Useful Idiots with Katie Halper and Aaron Maté

Go to our sponsor https://venice.ai/useful and use code useful to enjoy private, uncensored AI. Using our code will get you 20% off a pro plan.This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at http://betterhelp.com/USEFUL and get on your way to being your best self.Check out DeleteMe and use our code IDIOTS for a great deal: https://joindeleteme.comSupport local jobs and get variety of high-quality clothing and activewear at https://www.american-giant.com and get 20% off your first order with promo code USEFUL. Thanks to American Giant for sponsoring the show!Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Click here for the full interviews with Dennis Kucinich and Joshua Landis: https://www.usefulidiotspodcast.com/p/rampage-in-syria-dennis-kucinich?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=falseFollow Professor Joshua Landis: https://x.com/joshua_landisFollow Congressman Dennis Kucinich: https://kucinichreport.substack.com/Watch this week's Thursday Throwdown: Aaron Maté DEMOLISHES Rabbi Schmuley on Piers Morgan https://www.usefulidiotspodcast.com/p/aaron-mate-demolishes-rabbi-schmuley?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=falseFor $6 a month, become a Useful Idiot! Get extended interviews, Thursday Throwdowns, and bonus content at http://usefulidiotspodcast.comJoin us LIVE on Youtube every Monday at 10am EST for Monday Mourning, where we watch the Sunday morning news shows so that you don't have to.“There have been widespread massacres along the coast of Alawites,” reports Professor Joshua Landis, Director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma. “This is a religious minority in Syria. They're also the community that backed Bashar al-Assad's regime. Most of the top officers in his security forces and intelligence service were Alawites. And so for that reason, the entire Alawite community has been labeled as guilty and is accused by these Jihadi militias of being guilty.”We don’t show the videos coming out of Syria this week in this episode, but Professor Landis describes the disturbing footage he’s seen.“They just slaughtered every Alawite male they could find along the coast. And not just men, although the vast majority were men. But in many instances, entire families were killed in their apartments. And we have a number of videos of mothers showing you their kids and their entire household who have been shot. A hundred and forty people were just slaughtered in the main town on the roads and the square. And you can see just horrible videos.”The narrative that we've been told in the west is that regime change is necessary to promote democracy around the world. But, Landis explains, though many Syrians justifiably hated the Assad government, the results of US foreign policy make things worse.“Americans believe that when they overturn dictatorships, they're going to get a democratic outcome. We convinced ourselves of this in Iraq, in Libya, in Afghanistan, that we could somehow mold these societies in our own image. And we've discovered that time and time again: we're wrong. And what has happened throughout the Middle East, whether it's the Taliban or Al-Qaeda or ISIS, is you're going to get these extremist militias.”We’re also joined by former Congressman Dennis Kucinich, who has visited Syria over a dozen times and studied its history.“This was so predictable,” he says of this week’s massacres. “The US has been involved for thirty years in an effort to take over Syria.” Kucinich explains the US role in Syria since his time serving in Congress, when he saw firsthand how Bush administration officials focused on helping Israel by employing disruption tactics throughout the Middle East.“The ongoing humanitarian crisis and severe sectarian violence in Syria are direct outcomes of policies dating back to the Clean Break doctrine of 1996, by a D.C. think tank which counseled Benjamin Netanyahu.”Share“The Clean Break doctrine laid the groundwork for aggressive policies toward Syria which emerged through an effort coordinated by the Bush White House as several authors of the Clean Break strategy ascended to federal government policy-making positions.” And as always, this was a bipartisan strategy. “The "Clean Break" approach was further advanced by Hillary Clinton, who, as Secretary of State, together with CIA Director David Petraeus, proposed arming Syrian rebels.”This, Kucinich explains, led to the CIA’s plot to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad, replacing him in 2024 with a new al-Qaeda-led government.Subscribe for the full interview with Dennis Kucinich in which he recounts his trip to Syria with now-Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, what Elon Musk should be doing with DOGE, and how he would end America’s debt crisis.00:00 Intro00:42 Chuck Schumer slanders Mahmoud Khalil08:32 Mike Johnson and Republicans gloat about arresting Mahmoud Khalil19:04 Trump's racist insult to Schumer20:36 Katie's shark-infested travel experience22:40 Joshua Landis interview23:02 What happened in Syria this week?24:36 Was this started by Assad-regime loyalists?31:37 Obama's Syria lie36:20 Will the al-Qaeda leader condemn these massacres?39:05 Is this what Israel wanted?43:11 Will sanctions finally be lifted?45:56 The Balkanization of Syria48:41 Dennis Kucinich interview49:03 The genesis of sectarian death squads in Syria52:20 Congressman goes to Syria55:12 Israel's Clean Break policy58:23 Tulsi Gabbard on Syria1:04:10 Trump's foreign policy1:07:34 What should Elon and DOGE really do?Our Sponsors:* Check out American Giant: https://american-giant.com/USEFUL* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com* Check out DeleteMe and use my code IDIOTS for a great deal: https://joindeleteme.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/useful-idiots-with-katie-halper-and-aaron-mate/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Go to our sponsor https://venice.ai/useful and use code useful to enjoy private, uncensored AI. Using our code will get you 20% off a pro plan.This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at http://betterhelp.com/USEFUL and get on your way to being your best self.Check out DeleteMe and use our code IDIOTS for a great deal: https://joindeleteme.comSupport local jobs and get variety of high-quality clothing and activewear at https://www.american-giant.com and get 20% off your first order with promo code USEFUL. Thanks to American Giant for sponsoring the show!Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Click here for the full interviews with The Duran's Alex Christoforou and Alexander Mercouris: https://www.usefulidiotspodcast.com/p/extended-episode-trump-and-rubio?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=falseFollow The Duran: https://www.youtube.com/theduranhttps://x.com/AMercourishttps://x.com/AXChristoforouSee Katie and Yanis live in Brussels on March 7: https://diem25.org/brussels-event-the-battle-for-europes-future-starts-now-yanis-varoufakis-katie-halper-grace-blakeley-and-melanie-schweizer/Watch this week's Thursday Throwdown: Trump Attacks Trans Mice; MSNBC Attacks a Child https://www.usefulidiotspodcast.com/p/trump-attacks-trans-mice-msnbc-attacks?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=falseFor $6 a month, become a Useful Idiot! Get extended interviews, Thursday Throwdowns, and bonus content at http://usefulidiotspodcast.comJoin us LIVE on Youtube every Monday at 10am EST for Monday Mourning, where we watch the Sunday morning news shows so that you don't have to.This week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio made a stunning and unprecedented statement to the world: he called the Ukraine war a proxy war.Rubio’s statement makes him the highest ranking official to admit what has been happening in Ukraine since the start of this war. Adam Schiff said it: “The United States aids Ukraine and her people so that we can fight Russia over there and we don’t have to fight Russia over here.” Lindsey Graham said it: “As long as we help Ukraine with the weapons they need and the economic support, they will fight to the last person.”Now Rubio: “I’ve been very clear from the beginning that President Trump views this as a protracted stalemated conflict, and frankly it’s a proxy war between…the United States and Russia.”The Duran's Alex Christoforou and Alexander Mercouris join the show this week to explain the history of the proxy war, the magnitude of this unprecedented statement, and why it could represent a major shift away from the last 30 years of US foreign policy.“Since 2014,” Alexander explains, “[the CIA] has basically been controlling Ukraine's intelligence services and has even trained people who have taken part in the assassinations of rebel leaders in the Donbas. Admissions are slowly coming out about what has preceded all of this and what helped provoke Russia to invade.”But Rubio’s statement could be more than an admission; it could be a policy shift. “It's just so unprecedented to get at this level. The secretary of state saying, ‘This is indeed a proxy war. It has to come to an end.’ I think Rubio knew exactly what he was doing. He made this extraordinary statement a few weeks ago that the unipolar moment is over, that the United States is one great power amongst several, that it must pursue its own interests, that the entire history period of American foreign policy has essentially come to an end. Which is a massive reversal of everything that the US has been saying it's been doing for the last thirty years.”Subscribe to hear the full interview with Alex and Alexander on whether a proposed peace deal would actually be accepted by Russia, why there hasn’t been a single US lawmaker to oppose any military spending for Ukraine, and if the Trump administration’s peace messaging will extend to their policies in the Middle East.00:00 Intro00:16 Dems protest Trump's speech by doing nothing07:41 Trump attacks free speech on college campuses13:38 "Jewish women with big racks" go to the ADL16:10 Democrats TikTok malfunction18:25 Alex Christoforou and Alexander Mercouris interview19:27 Will Trump end the Ukraine War?22:26 Rubio said it!25:09 The CIA is more involved than we realize30:55 Is Trump meeting with Zelensky's political opponents?37:22 The EU is all in on the war41:25 A pacified Russia45:30 Will Russia accept a deal?Our Sponsors:* Check out American Giant: https://american-giant.com/USEFUL* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com* Check out DeleteMe and use my code IDIOTS for a great deal: https://joindeleteme.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/useful-idiots-with-katie-halper-and-aaron-mate/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Go to our sponsor https://venice.ai/useful and use code useful to enjoy private, uncensored AI. Using our code will get you 20% off a pro plan.This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at http://betterhelp.com/USEFUL and get on your way to being your best self.Check out DeleteMe and use our code IDIOTS for a great deal: https://joindeleteme.comSupport local jobs and get variety of high-quality clothing and activewear at https://www.american-giant.com and get 20% off your first order with promo code USEFUL. Thanks to American Giant for sponsoring the show!Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Click here for the full interviews with Yanis Varoufakis: https://www.usefulidiotspodcast.com/p/extended-episode-yanis-varoufakis-928?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=falseSee Katie and Yanis live in Brussels on March 7: https://diem25.org/brussels-event-the-battle-for-europes-future-starts-now-yanis-varoufakis-katie-halper-grace-blakeley-and-melanie-schweizer/Watch this week's Thursday Throwdown: Brian Stelter: Voters Who Want Peace Are Illiterate https://www.usefulidiotspodcast.com/p/brian-stelter-voters-who-want-peace?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=falseFor $6 a month, become a Useful Idiot! Get extended interviews, Thursday Throwdowns, and bonus content at http://usefulidiotspodcast.comJoin us LIVE on Youtube every Monday at 10am EST for Monday Mourning, where we watch the Sunday morning news shows so that you don't have to.Useful Idiots’ resident economist Yanis Varoufakis returns to the show this week to analyze Trump and Musk’s chainsaw cuts to Medicaid, USAID, and other government programs, answering the important question: is it actually bad for a government to run a deficit?But before getting into the DOGE of it all, Varoufakis gives an economic explanation for how Trump reclaimed power, and whose fault it is.“Donald Trump is the creation of the Democratic Party's spectacular, lamentable failures,” he says. “The first time he was elected, it was entirely due to Barack Obama. Barack Obama betrayed every single promise or principle that he put forward in 2008.”And his reelection was a result of the same calculated missteps by the Dems. “The average American couldn't make ends meet. And yet the liberal establishment were saying you've never had it so good and you should celebrate the fact that we've had a recovery in the labor market and inflation. People couldn't make ends meet. And there was a Democratic establishment telling them that it was the best of all possible worlds. How dare you complain about your finances?”Just as he did after Obama, Trump capitalized on this: “Trump comes again and says, I'm looking you in the eye and I can recognize your pain and I'm going to make you great. So he got elected as a result of very concerted efforts by the Democrats to lose.”ShareBut will Trump follow through on these promises to help the working class, or will the donors in Mar-a-Lago trump the voters?