On Offense with Kris Goldsmith

Omer Aziz, author of Shadows of the Republic: The Rebirth of Fascism in America and How to Defeat It for Good, joins Kris Goldsmith to discuss why fascism in America cannot be understood purely as an electoral or political phenomenon. Drawing from history, media culture, masculinity, religion, and modern online radicalization, Aziz explains how fascist movements use spectacle, identity, belonging, and entertainment to recruit followers — and why democratic movements consistently underestimate those forces. Kris and Omer discuss the rise of right-wing influencer culture, the collapse of civic institutions and “third spaces,” the radicalization of young men, why Trump may ultimately be remembered as a symptom rather than the endpoint of a broader movement, and why defeating Trump electorally will not be enough to defeat the conditions that produced him. They also examine: the relationship between fascism and spectacle Joe Rogan and the entertainment ecosystem surrounding MAGA why fascism appeals to some marginalized groups propaganda and media normalization anti-fascism as community and purpose the dangers of complacency after electoral victories how democratic movements can begin rebuilding civic culture from the ground up Omer Aziz is a writer, lawyer, and former foreign policy advisor. He is the author of Shadows of the Republic and Brown Boy, and his work has appeared in The Atlantic, Harper’s, The New York Times, and the Boston Globe. Subscribe to On Offense with Kris Goldsmith on Substack: https://onoffense.substack.com/

Most people think accountability is someone else’s job. But what happens when the institutions that are supposed to hold power accountable stop doing it? In this episode of On Offense, Kris Goldsmith sits down with the founder of The Existentialist Republic, Chris Armitage to examine growing concerns around Chief Justice John Roberts, the Supreme Court, and the broader accountability crisis at the highest levels of power. This conversation focuses on: Conflicts of interest and ethics concerns surrounding John Roberts What it means when the Supreme Court won’t police itself How power operates when there are no real consequences What everyday Americans can actually do to push back If the people at the top aren’t going to hold themselves accountable, the pressure has to come from somewhere else. It has to come from you. TAKE ACTION: Read Chris Armitage’s work and follow his guidance on holding Chief Justice John Roberts accountable: 👉 TheExistentialistRepublic.com Look for his piece on Roberts’ financial conflicts and guidance on contacting the DC Bar Office of Disciplinary Counsel. FOLLOW & SUPPORT: Subscribe to On Offense on Substack: 👉 https://onoffense.substack.com/ Watch and subscribe on YouTube: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@ValorMediaNetwork CREDITS: Producer: Gina Kim Edited by: The Lombardos for VALOR Media Network If you value this work, make sure you’re subscribed and have downloads enabled.

In this special episode of On Offense, Kris Goldsmith takes you inside the anti-ICE concert and fundraiser that brought Minneapolis together after the killings of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti. Featuring live performances by the Dropkick Murphys, this episode captures the sound, energy, and urgency of a community refusing to back down in the face of fear, violence, and political intimidation. You’ll hear exclusive interviews with Dropkick Murphys frontman Ken Casey and Gina Christ, owner of the Black Forest Inn, whose restaurant sits across the street from where Alex Pretti was killed and became a gathering place for grief, solidarity, and resistance. Together, they talk about how this concert came together in just a few weeks, what it meant to bear witness in Minneapolis, and what the rest of the country needs to understand about what’s happening there now. If you want to see the full concert and livestream, or donate to support the community directly, visit AbolishICE.live. In this episode: Live performances from the Dropkick Murphys An exclusive interview with Ken Casey An exclusive interview with Gina Christ of the Black Forest Inn On-the-ground audio from Minneapolis The story behind the AbolishICE.live concert and fundraiser If you value this kind of reporting, make sure you’re subscribed to On Offense with Kris Goldsmith wherever you get your podcasts.

In this deeply emotional episode of On Offense, Kris Goldsmith brings listeners to Minneapolis for two conversations recorded in the wake of the killing of Alex Pretti and the federal immigration crackdown that has shaken the city. First, Kris sits down with Matt Gordon, better known online as @USMCAngryVeteran, to talk about why he has been traveling the country since Donald Trump’s return to office, what he has seen on the ground, and why veterans have a responsibility to speak out when Americans are being terrorized by their own government. Then the episode takes an unexpected turn. After the interview, Kris realizes that the veteran Matt had been talking about throughout their conversation was sitting right there in the room. That veteran is Riveter — a Minnesotan, a street medic, and a former patient of Alex Pretti, the VA nurse whose death has become a symbol of what Minneapolis has endured. Together, Matt and Riveter speak with Kris about grief, joy, service, community, and what it means to fight for democracy here at home. If this episode moves you, please watch the full concert and fundraiser at AbolishICE.live and donate to support the local community. Veterans Fighting Fascism is collecting the donations, but not keeping a penny. Every dollar is going directly to people in Minneapolis who need help right now. This is the first of several Minneapolis interviews coming to On Offense in the weeks ahead, including conversations with Dropkick Murphys frontman Ken Casey, Black Forest Inn owner Gina Christ, and former Army Ranger Ian Austin. Subscribe to On Offense on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and Substack, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.

