This week, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Nick Gillespie are joined by Reason senior editor Robby Soave to discuss President Donald Trump’s unexpectedly warm White House meeting with New York mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and why he now describes the socialist’s agenda as “practical.” They examine what this moment suggests about Trump’s shifting political instincts, how it fits with his recent comments on tariffs and the state of the economy, and what the disbanding of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) signals about his governing approach.
The group then looks at Trump’s attempt to influence the pending Warner Bros. merger and the broader media landscape, including worries about misinformation and new reporting that major MAGA influencer accounts on X are operating from overseas. The panel also considers the implications of six Democrats telling service members they do not have to obey illegal orders and the ensuing backlash. A listener asks how to reconcile consumer benefits from intense market competition with the need to preserve incentives for long-term innovation and investment.
0:00—DOGE disbands
4:02—Trump meets Mamdani in the oval office
14:50—White House seeks influence over Warner Bros. merger
27:58—Red Scare, Oliva Nuzzi, and cancel culture
38:46—Listener question on preserving incentives in a market economy
51:29—Democrats encourage military not to follow illegal orders
57:49—Weekly cultural recommendations
“Republican Socialism,” by Eric Boehm
“To the Socialists of All Parties,” by Katherine Mangu-Ward
“A Dirge for DOGE,” by Christian Britschgi
“How I Found Out: Part 1,” by Ryan Lizza
“FDR’s War Against the Press,” by David T. Beito
“Mamdani Understands Something About Trump That European Leaders Don’t,” by Matthew Petti
Reason Versus debate: Big Tech Does More Good Than Harm, December 10
- Producer: Paul Alexander
- Video Editor: Ian Keyser