“The Republicans,” Yanis explains, “are notorious for being exceptionally liberal when it comes to handing money to themselves, to their friends, to the financial and real estate community. They have no problem doing that. But they look at a single cent, nickel, or dime being spent on a poor person and they scream blue murder. Why? Because they are class warriors. They're in the business of conducting a vicious class war against the little people.”But the even harsher reality, he says, is the reason it will be so challenging to fix any of these problems: “Unfortunately, the Democrats have been even more efficient class warriors than the Republicans.”Subscribe for the full interview with Yanis Varoufakis where he explains this, plus why Amazon is “the wet dream of the Soviet Economic Planning Ministry,” how technofeudalism killed capitalism, and the real reason that Germany is so beholden to Israel (hint: it’s not Holocaust guilt like they say).00:00 Intro01:01 Dems are MAD about peace talks with Russia09:20 Trump's totally gonna cut Medicaid20:30 Jake Tapper lied about everything24:38 Meet the Snowflake: Christopher Rufo28:50 Yanis Varoufakis interview29:54 Less evil voting34:44 Will Trump lower the cost of eggs?38:59 Does government spending cause inflation?42:36 What is the impact of a deficit?45:30 Is it bad to run a deficit?51:15 They're lying through their teeth53:44 What is Elon Musk doing?58:22 What is technofeudalism?1:02:34 How do we stop Amazon?Our Sponsors:* Check out American Giant: https://american-giant.com/USEFUL* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com* Check out DeleteMe and use my code IDIOTS for a great deal: https://joindeleteme.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/useful-idiots-with-katie-halper-and-aaron-mate/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Go to our sponsor https://venice.ai/useful and use code useful to enjoy private, uncensored AI. Using our code will get you 20% off a pro plan.This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at http://betterhelp.com/USEFUL and get on your way to being your best self.Check out DeleteMe and use our code IDIOTS for a great deal: https://joindeleteme.comSupport local jobs and get variety of high-quality clothing and activewear at https://www.american-giant.com and get 20% off your first order with promo code USEFUL. Thanks to American Giant for sponsoring the show!------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Click here for the full interviews with Marta Havryshko: https://www.usefulidiotspodcast.com/p/ukrainian-historian-exposes-the-real?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=falseWatch this week's Thursday Throwdown: Rachel Maddow Incites a New January 6 Over Ukraine Peace Talks https://www.usefulidiotspodcast.com/p/rachel-maddow-incites-a-new-january?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=falseFor $6 a month, become a Useful Idiot! Get extended interviews, Thursday Throwdowns, and bonus content at http://usefulidiotspodcast.comJoin us LIVE on Youtube every Monday at 10am EST for Monday Mourning, where we watch the Sunday morning news shows so that you don't have to.“Every single day, we are losing territories. Every single day, we are losing people. Every single day, our children in Ukraine are suffering from these rocket attacks, drone attacks. And nobody knows what happened next.”Dr. Marta Havryshko is a Ukrainian historian and professor at Clark University. She has watched as the proxy war between the United States and Russia has destroyed her country.“Those who want to continue this disaster and this hell,” she says, calling out the proxy warriors and those who have criticized her for seeking peace, “are you ready to sacrifice your life? Are you ready to sacrifice the life of your brother, son, and other loved ones for this crazy idea that victory can be achieved?”Ukraine, she believes, was doomed from the beginning of the war.“Russia is bigger, Russia has a lot of resources, Russia has powerful friends. I can't even understand who in their right mind actually can believe that Ukraine can change the situation on the front line and retake all those territories.”Marta has watched as her family members were forced to fight and die for this proxy war. She shows us footage of the Ukrainian army chasing and kidnapping men as a method of forced conscription as the fighting population wanes.“Who will retake those territories? Many of my friends, many of my relatives are in the army now. They suffer from suicidal thoughts. They suffer from this desperation, frustration. But nobody can replace them because we have this problem with mobilization, we are running out of manpower.”And she explains who Ukrainians are blaming: “That's why the popularity of Zelensky nowadays is really low. Ukraine under Zelensky is not a democracy.”Subscribe for the full interview with Marta Havryshko on how western media whitewashes neo-Nazis, why comparing Putin to Hitler doesn’t work, and how Zelensky shut down TV channels to censor opponents.00:00 Intro01:43 Chuck Schumer: Influencer08:22 Trump's cutting Medicaid14:58 Fighting Trump with Dance17:25 NYT covers for a Hate Crime20:22 Marta Havryshko interview21:53 Will Trump Make Peace in Ukraine?31:48 Why she voted for Zelensky in 201935:29 WaPo's Scantily Clad War Propaganda40:08 Death Threats for Criticizing Nazis45:18 Zelensky, the Azov Battalion, and Corporate MediaOur Sponsors:* Check out American Giant: https://american-giant.com/USEFUL* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com* Check out DeleteMe and use my code IDIOTS for a great deal: https://joindeleteme.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/useful-idiots-with-katie-halper-and-aaron-mate/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Go to our sponsor https://venice.ai/useful and use code useful to enjoy private, uncensored AI. Using our code will get you 20% off a pro plan.This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at http://betterhelp.com/USEFUL and get on your way to being your best self.Check out DeleteMe and use our code IDIOTS for a great deal: https://joindeleteme.comSupport local jobs and get variety of high-quality clothing and activewear at https://www.american-giant.com and get 20% off your first order with promo code USEFUL. Thanks to American Giant for sponsoring the show!------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Click here for the full interviews with Quinn Slobodian and Michael Tracey: https://www.usefulidiotspodcast.com/p/extended-episode-what-is-elon-up?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=falseWatch this week's Thursday Throwdown: Rep. Anna Paulina Luna Calls on Ghost Witnesses from JFK Commission https://www.usefulidiotspodcast.com/p/rep-anna-paulina-luna-calls-on-ghost?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=falseFor $6 a month, become a Useful Idiot! Get extended interviews, Thursday Throwdowns, and bonus content at http://usefulidiotspodcast.comJoin us LIVE on Youtube every Monday at 10am EST for Monday Mourning, where we watch the Sunday morning news shows so that you don't have to.This week, the world saw the president of the United States sit quietly at his desk while the richest person in the world stood over him to take questions from reporters. It comes only days after another subservient look from “tough guy” Trump when he pushed in his boss’s chair like a waiter:While Netanyhu seems to be in complete control of Trump internationally, we’re turning to the domestic front to ask: how much power do Musk and the Broligarchy have over the president’s decisions?Quinn Slobodian, professor of international history at Boston University and author of the upcoming book Hayek's Bastards: Race, Gold, IQ, and the Capitalism of the Far Right, and journalist Michael Tracey join the show to unravel the mystery around Elon Musk, analyzing what he’s already done, what DOGE has the power to do, and how he plans to build his influence.Quinn explains the difficulty in putting a label on Musk, which he says is often helpful in giving a historical analysis for a person. Some call Musk a techno-fascist, others call him a libertarian, and others a tech oligarch. Quinn doesn’t quite agree with any of these labels, and begins building a new one.We also ask him about Steve Bannon, who has been replaced at Trump’s side by Musk, and whether there will be some kind of MAGA civil war between the pseudo-populists and the tech elites. And dive into how Elon Musk was shaped by the South African apartheid.Michael Tracey discusses Trump’s role in the Ukraine War. After Trump’s failed promise to end the war in “24 hours,” it’s become clear that he doesn’t plan to stop giving aid to Ukraine. And with reports of a historic phone call this week between Trump and Putin, what is next for Ukraine?Subscribe for the full interview with Michael Tracey on what Russia is willing to accept from Trump, the hypocrisy of the culture wars, and what Tulsi Gabbard’s confirmation as director of national intelligence means for foreign policy.00:00 Intro01:26 Dems are PISSED at constituents and activists09:49 Republicans are slashing Medicaid21:05 Trump calls FRAUD on policy he doesn't like24:39 Plastic straws and sharkaganda26:57 Quinn Slobodian interview27:40 How much power does Elon Musk have?31:12 The PayPal Mafia35:43 DOGE targets the Pentagon40:56 Musk got his contract under Biden48:23 Elon's obsession with population53:33 A MAGA civil war?57:02 The 5 Core Propositions of Elon Musk1:04:16 Michael Tracey interview1:04:54 Trump called Putin1:08:21 KGB spies in the White House1:13:13 How does Trump view Ukraine?1:20:47 Trump wants to raise military spending??1:24:12 What will Russia accept?Our Sponsors:* Check out American Giant: https://american-giant.com/USEFUL* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com* Check out DeleteMe and use my code IDIOTS for a great deal: https://joindeleteme.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/useful-idiots-with-katie-halper-and-aaron-mate/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Click here for the full interview with Brian Berletic: https://www.usefulidiotspodcast.com/p/extended-episode-former-marine-debunks?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=falseWatch this week's Thursday Throwdown: Trump Lackeys Sell “Bold, Fresh” Gaza Expulsion Plan https://www.usefulidiotspodcast.com/p/trump-lackeys-sell-bold-fresh-gaza?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=falseCheck out Brian's Youtube channel, The New Atlas: https://www.youtube.com/ @TheNewAtlas  For $6 a month, become a Useful Idiot! Get extended interviews, Thursday Throwdowns, and bonus content at http://usefulidiotspodcast.comJoin us LIVE on Youtube every Monday at 10am EST for Monday Mourning, where we watch the Sunday morning news shows so that you don't have to.Support local jobs and get variety of high-quality clothing and activewear at https://www.american-giant.com and get 20% off your first order with promo code USEFUL. Thanks to American Giant for sponsoring the show!Check out DeleteMe and use our code IDIOTS for a great deal: https://joindeleteme.comFormer U.S. Marine Brian Berletic, who focuses on geopolitics in Eurasia and hosts the informative Youtube show The New Atlas, joins Useful Idiots this week as Elon Musk and the Trump administration are gutting USAID and attempting to move it under the control of Marco Rubio’s State Department.Musk claims he’s “dismantling the Deep State.” Berletic, whose years as a marine gave him a harsh awakening about the reality of US hegemony, gives an in-depth analysis of what’s really going on.He explains why each side is up-in-arms over the issue: Dems are painting USAID as an all-loving agency that is essential to upholding Democracy around the world, while Republicans are crying wokeism by finding relatively trivial expenses in the fine print. Neither, Berletic says, are highlighting the real, and much more nefarious issues with USAID.“They have not mentioned foreign interference, regime change, subversion, stifling development, and they have not said that they are going to stop any of that.”