Just Ask The Question Newsletter - 8.15.25
A sordid affair: Trump, Epstein, and Putin
Welcome back to the Just Ask the Question newsletter where we share insights on the White House and politics through podcast interviews, original articles and commentary.
And because everyone deserves a break now and then from all that is D.C., we will also share the lighter side of the news with exclusive interviews from leading pop culture figures.
Also, if you’d like to be a part of our podcast, send us any QUESTION you want answered on any News topic of the day, we WILL answer on the show, recognize you by name, and thank you for your contribution.
Trump’s “American Hell” is everywhere
His declining reality show mentality is destroying the fabric of our nation — and the press is complicit
There is shocking entertainment news out of Hollywood today.
The reality show powerhouse American Hell is now the highest-rated network across every platform. In a press conference from the White House Brady Briefing Room, producers attributed the network’s rising popularity to its virtues of fear, anger, greed, consumption, corruption and dysentery, which are favorably preached at “thousands of the right kind of churches across the country.”
While widely divisive, American Hell is popular because the ratings prove that its three reality shows have something for everybody. Laugh or cry, the programs are both highly addictive and self-destructive. The ratings winner, of course, is “King POTUS (White) Power Hour,” a moving feast of strange oddities featuring an aging actor as the president whose catchphrase is “You’re Fired” and whose cold open is “Rest in Peace,” the Undertaker’s theme song from World Wrestling Entertainment.
Miles Taylor - America's allies are losing confidence in U.S.
In this conversation, Brian Karem and Miles Taylor discuss the current state of American politics, focusing on the Trump administration's impact on governance, immigration policy, and the implications of tribalism. They explore the challenges of maintaining free speech in a climate of self-censorship and the potential consequences of political pressure on investigations. The discussion also touches on the future of American foreign policy and the cultural shifts in society.
Thanks to Trump, you’ll find America in our rearview mirror
Republicans in Congress have capitulated to a circus boss who is no longer running the show
Do not miss the point: The battle is for our children’s future, not our present.
Our present America is battered beyond recognition. The pillars of our democracy stand as the ruins of Rome, at times just a whisper of what we were. We were never perfect — not even close, but at one point, our messed-up system was better than all the other messed-up systems because most of us believed, ultimately, in the ideal that we are all born equal, with the rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. To the Christians among us, try Galatians 5:14 on for size.
Many of us have jettisoned the ideals of loving our neighbor as ourselves, so today’s politics sound more like pre-pubescents on the playground fighting over who is our favorite superhero, rather than adults discussing mutually beneficial political policy. The far-right mediascape is populated by thin-lipped, thin-skinned, thinly-veiled fascists who aspire to be Joseph Goebbels. Sorry: That’s the Stephen Miller seat and only one chief instigator at a time, please. The far-left is so far-left they sound like the far-right. The vast majority of us would rather go see a movie. “The Fantastic Four” was pretty good.
Just Ask the Press - A Hard Week's Month!
In this episode of 'Just Ask the Press', host Brian Karem, along with experts Mark Zaid and John T. Bennett, delve into the significant events of the week, including Donald Trump's rare press briefing, national security issues, gerrymandering strategies, and the ongoing tensions in the Middle East. The conversation highlights the implications of Trump's actions on law enforcement in DC, the political landscape leading up to the midterm elections, and the complexities of foreign policy in relation to Israel and Palestine.
‘25 percent chance’: Trump team ratchets up, down goals for Putin summit
Analyst: Former KGB officer often can ‘shape his interlocutors’ perceptions in person’
ANALYSIS — President Donald Trump and some top aides have spent the week downplaying expectations for his Friday summit in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin, even as he on Wednesday called the session a “very important meeting” that must produce “great things.”
The administration’s often-shifting objectives for the meeting were summed up by Trump on Wednesday, when he said a final agreement would not come Friday but then also warned Russia of “very severe consequences” if he returns to Washington without a deal.
During a Thursday morning interview on “The Brian Kilmeade Show” on Fox News Radio, Trump predicted Putin would “make a deal.” But moments later, he said of the summit: “I don’t know if we’re going to get an immediate ceasefire,” before forecasting there is a “25 percent chance” the meeting could be a strategic failure.
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