The Mark Thompson Show

Trump is losing his mind over an advertisement featuring the real voice of Ronald Reagan, not AI, that obliterates Trump’s tariff policy. Doug Ford, the Premier of Ontario, is among those behind the ad. He says “We’re going to repeat that message to every Republican district there is right across the entire country.”  It’s a one minute video with excerpts from a radio address by Reagan warning of the long-term economic issues brought on by tariffs on foreign imports sold to Americans. Trump seems to understand that it makes him look incredibly foolish and he’s lashing out bigly, blasting Canada in a social media tirade:“They only did this to interfere with the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, and other courts. TARIFFS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY, AND ECONOMY, OF THE U.S.A. Based on their egregious behavior, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED.”We’ll talk about it with Mo Kelly on This Week in Politics. Albert put together quite the Friday Fabulous Florida offerings and “The Culture Blaster” Michael Snyder will set us straight on good entertainment for the weekend ahead. The Mark Thompson Show 10/24/25Patreon subscribers are the backbone of the show! If you’d like to help, here’s our Patreon Link:https://www.patreon.com/themarkthompsonshowMaybe you’re more into PayPal.  https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=PVBS3R7KJXV24And you’ll find everything on our website: https://www.themarkthompsonshow.com

Is America headed for war with Venezuela? On The Mark Thompson Show, we've been following the strikes against what the Trump Administration claims are "narco-boats" carrying drugs to the US and other countries. Though no proof has been offered in support of that, America continues to blast small boats off the coast of Venezuela to smithereens. So far, the US has blown up at least seven such boats, killing dozens of people. Trump is declaring an “armed conflict” with drug trafficking groups he has deemed international terrorists. He is also positioning dozens of warships, planes and thousands of U.S. troops in the Caribbean Sea. He admitted authorizing CIA covert operations in Venezuela. In addition, Trump is escalating tensions with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, saying he was illegitimately elected and is leading a narcotics cartel. Trump says he is ready to go further than blowing up boats: “we’re going to stop them by land." All of this is raising concerns that the US could be marching toward war with Venezuela. With Trump poised to send National Guard troops into Portland and Chicago and threatening to do so in San Francisco, we will look at the court decisions preventing him from making such moves, for now. Former federal prosecutor and now defense attorney David Katz will explain. Nathan Taylor from Election Truth Alliance will stop in to update us on his work to shine a light on data he claims indicates possible trouble with the results of the 2024 election of President Trump.

230-Million dollars.  That's how much Trump wants to be compensated from the Department of Justice for criminally investigating him.  Trump says he's owed damages for the alleged Russian interference investigation in the 2016 Presidential election and for the FBI search of his Mar-a-Lago home related to the handling of classified documents. Trump says whatever money he gets he'll give to charity (Ballroom fund perhaps?)  Whatever number he wants, he will probably get because Trump and those in his administration trying to stay in his good graces will be responsible for approving a payout.John Rothmann, our presidential historian and political analyst is traveling but may be able to join us depending on his Internet coverage.  Get ready to save the world because "It's the Planet, Stupid!" with Belinda Waymouth is on the way.  The Mark Thompson Show 10/22/25Patreon subscribers are the backbone of the show! If you’d like to help, here’s our Patreon Link:https://www.patreon.com/themarkthompsonshowMaybe you’re more into PayPal.  https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=PVBS3R7KJXV24And you’ll find everything on our website: https://www.themarkthompsonshow.com

More lies from the Trump White House.  Trump said work to add an opulent 90-thousand square foot ballroom would not interfere with the historic East Wing, but video evidence shows backhoes tearing a chunk of the building apart to make way for the entrance to the ballroom.  Initially, Trump said...     “It won’t interfere with the current building. It won’t be. It’ll be near it but not      touching it — and pays total respect to the existing building, which I’m the      biggest fan of“..."It’s my favorite. It’s my favorite place. I love it."A US appeals court could reconsider the ruling allowing Trump to move forward with Portland National Guard troop deployment.  The panel lifted the hold on the deployment yesterday but now a judge is requesting a vote on whether the case should be reheard.We'll ask the brilliant David Cay Johnston about all if it.  The Pulitzer Prize winning author and investigative journalist joins in the second hour. The Mark Thompson Show 10/21/25Patreon subscribers are the backbone of the show! If you’d like to help, here’s our Patreon Link:https://www.patreon.com/themarkthompsonshowMaybe you’re more into PayPal.  https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=PVBS3R7KJXV24And you’ll find everything on our website: https://www.themarkthompsonshow.com