“And here's a photo,” he shows us from the U.S. Government Counterinsurgency Guide, drafted in part by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). “Just think about how tone deaf or brazen they are to post this picture. This is a picture of the Philippines, the U.S. conquered the Philippines. There was an uprising because they wanted to be an independent nation. The US military brutally suppressed it. Mass murder, concentration camps. This is all listed on the State Department's website And so they're talking about insurgency, counterinsurgency, and USAID's role in the counterinsurgency process.”Subscribe for the full interview with Brian Berletic on Trump's fight with China for the Panama Canal, Brian’s realization of the sick acts committed by marines, and what the Deep State really is.00:00 Intro00:30 Schumer's embarrassing leadership05:52 Trump's ethnic cleansing plan for Gaza10:46 The most Trumpian exchange of all time12:29 Pro-Israel group threatens Norm Finkelstein with a pager16:10 Brian Berletic interview16:48 Debunking USAID rumors18:58 What USAID actually does23:47 Is Trump WITH the Deep State?26:15 The myth of the Radical Left27:28 Marco Rubio on USAID31:30 Trump tariffs vs Biden tariffs34:21 USAID and it's "open source" cronies like Bellingcat39:04 Talk about Russia meddling in elections!42:50 CIA's new priority: UNDERMINE CHINA45:30 The China Obsession48:59 How will China respond?50:54 WHAT IS THE DEEP STATE?Our Sponsors:* Check out American Giant: https://american-giant.com/USEFUL* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com* Check out DeleteMe and use my code IDIOTS for a great deal: https://joindeleteme.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/useful-idiots-with-katie-halper-and-aaron-mate/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Click here for the full interview with Mosab Abu Toha and Ramesh Srinivasan: https://www.usefulidiotspodcast.com/p/extended-episode-gazans-return-deepseek?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=falseWatch this week's Thursday Throwdown: Trump Exposes Hamas Condom Bombs https://www.usefulidiotspodcast.com/p/trump-exposes-hamas-condom-bombs?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=falseFor $6 a month, become a Useful Idiot! Get extended interviews, Thursday Throwdowns, and bonus content at http://usefulidiotspodcast.comJoin us LIVE on Youtube every Monday at 10am EST for Monday Mourning, where we watch the Sunday morning news shows so that you don't have to.Support local jobs and get variety of high-quality clothing and activewear at https://www.american-giant.com and get 20% off your first order with promo code USEFUL. Thanks to American Giant for sponsoring the show!This week we are joined by two guests, Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha and tech Professor Ramesh Srinivasan. First is Gazan poet Mosab Abu Toha, who recently won an Overseas Press Club Award for his “Letter from Gaza�� columns for The New Yorker, and authored the new poetry book is Forest of Noise. He is also the founder of the Edward Said Library in Gaza, which was destroyed by Israel.Over the course of Israel’s mass assault on Gaza, Mosab has lost 31 members of his family. He has expressed his catastrophic loss through poetry:“All of Gaza has become a funeral home,” Mosab explains to us, “because the mourners themselves are killed. Who is going to mourn the death of someone when their father, their mother, their siblings were killed? And sometimes we do the funeral on the phone. We call someone and say, ‘I'm so sorry to hear about your loss.’ And then a few minutes later, that person, the caller or the recipient of this condolence, would be killed.”Mosab also explains why he doesn’t consider this pause in Israel’s attacks on Gaza to be a ceasefire.“The whole area is a pile of rubble, so where do you place your tent? People are deciding to go back. Going back for what and for how long? No one knows. This is why it's not a ceasefire.”ShareWe also talk to Ramesh Srinivasan, professor of information studies at UCLA and author of Beyond the Valley: How Innovators around the World are Overcoming Inequality and Creating the Technologies of Tomorrow.The big news out of the tech world this week is that Chinese AI company DeepSeek has surpassed the abilities of ChatGPT. In response, the Trump administration imposed new tariffs against China, a move that exposes a fear of falling behind.We ask Ramesh: why does the US government see DeepSeek as a threat, and should regular Americans see this new AI as a potential for human progress or as a dangerous new advancement? His answer gives a clear explanation for why the US is losing the AI War so far.Ramesh also explains the surprising effect AI usage has on depleting natural resources.Subscribe for the full interview with Ramesh Srinivasan on how the government uses tech companies to spy on Americans through the Patriot Act, the lack of disclosure by Big Tech of anything that they’re doing behind the scenes, and what the oligarchs who sat front row at Trump’s inauguration are planning next to tighten their control.Plus, catch this week’s Thursday Throwdown: Trump Exposes Hamas Condom BombsThanks for supporting independent media. Subscribe for the full episode here:00:00 Intro01:05 Tulsi calls out Dems' support of Al Qaeda12:32 Tom Cotton admits democracy doesn't matter16:30 CNN fires Jim Acosta (and he tries to go Network)20:25 GOP calls it a DEI plane crash22:58 Mosab Abu Toha interview23:32 Is the ceasefire real?24:54 Poem: Gaza Has Become a Funeral Home28:28 The Edward Said Library31:26 His family in Gaza34:21 How Palestinians see Trump39:28 Ramesh Srinivasan interview40:12 DeepSeek beats ChatGPT42:01 Trump is afraid44:23 Is Chinese AI more nefarious?47:24 AI's impact on natural resources52:11 DeepSeek's energy consumption56:12 They're using the Patriot Act to watch usOur Sponsors:* Check out American Giant: https://american-giant.com/USEFUL* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com* Check out DeleteMe and use my code IDIOTS for a great deal: https://joindeleteme.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/useful-idiots-with-katie-halper-and-aaron-mate/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Click here for the full interview with Arnaud Bertrand: https://www.usefulidiotspodcast.com/p/extended-episode-the-tiktok-wars?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=falseWatch this week's Thursday Throwdown: Trump’s Creative Excuse for Hiring “Very Stupid Person” John Bolton https://www.usefulidiotspodcast.com/p/trumps-creative-excuse-for-hiring?