5/16/25: Soft civil wars and big pharma bribes

-- On the Show: — Trump talks about suspending habeas corpus, a mayor is arrested for protesting, and much of the country shrugs. We explain how normalization is the point—and how authoritarianism doesn't need shock, just your resignation. — From judges being stalked to school boards under threat, we unpack what modern civil war actually looks like—and how the U.S. may already be in one. — Trump's team is openly considering prosecuting Democrats. — Trump's orange spray tan gets more protection from Republicans than the Constitution. A student asks why he's orange—and a GOP rep panics. — We ask the uncomfortable question: what if Trump doesn't even need to finish his term? We explain how Trump was always the vehicle, not the destination—and why J.D. Vance is the backup plan. — RFK Jr. casually admits Trump took $100 million from Big Pharma—and Trump nods. Then the pharma stocks go up. But sure, he "can't be bought." — MAGA civil war explodes as Trump names a new Surgeon General who's too moderate for the fringe. Anti-vaxxers turn on Trump. RFK Jr. branded controlled opposition. — Rand Paul goes rogue, saying Trump shouldn't accept Qatar's $400 million plane, and admitting tariffs hurt Americans. Somewhere, Jesse Watters faints. — Friday Feedback returns: We respond to questions about the MAGA economy, Trump's spiral, the illusion of civil discourse, and the future of this show. -- On the Bonus Show: Right-wing reactions to Trump getting gifted a $400 million plane from Qatar, and much more... 👍 Save 20% on LUCY nicotine gum by using code PAKMAN at https://lucy.co 🛡️ Incogni lets you control your personal data! Get 60% off their annual plan: http://incogni.com/pakman 🔊 Babbel language learning: Get up to 60% OFF at https://babbel.com/pakman -- Become a Member: https://davidpakman.com/membership -- Become a Patron: https://www.patreon.com/davidpakmanshow -- Get David's Books: https://davidpakman.com/echo -- TDPS Subreddit: http://www.reddit.com/r/thedavidpakmanshow -- David on Bluesky: https://davidpakman.com/bluesky -- David on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/davidpakmanshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices