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On today’s show, Allen Ruff speaks with John Nichols about the crucial work of independent media. At a time when publications like the Washington Post are being turned into what Nichols calls “a tribune for oligarchy,” it’s more important than ever to support your trusted local media.

Nichols and Ruff catch up about the first six weeks of the Trump presidency, including this week’s 99 minute-long address in which Trump singled out Social Security. They also hone in on the campaign finance system that allows the rich to buy political influence. Elon Musk spent $270 million on Trump’s presidential campaign and he’s been rewarded with a role in the administration. In his new unelected position, Musk is making big changes to federal agencies and lining his own pockets.

Now, people are waking up from the shock and awe of Trump’s executive orders, observes Nichols. All over the country folks are protesting what’s happening in Washington, leaving Nichols hopeful for the election of a democratic Congress in 2026.

John Nichols is a national affairs correspondent for The Nation. He has written, cowritten, or edited over a dozen books on topics ranging from histories of American socialism and the Democratic Party to analyses of US and global media systems. His latest, cowritten with Senator Bernie Sanders, is the New York Times bestseller, It’s OK to Be Angry About Capitalism.

Featured image of Trump at CPAC in 2025 via Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0).

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