Transcript

Cenk Uygur (0:00)

Foreign.

Sean Ryan (0:06)

Welcome to the show, man.

Cenk Uygur (0:08)

Thank you, brother. Appreciate it.

Sean Ryan (0:10)

It's going to be a hell of a discussion today. There's a lot of. To talk about.

Cenk Uygur (0:15)

There is. So.

Sean Ryan (0:16)

But I really appreciate you coming on. You know, throughout the years, the country's obviously become extremely divided. It has been probably for the majority of my adult life, but, man, it's speeding up fast. And so I appreciate you being here because I think we both come from opposite ends of the spectrum. And listening to you recently, and just my own feelings, I think maybe both of us are pretty fucking disgusted with the parties we come from. And I heard Joe Rogan call it politically homeless, and I think that's the perfect term, politically homeless. I feel like. I don't know. I always thought I was a Republican. Turns out I'm not a fucking Republican. I'm not a Democrat either. But I'm just an American who wants to fix stuff, that wants a brighter future for my kids than I had. And so I hope we can come up with some solutions today on all the problems that are going on.

Cenk Uygur (1:24)

So don't worry. I've got the solutions. So. So we're the first online video show, right? And we're the first YouTube partner. So I've been doing this 24 years, so I've seen it all. And I give you that context because this is both the worst of times and the best of times. So as. As shitty as things are, things are gonna get, I think, are gonna get better because we're nearly at the bottom of Pandora's box. And if you know that old Greek story, all the demons fly out of Pandora's box once you open it. And at the very bottom, the last thing left is hope. Okay? So we're almost at hope.

Sean Ryan (2:10)

I hope so, man.

Cenk Uygur (2:13)

So here's why. The reason I gave the context is because I've seen this movie so many times where the Democrats say they're the good guys, the Republicans say they're the good guys. They both do propaganda. Mainstream media loves that propaganda. They put it on steroids, right? And the most important thing is make sure you're divided and you're. And you hate each other. And you're constantly attacking one another, okay? And they tell you that you don't agree on anything. And then. But in old days, they would celebrate anytime there was bipartisan consensus. And mainstream media said that was, like, the greatest thing in the world. And on the young Turks, who we've been pointing out for 20 straight years now online, longer on the radio, saying, hey, wait a minute. What Are they agreeing on? Let's look at what they're agreeing on and what they're disagreeing on, right? So what they agreed on every single time was corporate subsidies, corporate tax breaks, corporate this, corporate that, foreign government, this, foreign government that. Every time, it was a giveaway of our money, right? So Joe Biden didn't do much, but they declared him FDR 2.0. And I'm like, whoa, whoa, whoa, what's these amazing things he did? In my opinion, he did some good things. More Internet across the country. That's a good thing, right? And I can name a couple other good things. But then they talk about the semiconductor bill and they're like, oh, okay, It's. I'm like, okay, look, we need more semiconductors in America were too dependent on Taiwan. I get it. But what's in the bill? Oh, it's a 54 billion dollar giveaway to the semiconductor industry. I'm like, okay, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. But did we protect Americans? Like, did we protect American jobs? Did they have to produce it here? Right? No, we didn't protect any American jobs. And as soon as the bill passed, intel fired 8,000 people, and then they fired another 12,000 people. Right. And they outsourced. So. But the media was like, yes, Joe Biden delivers, but did he deliver for us? No, he took $54 billion from us and gave it to huge companies. Right. Maybe it was necessary, but it needed guardrails and it needed it to not be a giveaway. But the bottom line is that I can give you dozens of examples like that. Like with oil companies, we give them $35 billion a year in subsidies. What the fuck? They're the biggest companies in the world. They're the most profitable companies in the world. What do they need John and Susie's money for? Who are barely making the rent in Kansas. Right? So. And every time, mainstream media, when they do that bullshit unity, they celebrate. Oh, bipartisan unity, Right. And what do they split you on? Things that you actually agree on. So an example I use is paid family leave. So mom's getting 12 weeks off after they have a baby. 84% approval. Because right wing's like, oh, that'll lead to moms having, you know, more babies, bigger families. We love moms. We do. We want time for them to bond with the Maybe. Of course we do. Right. And the left likes it. It's a bill that they've always liked. Well, 84%. Where's the question? We can't get it passed. Why can't we get it passed because they're all full of shit. They all work for their donors. Most of the donors are corporate. But now, as we know, famously, there's one foreign government that is, in the last cycle, the biggest donor of all, and that's Israel. And so when you lose your sovereignty to a corporation, that's already a big problem. But when you lose it to a foreign government, that's a problem that I cannot accept.

