Episode Details

This September marks eight years since Donald Trump cozied up to pariah dictator Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt on the sidelines of the United Nations—a secret meeting that reportedly triggered a highly secretive Mueller investigation into whether Trump accepted a $10 million bribe from el-Sisi when his 2016 campaign was desperate for cash. Last summer, Gaslit Nation ran a special episode unpacking this sweeping corruption scandal; you can read a summary here and listen to the episode here.

Fast forward to Trump's Middle East tour this past spring, where he once again explicitly told the world that American foreign policy under his influence isn't about democracy or the rule of law: it's about making deals that just so happen to enrich him and his family.

Joining Gaslit Nation to explain what Trump's fire sale of influence to the highest bidder means for the Middle East and us here at home is Ahmed Gatnash, co-founder and Executive Director of the Kawaakibi Foundation, a powerhouse MENA human rights organization, and co-author of The Middle East Crisis Factory. Gatnash brings a razor-sharp analysis of Russia's expanding grip on the Middle East, the unbreakable spirit of the Syrian people fighting for freedom, and the surprising ways bitcoin is being used as a lifeline for human rights activists who know how to navigate its pitfalls. He also tears into the so-called "two-state solution"—overwhelmingly voted on by the United Nations last week—as nothing more than political theater, and shares his vision of what Palestinians and Israelis truly need to secure real, lasting peace.

This week's bonus show dives into MAGA's latest wave of threats against the opposition and what a full-scale crackdown could look like–what's likely, what's unlikely, and what's already happening that we need to pay attention to. Catch the full discussion this Friday morning by joining our Patreon community. Thank you to everyone who makes Gaslit Nation possible–we could not make our show without you!

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

• September 29 4pm ET – Join the Gaslit Nation Book Club for a discussion of Harriet Tubman: The Moses of Her People by Sarah Bradford.

• Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other: join here.

• Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other: