

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

Jul 23, 2025 • 49min
Fire in Our Peace: The Power of Nonviolent Resistance
They want us to believe that silence is strength. That if we keep our heads down, the storm will pass. But we are the storm. And our storm doesn't need fists. It needs strategy, courage, and the fire of militant nonviolence. In the latest episode of Gaslit Nation, Jamila Raqib, the executive director of the Albert Einstein Institution, delivers a masterclass in radical defiance without a single weapon raised. Raqib doesn't just talk resistance. She teaches the art of war, the nonviolent kind, built on discipline, planning, and unshakeable conviction. She carries forward the torch of Gene Sharp, the quiet revolutionary whose writings, like From Dictatorship to Democracy, which the Gaslit Nation Book Club read in March, have armed movements from Serbia to Syria. His ideas are dangerous, not because they incite chaos, but because they illuminate how to take power back without bloodshed. And dictators fear that more than any rifle. This is militant nonviolence. It's strategic. It's disruptive. And when practiced with precision, it brings regimes to their knees. Blueprint for the Battle Ahead Raqib outlines a crucial truth: power is not monolithic. It comes from the obedience of people, workers, civil servants, police, students. Withdraw that obedience, and even the strongest tyrant collapses. Take Serbia. Take Bangladesh. The world keeps giving us proof that nonviolent action isn't weak; it's lethal to authoritarianism when wielded with discipline. These movements succeeded not because they were polite, but because they were strategic. Organized. Defiant. This is how repression backfires. Every crackdown becomes fuel. Every jail cell, every bullet, every propaganda campaign becomes a rallying cry, if activists know how to use it. Weapons of the Peaceful Warrior Raqib reminds us that art is a weapon. Culture is armor. Community is infrastructure. And technology is a battlefield. Whether it empowers or undermines you depends on how well you understand it. Movements rise and fall on logistics, not just slogans. Fear will always be there. That's normal. But as Raqib insists, fear doesn't mean stop. It means go smart. Fear is a compass, if it scares the regime, you're probably doing something right. Nonviolence is Not Passive. It's Precision. This conversation isn't about kumbaya. It's about battle-readiness. It's about studying the terrain of power, exploiting the cracks, and toppling giants with the slow, grinding force of disciplined resistance. Nonviolence doesn't mean surrender. It means refusing to give your enemy the war they want. It means winning on your terms. And in a time of rising fascism, digital surveillance, and global despair, we must turn to the tools that have worked, again and again. So study Gene Sharp. Listen to Raqib. Organize like your life depends on it, because it does. This is not the time for feel-good hashtags. This is the time for public education, mass mobilization, and strategic action. Nonviolent resistance is not soft. It's the hardest fight there is. But it's the one that wins. 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!

Jul 17, 2025 • 9min
"Trust your instincts." – TEASER
We opened with the legendary James Baldwin, because this week, we're passing the mic to someone walking boldly in Baldwin's footsteps: Amber Wallin, Executive Director of the State Revenue Alliance and a fearless fighter for tax justice, equity, and economic power from the ground up. Whether she's calling out lawmakers, organizing communities, or reshaping policy, Amber is part of a new generation of leaders who refuse to back down. Here she shares the thinkers, art, and music that inspires her in the fight as she takes the Gaslit Nation Self-Care Q&A. Because self-care is an act of resistance. Want more fierce, unfiltered conversations like this? Join the Gaslit Nation Salon, live every Monday at 4pm ET. It's our weekly dose of truth, strategy, and righteous rage with listeners from around the world. Sign up now at Patreon.com/Gaslit. Annual memberships are discounted, and your support keeps us going. Hitting the beach or binging podcasts from the couch this summer? Take along our graphic novel: Dictatorship: It's Easier Than You Think! Follow our corrupt narrator, Judge Lackey, as he bungles his way through authoritarianism, dodging activists and desperately clinging to power.Grab it at your local library or at BookShop.org. 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!

Jul 16, 2025 • 42min
Tax the Rich, Save Democracy
We are told that if we tax the rich, that jobs will disappear. That prosperity will dry up. But the numbers tell a different story. In the latest Gaslit Nation, Amber Wallin, executive director of the State Revenue Alliance, joins Andrea to expose the lie at the heart of our economic system. The rich are not fleeing. They are flourishing. And when we make them pay their fair share, everyone flourishes. Wallin comes armed with data and clarity. She dismantles the disinformation that has allowed the ultra-wealthy to hoard billions while public schools crumble and hospitals close. States that tax high-income earners are not bleeding millionaires. They are gaining revenue and creating more millionaires. They are investing in their people. They are proving what we already know deep down: we can tax the rich and build a society that works for everyone. The Battle Behind the Budget For decades, tax policy in America has been a weapon wielded against working people. It has been shaped by lobbyists, shielded by myths, and sold to the public as necessary sacrifice. But history shows us something else. It shows how tax codes have been intentionally designed to protect wealth at the top and starve communities at the bottom. Wallin makes it clear. We are not fighting numbers. We are fighting a system that tells us scarcity is natural while billionaires pay less in taxes than teachers. Tax Justice Is Democracy in Action Economic inequality is a threat to democracy. When wealth concentrates, power concentrates. And when power concentrates, freedom erodes. That is why taxing the rich is not a fringe idea. It is a democratic emergency. Wallin also emphasizes something often ignored in these conversations: gender equity. Women, especially women of color, are hit hardest by unfair tax systems. Correcting that is not just about fairness. It is about building systems that's humane. No One Is Coming to Save Us. We Are the Movement. This conversation is a call to action. States hold tremendous power to reshape the economy. Community organizing, public pressure, and clear messaging can push forward tax reforms that fund schools, roads, housing, and healthcare. Essential services are not luxuries. They are rights. And the money to pay for them exists. The only question is whether we have the courage to demand it. Wallin says it best: free markets are not free. They are designed by and for the wealthy, unless we intervene. Tax policy is not boring. It's political warfare. And the sooner we treat it that way, the sooner we win. We are in a moment of extraordinary possibility. Trust your instincts. Trust the data. And above all, trust the power of the people to build wealth and power for everyone. 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!

Jul 14, 2025 • 3min
Smash the Oligarchy. Smash the Patriarchy.
On July 14, 1789, ordinary French citizens stormed the Bastille, shattering the myth of royal divine right. Three months later, thousands of women marched on Versailles, demanding bread, justice, and dignity, driving the revolution forward with courage and resolve. As Ursula K. Le Guin reminds us, "We live in capitalism. Its power seems inescapable. So did the divine right of kings. Any human power can be resisted and changed by human beings." Gaslit Nation Presents: Smash the Oligarchy. Smash the Patriarchy. Our summer series features women on the frontlines of the far-right assault on our democracy, our bodies, and our minds. Hear from: Amber Wallin – Economic justice advocate explaining why taxing the rich benefits all. Jamila Raqib – Leader in nonviolent resistance, training movements worldwide against authoritarianism. Erin Reed – Journalist tracking anti-trans legislation and arming communities to fight back. Kate Manne – Philosopher exposing misogyny's corrupting power in culture and politics. Mona Eltahawy – Queer Arab feminist, author, and survivor confronting patriarchy and tyranny globally. Marci Shore – Historian illuminating resistance and revolution lessons from Eastern Europe. Erica Smiley – Labor organizer championing collective power and workplace democracy for economic justice. Our summer bonus shows prove rest is resistance. Join our fearless guests on Gaslit Nation's Self-Care Q&A for inspiring ways to recharge. We win by being the sand in their gears, and we will win! Our special summer series shows you how. Tune in all summer long at Gaslit Nation. For the hottest of hot takes, see you at the Monday salons, only on Patreon. Want an exclusive look at the film the Kremlin fears? Fact Checker Patreon members and higher get a two-hour, behind-the-scenes audio guide to Mr. Jones. Subscribe at Guardian of the Fourth Estate or higher for a signed copy of this summer's must-read, Dictatorship: It's Easier Than You Think! Limited signed copies available. Join Gaslit Nation on Patreon at various levels for ad-free shows, bonus episodes, Monday salons, chat groups, and more. Annual subscriptions are discounted, and memberships make great gifts. Thanks to all who support our independent journalism. We could not make Gaslit Nation without you!

