CovertAction Bulletin

NYT Shows Its Imperialist Hand

A recent op-ed by the New York Times Editorial Board calls for the U.S. military to reinvent itself and rearm itself in new ways in the face of the Western capitalist order losing its hegemony to rising powers across the world. The very idea of returning to a multipolar arrangement without the United States at the forefront terrifies the ruling class - including those elements who are at odds with the Trump administration on specific policies, tactics or details of how things are implemented. The Times piece reinforces the newspaper’s long role as a mouthpiece for the capitalist class and for imperialism. The op-ed isn’t aimed at the average American, though it contains plenty of fearmongering about supposed threats from its favorite boogeymen China and Russia. It’s really aimed at restoring some sense of unity with those isolationist, so-called “America First” sectors. As the neoliberal order continues its collapse, the language - and urgency - actually help expose the mislogic of imperialism itself. Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/CovertActionMagazine]

Trump Calls For Land War: U.S. Hands Off Venezuela

At the final Cabinet meeting of 2025, Donald Trump said that the strikes on fishing boats in the Caribbean would continue, and that “We're going to start doing those strikes on land, too” - signaling that a ground invasion of Venezuela and possibly other countries may be imminent. On this episode, we review the lies the U.S. government has been putting forward about where drugs are coming from and why the U.S. has wanted to overthrow the Venezuelan government for decades - for access to its rich oil resources, to open up new markets for U.S. goods, and to send a message to other countries charting their own independent and socialist paths that imperialist hegemony can’t be challenged. The time for a united movement against this war, which could also spread to Colombia and beyond, is now. And that movement must be independent of both major parties so it doesn’t repeat the mistakes of some in the 2000s by quieting down or compromising itself to appease the Democrats, and so it doesn’t get sidetracked into “America First” isolationism on the right. We also discuss some of the overt - and covert - ways that mouthpieces of imperialism will try to dissuade people from taking part in such a movement. December 6th will be a national day of action against war in Venezuela. Find a demonstration near you at https://www.answercoalition.org/venezuela, [https://www.answercoalition.org/venezuela,] or add yours to the list. Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/CovertActionMagazine]

Trump Calls for Lawmakers to be Hanged

On November 20th, a group of six Democratic Senators and Representatives released a video addressing American servicemembers, reminding them that they can and must refuse illegal orders that are given to them. The video comes as the Trump administration continues deploying the National Guard to cities around the country - and a day before a judge ruled that the National Guard deployment in Washington, DC was illegal. In the video, Representatives Chris Deluzio, Jason Crow, Maggie Goodlander and Chrissy Houlahan along with Senators Mark Kelly and Elissa Slotkin say in part, “the threats to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home. Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders.” Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth have labeled them the “Seditious Six” and called for them to be hanged. Now, the Pentagon has opened an investigation into Mark Kelly because of the video, creating the possibility that the retired Navy Captain could be recalled and face charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Elissa Slotkin is a former CIA analyst, and the rest have military backgrounds. Kelly is the only one who served long enough to retire, receive a pension and continue to be subject to the UCMJ. The FBI has also announced an investigation into all six. The video and the responses of criminal investigation and even death threats reflect a severe disagreement within the ruling class on how to go forward as basic parts of the social contract are destroyed and trust in social institutions withers. Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/CovertActionMagazine]

Epstein and Empire: What Will the Files Say?

Over 20,000 documents related to the Estate of Jeffrey Epstein have been released by the House Oversight Committee, and an unknown number more may be coming as the House of Representatives voted 427-1 on Tuesday for their release.. Donald Trump has flipflopped on whether he’d sign the bill if it passes the Senate and comes across his desk. First, he called Republicans who supported the release like Marjorie Taylor Greene and bill sponsor Thomas Massie “RINOs” - Republicans in Name Only. Then on Sunday and Monday, he signaled that he’d sign the bill if it came across his desk. Whether the full files are ever released or not, the information we already have tells us a lot about Epstein and his connections.  Worth around $600 million when he died in prison in 2019, the sex offender who made his money as a financial advisor to the elite also influenced and interacted with people at the highest levels of government and business. In his emails and texts, he discussed opportunities and prospects in Ukraine, Israel, Syria, and even in Mongolia, sharing a document calling it China’s Ukraine. His connections and friendships with many in the upper echelons of society point to a real ruling-class conspiracy where the wealthy overlook heinous crimes in favor of maintaining their status. Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/CovertActionMagazine]

Mamdani’s Win and the Movement’s Next Steps

Over two million New Yorkers voted in the mayoral elections, which saw Zohran Mamdani win with more than one million votes himself. It’s the highest voter turnout seen in the race since 1969, when John Lindsay won re-election after switching from the Republican to Liberal Party. In 2025, the popularity of Mamdani’s campaign and the mass voter turnout was a clear result of widespread disillusionment with the entirety of the political and economic system. The Mamdani campaign spoke to what New Yorkers - and workers across the country - need, and that’s what made it immensely popular. Free buses, city-run grocery stores with price controls, and being able to afford your rent aren’t radical demands, especially in the wealthiest city in the country. New York politicians were unwilling and unable to meet basic needs and demands, but continued funding the NYPD’s nearly $11 billion budget. The right wing - including establishment Democrats like his opponent Andrew Cuomo, who was endorsed by the likes of Elon Musk and Donald Trump - and the far right have been whipped into a frenzy. Trump himself claims it’s a choice between “communism and common sense.” The Washington Post claims Mamdani won because “supporters of the free market” just haven’t convinced working people about the benefits of capitalism. Now Mamdani is starting his transition plan, and soon will be a democratic socialist in charge of the municipal government at the heart of Western capitalism. From the influence of Wall Street money to the gentrification of property owners to the brutality of the NYPD itself, he will face a mountain of contradictions that only a mass movement can truly address. Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/CovertActionMagazine]