PODCAST · news
The Socialist Program
by The Socialist Program
News and views about the world for those who want to change it.
Episodes
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US-Saudi War On Yemen Was Decades In The Making
The war in the Middle East is widening and people around the world are feeling the impact. Resistance forces in Yemen have delivered crippling blows to key infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, a key US ally. Brian Becker and Layan Fuleihan discuss the roots of the war between Yemen and Saudi Arabia…
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Musk Spends $300 Million On Midterms: How Plutocrats Rule America
Hundreds of millions from Elon Musk, bankers, corporate entities, and others are flooding the 2026 political races to keep Republicans in power—despite mass opposition against Donald Trump. Brian Becker and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss. Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the...
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Is The Next Big Economic Crash Imminent?
Are we headed toward a massive economic contraction? A recession? depression? 18 years after the 2008 meltdown on Wall Street and the bankruptcy of many of the biggest banks and corporations – are the billionaires and capitalists dragging the country toward another economic catastrophe? Brian...
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Canadian PM May Have Stood Up To Trump, But He's Still An Imperialist Banker
People who are sick and tired of Donald Trump’s bullying of other countries, including Canada, took a liking to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney when he stood up and rebuked Trump, saying the relationship between Canada and the United States has fundamentally changed. But the old adage “your...
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Germany’s Political Polarization And What It Means For World Politics
Recent elections in Germany show that the mainstream capitalist political party is in crisis. Left-wing pro-working class forces have made huge gains in Berlin and at the same time the right-wing political party AfD is rising. Brian Becker and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss the implications of this...
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What AI CEOs Are Really Thinking
The biggest capitalist CEOs of AI companies have been forced in the last week to address the question raised by their own profit-driven efforts: will the AI technologies they are rapidly developing not only threaten communities where data centers are being imposed, but also threaten society and...
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Panama Canal Delays And Fees Soar From US-Iran War
A gas company just paid a record-breaking $5.3 million for its tanker ship to skip the Panama Canal’s long line, a line induced by the US-Iran war. Meanwhile the US fired on Iranian positions in the Strait of Hormuz. The US bond market is also in its worst state in 30 years. Professor Richard…
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Why The New US ‘Total Economic War’ On Iran Will Fail
Speaking on behalf of Donald Trump, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the United States would embark on a new campaign to destroy Iran’s economy with sanctions. He gave the operation a name: ‘Operation Economic Outcast.’ Professor Richard Wolff and Brian Becker discuss. Professor...
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‘Operation Paperclip’: How Nazis Built the US War Machine [Socialist History: S1 Episode 5 Preview]
You may have heard that the US government recruited Nazi scientists to work for NASA, but did you know they also recruited them to experiment on US soldiers? Their recruitment was part of Operation Paperclip, and the scientists were only a fraction of this program. It also recruited Nazi SS spies...
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The Iran War Is Choking Japan’s Economy
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent spent billions of U.S. dollars to buy and prop up the Japanese currency, the yen. Professor Richard Wolff and Brian Becker unpack the economic and geopolitical calculations of the Trump White House, and what it means for the US economy. Professor Richard Wolff is…
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Congress Just Subpoenaed BreakThrough News for Doing Journalism
“It's kind of in the DNA of American bourgeois capitalist politics: demonize your enemy, call them a communist, and that's the end of the story. But there's another element, which is the Republican Party, the MAGA project, Project 2025 — the Trump White House is failing.” The House Ways and Means...
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Trump Admin Won’t Prosecute Corporate Drug Traffickers
The Trump administration is catalyzing a longtime trend in the US where corporate criminals get a fine or nothing, while almost two million working class people sit behind bars. Professor Richard Wolff and producer Nicole Roussell discuss what this shows about the nature of the capitalist system...
