Are we watching the collapse of America’s moral center in real-time? In this urgent and consequential episode, Jackalyn Rainosek, PhD exposes a core pattern of cruelty at the center of the current presidency, analyzing seemingly disparate events—from the bipartisan forced release of the Epstein files and a federal ruling against racial gerrymandering in Texas, to the President’s public misogyny (calling a reporter piggy), the weaponization of SNAP benefits to make children hungry, and his lavish embrace of authoritarian allies like Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman after the murder of a journalist. Dr. Rainosek argues that these actions demonstrate a unified worldview: a deep contempt for the vulnerable and unwavering loyalty to those who wield violence, money, or autocratic power. This crucial analysis asks listeners to confront this dangerous moment and decide whether America will remain a nation that protects the dignity of all, or one that allows power to silence the defenseless.
Introduction: A Nation at a Moral Crossroads
Every now and then, a week in American politics captures exactly who we are—and who we are in danger of becoming. This past week has done just that. In fact, it has done more than that. It has put on stark display the widening moral vacuum at the center of our government and the ever-expanding cruelty at the heart of Donald Trump’s presidency.
This is a week where:
- Congress finally stood up to Trump and forced transparency in the release of the Epstein files.
- A three-judge federal panel blocked Texas’ racially discriminatory 2025 gerrymander, affirming the constitutional rights of Black and Hispanic voters.
- A major article from The Atlantic documented Trump’s escalating demeaning behavior toward female journalists—in this case calling a White House reporter piggy aboard Air Force One.
- Food banks continued to suffer under the shutdown engineered by Republicans, who for the first time in American history withheld SNAP benefits as a deliberate political tactic, leaving children and families hungry.
- The Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman—a man widely condemned for human rights abuses and the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi (kuh showg jee)—was greeted at the White House with a military flyover, glowing praise, and a president who told the press not to embarrass our guest.
These stories may seem unrelated, but they share one thread that runs straight through Trump’s presidency: a deep contempt for the vulnerable and unwavering loyalty to those who wield violence, money, or authoritarian power.
This is who Donald Trump is. This is what he has always been. And unfortunately, this is the world he is trying to build.
In Podcast 151, we are going to bring all of these pieces together. We are going to expose the pattern—because it is a pattern—and we are going to discuss why this moment is so consequential. If there is any hope of reclaiming America’s moral compass, we must confront what is happening in plain sight.
We must understand the dangerous convergence of misogyny, authoritarianism, racial discrimination, economic cruelty, and disdain for democratic accountability that has come to define Trump’s leadership. And we must recognize that even though Trump has spent decades avoiding accountability, the walls finally may be beginning to close in.
Congress has acted. Federal courts have acted. Women voters are acting. Journalists are refusing to be silent. And the American public—especially younger, more diverse voters—is increasingly rejecting the cruelty that Trump parades as strength.
So let us begin where the ground is shifting most dramatically: the Epstein files.
The Epstein Files: The Scandal Trump Cannot Escape
For years, the Epstein case has hovered like a dark cloud over America’s wealthiest, most powerful men. It has been a symbol of what happens when power is allowed to operate in the shadows—unchecked, unmonitored, unaccountable. And for years, Donald Trump has done everything he could to keep that cloud from raining on him. Congress finally took action.
The Bipartisan Revolt
After months of stonewalling, failed lobbying, and overt pressure directed by Trump toward House Republicans, lawmakers from both parties came together to force the release of the Epstein files. This was not just symbolic—it was a bipartisan act of defiance against a president who has used power for personal protection rather than public accountability.
Haley Stevens’ Substack article laid bare why this fight matters. Stevens, who proudly signed the discharge petition to bring the vote to the floor, wrote with clarity and courage: Newly revealed emails show that Jeffrey Epstein claimed Trump spent ‘hours’ at his residence with one of Epstein’s victims. That is a direct quote—from Epstein himself.
Those words alone should shake the nation. They should shake every parent, every woman, every American who believes children deserve protection. But instead, Trump responded the only way he knows how—by trying to bury the truth.
Trump Only Shifted When He Lost Control
When the House leadership tallied the votes and realized they had overwhelming bipartisan support, Trump suddenly claimed he supported releasing the files all along. This is political theater at its most cynical.
The truth is simple:
Trump changed his position only because he lost. Because Congress had the votes. Because the American people demanded answers. Because the truth was coming whether he wanted it or not. His sudden reversal is not a sign of integrity; it’s the sign of a man who knows his ability to hide behind power is slipping.
Why This Matters
The Epstein scandal is not merely about moral failure. It is about abuse of power, exploitation of minors, and the systems that enabled both. It implicates billionaires, presidents, celebrities, and global elites. It exposes an ecosystem of corruption that thrived in secrecy. And now, that system is finally beginning to crack.
