When MAGAs Racist Policies Decide Who Gets to Be An American (w/ Alex Wagner)

This week on Assembly Required, Stacey sits down with Alex Wagner, veteran journalist and host of the new Crooked Media podcast “Runaway Country”. Together, they unpack Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s alleged order to execute the two remaining survivors of an American missile strike on a fishing boat suspected of drug smuggling in the Caribbean, and the rare moves in Congress to investigate the matter. They also talk about how the Trump administration is using the shooting of two National Guard members in D.C. to further anti-immigrant policies, what the Republicans’ razor-thin House majority means for the 2026 midterms, and more. CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS SHOPIFY: https://www.shopify.com/assembly MOSH: https://www.moshlife.com/ASSEMBLY AURA FRAMES: https://www.auraframes.com/ promo code ASSEMBLY Learn & Do More Be Curious: If you enjoyed Stacey’s conversation with Alex Wagner, be sure to check out her new podcast Runaway Country. Solve Problems: As protests continue across the country in response to ICE’s cruel abductions and other authoritarian actions by this administration, it’s more important than ever to know your rights. Visit the ACLU’s website at aclu.org/know-your-rights/protesters-rights for comprehensive guidance on organizing a protest, participating safely, filming law enforcement, and more. Do Good: Republicans in Congress have allowed Affordable Care Act subsidies to expire, putting millions of Americans at risk of skyrocketing premiums and losing healthcare access altogether. Just Fix It is a nationwide, nonpartisan activation led by the 10 Steps Campaign in partnership with SEIU-NW, Caring Across Generations, MomsRising, and other labor and advocacy organizations. Learn how you can get involved and help protect healthcare for everyone. CHAPTERS 0:00 - Pete Hegseth’s Possible War Crimes 2:30 - The Pardon of Juan Orlando Hernandez 4:18 - We Have to Activate 6:47 - Alex Wagner on Runaway Country 10:25 - Why Telling Epstein Survivor Stories is Important 12:39 - Trump’s Racist Immigration Policies 15:00 - The National Guard Shooting in Washington D.C. 19:37 - Ad Break 24:00 - Speaking Up Through Adversity 29:00 - Pete Hegseth Under Fire 36:27 - Hate Speech and Hate Symbols on the Rise 41:43 - Delegitimizing Language 48:20 - Ad Break 49:35 - Mike Johnson’s Cowardice 55:30 - Stacey’s Toolkit Subscribe to our channel! Photos courtesy of AP Photo Archive Crooked believes that we need a better conversation about politics, culture, and the world around us—one that doesn’t just focus on what’s broken, but what we can do to fix it. At a time when it’s increasingly easy to feel cynical or hopeless, former Obama staffers Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, and Tommy Vietor have created a place where people can have sane conversations that inform, entertain, and inspire action. In 2017 they started Crooked with Pod Save America—a no-bullshit conversation about politics. Since then, we continue to add shows, voices, and opportunities for activism, because it’s up to all of us to do our part to build a better world. That’s it. End of mission. Want some pep talks, the most important things to do/know, and the occasional dog pic? Shoot us a text at (323) 405-9944 Written content at http://www.crooked.com Follow Crooked on Twitter   / crookedmedia   Follow Crooked on Facebook   / crookedmedia   Follow Crooked on Instagram   / crookedmedia