The Lincoln Project

Host Reed Galen is joined by Lincoln Project Senior Advisor Trygve Olson to discuss nuances of what Nikki Haley's role in 2024 should mean for the pro-democracy movement, why the media is in many way guilty of playing the game they know (rather than the game they are in), and the global implications that arise when American democracy is questioned. Plus, a call to action for all Americans who valu...

Host Reed Galen is joined by journalist and author Jacob Heilbrunn to discuss why the right is so enthralled with authoritarianism and foreign dictators, the evolution of our nation’s culture war (including the role of history and the media), and what the future could look like if Donald Trump’s vision for America comes to fruition.  If you’d like to hear more from Jacob Heilbrunn, be sure to pick...

Host Reed Galen is joined by fellow Lincoln Project Co-Founder Rick Wilson to give their reactions to the South Carolina GOP primary, discuss why the Trump campaign is moving in the wrong direction, and lay out why the RNC is now completely infested with MAGA. Plus...a lesson in history. To hear more from Rick Wilson, be sure to check out his Substack , listen to The Enemies List , and check out h...

Host Reed Galen is joined by Devon Murphy-Anderson and Alex Berrios , the Co-Founders of Mi Vecino , the first year-round, boots-on-the-ground voting rights organization in Florida that’s on a mission to register, educate, and empower Hispanic, multicultural, and first-time voters who’ve been historically and systemically marginalized, silenced, or ignored. They discuss Mi Vecino's recent pivot to...

In the fourth and final episode of “The Threat of White Christian Nationalism”, host Reed Galen is joined by investigative journalist and author Sarah Posner . They discuss the historical roots of the Christian right (including the opposition to desegregation and the rise of the prosperity gospel), what MAGA learns from Christian nationalism’s spiritual warfare and charismatic worship practices, a...

In the third episode of “The Threat of White Christian Nationalism”, host Reed Galen is joined by investigative journalist and author Katherine Stewart . They discuss how the white Christian nationalist movement is driven by a cohort of leaders and organizations that form a deep organizational network, how the attack on public education is part of a larger project to destroy democratic institution...

In the second episode of “The Threat of White Christian Nationalism”, host Reed Galen is joined by journalist and bestselling author Tim Alberta . They discuss the societal perceptions of American evangelicals and the flaws/fallacies within their movement, why bad history plus bad theology equals the perfect formula for christian nationalism, and why Trumpism resonates so strongly with Americans w...

In the first episode of “The Threat of White Christian Nationalism”, host Reed Galen is joined by journalist and bestselling author Jeff Sharlet . They discuss the religious and cultural landscape of present-day American evangelicalism, how white Christian nationalism is not "old-time religion" but a rapidly mutating political theology, and how white Christian nationalism isn't synonymous with pie...

Host Reed Galen discusses how Donald Trump’s troubles have influenced the current direction of the Republican party, how Speaker Mike Johnson would rather sabotage our nation (and democracy) and choose Trump instead of passing bipartisan immigration reform and aid to Ukraine, and how the GOP has more interest in ruling rather than governing. Plus, a preview of the Lincoln Project Podcast’s mini-se...

Host Reed Galen is joined by Ruth Ben-Ghiat , Author and Professor of History and Italian Studies at New York University. They discuss what to take away from the latest E. Jean Carroll verdict, how autocrats and criminal behavior often go hand-in-hand, and Greg Abbott’s handling of the Texas border as viewed through a lens of authoritarianism. Plus, why eroding trust in democratic institutions is...

Host Reed Galen is joined by Mary-Pat Hector , the CEO of RISE , an organization that builds student-led advocacy campaigns, promotes increased access to higher education…and strengthens students’ political power through youth voter mobilization. They discuss why Gen Z voters are so unique, why they’re so crucial to defend our democracy in 2024, and why the most effective voter engagement happens...

Host Reed Galen is joined by Veteran Politics Reporter Tom LoBianco to recap the results of the New Hampshire GOP Primary, discuss what to expect from Donald Trump, Nikki Haley, and the GOP as a whole post-New Hampshire, and look ahead to the electoral road leading up to Super Tuesday. Plus, is the Republican party destined to go the way of the Whig? For more from Tom LoBianco be sure to subscribe...

Host Reed Galen discusses Ron DeSantis’ recent dropping out of the GOP presidential primary race and his spineless nomination of Trump, the recent national spotlight on Donald Trump’s cognitive decay, and a look ahead to the New Hampshire primary. For more from Reed Galen, check out his latest piece on Iowa and be sure to subscribe to “The Home Front” . If you’d like to ask a question or share a c...

Host Reed Galen is joined by Lincoln Project Senior Advisor Joe Trippi to discuss the 2024 Republican Iowa Caucuses of this past week, what they mean for the GOP field, and what comes next in the march towards the 2024 election. Plus, Reed and Joe share their favorite Iowa stories from the campaign trail. If you’d like to hear more from Joe Trippi, be sure to subscribe to That Trippi Show. For mor...

Host Reed Galen is joined by Author and Resident MAGA Expert/Insider at Puck , Tina Nguyen . They discuss Tina’s brand new book, The MAGA Diaries: My Surreal Adventures Inside the Right-Wing (And How I Got Out) , the state of the GOP and how the far right has taken over, and why the media reacts the way it does to MAGA messaging. The MAGA Diaries is available wherever fine books are sold. For more...

Host Reed Galen is joined by Olivia Troye , the Former Homeland Security & Counterterrorism Advisor to Vice President Mike Pence, and the current Executive Director of 97Percent, a bipartisan gun safety organization. They discuss the rise of political violence, why the GOP is exponentially becoming more radicalized, and why it’s so crucial for our democracy’s future to hold Donald Trump (and h...

Host Reed Galen is joined by Matt Bennett , Co-Founder and Executive Vice President for Public Affairs at Third Way. They discuss why the third party presidential candidates in 2024 are such a threat to our nation’s democracy, break down how the No Labels organization is living in a complete land of fantasy, and look ahead to points of encouragement in the coming months as election day approaches....

Host Reed Galen shares the Lincoln Project’s plan for 2024 and how this is the year that everything has been building to. Plus, why our nation’s present moment is a simple binary, how the upcoming third anniversary of January 6th continues to inform this moment, and why Donald Trump facing justice for his crimes is the only path forward for American democracy. For more from Reed Galen, be sure to...

This episode was originally released on July 18, 2023. In this encore presentation, host Reed Galen is joined by Pulitzer Prize winning and New York Times bestselling author, Stacy Schiff to discuss the life of Founding Father Samuel Adams, his role in the American Revolution, and the legacy he leaves behind (despite his best efforts not to). Plus, what are the parallels between our nation's infan...

This episode was originally released on August 22, 2023. In this encore presentation, host Reed Galen is joined by Jon Ward , Author and Senior Political Correspondent for Yahoo News . They discuss the rise of the American evangelical movement, the types of people it attracts, and how it became so closely tied to Trumpism. To hear more from Jon Ward, be sure to check out his latest book ( Testimon...

Host Reed Galen is joined by Author, Historian, and Boston College History Professor, Heather Cox Richardson . They discuss the road the Republican party took to reach its current status, why Donald Trump (and those in his image) offer a dangerous/autocratic future, and why democracy (while imperfect) is the best path to achieve the America we want. For more from Heather Cox Richardson, check out...

Host Reed Galen is joined by Lincoln Project Senior Advisor Trygve Olson to discuss the always growing division in the GOP, how a second Donald Trump term is a guarantee of American autocracy, and why it continues to be crucial for the pro-democracy movement to play the game we’re in…and not the game we know. Plus, what our democracy can learn from the recent elections in Poland. For more from Ree...

Host Reed Galen is joined by Halie Soifer , the CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America to discuss the latest in the Israel/Hamas War, how to defend against the rising levels of antisemitism in the United States, and how the choice between Joe Biden and Donald Trump has never been more clear. Plus, why antisemitism is the canary in the coal mine when it comes to the degradation of democrac...

Host Reed Galen is joined by George Conway, a Lincoln Project Co-Founder, attorney, contributing columnist for the Washington Post , and Board President for the Society For the Rule of Law . They discuss the manipulative nature of Donald Trump, the latest with his numerous trials, and the tangible dangers of a second Trump term. Plus, how the GOP became the perfect vessel to embrace Donald Trump a...

Host Reed Galen is joined by fellow Lincoln Project Co-Founder Rick Wilson to look back on why we began the Lincoln Project four years ago, what we’ve witnessed in the four years since our launch, and where we go from here…in 2024 and beyond. To hear more from Rick Wilson, be sure to check out his Substack , listen to The Enemies List , and check out his books, Running Against the Devil & Ever...