgehammer: The Wagner Group and Russia’s Collapse into Mercenary Chaos. Before there was Trump vs. Musk, there was Putin vs. Prigozhin. It turns out the oligarchs trying to kill us are just a couple of scorpions trapped in a jar.    Two years ago this June 23rd, Yevgeny Prigozhin led an armed mutiny of his infamous Wagner group, getting within 125 miles (200 km) of Moscow. In her book and this gripping conversation, Rondeaux unpacks what Wagner really is—and what it isn’t—debunking the myths surrounding Russia’s most infamous mercenary network. Wagner’s mutiny marked the first real crack in Putin’s power in decades. Prigozhin wasn’t an outsider—he was Putin’s creation. Funded. Protected. Enabled. And ultimately? Eliminated. On August 23rd, exactly two months later, his plane exploded above Russia, killing him and his inner circle.A special message from Gaslit Nation:  We enthusiastically endorsed New York City Comptroller Brad Lander for Mayor, ranking him as our top vote. Listen to our discussion with Lander from May here. Lander recently became the latest Democratic official detained by ICE’s masked agents—Trump’s gestapo—while defending the rights of the vulnerable. As Gaslit Nation warned after the election, Trump will lash out at “blue” sanctuary cities, to attempt to terrorize us into submission. It won’t work. More on this in Thursday’s bonus show, where we discuss what comes next—including impeachment. Stay tuned.   Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, ad-free episodes, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!   EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: NEW! We now have a Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other: join here. June 16 4pm ET – Gabe Garbowit and Keira Havens of Citizens’ Impeachment join our salon to discuss the growing movement to impeach Donald Trump.  June 30 4pm ET – America has been here before. Book club discussion of Lillian Faderman’s The Gay Revolution: The Story of the Struggle NEW! Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.  Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.  Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.  Have you taken Gaslit Nation’s HyperNormalization Survey Yet? Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

A message from Gaslit Nation to our listeners about the political assassinations in Minnesota. When something bad happens that's clearly meant to intimidate people into silence, the best course of action is to shock and demoralize the perpetrators by channeling your rage and grief into standing up and speaking out. Don’t back down. You're not alone in this. We have our community, and countless others refusing to be silenced. Join us at a NoKings.org protest today. And if you're in NYC, be sure to vote for Brad Lander and Zohran Mamdani. Watch their fun joint endorsement video in the show notes. Find your early voting polling station there, too. Early voting starts today! Show Notes: Minnesota Lawmaker Killed, Another Wounded By Suspect Impersonating Police: The shootings, which occurred at the lawmakers' homes, appeared to be politically motivated. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/minnesota-lawmakers-shot-brooklyn-park_n_684d786ce4b0fcc493777718 Fun Joint Endorsement Video: Zohran & Brad: No matter who, rank us #1 & #2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdeiaMRvWSI NYCers, early voting starts today! Find your polling place: https://findmypollsite.vote.nyc/ Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, ad-free episodes, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Yes, things are dark. But if history has taught us anything, it’s this: regimes fall, because people rise. Some soldiers will follow orders. Others won’t. And that fault line? It’s where dictatorships begin to crack. Just ask Romania in 1989, as we discussed in our March episode, “How to Overthrow a Dictator.” Meanwhile, Trump’s team can’t even staff the Pentagon, according to reports. No one who can put one foot in front of the other wants to work for “Whiskey Pete.”  The NIH is being gutted. Five-year research grants canceled in year four. Science is being purged, not for savings, but for submission. Stalin would be proud. So what do we do? We create. We resist. We document. We fund the arts. We fund scientists. We dance in the streets. Because protest is not just rage: it’s dance, murals, color, joy. We outnumber them. They know it. That’s why they’re afraid. That’s why they send in the troops. So unleash your inner rebel. Paint. Dance in the streets. Testify. We are all artists now. Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, ad-free episodes, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit! EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: NEW! We now have a Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon. June 16 4pm ET – Gabe Garbowit and Keira Havens of Citizens’ Impeachment join our salon to discuss the growing movement to impeach Donald Trump.  June 30 4pm ET – America has been here before. Book club discussion of Lillian Faderman’s The Gay Revolution: The Story of the Struggle NEW! Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon. Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon. Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon. Have you taken Gaslit Nation’s HyperNormalization Survey Yet? Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community Show Notes:  Trump’s concentration camp bill: $160 billion to expand the powers of ICE and build a network of concentration camps https://www.wola.org/analysis/160-billion-to-detain-and-deport-congresss-reconciliation-bill-is-a-betrayal-of-priorities-and-will-harm-the-most-vulnerable/ CNN: Trump sends in the troops: https://bsky.app/profile/acyn.bsky.social/post/3lr76cgcuap26 Gavin Newsom & Federal Tax Boycott (Secession Hints) CBS News – What to Know About Newsom’s Tax Threat https://www.cbsnews.com/news/california-gavin-newsom-federal-tax-boycott-trump-what-to-know/ Scientific Purges Bethesda Declaration – Defend NIH Scientists https://standupforscience.org/bethesda-declaration NIH scientists call on director to protect biomedical research https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/06/09/nx-s1-5425466/nih-research-freedom-bethesda-declaration Resistance Art Show – KGNU, Boulder (7/11/25) https://kgnu.org/calendar ArtWorks for Milwaukee – Teen Art Internships (Donate) https://www.artworksformilwaukee.org/donate Zoe Leonard’s Poem “I Want a Dyke for President” – Performed by Mykki Blanco https://www.youtube.com  “Invading Antifa Land” – The Stranger https://www.thestranger.com/news/2025/05/30/80080084/invading-antifa-land Protesters dancing in Los Angeles https://bsky.app/profile/cafastfoodunion.bsky.social/post/3lr7akcfywk2r  

This week, we’re joined by the brilliant Chrissy Stroop, a scholar, writer, and all-around truth-teller. Chrissy is a leading voice in exposing the Christian nationalist movement, the exvangelical uprising, and the growing marriage between the American and Russian far-right. She also happens to be a trans woman with a PhD in Russian history and a wild journey that took her from a fundamentalist Christian school in Indiana to teaching in Moscow. Chrissy and Andrea go way back to the early days of calling out Trump’s ties to Russia when doing so earned us hit pieces, smears, and even being called CIA agents or Russian spies, depending on who was yelling. In this episode, we dig into everything: Russia’s anti-gay propaganda laws (and why Trump proudly ignored the global boycott to host Miss Universe there in 2013), the dismantling of American public education, and why Christian nationalism is not just a domestic threat; it’s a global movement. Chrissy breaks down how the Christian Right has long operated its own post-truth disinformation ecosystem and how the fear of hell was used as an emotional bludgeon to control kids like her, until her queer awakening in Russia at age 33. She’s living proof that you can deconstruct the indoctrination, with a little help of Ranger Rick, and build a life outside of it. From pledges to the Bible and the American flag to Putin’s regime and America’s culture wars, Chrissy’s story is a powerful testament to resilience, resistance, and reclaiming truth.  Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, ad-free episodes, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit! Listen to Regime Noir's music, like their song Su Testimonio: http://open.spotify.com/track/30TmLqTsRnqYzF0SNKyxIz and follow them on Instagram: instagram.com/regimenoir  Submit your song to be featured Gaslit Nation: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1-d_DWNnDQFYUMXueYcX5ZVsA5t2RN09N8PYUQQ8koq0/edit?ts=5fee07f6&gxids=7628 EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: June 16 4pm ET – Gabe Garbowit and Keira Havens of Citizens’ Impeachment join our salon to discuss the growing movement to impeach Donald Trump.  June 30 4pm ET – America has been here before. Book club discussion of Lillian Faderman’s The Gay Revolution: The Story of the Struggle NEW! Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon. Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon. Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon. Have you taken Gaslit Nation’s HyperNormalization Survey Yet? Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community