

Gaslit Nation
Andrea Chalupa
Gaslit Nation provides a deep dive on the news, skipping outrage to deliver analysis, history, context, and sharp insight on global affairs. Hosted by journalist and filmmaker Andrea Chalupa, an expert on authoritarian states who warned America about Russia and election hacking before the 2016 election.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 30, 2025 • 12min
Trump-Epstein Super Special [TEASER]
Welcome to the Gaslit Nation Trump-Epstein Super Special, where we dig into the 15-year friendship between convicted felon, traitor, and alleged pedophile Donald Trump and confirmed pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. We saved this episode for October 30th – Ivanka's birthday – to remind her and Jared they'll never install her as president. America will be liberated from elite criminal impunity, and we will never forget. Our government, our Supreme Court, our Congress, and too many of our so-called leaders have been hijacked by an elite network of predators – a real-life QAnon hiding behind weaponized conspiracy theories. Everything else is just distraction. For decades, Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell – his partner in crime and notorious socialite photobomber – collected billionaires, politicians, and power brokers across industries. They believed they'd never face justice because their criminal club protected them in a global kompromat operation tied to Russia and Israel. They had friends in high places like Alex Acosta and GOP cover-up king Bill Barr. The powerful names exposed by Epstein's victims all swear they "had no idea," even though Epstein had been a registered sex offender since 2008. And yet, the Epstein files remain sealed. The same institutions that can track your phone and your email somehow can't unseal a few court documents or convince MAGA to re-open our government. Curious, isn't it? History reminds us: the truth is unstoppable. The Epstein files are just the tip of the iceberg. The public will know the full horrors of Trump's violent crimes. We won't let his deliberately engineered scandals to cover-up his crimes distract us – we demand accountability, we demand justice and solidarity for the victims. Because the real conspiracy isn't a pizza parlor in D.C – it's the silence protecting the predators in power. This is an excerpt of this week's bonus show exclusive for our Patreon members who keep our show going. To listen to the full episode and get access to all bonus shows, hear all episodes ad free, get invites to exclusive events like our Monday salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more, subscribe at Patreon.com/Gaslit -- discounted annual memberships are available and you can give the gift of membership. Thank you to everyone who supports the show. We could not make Gaslit Nation without you. Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit Show Notes: Inside the Long Friendship Between Trump and Epstein: For nearly 15 years, the two men socialized together in Manhattan and Palm Beach, Fla., before a falling out that preceded Mr. Epstein's first arrest. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/19/us/politics/inside-trump-epstein-friendship.html?unlocked_article_code=1.w08.ODHM.JLhVqkvyEuDF&smid=url-share Lawsuits against banks with Epstein ties may shed new light on financier's crimes: Experts say claim banks enabled Epstein will be difficult to prove but other outcomes could provide solace to victims https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/27/jeffrey-epstein-lawsuit-us-banks Red Mafiya: How The Russian Mob Has Invaded America https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/red-mafiya-how-russian-mob-has-invaded-america Jeffrey Epstein Confidante Ghislaine Maxwell Arrested on Sex Abuse Charges: Prosecutors allege Maxwell helped Epstein traffic and abuse underage girls; he died by suicide awaiting trial last year https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/ghislaine-maxwell-arrested-jeffrey-epstein-aide/2495762/ Judge won't unseal transcripts of grand jury that indicted Epstein ex-girlfriend Maxwell https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/judge-wont-unseal-transcripts-of-grand-jury-that-indicted-epstein-ex-girlfriend-maxwell American Kompromat: The Craig Unger Interview https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2024/6/25/american-kompromat-the-craig-unger-interview Kleptocracy World Order https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2019/4/8/kleptocracy-world-order Show Trials https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2020/5/14/show-trials So Many Cults, So Little Time https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2020/8/26/so-many-cults-so-little-time American Gestapo https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2020/7/23/american-gestapo Trump Lets Putin Kill U.S. Troops https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2020/7/10/trump-lets-putin-kill-us-troops Mob Mentality https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2022/1/5/mob-mentality Epstein, Trump, and Russia https://gaslitnation.libsyn.com/epstein-trump-and-russia-teaser

Oct 29, 2025 • 51min
Unbearable: The War on Women
Irin Carmon, an award-winning journalist and author of Unbearable, dives deep into the war on women’s reproductive rights. She recounts her personal experience being eight months pregnant when Roe v. Wade was overturned. Carmon examines how the rollback of abortion rights disrupts all aspects of pregnancy care in America and reveals the enduring influence of Christian nationalism. She also discusses the U.S. maternal mortality crisis and highlights grassroots resistance efforts that offer hope amidst these challenges.

Oct 27, 2025 • 22min
The Bushra Amiwala Interview
Bushra Amiwala, a Gen Z civic leader and elected member of the Skokie School Board, discusses her inspiring journey and vision as she runs for Congress in Illinois' 9th District. She shares her experiences as the first Gen Z elected official and highlights the importance of community trust and intergenerational leadership. Bushra emphasizes the need to combat disinformation locally and advocates for economic justice and education protection against authoritarianism. Her passion for change and resilience under scrutiny reflects the spirit of her generation.

Oct 24, 2025 • 15min
TEASER - Cold War History Behind Trump's White House Destruction
In a revealing discussion, the hosts delve into Trump's unsettling promises about election security and potential election theft tactics. They highlight his questionable $40 billion aid to Argentina, linking it to authoritarian connections. The conversation shifts to the alarming implications of gerrymandering and voter suppression while critiquing the renovation of the White House as a symbol of political vandalism. Lastly, they explore the sinister ties between Trump's actions and Cold War history, raising important concerns about democracy.

9 snips
Oct 22, 2025 • 59min
Antifa Uprising
Peter Hidas, a 91-year-old former Hungarian law student and participant in the 1956 uprising, shares his gripping firsthand account of the event that defied Soviet tyranny. He reflects on the hope that ignited the movement and how symbols like the cut-out flag signified the demand for a true Hungarian identity. Hidas highlights the courage of students and the crucial role of women in the revolution. With parallels drawn to modern youth-led protests, he warns against contemporary autocrats like Orban, who betray the legacy of freedom fighters.

Oct 16, 2025 • 15min
Palantir: Peter Thiel's Big Brother and Ways to Resist - TEASER
While Peter Thiel obsesses over the Anti-Christ, his company Palantir has been busy building America's Orwellian Big Brother, which began under Trump's first term and was allowed to continue under Biden. Under Trump's second term, Thiel's Palantir has rapidly expanded into nearly every corner of the U.S. government. A recent New York Times investigation detailed how Palantir's data-mining empire powers law enforcement and intelligence agencies to track, profile, and monitor not just criminal networks, but potentially spy on American citizens. Thiel likes to posture as a radical outsider, but through Palantir he's shaping the machinery of the state to establish a tech-backed dictatorship. In Part Two of our conversation with journalist Gil Duran, of the essential Nerd Reich newsletter, we dig into the tech coup, what it means for democracy, and why it matters that a billionaire obsessed with the apocalypse is also building the digital panopticon. We also discuss what happens when Trump dies and MAGA faces a Game of Thrones succession battle? Why don't we have a strong opposition? How do we build one? How do we create real solidarity instead of the weak attempts by some Democratic leaders to "negotiate" with fascists? (There's no negotiating with fascists.) How do we establish our own fifty year plan to rebuild democracy? Want to hear 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: Action alert! Send postcards to California to ensure Prop 50 passes and help support other must-win races: https://www.activateamerica.vote/postcards Action alert! Sister District x Gaslit Nation Halloween Phonebank for VA! https://www.mobilize.us/sisterdistrict/event/847185/ The One Trait That Predicts Trump Support (w. Matthew MacWilliams) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp19ZKI2m2w Gil Duran's The Nerd Reich: Is Peter Thiel the Antichrist? NYT Didn't Think to Ask https://www.thenerdreich.com/is-peter-thiel-the-antichrist-nyt-didnt-think-to-ask/ Trump Taps Palantir to Compile Data on Americans The Trump administration has expanded Palantir's work with the government, spreading the company's technology — which could easily merge data on Americans — throughout agencies. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/30/technology/trump-palantir-data-americans.html The Real Stakes, and Real Story, of Peter Thiel's Antichrist Obsession: Thirty years ago, a peace-loving Austrian theologian spoke to Peter Thiel about the apocalyptic theories of Nazi jurist Carl Schmitt. They've been a road map for the billionaire ever since. https://www.wired.com/story/the-real-stakes-real-story-peter-thiels-antichrist-obsession/ I Worked At Palantir: The Tech Company Reshaping Reality https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZ95Gmvg_D4 Why Everyone Around Trump is Paranoid Now: Michael Wolff | Inside Trump's Head https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HplPf8F5NaI&t=13s Peter Thiel calls the anti-Christ as a humanitarian: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/CQ5ATBoF8og Peter Thiel compares Greta Thunberg to the Anti-Christ: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4xVOOgmH3-w Thiel compares being woke to Saudi Arabia https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-873PUOq1s8 Trump's Texts to CNN Host Renew Health Speculation https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-texts-to-cnn-host-renew-health-speculation/ Has Big Brother arrived? Inside the secretive Trump effort to centralize government data on millions of Americans https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-doge-palantir-data-immigration-b2761096.html EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: October 27 4pm ET – Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky + Total Resistance by H. Von Dach – Poetry and guerrilla strategy: tools for survival and defiance. 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