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Repression & Revolution: ICE Kills Again & Bastille Day
July 14 is Bastille Day, when the French stormed an armory and took up arms against the monarchy and opened the gates to a prison during the French Revolution. Guards opened fire and many died—but by August 4th, feudalism was abolished. In the midst of widespread killings by ICE, Professor…
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Trump’s Brazen Corruption and Profiteering Reveal Reality of ‘U.S. Democracy'
New financial disclosure documents reveal the extent of Trump’s profiteering through the office of the presidency. Trump made over $2 billion his first year back in office, including more than $1 billion from his promotion of a Trump cryptocurrency alone. Professor Richard Wolff and producer…
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Supreme Court Hands Trump Sweeping Authority Over Federal Agencies
The Supreme Court just gave Trump the ability to dismiss the heads of supposedly independent agencies — overruling 91 years of precedent — with the exception of the Federal Reserve. Professor Richard Wolff and producer Nicole Roussell discuss the meaning of this ruling, as well as the birthright...
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Socialist History - Trailer
Socialist History is an in-depth, immersive podcast that uncovers the real story of US imperialism through a socialist lens, told from the perspective of the people who fought back. Hosted by Layan Sima Fuleihan and Brian Becker, each episode reopens a hidden chapter of US imperialism and shows…
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'Project Iceworm': The Secret Nuclear City Under the Ice [Socialist History: S1 Episode 4 PREVIEW]
In 1959 the US Army began building a base beneath the Greenland ice sheet, presented to the press, to Congress, and to the Danish government as a scientific research station. This was a cover story. The real plan, code-named Project Iceworm, was to bury a network of tunnels housing up to 600...
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'NSC-68': The Blueprint for Permanent War [Socialist History: S1 Episode 3]
Most empires never write their plans down, but the American empire did. In 1950 a top-secret government document called NSC-68 laid out the blueprint for permanent war: a militarized economy, a nuclear buildup without limit, and a posture of global confrontation that would outlast the men who…
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'Operation Mongoose': Washington's Secret War on Cuba [Socialist History: S1 Episode 2]
In 1961 the United States launched the largest covert operation of the Cold War against a single country, a campaign of sabotage, terror, and assassination aimed at destroying the Cuban Revolution ninety miles from Florida. It was code-named Operation Mongoose. Alongside it, the Joint Chiefs of...
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'Operation Ajax' in Iran: The CIA's Original Sin [Socialist History: S1 Episode 1]
In 1953 the CIA secretly organized a coup to overthrow the democratically elected leader of Iran. This was the CIA's first regime change operation — code-named 'Operation Ajax' — becoming the playbook for later CIA operations. Its consequences are still reverberating around the world. In this...
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Here Comes the Next Capitalist Economic Meltdown
Big Tech stocks lost hundreds of billions in just two days. Prof. Richard Wolff and Brian Becker examine the multiple, cascading crises that are destabilizing the capital system. Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at...
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Socialism Is Making A Comeback In The Heart Of Global Capitalism
According to a recent national survey, 62 percent of Americans aged 18–29 say they hold a “favorable view” of socialism, and 34 percent say the same of communism. Why is this happening inside the very center of the world capitalist system? And what does it mean for the future? Professor Richard...
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Trump Is Stuck In A Foreign Policy Dead End
Iran is outmaneuvering the United States and Trump is furious. Professor Richard Wolff and Brian Becker discuss the current war in Iran and the future of the globe – as Russia, China, Iran, and other countries start to pry control from the United States. Professor Richard Wolff is an author &...
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Biggest Home Insurance Companies Denied Nearly Half of Last Year’s Claims
A new Wall Street Journal study finds that the five biggest home insurers, Allstate, State Farm, Liberty Mutual, United Services Automobile Association, and Farmers Insurance, denied nearly half of all claims last year. The primary driver is an increase in deductibles, which insurers claim is…
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Iran War Causing ‘Fundamental Shift’ In How Resources Are Distributed w/ Prof. Richard Wolff
According to the International Energy Agency, around 25% of the world's seaborne oil trade is transiting through the Strait of Hormuz, and the options to bypass it are limited. According to the UN Trade and Development Organization, around 30% of global seaborne fertilizer volumes pass through…
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U.S. Inequality Can’t Be Propped Up By Force Alone w/ Prof. Richard Wolff
Americans are increasingly struggling to make ends meet, while the rich get even richer. Professor Richard Wolff and producer Nicole Roussell debunk corporate media justifications for this inequality. Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can...
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US Claims Cuba Planning Drone Attack, While Actually Planning To Attack Cuba [Preview]
Trump is planning the next war. The target is Cuba. Trump and his agents in the Pentagon and CIA are claiming that Cuba is threatening military action against the United States. The people in Cuba are preparing to resist and have said that they will fight to the death rather than surrender their...
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Iran: A Bigger Defeat Than Vietnam? [Preview]
Robert Kagan, a leading architect of the 2003 Iraq invasion and the wider 'neocon' tendency in Washington, published an article this week titled 'Checkmate in Iran.' On today's show, Brian Becker and Layan Fuleihan discuss the latest headlines and react to this article, of which an excerpt reads:...
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Spirit Is Gone, But We Could Build A People’s Airline In The United States
Low-cost Spirit Airlines has gone bankrupt and closed, and the idea of nationalizing the airline has become hugely popular. Professor Richard Wolff and producer Nicole Roussell discuss the mainstream media’s reaction, the feasibility of a nationalized airline, and how it could look and improve...
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US Debt Surpasses GDP Due to War Spending: How Will Working People Be Affected? w/ Richard Wolff
The ratio of U.S. government debt to GDP (gross domestic product) is now over 100% – meaning the U.S. government is in more debt than the size of the entire U.S. economy. Professor Richard Wolff and Brian Becker break down why the U.S. government has gone into so much debt, and how it affects the...
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Iran Now Striking Gulf States as US Plans Ground Invasion w/ Prof. Mohammad Marandi
As the US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz continues, and a US ground invasion of Iran seems imminent, Iran has now responded by striking US-allied countries in the region. Will Trump continue this profoundly unpopular war that is upending the global economy? Will it spiral out of control?...
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Big Tech’s War Against Tech Workers
Tech companies are laying off tens of thousands of workers — all while investing tens of billions of dollars into AI tech. Professor Richard Wolff and Brian Becker discuss the effects on the workforce and economy, and how a socialist society could handle new technology. Professor Richard Wolff is...
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US Corporations Are Getting Even Richer From The Iran War [Preview]
The Military-Industrial-Tech Complex is using the Iran war to consolidate its power over US society and reap huge profits, even though the war is a strategic failure for the US. Brian Becker and Layan Fuleihan discuss. This is a preview of a patrons-only episode. Subscribe at...
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Iran War Sparks Global Energy Shock
The Iran war has closed the Strait of Hormuz almost completely. The head of the International Energy Agency said that the war is causing the biggest energy crisis in history. Professor Richard Wolff and Brian Becker discuss. Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization...
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How Iran Really Views Trump's Erratic Statements and Threats [Preview]
This is a preview of a patrons-only episode. Subscribe at https://www.patreon.com/TheSocialistProgram to hear the full episode, get access to all our patrons-only content, and help make this show possible.
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Is It Trump Or Is It The System? w/ Prof. Wolff
As highlighted by a New York Times report this week, the debate about Trump’s mental health has been revived. Trump posting memes of himself and Jesus and starting a regional war with Iran are certainly indicative that something is wrong. But polling across issues shows that U.S. residents are...
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Iran Will Not Surrender to Trump’s Gangster-Style Threats [Preview]
The Islamabad talks collapsed. Twenty-one hours of negotiations in Pakistan, the first face-to-face between the US and Iran since 1979, and it ended with nothing. Oil futures jumped seven percent. And the President of the United States did all of this from a golf club in Florida after spending...
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Trump’s Failed Fantasy In Iran [Preview]
On Wednesday night, President Trump addressed the nation and issued what can only be described as a genocidal threat against Iran, saying: “We’re going to bring them back to the Stone Ages, where they belong.” He also claimed that the US is winning the war and that it should be over “very…
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Trump's Fake War Briefings and the $1.5 Billion 'Bet' [Preview]
Brian Becker and Layan Fuleihan discuss what's happening behind the scenes in Trump's war room. This includes the Trump administration's possible collusion with a massive insider trading scheme. This is a preview of a patrons-only episode. Subscribe at https://www.patreon.com/TheSocialistProgram…
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Trump: Losing in Iran, Losing on Tariffs, Losing Public Opinion
The U.S. economic crisis is worsening as Trump requests $200 billion more dollars to fund his war against the Iranian people, which has already killed at least 3,230 people in Iran and 13 U.S. soldiers. Trump is facing legal battles against his tariffs and public opinion is turning against him....
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The Human and Economic Toll of the War Is Mounting [Preview]
More than fourteen hundred people have been killed in Iran, including over two hundred children. The Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed. Countries across Asia are rationing fuel, canceling thousands of flights, and closing schools to conserve energy. The Pentagon has asked the White House to...
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Trump's Iran War Has No Plan, No Exit, and No Victory in Sight
Two weeks ago, the United States and Israel launched a massive bombing campaign against Iran, killing the Supreme Leader and many other political and military senior officials on the very first night and striking thousands of targets across the country. The administration said the war would be…
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Trump’s War Is a Disaster for the Economy and Humanity, w/ Prof. Wolff
Huge oil prices are hitting U.S. residents as Trump and Netanyahu’s war on Iran rages. This is the second time in recent history that Iran has been attacked while in negotiations with the U.S. or Israel, and officials are indicating they’re no longer interested in negotiations that lead nowhere....
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‘I Can Destroy The Country’ Trump Lashes Out After Tariffs Rebuked
On Friday the right-wing Supreme Court delivered a stinging blow to Trump, ruling that his unilateral tariffs were unconstitutional. Trump claims he’s going ahead with more tariffs anyway, but economist Richard Wolff explains that they’ve already failed at their central economic premise.…
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Trump Guts EPA: ‘Make America More Polluted Again’?
The Trump administration has revoked the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to regulate greenhouse gases, a major cause of climate change and millions of premature deaths from air pollution every year. Professor Richard Wolff and Brian Becker discuss why this is happening, and the even…
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How Capitalist Media Hides U.S. Imperialism in Plain Sight [Preview]
Brian and Layan take a deep dive into how the capitalist-owned mainstream media conceals the truth about what motivates U.S. war-makers – and what they are hiding – by debunking the recent New York Times article titled: ‘Trump's Oil Grab in Venezuela Shatters an American Taboo’ This is a preview…
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Despite Trump’s Total Fuel Blockade, Cuba Won’t Surrender
Cuba is running out of fuel to power hospitals, schools, harvest crops, and transport basic goods — because Donald Trump has implemented a total fuel blockade against the island nation. Brian Becker is joined by Manolo De Los Santos, the executive director of The People’s Forum in New York, to...
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How US Capitalism Uses the Banking System to Coerce the Rest of the World
More than 30% of countries around the world are facing severe US economic sanctions causing mass suffering, hunger, and death. From Cuba, to Venezuela, to the DPRK, and now even to traditional US allies who are being targeted with tariffs and other economic threats unless they bow to the demands…
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Hidden Histories of Rebellion: How America Changed and Why Trump Will Fail [Preview]
The Trump administration’s agenda has become unmistakable: attack the living legacy of the Civil Rights Revolution – both by trying to erase the historical memory of it, and by reversing the expansion of democracy that it won. Why are Trump and his billionaire backers so threatened by this…
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U.S. General Strike Signals a New Day w/ Prof. Wolff
On the heels of the Minnesota general strike on January 23rd, and a nationwide shutdown the following week in which millions participated, Professor Richard Wolff and Brian Becker discuss the general strike tactic. How has it been used in the United States and elsewhere? Can it tip the scales...
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News and views about the world for those who want to change it.
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