Chicago Stories: Nick Fuentes, ICE, And The Pope (S01E113)

Wednesday, July 22, 2026, Istanbul

In this edition of badlands, I speak with Chicago-area college professor and activist David Goldberg about rightwing streamer Nicholas J. Fuentes and Pope Leo—both locals—about the various tides of political activism and discourse in the US.

We also discuss the impact that Donald Trump’s ICE immigration crackdowns have had on communities in the city in the first part of my interview with David, an old friend of mine since childhood.

I also discuss the latest escalations in Iran, including neoconservatives’ attempt to bait Trump into escalating the war by going after Pickaxe Mountain.

And in an inteview with India’s NewsX World, I discuss multiple aspects of the war in the Middle East, including the impact on the Gulf and the potential for Yemen’s Houthis to enter the fray.

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