Trump Targets Comey — and the Shutdown Showdown | Malcolm Nance
On this episode of The Oath and The Office, Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang examine two urgent threats to American democracy before welcoming New York Times bestselling author Malcolm Nance.The Comey indictment — moving forward without evidence, it shows Trump’s effort to weaponize the law and shut down democracy.The shutdown — more than a budget standoff. Trump and Pete Hegseth’s rhetoric, plus threats of military crackdowns, reveal a “hard coup” strategy.Malcolm Nance — MSNBC analyst, counterterrorism expert, and Ukraine war veteran, on Russian disinformation, QAnon, and the global fight against authoritarianism.Subscribe for weekly conversations on how to defend the Constitution.#Trump #Comey #MalcolmNance #Democracy
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Trump and Bondi are Coming for Free Speech
Trump’s politics of division—friends vs. enemies—has now turned on the First Amendment itself. Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang expose how Pam Bondi distorts the law on “hate speech,” why Jimmy Kimmel's forced silence under political pressure is a textbook abuse of power, and how Stephen Miller’s authoritarian funeral speech reveals the danger of Trump’s movement. Satire, dissent, and free expression are on the line.
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Trump Turns Kirk’s Killing Into a Weapon
Corey Brettschneider and his cohost John Fugelsang examine how Donald Trump is exploiting the tragedy of Charlie Kirk’s killing—turning grief into a retribution narrative—and the danger that poses to American democracy. Corey places this moment in historical perspective, tracing how Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, and Lyndon B. Johnson responded to political violence and constitutional crisis, and what their choices teach us today. From there, the hosts turn to the present: the real-world consequences of incendiary rhetoric for civil liberties, the erosion of democratic guardrails, and the widening split between two information universes. Corey also connects these threads to Nixon’s abuses of executive power and what recent court battles reveal about the pressure on judicial independence. They close the episode by taking audience questions, bringing the discussion directly into today’s constitutional debates.
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Trump’s ICE Raids Get SCOTUS Greenlight: Democracy on the Line
The Supreme Court just gave Trump a dangerous win—greenlighting ICE racial profiling raids. Justice Kavanaugh claims it’s about “geography,” but Justice Sotomayor warns the Constitution is being shredded. At the same time, Chief Justice Roberts clears the path for Trump to purge Biden appointees and dismantle independent agencies. And Trump is openly threatening to send troops into Chicago—an authoritarian power grab Judge Breyer’s ruling may block.PLUS: Corey Brettschneider sits down with John Fugelsang to discuss his new book "Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person's Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists, and Flock-Fleecing Frauds" — why the founders rejected religious imposition, how Christian values can defend feminism, and why the Bible doesn’t justify anti-gay politics.A jam-packed episode on Trump, the Court, and the fight for democracy and freedom.https://www.amazon.com/Separation-Church-Hate-Fundamentalists-Flock-Fleecing/dp/1668066890
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Judge Rules Trump’s Military Move Illegal
Judge Breyer rules Trump’s military deployment is unconstitutional under the Posse Comitatus Act. We unpack the history, the structural reasoning, and what it means for presidential power. Plus: tariffs struck down, asylum fights, CDC chaos, Giuliani’s medal from Trump, and a tease of John’s new book:Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person's Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists, and Flock-Fleecing Fraudshttps://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Separation-of-Church-and-Hate/John-Fugelsang/9781668066898
Mixing sharp wit and serious political fire, The Oath and The Office is where hard-hitting constitutional analysis meets razor-sharp comedy. Distinguished political science professor Corey Brettschneider teams up with comedian John Fugelsang to break down the most powerful 35 words in American democracy—the presidential oath of office. Every president swears to “preserve, protect, and defend” the Constitution, but what happens when one openly attacks democracy and the rule of law itself? Each week, Corey and John pull no punches, exposing the latest threats to the rule of law and demanding accountability. Smart, fearless, and wickedly funny—this is the civics lesson you can’t afford to miss.
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