The Atlantic Current

For the first time, Tull and Vince record in person from an undisclosed location in Ireland. The witty, wide-ranging conversation covers America’s 250th birthday (and why Vince is fine missing it), a potential scandal in Galway, and the collapse in cryptocurrency prices.

As a politician, Donald Trump has been analyzed, covered, and discussed more than anyone in modern history. But that discussion has obscured a fascinating pre-political career in which Trump had a huge impact on American culture — and reflected so many of the major trends across the country in the postwar period. In Part I of this multi-episode event, Vince and Tull look at Donald Trump’s childhood, why Manhattan was always the goal, and how the dynamics of the Trump family shaped Donald Trump as an entertainer and, eventually, as a president.

Tull and Vince tour a number of stories that highlight broader problems across the United States and Europe. Manna’s decision to pause operations in Ireland leads to claims that the country has become a “vetocracy” and highlights a rising backlash against tech. In the North, Jeffrey Donaldson faces punishment for his crimes. In the US, Republicans continue to argue — with hysterically poor evidence — that others should as well. But the episode closes on a lighter note, with a look at the success of the World Cup and some timely craic on what it tells us about Europeans and Americans.

Tull details the stunning — and infuriating — history of Aughinish Alumina in County Limerick. While the plant has made international news amid revelations that its output appears to be supporting the Russian war machine, the larger scandal may well center on the health of area citizens and the effect on their environment. It’s a scandal underpinned by four decades of indifference from and neglect by Irish politicians — up to and including the current Taoiseach himself.

Tull and Vince discuss the riots in Belfast which saw 61 families burned out of their homes. Tull forcefully argues that the violence was a pogrom, one that provided a disturbing flashback to the Troubles. Vince highlights why the events in Belfast have captured attention in the US, and how those that excuse the violence are making the same error as so many Americans in recent years. It’s a grim but insightful episode about an issue that both agree is not going anywhere.

Meredith Oglivie-Thompson returns to the podcast to discuss the Enhanced Games, the oligarch-created, (legal) drug-infused athletic competition recently held in Las Vegas. The event — and the publicly-traded company behind it — says so much about how tech billionaires view mortality, morality, and the rest of us. An occasionally dark, but as always illuminating, look at the new ruling class, where they want all of us to go, and how they plan to get us there.Visit Meredith's Substack "All That I Have Met" at https://meredithogilviethompson.substack.com

With Tull out, standup comedian Butch Bradley joins the podcast for an uproarious global tour. Vince and Butch catch up on their time on the stage together and why Irish descent provides an edge in the comedy business. Butch also discusses his Durty travels across the world, the impact of Donald Trump on Atlantic City, and why the Irish should have pity on their American cousins.Check out Butch on Laugh After Dark at laughafterdark.tv!

On the heels of a bizarre week, Tull and Vince dig into the president’s intellectual capacity. The case is simple: Donald Trump does not know how the world works. The ten dumbest things he has said — aloud and publicly — in his political career prove as much. A dark and riotous episode provides a fresh look at what has become all too normalized.Check out atlanticcurrent.substack.com for show notes, updates, and more, including a heavy dose of source material and added context for this episode.

Tull and Vince delve into elections in the two countries. Why election spending in Ireland looks so bizarre to an American — and why US expenditures look so corrupt to a European. Tull’s origin story is revealed, Irish weather confounds, and Vince admits to a felony.Check out atlanticcurrent.substack.com for show notes, updates, and more!

As another Ebola outbreak threatens Central Africa, Vince and Tull are joined by journalist Meredith Ogilvie-Thompson, who spent years covering stories — and witnessing past outbreaks — across the Continent. They discuss the importance of US aid cuts, the infrastructure and competence of African nations, and the counterproductive destruction by DOGE.Check out atlanticcurrent.substack.com for show notes, updates, and more!And visit Meredith's Substack — one of the best out there — at https://meredithogilviethompson.substack.com

Vince and Tull wrap up the key by-elections in Galway West and Dublin Central. The takeaways in each district, what they mean for two of the major parties (and their leaders), and where Ireland goes from here.

