*LIVE* The Truth About Venezuela and the Epstein Files – Get Your Tickets Before They Sell Out!
“**I believe that this is going to be a reckoning for America**,” **California Rep. Ro Khanna **[said this week][1], referring to the release of all the files related to Jeffrey Epstein and his international network of associates.
Khanna’s bipartisan Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed into law last month, was meant to force the DOJ to release *all *files related to the late sex trafficker. But they didn’t comply. In fact, the DOJ only released [less than 1%][2], according to a new court filing.
So, what happens next? Will the DOJ release the other 99% of files? And who’s being protected here, is it really about the victims? **Join us to discuss all this and more, surrounding the biggest coverup in modern political history: **LIVE, in person, in a conversation with Mehdi – plus, Rep. Khanna, who has led the charge to reassert congressional war powers following **Trump’s actions in Venezuela** and who is often talked about as a future Democratic presidential contender, will be taking your questions!
Join us 7pm on January 20th at the Howard Theatre
[Buy tickets here!][3]
We’ll also be having onstage conversations on the broken state of our mainstream media with **Mehdi**, and his fellow ex-cable news anchors **Jim Acosta **and **Joy Reid**, and discussing Trump’s first year in office with former Trump officials **Miles Taylor** and **Sarah Matthews** who have behind-the-scenes stories from the Trump White House that you won’t want to miss (including Trump’s early moves on Greenland and Venezuela), moderated by Zeteo political correspondent **Swin Suebesang**. Plus, **Prem Thakker** will be emceeing.
You’ll be able to ask questions from the audience, take photos with Mehdi and the team, and meet other members of our **Zeteo** community!
It’s a night you won’t want to miss, and as a thank you for your support and commitment to **Zeteo**, we’re offering paid subscribers an exclusive **25% discount** on tickets.
See you there!
[Buy tickets here!][4]
[1]: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/28/ro-khanna-epstein-files-act-bipartisan
[2]: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/06/epstein-files-release-justice-department
Trump Changes His Tune on Regime Change: Watch Him Then and Now
Despite positioning himself as an ‘antiwar’ candidate and vowing to end US intervention in foreign nations, Donald Trump ordered a US takeover of Venezuela after ousting President Nicolás Maduro on Saturday.
He’s now threatening regime change in Cuba, Colombia, and Iran, too.
Hypocrisy, as we know, is Trump’s brand.
So here’s **Zeteo’s** supercut of Donald Trump contradicting himself on regime change and nation-building.
You’re welcome!
[Subscribe now][1]
#### ***DON’T MISS:***
*A special **LIVE in-person event**: Join **Mehdi**, **Swin**, **Joy Reid,** **Jim Acosta, Sarah Matthews,** **Miles Taylor, **and another **special guest** tbc for a powerful evening at the Howard Theatre in **Washington, DC,** on **Tuesday, Jan 20, 2026**!*
[Click HERE for tickets][2]
*Get your tickets [HERE.][3]*
Does Trump Want to... Cancel the Midterms?
💰 *On this day in 2021, Elon Musk became the richest man in the world, worth some $186 billion. In the five years since, he’s expanded his war chest to a whopping $714 billion. But at least he’s doing good in the world, like *[checks notes][1]* ripping food from the hands of starving children… Oy vey…*
Good morning! **Peter** here, once again reporting live from Gotham City, with a dollop of good news before we make like the Dark Knight and dredge through a proper *sewer* of bullshit. Because this edition of ‘**First Draft’ **is sponsored by Ground News, there is no paywall! Huzzah! Read away, my friends! However, do me a favor and tell me your favorite Batman flick in the comments!
[Subscribe now][2]
In today’s ‘**First Draft**,’ the **president of the United States** seemingly belongs in the very “**insane asylums**” he’s oh-so [obsessed][3] with, **White House officials** reveal they’re deadly serious about annexing **Greenland**, podcaster-turned-deputy FBI director-turned-podcaster **Dan Bongino **kicks off yet another **MAGA** **civil war**, and **Bari Weiss **struggles with both a metaphorical and *literal* rat issue at the **Tiffany Network**.
*🚨 Don’t miss our **[LIVE in-person event in DC][4]:** Join **Mehdi**, **Swin**, **Ro Khanna,** **Joy Reid, Jim Acosta, Sarah Matthews, Miles Taylor, **and another **very** **special **political guest for a powerful evening at the Howard Theatre in **Washington, DC**, to mark one year of Trump, on **Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026**!*
[Get your tickets here!][5]
# 👑 The King Is Mad
* Trump makes an impression of what he says is a transgender weightlifter during his address to House Republicans at their annual issues conference retreat in Washington, DC, on Jan. 6, 2026. Photo by Reuters/Kevin Lamarque*
Yesterday, on the five-year anniversary of a Capitol insurrection that saw thousands of brainwashed Joe and Josephine Six-packs attempt to end American democracy as we know it, Donald Trump stood before his House Republican caucus and floated the idea of finally making good on the Jan. 6 rioters’ mission.
“**They say that when you win the presidency, you lose the midterm**,” the president [lamented][6], warning he would be impeached again by a new House Democratic majority.
“**I wish you could explain to me what the hell’s going on with the mind of the public… We have the right policy. [Democrats] don’t… They had the worst policy. We have to even run against these people? Now, I won’t say cancel the election, they should cancel the election, because the fake news will say, ‘He wants the elections canceled. He’s a dictator.’ They always call me a dictator**.”
[Subscribe now][7]
Well, yes, Mr. President, *that *label does at times feel apt (*at the very least with a “wannabe” in front of it*) given your past behavior.
You are the man, after all, who just last August [suggested][8]: “**A lot of people are saying maybe we’d like a dictator**.”
You are the man who, during the 2024 campaign, [mused][9] that you would be a dictator *on your first day in office* should you reclaim the White House.
You are the man who routinely rags on federal judges and courts when rulings don’t go your way.
You are the man who, nigh-day in and day out, [threatens][10] media companies, *vows to challenge broadcast licenses*, and sics lawsuits upon journalists and outlets that dare criticize you.
You are the man who has deployed federal forces into American cities.
You are the man who last year [invoked][11] Napoleon to declare you’re incapable of violating and law.
And you are the man who watched, in real time, as a violent mob beat police officers with flagpoles bearing your name, smeared feces on the walls of the people’s house, and hunted for lawmakers while chanting about hanging your own vice president and then waited hours before halfheartedly suggesting they go home. Even then, you made sure to tell them you loved them!
And now, five years to the day after the closest brush with democratic collapse in modern American history, you stand before your party and toy with the idea of scrapping elections altogether, as if the only real mistake made by the mob was their boorish execution.
Now, Trump’s defenders will say ‘But wait, **Peter**, he said he *wouldn’t* cancel the elections.’ Grow a prefrontal cortex, you goons! Why did he even mention such an extreme, unconstitutional, and anti-American idea? With Trump, it is always a case of testing the waters, seeding new and outrageous plans, prodding what he can get away with. The reason he is suddenly saying he won’t cancel elections is clearly, nakedly, PORNOGRAPHICALLY because he has *thought* *about* whether or not he could *get away* with canceling the midterms! Again, remember, this is the man who five years ago sent an armed mob to the Capitol to try and cancel the result of an election.
But enough of ancient history. Headlines from last month are practically hieroglyphics in this illiterate, TikTok age… What’s even more concerning is what the *Bananas Orange Man *has done in just this week!
[Subscribe now][12]
As I sit here writing this lede, a *[New York Times][13] *push notification has interrupted my flow to inform me that the dynamic duo of* Little Marco *and Karoline Leavitt have told lawmakers that the president intends to secure the annexation of Greenland via either America’s wallet or its nuclear arsenal.
It’s insane. But here’s something even *more* insane.
I beg you, beware the harlequin buffoonery. Do not allow yourself to be lulled into complacency by the Trump term 1.0 rationale that the man is crazy like a fox. No, he’s just simply mad. He’s mad, nihilistic, dangerous, and a laughingstock that’s no laughing matter. Put simply: he’s The Joker.
## **🗞️ **What You Need to Know
* **Trump sees green in Greenland: **As I touched on above, next on Trump’s imperialistic hit list could be Greenland after the White House [openly said][14] he was discussing “options” for “acquiring” the Danish territory, including through brute force. European leaders [rallied][15] behind Greenland, and Denmark warned that if Trump follows through on his threat of a military attack, it could crumble the NATO alliance.
* **California congressman dies: **Rep. Doug LaMalfa, a pro-Trump Republican who was serving his seventh term, [died][16] at age 65 during a procedure after suffering a medical emergency. His death, along with Marjorie Taylor-Greene’s resignation, shrinks the Republican advantage in the House to a 218-213, two-vote majority.
* **A win in Wyoming:** The Wyoming Supreme Court [struck down][17] two near-total abortion bans, including the nation’s first ban specifically on abortion pills. The conservative state’s high court ruled 4-1 that the extreme measures violated the Wyoming Constitution, [writing][18]: “A woman has a fundamental right to make her own health care decisions, including the decision to have an abortion.”
* **Pete’s a pig: **The Pentagon has launched a six-month review of women in ground combat purportedly to ensure military “effectiveness,” according to a [memo][19] obtained by NPR. The sexist undertaking comes after Pete Hegseth said in 2024 that the US “should not have women in combat roles.” Two months later, the Republican-controlled Senate confirmed him as Secretary of Defense.
## 🧠 Pop Quiz!
***Many are speculating that Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar will run for the governor's seat after Tim Walz's decision not to seek re-election. How many former and current US senators are running for governor in 2026 so far?***
Keep your eyes out for the answer below!
## 💬 Quote Unquote
***“Joe, the difference between Iraq and this is that Bush didn’t keep the oil. We’re going to keep the oil.”***
That’s Trump [saying][20] the quiet part out loud ([again!][21]) to MS NOW’s Joe Scarborough on the phone.
After the US strike in Venezuela, Trump is now escalating threats against Greenland, Mexico, Iran, and Colombia. It’s an unprecedented time, with an incredible amount of misinformation around the political narrative.
Depending on which media outlet you choose, the story is framed in completely different ways. Some outlets treat these threats with the attention they deserve, calling out the undemocratic and dangerous nature of Trump’s words. Others glaze over them, focusing on speculation and partisan framing.
That’s where Ground News can help. Ground News gathers reporting from 50,000+ sources worldwide, allowing you to compare how the story is covered across the political spectrum. You can instantly see each outlet’s political bias and ownership. The unique Blindspot feature also allows you to uncover perspectives your news diet is missing.
When tensions are rising and confusion dominates, seek clarity. With Ground News’ Vantage Plan, you can get all these features and the full context before it’s too late.
Visit **[groundnews.com/zeteox][22]** and get 40% off the Vantage Plan — less than $5 a month.
*(This portion of the post was sponsored content.)*
## 🐀 RAT RACE AT CBS
**Zeteo’s Prem Thakker** has the latest from inside CBS News, where Bari Weiss is wreaking havoc on a depressing newsroom.
> *Paramount Skydance spent $150 million to buy the blog The Free Press and install Bari Weiss as the new “Editor-in-Chief” at CBS News. What they didn’t spend money on? Apparently, almost anything else.*
>
> *Sources inside CBS tell **Zeteo** that the CBS offices in New York City are a “dump.” Abandoned offices. Broken water fountains. Bathrooms that don’t lock. Rat and bug infestations.*
>
> *“Everything is old,” one source said, simply. The walls, doors, basic bones of the building. Even in areas that have gotten surface level updates, rat traps are still scattered around the baseboards. “You can’t bring people there for meetings.”*
>
> *While some of these issues are longstanding, the lack of investment in fixing them has been especially frustrating for CBS staff in recent months.*
>
> *Subsequent expenses have only rubbed salt in the wound.*
>
> *To roll out the relaunch of CBS ‘Evening News,’ anchored by Tony Dokoupil, Weiss made plans for a private chartered plane to take the show on a [10-city tour][23], featuring possible segments of Dokoupil partying at an exclusive nightclub or jet skiing with rapper DJ Khaled.*
>
> *“Maintaining stuff is boring, doing two-weeklong national ‘Evening News’ tours is flashy and cool,” another CBS source said.*
>
> *Beyond basic maintenance, the network is reeling after additional layoffs, which has left staff stretched thin, under the new editorial structure overseen by Weiss. Another source familiar with the editorial mayhem described it as a “ticking time bomb.” The consequences, as seen by Dokoupil’s flub during his evening news premiere, may already be present. On Monday, the anchor mixed up a segment transition, leading to an uncomfortable moment of dead silence on-air, with the new lead anchor saying out loud: “First day, first day, big problems here.”*
>
> *The hiccup came just days after Dokoupil pledged: “I can promise you we’ll be more accountable and more transparent than Cronkite or any one else of his era.”*
>
> *While Dokoupil’s first swings at bat may not be up to par with Walter Cronkite, it appears the late, beloved CBS anchor’s legacy isn’t being honored elsewhere anyhow.*
>
> *The old radio room where Cronkite’s desk was, as one source put it, “trashed.”*
>
> *That source was despondent about the broader state of affairs: “I dreamed of working at CBS since I was a kid. And now sometimes I look around and think… this is it?”*
I wish I could thank you for that stellar reporting, **Prem**, but as a CBS News veteran, I just want to curl up in a ball and DIE. Perhaps, *Bury Weiss *herself can cover my corpse. We know that’s one of her natural talents!
## 🚨 Don’t Miss It!
The Israeli government has perfected what **Zeteo **contributor **Diana Buttu** calls “death by a thousand cuts” – the slow, methodical way of killing Palestinian life. Israel’s latest cut? It’s banning of dozens of international aid groups, including Doctors Without Borders, from Gaza and the West Bank.
Diana, in her latest ‘Diary from a Palestinian in Gaza’ column, examines the deadly impact the ban will have and questions why there hasn’t been more outrage from the very Western countries that are home to these vital humanitarian organizations.
It will hit your inbox soon.
[Subscribe now][24]
## 🌏 Anywhere But America
* **🇵🇸 Don’t Forget Gaza: **A Palestinian man was [killed][25] Tuesday by an Israeli drone strike east of Khan Younis. At least 422 Palestinians have been killed since the so-called “ceasefire” agreement came into effect.
* 🇨🇴🇺🇸 **Colombia doesn’t hold back**: Colombian Foreign Minister Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio [warned][26] that the country would use military force in response to any foreign aggression, as Trump continues to threaten Colombia after invading Venezuela. Seems like the rest of the world isn’t down with Trump’s so-called ‘Donroe Doctrine’!
* 🇸🇾 **Deadly day in Syria**: At least [four people were killed][27] Monday as fighting broke out between the Syrian government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northern Aleppo. The violence comes just days after senior SDF leaders met with government officials to discuss the integration of the two military forces.
