Can the Free World Survive Trump and Putin?
Gaslit Nation
This week’s special guest, Adrian Karatnycky, has been on the frontlines for decades fighting for democracy both at home and abroad. In his critically acclaimed book , Adrian traces Ukraine’s struggle for independence from the fall of the Soviet Union to Russia's genocidal invasion today, drawing important lessons for protecting democracies worldwide. He has worked alongside civil rights legend Bayard Rustin and the AFL-CIO, the largest federation of unions in America. He also supported Poland’s Solidarity movement, which helped bring down the Iron Curtain, and played a key role in...
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Gene Sharp’s From Dictatorship to Democracy - TEASER
Gaslit Nation
Why did Trump hit 185 countries with tariffs, , but not Russia and its vassal state Belarus, used to wage Russia’s genocidal invasion of Ukraine? It’s almost like Trump is a Russian asset, repaying Russia for helping him rise to power twice and for all the easy money he received over the years when no credible institution would lend to this trust-fund kid who went bankrupt six times. But why crash the global economy? The answer only makes sense if you’re Putin. As a dictator with no electoral pressure, Putin benefits from destabilizing democracies. By causing economic chaos, he weakens...
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How to Overthrow a Dictator
Gaslit Nation
Romania made headlines—and shocked the world—when it annulled a presidential election at the end of last year, citing evidence of foreign interference aimed at supporting a pro-Russian far-right candidate. It was a bold and necessary move, one that stands in stark contrast to what the U.S. should have done—and is now facing the consequences for not doing. But why would Romania take such a decisive stand? The answer lies in its history. Romania’s Moscow-backed dictatorship was among the most brutal behind the Iron Curtain, a painful past that still unites much of the country today. In...
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Introducing ArchiveGate: Trump’s Dangerous Attack on the National Archives
Gaslit Nation
If you thought SignalGate was bad, wait until you hear about ArchiveGate. Trump illegally fired the National Archivist—the first president in U.S. history to do so since the position was established in the 1930s. This wasn’t just about a change in leadership; it was revenge on the Archivist’s office alerting the DOJ about Trump’s stolen classified documents, which were stored around Mar-a-Lago, a known hub for foreign spies. But it gets worse. Marco Rubio, who is currently the Trump/Putin lackey Secretary of State, is also serving as the acting National Archivist. This...
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Unpacking SignalGate with Olga Lautman - TEASER
Gaslit Nation
In this week's Gaslit Nation bonus show, we’re joined by Olga Lautman, an expert on the Russian mafia. Her Substack, , is a vital resource documenting Trump’s war against America, and the global war of fascism vs. democracy. Olga made headlines recently by exposing connections between Trump’s National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz, and Russia, connected to SignalGate. (We call it the Kremlin Klown Kar for a reason!) Olga breaks down the implications of SignalGate and Trump’s Putin-backed war against our democracy. We also discuss a disturbing trend: an...
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Gaslit Nation Media Guide: "Fascism Needs Ignorance"
Gaslit Nation
The Gaslit Nation Media Committee, a watchdog against access journalism and regime propaganda, has developed this essential guide. We urge all members of the media to reject complicity in the erosion of democracy. The American crisis is a global struggle between democracy and fascism—one that threatens the entire world. Each of us has a role in defending freedom. If you work in media, use this guide to safeguard your integrity, your liberty, and the values we cherish—before it’s too late. Doing your job well can save lives and democracy. 1. Don’t Bury the Lede: Call It an...
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Nazi Hunting
Gaslit Nation
What’s the best way to fight evil? Laugh at fascist idiots and keep hunting Nazis, with your camera and the power of your voice. This week, we’re honored to welcome legend Sandi Bachom, an award-winning documentary filmmaker of such powerful films as Telling Jokes in Auschwitz and a Getty Images contributor whose work has appeared in acclaimed films like Laura Poitras’s All The Beauty and All The Bloodshed, Danny’s Strong’s Dopesick, and Alex Gibney’s Crime of the Century. But Sandi isn’t just behind the camera—she’s on the frontlines, documenting Nazis, like...
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"We Are Becoming an Apartheid State."
