This week, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Matt Welch are joined by special guest Emily Jashinsky, host of After Party, to examine the killing of Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis and the Trump administration's shifting narrative about the shooting. The group discusses the Second Amendment and free-speech implications of statements being made by Trump administration officials and the Republican Party's sudden embrace of gun-control talking points, as well as the broader politics of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as the administration pushes for escalation while losing public support on immigration.

The panel also discusses the upcoming Academy Awards and how political themes are shaping expectations for the awards season. A listener asks how to show up and protest against state violence while navigating the ideological baggage of left-wing protest spaces.

0:00—ICE kills Alex Pretti in Minnesota

20:00—Public support for Trump administration policy

39:07—Listener question on protesting state violence

45:23—The influence of politics at the Oscars

53:01—Weekly cultural recommendations

Upcoming Reason Events

The Reason Roundtable: Live in Washington, D.C.! February 4

Mentioned in the podcast:

"The Second Shooting," by Liz Wolfe

"The Trump Administration Is Lying About Gun Rights and the Death of Alex Pretti," by Robby Soave

"DHS Again Promises a Thorough Investigation of a Fatal Shooting After Prejudging the Outcome," by Jacob Sullum

"Democrats Plan To Block DHS Funding After Minnesota Killing. Republicans Should Join Them," by Eric Boehm

"Leaked ICE Memo Claims Agents Can Enter Homes Without Judicial Warrants," by Autumn Billings

"ICE Tells Legal Observer, 'We Have a Nice Little Database, and Now You're Considered a Domestic Terrorist,'" by C.J. Ciaramella

"Vance Goes to Minnesota," by Liz Wolfe

"ICE Demonstrates Why We Need the Second Amendment," by J.D. Tuccille

• Producer: Paul Alexander
• Video Editor: Ian Keyser

The post When Did Republicans Stop Caring About Gun Rights? appeared first on Reason.com.

This week, editors Peter Suderman and Matt Welch are joined by novelist and Reason contributor Kat Rosenfield and head of media for the Institute of Economic Affairs Reem Ibrahim to assess the mounting confrontation between the United States and its European allies over Greenland. Trump's tariff threats, talk of national security emergencies, exchanges between world leaders, and speculation about military force have pushed an unusual territorial dispute into the center of trans-Atlantic politics. The group considers what the confrontation means for NATO and trade policy with Europe.

The conversation then turns to Minnesota, where masked federal agents continue detaining and harassing people in the aftermath of the Renee Good killing, prompting legal battles, disputes with state officials, and concerns about civil liberties. They also examine Trump's newly announced health care plan and what it signals about his domestic policy priorities. A listener then asks whether libertarians have any reason to want Greenland as part of the United States.

0:00—U.S. maneuvering to acquire Greenland

08:22—Trump's relationships with Russia and Europe

24:09—ICE confrontations spark unrest in Minnesota

40:32—Listener question on libertarian desires for Greenland

45:51—Trump's health care proposal

55:47—Weekly cultural recommendations

Upcoming Reason Events

The Reason Roundtable: Live in Washington, D.C.! February 4

Mentioned in the podcast:

"Trump 2.0, Year 1: A Libertarian Nightmare," by Brian Doherty

"Donroe," by Liz Wolfe

"Greenlanders Don't Consent To Becoming Americans," by J.D. Tuccille

"Seizing Greenland Might Be the Least Popular Idea in American Political History," by Eric Boehm

"As ICE Cracks Down Harder, Support for Abolishing ICE Surges," by Joe Lancaster

"'We Are Not Investigating' the Shooting of Renee Good, the Deputy Attorney General Says," by Jacob Sullum

"ICE Agents Flouted DHS Policies That Could Have Prevented Renee Good's Death," by Jacob Sullum

"Video Shows Feds Shooting ICE Protester With Nonlethal Round at Point-Blank Range, Blinding Him in One Eye," by Autumn Billings

"Federal Agents Used a Battering Ram To Enter a Minneapolis Home Without Valid Warrant, Video Shows," by Autumn Billings

"No, ICE Agents Do Not Have 'Absolute Immunity' From State Prosecution," by Damon Root

"Trump's 'Great Healthcare Plan' Has Promise but Should Add More Freedom for Americans," by J.D. Tuccille

"28 Years Later: The Bone Temple Delivers Anarchy in the U.K., Again," by Peter Suderman

"Movies," by John Hospers

• Producer: Paul Alexander
• Video Editor: Ian Keyser

The post Is America Really Going to War for Greenland? appeared first on Reason.com.