* 🇸🇩 **Sudan death toll climbs:** Thirteen people, including children, were killed Tuesday in a [drone strike in the North Kordofan region][28] of Sudan, according to the United Nations. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Since the end of October 2025, more than 65,000 people have been displaced from across the Kordofan region.
[Share][29]
## 🤦 WTF?!
Video by [@ArthurDelaneyHP][30] on Twitter.
Listen to what these J6ers are saying to the police officers. Just absolutely vile.
## **👊LET THEM FIGHT**
Bring out the popcorn!
#### 🧠 Trivia answer: [Four senators][31].
## ICYMI From Zeteo
*Zeteo’s Melanie Riehl, Akshay Gokul, and Minnah Arshad contributed to this newsletter.*
[Share][32]
*Still want to get **Zeteo **content, but not this newsletter? You can unsubscribe directly from ‘**First Draft**’ by going to ‘[manage subscription][33]’ in Substack, scrolling down, and toggling the button for ‘First Draft’ off. *
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[6]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5iSQLo2PEo
[7]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[8]: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-says-americans-want-dictator-1235414824/
[12]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[13]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/06/us/politics/rubio-trump-greenland.html
[14]: https://x.com/natashabertrand/status/2008651405402497378?s=46
[16]: https://apnews.com/article/rep-doug-lamalfa-dies-california-house-304d9772c6e2d11f03109e2dae1eeb9d
[17]: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/06/wyoming-abortion-ban-supreme-court
[19]: https://www.npr.org/2026/01/06/nx-s1-5667583/pentagon-review-women-in-ground-combat-roles
[20]: https://x.com/clashreport/status/2008553565158261119
[21]: https://zeteo.com/p/venezuela-attack-trump-maduro-oil
[24]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[25]: https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/165910
[28]: https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/01/1166712
[30]: https://x.com/ArthurDelaneyHP
[31]: https://ballotpedia.org/Results_of_U.S._senators_running_for_governor,_1914-present
Mehdi Proves in 60 Seconds That the Right Loves Fraudsters… When They’re Not Somali
Mehdi kicks off the year in fifth gear as he breaks down the right’s blatant racism towards Somalis in 60 seconds.
While MAGA and its loyalists scramble to find fraud where it isn’t, Mehdi brings receipts of the instances of fraud that not only stared them in the face, but that the sitting US president pardoned or made go away. The only difference? They weren’t Somali.
[Subscribe now][1]
#### ***DON’T MISS:***
*A special **LIVE in-person event**: Join **Mehdi**, **Swin**, **Joy Reid,** **Jim Acosta, Sarah Matthews,** **Miles Taylor, **and another **special guest** tbc for a powerful evening at the Howard Theatre in **Washington, DC,** on **Tuesday, Jan 20, 2026**!*
[Click HERE for tickets][2]
*Get your tickets [HERE.][3]*
[1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
https://zeteo.com/p/mehdi-rant-6somalia-fraud-hypocracy-trump-60-seconds
Grok Is Undressing Women and Children. Only Elon Musk Is to Blame
*Photo illustration by Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images*
On Jan. 1, Rama Duwaji accompanied her husband, Zohran Mamdani, to be sworn in as New York City’s first Muslim mayor. For the occasion, she[ wore a custom brown wool coat][1] from a small Palestinian-Lebanese designer, a choice that carried immense meaning. Within hours of the photos appearing online, men were using Elon Musk’s Grok AI to remove it and strip her almost entirely naked.
“@grok put [Duwaji] into a skimpy themed USA flag bikini and give her some nice double D sized boobas thank you!” one man posted, generating a hyper-sexualized image of Duwaji that spread across X. Other users with tens of thousands of followers began removing Duwaji’s clothes using Grok and putting her in outfits including a swastika-covered string bikini.
Duwaji is not the only woman whose clothing has been digitally stripped using Grok AI.
[ Read more ][2]
[2]: https://zeteo.com/p/-musk-grok-undressing-women-children
How Trump Incited an Insurrection: A Jan. 6 Timeline
*Donald Trump speaks from the Ellipse near the White House on Jan. 6, 2021. Photo by Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images*
Five years ago today, on Jan. 6, 2021, President Donald J. Trump incited a crowd of violent insurrectionists who went on to storm the US Capitol, resulting in the deaths of at least [seven][1] people, in an effort to help him steal the election he had lost.
It was a day that many hoped would mark the end of Trump’s political career, as Republicans loudly [condemned][2] the president’s actions and [social media sites][3] quickly suspended his accounts. Trump was even federally [indicted][4] for his actions leading up to and on Jan. 6, as a part of special counsel Jack Smith’s election subversion case.
[Subscribe now][5]
Yet, here we are half a decade later, and it appears that Trump has successfully taken advantage of Americans’ collective political amnesia. Not only has he found his way back into the White House, but he has used his renewed powers to rewrite Jan. 6 as a [“day of love,”][6] [pardoning ][7]over 1,500 Jan. 6 rioters and [suspending][8] prosecutors for referring to those people as a “mob of rioters.”
So we here at **Zeteo** have created a detailed, hour-by-hour timeline to remind you of *the truth* of what happened on Jan. 6 and all the ways – from tweets to speeches to phone calls – that Trump fueled the flames on that “day of love.”
[ Read more ][9]
[1]: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/05/us/politics/jan-6-capitol-deaths.html
[4]: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-indicted-grand-jury-jan-6/
[5]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[6]: https://www.npr.org/2024/10/29/nx-s1-5159868/2024-election-trump-harris-capitol-riot
[7]: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y7l47xrpko
🪖 Dems Declare War on MAGA Media
*On this day in 2021, an army of Pillsbury Dough-fascists attempted to storm the US Capitol and end American democracy. They failed, and more than 1,500 rioters were subsequently charged with crimes related to the insurrection. Then, Donald Trump pardoned them all, because we live in hell!*
Good morning! **Peter** here, back in Gotham City after a two-week holiday in the snowy mountains of Colorado. I’m pleased to report that my newly minted mayor, Zohran Mamdani, hasn’t *yet *destroyed the Big Apple, much to the chagrin of our friends over at Fox and CBS News – sorry, Bari! On the contrary, New York feels more alive and bustling than ever.
[Subscribe now][1]
In today’s ‘**First Draft**,’ racist conspiracies sink the career of Minnesota Governor **Tim Walz**, **Elon Musk’s **AI bot, **Grok**, attacks one of the many mothers of the billionaire’s children, and the star of **Signalgate** spews breathtaking propaganda at a **UN Security Council** briefing.
*🚨 Don’t miss our **[LIVE in-person event in DC][2]**:** **Join **Mehdi**, **Swin**, **Joy Reid, Jim Acosta, Sarah Matthews, Miles Taylor, **and another **very special **political guest for a powerful evening at the Howard Theatre in **Washington, DC**, to mark one year of Trump, on **Tuesday, Jan 20, 2026**!*
[Buy tickets here!][3]
# **The Walz Are Closing In**
*Minnesota Governor Tim Walz speaks during a news conference at the State Capitol building on Jan. 5, 2026, in St. Paul, Minnesota. Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images*
Minnesota Governor and former Democratic VP candidate Tim Walz abruptly dropped his bid for a third term yesterday, effectively heralding the end of his remarkable political career after weeks of internet hyperfixation on the North Star state’s (*[years-old][4]*) childcare fraud [scandal][5].