Summary

The Shawn Ryan Show #301 – Cenk Uygur

Episode Title: The Foreign Influence Crisis
Guest: Cenk Uygur (Founder, The Young Turks)
Date: May 4, 2026

Overview

This episode brings together host Shawn Ryan and progressive commentator Cenk Uygur for a deep, candid conversation about the loss of American sovereignty, the corrosive role of foreign and corporate influence in U.S. politics—focusing particularly on the Israeli lobby and AIPAC—media complicity, America's proxy wars (Iran, Gaza), the collapse of political parties, and how ordinary Americans might restore democracy. Both guests come from opposite sides of the political spectrum but share a common frustration and urgency for change.

Key Themes & Discussion Points

1. Political Disillusionment & "Homelessness"

Both Ryan and Uygur speak to feeling estranged from traditional party identities.
“I always thought I was a Republican. Turns out I’m not a fucking Republican. I’m not a Democrat either. I’m just an American who wants to fix stuff…” (Shawn Ryan, 00:38)

2. America’s Foreign Influence Crisis—Focus on Israel

Loss of Sovereignty:
- Uygur rails against foreign control, primarily via Israel and AIPAC; also makes parallels with corporate lobbies.
- “When you lose your sovereignty to a corporation, that’s already a big problem. But when you lose it to a foreign government, that’s a problem I cannot accept.” (Cenk Uygur, 05:29)
Bipartisan Complicity:
- Policies that actually unite both parties are almost always about giving away taxpayer money to corporate or foreign interests.
- “So Joe Biden didn’t do much, but they declared him FDR 2.0… it’s a $54 billion giveaway to the semiconductor industry… but did we protect American jobs? No.” (Cenk Uygur, 03:20)
Monetary Breakdown:
- $320 billion in U.S. aid to Israel since 1948.
- AIPAC’s $127 million spend in the last cycle, yielding far greater returns in U.S. foreign aid.
Bribery & Media Propaganda:
- Mainstream media depicted as “the getaway driver” for the donor class, covering up legalized bribery.
- “Everyone on TV is full of shit.” (Cenk Uygur, 14:50)

3. Mainstream & Social Media Manipulation

Generational Media Divide:
- Under 50: largely online, more skeptical of official narratives.
- Over 50: reliant on traditional TV news, more susceptible to propaganda.
- “Under 50, almost everybody gets their news from online media. Above 50, most get it from television… If you’re getting your news from television, you’re getting brainwashed.” (Cenk Uygur, 18:44)
Narrative & Character Assassination:
- “The new assassinations are character assassinations.” (Cenk Uygur, 24:30)
- Examples: Madison Cawthorn, Justice Democrats, and anyone critical of Israel (“anti-Semite” label as a tool for silencing opposition).

4. Israel/Palestine/Iran Proxy Wars

U.S. as a Proxy/“Occupied Government”:
- “The United States seems like it is now a proxy. And that to me is terrifying.” (Shawn Ryan, 05:46)
- Uygur’s charge: the real debates in Congress are fake, and politicians across the spectrum are “bribed.”
Gaza, Iran, Lebanon:
- Details of humanitarian catastrophes, U.S.-funded weaponry, and the escalatory logic as foreign aid continues.
- “Why do we have to use our ground troops? If Israel wants a war, why don’t they use their own troops?” (Cenk Uygur, 44:28)
Economic Fallout:
- Fear of losing the petrodollar’s reserve status due to U.S. foreign policy in the Gulf.
- “If we lose the reserve currency, all that money we borrowed from China and Japan to give to Israel? We’ll have to pay a higher interest on it.” (Cenk Uygur, 57:17)

