The Lincoln Project

Actor-turned-crypto-whistleblower Ben McKenzie joins Rick Wilson for a brutal, no-bullshit takedown of the crypto industry just as Congress barrels toward two major crypto bills hitting the floor this week on Capitol Hill. From meme coins and “decentralized finance” scams to billion-dollar rugpulls, political bribery, and money laundering dressed up in Patagonia vests and TED Talk jargon, Rick and Ben break down how crypto became the preferred playground for grifters, oligarchs, libertarian weirdos, and every guy who says “bro” before pitching financial collapse. They unpack why Washington suddenly wants to legitimize the casino after years of fraud, who’s cashing in, and why the American taxpayer always seems to end up holding the empty bag while crypto bros flee to Dubai. It’s the great Ponzi scheme of our time — powered by hype, corruption, influencer cults, and vibes-based economics — and the wheels may finally be coming off in public.•••••Ben McKenzie is on X @@ben_mckenzie. His movie, ‘Everyone is Lying to You for Money,’ is playing now in select theaters. His best-selling book, ‘Easy Money,’ is out now, wherever fine books are sold. Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln.Visit www.quince.com/lincoln for free shipping + 365-day returns. #ad Build credit fast and get your first month for just a dollar at getkikoff.com/lincolnproject today. Thanks to Kikoff for sponsoring us! #ad

The elephant in the room this week is bluffing — and Democrats still haven’t figured out Republicans only win when nobody punches back. While the GOP openly gerrymanders districts, manipulates election rules, floods the zone with outrage, and treats politics like a blood sport, Democrats keep showing up with 700-page climate white papers, polite speeches, and “norms.” Rick Wilson breaks down why 2026 should be the easiest midterm cycle in modern political history — if Democrats stop acting like this is a graduate seminar and start fighting like democracy is actually on the line. From blatant election tactics and MAGA power grabs to weak messaging, consultant brain rot, and the endless addiction to process over power, this episode is about one thing: stop bringing a throw pillow to a gun fight.•••••Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln. The Freedom From Religion Foundation is fighting to protect the First Amendment, because it protects you. Visit www.ffrf.us/lincoln, or text "LINCOLN" to 511-511, to  learn more, or join, today.  #ad

The Supreme Court was meant to be the last guardrail—the final check when everything else fails—but what happens when that guardrail starts to wobble? This week, Rick Wilson sits down with legal analyst and author Sarah Isgur to break down the modern Court from the inside out: the personalities driving decisions, the growing reliance on the shadow docket, and the myth of pure judicial objectivity. They unpack how power actually works behind the robes, why the justices’ individual worldviews matter more than ever, and how diversity of experience—not just race or gender—shapes the outcomes that ripple across the country. In a moment where Congress is gridlocked and the executive branch is aggressively asserting its power, the Court has become the ultimate referee in America’s biggest fights—but whether it’s equipped for that role, or cracking under the pressure, is the question hanging over everything.•••••Sarah Isgur is on X @whignewtons & on Instagram @sarahmisgur. Her new book ‘Last Branch Standing,’ is available now wherever fine books are sold. Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln. Build credit fast and get your first month for just a dollar at getkikoff.com/lincolnproject today. Thanks to Kikoff for sponsoring us! #AD

Florida’s redistricting mess isn’t just shady—it’s straight-up unconstitutional, and they did it anyway. This week’s Elephant in the Room: a map so aggressively gerrymandered it looks like it was drawn during a blackout with a Sharpie and a grudge. Rick breaks down how Florida’s leaders ignored their own state constitution, carved up districts to rig the game, and dared the courts to catch up. It’s a masterclass in political overreach, legal brinksmanship, and “rules for thee, not for me” governance. This isn’t just about Florida—it’s a warning shot for what happens when power decides.•••••Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln. 

Elon Musk’s ex and former MAGA social media influencer Ashley St. Clair joins Rick Wilson to expose the truth behind the MAGA influencer ecosystem—how it works, who profits, and why it’s starting to fall apart in real time. From clout-chasing grifters to coordinated messaging and manufactured outrage, this episode breaks down the business model behind right-wing social media and the hypocrisy fueling it. As the MAGA movement fractures and influencers turn on each other, this is the inside story of a political media machine built on clicks, cash, and chaos—and what happens when the audience finally sees through it.•••••Ashley St. Clair is on X @stclairashley, on Instagram @asc.sys, and on TikTok @ashstc. Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln. Go to https://ethos.com/lincolnproject for a free quote today. #ad Visit https://bollandbranch.com/lincoln and use code: LINCOLN at checkout to receive 15% off your first order + free shipping. #ad

This week’s Elephant in the Room is the full-blown MAGA meltdown—and yeah, it’s happening live. What started as a rage-fueled influencer gold rush has turned into a self-destruct sequence, with the same clout-chasing chaos merchants now eating each other alive for clicks, relevance, and whatever’s left of the grift economy. Rick breaks down how the algorithm built this monster—and why the feedback loop from hell is finally cracking the whole thing open. From the early days of meme-lord nonsense to today’s internal bloodbath of bad takes and panic-posting, this is the origin story of a movement now spiraling into its own collapse. The base is restless, the influencers are unhinged, and the clown car just hit the wall. Bottom line: the chaos didn’t just break the system—it turned inward. And now? The crackup isn’t coming. It’s already here.•••••Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln. 

Rick Wilson sits down with Andrew McCabe to unpack the stunning politicization of the Federal Bureau of Investigation under Kash Patel, the firing of 12 counterintelligence agents tied to the Mar-a-Lago documents case, and the staggering national security consequences of purging Iran specialists as conflict escalates. Drawing from McCabe’s new CNN series Standoff: The FBI, Power and Paranoia, Rick and McCabe expose how paranoia, incompetence, and political loyalty tests are corroding America’s premier law enforcement institution from the inside. This is a conversation about weaponized government, self-inflicted chaos, and what happens when you fire the people who know where the threats are—right as those threats become real•••••Andrew McCabe’s new CNN series, ‘Standoff: The FBI, Power and Paranoia,’ now streaming on the CNN app. Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln. Go to https://DRINKAG1.COM/LINCOLNPROJECT to get an AG1 Flavor Sampler and a bottle of Vitamin D3+K2 for FREE in your AG1 Welcome Kit with your first AG1 subscription order! That's a $72 value, yours free, only while supplies last. #ad Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code lincolnproject at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/lincolnproject. #ad 

Trump decided to cosplay as something divine—and then picked a fight with the Pope. In this episode, Rick Wilson unpacks the sheer audacity and absurdity of Donald Trump elevating himself to messiah status while clashing with Pope Leo I. From ego-driven delusion to global embarrassment, this is what happens when performance politics collides with actual faith and authority. It’s chaotic, it’s surreal, and it’s another reminder that the line between spectacle and reality isn’t just blurred—it’s gone. A different kind of Holy War has begun.•••••Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln. Go to https://surfshark.com/lincolnproject and use code lincolnproject at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! #ad Visit https://quince.com/lincoln for free shipping + 365-day returns. #ad 

Bondi. Epstein. DOJ surveillance. Congress folding. This episode is a front-row seat to a system cracking in real time. Rick Wilson is joined by Vermont Congresswoman Becca Balint to unpack the collapse of Pam Bondi — from her questionable moves inside the U.S. Department of Justice to her firing tied to the still-explosive Epstein files that just won’t disappear. They break down reports of DOJ surveillance on members of Congress inside a makeshift SCIF, why Bondi’s “burn book” flopped, and how fear, loyalty tests, and political pressure have turned Congress into a rubber stamp instead of a check on power. This is what it looks like when institutions bend—and who pays the price when they do.•••••You can find Rep. Becca Balint on X @RepBeccaB, on Bluesky @balint.house.gov, and on her Youtube @RepBeccaB. Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln. Head to https://superpower.com and use code [LINCOLN] at checkout for $20 off your membership. After you sign up, they’ll ask how you heard about them, so make sure to mention this podcast to support the show. #ad Build credit fast and get your first month for just a dollar at https://getkikoff.com/lincolnproject today. Thanks to Kikoff for sponsoring us! #adGo to https://bollandbranch.com/lincoln, and use code ‘LINCOLN’ to unlock 15% off + free shipping. #ad 