“**As I reflected on this moment with my family and my team over the holidays, I came to the conclusion that I can’t give a political campaign my all**,” Walz shared during a press conference in St. Paul.
“**Every minute I spend defending my own political interests would be a minute I can’t spend defending the people of Minnesota against the criminals who prey on our generosity and the cynics who prey on our differences**.”
The move can only be viewed as an extraordinary act of selflessness from a politician who was a Trump victory away from the vice presidency last fall.
How did this all come about?
[ Read more ][6]
[1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[4]: https://www.fox9.com/news/fox-9-investigating-fraud-uncovering-minnesota-2025
WATCH: Anti-War Protester From Viral Video Speaks With Zeteo After Michigan Arrest
*Police arresting Jessica Plichta in Grand Rapids, Mich. on Jan. 3, 2026. Photo courtesy of Fight Back! News.*
An anti-war protester was arrested on camera this weekend by local Michigan police after she criticized Donald Trump’s assault on Venezuela. The video has since gone viral – and now she’s speaking out about the need to protect free speech in Trump’s second term.
Jessica Plichta, a 22-year-old preschool teacher, spoke with **Zeteo **after the unusual and brazen arrest. Plichta was one of the speakers at Saturday’s protest in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She had just finished an interview with WZZM, a local ABC affiliate, when two police officers appeared behind her on camera.
[@thetnholler][1]
The Tennessee Holler on Instagram: "MICHIGAN: Police arrest pro…
The local news video shows the officers walk Plichta away from the camera and put her in a police car. She can be heard saying: “I am not resisting arrest.”
“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that as soon as I finished an interview speaking on Venezuela, I was arrested – the only person arrested out of 200 people,” she told **Zeteo**, referring to the crowd at Saturday’s demonstration.
[Subscribe now][2]
[ Read more ][3]
[1]: https://instagram.com/@thetnholler
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-protest-venezuela-war-arrest-michigan-grand-rapids
https://zeteo.com/p/trump-protest-venezuela-war-arrest-michigan-grand-rapids
The Venezuela Invasion Is Going to Backfire. Here’s How
Donald Trump’s attack on Venezuela is brazenly illegal – but Democrats and the mainstream media answered with stern letters and complacency, while right-wingers like Lindsey Graham and podcaster Matt Walsh cheer ‘regime change!’ and ‘might is right.’
**“These things always backfire,” **says **Mehdi** as he and **Prem** take subscriber questions during 2026’s first episode of ‘Ask the Editor,’ **Zeteo**’s weekly Q&A series.
[Subscribe now][1]
Watch the full video above to hear Prem and Mehdi unpack the Trump administration’s latest bout of warmongering, including:
* The US’s track record of toppling governments: **“Show me a US regime change that’s gone well. Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan, Haiti, Honduras…”**
* Republican hypocrisy on the UN and international law:** “I remember George Bush and ‘Mission Accomplished.’ I’m old enough to remember that.”**
* Why the 2028 Democratic nominee must run on accountability and “**put the fear of God into their Republican opponents.”**
* What this invasion may have to do with the Epstein Files
* …and more.
Let us know what you think in the comments, and [subscribe][2] to catch our next episode of **Ask the Editor** every Monday at 11am ET on [Zeteo.com][3], [YouTube][4], or on the Substack app.
[Share][5]
*If you believe in the work we do and want to see more of it, do consider [becoming a paid subscriber][6]. A [donation][7] to Zeteo also goes a long way.*
#### ***DON’T MISS:***
*A special **LIVE in-person event**: Join **Mehdi**, **Swin**, **Joy Reid,** **Jim Acosta, Sarah Matthews,** **Miles Taylor, **and another **special guest** for a powerful evening at the Howard Theatre in **Washington, DC,** on **Tuesday, Jan 20, 2026**!*
[Click HERE for tickets][8]
***Catch up on more of our Venezuela coverage:***
Get more from Mehdi Hasan in the Substack app
Available for iOS and Android
[Get the app][9]
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[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe
[3]: http://zeteo.com/
[4]: https://www.youtube.com/@zeteo/streams
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EXCLUSIVE: Javier Bardem Talks to Mehdi About Genocide, AIPAC, and an Oscar-Nominated Film on Palestine.
What has decades and decades of military occupation and ethnic cleansing done to the [Palestinian][1] people? How has the trauma of [displacement][2], [dispossession][3], and [killing][4] passed from one generation to the next? And in what ways has that struggle changed over time? If you’re looking for an answer to any of these questions, this film is where you’ll find it.
Showing at a theater near you starting this Friday is ‘[All That’s Left of You][5],’ Jordan’s official submission for the 98th Academy Awards. Ahead of its release, **Mehdi** interviews the film’s Emmy-nominated director and actor, **Cherien Dabis, **and its executive producer, Academy Award winner (and former Bond villain!) **Javier Bardem, **to discuss the making and release of the film - and the very real politics behind it all!
[Subscribe now][6]
**“What is taking place in the last two years is a full genocide,” **says Bardem, who has reportedly been placed on a “[black list][7]” by Paramount as a result of his [activism][8] for Palestine. ** “Studios and directors, producers, they know that they cannot support people that are supporting such atrocities.” **Bardem tells Mehdi he **“can’t imagine” **telling a story as personal as the one depicted in the movie. The outspoken Hollywood star also has some choice words for the pro-Israel lobby group AIPAC.
**“I wanted to show the psychological and emotional impact of occupation,” **Dabis says about her film, which explores the [trauma][9] of [Israel’s][10] occupation of the people of Palestine across generations. Despite winning multiple awards and receiving an overwhelmingly positive reception, the film has still faced [massive challenges in distribution][11] as production houses are **“afraid of the subject matter,” **according to Dabis.
[Share][12]
Mehdi also spoke to Bardem and Dabis about their own approaches to the struggle for Palestinian freedom, their reactions to some of the most shocking scenes in the film, and the pernicious effects of pro-Israel censorship in Hollywood and beyond.
***Paid subscribers*** can watch the full interview above. ***Free subscribers ***can watch a four-minute preview. Consider [becoming a ][13]*[paid ][14]*[subscriber][15] to **Zeteo** to gain full access to all of our content, without any paywalls.
#### ***DON’T MISS:***
*A special **LIVE in-person event**: Join **Mehdi**, **Swin**, **Joy Reid,** **Jim Acosta, Sarah Matthews,** **Miles Taylor, **and another **special guest** tbc for a powerful evening at the Howard Theatre in **Washington, DC,** on **Tuesday, Jan 20, 2026**!*
[Click HERE for tickets][16]
*Get your tickets [HERE.][17]*
[ Read more ][18]
[3]: https://zeteo.com/p/the-gaza-ification-of-the-west-bank?utm_source=publication-search
[4]: https://zeteo.com/p/who-killed-shireen-abu-akleh
[5]: https://www.watermelonpictures.com/films/all-thats-left-of-you
[6]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[7]: https://m.imdb.com/news/ni65556651/?ref_=nmnw_art_perm
[9]: https://zeteo.com/p/how-zionism-turns-trauma-into-an?utm_source=publication-search
[10]: https://zeteo.com/p/us-defense-bill-ndaa-israel-weapons-arms-embargoes?utm_source=publication-search
[13]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe
[14]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe
[15]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe
[18]: https://zeteo.com/p/javier-bardem-cherien-dabis-palestine-all-thats-left-of-you
https://zeteo.com/p/javier-bardem-cherien-dabis-palestine-all-thats-left-of-you
💣 Happy New... Wars?
