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PODCAST

The Oath and The Office

Two Squared Media Productions

Mixing sharp wit and serious political fire, The Oath and The Office is where hard-hitting constitutional analysis meets razor-sharp comedy. Distinguished political science professor Corey Brettschneider teams up with comedian John Fugelsang to break down the most powerful 35 words in American democracy—the presidential oath of office. Every president swears to “preserve, protect, and defend” the Constitution, but what happens when one openly attacks democracy and the rule of law itself? Each

government politics

All Episodes

51:45

Can Congress Stop Trump’s War?

The Oath and The Office ·

2026/03/05

As the prospect of a U.S. military clash with Iran returns to the headlines, Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang break down the constitutional stakes: who actually controls the power to start—and stop—a war?They explain the War Powers Resolution of 1973, why Congress passed it after Vietnam, how the 60-day clock is supposed to work, and why the law was weakened in the 1980s—leaving presidents with wide room to maneuver. What can Congress realistically do today if Trump escalates conflict?They

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58:43

Trump Loses in Court — But Pressure Remains on the...

The Oath and The Office ·

2026/02/26

Trump just suffered a major Supreme Court defeat. A significant tariffs ruling limits presidential power and reasserts Congress’s authority — applying a doctrine once confined to agencies directly to a president. But don’t mistake this for resolution. A reauthorization attempt could trigger a new wave of litigation and deepen the constitutional fight.Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang also examine how Judge Cannon stalled Jack Smith at a pivotal moment — and what the prosecution of a former

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64:03

Title Trump’s FCC Pressures Late Night — Even as...

The Oath and The Office ·

2026/02/19

Trump’s FCC is pressuring late-night TV — and CBS is hesitating. What happens when regulators don’t censor speech outright, but make networks afraid to air it?In Minnesota, democratic guardrails held. A far-right witness was exposed in a Senate hearing and a judge blocked cuts to critical public health funding. Proof that pushback can succeed.Then the counter-move. Under the Trump administration, the Federal Communications Commission has signaled it will enforce the equal-time rule against

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57:45

DOJ Payback Politics (with Preet Bharara)

The Oath and The Office ·

2026/02/12

Trump is turning DOJ into payback politics—and this week shows the playbook in action: pressure around the Gateway tunnel, a reporter’s home searched, the Clinton subpoena spectacle, and a growing recruiting crisis inside the department.Then Preet Bharara on the warning we missed: Trump forcing the showdown that got Preet fired—an early preview of today’s collapse of prosecutorial independence. We break down political prosecutions (Comey, James), the hard edge cases where “law enforcement” gets

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72:35

Trump vs. the Rule of Law: A 5-Year-Old Detained +...

The Oath and The Office ·

2026/02/05

A federal judge warns that Trump is violating the principles of law and the Declaration of Independence—and this week’s events show exactly what that means in practice.We break down the detention of a five-year-old and the collapse of due process, Trump’s threat against Trevor Noah and the future of free speech, and the raid on a Georgia election center. We also examine the authoritarian “tell” behind Trump’s call to “nationalize the voting”.Plus: Trump’s reported Fed Chair pick Kevin Warsh and the

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75:05

Jan. 6 Then & Now: The Insurrection Blueprint (with...

The Oath and The Office ·

2026/01/29

Jan. 6 wasn’t just a riot—it was a blueprint. This week, we connect Jan. 6 then to now and ask the core question of self-government: what happens when federal power starts acting as if the rules don’t apply?Hosts Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang are joined by Tom Joscelyn—senior House Judiciary staff and a principal author of the House January 6 Committee’s final report—for a deep dive into the pressure campaign on Mike Pence, the false-electors plot, and why white supremacy and Christian

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71:15

DOJ vs. Trump: The Indictment That Never Came (with...

The Oath and The Office ·

2026/01/22

The indictment that never came is still shaping DOJ’s ongoing battle with Trump.In the first half, Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang break down this week’s accountability flashpoints:The push to impeach DHS Secretary Kristi Noem — what impeaching a cabinet official actually means and why it matters nowThe Supreme Court fight tied to the FTC with huge stakes for independent agencies and the question of whether a president can threaten the Federal ReserveThe looming tariff decision — and how

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65:32

ICE Kills Renée Good: Can Minnesota Charge? + Trump...

The Oath and The Office ·

2026/01/15

An ICE agent killed Renée Nicole Good in Minneapolis—so can Minnesota bring charges, even if federal officials try to block accountability? We break down what local prosecutors can do, what legal shields federal agents may claim, and why this case is turning into a major constitutional showdown over law enforcement power and democratic control.Then: Trump “unmasks” himself with rhetoric that escalates racial conflict—reviving the “reverse discrimination” frame and claiming white Americans have been

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51:02

Trump's Illegal Attack on Venezuela: Congress Must...

