Surviving Trump: With Democracy On Life Support

Who is behind the most dangerous authoritarian push in modern U.S. politics? In Part Two of this exposé, Bella Goode uncovers how Russell Vought and Stephen Miller—two unelected power brokers—are already executing Project 2025. From dismantling agencies to planning military crackdowns and weaponizing the law, their agenda is no longer theoretical. Tune in to learn what they’ve already done, what’s coming next, and what it will take...

Who’s really behind the most dangerous government overhaul in American history? In this episode, Bella Goode pulls back the curtain on the two unelected men—Russell Vought and Stephen Miller—who are quietly constructing the legal and bureaucratic foundation of authoritarian rule in the United States. They’re not candidates. They’re not influencers. But they’re already reshaping your rights, your government, and the future of Americ...

Where did Project 2025 really come from, and who’s behind its push for authoritarian power? In this episode, Bella Goode takes listeners inside the origin story of the most coordinated political blueprint in modern history. From right-wing think tanks and MAGA insiders to billionaires funding extremism and global inspiration from autocrats abroad, Project 2025 isn’t just Trump’s plan—it’s a full-scale ideological operation years in...

What is Project 2025, and why are experts calling it a roadmap to authoritarianism? In this episode, Bella Goode unpacks the 4 strategic pillars of Trump’s plan to seize lasting control of the federal government. What’s at stake isn’t just policy, it’s the survival of democracy as we know it. Tune in to learn what they’re planning and why it matters more than ever.

Key Takeaways To Listen For

• Pillar One: How Project 2025 aim...

Episode Summary
Welcome to Surviving Trump. I’m Bella Goode.
This is the first episode in a new five-part series on Project 2025 — a sweeping plan already reshaping the U.S. government from the inside out. Drafted by the Heritage Foundation and backed by more than 100 right-wing organizations, Project 2025 is not a theory. It’s a 900-page blueprint for dismantling the federal system as we know it — eliminating checks and ba...

Episode Summary
In Episode 28, Bella Goode lays out a bold and urgent strategy to fight back against Trump’s second-term agenda and the authoritarian blueprint known as Project 2025. After covering the MAGA base, the donor class, and the fractured opposition in previous episodes, this one delivers something different — a clear, coordinated plan of action. It's called the Democracy Defense Plan (DDP), and it’s more than mes...

Episode Summary:
In Part Three of our four-part series on Donald Trump’s first 100 days of his second term, we’re shifting perspectives to examine how anti-Trump voices are responding to his chaotic and controversial return to power. For Trump’s critics — from journalists and activists to everyday Americans — these 100 days are not just a rocky start but a dangerous turning point. From executive overreach to economic fallout, f...

Episode Summary:
In the second instalment of our four-part series examining Trump’s first 100 days, Episode 26 of Surviving Trump explores the intense loyalty of the MAGA base — the voters who see Trump not just as a political leader but as a personal champion. We dive into the cultural, emotional, and economic drivers of this loyalty and why, despite economic uncertainty and political chaos, Trump’s most fervent supporters rem...

Episode Summary:
In the first of a four-part series examining Donald Trump’s second-term first 100 days, Episode 25 of Surviving Trumptakes us into the minds of the Wealth Protectors — the high-income donors, corporate executives, and conservative insiders who see Trump as a powerful tool to protect their interests and expand their influence. This episode unpacks how these elites view Trump as a strategic asset, a bulldoze...

Episode Summary:
Some of the most powerful figures in Trump’s national security circle don’t hold formal titles. They don’t lead federal agencies or appear in press briefings — but their influence is vast. In Part One of this episode, we meet the "whisperers" behind Trump’s authoritarian shift: Stephen Miller, Russell Vought, Ric Grenell, and Peter Navarro. 

In Part Two, we dive into Signalgate — a stunning security br...

Episode Summary:

In this second installment of our three-part national security series, we examine the people now leading America’s most powerful security agencies. These aren’t leaders chosen for experience or qualifications. They’re chosen for loyalty — and that shift has turned national security on its head.

From purged intelligence staff and photo-op border raids to encrypted chat scandals and weaponized institutions, this episod...

Episode Summary:
In this opening episode of our three-part national security series, we go back to basics — defining what national security actually is, how it’s evolved over time, and what it’s supposed to protect us from. We walk through the full range of threats facing America in 2025 — from cyberattacks and domestic extremism to climate collapse and geopolitical instability — and show how the system meant to keep us safe is...

Episode 21: Tariff World – How Trump’s Trade War Broke The Global Economy

What’s in this episode
In the final instalment of our three-part series on Trump’s April 2025 tariffs, host Bella Goode steps back to explore the global fallout of America’s most reckless trade war in modern history. From dairy farmers in Quebec to chip manufacturers in Japan, we follow the ripple effects of a policy with no economic modeling and...

Episode Summary:
In Episode 20 of Surviving Trump, host Bella Goode digs into the real-world consequences of Donald Trump’s sweeping April 2025 tariffs. From wheat fields in Kansas to factory floors in Ohio, the economic pain is spreading. You’ll hear why top economists are calling the policy “economic malpractice,” and how working families, small businesses, and farmers are footing the bill. With inflation rising, profits vani...

Episode Summary:
In Episode 19 of Surviving Trump, host Bella Goode unpacks Donald Trump’s massive April 2025 tariff announcement—the largest unilateral economic move in modern U.S. history. This episode breaks down what tariffs actually are, how Trump’s new policy distorts their use, and why this isn’t just about trade — it’s about power. From market collapses and economic misinformation to ideological fantasy and authoritaria...

Episode Summary

In the final chapter of our six-part Musk series, Bella Goode delivers a powerful reckoning with the fallout of Elon Musk’s DOGE regime—a techno-authoritarian experiment that has left America's democratic infrastructure gasping for air.

Far beyond a failed efficiency program, DOGE has become a vehicle for chaos, control, and collapse. With institutions gutted, benefits blocked, and public trust in freefall, Episo...

In Part 5 of our six-part series on Elon Musk, we zoom out from Washington to the world stage. Musk isn’t just dismantling the U.S. government from within—he’s reshaping global politics without ever holding elected office. From Starlink in Ukraine to political meddling in Germany, from Tesla’s entanglements in China to his cozy rapport with Putin, Musk is acting like a rogue superpower. And no one voted him in.

This episode also fea...

Understanding Musk’s mental health and leadership is crucial to assessing his influence in both business and politics. While this analysis is based on observations prior to 2025, it serves as critical context for understanding his current role in the Trump administration. His erratic behavior, mood swings, and history of impulsive decision-making were once confined to the corporate world—now, they shape national policy.

Elon Musk is...

Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency—DOGE—has become the engine behind a hostile takeover of the U.S. federal government. Guided by the radical Project 2025 blueprint, Musk and Trump are orchestrating a full-scale dismantling of America’s public institutions under the guise of "efficiency."

In Part Three of our six-part Musk series, Bella Goode unpacks how DOGE operates as a power-consolidation machine—firing ca...