Heather Cox Richardson

Letters from an American

News EN ↓ 821 episodes

Heather Cox Richardson's narrated newsletter about the history behind today's politics. heathercoxrichardson.substack.com

Author

Heather Cox Richardson

Category

News

Latest episode

Jul 10, 2026

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Episodes

Republican Governance in This Era 29.03.2026

March 27, 2026 The battle over funding TSA continues, Trump and MAGA Republican extremism is so unpopular that Republicans cannot govern, Americans have turned against Trump’s handling of immigration, Senate Democrats refuse to give a blank check to ICE and Border Patrol,  Republicans vote down Democrats’ attempts to fund the rest of DHS including TSA, Trump demands SAVE America Act be attached to...

The Change in the World Order 27.03.2026

March 26, 2026 In bald language, Singapore’s Prime Minister makes clear how Trump has instigated a profound change in the world order, In place of the foundation supported by the US, Trump aligns himself with international oligarchs, Trump initially launched strikes on Iran at the urging of Saudi Arabia’s MBS and Israel’s Netanyahu, US actions in Iran war and otherwise are benefitting Russia’s Vla...

Taking It to the States 27.03.2026

March 25, 2026 Trump allies express concern that he is not aware of what is actually happening in the Iran War, Story of administration corruption widens, DOJ has evidence that Trump misused classified documents, Rep Raskin asks DOJ to answer questions about classified documents and who had access to them, Stephen Miller urges Republicans to pass extremist legislation at the state level, Democrats...

Deception, Distortion, and Destruction 25.03.2026

March 24, 2026 People close to Trump may be committing treason by trading on national secrets - putting personal gain over the safety of Americans, Trump’s plans for Washington DC are smashing the design of the national capital, Administration is declaring war on renewable energy, Airport lines grow as shutdown continues, Trump sends ICE agents to airports signaling how he may involve them in the...

What News Do We Trust? 24.03.2026

March 23, 2026 Trump tries to calm market fears about the continuing war in Iran, Trump threatens Middle East oil infrastructure, Trump then rescinds threat citing progress in negotiations with Iran, Iran denies Trump’s claims and social media suggests Trump's actions are meant to manipulate the market, Trump continues to claim that talks are underway with Iran though there is no apparent incentiv...

President Under Pressure 23.03.2026

March 22, 2026 Trump defends failure to inform allies and partners about US attack on Iran, Closure of Strait of Hormuz puts enormous pressure on the president, Administration lifts sanctions on Iranian oil giving Iran huge relief without any concessions, Pressure builds over DHS corruption involving Kristi Noem and Corey Lewandowski, Trump threatens to use ICE to hurt Democrats, Trump maligns Rob...

The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments 22.03.2026

March 21, 2026 On March 21, 1861 Senator Alexander Stephens delivered his Cornerstone Speech, In the Cornerstone Speech he described a Confederate government based on racial enslavement, Stephens expected the new doctrine of the Confederacy to spread around the world, Abraham Lincoln rejected the Confederacy’s doctrine, and as president, declared enslaved Americans to be free, It would take the pa...

Global Disruption and the War in Iran 21.03.2026

March 20, 2026 Israeli forces hit South Pars gas field, Trump criticizes NATO for not joining the Iran war, International Energy Agency says conflict in Middle East has created the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market, Trump claims troops aren’t being sent to Iran but Pentagon is moving Marines to the Middle East, Administration is considering an assault on Kharg Islan...

Cover-ups and Dodges 20.03.2026

March 19, 2026 Evidence that DOJ is covering up relationship between Trump administration and Jeffrey Epstein, Pam Bondi declines to confirm that she will comply with subpoena to appear under oath before House Oversight Committee, Administration officials refuse to say whether they told Trump that Iran might block Strait of Hormuz, Gabbard pressed to say whether Russia is sharing intelligence with...

“Stunning Interference” 19.03.2026

March 18, 2026 Beginning in 2010, DEA was running an investigation into drug trafficking, prostitution, and money laundering by Jeffrey Epstein and 14 others, The “Chain Reaction" investigation disappeared before indictments were made, Senator Ron Wyden asked DEA administrator Terrance Cole to produce documents about the investigation by March 13th, Documents are marked unclassified, DOJ stepped i...

An Unprepared and Untethered Administration 18.03.2026

March 17, 2026 Trump’s demand for help in reopening Strait of Hormuz goes unanswered, Russia expands support of Iran in war against US, Trump administration lacks expertise because of cuts at State Department and decision to decommission minesweepers, Splits in MAGA support for Iran war, Trump appears to be attempting to remove leadership of Cuba, Trump goes after the media and the Supreme Court,...

Evacuation of Boston, 1776 17.03.2026

March 16, 2026  In early 1775, Boston was bitterly divided, The British occupied the town as Patriots built fortifications, Militiamen led by Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen seized cannons and other weapons from Fort Ticonderoga, 300 miles away, The Second Continental Congress created the Continental Army, appointing George Washington as commander in chief, Henry Knox, a friend of Washington, deve...

Launching an Ill-Thought-Out War 16.03.2026

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Happy Birthday, Maine 15.03.2026

March 14, 2026 On March 15, 1820, Maine joined the Union, with national repercussions.  Maine statehood was opposed by southerners worried that it would restrict enslavement in the South, With the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 Maine men moved west, Owen Lovejoy of Maine, elected to the Illinois state legislature in 1854, became friends with up and coming lawyer, Abraham Lincoln, Legislators, m...

Administration Prosecutes Iran War Without a Plan 14.03.2026

March 13,2026Trump administration lifts sanctions on shipments of Russian oil, Oil prices skyrocket with closing of Strait of Hormuz, Ukraine sends interceptor drones at request of the US, Six American service members die in Iraq, Pete Hegseth is sending about 5,000 Marines and sailors to the Middle East, Arms Control Association suggests US lacked expertise in diplomatic talks with Iran, Previous...

Money is Flooding into the Political System 13.03.2026

March 12, 2026 American politics have been corrupted by billionaires,  Senator Tim Sheehy’s campaign in Montana benefitted from donations from more than 63 billionaires, Elon Musk is donating millions to Republicans, Trump promised billionaires that he would favor their interests if they donated $1 billion to his re-election campaign, Trump gave his wealthy supporters the One Big Beautiful Bill Ac...

Who Can Take the Pain the Longest? 13.03.2026

March 11, 2026 Trump claims Iran war is going well and will end “soon.”  Iran turns down calls for ceasefire and lays mines in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran predicts oil will reach $200 a barrel, It is unclear what victory in Iran looks ike for the US., Pentagon revises estimate of number of US troops wounded in Iran conflict, Cost of the Iran conflict is hitting home, Military investigation indicate...

Democratic Senators and Members of Congress Condemn Lack of Planning, Cuts in Services, and Reckless Spending 11.03.2026

March 10, 2026 Administration gives a classified briefing to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senators express frustration with the insistence that information is not being made available to the American people, Senators protest decisions to wage war being made without Congress, The Framers of the Constitution put the power to declare war in the hands of Congress, $1 Billion is being spent eac...

Iran War Affects Oil Prices and the Stock Market, Putting Pressure on Trump 10.03.2026

March 9, 2026 Trump had no plan for what would happen in Iran, Initial strikes killed the people the administration thought could take over in Iran, Stopping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has set off an energy crisis so severe it is threatening the global economy, Ties with Middle East countries are being strained by the spreading war, Increasing pressure over the Epstein files cause DOJ to...

The Administration's Views on the Iran War and Foreign Affairs 09.03.2026

March 8, 2026 Trump wears baseball cap to ceremony returning remains of soldiers killed in Iran, Fox News displays the wrong footage of ceremony, White House portrays events in Iran as entertainment, Administration embraces myth of cowboy individualism, Administration has not planned for aftermath of attacking Iran, Operation Epic Fury is costing US $1 billion a day, US submarine torpedoed Iranian...

What Motivates Trump? 08.03.2026

March 7, 2026 Trump switches to a demand for unconditional surrender by Iran, Americans continue to be stranded in the Middle East as war spreads through the region, Violence appears to be the point in Iran war, Hegseth warns representatives from Latin American and Caribbean countries to act more aggressively against drug cartels, Trump suggests he has his sights on Cuba, Billionaires turn a blind...

Remembering Reverend Jesse Jackson 08.03.2026

March 6, 2026 Reverend Jesse Jackson died on February 17, 2026, March 7 is the anniversary of the march to the Edmund Pettis Bridge, March 7 would be known as Bloody Sunday, for the violence that marchers met on the bridge that day, Marchers were finally able to complete the march to the state capital to call attention to voter suppression but only with the protection of the federalized Alabama Na...

Trump Blusters But Faces Setbacks at Home 06.03.2026

March 5, 2026 Trump’s erratic behavior and efforts to dictate to Iran and Israel, Trump suggests action against Cuba is pending, Supreme Court rules that companies are entitled to a refund of tariffs paid, Department of Justice backs away from demand that it investigate Joe Biden for using an autopen, National Capital Planning Commission puts of vote to approve Trump’s White House ballroom, Trump...

War in Iran Rages As Epstein Coverup and Voter Suppression Continue 05.03.2026

March 4, 2026 More documents are missing from the Epstein files, House Oversight Committee subpoenas Attorney General Pam Bondi, Trump and his administration struggles to articulate a reason for the war in Iran, US stockpile of munitions is low, Republicans refuse to rein in the attack on Iran with a war powers resolution, Democrats turn out strong in primaries and continue to do well in special e...

The Widening War in Iran 04.03.2026

March 3, 2026 Generals warned of risks of war in Iran, Hegseth refuses to rule out putting troops on the ground, State Department urges Americans to leave the Middle East, Cost to American taxpayers of the strikes, Administration likely to ask for supplemental funding for the war, Founders established that the power to declare war resides with Congress, Trump has taken war powers away from America...

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