*On this day, in 1855, King C. Gillette was born in Wisconsin. His [invention][1] would transform our daily lives. Thank you, King!*
Good morning and a happy new year! **Mehdi** here, back from a trip to the UK and the Middle East, where everyone I met seemed to want to know how long **Donald Trump **would let me continue living in the US. Not the greatest of questions to be asked on vacation, if I am honest with you. My answer? It’s my country, he isn’t a king, and I’m not going anywhere. We also have very big plans for **Zeteo** this year, so I hope you’ve [subscribed][2] – and as a ***paid***** subscriber,** please!
[Subscribe now][3]
In today’s jam-packed **‘First Draft’ **newsletter, the first of the new year, I **debunk** the myth of **“Donald the Dove”** and discuss the fallout from his** illegal attack **on Venezuela; the president spreads a disgusting conspiracy theory about a **murdered Democrat**; more **genocidal rhetoric** from an **Israeli minister**; and goodbye and good riddance to **Dan Bongino**.
*🚨 Don’t miss our **[LIVE in-person event in DC][4]:** Join **Mehdi**, **Swin**, **Joy Reid, Jim Acosta, Sarah Matthews, Miles Taylor, **and another **very** **special **political guest for a powerful evening at the Howard Theatre in **Washington, DC**, to mark one year of Trump, on **Tuesday, Jan 20, 2026**! *
[Buy Tickets!][5]
# Who Will He Bomb Next?
*Trump speaks to the press following the US attack on Venezuela on Jan. 3, 2026. Photo by Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images*
On New Year’s Eve, at an event at Mar-a-Lago, in a rare hand-holding moment with his wife, President **Donald Trump** was asked by a reporter if he had a New Year’s resolution.
To which Trump responded: **“I have. Peace. Peace on Earth.”**
Barely 48 hours later, the self-styled “peace president” [authorized][6] an armed attack on Venezuela and the abduction of that country’s president and first lady. It was a [flagrant violation][7] of US and international law. Congress [wasn’t consulted][8].
Welcome to 2026. It begins with another new war from a president who once proudly proclaimed he had started [“no new wars.”][9] Will this year be any less bloody, destructive, or war-torn than 2025? Because – and you may not know this due to our mainstream media being so broken – our “peace president” bombed seven countries last year.
*Seven.*
[ Read more ][10]
[2]: http://zeteo.com/subcribe
[3]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[6]: https://time.com/7342941/venezuela-maduro-bombing-trump-delta-force/
[7]: https://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/the-brazen-illegality-of-trumps-venezuela-operation
[8]: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5671149-surprise-operation-maduro-arrest/amp/
Jim Hunt’s Timeless Lessons Can Revitalize the Democratic Party
*Jim Hunt speaks at the Democratic National Convention on Sept. 5, 2012 in North Carolina. Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images.*
North Carolina lost a giant in December when our beloved four-term governor, Jim Hunt, passed away at 88. The outpouring about his legacy from across the state, 25 years after he left office, shows how deeply a leader can matter to people when they build a unique and personal relationship with voters rooted in economic empowerment and community pride.
If Hunt had won the 1984 Senate race against Jesse Helms – the most expensive Senate election in American history, at the time – he almost certainly would have been a top Democratic presidential candidate. And his story contains timeless lessons about American politics that are specifically relevant now, as the Democratic Party continues to find its bearings after 2024. Especially when it comes to improving our standing with working people in the swing states and red states where we urgently need to be more competitive to win Senate majorities in the near future.
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Hunt won his first campaign in 1972, when he was elected lieutenant governor despite a historic GOP wave that took Richard Nixon back to the White House and made a Republican the governor of North Carolina for the first time in nearly a century. Support for Democrats was collapsing across the South after Lyndon Johnson passed landmark civil rights laws that were beyond overdue. But at the state level, North Carolina emerged as the surprising exception to that rule – because we had an exceptional leader, Jim Hunt, who was sworn in as governor four years later and would ultimately be the Old North State’s defining modern figure.
### Moral Unity and Economic Mobility
Hunt was more than the face of a political party. He became the beating heart of a populist movement that gave North Carolina a renewed, optimistic identity; one that saw economic investment in working families as a measure of community strength and conscience. Democrats can channel that approach today, when Americans hunger for a stronger sense of belonging, for hard work to pay off again, and for leaders who palpably believe in the country and in everyday people.
Hunt framed his arguments for progressive reforms around traditional values, which was instrumental to bringing the state together across racial, partisan, and regional lines behind a shared mission – short-circuiting the kind of reactionary hate that Donald Trump has made resurgent. He did so by following in the footsteps of his mentor, Governor Terry Sanford, whose commitment to integration was praised at the March on Washington and whose belief in education laid foundations that Hunt embraced. Crucially, Hunt didn’t disown all tradition because of the most painful chapters of our history, a trap some Democrats have fallen into. Instead, Hunt condemned what was wrong and sought to fix it, while at the same time harnessing the good, such as the call to be a good neighbor he’d learned from his Christian faith, to make the most inclusive, majority-building case possible for bold plans.
[Share][2]
At a time when many Southern politicians like George Wallace and Jesse Helms were doubling down on prejudice and division, Hunt overcame that smallness by tapping into North Carolina’s love of home and eagerness for a more prosperous future. For all North Carolinians’ differences, Hunt knew there was a common challenge weighing on all of them: a lack of opportunity that kept horizons artificially low. That applies very much today, when a corrupt president is hoping that demonizing law-abiding immigrants will somehow hide his betrayal of all working families in service of billionaires.
Hunt’s relentless focus on moral unity and economic issues – like education, infrastructure, and research – transformed North Carolina from one of America’s most impoverished states into an economic powerhouse, blending New Deal ambition with Southern pragmatism. A farmer whose interest in public service was sparked by seeing his family’s dirt road paved, he wore his heartfelt passion for lifting up everyday people on his sleeve. That personal openness and intense commitment made Hunt’s salesmanship of policies a force without equal. This is something else we need to learn from, when too many candidates’ timidity and caution close voters’ ears before we’ve even started talking.
Hunt grasped the all-important link between education and economic success and never let go, beginning with “Smart Start,” his revolutionary early childhood education program now emulated all over the country. Hunt saw that our human capital could take us farther than anyone had dreamed if we modernized our whole education system – pre-K, K-12, community colleges, and public universities – and made it work in concert to give North Carolinians the skills they needed to thrive in the changing workforce. And he supported technological and scientific excellence, championing the research that gives the Research Triangle of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill its name. Compare that to how Washington Republicans are starving the federal research that has made the United States the innovation capital of the world.
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Hunt’s industriousness didn’t just cause a record surge of private sector investment in North Carolina; it ensured working families were dealt into it. That goes to the crux of the biggest economic debates in America today – high costs and upward mobility. Nationally, the American Dream has been hollowed out by giveaways to the rich that rob current and future generations of opportunity. Today, with working families pushing themselves harder and harder to get less and less – and with AI and other technological developments making the workplace evolve faster than ever – determining the modern formula for the outcome Hunt achieved is essential. And education has to be at the core of it, along with higher taxes on the rich and big corporations, anti-monopoly reforms, and investments in healthcare, childcare, and research.
### Lessons for Democrats
Entering 2026, Democrats are galvanized by voters’ top priority, affordability – as we should be. A natural extension of that theme is education, which has become the most neglected economic issue in the country. Case in point: The Trump administration and congressional Republicans just made the biggest education cuts in American history so they could lower taxes for the rich. That welfare for the connected couldn’t be more at odds with the values of Americans in (almost) every zip code.
So many Americans are demoralized because they feel powerless to give themselves and their children a better economic future. That has made them vulnerable to bad shepherds who appeal to our worst demons. Democrats in Hunt’s mold, like Roy Cooper and Josh Stein in North Carolina – and James Talarico in Texas, a former teacher himself – understand that revitalizing education in a way that matches the complexity and pace of the modern economy is the path to empowerment that calls on better angels instead. National voices across the breadth of the party, from Bernie Sanders to Rahm Emanuel, are beating that drum. So far, media executives have yawned at it. With tireless repetition, Democrats should make that harder to do.
[Share][4]
When the Biden-Harris administration fought for universal pre-K and community college, mainstream media unthinkingly bought the derisive spin of our Republican opponents, labeling these “social” proposals as opposed to “economic” ones like infrastructure and energy. The facts show that these are some of the most valuable economic policies in existence – with proven results.
While Democrats run against the broken promises of the Trump administration and congressional Republicans in 2026 and 2028, voters will also want to know what we’re for. Pushing to give Americans more control over their own lives through education would go a long way – it has before – especially with tax handouts for the Mar-a-Lago class set as a foil.
Regardless of whether they are Democrats, Republicans, or neither, Americans are united by a fierce belief that everyone deserves a fair shot. They’re furious at a perverse system that has pulled the ladders of opportunity up, and at a president who promised help but is instead leeching off of them. The story of a farmer who never let anyone forget whom he was fighting for can make Democrats the antidote to corruption and end the confusion about who really has the guts to stand up for working people.
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***Andrew Bates**, a North Carolina native, was White House Senior Deputy Press Secretary in the Biden-Harris administration and a top spokesperson on the 2020 Biden campaign.*
***The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of Zeteo.***
***Check out more from Zeteo:***
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https://zeteo.com/p/jim-hunts-timeless-lessons-can-revitalize
After Trump’s Venezuela Invasion, Mexico Could Be Next
*Donald Trump during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago on Jan. 3, 2026. Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images.*
If you thought unilaterally bombing Venezuela and abducting its leader and his wife was outrageous, buckle up – Mexico could be the next country that Donald Trump invades.
Last year, President Trump was briefed by military and intelligence officials on an array of military options for Venezuela – including different possible scenarios for killing Nicolás Maduro, two current Trump administration officials and a former one tell **Zeteo**. The options also included estimates of likely casualty figures, including for civilians. Ultimately, the sources say, Trump ruled out assassination – but he increasingly warmed to the kidnapping plans.
[Subscribe now][1]
Early Saturday morning, the Trump administration bombed Venezuela and snatched Maduro and his wife under the cover of night, moving to transfer him to face criminal charges in New York. Hours later, Trump announced at a press conference that his administration is planning to “run” Venezuela “until such time as a proper transition can take place.”
These kinds of operations, further perverting and exploiting the existing structures of the Global War on Terror and the international war on drugs, are unlikely to stop at Venezuela’s borders – not while Trump remains in power.
[ Read more ][2]
[1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[2]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-venezuela-mexico-invasion-attack-cartels
https://zeteo.com/p/trump-venezuela-mexico-invasion-attack-cartels
Mamdani’s Unifying Inauguration: 'More Joy and Love and Belonging' Than Ever Before
Thursday marked the beginning of a new era in New York City, and very possibly, in US politics. Prem was on the ground during the historic inauguration of Zohran Mamdani, where he spoke with Senator **Bernie Sanders** moments after he swore in the new mayor.
Prem also spoke with Jewish-American activist and **Zeteo** contributor **Simone Zimmerman** and fellow activist **Audrey Sasson,** New York City Public Advocate **Jumaane Williams**, and Department of Consumer and Worker Protection Commissioner **Sam Levine**, who formerly led the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection under Lina Khan.
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“**Being in New York City during this campaign over the last year has made me feel more joy and love and belonging in the city more deeply than l’ve ever felt before,**” Zimmerman told Prem. “**Being here, there’s this feeling, I mean, it’s freezing out and we’re at this amazing party and so many people are excited to be here and we’re excited for what we’re about to build.**”
Watch the video above to hear the extended interview with Sanders, and to get a taste of what the atmosphere was like as Zohran Mamdani officially became mayor of New York City.
Note: Apologies for the audio quality of the interviews outdoors, where it was very loud.
If you missed the ceremony and Mayor Mamdani’s speech, you can [watch it all here][2].
*Zeteo’s Liam Mann contributed to this post and video.*
[Share][3]
#### ***DON’T MISS: ***
*A special **LIVE in-person event**: Join **Mehdi**, **Swin**, **Joy Reid,** **Jim Acosta, Sarah Matthews,** **Miles Taylor, **and another **special guest** tbc for a powerful evening at the Howard Theatre in **Washington, DC,** on **Tuesday, Jan 20, 2026**!*
[Get Tickets HERE][4]
**Get tickets [HERE][5]!**
[1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[2]: https://www.youtube.com/live/C3RRZNAKwh0?si=jAmSuU6KxH113vV2
Trump’s Attack in Venezuela Is Unlawful – and Latin America Will Fight Back
*Donald Trump, alongside John Ratcliffe, Marco Rubio, Pete Hegseth, and General Dan Caine, speaks to the press following the US military attack in Venezuela on Jan. 3, 2026. Photo by Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images*
The United States has carried out a large-scale military attack against Venezuela and abducted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to face trial in the US. This is not just an unlawful act under international law; it is further proof that the so-called rules-based order does not exist.
International law recognizes only three situations when cross-border use of force is legal:
[ Read more ][1]
[1]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-venezuela-attack-unlawful-latin-america-fight-back
https://zeteo.com/p/trump-venezuela-attack-unlawful-latin-america-fight-back
Trump's Venezuela Attack: It’s All About the Oil, Stupid!
*Trump on Dec. 28, 2025. Photo by Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images*
To understand why Donald Trump just (illegally) [attacked][1] Venezuela and kidnapped the country’s president and his wife, you only need to look at this [chart,][2] which is based on OPEC numbers.
*Via [Statista][3].*
Trump didn’t attack Venezuela because it produces fentanyl. [It doesn’t][4]. He didn’t attack Venezuela because President Nicolás Maduro controls the Tren de Aragua gang. [He doesn’t][5]. He didn’t attack Venezuela because Maduro is the head of the Cartel de los Soles. [It doesn’t even exist][6].
It’s about the oil, stupid!
[Subscribe now][7]
Don’t believe me? Think it sounds a little conspiratorial?
Well, here’s the thing: Donald Trump, the self-declared ‘peace president,’ the serial liar, also likes to say the quiet part out loud from time to time.
In 2003, George W. Bush and Dick Cheney at least *pretended* their illegal invasion of Iraq and toppling of Saddam Hussein wasn’t about Iraq’s oil. It was about democracy! WMDs! Al-Qaeda!
Donald Trump, weirdly, shamelessly, and luckily for us, has been brutally honest on the subject of Venezuela and his motivation for regime change in Caracas.
Here he is in his own words.