The Mark Thompson Show 10/20/25Patreon subscribers are the backbone of the show! If you’d like to help, here’s our Patreon Link:https://www.patreon.com/themarkthompsonshowMaybe you’re more into PayPal.  https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=PVBS3R7KJXV24And you’ll find everything on our website: https://www.themarkthompsonshow.com

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Trump and his administration will be using the IRS to go after the left. The report indicates that Trump is “overhauling the Internal Revenue Service’s crime investigation unit to better target left-leaning groups and donors.” It comes on the heels of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent threating to go after dissenting political groups, calling the murder of Charlie Kirk a domestic 9/11. He intends to use the Treasury Department to track political opponents like Treasury followed terrorist financial networks after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Economics expert Dr. Bill Black will join the show to discuss the weaponization of the IRS and the pending case in front of the US Supreme Court regarding Trump’s tariffs. “This Week in Politics” brings political analysts Michael Shure and Mo Kelly to the show to highlight and discuss key stories. We’ll drive past Florida and look out the window to see what our southern friends have been up to. The Culture Blaster, Michael Snyder, will wrap up the show with a look at all the entertainment options you could ever want for the weekend, including sports, art, streaming and movies. Happy Friday!

In a show of what is supposed to be amphibious strength, the military is set to hold an event in California called “From Sea to Shore.“ It includes the possibility of live missiles being fired from Navy ships from toward Southern California. The military had planned to close stretches of Interstate-5 over the weekend between Los Angeles and San Diego, but now says the road will stay open. Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth are expected to attend the celebration of the Marine Corps 250th anniversary. Democrats have a new demand when it comes to reopening the federal government. According to Politico, in addition to extending health insurance subsidies set to expire and an end to Trump’s efforts to cancel congressionally approved spending, Democrats now want to protect federal workers from being fired during the shutdown. They’re looking for a committment from Republicans that workers caught up in Trump’s reductions-in-force will be rehired immediately. Author, journalist and scholar Sarah Kendzior will join us. We will look at Trump’s efforts to send the National Guard into certain American cities and the long term implications. From the Voting Rights Act to Trump‘s Tariffs, the US Supreme Court is poised to make some critical decisions. Former federal prosecutor and now defense attorney David Katz weighs in. SF Fall Show: https://sffallshow.org/

The Mark Thompson Show 10/15/25 Patreon subscribers are the backbone of the show! If you’d like to help, here’s our Patreon Link: https://www.patreon.com/themarkthompsonshow Maybe you’re more into PayPal. https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=PVBS3R7KJXV24 And you’ll find everything on our website: https://www.themarkthompsonshow.com

We know that serious discussions are underway in the White House about possibility of Trump invoking the IInsurrection Act. If it happened this weekend, Pulitzer Prize winning author and journalist David Cay Johnston, who joins us today, says it could run up against the “No Kings” protests. Because of the shutdown, federal court are expected to run out of money by Friday. If courts close, demonstrators who get arrested might be stuck with little recourse. We’ll explore the possibilities. We will check in with Mo Kelly, talk a little politics and welcome him into the Mark Thompson Show fold as a regular contributor.

Trump is in Egypt for a global summit on the future of Gaza’s. It's part of an effort to be present for a U.S.-brokered ceasefire with Hamas. Of the ceasefire, Trump said: “Everybody said it’s not possible to do. And it’s going to happen. And it is happening before your very eyes.” We'll talk about it with iHeart tv and radio political analyst Gary Dietrich.

600 National Guard troops from Texas are in Illinois preparing to be sent out into the streets, but they will have to wait. Yesterday, a judge put a two week block on National Guard Deployment In Illinois, finding no substantial evidence of any “danger of rebellion.” The judge called the deployment unconstitutional saying Trump’s move violated the 10th Amendment, granting certain powers to states, and the 14th Amendment, assuring due process and equal protection. Trump‘s National Guard deployment to Portland, Oregon is also on hold pending a legal case.  With his hands tied by courts, there is a word Trump is seriously considering invoking the Insurrection Act which would allow him to side step legal efforts to stop him from turning the military against American citizens.It is going to be a great Friday show. We welcome journalist Michael Shure to talk politics. We will hear from Sheriff Grady Judd, in Friday Fabulous Florida and the Culture Blaster Michael Snyder has a great list of movies and streaming options to review. Happy Friday!The Mark Thompson Show 10/10/25Patreon subscribers are the backbone of the show! If you’d like to help, here’s our Patreon Link:https://www.patreon.com/themarkthompsonshowMaybe you’re more into PayPal.  https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=PVBS3R7KJXV24And you’ll find everything on our website: https://www.themarkthompsonshow.com 

Patreon subscribers are the backbone of the show! If you’d like to help, here’s our Patreon Link: https://www.patreon.com/themarkthompsonshow Maybe you’re more into PayPal. https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=PVBS3R7KJXV24 And you’ll find everything on our website: https://www.themarkthompsonshow.com

Across America, flight cancelations and delays are affecting travel because of Trump’s government shutdown. Air Traffic Controllers will not get paid if the shutdown continues much longer. The Department of Transportation reports an increase in air traffic controllers calling in sick since the shutdown started, though their union denies any coordinated work actions. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association says this highlights the ongoing issues of being critically staffed with unreliable equipment. Hundreds of Texas National Guard troops arrived in Illinois yesterday. Their presence heightens the showdown between Donald Trump and Illinois governor JB Pritzker, who says he neither needs nor wants National Guard intervention in his state. We welcome presidential historian and political analyst John Rothmann into the show to discuss. Belinda Waymouth is back with “It’s the Planet, Stupid!” and this time she’s brought a guest. Tom Ford with The Bay Foundation will join to talk about a conservation project to strengthen critical kelp forests that have been shrinking with alarming speed off the California coast.

The Mark Thompson Show 10/7/25Patreon subscribers are the backbone of the show! If you’d like to help, here’s our Patreon Link:https://www.patreon.com/themarkthompsonshowMaybe you’re more into PayPal.  https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=PVBS3R7KJXV24And you’ll find everything on our website: https://www.themarkthompsonshow.com

A federal judge is temporarily putting a hold on Trump's plans to deploy any National Guard units, including troops from California and Texas, to Oregon.  U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut, appointed during Trump's first term, granted the temporary restraining order. Her first order on Saturday prevented Oregon National Guard troops from descending on Portland.  She was not having any end runs around her order on Sunday either, telling Trump's team, "How could bringing in federalized National Guard from California not be in direct contravention of the TRO I issued yesterday?” Meanwhile, Trump is sending Texas National Guard troops to Illinois.  Governor JB Pritzker issued a statement reading:“We must now start calling this what it is: Trump’s Invasion. It started with federal agents, it will soon include deploying federalized members of the Illinois National Guard against our wishes, and it will now involve sending in another state’s military troops. ​I call on Governor Abbott to immediately withdraw any support for this decision and refuse to coordinate. There is no reason a President should send military troops into a sovereign state without their knowledge, consent, or cooperation. ​ “The brave men and women who serve in our national guards must not be used as political props. This is a moment where every American must speak up and help stop this madness."We will talk about it with iHeart TV and radio political analyst Gary Dietrich.  Karen Dawn, of Dawn Watch, will stop by to talk about animals.  The Mark Thompson Show 10/6/25Patreon subscribers are the backbone of the show! If you’d like to help, here’s our Patreon Link:https://www.patreon.com/themarkthompsonshowMaybe you’re more into PayPal.  https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=PVBS3R7KJXV24And you’ll find everything on our website: https://www.themarkthompsonshow.com

Trump's right hand shutdown man is Office of Management of Budge Director and Project 2025 orchestrator Russ Vought. He is reportedly delighted by the opportunity to slash and burn more government jobs. It was also Vought's grand plan to use the start of the shutdown to retaliate against Democrats by putting a hold on federal funding for major infrastructure projects in states like New York and Chicago. We will talk about that and more with political journalist Michael Shure. He stops by for 'This Week in Politics.' The Culture Blaster Michael Snyder has watched all the movies and seen all the shows and now he's ready to make his feelings known. Add Friday Fabulous Florida to the mix and it's a perfect start to the weekend.

Sure seems like Qatar just got an offer of US protection in exchange for a $400 million luxury jet. Trump announced the gift of the new Air Force One a few weeks ago and he said there were no strings attached. Now we know he granted the oil-rich country a NATO-like defense guarantee. If Qatar gets attacked, the US will respond. It’s like mafia rules on the world stage. Trump’s order says: “The United States shall regard any armed attack on the territory, sovereignty, or critical infrastructure of the State of Qatar as a threat to the peace and security of the United States.” In other words, Qatar showed respect and paid for protection. It looks like they‘re family now. We’ll discuss it with award-winning author, journalist, and scholar Sarah Kendzior. We will check in on the Supreme Court, from birthright citizenship to who Trump can and cannot fire. Former federal prosecutor and now defense attorney, David Katz joins.

