Episode 1761 · Sunday, 4 May 2025

News Desert

A federal offensive against public broadcasting begins as global press freedom rankings plummet and international tensions flare from the Middle East to the German Bundestag.

By The No Agenda Show | 3h 7m listen | 2 chapters
News Desert cover
The No Agenda Show · No. 1761

About this episode

President Donald Trump signed an executive order to strip $500 million from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, targeting NPR and PBS for alleged partisan bias. PBS CEO Paula Kerger and NPR chief Katherine Maher have launched a public defense of their federal subsidies, citing the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 and the necessity of educational programming like Sesame Street. The administration maintains that the refusal to cover the Hunter Biden laptop story and the promotion of drag queen segments justifies the defunding.

Global press freedom rankings from Reporters Without Borders now place the United States at 57th, trailing Norway and Estonia amid a climate of newsroom layoffs and political hostility. In the Middle East, Houthi rebels claimed a missile strike near Ben Gurion Airport, prompting Israeli threats of a sevenfold retaliation. Meanwhile, German authorities officially designated the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as a right-wing extremist organization, a move Secretary of State Marco Rubio characterized as a sign of tyranny. In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott finalized a $1 billion education voucher program, allowing parents to divert $10,000 in annual public funds toward private schooling.

John C. Dvorak recommends Amaro Braulio as the essential Alpine digestif for post-dinner recovery. The papal conclave in Rome faces digital-age oddities as 60,000 users join the FantaPapa app to gamble on the next Pope. Music mogul Sean Diddy Combs has officially rejected a federal plea deal, choosing to face a high-stakes trial for racketeering and sex trafficking rather than admit to the government's freak off allegations.


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CHAPTER 09 / 33 Discussion

Kristen Welker Interviews Trump on Tariffs and Toys

NBC's Kristen Welker interviewed President Trump regarding the impact of tariffs on consumer goods. Trump argued that Americans should buy fewer low-quality imports from China, suggesting children could have "three dolls instead of thirty." While Welker pointed to rising prices for strollers and tires, Trump maintained that falling energy prices would provide greater overall relief to American families.

kristen welker· donald trump· tariffs· china· trade deficit

38:11 Oh, well that would caught me flat-footed. Come on man! I had the one because that's the only one i was watching this morning and said oh it'd be nice to have a clip of that. So that's all you can think of? Yeah unfortunately there must be something else that happened this morning Well... I mean I figured most of morning stuff you pick up Well President Trump was on with uh... the Manhans lady A welker?! Yes so he did ABC we know how that turned out I respectfully agree to disagree about the Photoshop. Here's an interview in a nutshell, you suck ABC! You suck! Well do you want to hear... Yes i would like to hear Welker Okay this is pretty much all about tariffs which covers two topics and one

39:00 But sir, you acknowledge when you announced your tariffs for example the stock market dropped. It's been volatile it has since gone up. Do you take responsibility? Ultimately I take responsibility for everything but i've only just been here for a little more than three months But the stock market, look at what's happened in the last short period of time. Didn't it have nine or ten days in a row or eleven days where its gone up? So far we're cordial. It's not going to last! And the tariffs have just started kicking in and were doing really well

39:39 Psychologically, I mean the fake news was giving me such press on the tariffs. The tariffs are gonna make us rich We're gonna be a very rich country So let's talk about the tariffs and I want to ask you about something You said this week got a lot of attention you were at your cabinet meeting? You said quote I'm gonna quote what he said Maybe that children will have two dolls instead of 30 dolls Yeah And maybe the two dolls will cost a couple of bucks more than they would normally I love this because this is my theory too. It's like, stop buying junk from China! Wake up people! Are you saying that your tariffs will cause some... Again Trump hates children This is the new meme This is interesting the way she's twisted this to Yeah? It's like maybe the kids would have two instead of thirty

40:23 And they were talking specifically about toys from China, which is junk from China. Which is what they're discussing and there's gonna be less of it perhaps I doubt it by the way yeah but So she and she twists it have you been ever? I mean we had we know some people with young kids here. I am astounded By this junk That these kids have they have an entire room that is just their junk room. Have you ever seen this? Well, I have the problem with Theo Uh-huh is that they won't let him have a lot of toys over there so the junk is over here in your office

41:05 No, in my downstairs front room which has... there's bins so he has to put the toys back in the bin. Oh good, good, good. It would look like I have a dozen kids if somebody comes and visits me. How many kids do you have here living here? Yeah well exactly it's a lot and why how come they won't... But what does the kid like to play with the most one of the main things is a wooden little car or wooden car with wooden wheels I know, it's astounding. It looks like he was made in Slovenia! It's astounding but meanwhile there is all this plastic junk and furry junk probably toxic It's everywhere, all right.

