Episode 38: Putin Plays, Trump Hedges, America Honks

Tuesday’s Ben Kissel Politics episode takes us from Moscow bedrooms to American highways.We look at how sexploitation has been a key driver in Vladimir Putin’s political success, blending propaganda, spectacle, and sexualized power plays to shape his image at home and abroad.Meanwhile, Donald Trump claims he knows nothing about Ghislaine Maxwell or her denied appeal but adds that he might “look into” possibly pardoning her—or not. Classic Trump: hedging every direction at once.And back here in the U.S., science confirms that political bumper stickers actually make road rage incidents worse. Turns out your “Don’t Tread on Me” decal might be doing more than just decorating your tailgate.