Shows / To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
You are not the crazy ones.
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Episodes
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Conor Lamb: Democratic Messaging, Crime, and the Trump Threat
Former Pennsylvania Congressman Conor Lamb joins Charlie Sykes for a wide-ranging conversation on the challenges facing the Democratic Party. They discuss how…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Tony Gilroy: Yes, Andor Does Rhyme with Our Political Moment
Charlie Sykes sits down with Andor creator Tony Gilroy for a conversation about the show's record-breaking Emmy nominations, its historical inspirations, and…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Harry Litman: The DOJ Turned Upside Down
Charlie Sykes and Harry Litman break down the sweeping politicization of the FBI and Department of Justice under Donald Trump, from purging veteran agents to…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Jessica Riedl: The Last Fiscal Conservative
Charlie Sykes welcomes Jessica Riedl of the Manhattan Institute for a conversation on the state of the U.S. economy under Trump 2.0. They cover everything from…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Tara Palmeri: Epstein, Maxwell, and the Survivors' Fight for Justice
Charlie Sykes speaks with investigative journalist Tara Palmeri about her years-long coverage of the Jeffrey Epstein case and her deeply personal reporting on…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Tom Nichols: The Gilded Presidency
Charlie Sykes welcomes Tom Nichols to talk about Trump’s gilded ambitions—from redesigning the White House to purging the military of disloyalty. They unpack…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Adam Kinzinger: Epstein, Enemies Lists, and the Collapse of Courage
Charlie Sykes welcomes former congressman Adam Kinzinger to discuss the Trump-Epstein saga, congressional cowardice, and the erosion of democratic norms. They…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Julian Zelizer: Where Is The Rest of the Resistance?
Charlie Sykes and historian Julian Zelizer tackle the political storm surrounding Donald Trump and the Epstein files, exploring why this controversy has stuck…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Jim Acosta: Trump, Epstein, and the Politics of Distraction
Jim Acosta joins Charlie Sykes for a sobering conversation about Donald Trump’s explosive treason accusations against Barack Obama and what they signal about…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Marc Racicot: Restoring the Republican Legacy
Charlie Sykes sits down with former Montana Governor and RNC Chair Marc Racicot to discuss "Our Republican Legacy," a new initiative aimed at restoring the…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Garry Kasparov: Autocracy in America
Charlie Sykes is joined by chess grandmaster and democracy advocate Garry Kasparov to explore how creeping authoritarianism could take hold in the United…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
David French: Superman, Sanctions, and the Fragile State of Trumpism
Charlie Sykes welcomes David French for a sweeping conversation on MAGA’s unraveling over the Epstein files, Trump’s shaky pivot on Ukraine, and the deeper…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Terry Moran: Trump, Epstein, and the Giddy Cruelty of the Moment
Charlie Sykes is joined by veteran journalist and Substack writer Terry Moran for a bracing conversation on Trump’s unraveling Epstein strategy, the deep…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Anne Applebaum: The Authoritarian Slide
Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Anne Applebaum joins Charlie Sykes from Warsaw to examine the alarming rise of authoritarian tactics in the U.S., from the…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Justin Wolfers: Tariffs, Trade, and the Price of Incoherence
Economist Justin Wolfers joins Charlie Sykes to discuss Trump’s trade war revival, incoherent economic policymaking, and the human cost of political decisions…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Judge Michael Luttig: The Self-Evident Truths of Freedom
Charlie Sykes is joined by Judge Michael Luttig to reflect on the founding principles of American democracy—and how far we've strayed. Drawing from his…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Nicholas Grossman: This Is Not Normal
Charlie Sykes welcomes Nicholas Grossman of Arc Digital for a wide-ranging conversation on the political unraveling of the Republican Party, including Senator…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Tim O'Brien: Trump's Day of Rage
Bloomberg's Tim O’Brien joins Charlie Sykes to unpack a whirlwind week in politics, from Trump’s business entanglements—including a dubious new mobile phone…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Susan Glasser: Basic Trumpology
Charlie Sykes and Susan Glasser break down the chaos of the current moment—from Trump's controversial strike on Iran to the media’s collective amnesia and the…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Paul Rieckhoff: The Dangerous New Normal
Charlie Sykes is joined by Iraq War veteran and Independent Americans host Paul Rieckhoff for a sobering conversation on the U.S. bombing campaign against Iran…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Olivia Troye: Fear as a Feature
Olivia Troye, former Homeland Security advisor to Mike Pence, joins Charlie Sykes to share her firsthand experience observing immigration court and the…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Ryan Lizza: Ten Years of Donald Trump
On the 10th anniversary of Trump’s infamous escalator ride, Charlie Sykes and Ryan Lizza reflect on a decade that has radically transformed American politics…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Tom Nichols: Radicalization of the Armed Forces
Charlie Sykes welcomes Atlantic writer Tom Nichols for a fiery, wide-ranging conversation on a week that felt pulled from a dystopian novel. From a U.S…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Harry Litman: Trump, the Troops, and the Threat to Democracy
Charlie Sykes is joined by legal analyst and Talking Feds host Harry Litman for a sobering conversation about Donald Trump's latest maneuvers to militarize…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Brian Klaas: Why Are There So Many Psychopaths in Politics?
