This week, Lisa and David talk about the Iran war and Israeli influence on the US; OpenAI KillGPT; Noem avoids direct denial of Lewandowski affair under oath; judge rules Kari Lake had no authority to dismantle VOA; tariffs updates; Israel hacked Tehran traffic cameras to effect Khamenei assassination; Trump’s scorched alumni; inventions by women; Punch the monkey; almost one third of Gen-Z men believe that wives should “always obey” their husbands; Penguins present pebbles painted by kids in the hospital to their mates; and more.

Where is Jeff Sessions (and Friends)

As of early 2026, former U.S. Attorney General and Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions is in private life following his departure from the Department of Justice in 2018 and a failed 2020 comeback bid for his Senate seat. He largely retired from public office after losing the Republican primary to Tommy Tuberville.

* Political Status: Sessions is no longer in elected office. His final, unsuccessful attempt to return to the U.S. Senate was in 2020, where he was defeated in the Alabama Republican primary.

* Background: He served as the 84th U.S. Attorney General from 2017 to 2018 under President Trump before resigning at his request. Prior to that, he was a U.S. Senator for Alabama from 1997 to 2017.

* Current Activities: Since his 2020 electoral loss, he has largely remained out of the public spotlight.

His political career was largely derailed following his recusal from the Russia investigation during his time as Attorney General.

Many senior officials from the first Trump administration (2017–2021) have faded from the spotlight, some due to being forced out, others by choosing to distance themselves, and many by being intentionally sidelined following public disagreements or loyalty disputes. The “Trump 1.0” era was marked by high staff turnover, creating a large pool of former officials who either returned to the private sector, became vocal critics, or simply faded into obscurity.

Key First-Term Officials Who Left or Were Sidelined:

* Cabinet Members: Secretaries such as Rex Tillerson (State), Jeff Sessions (Justice), Jim Mattis (Defense), and HR McMaster (National Security) were early departures, often in public, strained circumstances.

* White House Staff: Numerous senior advisors, including John Kelly (Chief of Staff), Reince Priebus (Chief of Staff), and Anthony Scaramucci (Communications), had short tenures and largely faded from the inner circle.

* Intelligence/Security Officials: Officials such as Dan Coats (Director of National Intelligence) were marginalized or resigned due to disagreements over Russia.

Why Many Fell into Obscurity:

* High Turnover: The “rapidly emerging” orders and high-pressure environment meant many officials only lasted a short time before being replaced.

* Public Disagreements: Many who disagreed with the President on policy, such as former Defense Secretary Mark Esper and national security adviser John Bolton, became vocal opponents, often distancing themselves from the Republican mainstream.

* “Deep State” Accusations: Those who criticized the President, like the anonymous author of the “New York Times” op-ed, were often branded as part of a “deep state” and targeted for removal.

* Shift in Loyalty: As the administration progressed, the focus shifted to finding officials with absolute loyalty, causing those who prioritized independent judgment to fall by the wayside.

Current Status (2025-2026):

* Vocal Opposition: Some former high-level officials, including Mark Esper and John Bolton, have actively opposed a second Trump term.

* Shifting Roles: Some, like Russell Vought, evolved from traditional roles into key architects of “Trump 2.0” plans like Schedule F and Project 2025, moving from the mainstream to the ideological fringe of the party.

* Forgotten Names: Many mid-level officials, who were once influential, have faded completely from public view.

As of 2025-2026, many of the original 2017 team were replaced by individuals whose primary credential was loyalty, contributing to a “cuckoo crew” description by critics, while the original staffers became largely disconnected from the current MAGA movement.

Links:

Outrage Overload Podcast

Yergz Radio (yergzradio.com)

Dare Talk Radio (daretalkradio.com)

This Week in Outrage Substack (outrageoverload.net/twio)

OpenAI Agrees To Power Autonomous Weapons (Jonathan Stray)

Is Noem Sleeping With Lewandowski? Well, She Didn’t Say ‘No.’ (NY Mag)

U.S. Judge says Kari Lake broke law in overseeing Voice of America (NPR)

Judge pushes back timeline for tariff refunds (The Hill)

Israel hacked Tehran traffic cameras to track Khamenei ahead of assassination (Times of Israel)

One in three Gen Z men want obedient women (DW)

Penguins pick breeding pebbles painted by kids in the hospital (The Exponent)

Get full access to Outrage Overload Newsletter at outrageoverload.substack.com/subscribe