RFK Jr. let a worm crawl into his brain and eat part of it, dumped a dead bear cub in Central Park, sawed the head off a whale and bungeed it to his car — and somehow still talked his way into running America's health agencies. This week, Rick Wilson and investigative journalist Isabel Vincent -- who has a new book out called RFK Jr.: The Rise and Fall -- trace the full deranged arc, from Camelot golden boy to anti-vax crusader to MAHA messiah and the strange circumstances surrounding the death of his late second wife, Mary Richardson-Kennedy, digging into the brain worm, the roadkill résumé, the war on science, and what it means to hand the nation's health to a man whose own brain came with a parasite. And in a twist no writer would dare invent, the flesh-eating New World screwworm is creeping back toward the U.S. on his watch — proof that the man with a worm in his brain now can't keep the worms out of the country either. It's the Kennedy curse — except this time it's just him.•••••Follow Rick Wilson at @TheRickWilson on X and @therickwilson.bsky.social on Bluesky, and subscribe to his Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. Purchase Isabel Vincent's fabulous new book, RFK Jr.: The Rise and Fall anywhere fine books are sold, and follow her @byisabelvincent on her socials. Join the fight with the Lincoln Project at www.lincolnproject.us and follow LP on X at @ProjectLincoln. If you'd like to help us continue our critical work, visit https://action.lincolnproject.us/helplp to make a difference.

Trump promised we'd all be “sick of winning.” Well, congratulations America—we finally made it. Inflation is climbing, the economy is wobbling, tensions with Iran are escalating, Congress is spending like there's no tomorrow, and the phrase "totally not a war" is doing a lot of heavy lifting. Meanwhile, we're told the border is secure, corruption is nonexistent, the DOJ is completely independent, and there are definitely no awkward questions involving Jeffrey Epstein hanging over the White House. In this week's Elephant in the Room, Rick Wilson takes a sarcastic victory lap through America's latest "wins"—from the Trumpression to foreign policy chaos, political scandals, redistricting games, and the honor of landing on the White House enemies list. If this is what winning looks like, imagine what losing would do.•••••Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln.Go to https://ethos.com/lincolnproject for your free quote. #ad 

For years, MAGA Inc. has sold America a fantasy: faith, family, values, and a steady stream of lectures about how everyone else is ruining the country. Then reality shows up with a crowbar. In this explosive episode, Shy Sotomayor tells the story of her alleged nine-year, on-again, off-again relationship with a man she says she eventually realized was Bryon Noem, husband of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and half of one of the Republican Party’s most aggressively marketed family-values power couples. Shy explains why she chose to come forward following the controversies surrounding Noem’s leadership at DHS and the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, the breadcrumbs she says led her to connect the dots, and the moment the entire picture snapped into focus. Rick Wilson digs into the allegations, the timeline, the hypocrisy, and the breathtaking gap between the moral sermons MAGA delivers to everyone else and the chaos that so often seems to be unfolding behind the curtain. Because in modern Republican politics, the loudest people preaching virtue always seem to end up starring in the messiest episodes. Grab some popcorn—this one has enough irony to power the electrical grid.•••••You can find Shy Sotomayor on social media: X: @raelynnrileyxxInstagram: xxtinyrainestormxxTikTok:TinyRaineStorm Facebook: Shy Raine SotomayorRick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln.

The 2026 midterms are already coming into focus, and Republicans should be nervous. This week, Rick Wilson looks at what California and Iowa are telling us about November: voters care about the economy, affordability, and real-life issues—not the culture-war nonsense that dominates cable news. If Democrats can stay focused and resist the urge to wander off-message, they have a genuine opportunity to reshape the political map. Meanwhile, the MAGA movement is entering its succession-war phase. Trump's elevation of Bill Pulte is a flashing warning sign that the loyalist bench is running thin, while JD Vance and Marco Rubio battle to become heir to the MAGA throne. What follows when an authoritarian movement runs out of talent? Infighting, chaos, and a race to see who can flatter Dear Leader the hardest. The 2028 campaign has already begun—and the clown car is leaking oil.•••••Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln.

Rich Logis once defended Trump. Now he's helping people leave MAGA behind. On this episode of The Lincoln Project Podcast, Rick Wilson sits down with the founder of Leaving MAGA to discuss the growing number of former Trump supporters who have simply had enough. From the Epstein scandal to the fallout from Trump's tariffs and the chaos surrounding Iran, the excuses are getting harder to make and the consequences are getting harder to ignore. Rich explains what finally broke the spell for him, why more Republicans are questioning Trump than ever before, and whether we're witnessing the beginning of a real MAGA crackup. When reality starts showing up with receipts, even the most loyal believers have to make a choice.•••••You can find Rich Logis on X @PerfectOurUnion, and Leaving MAGA on X @LeavingMAGA, on X. Go to https://LeavingMAGA.org for more information about the Leaving MAGA movement. Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln.#Trump #MAGA #LeavingMAGA #RichLogis #RickWilson #LincolnProject #DonaldTrump #Epstein #Tariffs #Iran #Politics #PoliticalPodcast #Republicans #TrumpVoters #Election2026 #NeverTrump #PoliticalNews #CurrentEvents #Democracy #Podcast

Trump wanted a golden age. Instead, he delivered a golden vanity project. This week’s Elephant in the Room is the accelerating collapse of the Trump presidency—politically, economically, and culturally. As Americans grapple with a struggling economy, rising corruption, and growing incompetence at the highest levels of government, Trump seems more focused on building monuments to himself, expanding his ballroom, and feeding his endless need for attention than solving the problems facing the country. Meanwhile, his much-hyped foreign policy swagger has run headfirst into reality, exposing weakness on the world stage and leaving allies and adversaries alike questioning America’s leadership. Rick breaks down how Trump’s obsession with self-glorification, personal enrichment, and grievance politics is colliding with voter fatigue, economic anxiety, and a growing sense that the emperor isn’t just naked—he’s out of ideas. The cracks are widening, the excuses are running thin, and more Americans are asking a simple question: is this all there is?•••••Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln.