Federal workers are getting hit again. After a mass layoff earlier this year as part of Trump’s DOGE, now Trump is threatening another mass layoff because of a government shut down. It officially started at midnight after Democrats fought for healthcare funding, refusing to support the Republican plan to extend monies for federal departments. Of course, it’s already getting ugly with the Trump administration using the websites for federal agencies to blame Democrats for the closure. We’ll talk about all of it with presidential historian and political analyst John Rothmann Eco-journalist Belinda Waymouth is out and about seeing the world. She sent us an amazing video with waterfalls and Beaver dam’s that we are looking forward to sharing with you.. The Mark Thompson Show 10/1/25

It cost an awful lot of money to drag every single general and admiral to Quantico, Virginia for a glorified pep rally that probably would have been better as an email. Pete Hegseth opened with, “Welcome to the Department of War.” He talked about training and grooming standards and decried “fat generals.” Trump then took the stage and talked about how successful it’s been to have the National Guard in some American cities before going on another strange rambling rant. When Google, which owns YouTube, banned Donald Trump from its platform after the January 6th insurrection of 2021, it did so because Trump was fomenting the very violence he now accuses the left of. YouTube said Trump’s ban was “in light of concerns about the ongoing potential for violence.” Trump sued over the ban and now Google is settling. They will pay more than $24 million to a nonprofit set up to build the White House ballroom. The venue, which is set to be bigger than the footprint of the White House, will be opulent and dripping with gold touches and chandeliers. Meanwhile, Trump has cut Meals on Wheels programs for seniors who have trouble getting food, food stamps for the hungry and Medicaid services for the poor. It brings to mind French royalty’s complete out of touch failure to help those struggling, “Let them eat cake!” Trump had a major cognitive incident while talking to reporters. When asked if he would be attending a massive upcoming military meeting, he didn’t understand the question - despite it being clarified three times. Finally, Vice President JD Vance had to step in to answer. It made Trump look old and incompetent and begs the question …Is Trump even capable of being in charge? Pulitzer Prize winning author and investigative journalist David Cay Johnston will discuss. Mark shares a conversation with Paul Glastris, of the Washington Monthy. In addition to his work as a journalist, Glastris was President Bill Clinton's chief speechwriter from September 1998 to the end of his presidency. It’s Tech Tuesday! Jefferson Graham will swing by to wrap up the show. The Mark Thompson Show 9/30/25 Today's Guests Links Paul Glastris - Washington Monthly https://www.youtube.com/@washingtonmonthly9554 https://washingtonmonthly.com/ Prof. David Cay Johnston at RIT, Pulitzer Prize winning Author & Investigative Journalist https://bsky.app/profile/davidcayjohnston.bsky.social Jefferson Graham https://www.youtube.com/@PhotowalksTVPatreon subscribers are the backbone of the show! If you’d like to help, here’s our Patreon Link: https://www.patreon.com/themarkthompsonshow Maybe you’re more into PayPal. https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=PVBS3R7KJXV24 And you’ll find everything on our website: https://www.themarkthompsonshow.com

Free Speech is in peril. A terrifying presidential memo linking words to violence seems to be an effort to stamp out any kind of dissent. The memo links the recent “political” violence (only listing GOP related incidents) to “a culmination of sophisticated, organized campaigns of targeted intimidation, radicalization, threats, and violence.” The memo says these “organized campaigns” are “designed to silence opposing speech, limit political activity, change or direct policy outcomes, and prevent the functioning of a democratic society,” and defeating them requires the government to adopt “a national strategy to investigate and disrupt networks, entities, and organizations that foment political violence.”Legal experts say the memo could target people for saying things Trump doesn't like...according to the memo anyone who foments “anti-Americanism, anti-capitalism, and anti-Christianity; support for the overthrow of the United States Government; extremism on migration, race, and gender; and hostility towards those who hold traditional American views on family, religion, and morality,” is subject to suspicion.We'll talk about it with legal expert Liz Oyer.  She's a former US Pardon attorney with a unique perspective on Trump's approach to the US Constitution. iHeart TV and Radio Political Analyst Gary Dietrich will stop by to talk about the possibility of a government shutdown and what may lie ahead for California Governor Gavin Newsom. The Mark Thompson Show 9/29/25Patreon subscribers are the backbone of the show! If you’d like to help, here’s our Patreon Link:https://www.patreon.com/themarkthompsonshowMaybe you’re more into PayPal.  https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=PVBS3R7KJXV24And you’ll find everything on our website: https://www.themarkthompsonshow.com