How We Got Here: The MAGA New Right

How We Got Here: The MAGA New Right

Author: What A Day January 16, 2026 Duration: 26:16
President Trump is declining in popularity with voters, but his rhetoric and that of the Trump Administration is only growing more extreme. But to understand how we got here, in this place, we have to go back to the 1980s — when right-wing academics and thinkers worked together to create a counter-revolution to mainstream conservative institutions. For more, we spoke to writer and political theorist Laura K. Field. She wrote a book on the modern conservative movement titled “Furious Minds: The Making of the MAGA New Right.” And in headlines, the President reveals his “Great Healthcare Plan,” Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado gives her medal to Trump, and billions of dollars for mental health and addiction organizations are restored just 24 hours after the Trump administration initially pulled them.

Each afternoon, the team at What A Day sorts through the overwhelming rush of headlines to bring you clarity and context. This daily podcast cuts through the noise of the 24-hour news cycle, focusing on the few stories that truly matter and explaining why they’re important. You’ll get a smart, concise breakdown of the day’s biggest developments in politics, culture, and everything in between, delivered with a mix of sharp analysis and a necessary dose of humor. It’s designed for anyone who wants to stay informed but feels exhausted by the constant churn of information. The conversation feels like catching up with a well-informed friend who can highlight the key points, connect the dots, and occasionally find the absurdity in it all. Tuning into this podcast means ending your day actually understanding how the news fits together, rather than just remembering scattered soundbites. The pace is brisk but thorough, making it a perfect companion for your commute, evening walk, or while making dinner. It’s a straightforward tool for navigating a complicated world, transforming the day’s chaos into a coherent narrative you can use.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

What A Day
Podcast Episodes
Has The West Forgotten About Ukraine? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:45
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24th, 2022. And despite President Donald Trump's promise to end the conflict on his first day back in office, the two countries are still at war. So far, over 300,000 Russian soldiers h…
Americans Should Be Happy, But They're Not [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:18
It's rather obvious Americans have not exactly been … cheerful for the last few years. And it's showing up in the data – the General Social Survey, the Consumer Sentiment Survey from the University of Michigan, the World…
Trump Made Inflation Great Again [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:31
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Stacey Abrams On Why We Still Need The Voting Rights Act [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:22
The Supreme Court’s ruling in Louisiana v. Callais last month dismantled a critical portion of the Voting Rights Act. And since then, a slew of states — largely in the South — have moved to redraw voting maps. In doing s…
What Does Trump Need Most From China? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:51
President Donald Trump is arriving in Beijing today on a long-awaited trip – one that got delayed even further by Trump’s war in Iran. It’s Trump’s second trip to China and his first in nearly a decade. It’s also a trip…
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Duration: 23:52
The impact of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes has been felt in so many places, from the halls of Congress to the royal families of Britain and Norway. Here in the U.S., it’s taken the work of student jour…
The Gentrification Of Intersectionality [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:38
Over the last year and a half, the Trump Administration has made a big effort to limit which words are used in federal documents. Across government memos and wide-ranging agency material, hundreds of terms and ideas have…
Trump Still Has A Grip On Indiana [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:26
There’s a lot going on in this year’s midterm elections. Tennessee Republicans approved a new map on Thursday, splitting the majority-Black voting district that encompasses the city of Memphis – and possibly eliminating…
Why You Shouldn't Buy Into The Crypto Trend [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:16
President Donald Trump made a lot of promises when he took office for the second time. One of those promises included becoming the most pro-cryptocurrency president ever! (Probably because the Trump family is trying to m…
Can Democrats Sell Affordability? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:36
President Trump was elected, in part, due to his many promises to lower the cost of living. Unsurprisingly, he gave up on that pretty much the second he walked into the Oval Office again. Some Democrats see this as an op…