While Washington melts down in a fog of billionaire grifters, culture-war addicts, and broken-brain politics, the real fight for America is happening at backyard parties, dance halls, and quinceañeras across South Texas. In this episode, Rick sits down with legendary Tejano musician and Texas congressional candidate Bobby Pulido to talk about the Rio Grande Valley, working-class families, quinceañera campaign stops, and why authenticity still matters in politics. Then we revisit Rick’s conversation with Texas Senate candidate James Talarico, whose ability to connect with voters feels almost extinct in modern American politics. From economic anxiety and cultural identity to the chaos consuming the country, this episode is about the people still fighting to meet voters where they actually live — not where consultants think they live. Texas politics, Latino voters, Tejano culture, the Rio Grande Valley, working-class America, and the battle for the future of the country — all in one explosive conversation.•••••Support Bobby Pulido’s campaign for Congress at https://bobbypulidofortexas.com, and keep up with his campaign on socials @PulidoForTexas.You can find information about James Talarico’s campaign for Senate at https://jamestalarico.com, and follow him on social media @jamestalarico. Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln.

The DNC autopsy is finally here—and it’s a brutal admission that Democrats spent 2024 fighting online culture wars while voters were worried about inflation, paychecks, rent, and the future of the country. Rick Wilson breaks down the Democrats’ redacted internal report, the consultant class cashing $40K checks to lose elections, the identity politics obsession that alienated working-class voters, and why normal Americans tuned out the party’s messaging. This is the Democratic Party’s postmortem on how they lost the economy argument, lost swing voters, and lost touch with reality.•••••Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln.Go to https://bollandbranch.com/lincoln, and use the code ‘LINCOLN,’ for 20% off + free shipping. #adGo to https://ethos.com/lincolnproject to get your free quote. #ad 

Trump spent years chasing the approval of America’s richest weirdos, fame-hungry celebs, and billionaire clout goblins — and now the whole MAGA celebrity ecosystem is melting down in public. Rick Wilson is joined by legendary comedian Margaret Cho to break down her Choligarchy tour, Hollywood’s transformation into a Trump validation machine, the rise of MAGA influencers and celebrity brain rot, and why so many famous people traded integrity for attention. From celebrity culture and authoritarian politics to Trump’s obsession with elite approval, Rick and Margaret unpack how comedy helped create this broken media circus — and why comedy may be the only thing sharp enough left to fight it. Celebrity meltdowns, billionaire cringe, political chaos, dark humor, Trump, MAGA, Hollywood hypocrisy, fascism, influencers, cancel culture, propaganda, and the collapse of American fame culture — it’s all here.•••••Margaret Cho’s “Choligarchy” tour is happening now! Find a show near you at https://margaretcho.com/. Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln.Head to Superpower.com and use code LINCOLN at checkout for $20 off your membership. Unlock your new health intelligence. 100+ biomarkers. Every year. Detect early signs of 1,000+ conditions. #superpowerpod #ad Go to ClaimMyGoldGuide.com/LINCOLN to claim your FREE 2026 Gold Guide that shows you exactly how to move part of your IRA or 401(k) into physical gold without triggering taxes or penalties—plus up to $10,000 in free silver for qualified purchases. #adGo to Leesa.com for the Memorial Day Sale PLUS get an extra $50 off with promo code LINCOLNPROJECT, exclusive for our listeners. #ad 

Donald Trump’s high-stakes meeting with Xi Jinping was supposed to project strength. Instead, it exposed exactly how weak, desperate, and dangerously unprepared he is for a real geopolitical showdown with China. This week, Rick's ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM breaks down Trump’s humiliating “Chyna” summit, his obsession with personal grift over American power, and why even before the cognitive decline, Trump never had the foreign policy discipline, strategy, or attention span to negotiate with Beijing. From trade wars and tariffs to global instability, Xi Jinping saw exactly what America’s allies and enemies now see: a fragile ego wrapped in chaos. Rick Wilson tears into Trump’s surrender politics, dictator worship, economic self-sabotage, and the terrifying reality that America’s global influence is shrinking while Trump keeps bowing for applause, leverage, and money. This is the collapse of American credibility in real time — and Beijing knows it.•••••Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln.Go to https://drinkagi.com/lincolnproject for a free AG1 Flavor Sampler & a bottle of vitamin D3+K2. #ad The Freedom From Religion Foundation is fighting to protect the First Amendment, because it protects you. Visit www.ffrf.us/lincoln, or text "LINCOLN" to 511-511, to learn more, or join, today.  #ad