5. Solutions—How to Regain American Sovereignty and Democracy

Unite Beyond Partisan Divides:
- Table divisive issues (“abortion’s just batted back and forth until the end of time”) to focus on the existential threats: war, foreign control, corruption.
- “If Peru was occupying us, I’d be obsessed about Peru.” (Cenk Uygur, 08:55)
Electoral Action:
- “Unless their name is Tom Massie or Ro Khanna… vote out all incumbents.” (Cenk Uygur, 80:56)
Primary Focus:
- The real power is in party primaries, where fresh candidates can be lifted before general elections lock in the “robots.”
- “By the time you get to the general election, it’s Israeli robot A vs. Israeli robot B.” (Cenk Uygur, 84:10)
Media Revolution:
- Power shifting to independent media, which “can’t be bought” in the same way as legacy networks.
- “Now that online media is stronger than mainstream media, you have no idea how good a shape we’re actually in.” (Cenk Uygur, 128:36)
Amend the Constitution:
- “Pass an amendment immediately to get money out of politics. Because you gotta turn off the tap.” (Cenk Uygur, 100:06)
- Discussion of using Article V, calling a convention via state legislatures.
- “We unite to defeat corruption; you’re not voting on abortion, you’re not voting on gay rights. That’s for another day.” (Cenk Uygur, 146:46)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On The False Debate:
“Mainstream media says no, those aren’t bribes. Those are true opinions of Hakeem Jeffries and Ted Cruz… No, you’re full of shit.” — Cenk Uygur, 13:38
On Character Assassination:
“They literally have a secret file on everyone and they don’t use it until you become problematic. And then all of a sudden there’s a leak…” — Cenk Uygur, 25:24
On U.S. Proxy Wars:
“We’re borrowing from China. And our kids have to pay the interest on that and our grandkids have to pay the interest on that. Why doesn’t Israel borrow from China to do their own murders?” — Cenk Uygur, 39:00
On the Durability of Bribery Defenses:
“They invented this thing called a trope… It’s like landmines they set up in politics—political landmines.” — Cenk Uygur, 47:29
On Policy Solutions:
“If you don’t end the bribery, we’re permanently screwed. That’s what’s putting the stain on the flag.” — Cenk Uygur, 99:55
On Building a Movement:
“It has to be grassroots. It can’t be some fucking guy with a shit ton of money that’s going to finance the entire thing.” — Shawn Ryan, 95:37
On Independent Media:
“The audience has held us up on their shoulders. They just keep becoming members and donating and not letting us fall apart… That’s the beauty of online media. Everybody gets caught.” — Cenk Uygur, 143:19
On Refusing Partisan Loyalty:
“I don’t think right and left anymore, man. I just… are you American or are you not? That’s the only question.” — Shawn Ryan, 168:30
On Reform Strategy:
“Make villains out of them… I’d put their pictures up on giant posters and then mount the money they took from APAC underneath.” — Cenk Uygur, 125:50

Timestamps of Major Segments

00:15–03:20: Opening—Disaffection with American political parties and hope for alternatives.
05:29–08:55: Breakdown of bipartisan corruption and the centrality of Israel/AIPAC.
18:44–23:24: Age-based media divide, the manipulation of older generations, history of Israeli military actions.
25:23–30:51: How dissent is policed via character assassinations and accusations of anti-Semitism.
49:21–55:39: How war in Iran and the Gulf threatens U.S. economic dominance and reserve currency.
80:56–95:10: Structural solutions: voting out incumbents, empowering primaries, and moving away from the duopoly.
100:06–117:16: The necessity of a constitutional amendment; power of independent media to break oligarchy.
128:36–146:46: How to defend grassroots media, build a new anti-corruption consensus, and use states to force a convention.
163:22–172:36: Civil disobedience, general strikes, the role of state-level resistance, and police violence as a warning sign.
177:02–188:03: "Conspiracy theory" as a tool to shut down questioning and how to recognize actual criminal conspiracies.
193:02–197:57: The rationale for wars in the Middle East; how the same tactics/statements are recycled irrespective of truth.
198:26–213:57: Audience Q&A — "Stop Nick Shirley Act", Democratic Party frustrations, how to empower working people, the necessity of a populist policy plank, amendment strategy, and summary calls to action.

Final Takeaways

Both guests urge abandoning stale partisan divides in favor of unifying around anti-corruption, anti-war, and anti-foreign influence principles.
A new movement/party will require mass grassroots effort, constitutional amendments, and an informed, vigilant public using independent media—not just protest voting.
Corruption, not culture wars, are the existential threat; restoring American sovereignty means confronting the influence of both foreign lobbies and homegrown oligarchs.
Ordinary Americans are called on to reclaim their agency—through voting, grassroots organizing, and refusing to be distracted by divisive propaganda.

For listeners seeking actionable steps:

Inform yourself via independent media.
Vote out corrupted incumbents; focus on primaries.
Advocate for a constitutional amendment to eliminate big money and foreign influence in U.S. elections.
Discuss politics honestly with friends and family—especially those in older generations exposed to television propaganda.
Prioritize anti-corruption unity over partisan or culture war divides.

“Put your boots on. Let’s go. And let’s do exactly as they [the Founding Fathers] told us to do: get an amendment to rewrite the code to get us back to democracy, back to America, so we can recapture our own government.”
— Cenk Uygur (212:50)

[End of summary]

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#301 Cenk Uygur - The Foreign Influence Crisis