The comedian taking on AI datacenters

Robert Reich on how Trump's slush fund loss is an opportunity for Democrats

This week the bipartisan furor over Donald Trump’s $1.8bn slush fund escalated to the point that the administration balked, saying they are no longer moving forward with it. But Robert Reich [https://www.theguardian.com/profile/robert-reich], a Guardian columnist and former US secretary of labor, says the fund, and specifically, the additional detail of the settlement giving Trump and his family immunity from future IRS audits, are the essence of corruption – and if Democrats can successfully connect that corruption to the affordability crisis, they might just have a winning message on their hands. * Robert Reich: 'The language of the American presidency doesn’t apply to Trump' [https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/may/25/american-presidency-trump] * Read Reich’s newsletter on how Democrats could tie the affordability crisis to Trump administration corruption [https://robertreich.substack.com/p/trumps-corruptonomics] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

The comedian taking on AI datacenters

Last summer, Wisconsin comedian Charlie Berens started getting messages from people in his state about plans for a major datacenter in their community. When Berens dug in, he was shocked to discover the impact the datacenter would have on local residents. So he responded with comedy. The video he posted online about the datacenter went viral, and Berens has been on the frontlines of the fight against datacenters ever since. Carter Sherman speaks to Berens about how he is using his comedy as a tool for activism ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

What if Trump invades Cuba?

When the US indicted Raúl Castro recently, it was another step in the escalating pressure campaign the Trump administration is conducting against Cuba’s communist government. As Cuba’s president warns of a “bloodbath” if the US engages in military action, how are Cubans coping and what outcome are they hoping for? Host Kai Wright speaks with Mónica Baró Sánchez, a Cuban reporter in exile in Miami, and the Guardian’s Cuba correspondent Ruaridh Nicoll [https://www.theguardian.com/profile/ruaridhnicoll] in Havana, about what they’re hearing from Cuban citizens stuck between two governments. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Are Democrats losing in California?

Across California, ballots sit unopened as voters struggle to decide who to back as their chosen candidate for governor. US senior political correspondent Lauren Gambino tells Kai Wright that the race has been a head-scratcher for Democrats. Despite a huge field of candidates, the race has been mired in scandal and few have managed to cut through. What does this say about the future of the Democratic party, and does this leave an opening for Republicans in the Golden state? ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

What is Hasan Piker’s dude bro project really about?

Soon after Twitch streamer Hasan Piker [https://www.instagram.com/hasandpiker/?hl=en] started campaigning with Democratic candidates this spring, an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal was published with the headline “Democrats are too cozy with Hasan Piker". That triggered a fever pitch of more op-eds and interviews asking Piker to respond to past statements he’s made on Israel's war in Gaza, 9/11, and more. But the controversy surrounding him hasn’t slowed his momentum or influence – if anything, it’s amplified both. Host Kai Wright [https://www.theguardian.com/profile/kai-wright] talks to Piker and asks, what exactly is this very online, very popular figure trying to achieve in the real world? * Check out the Guardian's December 2025 profile of Hasan Piker here [https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/11/i-love-when-my-enemies-hate-me-how-hasan-piker-became-one-of-the-biggest-voices-on-the-us-left] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.