Charlie Sykes is joined by political scientist and author Brian Klaas for a sobering look at how modern politics has come to attract the worst kinds of…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Sen. Angus King: The Fragility of American Democracy
Senator Angus King joins Charlie Sykes for a sobering conversation on the erosion of constitutional norms, the rise of authoritarianism, and Congress’s failure…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Adam Kinzinger: The Billionaire Breakup
Charlie Sykes and Adam Kinzinger dig into the political fallout from Elon Musk's dramatic split with Donald Trump, examining what it means for MAGA loyalty…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Justin Wolfers: Tacos, Tariffs, and the Taquito Economy
Economist Justin Wolfers joins Charlie Sykes to unpack the economic whiplash of Donald Trump’s on-again, off-again trade wars, explaining why the president's…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Julian Zelizer: The End of the Bromance
Historian Julian Zelizer joins Charlie Sykes to discuss Donald Trump’s growing hostility toward former allies—from the Federalist Society to Elon Musk—and what…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Ron Fournier: The End of Big, Beautiful Friendships
Charlie Sykes is joined by veteran journalist Ron Fournier to discuss the unraveling of Donald Trump’s once-close alliances with Elon Musk, Vladimir Putin, and…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Garry Kasparov: The Putinization of America
Garry Kasparov, Russian dissident and former world chess champion, dissects what he calls the "Putinization" of America. They explore Trump’s admiration for…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Chris Cillizza: Can we walk and chew gum at the same time?
Charlie Sykes and Chris Cillizza discuss the political rise and fall of Elon Musk, the self-inflicted wounds of the Democratic Party, and the continuing…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Jessica Reidl: The GOP's Coming Debt Bomb
Charlie Sykes is joined by conservative economist Jessica Riedl for a deep dive into how the Republican Party abandoned its principles of fiscal responsibility…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
David Frum: The Grift, the Gaudiness, and the Guardrails
Charlie Sykes and David Frum discuss the staggering corruption and cluelessness behind Donald Trump’s acceptance of a $400 million Qatari jet—complete with a…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Jim Acosta: Focus Like a Laser Beam on Trump's Corruption
Charlie Sykes is joined by Jim Acosta to break down Donald Trump’s latest scandal—accepting a luxury jet from Qatar—and what it says about the normalization of…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Chris Cillizza: Planes, Ploys, and Popes
Charlie Sykes and Chris Cillizza discuss Donald Trump's economic U-turn with China, the murky $400 million jet from Qatar, and the crypto-fueled grift orbiting…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Tom Nichols: The Anti-Expert Era
Charlie Sykes and Tom Nichols dive into what they call the “death of expertise,” confronting how America’s most influential institutions are now increasingly…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Katie Couric: Dolls, Alcatraz, and Narcissism
Katie Couric joins Charlie Sykes to unpack the psychological underpinnings of Donald Trump’s political appeal and the enablers around him. They explore the…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Susan Glasser: The Grift Presidency
Charlie Sykes and New Yorker columnist Susan Glasser examine the unprecedented scale and brazenness of corruption in Donald Trump's second term. From…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Olivia Troye: Military Parades and Doll Rationing
Charlie Sykes is joined by former White House Homeland Security advisor Olivia Troye to unpack the surreal and sobering first 100 days of Trump’s return to…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Nicholas Grossman: Tariffs, Tyranny, and Tipping Points
Charlie Sykes is joined by Nicholas Grossman, editor of Arc Digital and political science professor, to dissect the first 100 days of Trump's second term—from…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Ryan Lizza: 100 Days of Trump 2.0
Charlie Sykes is joined by journalist Ryan Lizza to unpack the first 100 days of Trump's second term and why much of the political media is failing to meet the…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Adam Kinzinger: Trump's Weakness Abroad, Corruption at Home
