James Talarico is in strong form in Texas and it’s all to play for in his Senate race versus Ken Paxton. Just how disastrous would defeat across the Lone Star state be for the GOP? Chris and Jarv ask Jim Henson, director of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin. Back us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/AmericanFriction Follow us on social media:  Bluesky Instagram TikTok Written and presented by Chris Jones and Jacob Jarvis. Audio/ video editor: Chris Jones. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Executive producer: Martin Bojtos. Artwork by James Parrett. Music: Orange Factory Music. AMERICAN FRICTION is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The MAGA brainrot community has a new conspiracy theory… Nikki, Chris and Jarv unpick why when times get desperate, this is all the Trump faithful really have. Back us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/AmericanFriction Follow us on social media:  Bluesky : https://bsky.app/profile/americanfric.bsky.social  Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/americanfric  TikTok : https://www.tiktok.com/@americanfric  Music recommendation links: Warmth - Home Green-House - Hinterlands Lonely The Brave - The Day’s War Light Years - Resuscitate Zimmer90 - Interior Written and presented by Nikki McCann Ramirez, Chris Jones and Jacob Jarvis. Audio/ video editor: Simon Williams. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Executive producer: Martin Bojtos. Artwork by James Parrett. Music: Orange Factory Music. AMERICAN FRICTION is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Content warning: This episode contains discussions related to executions some might find upsetting. Also, this was recorded before Pete Hegseth said Nidal Hasan’s execution will be live streamed. The death penalty is in sharp focus in America right now. Christa Pike’s botched execution has horrified the world, and at the same time Trump is ordering people be killed by firing squad. What the hell is going on? How are things going so wrong? And what, if anything, can be done about it? Robin M. Maher, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, joins Chris and Jarv to discuss. [NOT FOR PATREON] Back us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/AmericanFriction Follow us on social media:  Bluesky Instagram TikTok Written and presented by Chris Jones and Jacob Jarvis. Audio/ video editor: Chris Jones. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Executive producer: Martin Bojtos. Artwork by James Parrett. Music: Orange Factory Music. AMERICAN FRICTION is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donald Trump is talking about US cities being blown up as if it’s not that big a deal. Well, why not? According to him he can do anything he wants… Nikki, Chris and Jarv breakdown the latest breakdown from the president.  Back us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/AmericanFriction Follow us on social media:  Bluesky : https://bsky.app/profile/americanfric.bsky.social  Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/americanfric  TikTok : https://www.tiktok.com/@americanfric  Written and presented by Nikki McCann Ramirez, Chris Jones and Jacob Jarvis. Audio/ video editor: Simon Williams. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Executive producer: Martin Bojtos. Artwork by James Parrett. Music: Orange Factory Music. AMERICAN FRICTION is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trump has cranked his media attacks up to eleven as he accuses journalists of committing treason for saying mean things about him. How worrying is this? And does he even know what he’s saying? Matt Gertz, senior fellow at Media Matters, joins Jarv to discuss.  Back us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/AmericanFriction Follow us on social media:  Bluesky Instagram TikTok Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people with money to spend? (Yes, they do exist). Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every month – and they love our shows. Why not get YOUR brand in front of our influential listeners with podcast advertising? Contact [email protected] to find out more. Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Audio/ video editor: Chris Jones. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Executive producer: Martin Bojtos. Artwork by James Parrett. Music: Orange Factory Music. AMERICAN FRICTION is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trump and his cronies know they’re facing trouble in the midterms. Their plan? Replay the 2018 tactics and hope for the best… Nikki, Jarv and Chris discuss.  Back us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/AmericanFriction Follow us on social media:  Bluesky Instagram TikTok Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people with money to spend? (Yes, they do exist). Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every month – and they love our shows. Why not get YOUR brand in front of our influential listeners with podcast advertising? Contact [email protected] to find out more. Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis, Chris Jones and Nikki McCann Ramirez. Audio/ video editor: Chris Jones. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Executive producer: Martin Bojtos. Artwork by James Parrett. Music: Orange Factory Music. AMERICAN FRICTION is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donald Trump does not know what’s going on with artificial intelligence but he does know it might make him money. Jeff Jarvis, author of Hot Type and mega media expert, joins Jarv to discuss the White House’s wild approach to A.I. and what it means for the rest of us.  Buy Hot Type through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund American Friction by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too. Back us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/AmericanFriction Follow us on social media:  Bluesky : https://bsky.app/profile/americanfric.bsky.social  Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/americanfric  TikTok : https://www.tiktok.com/@americanfric  Written and presented byJacob Jarvis. Audio/ video editor: Simon Williams. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Executive producer: Martin Bojtos. Artwork by James Parrett. Music: Orange Factory Music. AMERICAN FRICTION is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trump used to bang on about free speech but clearly he doesn’t give a sh*t about it. Just how draconian has the president become? Jarv and Nikki discuss.  Back us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/AmericanFriction Follow us on social media:  Bluesky : https://bsky.app/profile/americanfric.bsky.social  Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/americanfric  TikTok : https://www.tiktok.com/@americanfric  Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis and Nikki McCann Ramirez. Audio/ video editor: Simon Williams. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Executive producer: Martin Bojtos. Artwork by James Parrett. Music: Orange Factory Music. AMERICAN FRICTION is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Canada’s Mark Carney is sticking it to Trump, what can we learn from him? Chris and Jarv ask Drew Fagan, professor at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy.  Back us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/AmericanFriction Follow us on social media:  Bluesky Instagram TikTok Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis and Chris Jones. Audio/ video editor: Simon Williams. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Executive producer: Martin Bojtos. Artwork by James Parrett. Music: Orange Factory Music. AMERICAN FRICTION is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trump has been told no he can’t attack mail-in voting how he wants and he is predictably angry. Nikki, Chris and Jarv discuss.  Back us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/AmericanFriction Follow us on social media:  Bluesky Instagram TikTok Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis, Chris Jones and Nikki McCann Ramirez. Audio/ video editor: Chris Jones. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Executive producer: Martin Bojtos. Artwork by James Parrett. Music: Orange Factory Music. AMERICAN FRICTION is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices