American Friction

Dr Anthony Fauci has come under intense fire from the GOP over his role during the Covid-19 pandemic. Chris and Nikki discuss the evidence Rand Paul and Ron Johnson have (and don’t have) in their crusade to jail Fauci, and whether this is all just part of Donald Trump’s revenge tour. One Woman’s Message From the Hell of ICE Detention: https://www.thenation.com/article/society/maryam-tahmasebi-iran...

Larry Ellison is one of the most prominent tech billionaires of the moment. Jeff Jarvis, author of the BuzzMachine blog, joins Jarv to discuss how he built his business in the first place and why his influence on the media is so concerning.    Buy Hot Type through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund American Friction by earning us a small commission...

Donald Trump is embarrassing everyone and Republicans are trying to make themselves look even more stupid than him! Jarv and Nikki discuss the latest scandals and fallouts making everyone look ridiculous.  • Find out if you’re owed on car finance at refundclub.co.uk/amfric • Refund Club is a trading style of Sandsford Law Limited, authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authorit...

Donald Trump won’t stop calling his enemies communists – but is it too old a reference for anyone to care? Jarv and Chris are joined by Maurice Isserman, author of Reds: The Tragedy of American Communism, to discuss the history of communism in America and why it might struggle to work as an attack line for MAGA to use on the left.  Buy Reds: The Tragedy of American Communism through our affil...

Donald Trump is angry at RFK Jr. for not being enough of a conspiracy theorist. Yeah, you read that right. What’s going on? Plus, why was the president so weird at Lindsey Graham’s funeral? Nikki, Chris and Jarv discuss.  • Find out if you’re owed on car finance at refundclub.co.uk/amfric • Refund Club is a trading style of Sandsford Law Limited, authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Reg...

Trump’s still spreading lie after lie about elections and he’s got an army of media lackeys helping him. Media Matters president Angelo Carusone joins Chris and Jarv to talk them through how these falsehoods are being amplified and who’s responsible.  Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch. We’re now on Youtube Follow us on social medi...

Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth are desperate for more money for the Iran war. The defence secretary has been sweating away as he’s grilled in Congress – does anything they stay stand up to scrutiny? Nikki, Chris and Jarv discuss. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch. We’re now on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanFrictionPod ...

The host of Fast Politics Molly Jong-Fast joins Jarv for a discussion on why celebrities need to speak out more politically. Plus, they discuss some of the broader issues for America, and what matters to voters in the US right now.  Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction  We’re now on Yo...

ICE has carried out yet more public killings in America. Donald Trump, true to form, has stood by his not so secret police force. When will enough be enough and is the Democratic Party doing enough to bring about change? Nikki joins Chris to get into that and more!  Back us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/AmericanFriction Follow us on social media:  Bluesky Instagram TikTok Written a...

The Republicans and the Democrats are both in a weird place right now. How did they get to where they are? What were they like when they first started? And did they really “switch”? Paul Heideman, the author of Rogue Elephant: How Republicans Went from the Party of Business to the Party of Chaos,  joins Jarv to discuss.  Buy Rogue Elephant: How Republicans Went from the Party of Business...

Trump’s been at NATO losing his head and lashing out at Iran in a spectacle which was mostly shocking because of how unsurprising it was. Nikki, Chris and Jarv discuss another bumpy week.  Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction  We’re now on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanFric...

Donald Trump’s America has often been accused of laying siege to American freedoms and institutions - because, well it has. But more broadly, is America today a reflection of the nation the founding fathers sought to create? Prof Robert Parkinson has studied the Declaration of Independence for 25 years and has authored a new book: Tyrants and Rogues: Understanding the Declaration of Independence....

Happy Birthday America! The US turns 250 this weekend and it’s been quite the ride. But has Donald Trump 2.0 turned that ride into a nightmare? Chris and Nikki discuss the American freedoms and institutions this administration has diminished over the past 2 years and loads more! Listen to The Bunker: https://linktr.ee/bunker_pod  Back us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/AmericanFriction Follow...

America has been a tumultuous place in recent years. Justin Glawe has been at the frontline of much of that chaos, covering carnage and unrest across the United States. He joins Chris to discuss what he’s learned from reporting on turmoil across America, as outlined in his book If I Am Coming to Your Town, Something Terrible Has Happened: The Life and Times of a Domestic War Correspondent, Buy If...

Trump is at odds with the Senate and tearing apart members of his own party. How will this temper tantrum play out? Nikki and Jarv discuss.  Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch. We’re now on Youtube Follow us on social media:  BlueSky   Instagram  TikTok Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis and Nikki McCann Ramirez. Video and Audio edit...

The UFC spectacle at the White House showed a new level of trashy corruption from Trump. Why did he do it and why does he love the man behind the UFC, Dana White, so much? Jack Crosbie, senior writer at Rolling Stone, joins Chris and Jarv to discuss.  Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch We’re now on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Amer...

Trump has signed a deal agreeing to get a deal to end the war in Iran. He’s claiming a major victory, but it’s clearly a capitulation. Nikki, Chris and Jarv discuss.  Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction  We’re now on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanFrictionPod  Follow us on social med...

Donald Trump says he alone can fix Washington — but is one unelected official actually running the show? Chris and Jarv are joined by journalist Andy Kroll to discuss the rise of Russell Vought, the budget chief using the Office of Management and Budget to quietly expand Trump’s power from inside the White House. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bit...

Donald Trump insists he never said he would end any wars and denies being booed at a recent Knicks game — despite footage suggesting otherwise. Nikki, Chris and Jarv discuss whether the president is becoming increasingly detached from reality, or simply doubling down on his own version of events. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: http...

Donald Trump has posted thousands of times on his social media platform Truth Social in just a few months, usually cranking out double figures of posts a day. Danielle Kurtzleben from NPR has analysed a massive stack of these to see what Trump’s obsessions are.  Read Danielle’s piece on NPR: https://www.npr.org/2026/05/08/nx-s1-5749358/trump-truth-social-online-posts-iran-white-house-ballroom  Bac...

Donald Trump keeps insisting he “doesn’t care” — about Iran, Americans’ finances, or even the midterms. Nikki, Chris and Jarv discuss whether the president is growing tired of the job he fought so hard to win, and why Trump is suddenly talking up potential successors… Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/america...

America is in a crisis, but that doesn’t mean it’s beyond saving. Reverend Professor Keith Magee, chair of The Guardian Foundation, joins Jarv to discuss how empathy could help to reset the United States. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction We’re now on Youtube Follow us on social media:  BlueS...

Trump says he’s perfectly healthy — but does anyone believe him? And will we ever know the truth? Chris and Jarv are joined by podcast favourite Casey Burgat to unpack Trump’s latest medical report, the details it left out, and the growing obsession in Washington over the President’s health. Check out Casey’s work: https://www.caseyburgat.com/ Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going....

Donald Trump has diminished America on the world stage and the nation seems to have fewer and fewer allies. Adam Serwer of the Atlantic joins Chris and Jarv to discuss why the US needs friends even if Trump doesn’t think so.  Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction We’re now on Youtube: https://www...

Donald Trump’s IRS settlement permanently blocks audits into his past tax returns and creates a controversial $1.7bn “Anti-Weaponization Fund”. Nikki, Chris and Jarv discuss why critics are calling it a “slush fund” and who could end up cashing in. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction We’re now...