Mehdi Unfiltered

Since being named CBS News's Editor in Chief in October, Bari Weiss has turned the network into a soft-MAGA mouthpiece – just take a look at its latest roster of contributors, which is a who's who of at best, centrist pundits, and at worst, right-wing hacks. While it's easy to dunk on Bari Weiss, CBS's rightward shift is indicative of a larger problem in our media ecosystem: across so-called "liberal" media, there's long been a glaring absence of proper progressive and leftist voices. In his latest scathing monologue, Mehdi breaks down the progressive-shaped hole in our mainstream corporate-controlled media and makes the case for why supporting independent journalism now is more important than ever. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribe WATCH, LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO 'WE'RE NOT KIDDING' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/were-not-kidding-with-mehdi-and-friends FIND ZETEO: Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_news Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonews TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonews FIND MEHDI: Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

Edward Luce, Financial Times US editor and veteran columnist, brings sharp analysis of geopolitics and Trump-era foreign policy. He discusses Trump's multifaceted attacks on Europe and the strain on Western liberal democracy. He explores whether the rules-based order can be reinvented, Europe's dependent stance, and the real risks of NATO conflict over Greenland.

Edward Luce, US editor and columnist at the Financial Times, brings sharp analysis of power and privilege. He maps how the Epstein files reveal an establishment-wide network across politics, finance, academia and royalty. He explores shamelessness among elites, potential intelligence links, and why these revelations reshape public perception of a rigged system.

Flordeliza Dayrit, co-writer and director of Time Hoppers: The Silk Road, champions Muslim history for children. Michael Milo, producer and CEO of Milo Production, built community-backed Muslim-focused media. They discuss the film’s focus on forgotten Muslim scientists, the significance of a nationwide theatrical release, the decade-long journey to fund and produce it, and plans for games and a TV series.

Omar Shakir, a human rights researcher who led HRW’s Israel and Palestine team for nearly a decade, discusses why his report on Palestinian refugees' right of return was blocked and why he resigned. He talks about legal arguments framing denial of return as a crime, internal pushback over Israeli identity concerns, leadership priorities at the organization, and the personal stories behind the issue.

Jason Stanley, philosophy professor and author who studies fascism and political rhetoric, and Olivia Troye, former Trump national security advisor turned critic, discuss alarming shifts in power. They tackle ICE and DHS as instruments of coercion. They debate risks of militarized domestic policy, recycled authoritarian plans, foreign adventurism as distraction, and why institutional guardrails may be gone.

Don Winslow, award-winning crime novelist known for books about drug cartels, discusses receiving violent threats that forced him to cancel parts of his book tour. He recounts online smears and assassination and kidnapping threats. Conversation also covers the normalization of political violence and where responsibility lies in today's polarized discourse.

Vali Nasr, U.S. Middle East expert and former State Department advisor, provides concise analysis. He discusses Iran’s harsh, rapid crackdown and why the regime shifted tactics. He explores how this protest differs from past movements. He examines the murky death tolls and the effects of information blackouts.

Quinlan Koch, pastor at First Lutheran Church of Red Wing and faith leader arrested during an ICE protest, shares his perspective. He recounts the prayerful sit-in at the Minneapolis–St. Paul terminal. He contrasts hymn-singing clergy with police in riot gear. He discusses community impact in Red Wing and faith-driven calls to de-escalate and protect neighbors.

Robert Garcia, U.S. Congressman from California and oversight ranking member focused on immigration reform and accountability. He condemns attacks on Ilhan Omar and ties violent rhetoric to Trump. He outlines plans to pursue Kristi Noem, Stephen Miller, Elon Musk and other powerful figures for scrutiny. He explains urgency around ICE abuses and pushes for stronger prosecutorial and legislative action.