Stevens makes one point that should define this moment:
This isn’t partisan. This isn’t political. This is about transparency, justice, and whether we still believe that no one—not a billionaire, not a royal, not a president—is immune from accountability.
We are witnessing something rare: Congress standing up to a president who fears truth more than anything else. And that fear is on full display in Trump’s escalating attacks on journalists—especially women.
Trump’s Pattern of Misogyny: Quiet, Piggy and Beyond
Just when we think we have seen the lowest depths of Donald Trump’s behavior, he finds a way to go lower. On Air Force One, when Bloomberg reporter Catherine Lucey asked him about the Epstein files, Trump first answered. But when she did what any competent journalist would do—follow up—Trump pointed his finger at her and said: Quiet. Quiet, piggy.
A slur. A humiliation. A degrading, sexist attack from the President of the United States.
The Atlantic Daily chronicled this incident in detail, placing it in context with Trump’s long history of misogynistic outbursts:
- Megyn Kelly: Blood coming out of her wherever.
- Yamiche Alcindor: Be nice; don’t be threatening.
- Alicia Machado: Miss Piggy.
- Rosie O’Donnell: Big, fat pig.
This is not random. This is not an accident. This is the worldview of a man who believes women should be silent unless they are flattering him.
Why It Matters
Words like piggy are not just playground insults—they are tools of power. They are meant to intimidate, silence, and dehumanize. When a president speaks this way, he gives permission to millions of people to treat women as second-class citizens.
He signals that:
- Female journalists are not legitimate.
- Women who challenge him are enemies.
- Women who demand accountability are threats.
And this latest attack came in the very moment Trump was cornered by the Epstein revelations. It touched a nerve, and Trump did what Trump always does—he lashed out at the woman asking the question.
The Political Backlash
There is evidence that this behavior is hurting him politically. Women—particularly young, educated women—are turning away from the MAGA movement in huge numbers. In election after election, women have delivered decisive victories for candidates who oppose Trump’s agenda.
Trump’s response? More insults. More misogyny. More cruelty. But misogyny is not the only weapon Trump uses against the vulnerable. Hunger is now a bargaining chip.
Snap Benefits & Manufactured Hunger: Cruelty as Negotiation
In Bill Penzy’s November 16 newsletter, he wrote:
We’ve officially reached the stage with Republicans where the hunger of children is just one more bargaining chip.
This is not hyperbole. This is not exaggeration. This is reality in America, right now.
The First Time in History
During previous government shutdowns—under both Republican and Democratic presidents—SNAP benefits were always protected. No president, no party, no Congress ever dared to weaponize hunger. Until Trump.
Republicans blocked SNAP in this shutdown. Food banks are overrun. Parents are skipping meals so children can eat. And all of this is happening in a nation of abundance—where billionaires grow richer by the day.
Penzy put it plainly:
To have your kids have to skip meals in America because of tax policy is beyond cruel.
Why Did Republicans Do This? To pressure Democrats into accepting Trump’s plan to cut healthcare for working families. Hunger was not collateral damage. Hunger was the plan.
A President Who Does Not Care
The lack of empathy from Trump is staggering. Here is a man who spends more time praising dictators than supporting hungry children. Here is a leader who hosts lavish four-hour lunches with foreign royalty while American parents line up at food banks.
This is not incompetence. It is cruelty. And cruelty has always been part of Trump’s governing philosophy.
Nothing illustrates this more clearly than his embrace of Mohammed bin Salman.
Mohammed Bin Salman’s Visit: The Authoritarian Brotherhood
The Epoch Times’ account of the Saudi Crown Prince’s visit reads like a script from a reality show designed to flatter an autocrat:
- A flyover of six U.S. fighter jets.
- A four-hour White House event.
- Trump calling MBS “an extremely respected man” and “a very good friend of mine.”
- Trump praising him for “what he’s done… in terms of human rights,” with zero evidence.
But the most shocking moment came when reporters asked about Jamal Khashoggi (kuh showg jee)—the Washington Post journalist murdered and dismembered in 2018. Bin Salman offered a sanitized explanation. Trump offered something worse. Trump defended the murderer.
He told the press:
A lot of people didn’t like that gentleman… things happen.
Things happen.
A journalist killed and cut into pieces, and Trump’s response is things happen.
At that moment, Trump revealed everything we need to know about his values:
He admires leaders who silence dissent.
He protects those who commit atrocities.
He attacks those who seek truth.
This is why he insulted the ABC reporter who asked the question.
This is why he downplayed the murder.
This is why he feels kinship with MBS.
Authoritarians recognize each other.
They protect each other.
They legitimize each other.
And Trump’s pardon history shows he prefers criminals who serve him over citizens who challenge him.
A Pattern of Power Protecting Power
This moment—with Epstein, MBS, SNAP cuts, misogyny, and gerrymandering—reveals a broader pattern.
It is not about isolated incidents.
It is about who Trump is and how he governs.
Trump’s Loyalty to Criminality
Look at the people he pardoned:
- Political allies convicted of corruption
- Military personnel convicted of war crimes
- Political operatives who lied or obstructed justice
- Billionaires convicted of tax fraud
The pattern is clear: If you commit crimes for Trump, he will reward you. If you challenge Trump, he will attack you.
This is the same mindset behind:
- Defending MBS for murder
- Praising dictators
- Attacking journalists
- Blocking SNAP
- Interfering with Epstein investigations
- Supporting racially discriminatory election maps
It all comes from the same place: a belief that power should be used to protect the powerful and punish the vulnerable. Thankfully, these events also showed that Trump’s grip on power is not absolute. The courts provided an important check.
The Racial Gerrymandering Ruling: A Rare Victory for Democracy
In the same week Trump was calling female reporters piggy and defending the murder of a journalist, a three-judge federal panel delivered a major rebuke to Texas’ efforts to suppress minority voters.
The Decision
The court ruled that Texas’ 2025 congressional map was:
- Unconstitutional
- Racially discriminatory
- Designed to harm Black and Hispanic voters
The ruling forced Texas to revert to its 2021 map for the 2026 midterm elections. The decision was not subtle. It stated clearly that: Texas had engaged in unconstitutional racial gerrymandering through a sham legislative process.
Civil Rights Groups Respond
The League of Women Voters, the ACLU, Black Voters Matter, the Urban League, and others celebrated the ruling, calling it: An incredible win… long overdue fair representation.
Celina Stewart, CEO of the League of Women Voters, said:
This map was engineered to diminish the political power of Black and Hispanic voters.
And yet, Texas immediately began maneuvering again to skew districts—proof that the battle for voting rights is never truly over.
Why This Matters for Podcast 151
This ruling is not just about Texas. It is about the national fight for democracy.
It shows that:
- Courts are willing to push back against discrimination.
- Civil rights organizations remain powerful.
- The Constitution still holds weight—even when leaders try to bend it.
It also fits the broader theme of this podcast: People and institutions are finally beginning to push back against corruption and cruelty.
The Country is Waking Up: Pushback on Multiple Fronts
When you look at all these stories together, a pattern emerges—not of despair, but of resistance.
Congress Is Pushing Back
Lawmakers forced Trump to accept the release of Epstein files. That is historic.
The Courts Are Pushing Back
The Texas gerrymandering ruling is a major civil rights victory. That is significant.
Women Are Pushing Back
Women voters are defining elections. Women journalists are refusing silence. Women like Haley Stevens are demanding the truth. That is transformative.
The Media Is Pushing Back
Articles like The Atlantic Daily’s expose Trump’s cruelty as a threat to democratic norms.
Civil Rights Groups Are Pushing Back
Their combined legal pressure helped deliver the Texas ruling.
Citizens Are Waking Up
People across the political spectrum demanded transparency on Epstein—something Trump could not stop.
Despite the darkness of this moment, these signs of resistance matter. They prove one thing: America has not given up on democracy, even if Trump has.
What Happens Next
The Supreme Court Will Now Decide on Texas
Texas has already appealed. What the Supreme Court does next will determine whether minority voting power is protected or diminished.
The Epstein Files Will Come Out
And when they do, they may reshape American politics. The allegations about Trump spending hours with a victim will demand thorough investigation.
Women Voters Will Continue to Shape the Nation
The misogyny Trump flaunts so proudly has consequences—and women are mobilizing in unprecedented numbers.
Hunger and Poverty Will Become Political Flashpoints
Republicans may pay a steep price for weaponizing hunger.
Autocratic Alliances Will Deepen
Trump’s closeness with MBS shows a clear foreign policy direction: partnerships with authoritarian strongmen.
The Truth Will Keep Pushing Through
Even when Trump tries to hide it, delay it, or shame those who question him.
Conclusion: The Moral Imperative of This Moment
We are living through a time when the president regularly:
- Degrades women
- Defends murderers
- Manipulates hunger
- Resorts to racial discrimination
- Avoids accountability
- Belittles journalists
- Uses power to protect the powerful
And yet, in this same moment, the forces of democracy—Congress, courts, journalists, citizens—are rising in response.
This is a moral moment.
We must decide whether we are a nation that allows power to silence the vulnerable—or a nation that protects the dignity of all.
As Haley Stevens wrote:
We have to decide what kind of country we want to be.