Epstein isn’t going away—and thanks to Melania Trump’s bizarre press statement, it just hijacked the entire week. What was supposed to be about Iran and a ceasefire is now back to the one story that won’t die: Epstein, power, and the questions still hanging over Donald Trump. Rick Wilson breaks down the PR meltdown, the failed pivots, and why Epstein has become the permanent elephant in the room—because in 2026, this isn’t just a scandal anymore… it’s the whole damn story.•••••Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln. For information regarding your voter registration, go to www.voteriders.org.Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at https://shopify.com/lincolnproject. #ad Visit https://expressvpn.com/lincolnproject to find out how you can get up to four extra months. #ad#Trump #MelaniaTrump #Epstein #EpsteinFiles #TrumpEpstein #BreakingNews #Politics2026 #Iran #Ceasefire #NewsAnalysis #RickWilson #LincolnProject #PoliticalPodcast #USPolitics #Scandal #ViralNews #CurrentEvents #Media #Election2026 #EITR

Trump’s numbers are slipping. The GOP is fracturing. And James Carville is calling it exactly how he sees it. In this unfiltered conversation, Rick Wilson and Carville rip into the state of Trump’s campaign, the cracks forming inside MAGA, and why voter fatigue could reshape the 2026 election. If you’ve been wondering whether the chaos is real—it is. And it’s getting worse.•••••You can find James Carville on X @JamesCarville. Check out his podcast, 'Politics War Room' wherever you watch or listen. Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln. Go https://sundaysfordogs.com/lincoln50 or use code ‘LINCOLN50’ at checkout for 50% off your first order. #adProtect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/lincolnproject. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. #ad #Trump #MAGA #GOP #RickWilson #JamesCarville #Election2026 #PoliticalChaos #TrumpCollapse #BreakingPolitics #USPolitics

Unlike the Survivors, Bondi couldn't survive Epstein. Pam Bondi is out—and the timing says everything. As the Epstein files resurface and pressure builds around Trump’s inner circle, the infamous “firing season” has officially begun. For this week's Elephant in the Room, Rick breaks down why Bondi got cut loose, what it signals about the escalating Epstein fallout, and how Trump’s pattern of loyalty tests and political purges is playing out in real time. This isn’t damage control—it’s survival mode. And if history tells us anything, Bondi is just the beginning.•••••Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln. #Trump #PamBondi #EpsteinFiles #BreakingNews #TrumpScandal #Epstein #PoliticalNews #Corruption #Accountability #USPolitics

Trump isn’t impulsive. He’s not “just winging it.” According to Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and his new book Trump's Ten Commandments: Strategic Lessons from the Trump Leadership Toolbox, Donald Trump operates on a repeatable, deliberate playbook—ten core behaviors he’s used for decades. What looks like chaos is actually strategy. What feels like a meltdown is often the move itself. In this episode, Rick Wilson and Yale Business School Professor Jeffrey Sonnenfeld break down Trump’s pattern of power: the same tactics, the same outcomes, over and over again. Once you see the playbook, you can’t unsee it.•••••Jeffrey Sonnenfeld is on X at @JeffSonnenfeld, and his new book, ,’Trump's Ten Commandments: Strategic Lessons from the Trump Leadership Toolbox,’ is available now, wherever fine books are sold. Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln. #Trump #TrumpStrategy #JeffreySonnenfeld #TrumpPlaybook #PoliticalAnalysis #LincolnProject #RickWilson #TrumpTactics #BreakingNews #USPolitics #Election2026 #Trump2026 #MAGA #PoliticalPodcast #NewsAnalysis #CurrentEvents #TrumpChaos #PoliticalStrategy

Trump. MAGA. The GOP. Voters are over it — and the receipts are stacking up. In this episode of The Elephant in the Room, Rick Wilson breaks down the 10 things voters hate most about Donald Trump, the MAGA movement, and today’s Republican Party — from chaos and corruption to delusion, culture war burnout, and a campaign that feels completely out of touch with reality. This is the Elephant in the Room: Trump is losing independents, bleeding suburban voters, and failing the vibe check in 2026. If you want to understand why Trump’s support is cracking, why MAGA is struggling, and what it means for the election, this is the episode.P.S. Oh, and by the way, after this week's election, Trump's representative at Mar-a-Lago is Emily Gregory -- a Democrat and a woman. •••••Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln. #Trump #MAGA #GOP #DonaldTrump #Election2026 #Politics #LincolnProject #RickWilson #BreakingNews #PoliticalAnalysis #Voters #Democracy #Campaign2026 #TrumpNews #Republicans #USPolitics

Trump just fired Kristi Noem. Pam Bondi just got caught lying under oath. And now the panic inside Trump’s orbit is impossible to hide.Rick Wilson sits down with Congressman Jared Moskowitz to break down a White House running on fear, loyalty tests, and legal exposure. This isn’t spin — it’s the system cracking. Fast.Who gets thrown overboard next? Who flips when the pressure hits? And how close are we to the moment this whole thing turns?Inside this episode: • Noem’s firing and the loyalty purge inside Trumpworld • Bondi’s testimony and the perjury cloud getting darker • The unraveling of Trump’s inner circleWho’s next — and who flips first?•••••You can find Congressman Jared Moskowitz on X, @JaredEMoskowitz.Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln. #Trump #PamBondi #KristiNoem #BreakingNews #Politics #MAGA #TrumpNews #Corruption #Accountability #JaredMoskowitz #RickWilson #LincolnProject #PoliticalScandal #USPolitics #election2026 Build credit fast and get your first month for just a dollar at https://getkikoff.com/lincolnproject today. Thanks to Kikoff for sponsoring us! #ad Go to www.expressvpn.com/lincolnproject to find out how you can get up to four extra months. #ad 

The Epstein story just snapped back into focus—and the timing couldn’t be more suspicious. This week, as headlines were dominated by a new war overseas, reports surfaced of three previously unseen interviews tied to one of Trump’s accusers—material that had never been publicly accounted for. Now they’re out, and the questions are stacking fast. Rick Wilson breaks down what’s known, what’s missing, and why this story keeps circling the same tight-knit network of power players who always seem to land on their feet. This isn’t just a scandal—it’s a pattern. Same names. Same circles. Same silence. And once again, the truth is trying to claw its way through.•••••Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln. #Trump #DonaldTrump #Epstein #JeffreyEpstein #EpsteinFiles #EpsteinList #EpsteinCase #EpsteinScandal #TrumpEpstein #TrumpNews #TrumpScandal #BreakingNews #PoliticalScandal #CoverUp #EpsteinCoverUp #NewsUpdate #2026Politics #USPolitics #InvestigativeJournalism #Accountability #PowerAndCorruption #ElitePower #PoliticalCorruption #FollowTheMoney #ConnectTheDots #UnansweredQuestions #WhoKnewWhat #TimelineMatters #NewsAnalysis #RickWilson #LincolnProject #StayInformedGo to bollandbranch.com/lincoln, and use code ‘LINCOLN’ to unlock 20% off sitewide + free shipping. #ad

 Rick Wilson sits down with retired Lieutenant General Mark Hertling to break down the rapidly escalating war with Iran under the Trump administration — from the growing threat to global shipping lanes to the shockwaves already hitting oil markets and regional stability. Drawing on decades of battlefield command, Hertling explains what real wartime leadership looks like, why lawful orders and military ethics matter, and how quickly reckless politics can collide with the brutal realities of modern warfare. Together, Rick and Hertling cut through the cable-news noise and Washington theatrics to talk about the hard truths of war, the responsibilities of command, and the kind of steady, serious leadership democracies need when the stakes are life and death.•••••You can find Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling on X @MarkHertling. His new book, ‘If I Don’t Return: A Father’s Wartime Journal,” is available now, wherever fine books are sold. Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln. Visit www.ethos.com/lincolnproject to find out how you can protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. #ad Head to www.superpower.com and use code [LINCOLN] at checkout for $20 off your membership. Unlock your new health intelligence. 100+ biomarkers. Every year. Detect early signs of 1,000+ conditions. #superpowerpod #ad Go to www.growtherapy.com/lincolnproject to find the right therapist for you. #ad Make the switch to Sundays. Go right now to www.sundaysfordogs.com/LINCOLN50 and get 50% off your first order. Or, you can use code LINCOLN50 at checkout. #ad #Trump #IranWar #MiddleEastWar #RickWilson #LincolnProject #USMilitary #WarLeadership #MilitaryEthics #MarkHertling #WarInIran #Geopolitics #BreakingNews #USPolitics #ForeignPolicy #MilitaryLeadership #IranConflict #GlobalSecurity #LeadershipMatters

This week’s Elephant in the Room: everything is starting to fall apart. Trump’s escalating Iran War looks less like strategy and more like a desperate attempt to change the subject from the growing fallout around the Epstein Files, mounting scandals, and an administration that seems increasingly out of its depth. Wars don’t erase political crises — they amplify them. And this one is already shaping up to be wildly unpopular, dangerously unpredictable, and potentially catastrophic for American lives, the global economy, and stability in the Middle East. Rick Wilson breaks down why Trump’s Iran war, the political explosion surrounding the Epstein scandal, and a White House running on panic and distraction could collide into one of the biggest geopolitical and political trainwrecks of the decade.•••••Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln. Go to www.shopify.com/lincolnproject to sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial. #ad #Trump #IranWar #EpsteinFiles #RickWilson #TheLincolnProject #PoliticalNews #BreakingNews #USPolitics #MiddleEast #ForeignPolicy #EpsteinScandal #Geopolitics #PoliticalCommentary #NewsAnalysis #WorldPolitics

The rule of law isn’t supposed to be optional in America — but lately Washington seems to have forgotten that. This week, Rick Wilson sits down with JP Cooney, former Deputy to Special Prosecutor Jack Smith, to talk about the growing crisis of lawlessness and why restoring accountability starts with fixing Congress itself. After years inside the Department of Justice working on some of the most consequential federal investigations in modern history, Cooney is stepping into the arena, running for Congress in Virginia’s 7th District in 2026 to bring seriousness, backbone, and respect for the rule of law back to Washington. Rick and JP break down how Congress lost the plot, why consequences in government have become optional, and why the next generation of leaders needs to end the chaos, restore law and order, and rebuild trust in American institutions before the damage becomes permanent.•••••You can find J.P. Cooney on X @cooneycongress, and on Bluesky @cooneyforcongress.bsky.social. Check out his campaign website, at www.cooneyforcongress.com.Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln. Go to www.superpower.com and use code ‘LINCOLN’ for 20% off your membership. #ad Go to www.quince.com/lincoln for free shipping + 365-day returns. #ad 

The Elephant in the Room: the “fun part” of Trump’s Iran war is over. The bombs dropped and the headlines rolled — but now comes the reality of a conflict with no strategy, no exit plan, and no adults in the room. Rick Wilson breaks down how Trump, Pete Hegseth, and Marco Rubio stumbled into a rapidly escalating Iran war that could cost billions, risk American lives, and spiral into the next Middle East forever war. And as the conflict grows, so do the questions: Is this about national security — or a convenient distraction from the Epstein files and other scandals closing in at home?•••••Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln.  For a limited time, our listeners get 50% off FOR LIFE, Free Shipping, AND 3 Free Gifts at Mars Men at Mengotomars.com  #ad