
About this episode
The episode discusses the history of U.S. empire building and its implications in light of recent military actions by the Trump administration.
The Trump administration's recent military actions have had certain observers asking... are we going full empire? But Daniel Immerwahr, a historian and the author of How to Hide an Empire, argues that the U.S. has engaged in empire building for hundreds of years — we've just been sneakier about it than other countries. So on today's show, we're breaking down what that history of colonization has looked like, and how President Trump's international escapades are scrambling the global order. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy
People in this episode
Guest: Daniel Immerwahr
Topics covered
- empire
- military actions
- colonization
- global order
- history
Keywords
- empire building
- Trump administration
- How to Hide an Empire
- colonization history
- global order
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: How to Hide an Empire
Places: U.S.
More episodes of Code Switch
- Why being Black and outdoorsy is a whole thing · June 12, 2026 · 27 min
- Trump's 'weaponization' fund steals reparations blueprint · June 9, 2026 · 32 min
- Pete Hegseth's American crusade · June 5, 2026 · 23 min
- DACA recipients are trapped in Trump's limbo · June 2, 2026 · 34 min
- The trans athlete debate is about a lot more than sports · May 30, 2026 · 32 min
- It's giving incel: The evolution of internet slang · May 27, 2026 · 24 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Code Switch podcast page.