Redacted News Podcast Summary

Episode: Putin Just Did the UNTHINKABLE as US Senators Push for War Against Russia
Hosts: Clayton & Natali Morris (Redacted.inc)
Date: December 18, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of Redacted News centers on escalating tensions between the West and Russia, as well as parallel moves toward war with Venezuela. Hosts Clayton and Natali Morris dissect the rhetoric and policy maneuvers in the US, UK, and Europe that are fueling what they call a “manufactured” consent for war. Interviews with Congressman Thomas Massie and journalist Camila Escalante provide insight into congressional efforts to limit presidential war powers and first-hand context on the Venezuela situation. The show also examines the assassination of an MIT plasma physicist, drawing connections between scientific breakthroughs and systemic suppression.

Main Topics and Key Points

1. Western Push Toward War With Russia

Manufactured Consent and Escalating Rhetoric

• Clayton Morris: The West, particularly the US, UK, and Germany, is pushing its populations toward accepting war with Russia, despite apparent public opposition and a lack of direct threat from Russia.
• [03:50] Putin called European leaders “piglets” and accused them of driving their nations toward collapse.
• [07:20] Germany faces dire economic consequences (i.e., Volkswagen closing operations after 88 years).
• [11:01] UK ex-PM Boris Johnson and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz openly encourage conscription and military buildup.

“Will your sons and daughters be willing to sacrifice their lives? That is the question of the British government today.”
– Clayton, [03:20]

US Legislation on Russia

• Lindsey Graham introduced a bill labelling Russia as a ‘state sponsor of terrorism,’ which would legally hinder negotiations and provoke further escalation.
• Tucker Carlson’s commentary:

  “It’s basically an effort to thwart the United States. It’s self-harm... He [Lindsey Graham] doesn’t know he’s being used as an instrument of the destruction of the United States. But he is.”
  – Tucker Carlson, [09:44]

Critical Analysis of the Rhetoric

• [12:25] The hosts mock the rationale: “What exactly are you asking these people to die for? NATO? Blackrock investments in Ukraine?”
• [14:26] “You gotta create the problem, right? And then you have to sell it to people, right?”
  – Clayton, referencing David Icke ([14:26])

2. Russia’s Family Policy as Contrast

• [18:10] Russia announces mass mortgage debt forgiveness for families with four or more children to combat declining birth rates—contrasted with Western countries’ lack of family policy.

  “Could you imagine that happening anywhere in the West? No, because our politicians are more interested in telling families, hey, go kill your kids in a war, than actually have more kids.”
  – Clayton, [19:14]

• Natali notes Russia’s lack of a debt-based, fiat-currency-driven economy:

  “Russia is not a debt-based economy because they don’t have a global currency...they’re not going to put themselves in debt for social services.”
  – Natali, [19:30]

3. War Powers Resolutions and Limiting Presidential Authority

Interview with Congressman Thomas Massie ([23:09]–[42:20])

• Massie’s Arguments:

  • Congressional authority over war is the "crown jewel" of the Constitution.
  • Current labeling of foreign nations as “terrorists” is a pretext for bypassing congressional approval for military engagement.
  • In classified briefings, Massie claims little new information is shared—“nothing there”—but it gives politicians an excuse to support executive overreach:

    “What in the world could you hear in a classified briefing that would convince you to abandon the Constitution?”
    – Massie, [26:36]

• War Powers Resolutions:

  • Two resolutions: one specific to Venezuela (likely to pass), another covering the Western Hemisphere (less likely).
  • Explains how presidents can still override with a veto; skepticism warranted as to the efficacy:

    “The president ultimately can veto this, and then it takes 2/3 vote of Congress to override his veto. That’s sort of backwards, if you ask me...”
    – Massie, [31:58]

Partisan Politics and Political Ads

• Congressman Massie addresses attack ads funded by "Israel first billionaires" and exposes the use of Ukrainian stock family photos rather than Kentucky families in his opponent’s ads ([34:34]–[36:29]).
• Philosophical discussion on the role of Congress—to check the president, not rubber-stamp executive wishes ([39:04]–[40:00]).

Epstein Files Release

• Anticipation of the public release of the “Epstein Files” by Friday; Massie describes legal obligations and possible repercussions for non-compliance by the Attorney General ([40:40]–[42:20]).

4. Venezuela: War Drums and Ground Realities

White House Push and Media Narrative ([47:56]–[62:08])

• President Trump is expected to announce possible war with Venezuela; members of Congress report classified briefings about alleged “terrorist” activity ([48:50]–[49:42]).
• Tucker Carlson: Reports Congress was briefed on an impending war; questions legitimacy and transparency ([48:50]).

Interview with Camila Escalante (journalist, recently in Venezuela)

• Lack of Evidence:
  • No evidence provided for accusations that Venezuela poses a terror/criminal threat.

    “There hasn't been a shred of evidence shown to us...We have to presume it's completely made up.”
    – Camila Escalante, [50:14]

• Sanctions Narrative:
  • US sanctions framed around human rights, not narco-terrorism; EU continues sanctions with no drug/terror reference ([52:04]).
• US Military Build-up:
  • US coercing countries in the region to sign military agreements, install infrastructure, and allow US troop presence.
  • Venezuela’s economic recovery and stable military thwart earlier US regime-change attempts, leading to current escalation ([55:47]).
• Escalation and Regional Destabilization:
  • Risk that Latin America could become a new “Middle East” with enduring instability and anti-US sentiment.

    “They just want to destabilize...wherever they can. They want chaos, they want vacuums.”
    – Camila Escalante, [60:01]

5. MIT Professor Assassination & Suppression of Free Energy Research

The Mysterious Death of Nuno Lairo ([65:43]–[83:16])

• Nuno Lairo, MIT’s plasma fusion lead, murdered—hosts draw parallels to past suppressed clean-energy researchers (e.g., Eugene Mallove, Tesla).

• Energy Industry Backlash:

  • “He had made a few energy giants very nervous.” ([66:41])

• Systemic Suppression of Breakthroughs:

  • Guests and hosts discuss others who invented super-efficient car engines or alternative fuels and were subsequently silenced or killed.

    “Anyone who’s made a discovery like this...all sort of end up in the same dire circumstances.” – Andrew Goff, [75:28]

• Alternative Theories & Pseudoscience:

  • Discussion includes references to etheric energy, plasma cosmology, and ancient technology discoveries.
  • Andrew Goff:

    “There are those who believe the Moon is plasma and shows a snapshot of known and unknown continents on Earth…What was he about to reveal?”
    – [72:24]

Notable Quotes

• Clayton, on Western politicians:

  "What exactly are you asking these people to die for? NATO, Blackrock investments in Ukraine? What exactly are you asking these people to die for?" ([12:28])

• Tucker Carlson on Lindsey Graham:

  "I want to give him the benefit of the doubt... But he is being used as an instrument of the destruction of the United States." ([09:44])

• Congressman Massie on war powers:

  "To the extent that war making power devolves to one person, liberty dissolves." ([23:09])

• Camila Escalante on US tactics in Latin America:

  “They’re stuck with the Yankees.” ([54:30])

• Andrew Goff on free energy suppression:

  “Anyone who’s made a discovery like this...all sort of end up in the same dire circumstances.” ([75:28])

Important Segment Timestamps

• [03:20] – Putin’s “piglet” remarks; Western economic collapse.
• [09:44] – Tucker Carlson: Lindsey Graham and escalation rationale.
• [12:25] – UK/Germany: open calls for conscription.
• [18:10] – Russia’s mortgage forgiveness for large families.
• [23:09] – Rep. Thomas Massie explains Congressional war powers.
• [31:56] – Limits and loopholes of War Powers Resolution.
• [34:34] – Attack ads using Ukrainian stock photos.
• [40:40] – Epstein Files Transparency Release, pending legal showdown.
• [48:50] – White House/Congress prepare public for Venezuelan war.
• [50:14] – Camila Escalante: lack of evidence for Venezuela “terrorism.”
• [55:47] – US military build-up in the region, Venezuela’s resilience.
• [65:43] – Assassination of MIT’s nuclear fusion scientist.
• [72:24] – Discussion of alternative energy, plasma discoveries, scientific paradigm conflicts.

Notable/Controversial Moments

• The hosts’ consistent use of sarcasm regarding conscription and sacrifice for NATO or Ukraine.
• Open questioning of official narratives on Russia, the West’s motives, & Venezuelan conflict.
• Massie criticizes both parties for enabling endless wars and executive overreach.
• Guests and hosts widely speculate on conspiracies regarding scientific suppression by corporatized government interests.
• Camila Escalante’s on-the-ground reporting gives rare perspective not found in mainstream US media.

Tone and Style

• Blunt, skeptical, anti-establishment.
• Mix of investigative reporting, opinion, and satire.
• Frequent references to historical precedent, civil liberty, constitutional law.
• Strong adversarial language toward Western leadership, defense industry, and mainstream media.

Summary Takeaway

This episode offers a hard-hitting critique of evolving Western foreign policy, warning against manipulated consent and rash escalation toward war—particularly with Russia and Venezuela. The hosts assert that mainstream narratives are built on shaky or fabricated pretexts, and they criticize the bipartisan failure to constrain executive military adventurism. Supplementing the political analysis is an exploration of the suspicious suppression of energy innovation, tied to the recent murder of an MIT plasma physicist, highlighting what they see as a pattern of powerful interests stifling transformative science.

For listeners new and old, this episode is a wide-ranging, skeptical examination of state power—spanning geopolitics, domestic policy, and even the fate of scientific progress—delivered in Redacted’s signature unapologetic style.