Oct 15, 2025 • 46min
Peter Thiel and The Anti-Christ
With Trump's health visibly in decline, attention is shifting to Peter Thiel's invention, JD Vance, who may soon be president. Which means Thiel, a billionaire doomsday prepper who thinks the Anti-Christ is Greta Thunberg, could effectively rule the world. What does Thiel's obsession with the Anti-Christ reveal about how we can resist him? Thiel's worldview isn't just weird Silicon Valley paranoia; it's vintage fascist fan fiction. His ideas trace back to Nazi jurist Carl Schmitt, who justified Hitler's violent purges as necessary for "saving civilization." Schmitt's argument was simple and horrifying: democracy is too weak, so we need a strongman to suspend the rules. Thiel recycles Schmitt's logic in a twenty-first-century sermon on why democracy itself is the real threat. In Thiel's version, collective action to solve global crises like man-made climate change is the definition of evil. So you know what to do, folks: double down on building collective action. In Part One of our conversation with journalist Gil Duran, of the Nerd Reich newsletter, that tracks Silicon Valley's billionaire Bond villains, we dig into Thiel's apocalyptic delusions, how they shape his politics, and why it's a very big deal that a man this afraid of democracy has his hands in everything from expanding government surveillance to election data. Part Two will be out this Thursday, with a special look at Thiel and Trump's Big Brother–their latest efforts to establish a Chinese-style surveillance state. Want to hear 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: Action alert! Send postcards to California to ensure Prop 50 passes and help support other must-win races: https://www.activateamerica.vote/postcards Action alert! Sister District x Gaslit Nation Halloween Phonebank for VA! https://www.mobilize.us/sisterdistrict/event/847185/ The One Trait That Predicts Trump Support (w. Matthew MacWilliams) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp19ZKI2m2w Gil Duran's The Nerd Reich: Is Peter Thiel the Antichrist? NYT Didn't Think to Ask https://www.thenerdreich.com/is-peter-thiel-the-antichrist-nyt-didnt-think-to-ask/ The Real Stakes, and Real Story, of Peter Thiel's Antichrist Obsession: Thirty years ago, a peace-loving Austrian theologian spoke to Peter Thiel about the apocalyptic theories of Nazi jurist Carl Schmitt. They've been a road map for the billionaire ever since. https://www.wired.com/story/the-real-stakes-real-story-peter-thiels-antichrist-obsession/ I Worked At Palantir: The Tech Company Reshaping Reality https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZ95Gmvg_D4 Why Everyone Around Trump is Paranoid Now: Michael Wolff | Inside Trump's Head https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HplPf8F5NaI&t=13s Peter Thiel calls the anti-Christ as a humanitarian: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/CQ5ATBoF8og Peter Thiel compares Greta Thunberg to the Anti-Christ: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4xVOOgmH3-w Thiel compares being woke to Saudi Arabia https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-873PUOq1s8 Trump's Texts to CNN Host Renew Health Speculation https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-texts-to-cnn-host-renew-health-speculation/ Has Big Brother arrived? Inside the secretive Trump effort to centralize government data on millions of Americans https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-doge-palantir-data-immigration-b2761096.html EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: October 27 4pm ET – Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky + Total Resistance by H. Von Dach – Poetry and guerrilla strategy: tools for survival and defiance. 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

