The New Abnormal

President-elect Donald Trump’s defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth could provoke a purge of career military experts from the Pentagon—which appears to be exactly what he wants, explained The New Abnormal co-hosts Andy Levy and Danielle Moodie. Plus! Stephanie Mencimer, senior reporter at Mother Jones, delves deeper into the controversies and allegations surrounding Trump’s attorney general nominee, former congressman Matt Gaetz.

As President-elect Trump continues to announce surprise pick after surprise pick for his Cabinet, The New Abnormal co-hosts Andy Levy and Danielle Moodie discover what they have in common. Plus! Melissa del Bosque, investigations editor at Lighthouse Reports, talks about the implications of Tom Homan’s appointment as “border czar.” Then we'll talk to journalist Noah Hurowitz about the legislation that would be able to declare nonprofits terrorist organizations.

Organizational psychologist and author Adam Grant joins this week’s podcast to help unpack America’s political baggage, sharing leadership advice and coping strategies for the current moment. The Daily Beast’s executive editor Hugh Dougherty offers insight into the “patio power games” playing out at Mar-a-Lago as president-elect Donald Trump assembles his new administration—which may be filled with outlandish, cable TV personalities, but is ruled behind the scenes by a 67-year-old grandmother in aviator shades.

A week after the U.S. presidential election, The New Abnormal co-hosts Andy Levy and Danielle Moodie reflect on what Kamala Harris could have changed in her campaign strategy. Plus! Dean Obeidallah, host of the The Dean Obeidallah Show on Sirius XM Radio is here to talk about his recent piece posted to their substack.

Mike Davis, the man who many expect to be Donald Trump’s Attorney General, has outlined who exactly is on the president-elect’s hit list. Plus! Davis told Johnson he has five lists ready to go but appeared to only name four. Plus! Former Los Angeles Times journalist and President of Media Guild West Matt Pearce joins the podcast to talk about the purpose of the press during the second Trump administration.

In the aftermath of Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 election, co-host Samantha Bee has some tough talk for President Joe Biden and his team. Former Daily Beast editor-in-chief John Avlon joins the podcast to discuss the lessons learnt from his own run for Congress, and comedian Michael Ian Black has news for everyone.

This week on The New Abnormal, co-hosts Andy Levy and Danielle Moodie aren’t pinning a lot of the blame on Kamala Harris’ election loss on the vice president. Plus! Podcaster Jared Yate Sexton joins the show to discuss how Trump will affect the country years beyond his upcoming term. Then, Nicholas Grossman, an international relations professor at the University of Illinois and senior editor of Arc Digital, discusses his latest piece, “America Chose This.”

An exploration of why people have started leaving the former president’s rallies early. Then, a conversation with Survival of the Richest: Escape Fantasies of the Tech Billionaires author Douglas Rushkoff about Elon Musk and the increasingly weird obsessions of the ultra wealthy. Plus! Katherine Stewart, author of The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism, joins the program to discuss the rise of the Christian right and its wholehearted embrace of Trump.

Steve Bannon told Laura Loomer this week that the left is having a meltdown at the prospect of Donald Trump giving her a job in the White House if he wins next week’s election. Plus! W. Kamau Bell joins The New Abnormal to talk about his new viral video, Who’s Gonna Catch Your Kid?