Before we get into this post: I know I’ve been quieter than usual lately. Life as a new father has been the greatest joy of my life — but combine that with a stubborn summer cold, and I’ve been knocked flat for the better part of a week. Thanks for bearing with me.

But I’m back — and I’m bringing you a timely, in-depth conversation with journalist Sasha Ingber, who has reported on me and my work over the years, founder of HUMINT and host of the International Spy Museum’s Spycast. Over the years, Sasha has reported on my investigations into disinformation, foreign influence operations, and domestic extremism. She’s covered Russian troll farms targeting veterans, the infiltration of college campuses by far-right extremists, and the toxic overlap between propaganda and violence in her reporting on my work.

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Yesterday, nearly 300 people joined us live on Substack for an hour-long discussion about what this summer holds for America.

(Note:I had some major WiFi issues during the first fifteen minutes, and I’m grateful to everyone who stuck it out live. For this edited version, I’ve cleaned up and trimmed the recording to remove all of yesterday’s hang-ups. You’ll see I’m off-screen for the first few minutes, but my video feed kicks back in for the rest.)

If you’ve been paying attention, you know the Trump Administration’s second term is accelerating toward full-blown authoritarianism — ICE raids, protest crackdowns, the targeting of journalists. I expect that there will soon be the use of red-state National Guard troops in blue cities. In this conversation, Sasha and I are talking about the context of Trump deploying infantry Marines — as opposed to something like military police — into Los Angeles. We’re talking about vigilantes posing as federal agents.

And we’re talking about the near-total collapse of public trust in who’s actually enforcing the law.

I’ve heard from dozens, if not hundreds of service members and recent veterans since Trump’s reelection — including many who are terrified that some troops don’t share the same understanding of the oath to the Constitution. Those on active duty or at risk of getting called up in the Guard or Reserves are worried about being asked to follow unlawful orders. And they’re worried about what happens when the president blurs the lines between federal power and partisan violence.

In our conversation, Sasha and I cover:

* Why protests have quieted (for now) — and why that’s likely to change fast

* The legal theory that may allow Trump to deploy out-of-state National Guard forces into liberal cities

* What happens when we can’t distinguish ICE agents from unlawful militias

* The eerie calm among far-right extremist groups, and why they’re celebrating

* The real risks of untrained federal troops escalating protest zones into war zones

* Why spontaneous violence is more likely now than ever before — and how to stay safe if you take to the streets

* What everyday people can do to prepare, protest, and protect one another

I don’t say any of this to scare you. I say it because I want you to be ready.

Our democracy isn’t going to be saved by institutions alone. It’s going to be saved by everyday people who organize in their own communities — again, I offer you our Antifascist Book Club’s instruction manual to get started — so you can connect with people who read together, build trust, look out for each other, and act when it counts.

That’s why I launched On Offense. That’s why I founded Task Force Butler Institute and Veterans Fighting Fascism. And that’s why I’ll keep using every platform I can — including this one — to help Americans understand what’s happening and how we can fight back.

This conversation with Sasha is a critical one. Watch it. Share it. And if you haven’t already, make sure you’re subscribed to both of our publications.

About Sasha Ingber & HUMINT:Sasha Ingber is the founder of HUMINT, a Substack that tells human stories at the intersection of intelligence, national security, and power. She’s also the host of the International Spy Museum’s SpyCast. Sasha has reported for NPR, National Geographic, Smithsonian, and Scripps News, where she spent 4.5 years as the national security correspondent covering everything from Chinese influence ops to Russia’s shadow nuclear forces. Follow her work — you won’t regret it.

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