Jul 10, 2025 • 41min
Homeschool Hell
Chrissy Stroop, a leading voice in the #Exvangelical movement, brings historical insight and personal experience to a conversation that traces the Christian right's rise to power from the Reagan era to its disturbing alignment with Russian authoritarianism today. This week's bonus show explores how evangelical leaders used strategic alliances, particularly the anti-abortion movement, to unite conservative Christians and Catholics under a single political banner. Stroop explains how this coalition gained momentum during Reagan's presidency and has since embedded itself deeply into U.S. policymaking. Particularly troubling is the influence of Christian nationalists on education through the deregulation of homeschooling, often leaving children vulnerable due to lack of oversight. Stroop also highlights how Christian nationalism, once cloaked in calls for "religious freedom," now openly embraces authoritarian tactics. The alignment with Vladimir Putin's regime, admired by many on the far right, underscores a global trend toward anti-democratic ideologies under the guise of defending "traditional values." Yet, amidst the bleak realities, Stroop points to reasons for hope. Grassroots activism is on the rise, as communities across the country push back against oppressive legislation and public protests grow more frequent. Organizers are working tirelessly to safeguard democracy and protect civil liberties, especially for marginalized groups targeted by these far-right movements. The episode is a sobering reminder of how deeply Christian nationalism is embedded in American history, but also a call to action. As this bonus show emphasizes, defending democracy requires vigilance, public engagement, and an unwavering commitment to truth. 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: Chrissy Stroop is a co-founder of the independent media site The Flytrap: https://theflytrap.beehiiv.com And she writes the newsletter The Bugbear Dispatch: https://www.bugbeardispatch.com/ Check out her work there Right-wing extremism and homeschooling go hand in hand by Chrissy Stroop https://flux.community/chrissy-stroop/2023/08/right-wing-extremism-and-homeschooling-go-hand-in-hand/ Washington Post Editorial Board: 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/ Palantir's Builds Big Brother for Trump: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/30/technology/trump-palantir-data-americans.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Tk8.on-Q.rokoAAstmOw5&smid=url-share

Jul 9, 2025 • 49min
Was America a Mistake?
What if the American Revolution wasn't a noble birth of liberty, but a costly wrong turn? Before muskets were raised at Lexington and Concord, the British Empire was already inching toward something remarkable: the abolition of slavery. In 1772, just three years before the war began, the landmark Somerset decision in England ruled that slavery had no basis in common law. While it didn't outlaw slavery across the empire, it signaled growing discomfort with the institution. British abolitionists like Granville Sharp and Thomas Clarkson were building momentum. By 1807, Britain banned the slave trade; by 1833, it abolished slavery entirely. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, the American colonies, especially in the South, were deeply entrenched in slavery. Many of the Revolution's leading voices were enslavers who feared that continued British rule might imperil their human property. In fact, during the war, the British offered freedom to enslaved people who escaped and joined their forces. The Americans, despite their soaring rhetoric about liberty, were far more reluctant to do the same. In this light, the Revolution was not just a fight for freedom: it was also, for some, a fight to preserve slavery. Had the colonies remained within the empire, they likely would have been pulled along Britain's abolitionist trajectory. Slavery might have ended decades earlier, without the catastrophic toll of a Civil War. Instead, the United States forged its identity through violent rupture, glorifying revolution and enshrining ideals it could not yet fulfill. America's foundational rebellion may have delayed justice rather than advanced it. Peace, reform, and patient negotiation–Canada's path–might have built a fairer, stabler society. Liberty, contrary to our cherished American myths, isn't always won on the battlefield. Sometimes, it's secured by fighting for reform and changing from within. 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: Slave Nation: How Slavery United the Colonies & Sparked the American Revolution https://www.zinnedproject.org/materials/slave-nation/ We Could Have Been Canada: Was the American Revolution such a good idea?https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/05/15/we-could-have-been-canada Bernie Sanders clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZWzADxM_kw

Jul 3, 2025 • 39min
The Project 2025 Bill
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/

10 snips
Jul 2, 2025 • 59min
Brett Kavanaugh is Ruining People's Sex Lives
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.

Jun 30, 2025 • 11min
Read and Resist: The Gaslit Nation Book Club
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

Jun 26, 2025 • 20min
How to Contain Russia (Listen to the full episode on Patreon!)
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


