Truth in the Barrel - "This Week Unfiltered" (08.14.25)

Hosts: Amy McGrath, Denver Riggleman
Guest: Bill Kristol
Release Date: August 15, 2025

Episode Overview

This week, Amy and Denver are joined by renowned conservative commentator and political strategist Bill Kristol for a no-holds-barred discussion of America's slide toward authoritarian norms under President Trump. The episode focuses on the militarization of American streets, Trump’s overtures to Vladimir Putin, threats to voting rights, gender and LGBTQ issues, and increasing politicization of federal institutions. The tone is frank, urgent, at times darkly humorous, and dedicated to defending the Constitution in turbulent times.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Troops on the Streets: Trump’s Deployment of National Guard in D.C.

Concerns over Federal Overreach:
Amy and Bill dissect the alarming normalization of using military forces for domestic law enforcement, especially in D.C. and previously L.A.
- Bill Kristol:
  
  “What’s the precedent that is being set between LA and DC is really, is intentional. … First you normalize the use of the Guard. Then…you normalize the use of the active duty military … you normalize the use of taking control of the local police department.” [04:17–06:13]
Posse Comitatus Act:
Amy highlights the legal tradition barring federal military involvement in domestic affairs:

“We know that the Posse Comitatus act is there for a reason…they’re going to find a way around this. Well, let’s just declare an emergency...” [06:57]
Danger to Military Professionalism and Democracy:
Both warn of damage to democratic traditions and to the nonpartisan reputation of the military.
- Bill Kristol:
  
  “The crime thing is just a pretext…It’s a pretext for deploying the troops,” [09:46]
- Amy McGrath:
  
  “You’re taking them from their jobs…and you’re deploying them to do what, who knows? But certainly as a display of power, this is about power and not crime.” [07:47]

2. Authoritarian Creep & The Republican Silence

GOP Hypocrisy and Norm-Breaking:
The hosts note Republicans who once decried “big government” are silent now; norms of restraint are fading fast.
- Bill Kristol:
  
  “Federalism, state and local control…the last thing we need is a federal government that can deploy military…[now] not an emergency, crime rates are going down.” [03:56–04:35]
Checks & Balances Eroding:
Previous internal resistance (e.g., Jim Mattis, Mark Esper) is gone.

“Now we have a Secretary of Defense who’s not going to stop [Trump].” [12:55]

3. ICE Expansion & Masked Enforcement

Militarized Police & “Secret” Police:
Growth of ICE, tripling its size, and removal of vetting is viewed as creating a presidentially-controlled secret police force.
- Bill Kristol:
  
  “[ICE] is also a threat to our democracy, honestly to the rule of law...” [16:18]
Use of Non-Identified Federal Agents:
Amy finds the deployment of masked, unidentifiable DHS agents disturbing.

“[Masked agents]…with no patches, no identifying features... We were in the streets of Baghdad; we Weren't masked.” [16:23]
Public Resistance:
Recording bystanders acts as a “deterrent effect.” [17:07]

4. Trump’s Meeting with Putin in Alaska

Legitimizing an International Pariah:
Trump’s invitation to Putin grants legitimacy to a global outcast without including Ukraine in negotiations.
- Bill Kristol:
  
  “He hasn’t been in Europe for meetings since the war began because he is an outcast…Suddenly Trump has him to the U.S. I mean, that is terrible.” [20:08]
- Amy McGrath:
  
  “…bringing Vladimir Putin, who’s a war criminal, to the United States…is really just giving him a sort of a political win.” [19:39]
No Substance, Just Optics:
Bill condemns the amateurish nature of U.S. representation:

“…his [envoy] Witkoff goes to see Putin…brings no translator, no US Translator, no one from the embassy, no Russia expert…No one is there taking notes.” [23:22]
Land Swap “Peace” and Exclusion of Kyiv:
Amy and Bill agree land-for-peace proposals reward aggression and embolden future invasions.

5. Attacks on Voting: Rights and Structure

Coordinated National Effort:
Amy lists Republican strategies: gutting election security structures (CISA), stricter ID requirements (disenfranchising millions), federal intervention in voter rolls, machine decertifications, DOJ targeting of election officials, and hyper-partisan gerrymandering.

“One of the worst things about being overwhelmed is that we can’t sort of pay attention to all of it... rarely makes the front page of the news...” [27:41]
Bill Kristol:

“It does fit together. Of course they want election. There will be elections…but they would like as much as possible to help Republicans…we’re unleashing things here that are now going to play out in a very bad way.” [31:24]
Norm-shattering in Texas & California:
Bill and Amy discuss interstate “arms race” and the difficulty Democrats face in responding forcefully given long traditions of procedural fairness.

6. Right-Wing Culture Wars: Gender & Family

Pastors, Policy, and Misogyny:
Pete Hegseth’s pastor, Doug Wilson, claims women shouldn’t vote and disparages women’s military service:

“He said it’s like having a playpen that you put 50 cats in and then drop catnip in the middle of it. Whatever happens is going to be ugly.” [37:22]
- Amy:
  
  “It is a slap in the face to the thousands of women who serve in the military and frankly, serve in capacities that this guy…couldn’t do himself.” [38:34]
Kim Davis and LGBTQ Rights:
Kim Davis presses Supreme Court to overturn marriage equality, despite her own four marriages.
- Amy:
  
  “She has been married, Bill. Four times... And she is like saying, oh, I’m gonna bring a case about the sanctity of marriage. I mean, you can’t make this stuff up.” [45:10]
- Bill Kristol:
  
  “I am. What I guess I'm amazed by is the extremism on the right…It's more radical, more extreme than I expected…” [43:53]

7. Cultural & Institutional Censorship

Smithsonian, History, and “Stalinesque” Demands
- Trump’s White House directs Smithsonian exhibits to “reflect his view of history.”
- Bill Kristol:
  
  “Reflect Trump’s view of history. What the hell is that about? Who cares what his view…does Donald Trump have a view of history?” [46:05]
Preemptive Censorship and Chilling Effect:
Bill notes think tanks and institutions are already self-censoring to avoid White House ire.

8. Attack on Data and Expertise: The BLS Shake-up

Loyalty over Competence:
Amy and Bill discuss the firing of the Bureau of Labor Statistics chief, replacement by a loyalist with insurrection ties and dubious qualifications—and even a penchant for Nazi naval iconography.
- Bill Kristol:
  
  “He does these zooms…with the Bismarck as the ship behind him, the German ship which Hitler personally commissioned in 1939…” [52:56]
- Amy:
  
  “You’re going to put my economist who’s completely unqualified…a loyalist who’s…going to go in there and falsify the data.” [52:19]

9. The Republican Congress: No Resistance

Failure of Institutional Checks:
Bill is scathing about GOP senators confirming unqualified, dangerous Trump appointees

“…fifty, fifty-one, fifty-two out of fifty-three Republicans…voted to confirm these obviously unqualified and dangerous people in many cases, to these jobs. Very hard to then sustain any internal…checks.” [50:10]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Authoritarian Drift:
- Bill Kristol:
  
  “…If we saw that headline from Sounds like Sudan…Or Latin America or parts of Central and Eastern Europe in less Happy times…” [11:21–11:24]
On Masked Federal Forces:
- Amy McGrath:
  
  “Those of us in the military...we weren’t masked…You go and…you’re wearing the uniform… I feel like we’re in a different place in a place that I have never seen in this country ever.” [16:23]
On Trump-Putin ‘Peace’ Talks:
- Bill Kristol:
  
  “…Has a real Munich feel to it.” [20:08]
On Checks & Guardrails:
- Bill Kristol:
  
  “...The administration full of loyalists with no guardrails, a Republican Congress that just goes along with everything, a media ecosystem that parrots and publicizes the lies and the disinformation. It's genuinely dangerous.” [51:59]
On Women in Submarines:
- Amy McGrath:
  
  “When we opened subs to women, not only did the women perform just as well, if not better than many men, but we started meeting our recruiting needs because we opened up that talent pool…” [40:21]
On Institutional Cowardice:
- Amy, quoting a military peer:
  