### **1. “Return the oil”**
[ Read more ][8]
[1]: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01/03/world/trump-united-states-strikes-venezuela
[2]: https://www.statista.com/chart/16830/countries-with-the-largest-proven-crude-oil-reserves/
[4]: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/19/us/politics/trump-venezuela-fentanyl.html
[6]: https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/01/americas/trump-venezuela-maduro-drug-threat-analysis-intl-latam
[7]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
Iran Protests: Trump Threatens Military Action But It Won't Get Him the Result He Wants
*Trump welcomes Netanyahu to Mar-a-Lago on Dec. 29, 2025, in Palm Beach, Florida. Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images*
Just hours ago, President Donald Trump sent an extraordinary and unprecedented [social media post][1] – threatening Iran with war if Tehran harms its own protesters.
Last weekend, protests [erupted][2] in several Iranian cities over Iran’s collapsing currency. In some cases, clampdown by the authorities turned deadly, with at least seven people [reportedly][3] killed in the unrest. As the protests have spread to more cities, concerns have heightened that Iranian authorities could respond with the kind of [intense, violent crackdown][4] seen in the past.
Trump’s post, delivered without a clear strategic rationale, was striking not for its clarity but for its contradiction: the same leader who repeatedly promised to end regime-change operations abroad now appears to be flirting with the very kind of interventionist brinkmanship he once condemned.
Whether Trump is bluffing or not remains to be seen. But if he is seriously contemplating military action, three plausible scenarios present themselves.
[ Read more ][5]
[3]: https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-economy-israel-us-nuclear-8533eacbc3c502ccc5f5339ae4384399
[4]: https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/03/1147681
[5]: https://zeteo.com/p/iran-protests-trump-threatens-military
Meet the Iranian-Jewish-Israeli Comedian Who No Longer Believes in 'Coexistence'
It’s not often that Mehdi begins an interview saying, **“I am ashamed to say, as someone who’s followed the Israel-Palestine issue for many decades, I didn’t know anything about [the ‘Oasis of Peace’].”**
In the new episode of ‘We’re Not Kidding’, Mehdi is joined by Jewish-Israeli comedian Noam Shuster-Eliassi, who grew up in the small Israeli village nicknamed ‘The Oasis of Peace’. It’s the only place in Israel where Jews and Palestinians live together *voluntarily*. Noam is the subject of the new documentary ‘[Coexistence, My Ass!][1]’ (which was just [shortlisted][2] for the Academy Awards!) that tells the story of her political evolution from growing up as the poster-child of the “coexistence movement” to becoming a standup comedian determined to dismantle apartheid within Israel.
**“Let’s face it, the ‘peace community’ or the ‘coexistence community’ in Israel has failed miserably,”** Noam says. **“It can’t just be a romantic closeness. It has to be with a lot of political action.”**
[Subscribe now][3]
Mehdi and Noam also get into:
* Noam’s **“woke leftist parents” **and her **radical childhood**.
* How she went from working at the **United Nations** to becoming a** comedian**.
* The political satire that got her on [Israeli television][4].
* The effects of Oct. 7 on the Israeli comedy scene and the wave of **anti-Palestinian extremism**.
* Israeli *hasbara *and the power of its **propaganda machine**.
* And more…
*Free subscribers get a 5-minute preview of the video above while Zeteo’s paid subscribers can watch it in full. As always, you can also listen wherever you get your podcasts.*
[Spotify][5]
[Apple Podcasts][6]
*Don’t miss our **LIVE in-person event in DC:** Join **Mehdi**, **Swin**, **Joy Reid,** **Jim Acosta, Sarah Matthews,** **Miles Taylor, **and another **special guest** for a powerful evening at the Howard Theatre in **Washington, DC,** on **Tuesday, Jan 20, 2026**!*
[GET TICKETS HERE][7]
***Check out more from Zeteo:***
[ Read more ][8]
[1]: https://www.coexistencemyass.com/
[2]: https://press.oscars.org/news/98th-oscarsr-shortlists-12-award-categories-announced
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[4]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnASwpBwxWo
[5]: https://open.spotify.com/show/4ogT7ZvKhH04CInjNQbbdp
[6]: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/were-not-kidding-with-mehdi-friends/id1743028415
[8]: https://zeteo.com/p/meet-the-iranian-jewish-israeli-comedian
https://zeteo.com/p/meet-the-iranian-jewish-israeli-comedian
Bernie Sanders Speaks with Zeteo After Swearing In Zohran Mamdani
Thousands of New Yorkers descended upon City Hall early Thursday to welcome Mayor Zohran Mamdani to his new office. With winds gusting over 30 miles per hour, crowds huddled together like congregations of penguins; attendees handed out hand-warmers to each other.
Though the weather was frigid, the atmosphere at Mamdani’s inauguration was warmer. Singer Lucy Dacus soothed the crowd with her rendition of the labor ballad “Bread and Roses,” a favorite of the Democratic Socialists of America, whose New York chapter played a critical role organizing in support of Mamdani.
Imagine, days before Donald Trump’s second inauguration, someone telling you the following January would have Lucy Dacus singing “Bread and Roses” on the steps of New York City Hall to welcome a 34-year-old South Asian Muslim and Democratic socialist as mayor, to be sworn in by the nation’s most famous Democratic socialist, Sen. Bernie Sanders.
[Subscribe now][1]
While Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer quietly sat in the row behind, near disgraced ex-mayor Eric Adams, Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez kindled the crowd, helping them momentarily forget their shivers.
At one point, Sanders had to pause his speech amid an explosion of cheers. “Demanding that the wealthy and large corporations start paying their fair share of taxes –“ Sanders started, before being interrupted by huge cheers and chants to “tax the rich.”
“*As I was saying,” *Sanders restarted, with levity. “Demanding that the wealthy and large corporations start paying their fair share of taxes is not radical. It is exactly the right thing to do.”
**Zeteo** spoke with Sanders after the rally.
Sanders said it was very moving to see the multigenerational, multiracial coalition he had spent years building in front of him in the crowd on Thursday.
“What we are fighting for – a government that works for all and not just the few, a government based on economic, racial, social justice – this is not utopia, this is not some pie-in-the-sky idea. This is something the American people want and was manifested today,” he told **Zeteo**.
[Share][2]
In a barn-burning, 20-plus minute speech, Mamdani spoke of universalist values, a hyper-focus on unapologetically delivering on his agenda, and the necessity for the movement that elected him to stay active to help him accomplish that.
“For too long, those fluent in the good grammar of civility have deployed decorum to mask agendas of cruelty. Many of these people have been betrayed by the established order,” Mamdani said sharply.
“We will draw this city closer together. We will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism,” he continued, adding: “Because no matter what you eat, how you pray, or where you come from, the words that most define us are the two we all share: New Yorkers.”
**Watch the video above to hear directly from Sanders.**
If you missed the ceremony, you can [watch it all here][3].
*We are removing the paywall from this piece. Please [subscribe][4] to help us travel and do more reporting on the ground. If you’re already a subscriber – thank you. We would be honored if you’d consider [making a donation][5] to our operation to help us keep building Zeteo as we expand our mission in the new year.*
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https://zeteo.com/p/zohran-mamdani-bernie-sanders-inauguration-new-york-city-mayor
Watch Zeteo Subscribers From All Over the World Describe Why They Support Our Work
We asked, “**Why do you support Zeteo**?”
You answered.
