Trump’s Red State Sabotage

Trump’s Red State Sabotage

Author: Runaway Country with Alex Wagner September 3, 2026 Duration: 57:26

Has Trump created Farmageddon? Rising fuel and fertilizer costs due to the war with Iran, tariffs on goods because of the trade war with Canada, and a Farm Bill stuck in Congress have created a perfect storm of pain for American farmers.

This week Alex speaks to 5th generation Iowa farmer Joshua Manske, to get a real accounting of how the President’s red state agricultural base is feeling. Then she breaks down the big picture implications for Republicans ahead of the midterms with Brian Beutler, founder and author of the Substack newsletter Off Message, and the cohost of the Politix podcast.

Pre-order Alex's new book, The Steal: Four Right-Wing Hard-Liners, One Republican Presidency, and The Raid On America's Courts and subscribe to her Substack here. 

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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’s Perverted Justice [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:30
Has Trump corrupted our justice system beyond repair? The latest indictment of former FBI Director James Comey is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of damage that this administration has done. This week, Alex speaks t…
The President and The Press [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:36
This week, the President AND the press came under attack. After an attempted shooting at the White House Correspondents Dinner, the Trump administration was quick to blame the media and threaten ABC over a joke that hurt…
The Gas Prices Are Too Damn High [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:27
Instead of pumping the brakes on the Iran war, President Trump is breaking the pumps. This week Alex looks at how high gas prices are impacting Americans, and why they’ve long been considered an existential political thr…
Trump’s Unholy War Against the Church [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:30
President Trump has a God problem. After criticizing the Pope and posting an image of himself as Jesus online, Trump has caused an uproar among his Christian base. This week, Alex speaks to Pastor Doug Pegitt about the c…
MAGA Turns on The Mad King [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:16
The President of the United States has officially gone mad. That can be the only conclusion after Trump’s genocidal threats this week to destroy the entire country of Iran, before announcing a two week ceasefire. This we…
Will Trump Profit from War with Iran? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:23
How can we make sense of America’s senseless war with Iran? This week, Alex asks if President Trump’s web of corruption extends to his foreign policy. First she speaks to Sarah Leah Whitson, the former Executive Director…
ICE Goons at the Airport and DACA Detentions (w/ Jonathan V. Last) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:00
Leave it to travel delays during Spring Break to turn America’s focus to immigration again. This week, as Congress debates over funding and reforms to ICE, and Markwayne Mullin is sworn in as new Secretary of the Departm…
Trump's Plan for Iran....Is No Plan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:24
With the war against Iran now in its third week, it has become devastatingly clear that President Trump and his administration have no strategy for the conflict. Retired Master Sgt. Wes Bryant explains how Secretary of W…
Trump’s War of Choice Against Iran (w/ Rachel Maddow) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:55
Over a week into the war with Iran, the casualties, global economic fallout, and incoherence of the Trump administration are all growing. This week Alex speaks to Senator Adam Schiff about Democrats’ attempts to put Cong…
The Other MAGA War….At Home [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:49
While the Trump administration wages war against Iran and broadens their military scope in the northern hemisphere, there are more subtle campaigns being pushed here at home – like the one to convince women to do nothing…