Do we want to be a country where hunger is a bargaining chip? Where journalists are called pigs for seeking truth? Where minority votes are diluted for partisan gain? Where presidents bow to dictators and hide the crimes of wealthy abusers?
Or do we want to be a nation of accountability—where truth matters, where decency matters, where voting rights matter, where women matter, where children matter?
This week has shown us the stakes. It has shown us what we are up against. But it has also shown us that good people are fighting back.
Democracy is not dead. But it is in a fight for its life. And we must be willing to join that fight. Because if we don’t, the cruelty of today will become the norm of tomorrow. And that is something America cannot survive.
Episode Summary Points:
- The Central Contempt: Power Over People
- The Moral Vacuum: The past weeks demonstrate a widening moral vacuum in American government and the ever-expanding cruelty defining the current presidency.
- The Core Pattern: Trump’s leadership is characterized by a deep contempt for the vulnerable and an unwavering loyalty to those who wield violence, money, or authoritarian power.
- The Consequential Moment: The convergence of misogyny, authoritarianism, racial discrimination, economic cruelty, and disdain for democratic accountability requires immediate confrontation to reclaim America’s moral compass.
- Five Threads of Cruelty & Corruption
- Accountability and the Epstein Files: Congress achieved a bipartisan act of defiance by forcing the release of the Epstein files, overcoming months of presidential stonewalling. This moment exposed Trump’s attempt to use power for personal protection rather than public accountability, forcing his political reversal.
- Weaponized Misogyny: Trump’s escalating attacks on female journalists, exemplified by his public slur of calling a White House reporter piggy, are a tool of power meant to intimidate, silence, and dehumanize women. This behavior is politically consequential, alienating young, educated women voters.
- Economic Cruelty (Weaponizing Hunger): Republicans blocked SNAP benefits during a government shutdown—a tactic unprecedented in American history—making hunger a bargaining chip to pressure political opponents. This showed a staggering lack of empathy, prioritizing political gain over the well-being of hungry children.
- Authoritarian Alliance (The Khashoggi Murder): Trump welcomed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), widely condemned for human rights abuses and the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, with lavish praise and a military flyover. Trump defended the murder, revealing a kinship with autocrats who silence dissent and commit atrocities.
- Racial Discrimination (Gerrymandering): A three-judge federal panel delivered a major rebuke to Texas, blocking their radically discriminatory 2025 congressional map designed to suppress Black and Hispanic votes, affirming the power of courts and civil rights organizations.
- The Rise of Resistance and Accountability
- Checks on Power: Despite the moral decline, the speaker notes signs that the walls may finally be beginning to close on him, as Congress, federal courts, journalists, and citizens push back.
- Bipartisan Action & Civil Rights Victories: The Epstein file release and the Texas gerrymandering ruling demonstrate that institutions are willing to push back against corruption and discrimination.
- Women’s Mobilization: Women voters are defining elections and women journalists are refusing to be silenced, highlighting the political consequences of Trump’s misogyny.
- The Future Stakes: The resolution of the Texas gerrymandering case by the Supreme Court and the full fallout from the Epstein files are the next critical inflection points that will determine the protection of minority voting power and the landscape of American politics.
- A Moral Imperative: The episode concludes by framing the current moment as a moral choice: whether the nation allows power to silence the vulnerable or commits to being a nation where accountability, truth, decency, and rights
References for Podcast 151:
1.Reuters (2025). “Federal judges block Texas from using new congressional map.” Published November 18, 2025.
https://www.reuters.com/world/federal-judges-block-texas-using-new-congressional-map-2025-11-18
2.Asian Journal (2025). “Court blocks GOP-friendly Texas voting map in major blow ahead of 2026.” Published November 18, 2025.
3.Victoria Advocate (2025). “Federal panel blocks Texas’ new congressional map.” Published November 19, 2025.
https://www.victoriaadvocate.com/2025/11/19/federal-panel-blocks-texas-new-congressional-map
4.The Washington Post (2025). Nirvi Shah & Patrick Svitek. “NAACP asks court to block new Texas congressional map.” Published August 27, 2025.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/08/26/texas-map-naacp-lawsuit
5.ABC News (2025). Ben Gittleson & Molly Nagle. “Trump heaps praise on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as he touts economic development.” Published May 13, 2025.
6.The Epoch Times (2025). Lawrence Wilson. “Saudi Arabia Will Invest $600 Billion in US, Crown Prince Tells Trump.” Published January 24, 2025.
