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Letters from an American: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Heather Cox Richardson
Heather Cox Richardson's narrated newsletter about the history behind today's politics.
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- Todaynarrative11 min5-min read
A Seismic Political Change
This episode of Letters from an American examines the unraveling of Donald Trump’s political appeal, tracing his 2015 rise through economic resentment and xenophobia to his 2026 decline amid broken promises, economic stagnation, and Republican infighting. Despite once galvanizing crowds with MAGA rhetoric, Trump now faces dwindling support even among his base as real-world conditions worsen.
- Yesterdaynarrative12 min5-min read
An Immediate Calamity
The podcast details a series of alarming actions by the Trump administration that undermine constitutional norms, including diverting congressionally appropriated funds, threatening nuclear annihilation, and fabricating foreign investment deals. These developments highlight a growing crisis in American democracy driven by executive overreach and cognitive decline at the highest level.
- 2 days agonarrative9 min4-min read
Withdrawal from Iraq
The episode reflects on the U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq in 2026, tracing the war’s origins to the post-9/11 era and the Bush administration’s false claims about weapons of mass destruction, while drawing parallels to Trump’s current military actions in Iran, which risk repeating past mistakes.
- 3 days agonarrative13 min5-min read
A Scene before the Senate Judiciary Committee
The episode centers on a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing featuring Special Counsel Jack Smith, where Republican senators, particularly Eric Schmitt, launched baseless attacks using constitutional speech protections to spread disinformation, while Smith reaffirmed his commitment to the rule of law and detailed evidence of Trump’s criminal conduct.
- 4 days agonarrative14 min5-min read
Headaches for Republican Lawmakers
The episode examines how Donald Trump's increasingly erratic and self-aggrandizing use of social media, government resources, and propaganda-style messaging is backfiring politically, alienating even his base and Republican allies amid collapsing approval ratings and growing backlash over misuse of public funds and authoritarian rhetoric. The moment underscores a broader unraveling of the MAGA movement’s cohesion as midterm elections approach.
- 6 days agonarrative12 min4-min read
Bad News Plagues the Administration
The episode details escalating authoritarian actions by the Trump administration, including attacks on press freedom, politicized prosecutions, misuse of public funds, and efforts to expand executive power domestically and internationally. Despite growing resistance from civil servants, lawmakers, and the public, Trump continues to consolidate control.
- 1 weeks agonarrative5 min4-min read
National Lobster Day
This episode of 'Letters from an American' explores the overlooked but foundational role of the North Atlantic fish trade in shaping early American history, from European colonization to the Treaty of Paris in 1783, revealing how economic interests in cod fishing were as critical as political ideals in the founding of the United States.
- 1 weeks agonarrative12 min5-min read
A Hard Sell
A federal judge blocked Trump's ban on major news outlets from the White House, highlighting the administration's disregard for judicial orders and press freedom. The episode underscores escalating authoritarian tactics, judicial pushback, and systemic abuse of power across immigration, elections, and government spending.
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