Tull and Vince discuss the wave of stories that seem to highlight corruption within the Trump Administration, led by the president himself. But Vince takes a surprising angle — and provides a defense of Donald Trump, albeit in a perhaps more damning way. One of the darker, and definitely most darkly funny, episodes of the series so far.

The pod gets its first guest: Richard Collumb, described by one minister as “the best director of elections ever”. Collumb provides expert insights into Friday’s by-elections in Galway West and Dublin Central, seeing good news for one government party, trouble for another, and the potential for not one, but two, leadership changes in the near future.

Vince and Tull return to the war between the US, Israel and Iran in a bid to understand what, exactly, Donald Trump can do from here. (The answer seems to be: not much.) Then, yet another questionable claim from a Sinn Féin TD sparks a discussion about the party’s willingness to embrace conspiracies, and the role of similar theories in US politics over the years.

A Cabinet Secretary’s road trip — and his wife’s bizarre rationalization — highlights the space created for corruption in the U.S., though Tull and Vince debate what, precisely, is going on at the top of the Administration. Meanwhile, Sinn Féin makes yet another misstep, while Tull highlights the importance and reach of the rebounding Irish native language.

An op-ed in the Wall Street Journal sparks a discussion on the relative wealth between Europe and the United States. Is the Continent really falling further behind? And why can’t everyone be like the United States? Plus why a key Irish civil servant needs to fly more, and how Tull and Vince are contributing to the destruction of the global media.Check out atlanticcurrent.substack.com for show notes, updates and more!

Tull previews the upcoming Irish bye-elections. The trends to watch, the candidates who are favored, and the narratives that will emerge later this month. Vince provides some comparisons to the American system — and a few interesting observations from the outside.Check out show notes, updates and more at atlanticcurrent.substack.com.

Tensions are rising on both sides of the Atlantic. Irish and American voters express disappointment even as — in some ways — things have never been better. Disinformation, (alleged) gangsters, and threats to the American midterms add to the sense of worry — but a few detours into sandwiches, insects, and the most insane coup ever attempted add some levity to the insights.YouTube link for the history of US oil this century (7 minute clip):https://youtu.be/jTxYhWXkJtg

Another assassination attempt on Donald Trump further inflames what Tull has long called an ongoing “cold civil war”. The instant explosion in conspiracy theories — now apparently the domain of both sides of the political divide — only adds to a sense that in America reality itself is fracturing. Vince charts an unlikely path for President Trump, while Tull offers a way out for nervous Americans.

Tull and Vince open with coverage of Kash Patel’s alleged exploits and errors as director of the FBI — but focus more closely on an interview Patel gave days later on Fox News. As Trump voters are fed an increasingly coordinated and aggressive narrative promising retribution and arrests of Democratic officials and leaders, the midterm elections loom. While the broader media touts ‘exclusives’ with the president and press conferences focus on negotiations with Iran, a dangerous undercurrent is flowing toward November.

Part II of the news roundup resumes the search for a Trump scapegoat — and lands squarely on the man occupying the most hated job in Washington. After ending so many episodes on a darker note, Vince closes with a joyful retelling of the long, sordid, bizarre, and often-hysterical story of Mark Sanford.Visit atlanticcurrent.substack.com to subscribe to show notes, updates, and more!

Nationwide fuel protests are at an end, but pressure on Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin is starting to rise. After twelve years of potential challenges to his leadership, has a real threat emerged?In the US, the executive branch is similarly embattled. But as Trump looks for an exit from Iran, will he need a scapegoat in the process?Check out https://atlanticcurrent.substack.com/ for detailed show notes, updates, and more!

In the wake of massive fuel protests, Tull highlights the importance of social media in domestic politics. On the other side of the Atlantic, Vince uses the longest (and likely most interesting) story about gas stoves ever recorded to highlight the effect of social media on the American right.

Tull and Vince explain why they’re not talking about Iran (Vince’s mental health being one core reason), and instead pivot to large-scale, wild, and logically questionable protests sweeping Ireland at the moment. Tull gives detailed accounts from the ground; as always, Vince provides the American perspective, along with his experiences at a university where protests were so common they inspired their own movie.

After a harrowing weekend and ahead of a major deadline, Tull and Vince focus on Donald Trump’s ability to keep prosecuting the war in Iran. That ability rests on his base; Vince highlights how the perception of MAGA supporters is diametrically opposed to that of essentially the entire rest of the world.

This episode wasn’t supposed to be about Tull’s predictions playing out — but there’s no other choice. Whether it’s energy prices, the global economy, turmoil in the White House, or crazy trading in prediction markets, the pessimistic view gained steam this week. With no shortage of (often dark) humor, Tull and Vince discuss how it happened and where the US and world can go from here.

For the 30th episode, Tull and Vince tackle guns. In Ireland and Europe, they are tools used for hunting and occasional police work; in the US, they carry intense cultural, political, and even emotional weight. Vince tries desperately to explain how and why a nation with 45,000 gun deaths annually seemingly can do so little to solve the problem.

The TACO acronym returns as Donald Trump looks for an off-ramp in Iran — yet none looks viable. At home, the Administration deals with an epidemic of insider trading and an increasingly agitated electorate. Vince fights the conventional wisdom about Congressional corruption, while Tull offers a glorious rant about the staggering sums paid to Irish civil servants.

Tull and Vince lean on years of experience to tackle the disparate views of the stock market and investing in the US, Ireland, and Europe. The episode moves on to the history of American-driven financial crashes, cracks in the credit market, the joy and horror of crypto, and the increasingly blurry line between investing and gambling, with some well-timed acronym humor thrown in.

Tull and Vince circle the globe. Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin pulls off a high-risk meeting with Trump, while a stunning visit from the Japanese prime minister to DC proves one of Vince’s long-held theories. Soaring energy prices are pressuring Europe and Asia, and show a lack of preparation for the effects of the attacks. Denmark incredibly prepares for war with the U.S., Americans have a gambling problem, and Gerry Adams faces a court.

Vince and Tull (mostly) depart from global politics for a special episode on St. Patrick’s Day, delivered a day earlier than usual. No better way to prepare for a global holiday than a crackling conversation between an Irishman and an American.On St. Patrick himself, the risk facing Micheál Martin during his traditional visit to the White House, and the most offensive and downright silly Irish-American traditions for the day.

Tull and Vince start in Ireland, where both President Catherine Connolly and Sinn Fein are in the news for the wrong reasons. Vince highlights the growing belief on the American right about rigged elections, and predicts trouble ahead in November, while Tull details one of the funnier voter fraud cases of the century, and closes by wondering whether the war in Iran will change the Middle East for good.

The war in Iran spikes energy prices in Europe, and raises questions about the American endgame. Meanwhile, the White House makes war into a meme, and Tull and Vince debate whether anyone wants to listen to anything about COVID.

After five days of strikes in Iran by the US and Israel, Tull and Vince take stock. Comments from Donald Trump suggest a massive, and permanent, change in America’s relation to the world. Europe walks a tightrope, and the two battle over petrol and gasoline.

Tull and Vince do their first “emergency pod” as US and Israeli forces strike Iran. The obvious question: is this another Iraq? Vince and Tull debate, and both offer their predictions for how this very uncertain situation will play out.

A week with major events in the US provides surprisingly little impact, and so Tull and Vince pivot (mostly) to less-covered news. Internal IRS discussions raise yet more risk to the rise of Big Tech in Ireland; a ham-fisted and fatal attempt to enter Mar-a-Lago charges conspiracy theories; the “Clonakilty Test” replaces the “Turing Test” and Vince asks Tull if Ireland feels like it’s on shaky ground.

Tull and Vince discuss the role of the military in their respective countries. Tull explains why Irish neutrality is something of a myth, while Vince details the long-running effects of World War II and Vietnam on American politics. The Irish have the Triple Lock, and Americans a deep-seated belief in their moral superiority. Tull closes by providing Vince a "brutal but brilliant" take on the dimming perception of the US overseas.

Tull and Vince cover the sudden, dark turns for both Seamus Culleton and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. As always, Donald Trump makes an appearance: the billions raked in by his family this term, his confusing attitude toward the press, and the very real risk of a military attack on Iran in the not-too-distant future.

With some help from ChatGPT, Tull and Vince discuss the rapid rise of artificial intelligence. Will AI lead to abundance and bliss — or the enslavement of humanity? And can ChatGPT predict the future of The Atlantic Current, or, in the most human way possible, is it simply trying to insert itself in the episode? A thought-provoking, often funny, and occasionally bizarre episode.

Tull and Vince discuss the case of Seamus Culleton, an Irish immigrant currently held in ICE detention. New revelations have changed public opinion in Ireland, but Culleton's fate still has the potential to upend cross-Atlantic relations.The Epstein Files make a return in typically bizarre fashion, with odd lies from Howard Lutnick, more binders from Pam Bondi, and a strange but credible claim about Donald Trump's behavior 20 years ago that raises still more questions.

With the Super Bowl completed, Tull and Vince return to the topic of sport. Tull covers the beauty of the GAA, while Vince highlights the geographical insanity and occasional felonies that are part of American college sports. It's an episode with poisoned trees, spiteful fans, and plenty of laughs.

The Epstein Files reach Europe, and may actually have had a more significant impact on the Continent than in the U.S. Governments wobble and royal families are called into question. Meanwhile, key questions remain about Epstein's pre-conviction past and the role played by Donald Trump. A detailed, and often darkly funny, look at the scandal from across the ocean.

With the Super Bowl on Sunday, Vince explains the massive cultural impact of America's biggest event of the year. Tull explains Irish sport; Vince cries in sadness (the Jets) and joy (the Thunder); Tull closes with the story of the most painful cursein the history of sport.

The title says it all. Tull and Vince discuss tragedy in Minneapolis, the bizarre children's book written by the currnet director of the FBI, and insane early-morning posts on Truth Social. An episode alternately hysterical and horrifying.

After 25 years of negotiations, the trade deal between Mercosur and the European Union has stumbled just before the finish line. Can the deal get done? Is there any truth to Vince's typically self-centered American belief that the US is a key factor here? And what does the backlash against globalization portend for the Continent and the world as a whole? Tull and Vince tackle one of the most important issues in modern politics.

Tull and Vince cover the explosive World Economic Forum in Davos, where speeches were made by — and against — U.S. president Donald Trump. While supporters cite galaxy-brained 4D chess as the catalyst for Trump's negotiation, critics see simply a lack of a plan or a coherent framework.

Tull and Vince discuss one of the world's most fascinating and influential people. He reasonably can be seen as a threat to the liberal world order. Yet he is also a staggerly brilliant executive, albiet one with an apparent Twitter addiction and questionable taste in sources. A fascinating discussion, one which touches on the fraught nature of US-Europe relations at the moment.

Tull and Vince discuss America's continuing interest in (or aggression toward) Greenland. Tull questions American exceptionalism; Vince somehow compares Joe Rogan to Walter Cronkite; and the rising price of Guinness is bemoaned at a time when even EU bigwigs are suggesting a stiff drink.

Tull and Vince discuss the differences between healthcare in the US and Europe, and try desperately to explain and understand the stunning complexity of the American system.

Vince talks about the feeling in America after the capture of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro. Tull highlights European sentiment toward the audacity of that mission, and US saber rattling toward Greenland. Is the transatlantic relationship heading for a messy, potentially final end?