Earlier last month, we put out a call to **Zeteo**’s subscribers to submit videos sharing why you choose to subscribe to us. We received countless responses from all over the world and put together this short compilation of some of the entries.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to submit (we will do another short compilation with other entries soon), and thank you to ALL of our subscribers for supporting us – and especially our **paid subscribers** for funding our work and our **founding members** for being **Zeteo’s** financial backbone when it comes to our biggest projects of the year. We *literally* couldn’t do all of this without you.
Speaking of — if you still haven’t become a **Zeteo **paid subscriber, you can take advantage of our 24-hour New Year’s Day sale and receive a 20% discount on the annual membership by clicking [here][1]. **Start off 2026 with full***** access*** to the best independent news outlet out there.
[GET 20% OFF AN ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP][2]
We’re just getting started.
> **Happy New Year!**
***DON’T MISS: **A special **LIVE in-person event**: Join **Mehdi**, **Swin**, **Joy Reid,** **Jim Acosta, Sarah Matthews,** **Miles Taylor, **and another **special guest** tbc for a powerful evening at the Howard Theatre in **Washington, DC,** on **Tuesday, Jan 20, 2026**!*
[GET TICKETS HERE!][3]
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WATCH: Prem Spots FBI Agents Responding to DC Fare Evasion and a Huge Crowd Chases Federal Agents Out of Area
Here’s what just a few minutes in Trump-occupied Washington, DC, looks like.
'The Lord Is Counting on Me to Stand on the Side of Israel': ICJ Judge Reveals Her Bias
Judge Julia Sebutinde, a Christian Zionist, was the sole dissenting vote on the ICJ ruling on Israel's illegal occupation and the only one to vote against all six 'provisional measures' for Gaza.
'I Don't Give a Sh*t What DJ Khaled Thinks' - Anees on Political Music, Cancel Culture, and Zohran Mamdani
The Palestinian-American singer-songwriter joins Mehdi to talk about changing careers from lawyer to musician, why some celebrities stay out of politics, and the power of music.
This Week in Democracy – Week 30: DC Gets Troops While Putin Gets a Red Carpet
Zeteo's project to document the ongoing, week-by-week growth of authoritarianism in Donald Trump's second term.
How White Resentment Fuels Trump’s Openly Racist Agenda
Catering to and protecting white Americans, as they go from majority to minority in the United States, is this far-right administration's organizing principle.
The Media's Normalization of Trump's Mental Un-Fitness with George Conway
The former Republican and Lincoln Project co-founder says Trump has a “rotten core” and blasts the media’s failures and double standards when it comes to covering the president.
https://zeteo.com/p/the-medias-normalization-of-trumps-mental-unfitness-george-conway
‘He Betrayed You’: Mehdi Presses Founder of Arab Americans for Trump
Watch Bishara Bahbah, who serves as an unofficial mediator between Trump and Hamas, try and defend the president on Gaza.
This Weekend, We Saw the UK Descend Into Censorship, Brutality, and Authoritarianism
Keir Starmer and Yvette Cooper's government arrested elderly protesters, a blind man using a wheelchair, and others – all in the name of providing diplomatic cover for a genocidal regime.
https://zeteo.com/p/uk-palestine-action-arrests-protests-censorship-authoritarianism
Who Is Ghislaine Maxwell? 7 Things You Need to Know About Jeffrey Epstein’s Partner-in-Crime
President Trump has not ruled out a pardon for the convicted sex trafficker. If she gets one, it'd be the biggest scandal in modern American history.
https://zeteo.com/p/who-is-ghislaine-maxwell-7-things-to-know-about-jeffrey-epstein-conspirator
‘A Game of Target Practice’: Doctors Back From Gaza Share Harrowing Stories of Israel’s Brutality in Exclusive Town Hall
In a shocking conversation, two British and American doctors share stories with Mehdi and subscribers about the violence they witnessed – and the heroism of Palestinians.
https://zeteo.com/p/doctors-gaza-humanitarian-foundation-target-practice
Settler Walks Free, As Israel Holds Body of Murdered Palestinian Hostage
Settlers are an intrinsic part of the Israeli state and the violence they perpetuate, such as the recent killing of Awdah Hathaleen, has been a key feature of Israel's occupation since 1967.
SCOOP: Contractor Leading Security for Gaza 'Aid' Sites Part of Infidels Biker Group That Seeks to Fight 'Islamic Extremism'
The US contract leader, who is supposed to help deliver aid to Palestinians, once promoted Israel as “God’s Chosen Nation" and was previously debarred from contracting with the government.
https://zeteo.com/p/scoop-ghf-gaza-security-contractor-infidels-motorcycle-club
Meet the 30-Year-Old Far-Right Provocateur Nominated by Trump to Investigate Jack Smith
Paul Ingrassia, who has defended Nick Fuentes and Andrew Tate and was only admitted to the bar last year, is Donald Trump's nominee to run the all-important Office of Special Counsel.
https://zeteo.com/p/who-is-paul-ingrassia-far-right-provocateur-investigation-jack-smith
'Stop Listening to Oligarchs!': Fired FTC Commissioner's Message to Both Trump and the Dems
Alvaro Bedoya, who served under Lina Khan, also discusses the Democratic Party's failure to embrace a populist, anti-corporate platform during the 2024 elections.
My Insane Jubilee 'Debate' vs the Far-Right Crazies
ICYMI: It's the viral YouTube video everyone is talking about. Have you watched it yet?
Why Was There More Outrage for Colbert's Cancellation Than for 2 Million Palestinians Starving in Gaza?
The liberal establishment gave outsized attention to Colbert compared to the increasingly dire hunger in Gaza.
‘Fascists Don’t Believe in Debate’: Mehdi Unpacks His Jubilee’s ‘Surrounded’ Debate
Zeteo’s CEO and founder took questions from hundreds of subscribers about his most insane debate yet.
On a Mission: Mahmoud Khalil Visits Capitol Hill
Today, I walked through the corridors of power with the Palestinian student protest leader.
Trump Wants This Pro-Israel 'Alpha Male' Islamophobe to Be the Top Diplomat in Malaysia
Picking Nick Adams to be US ambassador to Malaysia is yet another sign of Trump's contempt for international cooperation.
Meet the New Centrist Democrat Copying Zohran Mamdani
Zeteo imagines how the next class of centrist Democrats could take all the wrong lessons from Zohran Mamdani’s historic primary campaign.
Saying What Must Not Be Said – Viet Thanh Nguyen on Palestine, Liberation, and Justice
The Pulitzer Prize winner on why it is his duty as a writer to be political.
'Everyone Is at Risk': Trump and His Cronies Obliterate the Rule of Law
There's nothing hyperbolic about what just happened in DC.
UK Bans Palestine Action as 'Terror Group' - Mehdi & Owen on Censorship, Silencing of Pro-Palestinian Voices
Including the Bob Vylan Glastonbury scandal and the BBC refusing to air a film on doctors in Gaza… that they commissioned.
When Will the West Stop Exploiting Women’s Rights for Imperial Aims?
Nothing about the Israel-US war on Iran was about ‘liberating women.'
Who Is Abu Shabab? Meet the Gaza Gangster that Israel Armed to Counter Hamas
Netanyahu admits to supporting ISIS-linked Gaza gangs, who have been accused of stealing humanitarian aid and have become a proxy to advance Israel's aims.
https://zeteo.com/p/who-is-abu-shabab-meet-the-gaza-gangster
Don't Fall for Republicans' Federal Debt Con
Long before Trump's 'big beautiful bill,' Republicans proved they don't really care about the budget deficit.