  “I don’t think he'll get through committee. You know, and if he does, then maybe I'll say something.” [55:39]
- Bill Kristol:
  
  “And then he won't get confirmed. And it gets confirmed. Well, he won't do some of these things...and then fires them...the degree to which people just won't come to grips with what is happening is alarming.” [56:17]
On The Public Response:
- Bill Kristol:
  
  “People vote, more people voted for Trump than should have, in my opinion. But a lot of them didn't quite want this you know, and I do. On the one hand, they should have known it was coming, to be honest.” [57:09]

Key Timestamps

National Guard, Military Precedent & GOP Hypocrisy: 02:52–11:00
ICE, Masked Agents, and Authoritarianism: 15:09–18:31
Trump’s Alaska Summit with Putin: 18:31–26:04
Voting Rights Under Attack: 27:41–35:49
Culture Wars: Pete Hegseth’s Pastor, Women’s & LGBTQ Rights: 37:22–45:10
Institutional Censorship & History: 46:05–49:47
Politicization of Federal Statistics: 51:59–56:48
Final Reflections / “Cheers” Segment: 57:09–59:54

Cheers: Signs of Hope

Bill Kristol:
Senses potential for a Democratic backlash in 2026 as even many Trump voters grow alienated by the methods and extremism of the administration, if voting rights aren’t too badly eroded.
Amy McGrath:
Highlights a non-political win: Jen Powell becomes MLB’s first female umpire, noting that professional sports is slowly integrating women in top officiating roles.

This episode is a sweeping, clear-eyed tour through the most pressing constitutional and civil threats currently facing the United States, delivered with urgency and moments of levity. For listeners who care about the future of the republic, it is both a wakeup call and a (sometimes bitter) toast to resilience and vigilance.

Truth in the Barrel - "This Week Unfiltered" (08.14.25)

Hosts: Amy McGrath, Denver Riggleman
Guest: Bill Kristol
Release Date: August 15, 2025

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Troops on the Streets: Trump’s Deployment of National Guard in D.C.

Concerns over Federal Overreach:
Amy and Bill dissect the alarming normalization of using military forces for domestic law enforcement, especially in D.C. and previously L.A.
- Bill Kristol:
  
  “What’s the precedent that is being set between LA and DC is really, is intentional. … First you normalize the use of the Guard. Then…you normalize the use of the active duty military … you normalize the use of taking control of the local police department.” [04:17–06:13]
Posse Comitatus Act:
Amy highlights the legal tradition barring federal military involvement in domestic affairs:

“We know that the Posse Comitatus act is there for a reason…they’re going to find a way around this. Well, let’s just declare an emergency...” [06:57]
Danger to Military Professionalism and Democracy:
Both warn of damage to democratic traditions and to the nonpartisan reputation of the military.
- Bill Kristol:
  
  “The crime thing is just a pretext…It’s a pretext for deploying the troops,” [09:46]
- Amy McGrath:
  
  “You’re taking them from their jobs…and you’re deploying them to do what, who knows? But certainly as a display of power, this is about power and not crime.” [07:47]

2. Authoritarian Creep & The Republican Silence

GOP Hypocrisy and Norm-Breaking:
The hosts note Republicans who once decried “big government” are silent now; norms of restraint are fading fast.
- Bill Kristol:
  
  “Federalism, state and local control…the last thing we need is a federal government that can deploy military…[now] not an emergency, crime rates are going down.” [03:56–04:35]
Checks & Balances Eroding:
Previous internal resistance (e.g., Jim Mattis, Mark Esper) is gone.

“Now we have a Secretary of Defense who’s not going to stop [Trump].” [12:55]

3. ICE Expansion & Masked Enforcement

Militarized Police & “Secret” Police:
Growth of ICE, tripling its size, and removal of vetting is viewed as creating a presidentially-controlled secret police force.
- Bill Kristol:
  
  “[ICE] is also a threat to our democracy, honestly to the rule of law...” [16:18]
Use of Non-Identified Federal Agents:
Amy finds the deployment of masked, unidentifiable DHS agents disturbing.

“[Masked agents]…with no patches, no identifying features... We were in the streets of Baghdad; we Weren't masked.” [16:23]
Public Resistance:
Recording bystanders acts as a “deterrent effect.” [17:07]

4. Trump’s Meeting with Putin in Alaska

Legitimizing an International Pariah:
Trump’s invitation to Putin grants legitimacy to a global outcast without including Ukraine in negotiations.
- Bill Kristol:
  
  “He hasn’t been in Europe for meetings since the war began because he is an outcast…Suddenly Trump has him to the U.S. I mean, that is terrible.” [20:08]
- Amy McGrath:
  
  “…bringing Vladimir Putin, who’s a war criminal, to the United States…is really just giving him a sort of a political win.” [19:39]
No Substance, Just Optics:
Bill condemns the amateurish nature of U.S. representation:

“…his [envoy] Witkoff goes to see Putin…brings no translator, no US Translator, no one from the embassy, no Russia expert…No one is there taking notes.” [23:22]
Land Swap “Peace” and Exclusion of Kyiv:
Amy and Bill agree land-for-peace proposals reward aggression and embolden future invasions.

5. Attacks on Voting: Rights and Structure

Coordinated National Effort:
Amy lists Republican strategies: gutting election security structures (CISA), stricter ID requirements (disenfranchising millions), federal intervention in voter rolls, machine decertifications, DOJ targeting of election officials, and hyper-partisan gerrymandering.

“One of the worst things about being overwhelmed is that we can’t sort of pay attention to all of it... rarely makes the front page of the news...” [27:41]
Bill Kristol:

“It does fit together. Of course they want election. There will be elections…but they would like as much as possible to help Republicans…we’re unleashing things here that are now going to play out in a very bad way.” [31:24]
Norm-shattering in Texas & California:
Bill and Amy discuss interstate “arms race” and the difficulty Democrats face in responding forcefully given long traditions of procedural fairness.

6. Right-Wing Culture Wars: Gender & Family

Pastors, Policy, and Misogyny:
Pete Hegseth’s pastor, Doug Wilson, claims women shouldn’t vote and disparages women’s military service:

“He said it’s like having a playpen that you put 50 cats in and then drop catnip in the middle of it. Whatever happens is going to be ugly.” [37:22]
- Amy:
  
  “It is a slap in the face to the thousands of women who serve in the military and frankly, serve in capacities that this guy…couldn’t do himself.” [38:34]
Kim Davis and LGBTQ Rights:
Kim Davis presses Supreme Court to overturn marriage equality, despite her own four marriages.
- Amy:
  
  “She has been married, Bill. Four times... And she is like saying, oh, I’m gonna bring a case about the sanctity of marriage. I mean, you can’t make this stuff up.” [45:10]
- Bill Kristol:
  
  “I am. What I guess I'm amazed by is the extremism on the right…It's more radical, more extreme than I expected…” [43:53]

7. Cultural & Institutional Censorship

Smithsonian, History, and “Stalinesque” Demands
- Trump’s White House directs Smithsonian exhibits to “reflect his view of history.”
- Bill Kristol:
  
  “Reflect Trump’s view of history. What the hell is that about? Who cares what his view…does Donald Trump have a view of history?” [46:05]
Preemptive Censorship and Chilling Effect:
Bill notes think tanks and institutions are already self-censoring to avoid White House ire.

8. Attack on Data and Expertise: The BLS Shake-up

Loyalty over Competence:
Amy and Bill discuss the firing of the Bureau of Labor Statistics chief, replacement by a loyalist with insurrection ties and dubious qualifications—and even a penchant for Nazi naval iconography.
- Bill Kristol:
  
  “He does these zooms…with the Bismarck as the ship behind him, the German ship which Hitler personally commissioned in 1939…” [52:56]
- Amy:
  
  “You’re going to put my economist who’s completely unqualified…a loyalist who’s…going to go in there and falsify the data.” [52:19]

9. The Republican Congress: No Resistance

Failure of Institutional Checks:
Bill is scathing about GOP senators confirming unqualified, dangerous Trump appointees

“…fifty, fifty-one, fifty-two out of fifty-three Republicans…voted to confirm these obviously unqualified and dangerous people in many cases, to these jobs. Very hard to then sustain any internal…checks.” [50:10]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Authoritarian Drift:
- Bill Kristol:
  
  “…If we saw that headline from Sounds like Sudan…Or Latin America or parts of Central and Eastern Europe in less Happy times…” [11:21–11:24]
On Masked Federal Forces:
- Amy McGrath:
  
  “Those of us in the military...we weren’t masked…You go and…you’re wearing the uniform… I feel like we’re in a different place in a place that I have never seen in this country ever.” [16:23]
On Trump-Putin ‘Peace’ Talks:
- Bill Kristol:
  
  “…Has a real Munich feel to it.” [20:08]
On Checks & Guardrails:
- Bill Kristol:
  
  “...The administration full of loyalists with no guardrails, a Republican Congress that just goes along with everything, a media ecosystem that parrots and publicizes the lies and the disinformation. It's genuinely dangerous.” [51:59]
On Women in Submarines:
- Amy McGrath:
  
  “When we opened subs to women, not only did the women perform just as well, if not better than many men, but we started meeting our recruiting needs because we opened up that talent pool…” [40:21]
On Institutional Cowardice:
- Amy, quoting a military peer:
  
  “I don’t think he'll get through committee. You know, and if he does, then maybe I'll say something.” [55:39]
- Bill Kristol:
  
  “And then he won't get confirmed. And it gets confirmed. Well, he won't do some of these things...and then fires them...the degree to which people just won't come to grips with what is happening is alarming.” [56:17]
On The Public Response:
- Bill Kristol:
  
  “People vote, more people voted for Trump than should have, in my opinion. But a lot of them didn't quite want this you know, and I do. On the one hand, they should have known it was coming, to be honest.” [57:09]

Key Timestamps

National Guard, Military Precedent & GOP Hypocrisy: 02:52–11:00
ICE, Masked Agents, and Authoritarianism: 15:09–18:31
Trump’s Alaska Summit with Putin: 18:31–26:04
Voting Rights Under Attack: 27:41–35:49
Culture Wars: Pete Hegseth’s Pastor, Women’s & LGBTQ Rights: 37:22–45:10
Institutional Censorship & History: 46:05–49:47
Politicization of Federal Statistics: 51:59–56:48
Final Reflections / “Cheers” Segment: 57:09–59:54

Cheers: Signs of Hope

Bill Kristol:
Senses potential for a Democratic backlash in 2026 as even many Trump voters grow alienated by the methods and extremism of the administration, if voting rights aren’t too badly eroded.
Amy McGrath:
Highlights a non-political win: Jen Powell becomes MLB’s first female umpire, noting that professional sports is slowly integrating women in top officiating roles.

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This Week Unfiltered | 08.14.25

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Summary

Truth in the Barrel - "This Week Unfiltered" (08.14.25)

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Troops on the Streets: Trump’s Deployment of National Guard in D.C.

2. Authoritarian Creep & The Republican Silence

3. ICE Expansion & Masked Enforcement

4. Trump’s Meeting with Putin in Alaska

5. Attacks on Voting: Rights and Structure

6. Right-Wing Culture Wars: Gender & Family

7. Cultural & Institutional Censorship

8. Attack on Data and Expertise: The BLS Shake-up

9. The Republican Congress: No Resistance

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Key Timestamps

Cheers: Signs of Hope

Summary

Truth in the Barrel - "This Week Unfiltered" (08.14.25)

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Troops on the Streets: Trump’s Deployment of National Guard in D.C.

2. Authoritarian Creep & The Republican Silence

3. ICE Expansion & Masked Enforcement

4. Trump’s Meeting with Putin in Alaska

5. Attacks on Voting: Rights and Structure

6. Right-Wing Culture Wars: Gender & Family

7. Cultural & Institutional Censorship

8. Attack on Data and Expertise: The BLS Shake-up

9. The Republican Congress: No Resistance

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Key Timestamps

Cheers: Signs of Hope