Gaslit Nation
Here's the first half of our recording of Monday's Gaslit Nation Salon with , author of , and . Dr. Corrigan is the Director of the Gender Studies Program at the University of Arkansas, and Affiliate Faculty in both African & African American Studies and Latin American and Latino Studies. The full discussion was over two hours, with Dr. Corrigan staying on to answer listeners' questions. Patreon supporters can find the full two-hour video recording of our discussion at Patreon.com/Gaslit. See you at Monday's salon at 4pm ET with Rise and Resist! If you need to channel your rage...
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A Love Letter to Canada
Gaslit Nation
What’s the easiest way for Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin to invade Canada? Simple: Have voters sit out the upcoming election and let Pierre Poilievre become Prime Minister. If you’re Canadian—especially if you live abroad—now’s the time to get organized. Make sure you and at least five of your family and friends have a plan to vote. Not sure if you’re registered? Voting from abroad? Double-check your registration and make sure you’ve got everything you need In this week’s Gaslit Nation Canada Super Special, we’re joined by the amazing Leigh McGowan from , plus , a...
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Controlled Opposition - TEASER
Gaslit Nation
What’s the Republican spending bill all about? It’s an extremely dangerous powergab engineered by Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the House and dirty lawyer who came up with the legal strategy to try to overturn the 2020 election. The Republican spending bill essentially grants legal protections to Trump and Musk’s ongoing illegal mass purge, to protect them against court orders–one of the last levers of power we have left. Any Democrat who votes for this is complicit in Trump and Musk’s tech-backed coup, illegally mass firing federal workers to replace them with an A.I. surveillance...
info_outlineTrump used and discarded the powerful Fred Trump daddy figures who helped him rise to power: infamous lawyer Roy Cohn, whom he abandoned as Cohn was dying of AIDS; Fox News kingmaker Roger Ailes, forced out over sexual harassment allegations; and, possibly, Vladimir Putin. The Russians invested decades of financial and other support into Trump and his family, as Russian mafia expert Olga Lautman explains on this week's Gaslit Nation. But now, with American oligarchs, unlimited money, immunity granted by the illegitimate Supreme Court, pardon power, and a mainstream media eager to please, Trump has everything Putin could only dream of.
What we saw during that grim inauguration weekend, followed by a flood of dangerous executive orders, shows that Trump, as promised, intends to be a dictator from day one. Tech giants, who had a front-row seat to his inauguration, give Trump a social media disinformation machine rivaling the Kremlin’s. We're in for dark times, but there's hope. Our traitorous enemies and oligarchs are, in the end, incredibly stupid, and they'll ultimately destroy each other.
This week's bonus show, available to supporters at the Truth-teller ($5/month) level and higher, continues the conversation. We’ll discuss Trump and Melania’s meme coin pump-and-dump scheme that fleeced their own supporters, how Trump is paving the way for Chinese dominance and Xi’s long-sought invasion of Taiwan, and ways to fight back, no matter how deliberately chaotic things get.
Remember to protect your sleep during this time and check out the helpful reminder on developing good sleep hygiene in the show notes. They want us overwhelmed and scared, but we must stay sharp and fit. Commit to mindful and healthy practices, including unplugging when needed. By staying strong, we can help carry each other through what lies ahead. No matter how dark things get, we’ll get through it together! Afterall, Trump is America, a nation built on the largest Native American mass grave and the genocide of slavery. Trump has always been here. We will fight our way through to another chapter of hard-won progress for future generations to look back on in horror.
Olga Lautman will join the Gaslit Nation Salon on February 10 at 4pm ET! And don’t forget our Gaslit Nation Game Night on Friday February 7th at 8:30pm ET–we’re playing Codenames! For game night, be sure to make an account on BoardGameArena.com. Both events are for our Patreon community. Zoom links will be shared the morning of the events on Patreon.com/Gaslit so be sure to subscribe to help support the show!
Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, ad-free episodes, 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:
Check out Olga Lautman’s Substack! https://substack.com/@olgalautman?utm_source=profile-page
ICYMI: Here are previous documents the Security Committee has shared:
• Tech Travel Tips : https://web.tresorit.com/l/hmKP6#FFHiLuu45pSJtMo_Z9Zp9Q
• Why defending your right to privacy is important: https://web.tresorit.com/l/73FHq#ip5_zE6hhWkuaDMBAAhpYw
• Introduction to VPN https://web.tresorit.com/l/WHdqz#-zI5O7Q2zHznO_NG7aZWPQ
• Three Security Steps to Take Today: https://web.tresorit.com/l/417K9#CaDJOcOrEOta4T5oDlNsYw
• Practice Safe Data Security: https://web.tresorit.com/l/hiw9s#wOykkL6Lh_Hz_TbRsiCiEQ
Read all the details in the PDF here: https://web.tresorit.com/l/W6ots#IydZ2pnTmE1MLPJLkLZ73A
For the Gaslit Nation Book Club – First Meeting at the Gaslit Nation Salon on February 24 at 4pm ET
Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl https://bookshop.org/p/books/man-s-search-for-meaning-viktor-e-frankl/8996943?ean=9780807014271
The Stranger: Introduction by Keith Gore Albert Camus (Author) Matthew Ward (Translator) https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-stranger-introduction-by-keith-gore-albert-camus/18890716?ean=9780679420262
Opening Clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e49VEpWg61M
Martin Luther King, Jr., "What Is Your Life's Blueprint?" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmtOGXreTOU
Elon Musk’s Anti-Semitic, Apartheid-Loving Grandfather The billionaire has described his grandfather as a risk-taking adventurer. A closer read of history reveals something much darker. https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2023/09/joshua-haldeman-elon-musk-grandfather-apartheid-antisemitism/675396/
Trump’s Crypto Meme Coin Is His Most Lucrative Get-Rich Scheme Yet https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/what-just-happened-with-usdtrump-and-usdmelania-meme-coins.html
German-Soviet Pact The German-Soviet Pact was signed in August 1939. It paved the way for Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union to invade and occupy Poland that September. The pact was an agreement of convenience between two bitter enemies. It permitted them to carve up spheres of influence in eastern Europe, while pledging not to attack each other for 10 years. Less than two years later, however, Hitler launched an invasion of the Soviet Union. https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/german-soviet-pact#:~:text=This%20agreement%20is%20commonly%20referred,or%20the%20Hitler%2DStalin%20Pact.&text=The%20arrangement%20included%20a%2010,economic%20cooperation%20and%20territorial%20expansion.
Trump pauses US foreign development aid for 90 days, orders review https://kyivindependent.com/trump-pauses-all-us-foreign-aid-for-90-days-pending-review/
Elon Musk’s Father on Their Nazis History: https://x.com/DillyHussain88/status/1881670092993560772
Did Elon Musk steal the election for Trump? (Yes!): https://x.com/CalltoActivism/status/1881118080212115627
House GOP crafts bill to let Trump purchase Greenland https://www.axios.com/2025/01/13/trump-buy-greenland-house-republican-bill
In Rare Criticism, Trump Says Putin Is ‘Destroying Russia’: President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia praised President Trump’s second inauguration, but the American leader did not return the compliment. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/21/us/politics/trump-putin-russia-ukraine.html?unlocked_article_code=1.q04.QTOS.5McfXW68PNkf&smid=url-share
Welcome to the era of gangster tech regulation Our tech overlords all have problems, and they want to buy the solutions. https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/20/24346317/trump-gangster-tech-regulation-corruption-grift
We Need A New Deal To Save Local Journalism https://defector.com/a-new-deal-to-save-local-journalism-la-fires
News site focused on Elon Musk to launch https://www.npr.org/2025/01/20/nx-s1-5268286/elon-musk-news-site-popular-information
Three media stories to watch for the next 4 years https://www.semafor.com/article/01/19/2025/three-media-stories-to-watch-for-the-next-4-years
Trump signs executive order to pause TikTok ban, provide immunity to tech firms https://www.npr.org/2025/01/20/nx-s1-5268701/trump-executive-order-tiktok-ban
Bad Faith (Christian nationalism documentary) https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2024/4/16/bad-faith
Sleep tips: 6 steps to better sleep https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/sleep/art-20048379