42:04 $30 I think they can have three dolls or four dolls Because what we were doing with China was just unbelievable. We had a deficit of hundreds of billions of dollars Well, he's already gone from two to four doll so he slip and he slipped it. He's like okay gonna for Every child can have four dolls now. Thank you, Mr President! We're very happy... By the way are you running a baby daycare there? Is that what you're doing on the side? You got the dog kennel and now your here running kids? We've got a dog kennel we get everything. Alright so um I have some tariff clips since you brought it up Oh don't want me to continue? Do you want an interrupt? Oh that was the end of her? We had more of Kristen? Oh yes its all about tariffs And its just about to get fun because

42:49 Okay, no play it out and then I'll play that. I have a Buffett clip, but Buffett came in and said something nasty... And then there's one more Well it's about to become a dishonest interview you as you understand When you say they could have three dolls instead of thirty dolls are you saying? Well now It's three he said two is it four Is it two or is it three what is it Kristen Welker? I'm confused now when you say they could have $3 instead of $30 Are you saying Americans can see empty store shelves No, I'm not saying that. No more dolls for the kids! Really? A memo went out somewhere... Alright let's go for the kids Trump hates children That must have been something like that alright here's our new angle everybody This will kill him yeah this angles gonna do it Yeah This'll get him to quit

43:44 When you say they could have $3 instead of $30, are you saying Americans can see empty store shelves? No I'm not saying that. I'm just saying they don't need to have 30 dollars they can have three. They don't need to have 250 pencils they can have five! This is NBC. What a conversation, this is network news! It's not over But you're basically saying there could be some supply shortages because of the tariffs We don't have to waste money on a trade deficit with China for things we don't need For junk that we don't need

44:27 Well, prices are already going up on some popular items. Tires strollers such a dishonest interview. There it is there it's a dishonest interview and we're only one minute in prices down on groceries price right down for oil prices are down for all energy prices are down at tremendous numbers for gasoline and let me tell you when you have The big thing, what he did. He spent like a stupid person which he was but he spent like a very stupid person and that was bad for inflation But what really killed us with inflation was the price of energy It went up to $3.90 even four dollars and in California five and six dollars right? Okay I have it down to 1.98 in many states right now Not in Texas Where's the dollar 98

45:19 What's it? I don't know. It's not a... We have, it's like Mississippi maybe? I have no idea. It's like $2.50 here now so anyways. There is still five bucks here Yeah well that's your taxes You go that much lower on energy which is ahead of my prediction because I really thought I could get it down into the two fifties we have it down at a dollar ninety-eight in numerous places that Let's keep on the children thing. Let's keep harping in that because we all know the number one out president Trump hates children Well, let me give you some examples of these are I mean these are actual examples there go So you're saying the prices that are going down? Some prices are going up tires strollers strollers some clothing and a weight of your terrace That's peanuts compared to what energy energy is

46:13 60% of the cost sir you can't use a big you campaigned on a promise to bring prices down on day Well, I don't know why say strollers are going up strollers. Keep on the strollers This is great kirsten what kind of thing i'm saying that gasoline is going down gasoline is thousands of times more important than a stroller someplace. But what do you say to Americans who say they voted for you because they want and they need relief right now? They're getting it! Right now, what about those different items I just don't care if they have the strollers... Despite the fact that we have a stubborn Fed You said dolls even dolls could cost a couple bucks Maybe they might but you don't need to have as i said 35 dollars you can have two three four

46:55 And save a lot of money. We don't need to feed the beast Don't feed the beast it's unbelievable clip of the day go on oh wow okay? Thank you very much I'll stop here because they kind of stay in tariffs, but let's put your tariff clips in here I think that's probably a wise idea She's is great It's fantastic so pathetic President Trump So they gotta bring in Buffett because he's retiring and he's got to have his last shot in there. You know, he's a Democrat. And uh... Bill. I guess he's not friends with Bill anymore? No! Because of Epstein we all know that yeah Buffett knows what's up He knows what's up so he does he wants no part of it and you know though is I don't think he likes divorce I think here that's the problem for him I think you might be right he said from you know he's from Wichita Yeah

CHAPTER 22 / 33 Discussion

Sean "Diddy" Combs Rejects Plea Deal

Music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs officially rejected a government plea deal and will proceed to trial on charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. Prosecutors allege Combs coerced victims into "freak offs" involving drugs and sexual activity. The defense maintains that the evidence shows consenting adults being intimate in their own way.

sean combs· diddy· sex trafficking· racketeering· freak offs

1:39:08 Talk is cheap, Bobby. Come on now! I mean...I'll give him another hundred days. I think the next 100 days of the Trump administration they're gonna ramp it up. They're gonna ramp everything up so much Well they are going to have too because people are demanding it. I don't know what they will do about the Epstein thing because I believe now that doesn't exist and has been destroyed The Diddy stuff, I don't know. He's going to trial this week or coming...this coming week? Tonight Sean Combs makes it official- Hold on! It was perfect timing! Oh it was! Do it again and we'll edit it out. Diddy is going to trial any minute! Tonight Sean Combs makes it official he's rejecting the government's offer to plead guilty and spare himself the possibility of a prolonged term in prison When asked if he'd turn down the offer, Combs answered yes I do your honor

1:39:56 as he stood in a baggy beige jail uniform. Terms were not disclosed, but prosecutors did say that the plea could result in a shorter sentence for Combs than if he's convicted. The decision guarantees Combs will face trial beginning just four days from now that will test whether one of music's most prolific figures used his power wealth and fame to sexually exploit both women and men for decades Combs has pleaded not guilty to racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution charges that accused him of coercing alleged victims into prolonged drug-fueled sexual activity that he called freak offs and threatening them into silence. At trial combs will ditch the jail garb and wear ordinary clothes as his lawyers argue the evidence shows consenting adults being intimate in their own way

1:40:42 Everybody's consenting in their own way. Yeah, I'm not... Passed out! I thought his way was being passed out so that's what they did at some point So no Epstein but we got Diddy get the black man and well the black that's also you know the thing he wanted to wants to go to trial because somebody at least somebody in this King camp knows You go to trial that means discovery. And discovery means some names are going to come out that don't want their names come out and maybe they can do a deal or something, or kill him!