Hate doesn’t stay on the margins. It shows up in city council meetings, school board races, local sheriff elections, and “community” groups that want to look normal while they build power. In this episode, I’m joined by Phil Williams, chief investigative reporter at NewsChannel 5 Nashville and the writer behind Hate Comes to Main Street. Phil has documented how extremist networks embed themselves locally—how they recruit, intimidate, and normalize their presence in civic life—and what it takes to push back before they take over. We talk about: How hate groups move from online propaganda to real-world influence Why local politics is where extremist movements test strategies first How intimidation campaigns target journalists—and why sunlight still works What you can do in your own town to go on offense Read and subscribe to Phil’s work: https://www.hatecomestomainstreet.com/ If you’re serious about acting locally: Start or join an Antifascist Book Club: https://veteransfightingfascism.org Access antifascist field manuals and organizing tools: https://taskforcebutler.org Support this work: On Offense is my full-time focus. If this episode helped you understand how hate embeds locally—and how to push back—consider becoming a paid subscriber at https://weareonoffense.com. No one’s coming to save your town. But you can defend it. Let’s go on offense.

In this episode of On Offense, Kristofer Goldsmith talks with investigative journalist Christopher Mathias, author of the new book To Catch a Fascist. Mathias spent more than a decade at HuffPost documenting the American far right—from white supremacist rallies and fascist street gangs to the federal agents who enable them. In this conversation, Kris and Chris talk about infiltration, antifascist organizing, the state’s complicity in far-right violence, and how antifascists are building decentralized networks to stop it. This episode includes a personal reflection from Kris on his own radicalization, his infiltrations of Patriot Front, and how To Catch a Fascist captures what motivates antifascists to go on offense—whether they’re organizing in the streets, gathering evidence, or unmasking fascists embedded in state power. Buy the book: To Catch a Fascist by Christopher Mathias Read Chris’s Guardian investigation: Antifa used to unmask neo-Nazis, now it’s exposing ICE: ‘Predators don’t get anonymity’ Follow Chris on Bluesky: letsgomathias.bsky.social Take action: Start an Antifascist Book Club Explore antifascist field manuals and tools Support the show: https://onoffense.substack.com

How far would you go to fight authoritarianism? In this episode of On Offense, Kris Goldsmith speaks with Rachel Cohen—a Harvard Law grad who quit her Big Law job at Skadden and put her body on the line to confront ICE operations in Chicago and Minneapolis. Rachel didn’t wait for mass arrests or national headlines—she got arrested before the raids began. She took action before things escalated. This episode is about what it means to face your fears, test your red lines, and move from resistance to intervention. Kris opens with a deeply personal reflection on how—even in spaces where he was empowered to speak out—he still made compromises. He obeyed in advance. And he challenges listeners to ask: are you doing the same? Guest links: 👉 Rachel Cohen on Substack 👉 Instagram: @Cohen.489 👉 TikTok: @Cohen.489 Get organized: 📚 Download the Antifascist Book Club Guides 💻 Learn more at Task Force Butler Subscribe to On Offense on Substack, Apple, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. Produced for the VALOR Media Network. Join the movement at weareonoffense.com

In the 1930s, U.S. Marine General Smedley Butler stopped a fascist coup backed by Wall Street. Today, under Trump’s second term, the same forces are rising again—from threats of war in Venezuela to coordinated attacks on democracy at home. Historian and journalist Jonathan M. Katz joins On Offense to break down Butler’s legacy, America’s long history of imperialism, and what it means to organize against fascism in 2025. We cover: The Business Plot and America’s first coup attempt Butler’s evolution from warfighter to whistleblower How elites manipulate veterans to serve authoritarian goals Trump’s foreign policy and echoes of gunboat diplomacy How to go on offense against the far right 📘 Read Gangsters of Capitalism → jonathanmkatz.com/gangsters 📰 Subscribe to Jonathan’s newsletter → theracket.news/links 🎧 Follow On Offense and visit weareonoffense.com for more. #WeAreOnOffense #JonathanKatz #SmedleyButler #GangstersOfCapitalism #Trump #Coup #Antifascism #Venezuela

On January 6, 2021, Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn stood his ground against the violent mob that tried to overturn the election. In this episode of On Offense, Kris Goldsmith—combat veteran and antifascist investigator—sits down with Harry to talk about what it took to defend democracy that day—and why the fight isn’t over. They get into: What it felt like to face off with insurrectionists in real time Why Harry is still organizing, speaking out, and staying in the fight What service looks like after January 6 How everyday people can join the fight in 2025 🎧 Follow On Offense on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. 🌐 Learn more and take action: weareonoffense.com More on Harry Dunn: 📘 Standing My Ground — Buy the book ✍️ Standing Our Ground — Subscribe to Harry’s Substack 🥃 Pours and Perspectives — Listen on the Siren Network 🧹 Cleanup on Aisle 45 — Watch with Allison Gill and Harry Dunn

Historian and veteran Tad Stoermer joins host Kris Goldsmith for the debut episode of On Offense. Together, they dig into the dangerous power of patriotic myth-making—like that in Ken Burns’ ‘feel-good history’—and how it’s left Americans unprepared to face modern authoritarianism. They cover: What the Founders really understood about tyranny Why “defending democracy” isn’t enough The danger of comforting lies in history and politics How to start fighting back—right now Visit onoffense.substack.com for the full write-up and more episodes.