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Transcript:
Today is Monday, August 18, 2025, and this is your news and preview of today's show.
Over the weekend, Donald Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, in a high-stakes meeting that has drawn worldwide attention. The meeting, billed as a summit, produced no agreements, no concessions, and no joint commitments. U.S. service members rolled out a red carpet for President Putin’s arrival — an image that quickly spread worldwide.
The talks lasted three hours. Unlike past negotiations with North Korea, which at least produced statements about denuclearization, this meeting concluded without even symbolic promises. Analysts note that simply by attending, Putin gained a propaganda victory. Russian state media highlighted images of the U.S. hosting him, presenting the visit as international validation.
After the summit, Trump went on Fox News, where he repeated comments he said came directly from President Putin. Among them: a claim that mail-in voting is fraudulent and that he had, in Putin’s words, won the 2020 election “by so much.”
Defending the Alaska meeting has proven difficult for Trump’s own team. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, pressed on national television, declined to name any concrete concessions Russia made. When asked for specifics, he responded only that “concessions were asked” but would not identify them.
On social media, Trump renewed calls to eliminate mail-in ballots and voting machines. In a lengthy post, he promised to issue an executive order directing states to adopt paper-only ballots — despite the Constitution granting states authority over election administration.
These developments come as protests continue nationwide. More than 300 demonstrations have taken place across 44 states and the District of Columbia, with participants objecting to recent redistricting efforts and the expansion of presidential authority. In Austin, Texas, more than five thousand people gathered at the state capitol. In Washington, D.C., thousands marched from Dupont Circle to the White House, even as the National Guard was deployed. The protests have not slowed, and instead appear to be growing.
On the Bonus Show today:
Trump to meet with Zelensky today.
"Non-routine" white-collar workers are getting replaced by AI.
And Republican governors send National Guard troops to DC.
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