The Siren Network

Trump’s new National Security Strategy calls for a radical shift from longstanding American foreign policy and global leadership as we know it. It returns us to a dangerous world of spheres of influence, grounded in imperialism and unilateralism. In a nutshell, it turns away from the alliances and strategies that have brought us peace and security through diplomacy, and embarks upon a new world of independent action and militarism. It’s a strategy like none we’ve seen since the 19th century.Joel Rubin breaks it all down, right here on The Siren Network.Please Like and Follow to show your support for The Siren network.You can join the community at thesirennetwork.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week, Donald Trump was asked whether he would release the “double-tap” war crimes footage, to which he said he had “no problem” with making the footage available to the public. This prompted many members of Congress to rightly call on Trump to release the footage, so that a proper investigation may be held.But today, Trump sang a completely different tune, telling reporter Rachel Scott “I didn’t say that,” when asked about his statement last week. He then proceeded to call ABC “fake news.”It begs the question: Is Trump trying to cover up the latest seismic scandal of his presidency, an alleged murder tape showing the U.S. military carrying out an illegal strike, or is he simply senile?Joe and Cosima discuss all this and more, right here on The Siren Network.Please Like and Follow to show your support for The Siren network.You can join the community at thesirennetwork.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Earlier today, Karoline Leavitt took to her podium to confirm that Pete Hegseth actually did confirm the second strike on an alleged drug vessel to take out survivors of the initial attack, which would be a war crime.Trump and his cabinet have said these attacks are to protect the country from narco-terrorists and drug smugglers, even as Trump on Saturday said he would pardon former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández, who was convicted of drug trafficking charges in a US court last year.Joe and Cosima break down this story and more, right here on The Siren Network.Please Like and Follow to show your support for The Siren network.You can join the community at thesirennetwork.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Donald Trump received a massive blow to his effort to prosecute his political enemies and bend the justice system to his will, as a judge has officially dismissed the separate criminal charges of former FBI Director James Comey, and New York Attorney General Letitia James.Judge Cameron McGowan Currie said in her rulings that it was unlawful to appoint two interim prosecutors in succession, therefore dismissing the two cases against Comey and James.New York AG Letitia James reacted to the news, saying, “I remain fearless in the face of these baseless charges as I continue fighting for New Yorkers every single day.”Joe and Cosima discuss this and more, right here on The Siren Network.Please Like and Follow to show your support for The Siren network.You can join the community at thesirennetwork.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Coast Guard has been the face of America’s drug war interdictions in the Caribbean for decades and is an honorable institution that reflects the best of national service.But now, all of that has been thrown into chaos by opaque political decision making by the Trump Administration.From the flash news that the Coast Guard was about to downgrade Nazi Swastikas from being described as ‘hate’ symbols to just ‘divisive’ ones - a change that was blocked by the Coast Guard’s leader - to murky decision making about American military strikes against alleged drug boats, the future of the Coast Guard’s operations is as uncertain as ever… and unnecessarily so.Our country needs a safe coast. The politicization of this venerable American institution could not come at a worse time.Have a listen to this episode of Making Sense of the World, where Joel speaks with Retired Coast Guard Rear Admiral Bill Baumgartner about these pressing issues, and how political decision making is undermining the guard’s morale, operations, and our national security.All this and more, right here on The Siren Network.Please Like and Follow to show your support for The Siren network.You can join the community at thesirennetwork.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tonight marks a massive shift in American politics. For the first time in over a decade, Republicans went against the wishes and direct orders of Donald Trump.Today, the House of Representatives passed the bill to release the Epstein files by an overwhelming majority. The final vote count was 427-1, with Republican Clay Higgins being the lone “No” vote.The Senate, in a surprising swift move, then passed the same bill by unanimous consent, meaning that no amendments can be made to the bill, which will now immediately be sent to Trump’s desk for his signature.Joe and Cosima discuss all of this and more, right here on The Siren Network.Please Like and Follow to show your support for The Siren network.You can join the community at thesirennetwork.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Democrats are rightfully riding high from the recent November elections that saw 13 statewide victories in 13 races. That included a major win in New Jersey, where Governor-elect Mikie Sherill won by nearly 15%. And now that Sherrill is about to depart Congress, the race for her replacement is on… and there can’t be a more powerful potential replacement for her than former two-term Congressman Tom Malinowski.A diplomat and senior State Department official in the Obama Administration, Tom is a ready-made new Member of Congress who will strengthen the party’s ranks during the current existential fight for American democracy. And because of his tremendous experience around the world, Tom will be a powerful champion for American global engagement and an advocate for democracy and human rights.Once he wins the upcoming January primary in a reliably blue district and returns to Congress, Tom will immediately contribute to making America safer both at home and abroad by using his perch to challenge President Trump’s economic policies, especially the harmful tariffs; by bringing a voice of moral clarity and responsibility to Capitol Hill; and by reminding Americans that we can best solve our problems by working together.Have a listen to this episode of Making Sense of the World, where you’ll hear from a powerhouse Democrat with global perspective, one who’s already proven that he’s ready to be a new Member of Congress on Day One.All this and more, right here on The Siren Network.Please Like and Follow to show your support for The Siren network.You can join the community at thesirennetwork.