Welcome to Trumpworld, with Lionel Shriver

·38 min·3 clips

Lionel Shriver's nephew, who works for the weather service and is on the spectrum, is terrified of being sacked under Trump's federal workforce cuts.

The episode opens with hosts Fraser Myers and Tom Slater introducing guest Lionel Shriver, author of 'Mania'. Shriver begins by discussing Donald Trump's recent speech to Congress, noting its length and theme of dominance, comparing it to Hugo Chavez's speeches. She expresses a conflicted view of Trump, distrusting his character but supporting some policies like ending DEI initiatives and deportations. The conversation shifts to Trump's foreign policy, particularly his humiliation of Ukrainian President Zelensky, which Shriver sees as impulsive and damaging. Myers and Slater analyze the structural issues in U.S.-Ukraine relations, with Europe dependent on American defense. They then turn to UK domestic issues, discussing new Sentencing Council guidelines that recommend lighter sentences for ethnic or transgender minorities, which Slater criticizes as woke racialism undermining equality before the law. Shriver connects this to broader trends from the U.S. and Canada. Next, they explore the UK asylum system, with Shriver advocating for its complete elimination due to absurd cases like an Albanian terrorist who cannot be deported. She highlights the excessive appeals process and left-wing judiciary. The hosts add examples of pedophiles invoking rights to avoid deportation. The episode concludes with a discussion on the fifth anniversary of the COVID pandemic, criticizing the memory-holing of lockdowns. Shriver recalls her early opposition to lockdowns in March 2020, calling it a shameful period of irrational policy. The hosts emphasize the democratic affront of lockdown measures, such as Parliament's sidelining.

As heard by us

A combative roundtable connects Trump's new world disorder with Britain's fights over justice, asylum and lockdown memory.

Donald Trump's speech to Congress gives this edition of The Spike Podcast its opening charge: what is a regime only about six weeks old trying to signal, and why does it already feel so entrenched?

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You want Trump, Britain's sentencing row, and lockdown's afterlife in one sharp Spiked sitting with Lionel Shriver in the room.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from The spiked podcast