Air Date: 5–30-2026

Today we examine how Trump turned a sham lawsuit into a $1.8 billion reward fund for his political allies who attacked the Capitol on January 6th while implementing a counterterrorism strategy that erases right-wing extremism from the threat landscape, refocuses on left-wing violence that hardly exists and threatens to "find and kill" those they deem enemies.

Direct Download

Transcript

Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email [email protected]

BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!)

Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience!

Join our Discord community!

TOP TAKES

KP 1: Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche Defends New $1.8B Anti-Weaponization Fund - Trump's Terms - Air Date 5-20-26

KP 2: Congress Strikes Back as Trump Rushes $1.8 Billion Scam - Legal AF by MeidasTouch - Air Date 5-18-26

KP 3: Dictatorship in Action David Cay Johnston on $1.8B Slush Fund Part 1 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-20-26

KP 4: Some Republicans in Congress Are Standing up to Trump - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 5-22-26

KP 5: Why Jan. 6 Officers Are Suing to Stop Trump's $1.8 Billion Allies Fund - Here & Now Anytime - Air Date 5-21-26

KP 6: We Will Find You and We Will Kill You Part 1 - The Intercept Briefing - Air Date 5-15-26

KP 7: Daily Take Republicans Found $1.8 Billion Overnight for Trumps Thugs — So Why Are Seniors Choosing Between Food and Medicine - The Hartmann Report - Air Date 5-22-26

KP 8: Dictatorship in Action David Cay Johnston on $1.8B Slush Fund Part 2 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-20-26

(00:53:15) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Trump's $1.8B Slush Fund & the Corruption We Saw Coming

My commentaries on YouTube - Share them!

DEEPER DIVES

(01:11:48) SECTION A: ANATOMY OF THE HEIST

A1: Andrew Weissman on Trumps $1.8 Billion Settlement with Himself Part 1 - Brian Lehrer: A Daily Podcast - Air Date 5-20-26

A2: Trump's $1.8 Billion DOJ-Facilitated Taxpayer Heist; Guest Robert Weissman of Public Citizen Part 1 - The BradCast - Air Date 5-18-26

A3: McConnell RIPS Trumps Jan. 6 Slush Fund as Utterly Stupid, Morally Wrong - All In W Chris Hayes - Air Date 5-21-26

(01:34:28) SECTION B: THE BIGGER PATTERN

B1: Trump's $1.8 Billion DOJ-Facilitated Taxpayer Heist; Guest Robert Weissman of Public Citizen Part 2 - The BradCast - Air Date 5-18-26

B2: Andrew Weissman on Trumps $1.8 Billion Settlement with Himself Part 2 - Brian Lehrer A Daily Podcast - Air Date 5-20-26

B3: Craven Corruption - The Practivist Pod - Air Date 5-21-26

(01:57:06) SECTION C: ENEMIES OF THE STATE

C1: Sources & Methods Trump's Counterterrorism Plan Part 1 - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 5-25-26

C2: Trumps New Counterterrorism Strategy and the Spectre of Left-Wing Violence Part 1 - It Could Happen Here - Air Date 5-12-26

C3: Sources & Methods Trump's Counterterrorism Plan Part 2 - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 5-25-26

C4: We Will Find You and We Will Kill You Part 2 - The Intercept Briefing - Air Date 5-15-26

C5: Trumps New Counterterrorism Strategy and the Spectre of Left-Wing Violence - It Could Happen Here - Air Date 5-12-26

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere!

Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X

Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft

Contact me directly at [email protected]