
Us & Them: 2025 — Changing Definitions, Upending Institutions
From Us & Them by Trey Kay and WVPB
December 11, 2025 · 20 min · Episode 253
About this episode
The episode reflects on the significant political and cultural changes in the U.S. as 2025 approaches, focusing on actions taken by President Trump and their implications.
As we count down to the end of 2025, Us & Them host Trey Kay looks back at the year’s whirlwind of actions and reactions. Each week presented fresh moves in the agenda President Donald Trump outlined during his campaign. First it was a reshaping of the federal government from Elon Musk’s efficiency department, which slashed budgets and agencies and workers. At the same time, additional resources for the Department of Homeland Security means a significant increase in the number of immigration arrests and detentions by federal agents. The use of National Guard troops in U.S. cities tests the limits of the president’s authority while those in the Mountain State mourn the death of a soldier shot in the nation’s capitol. We look at how one-time culture war talking points are reengineering America's defining institutions.
People in this episode
Host: Trey Kay
Topics covered
- politics
- immigration
- government
- culture
Keywords
- Trump
- Department of Homeland Security
- National Guard
- culture war
Mentioned in this episode
Places: U.S., the Mountain State, America
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