American Friction

Well, it’s hard to know how to react to that. What a week, and one it feels like we might never come back from. Nikki and Jarv unpack Trump’s latest wild and weird and ultimately tyrannical actions. 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 foreign policy has been described as the ‘Donroe doctrine’ – but it’s a stretch to say it’s that cohesive. To discuss how damaging he is to the world right now, as he puts American security and everyone else’s at risk, Nikki and Jarv are joined by Brian Finucane, senior adviser at International Crisis Group and editor at Just Security. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep...

Trump is obsessed with revenge. Against anyone who’s ever crossed him and anyone who simply didn’t vote for him. Nikki, Chris and Jarv talk you through the latest victims of Trump’s bitterness and what it means for America.  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...

Trump is desperate to make money from AI and the US economy is dependent on the industry, so what are the things we need to pay attention to? Friend of the podcast Jeff Jarvis, media commentator, author and co-host of AI Inside, talks us through the key battles to watch, the characters to know and their weird, weird philosophies. Oh and he puts the boot in on the US media too which is always good...

It’s been a long year already, hasn’t it? We discuss Trump’s new conflicts, ICE killing people and how this is all just the start. Plus we look ahead at key issues and we name who we think will be the key characters in US politics this year. 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 You...

Trump’s actions around Venezuela have been dramatic. He wants to act like he’s got it under control, but does he have a plan? Nikki and Jarv discuss the aftermath of capturing Maduro, how this might roll on and what known unknowns there are to consider.  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’...

Vanity Fair’s profiling of the Trump administration has caused a real headache for the President. Amongst the drama, electoral mastermind Susie Wiles really let loose, saying Trump had an “alcoholic’s personality” and Vance a “conspiracy theorist”. What has this look behind the curtain taught us? Chris and Nikki dive into all of that, plus the BBC lawsuit and more! Back us on Patreon! https://www....

The Watergate scandal might be one of the biggest political scandals of all time - but do we really know the full truth of it? Garrett M. Graff is a Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of Watergate: A New History and joins Chris and Nikki to discuss exactly what led to the epic downfall of President Richard Nixon. Buy Watergate: A New History through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund Amer...

Donald Trump has ramped up the pressure on his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolas Maduro. Not only did he issue him an ultimatum to leave the country, but on Wednesday, US forces seized a Venezuelan oil tanker, raising oil prices and tension within the region. Could all-out war be on the horizon? Plus, Miami now has its first Democratic mayor in 30 years. Is a blue wave in the midterm election lookin...

The Cuban Missile Crisis is the closest we’ve been to nuclear war. What are the lessons we should learn from it being averted? Who were the key characters? And could Trump handle such a situation in the present day? Mark J. White, professor of history at QMUL and author of The Cuban Missile Crisis, joins Jarv to discuss.  Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes,...

Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth appear to have at least allowed a war crime to happen on their watch – will they face any punishment? Plus, Trump is ranting in a new, weirder way and he can’t keep his eyes open during high-profile meetings anymore. This is fine. Casey Burgat, author of We Hold These Truths, joins Jarv and Chris to discuss this and much more.  Back us on Patreon – we need your help t...

The Wild West continues to fascinate people to this day – and still shapes America’s society. The video game Red Dead Redemption depicts the frontier era, and our guest today Tore Olsson has written extensively about the era in his book Red Dead's History: A Video Game, an Obsession, and America's Violent Past. He joins Jarv and Chris to discuss the Wild West.  Back us on Patreon – we need your he...

Trump and his admin are once again showing their weird love for Russia. Why are they all so keen on Moscow? We discuss this, Trump’s latest outbursts, his weird love for Mamdani and more!  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  F...

The United States of America is strange. It’s easy to blame it on Trump, but has it ever been normal? Author and journalist Kurt Andersen wrote How America Went Haywire: A 500-Year History to track how the nation became so weird.  Buy Fantasyland through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll be helping the podcast by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support indepe...

Trump has been forced into letting the Epstein files be released and of course he’s totally chill about it. We’re due to get them in less than 30 days, though what we get is still unclear – and the fallout they’ll cause even less so. Chris, Nikki and Jarv discuss another very weird week. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.p...

The Democratic Party is totally rudderless and once again handed Trump whatever he wants to end the shutdown. What the hell are they doing? Jarv and Chris ask Politico’s national politics reporter Elena Schneider.  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.c...

Trump’s links to Jeffrey Epstein are back in the spotlight. What did Epstein know about Trump? What did Trump know about Epstein? And how much does Russia know?! It’s all kinds of weird, worrying and gross… Nikki and Jarv discuss the latest.  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...

It’s a year since Trump won the election so we thought we’d recap a big old list of things he’s screwed up. There’s more than what we discussed, but we tried! Casey Burgat, author of We Hold These "Truths": How to Spot the Myths that are Holding America Back and director of the Legislative Affairs program at the Graduate School of Political Management at George Washington University, Buy We Hold T...

Zohran Mamdani’s election victory has got the left wing excited but made MAGA really scared about the made up rise of communism. To discuss his victory and the reaction to it, Chris and Jarv are joined by Brigid Bergin, senior politics reporter at WNYC.  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’...

Trump has been blowing up boats in the Pacific, killing all of those on board and insisting it’s because they’re cartel members – even though they could be fishermen. Why is he doing this? What real problems do cartels pose? Dr. Will Freeman a fellow for Latin America studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, joins us Chris and Jarv to discuss.  Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep go...

Trump is doing the hokey cokey when it comes to running in 2028. Is he in, is he out, does it matter what he says? We discuss the latest madness and round up the other stories you might have missed.  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/@AmericanFri...

The manosphere is a term used to describe a wide range of male-focussed influencers obsessed with money, status or physique. A lot of them are unfortunately right leaning and plenty supported Trump. So, what do they want, want impact do they have on politics – and where are they headed? Sam Eagan, who works for New Yorker Magazine, Vice and Wired joins Nikki and Jarv to discuss.  Back us on Patreo...

Trump is imagining himself pouring faeces on Americans and he’s literally ripping down part of the White House. Why is he so obsessed with destruction? Chris and Jarv are joined by Molly Jong-Fast of Fast Politics to talk through the latest chaos then they round up some other news you might have missed.  Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and mer...

The notorious Guantanamo Bay has long been a source of controversy for the United States. Yet, it remains open. How does this facility set up in the war of terror keep going? And how has it inspired the way Trump wants to treat prisoners today? Attorney Joshua Colangelo-Bryan has written about detainees he’s represented and his experience at Gitmo in his new book Through the Gates of Hell: America...

Trump has been posturing on the world stage after securing a deal between Israel and Hamas. But, does he really care? And should he get any credit? Or is this just all part of his attention seeking grift? Chris, Jarv and Nikki 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:...