The Oath and The Office ·

2026/01/08

In this episode of The Oath and The Office, Corey Brettschneider (Brown University Professor and author) and John Fugelsang dive into Trump’s illegal military action in Venezuela, exposing how it violates Congress' constitutional power to declare war. We discuss why this unilateral attack is unlawful and the steps Congress must take to push back, including retroactively condemning the invasion and revoking future military authorizations. Plus, we break down key takeaways from Jack Smith’s testimony

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66:22

Supreme Court Checks Trump — 2025 Year in Review

The Oath and The Office ·

2026/01/01

As 2026 begins, host Corey Brettschneider (Brown University professor) and co-host John Fugelsang look back at 2025’s biggest constitutional stress-tests—and what to watch in 2026.We start with the Supreme Court checking Trump on using the National Guard—why it matters, and whether the Insurrection Act is the next risk. That ruling is our doorway into a 2025 Year in Review: we revisit Trump’s most dangerous attacks on the Constitution, and the guardrails that barely held.Next, we break down Judge

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59:36

Brown Shooting Fallout: Lies on X — Epstein Redactions

The Oath and The Office ·

2025/12/24

This week, host Corey Brettschneider, a Brown University professor, and co-host John Fugelsang begin with the latest confirmed developments in the Brown University shooting—and the parallel storm of disinformation on X that spread during the investigation: false accusations against a transgender student and a manufactured narrative about motive. We break down how these claims circulated, why they’re dangerous, and how to separate verified reporting from rumor—without naming private individuals or

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63:07

A Brown Professor on the Shooting—and Gun Laws

The Oath and The Office ·

2025/12/18

This week’s episode is personal. Host Corey Brettschneider, a Brown University professor, and cohost John Fugelsang speak directly to what our community is living through after the deadly campus shooting—and what it means for universities, public safety, and the country.We also address the national response—and the bigger question it can obscure: America’s gun violence crisis, and why reforms have reduced mass shootings elsewhere, including lessons from Australia after major national action.Plus: a

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51:43

Trump’s Supreme Court Power Grab (with Leah Litman)

The Oath and The Office ·

2025/12/11

Leah Litman — University of Michigan law professor and constitutional law expert — joins Corey Brettschneider and cohost John Fugelsang to explain how the Supreme Court may be clearing the way for Donald Trump to fire independent regulators at will. She breaks down the Court’s turn toward the unitary executive, what that means for Trump’s control over the executive branch, what’s at stake in the coming fight over birthright citizenship, and where she still sees possibilities for court reform.Corey

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72:34

MAGA Is Blaming the Judges — with Sen. Sheldon...

The Oath and The Office ·

2025/12/04

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse joins us for one of our most important conversations yet. We examine MAGA’s escalating effort to blame and target judges who uphold the rule of law — from GOP attacks on Judge Boasberg to the broader push to weaponize impeachment. Senator Whitehouse lays out what Congress can still do now, and the reforms needed to protect democracy in the long term.But first: John and Corey break down Trump’s shocking pardon of the convicted former Honduran president — and the disturbing

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50:02

Political Prosecutions Blow Up — Judge Rules Trump’s...

The Oath and The Office ·

2025/11/27

A judge has blown up Trump’s indictments of James Comey and Letitia James — ruling the special prosecutor was illegally appointed. Corey and John explain why this strikes at the heart of Trump’s “retribution” agenda and how the fight raises fundamental separation-of-powers questions at the core of our democracy.Then: Pete Hegseth threatens to court-martial a sitting U.S. Senator for warning the military not to obey illegal orders. Corey breaks down the rule that service members must refuse unlawful

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52:07

Trump Cornered Amid Epstein Panic

The Oath and The Office ·

2025/11/20

Epstein files erupt in Washington, leaving Trump suddenly cornered as Republicans push for their release. Corey and John break down Trump’s push to stretch presidential immunity by labeling even unofficial conduct as “official,” the Supreme Court’s new asylum case at the border, and Tucker Carlson’s move to platform extremist Nick Fuentes. A sharp look at power, democracy, and rising hate in politics.

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50:52

Trump Ends His Shutdown — What’s Behind Jackson’s...

The Oath and The Office ·

2025/11/13

Trump has ended his shutdown — but the real shock came from the Supreme Court. In a little-noticed move, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson allowed the Trump administration to temporarily halt SNAP benefits, raising serious questions about how the Court is approaching presidential power. Corey and John explain what’s really behind Jackson’s puzzling decision — and what it means for millions of Americans who rely on food assistance. They also break down the Kim Davis denial and the explosive report

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61:24

The Case That Could Finally Stop Trump | Dahlia Lithwick

The Oath and The Office ·

2025/11/06

This week on The Oath and The Office, Corey and John trace the pattern of Trump’s lawlessness — from unions suing over his surveillance of non-citizens’ social media to his effort to strip gun rights from marijuana users, a selective “law and order” move aimed at his non-allies.Then Corey sits down with Slate’s Dahlia Lithwick for a wide-ranging conversation about the Supreme Court tariffs case — and what it could mean for the limits of presidential power. Together they explore three central issues:

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59:07

From Tariffs to Nukes — How Congress Can Stop Trump’s...

The Oath and The Office ·

2025/10/30

Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang trace how “no taxation without representation” connects to today’s fight to restore Congress’s power in the face of Trump-style presidential overreach. Corey discusses his Supreme Court brief on tariffs and the Founders’ vision for legislative control. Then Rep. Ted Lieu joins to talk about his bill banning first-strike nuclear attacks without congressional approval — a bold move to stop future presidents from seizing unchecked power. From tariffs to nukes,

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55:03

When Courts Fail and Universities Fight Back

The Oath and The Office ·

2025/10/23

In this week’s episode of The Oath and The Office, Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang break down a deeply concerning new ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals — one that sides with Trump and the military, expanding executive power and eroding the cornerstone principle of civilian control.Corey explains how this decision, though largely overlooked, fits into a broader trend of judicial retreat: courts stepping back from their constitutional role as a check on power. From the weakening

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57 results

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