To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
You are not the crazy ones.
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- Update frequency
- every 2 days
- Average duration
- 45 minutes
- Episodes
- 87
- Years Active
- 2025
Paula Kerger: PBS is Not Going Anywhere
Charlie Sykes sits down with Paula Kerger, the longest-serving president and CEO of PBS, to discuss the unprecedented defunding of public broadcasting. Kerger explains how the loss of federal support…
00:41:44 |
Sun 07 Sep 2025
Tara Palmeri: A Pivotal Week in the Epstein Cover-up
Tara Palmeri and Charlie Sykes discuss a pivotal week in the Jeffrey Epstein case, as dozens of survivors gathered on Capitol Hill demanding the release of long-secret files. They examine the politic…
00:38:24 |
Fri 05 Sep 2025
David Frum: Trump’s Costly Failures
Charlie Sykes sits down with David Frum of The Atlantic to unpack the mounting costs of Donald Trump’s foreign policy decisions. From alienating India and Australia to emboldening China and Russia, F…
00:47:19 |
Thu 04 Sep 2025
Ali Breland: Nick Fuentes and the Far Right’s Rising Influence
Charlie Sykes is joined by Ali Breland of The Atlantic to discuss his recent article, America’s Next Top Racist. They examine how Nick Fuentes has built a devoted following, pushed the GOP further ri…
00:39:11 |
Sun 31 Aug 2025
Sarah McLaughlin: Authoritarians in the Academy
Charlie Sykes speaks with Sarah McLaughlin, senior scholar at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, about her new book Authoritarians in the Academy. They explore how foreign governmen…
00:39:23 |
Thu 28 Aug 2025
Zee Cohen-Sanchez: Beating Charlie Kirk at his Own Game
Charlie Sykes sits down with organizer Zee Cohen-Sanchez, founder of National Ground Game, to talk about the fight for young voters on America’s campuses. They dig into why conservative groups like T…
00:39:51 |
Tue 26 Aug 2025
What Makes You Think They Won’t Come for You?
Charlie Sykes unpacks a week of extraordinary events—from the FBI raid on John Bolton’s home to Trump’s humiliating summit with Vladimir Putin and the alarming expansion of visa surveillance. He warn…
00:31:33 |
Sun 24 Aug 2025
Chris Cillizza: The Rubber Band Theory
Charlie Sykes sits down with journalist Chris Cillizza to unpack his "rubber band theory" of American democracy and how Trump-era politics may stretch institutions beyond repair. The two also debate …
00:47:49 |
Thu 21 Aug 2025
Ben Wittes: Five Alarm Fires
Charlie Sykes and Lawfare’s Ben Wittes unpack the fallout from Donald Trump’s Alaska summit with Vladimir Putin, a meeting that left America humiliated and Ukraine on edge. Wittes shares his own surr…
00:48:13 |
Tue 19 Aug 2025
Conor Lamb: Democratic Messaging, Crime, and the Trump Threat
Former Pennsylvania Congressman Conor Lamb joins Charlie Sykes for a wide-ranging conversation on the challenges facing the Democratic Party. They discuss how Democrats can regain credibility on crim…
00:45:36 |
Thu 14 Aug 2025
Tony Gilroy: Yes, Andor Does Rhyme with Our Political Moment
Charlie Sykes sits down with Andor creator Tony Gilroy for a conversation about the show's record-breaking Emmy nominations, its historical inspirations, and its unintentional political resonance. Gi…
00:39:47 |
Tue 12 Aug 2025
Harry Litman: The DOJ Turned Upside Down
Charlie Sykes and Harry Litman break down the sweeping politicization of the FBI and Department of Justice under Donald Trump, from purging veteran agents to elevating January 6 rioters into senior r…
00:36:23 |
Sun 10 Aug 2025
Jessica Riedl: The Last Fiscal Conservative
Charlie Sykes welcomes Jessica Riedl of the Manhattan Institute for a conversation on the state of the U.S. economy under Trump 2.0. They cover everything from fantasy math in drug pricing claims to …
00:35:06 |
Thu 07 Aug 2025
Tara Palmeri: Epstein, Maxwell, and the Survivors' Fight for Justice
Charlie Sykes speaks with investigative journalist Tara Palmeri about her years-long coverage of the Jeffrey Epstein case and her deeply personal reporting on the survivors. Palmeri recounts her work…
00:50:29 |
Tue 05 Aug 2025
Tom Nichols: The Gilded Presidency
Charlie Sykes welcomes Tom Nichols to talk about Trump’s gilded ambitions—from redesigning the White House to purging the military of disloyalty. They unpack the political theater behind the Smithson…
00:48:41 |
Sun 03 Aug 2025
Adam Kinzinger: Epstein, Enemies Lists, and the Collapse of Courage
Charlie Sykes welcomes former congressman Adam Kinzinger to discuss the Trump-Epstein saga, congressional cowardice, and the erosion of democratic norms. They discuss Trump's obsession with loyalty, …
00:43:36 |
Thu 31 Jul 2025
Julian Zelizer: Where Is The Rest of the Resistance?
Charlie Sykes and historian Julian Zelizer tackle the political storm surrounding Donald Trump and the Epstein files, exploring why this controversy has stuck and what it reveals about the MAGA base.…
00:42:04 |
Tue 29 Jul 2025
Jim Acosta: Trump, Epstein, and the Politics of Distraction
Jim Acosta joins Charlie Sykes for a sobering conversation about Donald Trump’s explosive treason accusations against Barack Obama and what they signal about his desperation over the Epstein case. Th…
00:44:11 |
Thu 24 Jul 2025
Marc Racicot: Restoring the Republican Legacy
Charlie Sykes sits down with former Montana Governor and RNC Chair Marc Racicot to discuss "Our Republican Legacy," a new initiative aimed at restoring the GOP’s foundational principles of character,…
00:41:17 |
Tue 22 Jul 2025
Garry Kasparov: Autocracy in America
Charlie Sykes is joined by chess grandmaster and democracy advocate Garry Kasparov to explore how creeping authoritarianism could take hold in the United States. Kasparov warns that fear, normalizati…
00:42:03 |
Sun 20 Jul 2025
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