Power, Protest, and the Presidency: The United States’ Current Political State

In the third episode of Pawlitics, hosts William and Abe are joined by guest Finn to take a hard look at the current state of American politics, ranging from ICE protests and tariffs to the dismantling of the Department of Education and the looming threat of a government shutdown. Drawing insight from Professor Steven Lamy’s (USC) talk at Polytechnic School, they examine how the Trump Administration’s foreign policy is reshaping America’s global reputation and international relations, as well as whether any meaningful enforcement mechanisms exist to check executive power. It’s a candid, wide-ranging conversation about protest, the presidency, and what it means to live in the United States right now.