Charlie Sykes and Adam Kinzinger unpack Donald Trump's public humiliation by Vladimir Putin, his surrender on Ukraine, and the dangerous implications for…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Kinzinger-Sykes: Trump Arrests a Judge
The FBI arrested Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan. Charlie Sykes and former Congressman Adam Kinzinger gave their reaction. Hosted on Acast…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Paul Rieckhoff: Rise of the Fake Tough Guys
Charlie Sykes is joined by Paul Rieckhoff to break down the chaos engulfing the Pentagon under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth—from classified leaks on Signal…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Ben Wittes: This is the Fight That Matters
Charlie Sykes is joined by Lawfare’s Ben Wittes to unpack a whirlwind week in Trumpworld—from the Supreme Court’s late-night rebuke of secret deportations to…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Tom Nichols: The Sum of All Fears — Easter Edition
On this Easter Sunday, Charlie Sykes is joined by Atlantic writer Tom Nichols to unpack the dizzying pace of democratic erosion in Trump's second term. From…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Julian Zelizer: The Rule of Law Meets the Trump Doctrine
Charlie Sykes is joined by historian Julian Zelizer to examine the Trump administration's defiance of the U.S. Supreme Court, the mounting fallout from a…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Tim O’Brien: When the Law No Longer Matters
Charlie Sykes is joined by Tim O’Brien of Bloomberg Opinion to unpack the chaos of Trump's tariff war, his public humiliation by Vladimir Putin, and his…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Amy McGarth & Denver Riggleman: Tariffs, Tyranny and Truth in the Barrel
Charlie Sykes is joined by Amy McGrath and Denver Riggleman for a candid conversation about national security, military norms, and the authoritarian threats…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes: "Fight" and the Price of Gaslighting
Charlie Sykes talks with Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes, authors of Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House, to unpack their explosive…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Peter Wehner: Trump, Denial, and the Collapse of Civic Courage
Charlie Sykes is joined by Peter Wehner to unpack the global economic chaos unfolding under Donald Trump's leadership. They explore the psychological grip…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
David French: Tariffs, Sycophants and Signal
Charlie Sykes is joined by David French for a wide-ranging conversation about the alarming trajectory of Trump’s second term—from potential appointments like…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Josh Kraushaar: Elon’s Flameout & the GOP Fallout
Charlie Sykes is joined by Josh Kraushaar to unpack the political aftershocks of Elon Musk’s failed $26 million intervention in Wisconsin’s Supreme Court race…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
David Jolly: Taking Trump's Third Term Seriously
Charlie Sykes and former Congressman David Jolly explore the unsettling prospect of Donald Trump pursuing a third term and the broader implications for…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Jim Acosta: Greenshoots in the Fight for America
Charlie Sykes welcomes CNN veteran and Substack writer Jim Acosta for a weekend conversation on fear, power, and political pushback in the Trump era. They…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Anne Applebaum: Signal and the Authoritarian Playbook
Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Atlantic staff writer Anne Applebaum joins Charlie Sykes to unpack the shocking revelations of the "SignalGate" scandal—an…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Olivia Troye Has Entered the Chat
Charlie Sykes and national security expert Olivia Troye react to The Atlantic's bombshell report detailing how Trump administration officials accidentally…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Tom Nichols: Why Are We Still Surprised?
Charlie Sykes is joined by Tom Nichols of The Atlantic to discuss the growing normalization of authoritarianism and the failure of America's institutions to…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Kinzinger and Sykes: How Putin Humiliates Trump
Former Congressman Adam Kinzinger joins Charlie Sykes for a candid discussion on the state of American democracy, Donald Trump's threats, and the exhaustion of…