Podcast Summary: Letters from an American

Host: Heather Cox Richardson
Episode Date: December 29, 2025
Release Date: December 30, 2025
Theme: The intersection of current events and American history, focusing on US foreign interventions and ongoing Russia-Ukraine dynamics under the Trump administration.

Episode Overview

In this episode, Heather Cox Richardson unpacks recent dramatic foreign policy actions by the Trump administration, exploring the implications of alleged US military strikes in Venezuela, the tangled diplomacy around the Russia-Ukraine war, and the enduring shadow of Russia’s influence over US politics. She contextualizes these events within broader historical patterns and ongoing political narratives.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Confusion and Secrecy over US Military Strikes in Venezuela

• Trump’s Announcement: President Trump, during a WABC Radio appearance, claimed a major US attack on a Venezuelan "drug facility."
  • “[...] we just knocked out. I don't know if you read or you saw they have a big plant or a big facility where they send the, you know, where the ships come from. Two nights ago we knocked that out, so we hit them very hard.” (00:11)
• Lack of Official Clarity:
  • No official statements from the White House, CIA, or military about the attack.
  • No confirmation or comment from Venezuelan authorities; Venezuela is not a major drug producer itself but traffics cocaine from Colombia.
• On-the-Ground Reporting:
  • New York Times describes strike aftermath: “bodies, charred fuel containers, life jackets and packets… traces of a substance that looked and smelled like marijuana.” (01:44)
• Social Media Silence:
  • Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, known for posting strike videos, stayed silent; only an unrelated US Southern Command update about another strike appeared.
• CNN Reporting:
  • CIA-led drone strike on a remote Venezuelan port confirmed as the first known US attack inside Venezuela; US special operations forces’ involvement denied.
• Commentary on the Uncertainty:
  • Josh Marshall: “It's a good commentary on 2025 that the US President announces a major military attack, foreign country and even the Straightest arrows think 50% chance it's an attack. 50% chance President is on another cognition bender.” (04:15)

2. Diplomatic Theater: Russia, Ukraine, and the US

• Snub of Zelensky, Red Carpet for Putin:
  • When Ukrainian President Zelensky arrived in Miami for peace talks, no US officials greeted him—a stark contrast to the pomp for Putin in August (military flyover, presidential limo).
• Trump’s Preference for Putin:
  • Trump shared on social media: “I just had a good and very productive telephone call with President Putin of Russia prior to my meeting at 1pm today with President Zelensky of Ukraine.” (06:10)
  • At press events, Trump emphasized supposed progress: “We have made a lot of progress on ending that war.”
  • Trump's perennial claim: “I've settled eight wars and this is the most difficult one.” (06:45)
• Putin’s Demands and the Reality on the Ground:
  • Guardian reporting highlights Putin’s extreme demands: Ukraine is to concede large eastern territories.
  • Trump’s team suggests partial concessions might satisfy Putin, but experts and even Trump’s own Chief of Staff, Susie Wiles, express skepticism.
• With Russia’s Economy Flailing:
  • Russia reportedly selling off gold reserves to fund its war; speculation that both Trump and Putin are eager—perhaps desperate—to “close the deal.”

3. Trump’s Continued Russian Narratives

• Reviving the “Russia Hoax” Rhetoric:
  • Trump to reporters:
    • “I saw a very interesting President Putin today. I mean, he, he wants to see it happen. [...] Don't forget, we went through the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax together... And it turned out we were right. They made it all up....” (09:30)
    • He blames “crooked Hillary and...Adam Schifty Schiff and bad people, sick people, they made it up. It was all a made up hoax.” (10:17)
• Historical Correction:
  • Richardson restates: The Senate Intelligence Committee found comprehensive Russian intervention in 2016 to help Trump, with Manafort’s involvement as a major counterintelligence threat.
  • Mueller and Senate reports detailed plans (“Mariupol plan”) to divide Ukraine, orchestrated by Manafort and Russian operatives—a forerunner to ongoing diplomatic pressures.

4. The Ukraine Peace “Process” and Dangers of Concessions

• Trump’s Push for Ukrainian Concessions:
  • Ongoing pressure on Zelensky to accept autonomy for Eastern regions (Donbas) as per Russian plans.
  • Trump claims after talking to Putin: “They're going to be helping. Russia is going to be helping. Russia wants to see Ukraine succeed... including supplying energy, electricity and other things at very low prices. So a lot of good things came out of that call today.” (08:40)
• Cynicism and Warning:
  • Adam Kinzinger, former congressman:
    • “If Ukraine ceases firing, Ukraine will cease to exist. If Russia ceases firing, the war will cease to exist.” (09:22)
  • Skeptics note Putin’s grasp on Ukraine’s industrial and mineral wealth is central and that any “peace” via territorial sacrifice is likely an illusion.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the confusion of military action:
  • Josh Marshall: “It's a good commentary on 2025 that the US President announces a major military attack, foreign country and even the Straightest arrows think 50% chance it's an attack. 50% chance President is on another cognition bender.” (04:15)
• On US diplomatic priorities:
  • “When Zelensky arrived in Miami for his trip to Mar A Lago, there were no U.S. officials on hand to greet the plane. This was a deliberate snub, especially when compared to the literal red carpet Trump had US Military personnel roll out for Putin...” (05:23)
• Trump’s portrayal of Putin as a partner for peace:
  • “President Putin was very generous in his feeling toward Ukraine succeeding, including supplying energy, electricity and other things at very low prices.” (08:45)
• Refuting the “Russia hoax” narrative:
  • Heather Cox Richardson: “The idea that Russian operatives worked to put Trump into the White House in 2016 wasn’t a hoax. The Senate Intelligence Committee, chaired by a Republican, unanimously concluded that the Russian government engaged in an aggressive, multifaceted effort to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.” (10:40)

Timeline of Key Segments

• 00:00-04:00 — Trump’s public claim of a US military strike in Venezuela; journalistic attempts to verify details; social media and official radio silence; context on Venezuela’s role in drug trafficking.
• 04:01-05:30 — Josh Marshall’s commentary; confirmation from CNN about CIA drone strike; military and intelligence denial games.
• 05:31-07:00 — Russia attacks Kyiv; Zelensky snubbed on arrival; Trump’s contrasting welcome of Putin.
• 07:01-09:00 — Trump’s phone calls with Putin; claims of progress on Ukraine peace; discussion of Putin’s territorial demands.
• 09:01-10:30 — Trump’s filtered narrative of Putin as peaceful; repeating old “Russia hoax” language; Richardson’s clarification on actual intelligence findings.
• 10:31-12:14 — The escalation of pressure on Ukraine for concessions; Russia’s economic desperation; the episode’s closing synthesis.

Tone & Style

Richardson delivers the episode in her signature steady, analytical, and historically grounded tone, combining direct quotations from news sources and political leaders with her own contextual analysis. The language is factual but often tinged with pointed skepticism, especially when addressing contradictions in the administration’s claims versus historical record.

Conclusion

This episode underscores the opacity, spectacle, and danger in recent US foreign policy developments under President Trump—particularly in how military actions are disclosed (or not), how alliances are signaled, and how narratives around Russia and Ukraine are spun for both domestic and international audiences. Richardson methodically places today’s headlines in the larger continuum of modern American political history, exposing patterns of misinformation and strategic ambiguity.

For further reading and historical context, visit heathercoxrichardson.substack.com.