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Monday, eight Democrats caved and voted with Republicans on a shutdown deal. In doing so, they took the first steps to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. History.The eight Democrats are: Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Sen. Angus King of Maine, Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, and Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Many Americans feel frustrated by this, with some even calling it a “betrayal.” Last Tuesday, Americans delivered a massive, resounding electoral victory for Democrats and an outright rebuke of Donald Trump’s “policies,” the MAGA agenda, and his failure to negotiate on the shutdown.For these eight Democrats to cave to Trump in this manner, they have shattered the natural momentum and energy that was building in their party. The largest protest in U.S. history, a ginormous electoral victory, and historic levels of unpopularity for Donald Trump wasn’t enough for these senators to use leverage in negotiating a deal that was more than just a promise of a future vote?It demonstrates just how weak and ineffective Chuck Schumer is as a leader. He has allowed his party to insulate Republicans of massive political consequences, as well as letting the Republicans avoid being the responsible governing party that comes to the table to negotiate. For all the suffering that Americans endured during this shutdown, it feels hollow that we did not receive more protections or concessions from Republicans. This could easily all happen again in January.Jo and David discuss all of this and more, right here on The Siren Network.Please Like and Follow to show your support for The Siren network.You can join the community at thesirennetwork.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Making Sense of the World, Joel Rubin sits down with Liz Hume, Executive Director of the Alliance for Peacebuilding, to discuss why 2025 may have been the most traumatic year ever for international development and global peace-building, with dire implications for American national security.Hume explains how the loss of foreign aid expertise is incalculable, why slashed aid budgets are detrimental, and the impact of skyrocketing military spending while peace-building funds disappear.Joel and Liz also discuss the bipartisan Global Fragility Act, which focused on resolving crises at their early stages, before they became overwhelming, the critical importance of community engagement in preventing violence, and why rising global conflict—including nuclear threats—directly impacts Americans. This is a must listen for anyone interested in Making Sense of the World and understanding why investing in peace abroad is essential for our security here at home.All this and more, right here on The Siren Network.Please Like and Follow to show your support for The Siren network.You can join the community at thesirennetwork.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today is the scariest Halloween in recent memory. That’s because tomorrow, on November 1st, nearly 42 million Americans and the 16 million children who are SNAP recipients are set to lose access to their benefits. The program will run out of money, and EBT cards will not be refilled.This, of course, is due to the ongoing Republican shutdown, which is now in it’s 31st day. We are 4 days away from the longest government shutdown in American history, which was also under Donald Trump.Democrats in Congress have filed legislation aimed at keeping food aid flowing through SNAP, but Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said it was a “waste of time.” In addition, Johnson has kept the House out of session for 5 weeks now, in part to avoid a vote on the Epstein files.Johnson also said that on Saturday, “The pain register is about to hit level 10,” adding that “sadly” 42 million Americans will be affected this weekend. “We deeply regret it on our side,” he added.The USDA Food and Nutrition Service lied this week, saying they couldn’t access emergency services after removing a memo from their website that says the opposite. And of course, the Trump White House says that won’t tap into emergency funds to pay for SNAP. In fact, more than two dozen Democratic attorneys general and governors are suing the Trump administration over their illegal suspension of SNAP, alleging that there is an emergency fund that can and should be used in this scenario.Jo is joined by Democratic Representative Jim Himes of Connecticut to discuss all of this and much more, right here on The Siren Network.Please Like and Follow to show your support for The Siren network.You can join the community at thesirennetwork.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Vanessa Branda and Sari Beth Rosenberg confront the rising tide of hate and the urgent need to hold onto hope. From the dismantling of the White House’s historic East Wing to the broader erasure of our shared past, they explore how fear and division are reshaping America and how empathy and collective action can push back.All this and more, right here on The Siren Network.Please Like and Follow to show your support for The Siren network.You can join the community at thesirennetwork.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was yet another week filled with wild and disturbing news from the regime. But seeing the East Wing of the White House, one of the most historically significant buildings in America, fall victim to Trump’s latest egomaniacal desires was particularly hard to watch.It encapsulated everything that Trump and his acolytes are doing to our country. Their outright disregard for our laws, for our history, for the will of the people, and their embrace of self-serving pro-billionaire legislation, all while taking a wrecking ball to democracy, our rights, and our freedoms.Harry Dunn, Joel Rubin, and Sam Schwartz from The Siren also discuss prominent Trump ally Steve Bannon’s extremely disturbing interview in which he said, “[Trump’s] going to get a third term ... so Trump is going to be president in 2028. And people just ought to get accommodated with that,” he said in an interview with The Economist.“At the appropriate time we’ll lay out what the plan is. But there’s a plan. We had longer odds in ‘16 and longer odds in ‘24 than we’ve got in ‘28,” Bannon added.And of course, this is on top of key Trump officials declaring that Trump will use the National Guard to stop the midterm elections (New York Times), a pro-Trump operative buying Dominion Voting Systems and rebranding it “Liberty Vote,” and the GOP’s attempts to gerrymander and overturn the Voting Rights Act.The panel also discusses pardoned January 6th insurrectionist Christopher Moynihan’s felony charge after he made a terroristic threat against Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, as well as the need to support the Democrats running in the upcoming November 2025 elections.Please Like and Follow to show your support for The Siren network.You can join the community at thesirennetwork.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this powerful episode, I had the privilege of sitting down with Harry Dunn, a Capitol Police officer who served during the January 6th insurrection. Harry’s story is one of deep purpose, resilience, and a steadfast commitment to truth. He recounted pivotal moments in his career, including witnessing history during the passing of Obamacare and the harrowing reality of January 6th, which he described as a violent insurrection against our government. His reflections on that day were sobering, especially as he addressed the current attempts to rewrite the narrative and the troubling pardons granted to some participants. Harry’s passion for community, democracy, and collective action reminded me, and I hope all of you listening, that we each have a role to play in shaping a more just and truthful future.Please Like and Follow to show your support for The Siren network.You can join the community at thesirennetwork.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.