7.Ms. Magazine (2025). Carmen Rios. “Trump’s History of Misogyny Was Obvious Long Before the Epstein Files.” Published July 23, 2025.
https://msmagazine.com/2025/07/23/trump-epstein-republicans
8.Ms. Magazine (2025). Soraya Chemaly. “Against the Normalization of Trump’s Misogyny.” Published February 7, 2025.
https://msmagazine.com/2025/02/07/trump-misogyny-women-normal-reelection-president-men-speak-out
9.USDA Food & Nutrition Service (2025). “SNAP Benefit and Administrative Expense Update for November 2025.” Published November 4, 2025.
https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/benefit-issuance-nov4
10.Newsweek (2025). Fatma Khaled. “When Will SNAP Benefits Be Released? Updated Timeline for November Payments.” Published November 6, 2025 (updated Nov. 7).
11.The Atlantic (2025). Elaine Godfrey. “A Lack of Basic Decency.” The Atlantic Daily Newsletter, November 18, 2025.
https://www.theatlantic.com/tag/person/donald-trump
(This URL leads to The Atlantic’s Trump archive; the newsletter edition is contained within this feed.)
12.The Guardian (2025). Ed Pilkington. “‘Quiet, piggy’: Donald Trump sparks backlash after insulting female reporter.” Published November 19, 2025.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/19/trump-quiet-piggy
13.Vanity Fair (2025). Bess Levin. “A Brief History of Donald Trump Calling Women ‘Pigs’.” Published November 2025.
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/donald-trump-miss-piggy
14.Peterson, A. J. (2025). “Distracting from the Epstein files? Media attention and short-run shifts in Trump’s Truth Social posts.” Preprint on arXiv, November 2025.
https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.11532
15.Haley Stevens (2025).
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Power Over People: Trump’s War On The Vulnerable
I want to talk about the power over people, Trump’s war on the vulnerable. I have studied history for many years. Now and then, there comes a time in American politics when we capture exactly who we are. Who we are not are in danger of becoming. The past several weeks have definitely done that. In fact, it has done more than that. It starkly displays the lack of moral character. We are in the middle of a widening moral vacuum at the center of our government, the ever-expanding cruelty of the heart of Trump’s presidency.
The Bipartisan Push To Release The Epstein Files
This past few weeks, what we have seen is that Congress has finally stood up to Trump. They forced transparency in the release of the Epstein files. A three-judge federal panel blocked Texas’s radically discriminatory 2025 gerrymander, affirming the constitutional rights of Black voters by that panel refusing to approve. A major article from The Atlantic demonstrates Trump’s accelerating demeaning behavior toward female journalists. In this case, calling a White House reporter piggy aboard Air Force One.
The food banks continue to suffer under the shutdown, engineered by the Republicans, who, for the first time in American history, withdrew SNAP benefits as a political tactic, leaving children and families hungry. The rival of the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, a man who is widely condemned for his human rights abuses and the murder of one of our journalists, Jamal Khashoggi.
Here he was greeted at the White House with a military flyover, growing praise, and a president who told the press not to embarrass our guest when he was asked the question about Jamal’s death. These are the stories that truly relate to each other. They have threads in them that I will show you as I go through this discussion.
Trump’s presidency shows a deep contempt for the vulnerable and unwavering loyalty to those who wield violence and money or authoritarian power. We see this. This is who Trump really is. He has deep content for the vulnerable and unwavering loyalty, those who would wield violence, money, or authoritarian power. That is who Donald Trump is.
This is what he has always been. Unfortunately, this world is being built in his image. In this episode, we will bring all of these pieces together. We are going to expose the pattern because it is a pattern. We will discuss why this moment is so consequential, whether there is any hope of reclaiming America.
In the hope of reclaiming Americans’ moral compass, we must confront what is happening in plain sight. We must understand the dangerous conversion of misogyny, authoritarianism, racial discrimination, economic cruelty, and disdain for democratic accountability that has come to be defined as Trump’s leadership.
We must recognize that even though Trump has spent decades avoiding accountability, the walls may finally be beginning to close on him. Congress has acted, federal courts have acted, women’s voters are acting. Journalists are refusing to be silent. The American public, especially the young, who are a very diverse group of voters, is increasingly rejecting the cruelty that Trump represents.
[bctt tweet=”Trump’s presidency shows a deep contempt for the vulnerable and the unwavering loyalty to those who wield violence and money or authoritarian power.” via=”no”]
Let us look even deeper at what is happening. I want to start with the Epstein files. For years, the Epstein case has hovered like a dark cloud over America’s wealthiest, most powerful men. It has been a symbol of what happens when power is allowed to operate in the shadows, unchecked, unmonitored, and unaccountable. For years, Donald Trump has done everything he could to keep that cloud from raining on him.
Congress has finally taken the action needed to show who he is. After months of stonewalling, failed lobbying, and overpressure directed by Trump toward House Republicans, lawmakers from both parties came together to force the release of the Epstein files. This was not just symbolic. It was a bipartisan act of defiance against a president who has used power for personal protection rather than public accountability.
Haley Stevens, in her Substack article, lays bare why this fight really matters. Stevens, who proudly signed the discharge petition to bring the vote to the floor, wrote with clarity and courage. “Newly revealed emails show that Jeffrey Epstein claims Trump spent hours at his residence with one of Epstein’s victims.”
That is a direct quote from Epstein himself. Those words alone should shake our nation. It should shake every one of us. It should shake every parent, every woman, every American who believes children deserve protection. Instead, Trump responded the only way he knows how by trying to bury the truth.
When the House leaders tallied the votes and they realized they had an overwhelming bipartisan support, Trump suddenly decided to support the release of the files. This is a political theater, as I have said before, he is a presidential photo-op president. This is a political theater where he knows the truth that he has simply lost. Congress had the votes because the American people demanded answers, and because the truth was coming whether he wanted it or not.
His sudden reversal is not a sign of integrity. It is a sign of a man who knows his ability to hide behind power is slipping. The Epstein scandal is not merely about moral failure. It is about abuse of power, exploitation of minors, and the systems that enabled both. It implicates billionaires, presidents, celebrities, and the global elite.
Trump’s Misogynistic Attacks On Female Journalists
It exposes an ecosystem of corruption that thrived in secrecy, and now that system is finally being cracked. Stevens makes one point that should define this moment. This is not partisan. This is not political. This is a transparency, justice, and whether we still believe that no one, not a billionaire, not a royal, not a president, is immune from accountability. We are witnessing something rare. Congress is standing up to a president who fears truth more than anything else.
[bctt tweet=”This isn’t partisan. This isn’t political. This is about transparency, justice, and whether we still believe that no one—not a billionaire, not a royal, not a president—is immune from accountability.” via=”no”]
That fear is in full display in Trump’s accelerating attacks on journalists, especially women. Trump has had a pattern of misogyny for many years. Just when we think we have seen the lowest depths of Trump’s behavior, he finds a way to go lower. On Air Force One, when Bloomberg’s reporter, Catherine Lucey, asked him about the Epstein files, Trump first answered, but she did what any competent journalist is going to do and that is to follow up.
Trump pointed his finger at her and said, “Quiet, quiet, piggy.” Not only is it a slur, a humiliation, a degrading sexist attack from the President of the United States. The Atlantic Daily described this incident, placing it in the context of Trump’s long history of misogyny and mounting births. I remember Megyn Kelly said, “Blood coming out of her wherever.” Another one, he said, “Be nice, do not be threatening.”
Another one, he said, “Miss Piggy.” The one about Rosie O’Donnell, “Big, fat pig.” This is not random. This is not an accident. This is the worldview of a man who believes women should be silenced unless they are flattering him. The word piggy is not only an insult, it is a tool of power. They are meant to intimidate, silence, or dehumanize people, particularly women. When a president speaks this way, he permits millions of people to treat women as second-class citizens.
He signals that women’s journalists are not legitimate. Women who challenge him are enemies. Women who demand accountability are a threat. This latest attack came in the very moment Trump was cornered by the Epstein revelations. It touched a nerve. Trump did what Trump always does. He lashed out at the woman asking the question. Now he has got some political backlash. There is evidence that this behavior is hurting him politically.
Weaponizing Hunger Via Blocking SNAP Benefits
Women, particularly young, educated women, are turning away from the MAGA movement in huge numbers. In election after election, women have delivered decisive victories for candidates who oppose Trump’s agenda. Trump’s response? More insults, more misogyny, and more cruelty. Misogyny is not the only weapon that Trump uses against the vulnerable. Hunger is the next bargaining chip.
In Bill Penzy’s November 16th newsletter, he wrote, “We are officially reaching the stage with Republicans when the hunger of children is just one more bargaining chip.” This is not an exaggeration. This is reality in America right now. We are an abundant nation. There is no way that a child should starve in our country.
During previous government shutdowns under both Republican and Democratic presidents, SNAP benefits were always protected. No president, no party, no Congress ever dared to weaponize hunger until Trump. Republicans blocked SNAP in this shutdown. Food banks are overrun. Parents are skipping meals so their children can eat. All of this is happening again in an abundant nation, where the billionaires grow richer by the day.
Pency put it very plainly, “Do your kids have to skip meals in America because of a tax policy is beyond cruel?” To pressure Democrats into accepting Trump’s plan to cut healthcare for working families. Hunger was not collateral damage. Hunger was the plan. This is where we are going to really go, the ruckus plan to go.
Embracing Autocracy And Defending Murder (MBS & Khashoggi)
The lack of empathy from Trump is staggering. Here is a man who spends more time praising dictators than supporting hungry children. He is a leader who hosts lavish four-hour luncheons with a foreign royal while American parents line up at a food bank. It is truly incomprehensible how cruel this is, so cruel that someone could do this. Cruelty has always been a part of Trump’s governing philosophy.
Nothing illustrates this more clearly than his embracing of Prince Bin Salman. The Arabic Times gave a thorough, very detailed, of the prince’s visit. It reads like a script from a reality show designed to flatter an autocrat. Flying over a US fighter jet, a four-hour White House event. Trump is calling MBS an extremely respectful man and a very good friend of his from praising him for what he has done in terms of human rights, although there is no clear evidence of him doing this.
I want to say Trump does not know what human rights are. How in the world can one even talk about him with another individual? He has certainly looked at the brands in detail. The most shocking moment came when the reporter asked about the literal murder and dismemberment in 2018 of Jamal Khashoggi.
The Prince offered a sanitized example of what had happened. Trump offered something worse. Trump defended the murderer. He told the press, “A lot of people did not like that gentleman. Things happened.” He is talking about Jamal, who was murdered and dismembered in 2018. “Things happened.” A journalist was killed and cut into pieces. Trump’s response is, “Things happened.”
At that moment, Trump revealed everything we need to know about his values. He admires leaders who silence dissent. He protects those who commit atrocities. He attacks those who seek truth. This is why he insulted the ABC reporter who asked the question. This is why he downplayed the murder. This is why he feels kinship with MBS. Authoritarians recognize each other. They protect each other. They legitimize each other. Trump’s pardon history shows he prefers criminals who serve him or citizens who challenge him.
This moment with Epstein, with MBS, SNAP cuts, misogyny, and gerrymandering reveals a broader pattern. It is not about isolated incidents. It is about who Trump is and how he governs. Trump’s loyalty is to criminality. Look at the people he pardoned. Political allies who were convicted of corruption, military personnel convicted of war crimes, political operatives who lied or obstructed justice, and millionaires convicted of tax fraud.
The pattern is clear. If you commit crimes, Trump will reward you. If you challenge Trump, he will attack you. This is the same mindset behind defending MBS for murder, praising dictators, attacking journalists, blocking SNAP, interfering with Epstein’s investigations, supporting radically discriminatory election maps, and recently deciding he is not going to support Ukraine. He is going to go to Russia.
Federal Courts Blocking Racial Gerrymandering In Texas
It all comes from the same place, a belief that power should be used to protect the powerful and punish the vulnerable. Thankfully, these events also show that Trump’s grip on power is not absolute. The courts provide an important check. Unfortunately, in the very same week that he had done so many obnoxious things, he called a female reporter Piggy. In defending the murder of a journalist, a three-judge federal panel delivered a major rebuke to Texas’s efforts to suppress minority vote.
The court ruled the Texas 2025 congressional map was unconstitutional, racially discriminatory, and designed to harm Black and Hispanic voters. The ruling forced Texas to revert to its 2021 map for the 2026 mid-elections. The decision was not subtle. It stated clearly that Texas had engaged in unconstitutional racial gerrymandering through a sham legislative process.
The League of Women Voters, the ACLU, Black Voters Matter, the Urban League, and others celebrated the ruling, calling it an incredible win long overdue for fair representation. Stewart, who is the CEO of the League of Voters, said, “This map was engineered to diminish the political power of Blacks and Hispanics.” Yet, the very day after this came out, of course, Texas had taken to the Supreme Court, but now Texas is also trying to maneuver behind the scenes to screw with the districts again.
Proof that this battle is not over. Why does this matter? This ruling is not just about Texas. It is about the national fight for democracy. It shows that courts are willing to push back against discrimination if we stand with them. Civil rights organizations remain powerful. The Constitution still holds weight even when leaders try to bend it. It also fits the broader theme of this podcast.
People and institutions are finally beginning to push back against corruption and cruelty. The country is waking up and pushing back. When you look at all these stories together, a pattern emerges, not of despair, but of resistance. Congress is pushing back. Leaders forced Trump to accept the release of the Epstein files. Now, there is still a question as to how much he is going to try to control some of the things through the Justice Department.
[bctt tweet=”We must decide whether we are a nation that allows power to silence the vulnerable or one that protects the dignity of us all.” via=”no”]
We will see all of the files. Courts are pushing back. The Texas gerrymandering ruling is a major civil rights victory. That is significant. We still have to deal with the Supreme Court. What are they going to do with section two of the Civil Rights Act? Women are pushing back. Women voters are defining elections. Women journalists are refusing to be silenced. Women like Haley Stevens are demanding the truth. That is transformative.
The media is pushing back. The article in The Atlantic Daily exposes Trump’s cruelty as a threat to democratic norms. Civil rights groups are pushing back. Their combined legal pressure helped deliver the Texas ruling. Citizens are waking up. People across the political spectrum demanded transparency on Epstein. Something Trump could not stop.Despite the darkness of this moment, these signs of resistance matter. They prove one thing. America is not giving up on our democracy, even though Trump has.
Yes, what comes next? The Supreme Court will now decide on Texas. Texas has already appealed. What the Supreme Court does next will determine whether minority voting power is protected or diminished. The Epstein files will come out. When they do, they may reshape American politics. The allegations about Trump spending time with the victims will demand a thorough investigation. Women voters will continue to shape the nation.
The misogyny Trump shows so proudly has consequences for him. Women are mobilized in unprecedented numbers. Red, White, and Blue is one of the largest women’s organizations. They are in 52 states. They are mobilizing extensively. The impoverished will become political flashpoints. Proponents may pay a steep price for weaponizing hunger. Autocratic alliances will deepen. Trump’s closeness with MBS shows a certain foreign policy direction.
Partnership with authoritarian strongmen. Now back with Putin around the Ukraine and the war between Russia and Ukraine. The truth will keep pushing through. Even when Trump tries to hide it, delay it, or shame those who question him. What I want to conclude by saying is that we are truly in a moral imperative at this time in our country.
We are living through a time when the president regularly degrades women, defends murderers, manipulates hunger, resorts to racial discrimination, avoids accountability, belittles a journalist, and uses power to protect the powerful. Yet in this moment, the forces of democracy, Congress, courts, journalists, and citizens are rising in response. This is truly a moral moment.
The Pattern Of Loyalty To Criminality & Power
We must decide whether we are a nation that allows power to silence the vulnerable or a nation that protects the dignity of all of us, as Haley Stevens wrote. “We have decided, and we will have to decide what kind of country we want to be.” Here are my questions for you. Do you want to live in a country where hunger is a bargaining chip? Where journalists are called pigs for seeking the truth. Where minority voters’ votes are diluted for partisan gain. Where presidents bow to dictators and hide the crimes of wealthy abusers.
Do we want to be a nation of accountability? Where truth matters, where decency matters, where voting rights matter, where women matter, where children matter. We are seeing in these weeks, we have been shown what the stakes are. It has shown us we are up against, but it has also shown us the good people who are going to fight back.
Democracy is not dead, but is in a fight for its life, and we must be willing to join that fight. If you and I do not, the cruelty of today will become the norm of tomorrow. That is something I do not want to see in America. That is something that America cannot survive. We need to address the cruelty, the corruption, and all the things that Trump is doing to avoid accountability and to avoid hearing the truth. Thank you for listening to me.
References
- Reuters (2025) – “Federal judges block Texas from using new congressional map.” Published November 18, 2025.
- Asian Journal (2025) – “Court blocks GOP-friendly Texas voting map in major blow ahead of 2026.” Published November 18, 2025.
- Victoria Advocate (2025) – “Federal panel blocks Texas’ new congressional map.” Published November 19, 2025.
- The Washington Post (2025) – Nirvi Shah & Patrick Svitek. “NAACP asks court to block new Texas congressional map.” Published August 27, 2025.
- ABC News (2025) – Ben Gittleson & Molly Nagle. “Trump heaps praise on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as he touts economic development.” Published May 13, 2025.
- The Epoch Times (2025) – Lawrence Wilson. “Saudi Arabia Will Invest $600 Billion in US, Crown Prince Tells Trump.” Published January 24, 2025.
- Ms. Magazine (2025) – Carmen Rios. “Trump’s History of Misogyny Was Obvious Long Before the Epstein Files.” Published July 23, 2025.
- Ms. Magazine (2025) – Soraya Chemaly. “Against the Normalization of Trump’s Misogyny.” Published February 7, 2025.
- USDA Food & Nutrition Service (2025) – “SNAP Benefit and Administrative Expense Update for November 2025.” Published November 4, 2025.
- Newsweek (2025) – Fatma Khaled. “When Will SNAP Benefits Be Released? Updated Timeline for November Payments.” Published November 6, 2025 (updated Nov. 7).
- The Atlantic (2025) – Elaine Godfrey. “A Lack of Basic Decency.” The Atlantic Daily Newsletter, November 18, 2025. (This URL leads to The Atlantic’s Trump archive; the newsletter edition is contained within this feed.)
- The Guardian (2025) – Ed Pilkington. “‘Quiet, piggy’: Donald Trump sparks backlash after insulting female reporter.” Published November 19, 2025.
- Vanity Fair (2025) – Bess Levin. “A Brief History of Donald Trump Calling Women ‘Pigs’.” Published November 2025.
- Peterson, A. J. (2025) – “Distracting from the Epstein files? Media attention and short-run shifts in Trump’s Truth Social posts.” Preprint on arXiv, November 2025.