Data on right-wing extremist violence indicates "landscape shaped by preparatory behaviors, ideological mobilization, and institutional response," according to recent analysis.

Donald Trump has a long record of demeaning and berating women. He’s also linked to Jeffrey Epstein and his name appears literally thousands of times in relation to what is arguably the biggest, sickest sex abuse scandal ever. So why is the sexism at the heart of Trumpism taken so lightly? In this episode, we look at how sexism functions in today’s fascist resurgence with experts Nina Burleigh, Rev. Naomi Washington-Leapheart and Annie Wilkinson. Burleigh is a journalist, best-selling author, documentary producer, and publisher of “American Freakshow” on Substack. Rev. Washington-Leapheart is a minister, professor, and the first-ever Strategic Partnerships Director at Political Research Associates (PRA), a social justice research and strategy center founded in 1981 by the feminist political scientist Jean Hardisty. In 2025 PRA dedicated an entire issue of their journal to the relationship between gender and authoritarianism, with a lead essay written by Wilkinson. Hear what our guests are taking away from the Epstein story, why authoritarians are afraid of feminism, and how women’s leadership poses such a threat to fascists. All that, plus a commentary from Laura on impunity in our times. “It's not just about a sex case. It's not just about the mistreatment of women, I'm sorry to say, because that's a big part of it. It's the underpinning of how Epstein maybe was operating. It's really about influence, foreign affairs, and the way the last 20 years of American foreign policy has played out.” - Nina Burleigh “The most unprotected women in the United States throughout our history have been Black women . . . It's sort of okay for a MAGA influencer to say that Black women have brains that process more slowly than any, and nobody challenges that.” - Rev. Naomi Washington-Leapheart “Research shows that across history, when women and feminist are out in front of a pro-democracy coalition, we win. The Trump regime and authoritarians around the world, they know that . . . We often see that women's rights and LGBTQ rights are some of the first to go.” - Annie Wilkinson Guests: Nina Burleigh: NYT Bestselling Author & Journalist; Substack, American Freakshow Rev. Naomi Washington-Leapheart: Strategic Partnerships Director, Political Research Associates Annie Wilkinson: Senior Research Analyst, Political Research Associates Stay informed and engaged! Don't miss out on our captivating weekly episodes that dive deep into the heart of our economy, culture, and politics. SUBSCRIBE HERE https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lg?sub_confirmation=1 🎧 PODCAST: Listen to this week's episode on major podcast platforms (Available 2/18): https://lauraflanders.simplecast.com. Podcast subscribers also receive the full, uncut conversation from this week's show: https://lauraflanders.simplecast.com/episodes/epstein-trump-how-misogyny-fuels-fascism-full-uncut-conversation ✏️SHOW NOTES: Visit our Patreon for Show Notes and learn more about this week's episode: https://www.patreon.com/posts/150662704 Laura Flanders & Friends is non-commercial independent media that relies on the contributions of viewers and listeners. 📩Newsletter: For more in-depth analysis, including a weekly newsletter and commentaries by Laura Flanders, subscribe on Substack: https://lauraflanders.substack.com/ Follow the show and Laura Flanders on Bluesky! https://bsky.app/profile/lauraflanders.org https://bsky.app/profile/gritlaura.bsky.social DONATE TODAY at https://lauraflanders.org/donate or consider becoming a PATREON partner at https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriends 🔔Subscribe to get weekly episodes that prompt you to think critically about the world around you. If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to hit the 'Like' button and share it with your network. CREDITS: Executive Producer: Laura Flanders Supervising Producer: Sabrina Artel Senior Producer: Jeremiah Cothren Senior Consulting Producer: Rory O’Connor Senior Video Editor: David Neumann Video Editor: Veronica Delgado Audio Director: Jeannie Hopper Development Director: Sarah Miller Communications Director: Janet Hernandez Thumbnail photo by NBC. Photo of Nina Burleigh by Erik Freeland.

Recent reporting shows how the Trump administration — particularly the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency — “has slow-walked or outright defied” numerous court orders as it continues its natio...

After the former Honduran president was pardoned, ICE dropped its detainer on him, and he was whisked away to a luxury hotel in New York City.

As nine of the "Prairieland 19" face their days in court, the broader constitutional rights of left-wing activists may hang in the balance.

In New York, Philadelphia and elsewhere, elected Democrats are taking steps to try to limit immigration crackdowns like the one winding down in Minneapolis.

Paxton said his office is examining claims that administrators and faculty helped organize the demonstrations.

Conservatives are better at trashing businesses than building them

Christian Identity (CI), a white supremacist theology rooted in 19th-century British Israelism, redefined itself in the U.S. as a violently racist and antisemitic ideology that became central to group...

Iowa House Republicans advanced a bill that could revoke or deny educator licenses for publicly celebrating politically motivated violence, including comments about Charlie Kirk's death.

Months after the killing of Charlie Kirk, a growing number of lawsuits by people claim they were illegally punished, fired and even arrested for making negative comments about Kirk.

The company that owns Michigan’s North Lake Processing Center, the largest immigration detention facility in the Midwest, reported $254 million in profit last year, up nearly 700 percent from $32 mill...

The move comes as public opinion has turned on the administration’s hardline immigration policies.

Anthony Hudson, a Genesee County truck driver running for the Republican nomination for governor, has made a habit of threatening elected officials with hanging for “treason,” making such threats at l...

Trump’s IP company filed trademark applications for airport names bearing his name, raising unprecedented questions about private brand control over public airports.

While torture hasn’t been reported from the infamous facility, ICE shift reports note detainees are resorting to hunger strikes and self-harm.

Learn how medieval Denmark’s burial practices reveal that leprosy and tuberculosis patients were not excluded from prestigious church graves.

Indigenous groups in present-day Oregon stitched the fragments together using cord made from plant fiber and animal hair. Experts think they may have been part of a garment, bag, container or portable...

One of Hollywood’s most memorable legends, Robert Duvall, has died. The Academy Award winner enjoyed a long and storied career, carving out a lane as both an unorthodox leading man and a supporting pl...

A Wisconsin pastor has won over conservatives by promulgating resistance to state and federal “tyranny.” Now, he’s intent on bringing “judgment” to the Republican Party and Western Christianity.

Donald Trump may have expected his endorsement of a local prosecutor in the race to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene to clear the field. Instead, more than a dozen Republicans are still competing, turni...

Du poulpe tentaculaire aux reptiles humanoïdes en passant par les moutons qui suivent le troupeau et les aigles qui voient de loin, la complosphère mobilise depuis des décennies un bestiaire fantasmat...