Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes

Grant talks with Prof. Jason R Baron from the University of Maryland. Baron was the former litigator for the National Archives and spent more than 20 years working with archivists and fighting for Americans' access to government records and information.  He and Grant talk about the Signal chat that included attack plans and, accidentally, Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg, whether it...

Grant breaks down the stunning story from the Atlantic this week, where a journalist was added to a private chat about US military strikes with some of the country's top officials. Donald Trump's Administration officials face a Senate grilling on Capitol Hill over it while his staff pushes back. Plus, what happens now?  Support the show Follow along on social media  SaySo: @GrantHermes  ...

It has been a busy week in the federal courts. Grant makes sense out of the dizzying case around Venezuelan migrants who were flown to a maximum security prison in El Salvador, many without criminal records, and the Trump Admin's lawyers' attempts to keep them there.  Plus, Trump's attempt to ban trans-Americans from the military is paused leading to backlash from Secretary of Defen...

There's been a lot of action when it comes to ending the war in Ukraine this week, and it's only Wednesday. Trump had two calls with Zelensky, a long call with Putin, and an offer he's hoping neither can refuse.  Grant breaks down what's happening (including a little breaking news) and what to expect this weekend as peace talks continue.  Support the show Follow along on social...

***This episode was recorded before the shutdown vote. Be on the lookout for a MIMS Mini in your feeds this weekend*** The Senate is in the middle of a fight over whether to shut down the government. Republicans need 8 Democrats to join them and Chuck Schumer announced he's one of them. It kicked off a fight between members who wanted to push back against the White House and Elon musk vs. the...

After making some big changes to their budget, House Republicans pass a resolution, without Democratic support. Grant breaks down what's in it and how a government shutdown could still easily happen. Plus, some new reporting from Wired Magazine shows that a shutdown might have been Elon's plan all along even if it would be bad for Trump.  AND Grant talks about the big cuts to the Departm...

Donald Trump has spent the week dizzyingly going back and forth on everything from tariffs to Russia to supporting veterans to Elon Musk. It's been a week of 180-degree-turned-360-degree turns causing confusion and chaos. Grant breaks down the biggest flip-flops, what they mean, and what to know next  Grant also talks to Cory Doctorow, the inventor of the word "Enshitification," jou...

Donald Trump gave his first speech to Congress since being elected and it was filled with half-truths, lies and boasting about his first 43 days in office. Grant walks through the marathon-length address of Trump's key issues like ending DEI, immigration, and DOGE. But also the economy against the backdrop of real worries we're on the edge of a recession.  Support the show Follow along o...

A MIMS mini today because a planned meeting for a done deal devolved into a shouting match in the Oval Office between President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky. Grant breaks down what happened, what both sides are saying and how the world is reacting.  Support the show Follow along on social media  SaySo: @GrantHermes   X: @GrantHermes Insta: @Grant__Hermes Tiktok: Grant_Hermes

Members of Congress are hearing from a lot of angry voters over what's being done by the Trump administration. Republicans are being criticized for going along with DOGE and Trump, while Democrats are looking for someone, anyone to step up and lead. Grant breaks down what this week has been like and what it means as Congress heads into a budget fight to avoid a government shutdown.  Grant als...

A two-topic mid-week episode this week.  The House GOP passes a new budget plan hoping to avoid a government shutdown in two weeks. Grant explains the plan and what it will mean trillions of dollars in tax cuts for the wealthy while also breaking a promise practically every member of the GOP and Donald Trump made on the campaign trail.  THEN, Trump holds his first cabinet meeting and Elon Musk is...

Donald Trump calls himself a king on social media. Is it Trolling? Yes. Is it still serious? Also, yes. Grant talks about why Trump's joke is actually a sign of a growing and public movement in the GOP to make Trump a three term president if not longer.  Grant also talks to Distinguished Professor of Democracy Lucan May who is the co-author of a new piece in Foreign Affairs magazine about how...