This week, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Matt Welch are joined by Reason senior editor Robby Soave to discuss the Justice Department's (DOJ) investigation of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and whether this latest tactic is just a form of political retaliation. They discuss whether there is a coherent case for the probe, how much influence presidents should have over monetary policy, and where the line is between oversight and using legal machinery against perceived adversaries.

The conversation then turns to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shootings in Minneapolis and Portland, where federal agents killed Renee Good during an immigration enforcement operation and shot two people outside a federal building days later, even as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem brands the Minneapolis victim a domestic terrorist and local officials accuse Washington of lying about what transpired. The panel talks about accountability for law enforcement, and how Americans can watch the same videos yet reach completely different conclusions. The editors then look at the uprising in Iran and the contrast between President Donald Trump's support for protesters there and his deployment of federal force at home, before examining California's proposed wealth tax and how it might impact the state economy.

0:00—the DOJ investigates the Federal Reserve

7:54—Trump's proposal to cap credit card interest rates

12:42—ICE shootings divide the country

37:35—Iran protests intensify

43:14—Listener question on Democrats holding Trump accountable

52:28—California wealth tax

1:01:33—Weekly cultural recommendations

Upcoming Reason Events

The Reason Roundtable: Live in Washington, D.C.! February 4

Mentioned in This Podcast

"Demanding Charges Against His Enemies, Trump Conflates Justice With Revenge," by Jacob Sullum

"2 Grand Juries Have Rejected the Grudge-Driven Case Against Trump Foe Letitia James," by Jacob Sullum

"Video of the Minneapolis ICE Shooting Does Not Resolve the Issue of Whether It Was Legally Justified," by Jacob Sullum

"ICE in Minnesota," by Liz Wolfe

"The Trump Administration Says It's Illegal To Record Videos of ICE. Here's What the Law Says," by C.J. Ciaramella

"Iran's Inflation Protests Turned Into an Uprising. Will Trump Get Involved?" by Matthew Petti

"A Breakable Regime," by Liz Wolfe

"No Other Choice Is a Dark Satire of Capitalism and Masculinity," by Peter Suderman

• Producer: Paul Alexander
• Video Editor: Ian Keyser

The post End the Fed? Or Turn It Over to Trump? appeared first on Reason.com.

This week, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Matt Welch are joined by Reason senior editor Robby Soave to dig into the U.S. capture of Venezuela's sitting president, Nicolás Maduro, and what it means for the White House to claim it can "run" another country without congressional authorization. They debate what temporary American control is supposed to mean in practice, whether the capture of Maduro was legal, how war powers and congressional authorization fit into it all, and why White House officials keep framing the moment as a fight to expand U.S. influence in the Western Hemisphere.

The discussion shifts to New York politics after Mayor Zohran Mamdani calls for replacing "the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism," prompting a debate over his motives to use such rhetoric in his inauguration speech. They also examine Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's decision not to seek reelection as attention intensifies around a major fraud case that gained national notice following a viral empty-daycare video. A listener question asks whether immigration policy should weigh factors like culture and religion, and what reforms could reduce corruption and conflict without abandoning the case for legal immigration.

0:00—Can the U.S. "run" Venezuela?

12:46—President Donald Trump's foreign policy ambitions

25:52—Mamdani denounces "rugged individualism"

33:46—Listener question on immigrant assimilation

44:30—Walz not seeking reelection

52:22—Weekly cultural recommendations

Upcoming Reason Events

The Reason Roundtable: Live in Washington, D.C.! February 4

Mentioned in This Podcast

"Did Marco Rubio Lie to Congress About Venezuela?" by Eric Boehm

"Regime Changed?" by Christian Britschgi

"Americans Are Increasingly Skeptical of Foreign Military Intervention," by J.D. Tuccille

"Donald Trump Says the U.S. Will 'Run' Venezuela After Maduro's Ouster," by César Báez

"Trump Should Have Tried To Get Congressional Authorization If He Wanted To Strike Venezuela and Capture Maduro," by Eric Boehm

"A Socialist Swearing In," by Christian Britschgi

"Zohran Mamdani Can't Ruin New York City," by Katherine Mangu-Ward

"Nick Shirley, Tim Walz, and the Minnesota Fraud Story: Did the Media Miss It?" by Robby Soave

"The Minnesota Welfare Fraud Story Is Really About a Broken Medicaid Bureaucracy," by Eric Boehm

"Tim Walz Drops Out of Minnesota Governor Race. Good Riddance," by Robby Soave

• Producer: Paul Alexander
• Video Editor: Ian Keyser

The post What Does It Mean To 'Run' Venezuela? appeared first on Reason.com.

This week, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Matt Welch are joined by Reason senior editor Robby Soave to share the stories they believe didn't receive sufficient media attention in 2025. Each panelist selected a story from 2025 in the categories of politics, private industry, global affairs, and culture that deserves a closer look as we head into 2026.

0:00—Political stories that deserved more attention

11:14—The year's underreported economic stories

25:56—Global stories the media overlooked in 2025

37:19—Cultural moments that flew under the radar

Mentioned in This Podcast

"The Trump Admin Wants Western Union and MoneyGram To Report on Immigrants," by Matthew Petti

"Treasury Department Surveillance at the Southern Border Faces Fourth Amendment Challenges," by Tosin Akintola

"Taking $200 Out of an ATM Should Not Trigger Federal Financial Surveillance," by Joe Lancaster

"Banks Are Narcing on You Because Congress Forces Them To," by Nicholas Anthony

"How Trump's Travel Crackdown Is Hurting Americans at Home and Abroad," by Matt Welch

"Nepal's Socialist Government Banned Social Media, So Activists Plotted a Revolution—on Discord," by Matthew Petti

"Biden Strengthened the Refugee Resettlement System. Will Trump Undo It?"
 by Fiona Harrigan

"Worldwide Refugee Population Hits All-Time High, U.S. Intake Reaches All-Time Low," by Matt Welch

• Producer: Paul Alexander
• Video Editor: Ian Keyser

The post What the Media Didn't Tell You in 2025 appeared first on Reason.com.

This week, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Matt Welch are joined by Reason reporter Eric Boehm to discuss Turning Point USA's AmericaFest and the GOP coalescing around Vice President J.D. Vance as President Donald Trump's successor. They analyze Sen. Rand Paul's (R–Ky.) opposition to endorsing Vance as the party's next standard-bearer, and whether this signals he will challenge Vance for the nomination in 2028. Katherine also shares what it was like attending the conference, plus her debate over marijuana legalization as the Trump administration moves to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III.

The editors then turn to the bipartisan backlash over the latest Jeffrey Epstein file release, in which more than 500 pages were completely redacted, prompting Reps. Thomas Massie (R–Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D–Calif.) to threaten charges of "inherent contempt" against Attorney General Pam Bondi. The panel also discusses the Trump administration's seizure of additional Venezuelan oil tankers, plus the announcement of new military strikes in Syria. They dig into Minnesota's widening welfare fraud scandal, and whether conservative media is using it to scapegoat Somali immigrants. A listener asks whether Christmas expands our "socialist bubble" of family and community and what that says about capitalism, socialism, and human nature.

0:00—Debating marijuana at Turning Point USA

4:10—J.D. Vance is the MAGA heir apparent

14:47—Massie and Khanna react to Epstein file release

25:14—U.S. foreign policy in Venezuela and Syria

38:09—Listener question on socialism and Christmas

47:59—Minnesota welfare fraud scandal

1:01:28—Weekly cultural recommendations

Mentioned in This Podcast

"Cannavictory," by Liz Wolfe

"Trump Orders the 'Expeditious' Reclassification of Marijuana," by Jacob Sullum

"Heritage Foundation Undergoes Mass Staff Exodus as Cracks Open on the New Right," by Stephanie Slade

"Epstein Wanted To Turn His Island Into a Resort for Paying Customers," by Matthew Petti

"Oil Tanker Seized," by Liz Wolfe

"If the Syrian War Is Over, Why Are Americans Still Getting Killed in Syria?" by Matthew Petti

"Trump's Somali Insults Are a Disgrace," by Steven Greenhut

"The Real Villain in Minnesota's $1.5 Billion Fraud Scandal Isn't Somalis—It's the Feds," by Jack Nicastro

"Medicare Whac-A-Mole," by Peter Suderman

"What We Get Wrong About the American Revolution," by Nick Gillespie

"Avatar: Fire and Ash Is Part Spectacle, Part Retread," by Peter Suderman

• Producer: Paul Alexander
• Video Editor: Ian Keyser

The post Can J.D. Vance Stop a MAGA Civil War? appeared first on Reason.com.

Reason's Robby Soave and Elizabeth Nolan Brown square off with Breaking Points' Emily Jashinsky and Ryan Grim in a no-holds-barred debate over Big Tech. The Reason team argues that technology has dramatically improved everyday life—and that those benefits can't be ignored. Their opponents counter that Big Tech's power is inseparable from big government, and that the two can't be untangled.

Resolution: Big Tech does more good than harm.

Affirmative: Robby Soave and Elizabeth Nolan Brown

Negative: Emily Jashinsky and Ryan Grim

Moderator: Peter Suderman

0:00—Andrew Heaton's warmup

6:31—Opening statements

31:03—Moderator questions and debater discussion

53:47—All the debaters make their case using props

1:02:10—Audience questions

1:23:25—Closing statements

1:40:20—Final debate results

The post <em>Reason</em> Vs. <em>Breaking Points</em>: Does Big Tech Do More Good Than Harm? appeared first on Reason.com.

This week, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Matt Welch are joined by associate editor Liz Wolfe to discuss President Donald Trump's executive order blocking states from enforcing their own artificial intelligence regulations. The panel debates whether a single national framework for AI is necessary to keep American tech companies competitive or whether it represents a serious blow to federalism. They also examine the White House potentially reclassifying marijuana as a Schedule III drug and what that change could mean for the cannabis industry, tax policy, and federal drug enforcement.

The editors then turn to mass shootings in Australia and at Brown University, including the actions of a bystander credited with saving lives at Bondi Beach, and what these incidents suggest about gun control debates. They discuss the U.S. seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker and threats of land strikes against the Nicolás Maduro regime, and cover the conviction of Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai under China's national security law and what it signals for press freedom and U.S.-China relations. A listener asks whether modern socialism reflects moral aspirations that could be redirected toward liberty rather than centralized power.

0:00—Trump blocks states from regulating AI

10:31—Reclassifying marijuana as a Schedule III drug

18:39—Mass shootings in the U.S. and Australia

26:59—U.S. seizes Venezuelan oil tanker

36:48—Listener question on optimism for socialism

46:08—Jimmy Lai found guilty by Hong Kong court

57:12—Weekly cultural recommendations

Mentioned in This Podcast

"Donald Trump Tries To Override State AI Regulations via Executive Order," by Jack Nicastro

"Trump Will Let Nvidia Sell Chips to China—but the Feds Will Get 25 Percent of the Profits," by Tosin Akintola

"Trump's Plan To Reclassify Marijuana Would Leave Federal Prohibition Essentially Untouched," by Jacob Sullum

"Stoner King Trump," by Liz Wolfe

"Shootings at Bondi and Brown," by Liz Wolfe

"Trump Dares Congress To Take Its War Powers Seriously in Venezuela," by Matthew Petti

"Trump Is Still Claiming He Saves '25,000 American Lives' When He Blows Up a Suspected Drug Boat," by Jacob Sullum

"Mark Clifford: A Political Prisoner Fights for Free Speech in China," by Billy Binion

"Is Free Speech Doomed in Hong Kong?" By Jack Nicastro

"'I Owe Freedom My Life': Jimmy Lai Is Imprisoned for Criticizing the Chinese Government," by John Stossel

"Hong Kong's Free Press Is Dying," by Liz Wolfe

• Producer: Paul Alexander
• Video Editor: Ian Keyser

The post Should Libertarians Support Federal AI Regulation? appeared first on Reason.com.

This week, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Matt Welch are joined by associate editor Liz Wolfe to sort through the political free-for-all surrounding the Warner Bros. and Netflix merger. They look at why Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D–Mass.) is urging regulators to block the deal, why President Donald Trump says he plans to get personally involved, and how Jared Kushner's role in a rival Paramount bid is reshaping the fight. The panel digs into whether this moment signals a real return to trustbusting or another round of theatrics from both sides.

The editors then turn to the economy, where Trump's tariff strategy is colliding with rising layoffs and growing unease within his own party. They assess the administration's new national security posture as Congress advances a defense bill that exceeds White House requests, and discuss the uproar over Kalshi's push to turn opinion into a tradable market. Also, a listener asks whether a renewed turn toward religious faith could help the country lower its political temperature.

It's that time of year when we ask you to open your wallets, dear listener, and make a tax-deductible donation to Reason's annual webathon: https://reason.pub/4pzsSOE.

