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PODCAST

American Friction

Does what’s going on in American politics scare and bemuse you? Want to know what Trump is up to, without pulling your hair out? Then you need American Friction, the UK podcast about US politics – from the makers of Oh God, What Now? and The Bunker. Every Friday and Monday, we unpack the big issues, speak to leading experts and talk with blockbuster commentators from the United States to explain the latest news and the big issues with hosts Jacob Jarvis (ex-Newsweek), Chris Jones (Podmasters) and

news politics

All Episodes

33:14

Trump vs. Newsom – Battle of the attention whores

American Friction ·

2025/08/24

Ooh they’re thirsty! Trump and Newsom have been battling it out for the headlines, with the California Governor trying to take the fight to the president. Will it work? Should we be impressed? Is 2028 going to be Newsom’s time to shine? Eric Garcia, Washington bureau chief for The Independent, joins Jarv and Chris to discuss. Back us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch:

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55:49

Trump goes gaga over Putin – America's latest...

American Friction ·

2025/08/22

Trump went all weak at the knees when he got to meet his idol Vladimir Putin this week. How embarrassing for America was their get together? Plus, Chris unveils a bizarre political crush to Nikki and Jarv. All that and more! Back us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction We’re now on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanFrictionPod Follow us on

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33:03

What the hell is Gerrymandering? – Trump, Texas and...

American Friction ·

2025/08/18

There’s weird political meddling happening in Texas and it all revolves around “gerrymandering”. What’s that all about, then? David Daley, author of Antidemocratic: Inside the Far Right's 50-Year Plot to Control American Elections and Ratf**ked: Why Your Vote Doesn't Count joins us to discuss. Buy Ratf**ked: Why Your Vote Doesn't Count through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund American Friction by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent

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58:12

Trump, ‘Big Balls’ and the Washington, D.C. crackdown...

American Friction ·

2025/08/15

Trump has sent in troops in a bid to take over Washington, D.C. in a draconian move seemingly sparked by a bloke called Big Balls being attacked. Nope, us neither. We try to make it make sense, friends, we really try. All that plus more like a story about Laura Loomer, Marjorie Taylor Greene and a sandwich. Again, sorry. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction We’re now on Youtube:

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35:05

Trump vs. the US economy – If it’s broke, don’t break...

American Friction ·

2025/08/11

Trump’s economic plans of tariffs for the sake of tariffs ain’t working well. We speak to Mark Zandi, from Moody’s Analytics, to find out why it’s all going so wrong. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction We’re now on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanFrictionPod Follow us on social media: BlueSky:

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53:19

Trump: I hate numbers but I love Sydney Sweeney!

American Friction ·

2025/08/08

Trump has waged war on statistics as he looks to take charge of the truth in America. Meanwhile, people are losing it over Sydney Sweeney and her jeans/genes – why are the right wing so weird? Nikki, Jarv and Chris dive into all this and more. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction We’re now on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanFrictionPod Follow us on social media: BlueSky:

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39:17

Why hasn’t Trump stopped Netanyahu?

American Friction ·

2025/08/04

Trump “broke” with Netanyahu recently by accepting the reality that people, including many children, are starving in Gaza. But despite this slight change in tone, will this lead to any real change in action from the US president? Chris and Jarv speak to Professor Yossi Mekelberg, senior consulting fellow with the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House, to discuss Trump and Netanyahu’s relationship, how Trump could end this if he wanted to and what other leaders should do to stop the

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63:57

Trump's crazy week – Scotland rants, Epstein trouble,...

American Friction ·

2025/08/01

Trump has been getting weirder and somehow MAGA and the GOP are ignoring it. Plus, he’s talking himself in knots over Epstein — does he understand how big a problem this is? Nikki and Jarv discuss all that and more in our 100th episode! Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction We’re now on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanFrictionPod Follow us on social media: BlueSky:

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43:48

Trump vs. the media – Has he killed it or is he...

American Friction ·

2025/07/27

Donald Trump continues to bully news outlets in the US, suing Murdoch and seemingly getting Stephen Colbert fired. Why can’t the media stand up to him? Is it even trying anymore? Or is it time to declare the mainstream media dead? Jeff Jarvis, media critic and author of the BuzzMachine blog joins Jarv and Nikki to discuss all that and more. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction We’re now on

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64:44

Trump’s Epstein distraction plan – Remember Obama and...

