Useful Idiots with Katie Halper and Aaron Maté
Useful Idiots with Katie Halper and Aaron Maté

Useful Idiots with Katie Halper and Aaron Maté

Useful Idiots, LLC

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Episodes

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Useful Idiots is an informative and irreverent politics podcast with journalist Aaron Maté and podcaster/writer Katie Halper. Episodes feature analysis of the political news of the week and exclusive interviews, with humor, commentary and dissection of why both Republicans and Democrats suck. Join Aaron and Katie as they examine important stories that have slipped through the cracks and what the media got wrong – and laugh about whatever is left to laugh about.

Recent Episodes

They got money for wars but can't feed the poor
APR 20, 2026
They got money for wars but can't feed the poor
Go to our sponsor https://venice.ai/useful and use code useful to enjoy private, uncensored AI. Using our code will get you 20% off a pro plan.Visit www.functionhealth.com/USEFUL and use gift code USEFUL25 for a $25 credit toward your membership.Check out the Peace Corps at https://peacecorps.gov/serveCheck out Quince: https://quince.com/USEFULCheck out Webroot: https://webroot.com/USEFULCheck out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/IDIOTSCheck out Mint Mobile: https://mintmobile.com/useful------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Click here for the full hour-long extended interview with the Makdisi Brothers: https://open.substack.com/pub/usefulidiots/p/full-episode-us-and-israel-plummet?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=webWatch the Friday Free-For-All: Alan Dershowitz Threatens Trump If He Doesn't Follow Israeli Orders https://www.usefulidiotspodcast.com/p/alan-dershowitz-threatens-trump-if?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=webCheck out the Makdisi Street Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@MakdisiStreetJoin us LIVE on Youtube every Monday at 10am EST for Monday Mourning, where we watch the Sunday morning news shows so that you don't have to.Our Sponsors:* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/IDIOTS* Check out Mint Mobile: https://mintmobile.com/useful* Check out Quince: https://quince.com/usefulAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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71 MIN
US & Israel PLUMMET Globally After Iran and Cuba Disasters
APR 17, 2026
US & Israel PLUMMET Globally After Iran and Cuba Disasters
Go to our sponsor https://venice.ai/useful and use code useful to enjoy private, uncensored AI. Using our code will get you 20% off a pro plan.Visit www.functionhealth.com/USEFUL and use gift code USEFUL25 for a $25 credit toward your membership.Check out the Peace Corps at https://peacecorps.gov/serveCheck out Quince: https://quince.com/USEFULCheck out Webroot: https://webroot.com/USEFULCheck out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/IDIOTSCheck out Mint Mobile: https://mintmobile.com/useful------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Click here for the full hour-long extended interview with the Makdisi Brothers: https://open.substack.com/pub/usefulidiots/p/full-episode-us-and-israel-plummet?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=webWatch the Friday Free-For-All: Alan Dershowitz Threatens Trump If He Doesn't Follow Israeli Orders https://www.usefulidiotspodcast.com/p/alan-dershowitz-threatens-trump-if?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=webCheck out the Makdisi Street Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@MakdisiStreetJoin us LIVE on Youtube every Monday at 10am EST for Monday Mourning, where we watch the Sunday morning news shows so that you don't have to.We’ve got another Useful Idiots Double Header this week: Second Secretary of the Cuban Embassy to the US David Ramirez Alvarez, as well as the Palestinian-Lebanese hosts of the Makdisi Street Podcast Professors Ussama and Saree Makdisi.And while their respective topics take place a world away from each other (Cuba and Lebanon), a common theme connected both discussions: the US and Israel are losing global support rapidly as they kill and starve innocent people for sinister political reasons.Saree Makdisi: There’s a fundamental split taking place before our eyes. The recent polls show this very, very dramatic shift in American negative perceptions of Israel and Zionism. It’s most pronounced on the left of the spectrum, eighty-plus percent of Democrats. But when you look at people under fifty, even on the right, even among Republican Evangelicals, they’re souring too because they’re like, ‘What the hell, what are we