#1735 Trump's Making Friends of Enemies and Enemies of Neighbors (Foreign and Domestic Wars)

Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy

Air Date 9/7/2025

Trump has been setting a new tone both at home and abroad which is shaking up everything from the war in Ukraine to threats of force against Mexico, Venezuela, and our own American cities with the militarization of domestic policing. And we made all of this before Trump posted an Apocalypse Now meme about using the Department of War against Chicago.

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Full Show Notes

KEY POINTS

KP 1: NATO Lost in Ukraine and the West Is In Denial, W Vijay Prashad Part 1 - BreakThrough News - Air Date 8-20-25

KP 2: What Ukraine Is Fighting For Denys Pilash - The Majority Report W Sam Seder - Air Date 8-24-25

KP 3: Putins Puppet Show Trump Tangled in the Strings Part 1 - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 8-19-25

KP 4: Why Are US Warships Going to Venezuela Part 1 - The Take - Air Date 8-28-25

KP 5: The Dramatic Overhaul Of The Justice Dept. Part 1 - Fresh Air - Air Date 8-20-25

KP 6: Wall Streets Big Admission on Ukraine, Trump's DC Takeover, and How a General Strike Could Happen Part 1 - The Socialist Program W Brian Becker - Air Date 8-28-25

KP 7: Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson Tells Trump to Stay Out; Decries Authoritarianism, War on Poor People Part 1 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-15-25

KP 8: Trumps National Guard Strategy—Plus, the Secret Behind Huck Finn - Start Making Sense - Air Date 8-27-25

(00:56:33) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

On encroaching fascism and the Boston Massacre

DEEPER DIVES

(01:07:01) SECTION A: UKRAINE

A1: Normalizing Militarization Part 1 - Main Justice - Air Date 8-27-25

A2: Putin's Puppet Show Trump Tangled in the Strings Part 2 - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 8-19-25

A3: Russia Expert Katrina Vanden Heuvel on Trump Summits with Putin, Zelensky Part 1 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-18-25

A4: Wall Streets Big Admission on Ukraine, Trump's DC Takeover, and How a General Strike Could Happen Part 2 - The Socialist Program W Brian Becker - Air Date 8-28-25

A5: NATO Lost in Ukraine and the West Is In Denial, W Vijay Prashad Part 2 - BreakThrough News - Air Date 8-20-25

A6: Russia Expert Katrina Vanden Heuvel on Trump Summits with Putin, Zelensky Part 2 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-18-25

(01:47:03) SECTION B: MEXICO & VENEZUELA

B1: Trump Admin Prepares to Attack Mexico - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 8-22-25

B2: Is Trump Fading - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 8-22-25

B3: Mexico Rejects Trumps Call for US Military Intervention to Fight Drug Cartels - Al Jazeera English - Air Date 8-26-25

B4: Why Are US Warships Going to Venezuela Part 2 - The Take - Air Date 8-28-25

(02:11:53) SECTION C: THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT

C1: The Dramatic Overhaul Of The Justice Dept. Part 2 - Fresh Air - Air Date 8-20-25

C2: Capehart and Ponnuru on the FBI's Raid on Trump Critic John Bolton - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 8-22-25

C3: Weekly Roundup God and the Military in DC + Nazi-Loving Economist Takes Over Jobs Data Part 1 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 8-15-25

(02:37:10) SECTION D: DC AND US CITIES

D1: National Guard Troops In Washington Begin Carrying Weapons Part 1 - HasanAbi - Air Date 8-25-25

D2: Normalizing Militarization Part 2 - Main Justice - Air Date 8-27-25

D3: Weekly Roundup God and the Military in DC + Nazi-Loving Economist Takes Over Jobs Data Part 2 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 8-15-25

D4: Bonus Episode Trump Is Dying. Military Occupation Is Happening. What's Next? Part 1 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 8-28-25

D5: Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson Tells Trump to Stay Out; Decries Authoritarianism, War on Poor People Part 2 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-15-25

D6: National Guard Troops In Washington Begin Carrying Weapons Part 2 - HasanAbi - Air Date 8-25-25

D7: Bonus Episode Trump Is Dying. Military Occupation Is Happening. What's Next? Part 2 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 8-28-25

D8: Joy Reid Trump Is Trying to Turn the US Into Apartheid South Africa - The Dean Obeidallah Show - Air Date 8-15-25

SHOW IMAGE CREDITS

Description: A sticker depicting a drawing of a police person in full riot gear, gas mask and visor, holding a baton in their hands with a banner underneath that says “Do you feel safe?”

Credit: “06a.PeoplesPowerAssembly.BaltimoreMD.8March2017” by Elvert Barnes | CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Cropped

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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