American Friction ·

2025/07/25

Trump’s really pulling out all the stops and playing all the old hits to try and distract from the Epstein list. Even though it doesn’t exist and he’s definitely not on it and even if he was that doesn’t mean anything anyway! Nikki, Jarv and Chris discuss his skittishness and attempt to shift focus to Barack Obama instead. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction We’re now on Youtube:

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36:08

After Trump and Biden – Can young people reclaim...

American Friction ·

2025/07/21

American politicians are too old. So, how can more young people win? Jarv and Chris speak to Amanda Litman, who is the president of Run for Something, an organisation aimed at getting more young people into politics. Go to https://surfshark.com/amfric or use code AMFRIC at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction We’re now on Youtube:

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55:39

What Trump's massive Epstein meltdown means

American Friction ·

2025/07/18

Oh Trump, you can’t get the QAnon supporters too upset! They like you! But with his Epstein list denials and combative stance on the whole subject, the president is actually annoying everyone – conspiracy theorist and conspiracy skeptic alike. How’s he got it so wrong – and should he have known it’d go this badly? Nikki, Chris and Jarv discuss. Go to https://surfshark.com/amfric or use code AMFRIC at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! Back us on Patreon – we need your help to

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38:16

Trump vs. the climate crisis – Denial, cuts and...

American Friction ·

2025/07/14

The tragic situation in Texas is bringing into focus the horrific and fatal consequences of Trump’s cuts. As he continues to gut agencies focused on the weather and climate change, Chris and Jarv are joined by Dr. Sweta Chakraborty, behavioural scientist and North American CEO of We Don’t Have Time, to discuss how we got here and how much worse things could get. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch:

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60:56

Why Elon Musk’s ‘America Party’ is doomed – plus,...

American Friction ·

2025/07/11

Elon Musk wants to start a new political party – and obviously that’s a terrible idea! We discuss why it would fail and why he needs to stop being such a weird egomaniac. Plus, Grok got really racist, Ted Cruz has a holiday while Texas floods, and more, more, more on American Friction with Nikki, Chris and Jarv. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction We’re now on Youtube:

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37:57

Trump vs. Iran – Foreign policy led by extortion?

American Friction ·

2025/07/07

Donald Trump’s involvement in the conflict between Israel and Iran has got us thinking – does he have any idea how foreign policy works at all? What is leading his administration’s strategy, and does it boil down to one thing: extortion? Chris and Nikki sat down with Politico’s senior foreign affairs correspondent, Nahal Toosi, to find some answers.Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction We’re

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61:56

The ugly truth behind Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill

American Friction ·

2025/07/04

Donald Trump’s trademark Big Beautiful Bill has passed – but not after a whole lot of scrutiny. What state is it in now, and what real-life impacts will it have on ordinary Americans? Plus, what the hell is Alligator Alcatraz? Nikki and Chris explain the GOP’s latest inhumane immigration tactic. Back us on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction] – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction We’re now on

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38:31

Inside America's "lawless" Supreme Court – with Leah...

American Friction ·

2025/06/30

The US Supreme Court hasn’t been working well of late. To discuss why it’s so malfunctioning, Jarv speaks to Leah Litman, author of Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad Vibes.Buy Lawless through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund American Friction by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes,

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72:41

Mamdani vs. the Democratic machine – and Trump vs. Iran!

American Friction ·

2025/06/27

Zohran Mamdani’s primary win has “baffled” establishment Democrats who can’t imagine why a young candidate with big new ideas might do well. We discuss what his win means and what it should force the Democratic party to do. Plus, Trump’s going off about Iran and bragging about stuff that isn’t real – so nothing new there. All that and more with your fave pals Nikki, Chris and Jarv (and Simon!) who are all back together once again. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free

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35:43

From Burke to Trump – Inside the GOP’s long war on...

American Friction ·

2025/06/23

Trump hates democracy – but that’s not exactly something new for a leading Republican. To understand the history of the GOP hating people they don’t like being able to vote, Jarv is joined by Thom Hartmann, progressive talk show host and the author of The Hartmann Report, who earlier this year wrote a piece called: The GOP’s 60-Year Conspiracy to Kill Our Democracy: None Dare Call It Treason—But I Will.Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and

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71:19

Ten years of Trump – The highs, the lows and the...

American Friction ·

2025/06/20

How was the last decade for you? Well, I’m guessing Trump made it a little bit worse. Ten years after he descended that golden escalator, we look back on the ups and downs, mainly downs, of his time in politics. Plus, Nikki and Jarv round up other news you might have missed. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction We’re now on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanFrictionPod Follow us on

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148 results

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