supporting?’Ussama Makdisi: I mean, you can’t slaughter children. You can’t starve a population the way they did in Gaza.David Ramirez Alvarez: We don’t say that the US has sponsored terrorism against Cuba. What we say is that many of the terrorist actions that have been executed against Cuba have been financed and organized from the US. And polls have shown that the American people don’t even support the US blockade. They’re losing support as they make [the people of Cuba] suffer.The US and its Israel arm have been increasing their attacks against civilians, schools, hospitals, and children, either through outright war crimes and terrorism or a brutal criminal blockade. Subscribe for the full hour-long interview with Saree and Ussama Makdisi for a debate on whether the US is being controlled by Israel or if they have their own motive for following Israel into war.00:00 Intro00:53 Hillary Clinton reveals she's working BEHIND THE SCENES to bomb Lebanon04:31 The 7 Dems who voted to send MORE BOMBS to Israel05:39 Chuck Schumer told by Dems: Step Aside!07:31 Second Secretary of the Cuban Embassy to the US David Ramirez Alvarez interview12:33 Trump threatens to bomb Cuba after Iran40:29 Makdisi Professors interview58:31 Debate: Is the new 'ceasefire' legit?Our Sponsors:* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/IDIOTS* Check out Mint Mobile: https://mintmobile.com/useful* Check out Quince: https://quince.com/usefulAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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59 MIN
“No one is willing to trade lower gas prices for Iran becoming a nuclear state.”
APR 13, 2026
“No one is willing to trade lower gas prices for Iran becoming a nuclear state.”
Go to our sponsor https://venice.ai/useful and use code useful to enjoy private, uncensored AI. Using our code will get you 20% off a pro plan.Visit www.functionhealth.com/USEFUL and use gift code USEFUL25 for a $25 credit toward your membership.Check out the Peace Corps at https://peacecorps.gov/serveCheck out Quince: https://quince.com/USEFULCheck out Webroot: https://webroot.com/USEFULCheck out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/IDIOTSCheck out Mint Mobile: https://mintmobile.com/useful------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Click here for the full interviews with former State Dept Official Alan Eyre and Iranian Journalist Séamus Malekafzali: https://open.substack.com/pub/usefulidiots/p/full-episode-americas-strategic-weakness?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=webWatch the Friday Free-For-All: Dana Bash's Obsessive Hatred for Hasan Piker Reveals CNN's Fake Journalism Mentality https://open.substack.com/pub/usefulidiots/p/dana-bashs-obsessive-hatred-for-hasan?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=webCheck out Séamus' podcast Turbulence: https://turbulencepod.substack.com/Join us LIVE on Youtube every Monday at 10am EST for Monday Mourning, where we watch the Sunday morning news shows so that you don't have to.Our Sponsors:* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/IDIOTS* Check out Mint Mobile: https://mintmobile.com/useful* Check out Quince: https://quince.com/usefulAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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67 MIN
America’s “Strategic WEAKNESS” in Iran w/ Ex-State Dept Official Alan Eyre and Iranian Journalist Séamus Malekafzali
APR 10, 2026
America’s “Strategic WEAKNESS” in Iran w/ Ex-State Dept Official Alan Eyre and Iranian Journalist Séamus Malekafzali
Go to our sponsor https://venice.ai/useful and use code useful to enjoy private, uncensored AI. Using our code will get you 20% off a pro plan.Visit www.functionhealth.com/USEFUL and use gift code USEFUL25 for a $25 credit toward your membership.Check out the Peace Corps at https://peacecorps.gov/serveCheck out Quince: https://quince.com/USEFULCheck out Webroot: https://webroot.com/USEFULCheck out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/IDIOTSCheck out Mint Mobile: https://mintmobile.com/useful------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Click here for the full interviews with former State Dept Official Alan Eyre and Iranian Journalist Séamus Malekafzali: https://open.substack.com/pub/usefulidiots/p/full-episode-americas-strategic-weakness?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=webWatch the Friday Free-For-All: Dana Bash's Obsessive Hatred for Hasan Piker Reveals CNN's Fake Journalism Mentality https://open.substack.com/pub/usefulidiots/p/dana-bashs-obsessive-hatred-for-hasan?