0:00—Antitrust and the Netflix-Warner Bros. acquisition

19:17—Tariff failures and rising unemployment

27:43—National security strategy memo

36:50—Listener question on polarization and faith

48:13—Kalshi's controversial online gambling vision

58:33—Weekly cultural recommendations

Mentioned in This Podcast

"Warner Bros. Accepts Netflix's $83 Billion Bid, but Antitrust Threats Still Loom," by Jack Nicastro

"Trump's Tariffs Were Supposed To Cut the Trade Deficit and Boost U.S. Manufacturing. They're Not Working," by Eric Boehm

"Ask Us Anything: Libertarians Answer Your Questions," by Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Robby Soave, and Matt Welch

"Kalshi CEO Says He Wants to Monetize 'Any Difference in Opinion,'" by A.J. Dellinger

"America Pulls Back From Values That Once Defined It, WSJ-NORC Poll Finds," by Aaron Zitner

"CNN's Bari Christmas," by Dylan Byers

Upcoming Reason Events

Reason Versus debate: Big Tech Does More Good Than Harm, December 10

• Producer: Paul Alexander
• Video Editor: Ian Keyser

The post Why Elizabeth Warren and Donald Trump Hate the Netflix Deal appeared first on Reason.com.

It's that time of year when we ask you to open your wallets, dear listener, and make a tax-deductible donation to Reason's annual webathon: https://reason.pub/4pzsSOE.

In this special episode of The Reason Roundtable, editors Matt Welch, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Robby Soave, and Peter Suderman respond to all of your burning questions. Nothing is off limits!

• Producer: Paul Alexander
• Audio Mixer: Ian Keyser

The post Ask Us Anything: Libertarians Answer Your Questions appeared first on Reason.com.

This week, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Matt Welch dig into the disconnect between strong Black Friday spending and a public mood shaped by rising costs, economic anxiety, and slipping approval numbers for President Donald Trump. They explore why so many Americans feel poorer despite higher overall wealth, how regulation and subsidies have distorted key markets like housing and health care, and what to make of polling that shows young voters warming to democratic socialism.

The conversation then turns to the war crime allegations against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who allegedly gave the orders to "kill everybody" on Venezuelan boat strikes that resulted in the killing of survivors, and what limits actually exist on the use of military force. The editors also examine a new federal ban on hemp products and the damage it could inflict on a growing legal industry. A listener asks whether recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions signal a troubling erosion of constitutional protections, and the group takes time to reflect on the legacy of playwright Tom Stoppard and his long association with free speech and small government ideals.

Join us this Thursday, December 4, at 2:30 p.m. ET for a special live edition of The Reason Roundtable as part of our annual webathon. Send your questions for the Reason editors to [email protected] with "Webathon" in the subject line.

Watch at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaOOdtJqzmY

0:00—Economic anxiety and standards of living

18:45—War crime allegations against Hegseth

32:09—Federal hemp ban threatens industry

37:35—Listener question on ICE constitutionality

46:45—The legacy of Tom Stoppard

56:31—Weekly cultural recommendations

Mentioned in This Podcast

"Toplines - Heartland Nov 2025 Democratic Socialism," by Rasmussen Reports

"New Low in U.S. 'Very Satisfied' With Personal Life," by Gallup

"'Kill Everybody,'" by Christian Britschgi

"Trump's Venezuela Escalation Could Destroy MAGA, Warns Rand Paul," by Jacob R. Swartz

"What Does Fentanyl Have to Do With Alleged Drug Boats 2,600 Miles Away? Absolutely Nothing," by Tosin Akintola

"Trump Allegedly Misidentified a Colombian Fisherman as a Venezuelan 'Narcoterrorist,'" by Jacob Sullum

"The Constitution Does Not Allow the President To Unilaterally Blow Suspected Drug Smugglers to Smithereens," by Rand Paul

"They Built a Hemp Business in Good Faith but Washington Is About To Crush It," by Brittany E. Hunter

"Trump vs. the Constitution," by Damon Root

"5% of People Detained By ICE Have Violent Convictions, 73% No Convictions," by David J. Bier

"Hot August Fright: The Month Republicans Lost Their Minds Over Immigration," by Matt Welch

"How Lou Reed Inspired Anti-Communist Revolutionaries and the Rest of Us," by Matt Welch

"Václav Havel's Funeral: Why Truth Needs Love," by Matt Welch

Upcoming Reason Events

Reason Versus debate: Big Tech Does More Good Than Harm, December 10

• Producer: Paul Alexander
• Video Editor: Ian Keyser

The post Is Economic Anxiety Driving People to Socialism? appeared first on Reason.com.