Stay Tuned with Preet

What does it mean that we're living in the era of "peak presidential power"—and did Minneapolis finally reveal its limits? This week, presidential historian, Rice University professor, and CNN contributor Douglas Brinkley joins Preet Bharara to discuss the long arc of executive authority from Washington to Trump, why Minneapolis may have been Trump's "Rubicon," and why Trump is, in Brinkley's words, "the only truly unthoughtful president we've had."

Plus, Brinkley—who sits on the board of the Bruce Springsteen Archives—talks Springsteen's new protest song 'Streets of Minneapolis,' and what it means to see the Boss in resistance mode.

Then, Preet speaks about the news that DOJ has failed to indict six Democratic members of Congress over a video reminding military service members to refuse illegal orders, and he answers your questions about why assistant U.S. attorneys are quitting in droves, and whether the president has the right to sue other people.

In the bonus for Insiders, Doug and Preet discuss the "pendulum swing" in American politics—how Trump pieced together his unlikely coalition, and why the next Democrat president will have to pass what Brinkley calls an "authenticity test." Join the CAFE Insider community to stay informed without hysteria, fear-mongering, or rage-baiting. Head to cafe.com/insider to sign up. Thank you for supporting our work.

Show notes and a transcript of the episode are available on our website. 

You can now watch this episode! Head to CAFE’s Youtube channel and subscribe.

Shop Stay Tuned merch and featured books by our guests in our Amazon storefront.

Have a question for Preet? Ask @PreetBharara on BlueSky, or Twitter with the hashtag #AskPreet. Email us at [email protected], or call 833-997-7338 to leave a voicemail.

Stay Tuned with Preet is brought to you by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.
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How might justice, public safety, and the rule of law suffer as the Justice Department struggles to retain and recruit prosecutors? In an excerpt from this week’s Insider episode, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance discuss the mounting strain on DOJ.

In the full episode, Preet and Joyce discuss:

– Ghislaine Maxwell’s request that President Trump grant her clemency in exchange for testimony that could clear him and Bill Clinton from any wrongdoing related to Jeffrey Epstein’s trafficking network;

– Recent judicial opinions on ICE actions in Minnesota and Oregon; and

– The Supreme Court’s ruling allowing California’s new congressional map to stand.

CAFE Insiders click HERE to listen to the full analysis. 

Not an Insider? Now more than ever, it’s critical to stay tuned. To join a community of reasoned voices in unreasonable times, become an Insider today. You’ll get access to full episodes of the podcast and other exclusive content. Head to cafe.com/insider or staytuned.substack.com/subscribe. 

Subscribe to our YouTube channel.

This podcast is brought to you by CAFE and Vox Media Podcast Network. 

Executive Producer: Tamara Sepper; Supervising Producer: Jake Kaplan; Associate Producer: Claudia Hernández; Senior Audio Producer: Matthew Billy; CAFE Team: Celine Rohr, Nat Weiner, Jennifer Indig, and Liana Greenway.
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What do the ICE operations in Minneapolis reveal about a broader shift in the exercise of state power? This week, Pulitzer Prize–winning historian, The Atlantic staff writer, and Autocracy in America podcast host Anne Applebaum joins Preet Bharara to discuss why Minneapolis has galvanized people in a way few events have in the Trump era, and why our closest allies now say the word for this moment is “rupture.”

Plus, Applebaum explains why she believes the better comparison for the second Trump administration isn’t conservatism—it’s Bolshevism.

Then, Preet answers your questions about the FBI’s seizure of election ballots in Fulton County, Georgia, and the risks of refusing to pay taxes as a political protest.

In the bonus for Insiders, Anne and Preet take a trip around the globe—from the war in Ukraine to Trump’s Greenland fixation to the uncertain future of Venezuela after Maduro. Join the CAFE Insider community to stay informed without hysteria, fear-mongering, or rage-baiting. Head to cafe.com/insider to sign up. Thank you for supporting our work.

Show notes and a transcript of the episode are available on our website. 

You can now watch this episode! Head to CAFE’s Youtube channel and subscribe.

Shop Stay Tuned merch and featured books by our guests in our Amazon storefront.

Have a question for Preet? Ask @PreetBharara on BlueSky, or Twitter with the hashtag #AskPreet. Email us at [email protected], or call 833-997-7338 to leave a voicemail.

Stay Tuned with Preet is brought to you by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why did the Justice Department reverse course and step in to investigate the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by ICE agents in Minnesota? In an excerpt from this week’s Insider episode, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance discuss the latest from Minnesota, including the Pretti investigation and the criminal charges against journalist Don Lemon.

In the full episode, Preet and Joyce break down the FBI’s search of an election office in Fulton County, Georgia, and the latest Epstein files release, which included over three million pages of information and revealed sensitive victim information.

CAFE Insiders click HERE to listen to the full analysis. 

Not an Insider? Now more than ever, it’s critical to stay tuned. To join a community of reasoned voices in unreasonable times, become an Insider today. You’ll get access to full episodes of the podcast and other exclusive content. Head to cafe.com/insider or staytuned.substack.com/subscribe. 

Subscribe to our YouTube channel.

This podcast is brought to you by CAFE and Vox Media Podcast Network. 

Executive Producer: Tamara Sepper; Supervising Producer: Jake Kaplan; Associate Producer: Claudia Hernández; Senior Audio Producer: Matthew Billy; CAFE Team: Celine Rohr, Nat Weiner, Jennifer Indig, and Liana Greenway.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Financial Times U.S. national editor and columnist Ed Luce joins Preet Bharara to discuss the aftermath of the deadly shooting of Alex Pretti by border patrol agents and why this might be an inflection point for Trump. Preet and Ed also make sense of the cowardice on the part of leaders and institutions in standing up to Trump and what it will take for them to speak out publicly against the president.

Then, Preet answers your questions about a leaked ICE memo claiming agents can enter a target’s home without a warrant and whether a Canadian could become president if Canada became the 51st state.

In the bonus for Insiders, Ed and Preet discuss why we might be living in, what Ed calls, the mother of all teachable moments. Join the CAFE Insider community to stay informed without hysteria, fear-mongering, or rage-baiting. Head to cafe.com/insider to sign up. Thank you for supporting our work.

Show notes and a transcript of the episode are available on our website. 

You can now watch this episode! Head to CAFE’s Youtube channel and subscribe.

Shop Stay Tuned merch and featured books by our guests in our Amazon storefront.

Have a question for Preet? Ask @PreetBharara on BlueSky, or Twitter with the hashtag #AskPreet. Email us at [email protected], or call 833-997-7338 to leave a voicemail.

Stay Tuned with Preet is brought to you by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices