The Stakes

It’s The Stakes Holiday Edition 🎄 — and somehow, even at the end of the year, Trump is still committing to making things as horrible as possible. Tara Setmayer and Michelle Kinney break down Trump’s unhinged speech, the Vanity Fair piece everyone’s talking about, and why his latest “Patriot Games” announcement sounds disturbingly close to The Hunger Games. We pause to remember the life and legacy of Rob Reiner — artist, s...

This week on The Stakes, Tara Setmayer and Michelle Kinney break down a terrifying escalation: Donald Trump openly calling for Democrats to be hanged, violent rhetoric that goes beyond politics and barrels straight into authoritarianism. We also dig into the Coast Guard’s quiet removal of swastikas, nooses, and other extremist symbols from its official training materials — a stark reminder of how hate has seeped into Ameri...

Newly surfaced Epstein documents reveal explosive details that directly implicate Trump, including claims that “he knew about the girls.” As these revelations break, Trump’s behavior is getting more frantic, more erratic, more desperate, and more guilty-looking by the hour.

Meanwhile, Lauren Boebert finds herself cornered by Donald Trump in The Situation Room. The MAGA base is starting to crack. What happens when the author...

Tara Setmayer is joined by Mallory Hagan, host of Pretty Furious Podcast, on this week's episode of The Stakes.

Donald Trump is using hunger as a compliance tactic, withholding SNAP benefits, and prioritizing the destruction of the East Wing for his 90,000 sq ft ballroom. Tara and Mallory discuss this and more on The Stakes LIVE.

The Seneca Project is one of the few groups unafraid to stand our ground, and we canno...

This week on The Stakes, Tara Setmayer and Michelle Kinney sit down with Dr. Steven Hassan, one of the world’s foremost experts on cults. As America faces growing extremism and political radicalization, Dr. Hassan helps us understand the psychology behind cult-like devotion, how manipulation spreads, and what it takes to break free.

From his personal story as a former cult member to his decades of research and activism, Dr....

The Stakes hiatus is over! Tara and Michelle were back this week with a jam-packed episode of The Stakes. From the recent school shootings, Pam Bondi’s threats to free speech, doxxing democrats, and the public fallout after the death of Charlie Kirk, there was so much to discuss. 

The highlight? Our friend Gay Valimont joined us! 

Gay is a former Florida congressional candidate and longtime gun violence prevention ...

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Guest ✨ Cait Conley — Democratic candidate for Congress in New York’s 17th district. A U.S. Army veteran and West Point graduate, Cait served in Iraq and Afghanistan before working at the Pentagon and in national security. Now she’s running to bring integrity, service, and real leadership back to Congress in one of the most competitive swing districts in the country.

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Guests Professor Corey Brettschneider and Democratic Strategist Julie Roginsky -- from the fight to save democracy to the takedown of CNN’s favorite fragile pundit, Scott Jennings.

In the first half, we’re joined by Corey Brettschneider, Professor of Political Science at Brown University, where he teaches constitutional law and political theory. He is the author of The Presidents and the People: Five Leaders Who Threat...

Tara and Michelle are joined by investigative reporter Vicky Ward, renowned for her groundbreaking coverage of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Ward is the host and co-producer of the acclaimed podcast and docuseries Chasing Ghislaine and a New York Times bestselling author whose work has exposed the dark intersections of power, privilege, and abuse.

Vicky is also the author of The Idaho Four: An American Tragedy,...

This week on The Stakes, Tara Setmayer and Michelle Kinney are joined by former U.S. Attorney, legal analyst, and Host of Talking Feds Podcast Harry Litman to break down the latest headlines—from the renewed focus and legal implications on Jeffrey Epstein.

We also talk about Trump and MAGA's gutting of PBS, and episode of South Park that everyone is talking about -- including us!

Talking Feds Podcast: https://www.t...

America is in distress. Tara and Michelle are flabbergasted by the detainment of California Senator Alex Padilla and discuss the implications of the shocking moment before moving on to the No Kings protests scheduled for June 14.

📺 Watch The Stakes with Tara Setmayer and Michelle Kinney every Thursday live at 7:30 PM ET.

💥 The Seneca Project is one of the few groups unafraid to stand our ground—and we cannot continue ...

There's a new Pope!

He's from the U.S..

He's from Chicago?!

Tara and Michelle discuss what this means for the future of the Catholic Church and MAGA.

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Watch The Stakes with Tara Setmayer and Michelle Kinney every Thursday live at 7:30 PM ET.

The Seneca Project is one of the few groups unafraid to stand our ground, and we cannot continue this fight without you. Are you with us?

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Seneca co-founders and co-hosts of The Stakes Tara Setmayer and Michelle Kinney talk Trump's First 100 Days, Democrats' capitulation, Gretchen Whitmer, JD Pritzker, and more.

Tune in every Thursday at 7:30 pm ET LIVE on X, Facebook, and YouTube.

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This Week on The Stakes:

We WON The Webby's!

We dove into the pro-natalist movement — the push to “persuade” women to have more children, and how it’s tied to eugenics, tech-world obsession, religious extremism, and Opus Dei’s role in selecting the next Pope. We also break down RFK Jr.’s alarming autism registry proposal, Trump’s collapsing approval numbers, the worsening economy, and Pete Buttigieg’s strategic 3-hour appea...

This week, we’re breaking down the chaos, the cruelty, and the constant drumbeat of authoritarian nonsense — and asking how we fight back without losing our minds (or our rights). No gaslighting. No sugarcoating. Just the truth and what comes next.

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VOTE SENECA PROJECT'S "AMERICAN GIRL" FOR A 2025 WEBBY AWARD!

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This week, the red flags are no longer warnings — they’re sirens:

🚨 Treason? Donald Trump revokes security clearances from two former DHS officials — Chris Krebs and Miles Taylor — and orders DOJ investigations into their work. A chilling authoritarian move to punish dissent.

📉 Markets respond as Wall Street finally wa...

Michelle and Tara are joined by former GOP Congressman Denver Riggleman—a senior advisor to The Seneca Project, author of "The Breach" and technical advisor on the January 6 Committee. He’s breaks down the SignalGate scandal, Elise Stefanik’s failed UN nomination, and the chaotic state of democracy. What’s happening behind the scenes in the GOP—and what does it mean for the country?

The Seneca Project is one of the few grou...