Tens of thousands of federal employees have been fired from the US government seemingly arbitrarily and the effects from it are rippling through agencies, communities and homes across the country.  Grant breaks down how the firings have happened and the reasons why they're happening. Spoilers, they're not great.  Support the show Follow along on social media  SaySo: @GrantHermes   X: @Gr...

There's been a lot of talk about whether the US is heading for or already is in a constitutional crisis, but what does that even mean anyway? And, how would we even know if we were in one? Grant breaks down how we got to where we are and whether we're already in a crisis or not.  He also talks to Fmr. Commissioner at the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Cornell University ILR School Senior...

Elon Musk gives a presidential press conference from the Oval Office while Trump looks on. Musk talked about what's happening with the "Department" of Government Efficiency. He misled and lied about a lot of it and refused to talk about his own personal transparency despite calling for full open government just a few months ago.  Grant breaks it all down because it was a lot.  Suppo...

Elon Musk and his crew of 20-something employees spent the week interrogating federal employees, accessing sensitive data and putting American information at risk, with questionable legality and security.  What is the work of "DOGE?" How far have things gotten and what happens next? Plus, Grant talks to Jim Kunder, the former Deputy Administrator USAID who talks about how difficult its b...

President Donald Trump has been fixated on expanding the US to other countries and territories and it's an unusual move for him given he was there America first candidate in three elections.  Grant breaks down why Trump wants Greenland, Canada, the Panama Canal and the Gaza strip by looking at what it would all mean for national security, the economy, Trump's legacy and the people whispe...

Three of Donald Trump's most controversial nominees had hearings this week and they were the most explosive we've seen so far.  Trump's nominee for Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Kash Patel for FBI Director and RFK Jr for HHS Secretary.  Grant also talks to Dr. Scot Greer from thE University of Michigan School of Public health about Trump's new health regime,...

It's been a long nine days. Donald Trump has started the work of purging the government of people he doesn't think are loyal including goverment watch dogs, DOJ officials, and offering federal employees a buyout while having loyalty screening teams comb through federal agencies.  His administration also launched the first of their immigration raids, catching Americans, legal residents an...

In his first five days of being back in office, Donald Trump signed a flurry of executive orders that aim to reshape American immigration, justice and the federal government. His plans also put a lot of people in harms way. Grant breaks down the biggest orders and talks to Liz Dye and Andrew Torrez about Trumps moves to disappear trans people from public life, end birthright citizenship and send s...

Grant breaks down the big take aways from Donald Trump's speech. What he plans to do on immigration, that Trump thinks he's been chosen by God and that he has a mandate. Plus the incredible images of the world's riches, most powerful tech billionaires getting prime seats on the stage and the message that sends the world.  Grant also talks to Deepti Doshi from New Public. The nonprof...

Make It Make Sense is back and it's a packed midweek episode.  Grant breaks down the findings from inside the Jack Smith January 6th case report and what happens next.  Plus, what happened during Pete Hegseth's confirmation hearing and what it tells us about the future of the Senate under Donald Trump.  Support the show Follow along on social media  SaySo: @GrantHermes   X: @GrantHermes...

Republicans blow up their own deal to keep the government open after Elon Musk tells them to.  Grant talks about what's really at stake and what really happens during a government shutdown. Also, Elon Musk shows just how much control he really has over the GOP right now and there are calls to give him even more.  Support the show Follow along on social media  SaySo: @GrantHermes   X: @GrantHe...

In this week's midweek podcast, Nancy Pelosi fires the first shot in the coming fight between the Democrats' younger generation and the old guard in what will be the battle over what the Democratic Party does after November's crushing defeat.  Plus, Congress has another budget fight on its hands this week. While there looks like there's a deal, there's already mutiny brewi...

While Trump's pick to lead the Department of Defense, Pete Hegseth, may have righted the ship of his nomination, there's still a long way to go to get to the Pentagon.  Grant takes a look at what Hegseth wants to do with the military, why he thinks it's "woke," and what that could mean for our men and women in uniform. Plus, what it could mean for our allies and the confli...