Trump's Black Box Presidency

Trump's Black Box Presidency

Author: Runaway Country with Alex Wagner July 23, 2026 Duration: 1:18:59
Pete Hegseth wants a $1.5 trillion bump in Pentagon spending, and won’t say what it’s for. War in Iran reignites, and the Trump administration hides the number of injured American troops. Innocent people are killed by ICE, and the FBI is no longer allowed to investigate. Whenever there is conflict or scandal—whenever the facts threaten Donald Trump’s political agenda—the White House’s strategy is to keep the country in the dark. Alex is joined by two veterans, Paul Riekhoff, host of the Independent Americans podcast, and Rebecca Roberts from About Face: Veterans Against the War, to talk about how the senselessness and secrecy around the Iran War is sitting with members of the military. Then, she puts all the cover-ups into context with New York Times White House Correspondent Maggie Haberman, coauthor of Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump.

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In a landscape saturated with political talk, Runaway Country with Alex Wagner offers a different kind of conversation. This podcast moves beyond the day-to-day noise of headlines to explore the deeper forces shaping American life. Alex Wagner guides listeners through complex intersections of power, identity, and belief, examining how cultural shifts and government policies resonate in communities across the nation. Each episode is built on thoughtful discussion that connects the dots between news events and their human consequences, asking what current political realities reveal about our society's trajectory. The focus is on understanding the undercurrents-the cultural narratives and historical contexts-that define this moment. You'll hear analysis that prioritizes depth over instant reaction, considering how issues of governance and politics are lived and felt far from the capital's corridors. It’s a space for considering the American story from multiple angles, making sense of a rapidly changing world. For anyone seeking a more nuanced perspective on the forces driving the country, this podcast provides essential listening.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Runaway Country with Alex Wagner
Podcast Episodes
Trump, Tucker, and the Death of Legacy News [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:32
Rightwing billionaire takeovers, journalists getting arrested, and endless misinformation. Welcome to the current state of American journalism. This week, Alex speaks to former CNN correspondent Jim Acosta about how lega…
The Epstein Administration [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:51
The latest release of more than three million Epstein files has exposed the vast network of powerful and ultra-rich elites who were part of Jeffrey Epstein’s social and business circle. This week, Alex speaks to journali…
Trump Is Getting Scared About the Midterms [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:23
From a raid on an election office in Fulton County, Georgia, to a call to nationalize federal elections…President Trump is making it clear that his next target is our Democracy itself. This week, Alex speaks to Fulton Co…
On the Ground in Minnesota [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:24:50
This week Alex travels to Minneapolis to see first hand how the community is responding to the terrorizing presence of ICE and the killing of ICU nurse Alex Pretti. She shines a light on the grassroots efforts of mothers…
ICE Arrests Are Only the Beginning [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:42
Even police chiefs in Minnesota are calling out ICE tactics as race-based and out of line. This week, Alex focuses on what comes next — from conditions at ICE detention centers, to the long-term impacts this lawless use…
Trump and MAGA Justify Renee Good’s Death [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:07
Since an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Good in Minneapolis, President Trump and MAGA have labeled her a “domestic terrorist” and come up with one reason after another to justify her death. This week Alex interviews Mic…
Trump’s Terrifying Imperial Fantasies [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:56
2026 has started off with strikes on Venezuela, the kidnapping of President Nicolas Maduro, and a brazen slew of threats from President Trump against Greenland, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, and Iran. This week, Alex speaks to…