On Offense with Kris Goldsmith

In the 1930s, U.S. Marine General Smedley Butler stopped a fascist coup backed by Wall Street. Today, under Trump’s second term, the same forces are rising again—from threats of war in Venezuela to coordinated attacks on democracy at home. Historian and journalist Jonathan M. Katz joins On Offense to break down Butler’s legacy, America’s long history of imperialism, and what it means to organize against fascism in 2025. We cover: The Business Plot and America’s first coup attempt Butler’s evolution from warfighter to whistleblower How elites manipulate veterans to serve authoritarian goals Trump’s foreign policy and echoes of gunboat diplomacy How to go on offense against the far right 📘 Read Gangsters of Capitalism → jonathanmkatz.com/gangsters 📰 Subscribe to Jonathan’s newsletter → theracket.news/links 🎧 Follow On Offense and visit weareonoffense.com for more. #WeAreOnOffense #JonathanKatz #SmedleyButler #GangstersOfCapitalism #Trump #Coup #Antifascism #Venezuela

Lieutenant General Russel Honoré doesn’t talk like most generals—and in this conversation, he doesn’t mince words about politicians who glorify war but avoid accountability, or veterans who use their military service as a shield while undermining democracy. That’s exactly why I wanted to have him on On Offense. Honoré knows what it means to lead troops under pressure. He’s the kind of leader who called out systemic failures in real time after Hurricane Katrina—and he hasn’t stopped holding power accountable since. In this episode, we talk about what happens when the military becomes a political pawn—and why the deployments of troops onto American streets reminds him of America’s darkest moments of the 20th century. And we talk about how real service doesn’t end with the uniform—unless you trade your values for a comfortable seat and fat check. Here are some of the stakes we dig into: The threats facing troops and veterans from extremists and disinformation What it means to be “combat ineffective” in a democracy under attack How to take care of our people without feeding a culture of violence What accountability looks like in the age of Trump and Hegseth If you believe in the mission of this show, share this episode. Subscribe. Leave a review. Follow On Offense on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Learn more and get involved at weareonoffense.com

On January 6, 2021, Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn stood his ground against the violent mob that tried to overturn the election. In this episode of On Offense, Kris Goldsmith—combat veteran and antifascist investigator—sits down with Harry to talk about what it took to defend democracy that day—and why the fight isn’t over. They get into: What it felt like to face off with insurrectionists in real time Why Harry is still organizing, speaking out, and staying in the fight What service looks like after January 6 How everyday people can join the fight in 2025 🎧 Follow On Offense on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. 🌐 Learn more and take action: weareonoffense.com More on Harry Dunn: 📘 Standing My Ground — Buy the book ✍️ Standing Our Ground — Subscribe to Harry’s Substack 🥃 Pours and Perspectives — Listen on the Siren Network 🧹 Cleanup on Aisle 45 — Watch with Allison Gill and Harry Dunn

Dropkick Murphys frontman Ken Casey joins host Kris Goldsmith for a conversation about punk, patriotism, and the fight against fascism in the Trump era. For over 30 years, Dropkick Murphys have called out Nazis and racists—from the stage, in their lyrics, and with their platform. In this episode of On Offense, Ken talks about why the band has always been political—and why more artists should speak out. In this episode: Ken’s response to Trump using DKM’s music without permission Why being anti-fascist is central to punk The loneliness of speaking up when others won’t Solidarity between working-class veterans and musicians Watch the video version on VALOR Media Network. Read more at onoffense.substack.com.

Historian and veteran Tad Stoermer joins host Kris Goldsmith for the debut episode of On Offense. Together, they dig into the dangerous power of patriotic myth-making—like that in Ken Burns’ ‘feel-good history’—and how it’s left Americans unprepared to face modern authoritarianism. They cover: What the Founders really understood about tyranny Why “defending democracy” isn’t enough The danger of comforting lies in history and politics How to start fighting back—right now Visit onoffense.substack.com for the full write-up and more episodes.

On Offense with Kris Goldsmith is a new podcast for anyone ready to fight for democracy and stand up to fascism. Hosted by U.S. Army combat veteran and antifascist investigator Kris Goldsmith, each episode goes inside extremist movements, breaks down how the far right is seizing power, and features frontline voices from the fight against authoritarianism. Subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts.Watch full episodes right here on VALOR Media Network.Visit weareonoffense.com to learn more.#OnOffense #KrisGoldsmith #FightFascism #VeteransAgainstFascism #ProDemocracy