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=falseFor $6 a month, become a Useful Idiot! Get extended interviews, Thursday Throwdowns, and bonus content at http://usefulidiotspodcast.comJoin us LIVE on Youtube every Monday at 10am EST for Monday Mourning, where we watch the Sunday morning news shows so that you don't have to.Support local jobs and get variety of high-quality clothing and activewear at https://www.american-giant.com and get 20% off your first order with promo code USEFUL. Thanks to American Giant for sponsoring the show!What is really behind the TikTok wars? According to Arnaud Bertrand, our guest this week, it’s less about Palestine content and more about good, old-fashioned American colonialism and hypocrisy.Bertrand, a French entrepreneur and political analyst based in Malaysia, who lived in China for eight years and has debated China with the likes of Adrian Zenz, reflects on the hypocrisy of the American government, which claims to respect the free market, but actually intervenes in business in order to ban a company for simply being Chinese:“This is the kind of stuff that Cuba would get accused of,” he explains, “talking about the evils of communism, like appropriating enterprises. It’s ironic that the United States government, which presents itself as this bastion of entrepreneurship, free market, where the government doesn't meddle, is doing exactly that.”“If [the Tik Tok ban] goes through, it sets a very worrying precedent because basically what it's saying is that, if as a non-American tech company, you make it big, then basically we're going to try to colonize you. It's digital colonialism.”The fairness of the free market, Arnaud explains, is reserved only for American companies. Beyond that, the government steps in for control.“It completely destroys the incentive for any country. It's already so hard to succeed given the odds on how dominated the landscape is by American VCs and American tech companies. If you're one of the lucky few that finally make it, then you're forced to sell to the Americans. It's definitely not right and that's a precedent that I don't think should be set.”The irony is that the crackdown on TikTok has brought Chinese people and American people together as Americans are migrating to the Chinese platform Red Note.Subscribe to hear the full interview with Arnaud Bertrand on the myths the West tells about Chinese culture, China’s roll in the Ukraine-Russian War, and the claim that China is engaging in a genocide against the Uyghurs.00:00 Intro00:55 Fmr CIA Director is still lying about Hunter's laptop06:14 Elise Stefanik goes biblical on Israel10:10 Trump wants Gaza's real estate12:29 The ADL loves Elon's N*zi salute22:35 Israeli throws a kitten off a roof27:00 Arnaud Bertrand interview27:40 The TikTok War34:55 DeepSeek and OpenAI37:36 Israeli censorship on TikTok39:57 Digital Colonialism45:14 Neocolonialism47:23 Trump's new tariffs54:07 China's role in the Ukraine/Russian WarOur Sponsors:* Check out American Giant: https://american-giant.com/USEFUL* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com* Check out DeleteMe and use my code IDIOTS for a great deal: https://joindeleteme.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/useful-idiots-with-katie-halper-and-aaron-mate/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Watch this week's Thursday Throwdown: Biden’s Ceasefire Joke https://www.usefulidiotspodcast.com/p/bidens-ceasefire-joke?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=falseFor $6 a month, become a Useful Idiot! Get extended interviews, Thursday Throwdowns, and bonus content at http://usefulidiotspodcast.comJoin us LIVE on Youtube every Monday at 10am EST for Monday Mourning, where we watch the Sunday morning news shows so that you don't have to.Support local jobs and get variety of high-quality clothing and activewear at https://www.american-giant.com and get 20% off your first order with promo code USEFUL. Thanks to American Giant for sponsoring the show!This week, after over a year of genocide in Gaza, Israel and Hamas have finally reached a tentative ceasefire deal:“The giant loophole in this deal is that it comes in three phases. A permanent ceasefire comes in the second phase. The first phase is a limited prisoner exchange, and so Hamas has very little reason to believe that Israel will go into this and actually see it through to the end of the three phases.”And here’s another trick: this quote isn’t from this week – it’s from our interview with Nathan Thrall in May 2024 regarding the ceasefire deal that was never implemented. But Gazan writer Muhammad Shehada, who is based in Copenhagen but with family still in Gaza, points out this week’s deal is remarkable similar to the one from May:“I started reading through [the recent deal],” he tells us, “and I looked up the May 27th deal. I read the whole text: word-for-word identical, one hundred percent, not a change. There's only an appendix of elaborations.”So we’re having onto the show former Israeli negotiator Daniel Levy and Muhammad Shehada to analyze why this deal is back, whether it will actually signal an end to the mass killings in Gaza, and what really happened in the negotiations between Trump and Netanyahu.“Could this then lead to a quid pro quo down the line where Netanyahu gets something from Trump that will be horrific for Palestinians, such as expanded theft of West Bank land?”Daniel Levy also discusses “Bloody Blinken’s” terrible track record as Secretary of State, which has become a pressing matter as Blinken is now having journalists dragged out of press briefings for challenging him on his complicity in the genocide in Gaza. Muhammad Shehada discusses the Biden Administration’s false history of ceasefire negotiations, and shares what it has been like to lose so many friends and family in Gaza.This week’s interview is free to all viewers. Thanks for your support of Useful Idiots and independent media.Correction: Trump’s Middle East envoy is named Steve Witkoff. He was wrongly identified at 5:00.Plus, catch this week’s Thursday Throwdown: Biden’s Ceasefire Joke00:00 Intro01:26 Protesters interrupt Blinken's farewell04:44 Trump Admin's response to ceasefire10:25 NY Post mocks Biden for the wrong thing15:53 ADL CEO proposes IDF terrorism against US protesters17:49 Blinken has reporters DRAGGED OUT of press conference24:36 Daniel Levy on the ceasefire deal27:52 Netanyahu's motive30:34 Is this Biden's fault?34:07 Does Trump get credit?37:57 What motivates Blinken?41:33 Muhammad Shehada read the full ceasefire agreement55:16 Are Israeli officials more honest than US officials?58:45 Will Israel follow the agreement?1:03:09 Is this deal the same as the May 27 deal?1:06:39 Does Hamas want to stay in power?1:21:04 Muhammad's friends and family in GazaOur Sponsors:* Check out American Giant: https://american-giant.com/USEFUL* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com* Check out DeleteMe and use my code IDIOTS for a great deal: https://joindeleteme.