This week we welcome Hamoun Dolatshahi to discuss how the Kurdish-Iranian community is responding to rumblings of the Shah’s return and the thwarted revolution in Iran. We dive into Kurdish culture more broadly and Rojava, their transformative practice of borderless governing. We also take some time to ridicule Trump’s “Board of Peace” and tariff threats, along with JD Vance reminding us that sometimes smoking is therapeutic.

Notes:

https://dolatshahi.com/

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/16/trump-gaza-board-rubio-blair?utm_term=696b41899b91f1accbe955924076ac83&utm_campaign=SaturdayEdition&utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&CMP=saturdayedition_email

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/18/world/middleeast/trump-board-of-peace-gaza.html?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/20/us/politics/trump-france-wine-gaza.html?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20260120&instance_id=169564&nl=the-morning®i_id=61617578&segment_id=213944&smid=url-share&user_id=938bf81e2a681e73b55de1f8ba3e8d23

https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/politics/100000010655180/trump-norway-prime-minister-texts-greenland.html?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20260120&instance_id=169564&nl=the-morning®i_id=61617578&segment_id=213944&smid=url-share&user_id=938bf81e2a681e73b55de1f8ba3e8d23

https://www.reuters.com/business/davos/us-treasury-secretary-bessent-brushes-off-hysteria-over-greenland-2026-01-20/

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1421530059693312

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This week, Seena breaks down the Pahlavi dynasty in Iran– how it started, what happened during the Iranian revolution, and how Reza Pahlavi fits into the current situation. Is reverting to a monarchy the pathway to a secular democracy or a slide backwards? We don’t know, but one thing is clear: anything is better than the current regime. We also look into Trump’s embarrassing attempt to take down Jerome Powell, Pakistan’s kangaroo court, and Australia’s crackdown on hate speech. We also raise our blood pressure watching JD Vance’s attempts to gaslight the public over the murder of Renee Good.

Notes/Links:

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/11/us/politics/jerome-powell-fed-inquiry-trump.html?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20260112&instance_id=169149&nl=the-morning®i_id=61617578&segment_id=213526&user_id=938bf81e2a681e73b55de1f8ba3e8d23

https://youtu.be/VWi_oyqRUfI?si=CRBkADzC9btFES3q&t=24

https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/powell20260111a.htm?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20260112&instance_id=169149&nl=the-morning®i_id=61617578&segment_id=213526&user_id=938bf81e2a681e73b55de1f8ba3e8d23

https://x.com/brendanpedersen/status/2010836111384269280?s=46&t=Rt3obzYwRA_nH1pyOmaHPQ&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/commonwealth-secretariat-lodges-dissent

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01-13/neo-nazi-group-national-socialist-network-to-disband/106225638

https://www.cleveland.com/news/2026/01/vp-vance-defends-ice-officer-in-fatal-minneapolis-shooting-announces-new-doj-position.html

https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/01/08/repub/defiant-vance-scolds-reporters-over-descriptions-of-minneapolis-ice-shooting/

https://x.com/Acyn/status/2009073815066947750?s=20

https://x.com/atrupar/status/2009334128433406234?s=20

https://x.com/atrupar/status/2009340240314393028?s=20

https://x.com/Acyn/status/2009339527622742509?s=20

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It’s 2026 and FP Zaddy & T-Ceps are back! We thought we might ease into this new year, but, nope, this week we’re diving into the seizure and kidnapping of the president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro – what’s motivating Trump, why you need to know about REEs, and what may happen next. We also welcome journalist Samira Mohyeddin to talk about WTF is happening in Iran and help us work through why it feels a bit different this time. And of course, we close out with JD Vance corner. Nicki Minaj called JD what?!

Media:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DTGKAwvD9pc/

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTGSKZEkS-a/

https://x.com/moneyacademyke/status/2007663281826083074?s=46

https://youtu.be/p_m-yxNgb-Y?si=PO9XET-6XgkkdUCx&t=287

https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/oklahoma-has-had-a-surge-earthquakes-2009-are-they-due-fracking

https://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/11372/

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/erika-kirk-endorses-jd-vance-president-2028/story?id=128552499

https://www.npr.org/2025/12/22/g-s1-103284/vance-at-turning-point

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/nicki-minaj-praises-jd-vance-assassin-erika-kirk-sits-rcna250476

https://www.gao.gov/blog/critical-materials-are-high-demand.-what-dod-doing-secure-supply-chain-and-stockpile-these-resources

https://elements.visualcapitalist.com/visualizing-how-rare-earths-power-u-s-defense/

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/12/30/us-issues-iran-venezuela-sanctions-over-alleged-drone-trade

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Happy New Year! This week on TFR we talk with progressive political strategist Frank Spring who tries to convince us that we should be somewhat hopeful about Democratic prospects in 2026. Arguing against the recent “Deciding to Win” report, he explains that, at least some, Democrats can walk and chew gum at the same time. Meaning, they don’t have to abandon core Democratic positions, but they do need to figure out (and quickly) how to talk to real people about the issues that matter the most.

Media:

https://www.politico.com/f/?id=0000019a-262b-d83c-a3fa-673f3f660000

https://www.altum-insight.com/

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This week on TFR, we talk with the illustrious lawyer and free speech champion, Dr. Nadine Strossen. We dig deep into the first amendment– what it actually guarantees, why it’s so important, what people tend to misunderstand. And then pivot to the many challenges it faces– online culture, hate speech, self-censorship, AI bots, and an unhinged government. We also somehow get to JD! Who’da thought?!

Media:

https://www.thefire.org/research-learn/war-on-words

https://www.amazon.com/Free-Speech-Everyone-Needs-Know%C2%AE/dp/0197699650

https://www.amazon.com/HATE-Should-Resist-Censorship-Inalienable/dp/0190859121

https://www.amazon.com/Defending-Pornography-Speech-Womens-Rights/dp/0814781497

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This week on TFR we talk through the horrors of the Bondi Beach and Brown University shootings and the murder of the great Rob Reiner. We question who in their right mind would have the stomach (ahem, Mr. President) to try and score political points in the face of such tragedy. We then shift our focus to the year ahead, which is bound to be better, right? Will JD become prez? Will Israel attack Iran? Will the war in Ukraine finally come to an end? We can’t promise to be particularly hopeful but we can promise to make it bearable!

Media:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/12/designating-fentanyl-as-a-weapon-of-mass-destruction/

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/14/world/australia/what-we-know-bondi-shooting.html

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/12/15/us/brown-shooting?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20251216&instance_id=168033&nl=the-morning®i_id=61617578&segment_id=212341&smid=url-share&user_id=938bf81e2a681e73b55de1f8ba3e8d23#heres-the-latest

https://www.thecut.com/article/maga-is-spreading-misinformation-brown-university-shooting.html

https://forward.com/opinion/791164/australia-shooting-online-antisemitism-research/

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5650172-assassination-charlie-kirk-implications/

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This week on TFR, we talk about the fallout from the Venezuelan double tap and try to answer the age old question– what’s worse the crime or the cover-up and decide they’re both pretty f***ing bad. We also talk through Trump’s 12 billion dollar bailout of farmers necessitated by Trump’s 40 billion dollar bailout of Argentina. Go figure. 🫩We mourn the continued collapse of international humanitarian aid efforts, confirm that Roger Stone is a liar, and hear how Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric is impacting Somalis in Travis’s hometown. Spoiler alert, they don’t like it.

Media:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7Y2KmFFXCzA

https://2017-2021.state.gov/bureau-of-international-narcotics-and-law-enforcement-affairs-work-by-country/suriname-summary/

https://x.com/BillKristol/status/1997690729620193360?s=20

https://x.com/RpsAgainstTrump/status/1998167288424612120?s=20

https://x.com/BulwarkOnline/status/1998128621966274637?s=20

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/08/us/politics/trump-farmers-aid-bailout.html?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20251209&instance_id=167686&nl=the-morning®i_id=61617578&segment_id=212001&smid=url-share&user_id=938bf81e2a681e73b55de1f8ba3e8d23

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/12/8/trump-announces-12bn-package-to-aid-farmers-hurt-by-his-tariffs

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/08/world/americas/honduras-hernandez-arrest-warrant.html?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20251209&instance_id=167686&nl=the-morning®i_id=61617578&segment_id=212001&user_id=938bf81e2a681e73b55de1f8ba3e8d23

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/08/world/united-nations-humanitarian-aid-cuts.html?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20251208&instance_id=167641&nl=the-morning®i_id=61617578&segment_id=211953&user_id=938bf81e2a681e73b55de1f8ba3e8d23

https://youtu.be/9EcJWROGo5s?si=UosMvTjqMXlRkrLY&t=763

https://www.statenews.org/government-politics/2025-12-05/rock-bottom-how-do-ohio-officials-view-trump-rhetoric-on-somalis

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This week on TFR, we go back in time to WWII and the Peleus Affair to explain why Hegseth is a war criminal. Once that was cleared up, we rolled our eyes at Netanyahu for his pre-emptive pardon request, threw our hands up at Trump for overtly meddling in the Honduran election and lament the continued school closings in Northern Nigeria. Then we look toward 2028 and the inevitable showdown between Cruz and JD. Who will be declared the least likeable?! We can’t wait to find out…

Media:

https://youtu.be/R0AN_1icmrw?si=1sOTsbghHFK9A260&t=40

https://theiceman.substack.com/p/the-peleus-war-crimes-trial-and-seal

https://x.com/mikenellis/status/1995964443532943761?s=46&t=loeg0xMcKLY6FjW7MavWWg

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/30/world/middleeast/netanyahu-pardon-request-israel.html

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/12/1/what-does-netanyahu-want-to-be-pardoned-for-and-is-it-possible

https://zeteo.com/p/trump-hernandez-pardon-honduras-election-drugs?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/12/2/honduras-election-why-has-trump-threatened-to-cut-off-aid

https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/honduras-election-trump-asfura-hernandez-casto-moncada-libre

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/12/2/juan-orlando-hernandez-freed-after-trumps-full-and-complete-pardon

https://www.crisisgroup.org/africa/nigeria/schools-shut-down-across-northern-nigeria-wake-mass-abductions

https://insiderpaper.com/adolf-hitler-uunona-wins-namibia-local-elections/

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/erika-kirk-turning-points-support-jd-vance-2028/story?utm_social_handle_id=16815644&utm_social_post_id=597958242&id=127847720&cid=social_twitter_abcn

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2028-election/early-2028-fight-white-house-ted-cruz-rcna244987

https://www.cleveland.com/news/2025/11/who-were-ohios-8-presidents-vice-president-jd-vance-could-name-just-2.html

https://www.cleveland.com/news/2025/12/why-cant-we-remember-presidents-jd-vances-gaffe-highlights-the-science-of-forgetting.html

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