Oct 9, 2025 • 30min
Trump is Scared - TEASER
The first movie ever screened in the White House wasn't Casablanca or Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. It was The Birth of a Nation: a Ku Klux Klan recruitment ad that glorified white rage bloodlust. A century later, Trump's White House is the sequel: staged propaganda to glorify lies, violence, and hate against freedom fighters–otherwise known as antifa–otherwise known as World War II veterans who won the war against tyranny. Because if you're not antifa, you're pro-fascism. Trump is the Frankenstein monster of America's darkest chapters: Jim Crow, McCarthyism, Watergate, and reality-TV nihilism. But the heroes who stormed Normandy didn't die for us to cower before a spray-tanned con man. Which brings us to the Epstein Files: the panic button of MAGA-land. If the Epstein Files were nothing, Trump and Mike Johnson wouldn't be working so hard to shut down our government and prevent a vote. "Teflon Don" has gotten away with years of crimes, including inciting a violent attempted overthrow of our democracy, which led to several deaths, including of law enforcement. So why is he so panicked about the Epstein Files? The truth will come out, as it always does. And remember: bullies only understand strength. So keep pushing, keep shouting, and for the love of democracy: Release. The. Epstein. Files. This week's bonus show continues our conversation with Zerlina Maxwell, host of Mornings with Zerlina on SiriusXM's Progress Channel and author of The End of White Politics: How to Heal Our Liberal Divide. Find her weekday mornings, 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. ET, on SiriusXM Progress, channel 127. For our Patreon supporters at the Truth-teller tier ($5/month) and higher, we have an exclusive for you: an odd development that hit our inbox. We'd love to get your thoughts on it over on Patreon. To hear this full bonus show, be sure to subscribe at Patreon.com/Gaslit for all bonus shows, all shows ad-free, invites to exclusive events, and more! Discounted annual memberships are available, and you can even give the gift of membership. Thank you to everyone who supports the show–we could not make Gaslit Nation without you! Show Notes: Already a Patreon member? Here's how to get your RSS of our episodes: https://support.patreon.com/hc/en-us/articles/360041347732-How-to-use-your-audio-RSS Top House Democrat seeks Jeffrey Epstein financial records from Dimon, other bank CEOs https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/09/bank-records-epstein-dimon-raskin.html?taid=68e78b8c80da070001f243a1&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_content=main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter Trump's NSPM-7 Labels Common Beliefs As Terrorism "Indicators" https://www.kenklippenstein.com/p/trumps-nspm-7-labels-common-beliefs Florida Lawmaker to Meet With Putin Envoy Dmitriev This Month https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/10/09/florida-lawmaker-to-meet-with-putin-envoy-dmitriev-this-month-a90763 We Are Elated by the Gaza Ceasefire News. Now, the World Must Hold Israel to Account for 2 Years of Genocide https://open.substack.com/pub/zeteo/p/gaza-ceasefire-hold-israel-accountable-genocide?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email Listen To The Jeffrey Epstein Tapes: 'I Was Donald Trump's Closest Friend' https://docs.house.gov/meetings/JU/JU08/20250227/117951/HHRG-119-JU08-20250227-SD006-U6.pdf Trump Has Second 'Yearly' Check-Up In Just Six Months: He's going to "stop by" the doctor's office while he's at Walter Reed Medical Center for another event, the White House said. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/donald-trump-yearly-doctors-appointment_n_68e7007be4b0b4458cb6da16 Publisher Removes Melania Trump Claims From Book, Issues Apology https://www.newsweek.com/publisher-harpercollins-uk-removes-melania-trump-claims-book-issues-apology-10844442 Racist KKK glorifying film Birth of a Nation became the first film shown in the White House under Woodrow Wilson: https://woodrowwilsonhouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/WWH-SCHOLAR-SPRING-2023-Hashimoto-Elizabeth-FINAL-PROJECT-BIRTH-OF-A-NATION.pdf Shadow Network: The Anne Nelson Interview - Part II https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2022/5/11/anne-nelson-part-02?rq=Focus%20on%20the%20family

Oct 8, 2025 • 52min
Abolish ICE
Zerlina Maxwell, a SiriusXM host and author focused on race and democracy, joins the discussion on the rise of authoritarianism in America. She highlights grassroots organizing as vital in combating the current political climate and emphasizes the importance of accountability for ICE actions. The conversation delves into the role of social media in spreading disinformation and the necessity of engaging politically apathetic individuals. Zerlina also reflects on the historical sacrifices needed to protect democracy and warns against the dangers of complacency.

Oct 2, 2025 • 22min
TEASER - Harriet Tubman Was Clairvoyant
The conversation dives into the inspiring legacy of Harriet Tubman, with insights on her resilience and strategic brilliance. It also links Tubman’s struggle to contemporary issues, including political manipulation and online extremism. There’s a stark comparison of today's chaos with the historical fight for freedom, urging collective action and grassroots activism. The discussion highlights the importance of hope and solidarity in the face of despair, while also announcing a Halloween event focused on democracy and crucial political races.