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/useful-idiots-with-katie-halper-and-aaron-mate/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Click here for the full interview with Dave Smith: https://www.usefulidiotspodcast.com/p/dave-smith-a-jewish-libertarian-comedian?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=falseWatch this week's Thursday Throwdown: Trump Pins January 6 On Hezbollah https://www.usefulidiotspodcast.com/p/trump-pins-january-6-on-hezbollah?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=falseFor $6 a month, become a Useful Idiot! Get extended interviews, Thursday Throwdowns, and bonus content at http://usefulidiotspodcast.comJoin us LIVE on Youtube every Monday at 10am EST for Monday Mourning, where we watch the Sunday morning news shows so that you don't have to.Support local jobs and get variety of high-quality clothing and activewear at https://www.american-giant.com and get 20% off your first order with promo code USEFUL. Thanks to American Giant for sponsoring the show!Dave Smith is Part of the Problem. He’s a Jewish, anti-Zionist, libertarian comedian who makes a lot of people mad – but today he’s on Useful Idiots to make us laugh. And you’ll see very quickly how his no-nonsense approach to foreign policy matches almost perfectly with the progressive anti-war mindset.“My beef with Israel,” Dave explains, “has nothing to do with how I feel about Jewish people. I just think you can't occupy a group of people and then indiscriminately slaughter them. That's not cool.”And here’s where the libertarian comes in: “And why on earth should I be forced to fund that, especially when it's so clearly at the expense of my country and my country's interests? Syria is the perfect example of this. On one side you have Al Qaeda, the enemy of the American people. And on the other side, you have Bashar al-Assad, the enemy of the Israeli government. And who are we picking? We're picking the enemy of my country's people. It's such an outrage.”But as Useful Idiots knows all too well, speaking out brings a flood of outrage and name calling. But outrage and names, Dave explains, is about all they’ve got.“If that's the counter argument then you really must be on weak ground. You know whatever I'm a Putin-apologist or I'm a terrorist-lover or a self-hating Jew or a Nazi or whatever you want to say. It's just so dumb, are we in the third grade?”But his common-sense, anti-war argument is far from mainstream, especially in places where the government can dominate thinking in both the media and the culture itself. “It’s the dynamic under the U.S. dominant culture,” he says. “If joe Biden or Donald Trump or Barack Obama were to drone bomb a wedding in Yemen, which is something they tend to do, and they kill like six children and fourteen adults and a couple hundred others were wounded; and then that same day they gave a press conference and they said ‘I don't believe [x culture issue],’ what would be the big outrage of the day?”Subscribe for the full interview with Dave Smith for his takes on Ben Shapiro, Candace Owens, Jake Shields, how Israel has created more antisemitism, and a progressive vs libertarian debate on welfare.00:00 Intro01:58 Ro Khanna admits Dems sold out workers07:37 LA mayor cut LAFD funds (and gave them to the LAPD)12:22 Trump thinks Canada should be honored to be annexed18:37 Biden makes the wildfires about himself20:56 ABC reporter's wardrobe trick busted during LA fire23:16 Dave Smith interview24:09 Trump and Obama BFFs27:45 Dems are changing their messaging31:04 Is MAGA a cult?35:31 Trump is untouchable41:21 Chomsky or Trump?43:45 Why Dave rejected Zionism50:25 Welfare: Progressive vs Libertarian DebateOur Sponsors:* Check out American Giant: https://american-giant.com/USEFUL* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com* Check out DeleteMe and use my code IDIOTS for a great deal: https://joindeleteme.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/useful-idiots-with-katie-halper-and-aaron-mate/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Watch this week's Thursday Throwdown: CNN Drunkenly Admits It’s Fake News https://www.usefulidiotspodcast.com/p/cnn-drunkenly-admits-its-fake-news?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=falseFor $6 a month, become a Useful Idiot! Get extended interviews, Thursday Throwdowns, and bonus content at http://usefulidiotspodcast.comJoin us LIVE on Youtube every Monday at 10am EST for Monday Mourning, where we watch the Sunday morning news shows so that you don't have to.Support local jobs and get variety of high-quality clothing and activewear at https://www.american-giant.com and get 20% off your first order with promo code USEFUL. Thanks to American Giant for sponsoring the show!Healthcare workers are being targeted and killed by Israel in Gaza. This hasn’t stopped American doctor Tanya Haj-Hassan from repeatedly going back.“I think it's normal to have some fear for your own safety,” she tells us. “You're going into a war zone where essentially there is indiscriminate killing of everybody. But at the same time, our colleagues have been enduring this for fifteen months straight. And it's intolerable and unbearable to watch it from the outside.”Despite the oath she and every other doctor took to care for people, Tanya describes a "Palestinian exception": “When you work in the American healthcare system, you aren't given the freedom to show solidarity with Palestinian healthcare workers, with the Palestinian people, with patients, to express outrage about the intentional targeting of the healthcare system and healthcare workers. And you are either directly or indirectly attacked if you show solidarity in this way. True solidarity means risking something. And I can tell you as someone who's working in the North American healthcare system that we are silenced, and that when we speak out, we pay the price.”But to Dr. Haj-Hassan, remaining silent isn’t an option. “Being silent in the face of the intentional decimation of an entire healthcare system, the intentional killing and targeting of healthcare workers, the intentional detention and torture of healthcare workers for no other crime other than providing healthcare is complicity.”So, Tanya shares the harrowing stories of her time in Gaza, and while it’s very hard to hear, it is more important than ever to bear witness to the crimes committed against the Palestinian people.Share“You just finish mourning the loss of somebody you know,” Tanya shares, “and then you receive the next bit of news. And I think that's characteristic of everything we've been witnessing since October of last year. Just as an example, on Christmas Day, five journalists in a press marked vehicle were killed by a direct airstrike. A day later, Kamal Adwan Hospital is raided and burned down. Dr. Hassan Abu Safiya, the director, is, we're told, beaten and taken away to Israeli prisons.”Dr. Hassan Abu Safiya, who was photographed bravely walking towards Israeli tanks, was already injured by Israel. His son had already been murdered by Israel. Yet he refused to leave the hospital. His pleas for help to the international community were ignored. His hospital was destroyed. And now he is reported to be in the notorious Sde Teiman prison, where Dr. Adnan Al-Bursh was killed and, according to witnesses, essentially raped to death.Dr. Haj-Hassan continues: “And if it happened anywhere else in the world or it had happened in isolation, you'd have time to report on it and to share it with the world. But you just you move on the next day.”Tanya also talks about pushing back on a CNN reporter and explaining that this is not some natural humanitarian crisis. This is genocide. And she reacts to the hateful smearing of child-educator and youtuber Ms. Rachel who is being called an antisemite for saying "children have the right to live." And Tanya debunks the malicious claim that children in Gaza aren't really freezing to death.Listen to and share this interview with Dr. Tanya Haj-Hassan. Thanks for your support of independent media and healthcare workers.00:00 Intro01:14 MSNBC has been watching Useful Idiots06:44 Trump blames NOLA terrorism on the border10:25 Patrick Bet-David's Thinking Room14:55 Pentagon "finds" 100% more US troops in Syria19:30 Israelis Say the Racistest Things21:54 Dr. Tanya Haj-Hassan interview22:32 Stories from Gaza25:41 Calling out CNN (on CNN)27:56 The media is complicit33:40 The Doctors of Gaza41:12 Dr. Abu Safiya is kidnapped and tortured46:58 The price healthcare workers pay48:24 The Palestinian healthcare system53:19 UNRWA56:36 They burned down a hospital1:00:13 Stories of Gazans1:04:40 Do you fear going to Gaza?1:08:13 Dr. Abu Safiya's Diary1:17:27 Is Ms. Rachel Antisemitic?Our Sponsors:* Check out American Giant: https://american-giant.com/USEFUL* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com* Check out DeleteMe and use my code IDIOTS for a great deal: https://joindeleteme.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/useful-idiots-with-katie-halper-and-aaron-mate/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Watch our Thursday Throwdown: Aaron Maté Silences Piers Morgan Panel with Facts on Syria & Palestine https://www.usefulidiotspodcast.com/p/aaron-mate-silences-piers-morgan?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=falseFor $6 a month, become a Useful Idiot! Get extended interviews, Thursday Throwdowns, and bonus content at http://usefulidiotspodcast.comJoin us LIVE on Youtube every Monday at 10am EST for Monday Mourning, where we watch the Sunday morning news shows so that you don't have to.If you want to experience smoother digestion, a boost of energy, and an overall healthier body go to http://roundhouseprovisions.com/USEFUL for up to 44% off your regular-priced order plus a 90-day, money-back guarantee!Support local jobs and get variety of high-quality clothing and activewear at https://www.american-giant.com and get 20% off your first order with promo code USEFUL. Thanks to American Giant for sponsoring the show!“I think the reasonable conclusion is that Gaza is no more. There's nothing left in Gaza.”Monday the 7th marked one full year of genocide in Gaza, the darkest era of a decades-long occupation by Israel, which has now begun to spread into the broader Middle East region.This week we’re joined by Gaza expert and Useful Idiots fan-favorite Norman Finkelstein to look back on this genocidal year.Norm points out that this is not, as Western and Israeli media claims, an “Israel-Hamas war.” This is not war. This is genocide. And Israel is not targeting Hamas; they are killing civilians, destroying civilian infrastructure, and picking off journalists, health workers, and children.“I read this letter,” he tells us, “from sixty-five physicians from around the world who gave testimony as to what they observed. And every one of the physicians testified that the children who were coming into the hospital had bullet wounds to the skull or to the chest. No shrapnel. It wasn't bombs and shrapnel. It was targeted bullet wounds to the skull and to the chest of children. What does that have to do with war?”“There were fifty-four disabled children who used the school in the convent complex. They fired two shells at it. What does that have to do with war?”Norman also recalls meeting Hezbollah members, and shares what he got wrong about the organization. “Israel, he says, “is willing to kill for material benefit, and Hezbollah and Hamas are willing to die for survival” He also recounts his time meeting Hamas leaders, and explains Israel’s unfair advantage:“Israel is the entrenched, concentrated manifestation of Western imperialism. It's got deep roots. It's got the whole Western system behind it, that Western system which won't let go. It will nuke China before it lets go of its global dominance. And in order to defeat it, it requires a very long-term struggle and intense calculation.”Subscribe for the full interview where Norman explains this despair, and the generational hopelessness which lacks historical precedent.“Our generation,” he laments, “has, for good reason, lost the belief, the conviction that we have the force of history behind us. That we have the force of justice behind us. Our generation believes there's a good chance we'll be defeated. There's a good chance we're not going to win.”But that doesn’t mean we should give up.“The only thing I can say as a conclusion is you never know. You can only know one thing for certain: If you do nothing, it can only get worse.”It’s that certainty that he says keeps him going. “If you resist, there are moments where it looks very grim. And then there's that folk song, it's always darkest before the dawn. It's this hope that keeps me carrying on. It's always darkest before the dawn.”“There's another reality. There's something in the human constitution that simply can't do nothing. In the face of such death and devastation, you just can't.”Our Sponsors:* Check out American Giant: https://american-giant.com/USEFUL* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com* Check out DeleteMe and use my code IDIOTS for a great deal: https://joindeleteme.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/useful-idiots-with-katie-halper-and-aaron-mate/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy