What A Day Podcast Summary: "How Trump's Chaos Is Becoming Normal"

Release Date: June 2, 2025
Host: Jane Coston
Guest: M. Gessen, New York Times Opinion Columnist

Introduction: The New Normal of Chaos

In the opening segment, Jane Coston sets the stage by acknowledging the unprecedented turmoil since President Donald Trump resumed office in January. She highlights Trump's aggressive policies that have disrupted the global trading system, challenged constitutional rights, targeted educational institutions, and undermined humanitarian efforts. Jane reflects on the collective exhaustion and the coping mechanisms people have adopted, such as reducing news intake and distancing from social media. She introduces M. Gessen to delve deeper into the phenomenon of normalizing chaos.

Conversation with M. Gessen: Normalizing Autocracy

Parallels with Russia Under Putin

• Initial Shock to Routine:
  M. Gessen discusses how the initial shock of autocratic measures gradually fades, leading to a disturbing sense of normalcy.
  “It's always hard to write about recognizing something that you've experienced before... the shock wears off and the rise of autocracy can feel routine.” [03:02]

• Human Resilience and Downfall:
  Gessen explains that while human resilience allows people to adapt, it also leads to complacency in the face of deteriorating freedoms.
  “We have a normalcy bias where we will normalize things that are not normal... so we feel like we can work through everyday life.” [05:00]

Trump’s Multi-Front Attacks vs. Traditional Autocracies

• Simultaneous Policy Shifts:
  Unlike traditional autocracies that implement changes gradually, Trump’s administration attacks multiple fronts simultaneously, overwhelming the public’s capacity to react.
  “Every other autocracy that I've written about has been kind of gradual and very sequential, but this is like everything all at once.” [05:40]

• Analogy to Wartime Society:
  Gessen likens the current climate to living in a war zone where constant shifts in the front lines lead to routine adaptation.
  “It's like living in a country at war... people just kind of go on living.” [06:00]

Cultural Lessons and Resistance

• American and Russian Similarities:
  Gessen points out that both American and Russian cultures have a tendency to sacrifice for the greater good, which Trump exploits by promising stability amidst chaos.
  “Trump... is tapping into that... the sentiment of we need to sacrifice for the greater good is really ingrained in the culture.” [07:33]

• Role of Journalists:
  Emphasizing the importance of journalism, Gessen advocates for creating a historical record and forging emotional connections to combat desensitization.
  “One challenge is to create a record... the other is to try to break through this sense of disconnection and familiarity.” [09:45]

Impact on Society and Individual Thought

• Normalization Leading to Simplification:
  As autocratic measures become routine, society becomes less complex and more susceptible to simplistic, bad ideas.
  “We are going to normalize this stuff because it's becoming normal... as a species, we're survivors.” [11:33]

• Call to Action:
  Gessen urges society to resist the normalization of autocracy to reclaim a vision of the future and maintain societal freedoms.
  “The goal is to not lose everything and to resist it so that we're able to reclaim a vision of the future.” [12:28]

Current Events: Ukraine’s Operation Spider’s Web

Jane transitions to significant geopolitical developments, focusing on Ukraine’s massive drone attack on Russian air bases, termed Operation Spider’s Web.

• Details of the Attack:
  Ukraine claims to have destroyed dozens of Russian bombers using over 100 drones, showcasing a highly coordinated and large-scale operation.
  “This is the single largest attack that we've seen in one day across multiple military air bases inside Russia since the war began in February of 2022.” [16:51]

• Zelenskyy’s Involvement:
  President Volodymyr Zelenskyy personally supervised the operation and remains actively engaged in peace talks scheduled with Russia in Istanbul.
  “Zelenskyy personally supervised the attack.” [17:15]

• Russia’s Retaliation and Continued Conflict:
  Despite Ukraine's strike, Russia persists with its military actions in Ukraine, including its largest airstrike in three years.
  “Russia also continued its attacks on Ukraine over the weekend and last week launched its largest airstrike in the three-year war.” [17:15]

Trump’s Tariffs and Legal Battles

Jane shifts focus to the ongoing economic tensions involving President Trump’s tariff policies.

• Legal Challenges to Tariffs:
  Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick defends Trump’s authority to impose tariffs, even after a federal appeals court blocked a lower court ruling that deemed the tariffs unauthorized under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
  “We have other alternatives that we could pursue as well to make sure that we make America trade fair again.” [18:11]

• Misleading Statements from Officials:
  Kevin Hassett, Director of the National Economic Council, made inaccurate claims comparing fentanyl deaths to American war casualties, which a fact-check revealed as incorrect.
  “We will have other alternatives to make sure that we make America trade fair again.” [19:03]

• Trump’s Escalation of Tariffs:
  Trump announced plans to double tariffs on aluminum and steel, further straining international trade relations.
  “President Donald Trump keeps threatening new tariffs... planning to double existing tariffs on aluminum and steel.” [19:28]

Immigration Policies: Supreme Court’s Ruling

The Supreme Court’s decision to allow the Trump administration to end deportation protections for approximately half a million migrants is discussed.

• Scope of the Ruling:
  The ruling affects migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela who are in the U.S. under the Biden-era humanitarian parole program.
  “The Supreme Court Friday allowed the Trump administration to end temporary legal status for roughly half a million migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.” [19:28]

• Dissenting Opinion:
  Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson and Sonia Sotomayor dissented, highlighting the severe personal consequences for migrants awaiting legal claims.
  “...the devastating consequences of allowing the government to precipitously upend the lives and livelihoods of nearly half a million noncitizens while their legal claims are pending.” [20:51]

Senator Joni Ernst’s Medicaid Cuts Controversy

Lastly, Jane covers Republican Senator Joni Ernst’s controversial remarks on Medicaid cuts during a town hall in Iowa.

• Insensitive Remarks:
  Senator Ernst dismissed constituents' concerns about Medicaid cuts by stating, “People are not well. We all are going to die.” [20:59] This response was widely criticized for its lack of empathy.

• Public Backlash and Apology:
  In response to backlash, Ernst posted a sarcastic apology video on Instagram, further alienating her constituents by trivializing their concerns.
  “People are going to die and I made an incorrect assumption that everyone in the auditorium understood that yes, we are all going to perish from this earth.” [21:37]

• Economic Impact of Proposed Cuts:
  Government analysis indicates that millions of Americans could lose health insurance due to the proposed Medicaid cuts, exacerbating healthcare access issues.
  “Government's own independent analysis says millions of Americans will lose access to health insurance under the proposed cuts.” [22:19]

Conclusion: Coping with Normalized Chaos

Jane Coston wraps up the episode by reflecting on the pervasive normalization of chaos within the Trump administration's policies. With insights from M. Gessen, listeners are urged to recognize the dangers of complacency and the importance of active resistance to preserve democratic freedoms and societal well-being.

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