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=webCheck out Séamus' podcast Turbulence: https://turbulencepod.substack.com/Join us LIVE on Youtube every Monday at 10am EST for Monday Mourning, where we watch the Sunday morning news shows so that you don't have to.This week, after Trump threatened to wipe out Iran’s civilization, he backed down and announced that he was instead accepting a two-week ceasefire with Iran. Israel responded to the ceasefire announcement by going on a rampage in Lebanon, killing well over 200 people, attacking civilian targets, including apartment buildings inside Beirut.When Iran claimed that the U.S. is in violation of the ceasefire because of Israel’s continued attacks on Lebanon, Vice President J.D. Vance, touted by corporate media as a “skeptic” of Trump’s war, gave this response:“There’s a lot of bad faith negotiation going on. I think the Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon and it just didn’t. We never indicated that was going to be the case.What we said is that the Israelis offered, frankly, to check themselves a little bit in Lebanon. Look, if Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart, that’s ultimately their choice. We think that would be dumb.”It’s just not factually true that Lebanon was never part of the ceasefire: Pakistan, the government that brokered the ceasefire, said explicitly that the ceasefire applies “everywhere including Lebanon.”But Vance is pretending that Lebanon wasn’t included and then scolding Iran for daring to want to spare Lebanon from relentless Israeli attacks. So with Vance now joining Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff in negotiations, what is the expectation for this team to be able to produce diplomacy?To analyze this, plus why Iran is emerging from these ceasefire talks with “a superior strategic position” while the United States “is greatly weakened from a strategic point of view,” we spoke with two guests: Iranian-American journalist Séamus Malekafzali, who was formerly based in Beirut and co-hosts the podcast Turbulence, and former State Department Official Alan Eyre, who was part of negotiating the Iran nuclear deal under the Obama Administration in 2015.To see the full interviews with Séamus and Alan, including a full analysis of what happens next in the Strait of Hormuz, whether this ceasefire is legit, and why the US secretly armed protesters in Iran, please subscribe to Useful Idiots.00:00 Intro01:15 Dems respond to Trump's ceasefire in WORST WAY POSSIBLE06:06 NATO Chief defends his "Daddy" Donald Trump08:29 Séamus Malekafzali interview15:01 What is happening in Beirut?30:41 Why Iran has MORE control over Strait of Hormuz now31:57 Former State Dept Official Alan Eyre interview35:13 JD Vance mocks Iran over Lebanon44:00 The Netanyahu-Obama ShowdownOur Sponsors:* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/IDIOTS* Check out Mint Mobile: https://mintmobile.com/useful* Check out Quince: https://quince.com/usefulAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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45 MIN
Trump Confirms US Armed Anti-Government Protesters in Iran, Accidentally Proving Iran Claim
APR 6, 2026
Trump Confirms US Armed Anti-Government Protesters in Iran, Accidentally Proving Iran Claim
Go to our sponsor https://venice.ai/useful and use code useful to enjoy private, uncensored AI. Using our code will get you 20% off a pro plan.Visit www.functionhealth.com/USEFUL and use gift code USEFUL25 for a $25 credit toward your membership.Check out the Peace Corps at https://peacecorps.gov/serveCheck out Quince: https://quince.com/USEFULCheck out Webroot: https://webroot.com/USEFULCheck out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/IDIOTSCheck out Mint Mobile: https://mintmobile.com/useful------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Click here for the full interviews with Palestinian Lawyer Diana Buttu and Israeli Knesset Member Ofer Cassif: https://open.substack.com/pub/usefulidiots/p/full-episode-end-of-israeliran-nukes?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=webWatch the Friday Free-For-All: Rubio Claims Iran Can't Take Care of Its Own People As Trump Announces Daycare Will No Longer Be Funded By the Government https://open.substack.com/pub/usefulidiots/p/rubio-claims-iran-cant-take-care?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=webJoin us LIVE on Youtube every Monday at 10am EST for Monday Mourning, where we watch the Sunday morning news shows so that you don't have to.Our Sponsors:* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/IDIOTS* Check out Mint Mobile: https://mintmobile.com/useful* Check out Quince: https://quince.com/usefulAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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81 MIN