Deprogram with Ted Rall and John Kiriakou: Trump Talking to the Taliban

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On Thursday’s episode of DeProgram with Ted Rall and John Kiriakou, where political cartoonist Ted Rall and CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou dissect the news, the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the No Political Enemies Act, U.S. efforts to reclaim Bagram Air Base from the Taliban, hundreds of thousands strike in France.

• Jimmy Kimmel: FCC Chairman Brendan Carr states that Kimmel misled the public by linking Charlie Kirk's killer to MAGA, prompting ABC—with a merger pending before the Administration—to suspend Jimmy Kimmel Live! indefinitely. Carr warns of ongoing shifts in the media ecosystem post-Trump's election. House Democrats are accusing him of abusing power to coerce ABC and Disney, as Trump calls for more media cancellations.

• Shield Act for Critics?: Democrats unveil their No Political Enemies Act, creating legal defenses for those targeted for political speech and allowing attorney fee recovery from government harassment. Sponsors like Senators Murphy and Schumer decry the Trump administration's exploitation of Kirk's assassination to silence critics, labeling it a path to autocracy and the worst free speech crisis since McCarthyism.

• Bagram Air Base Back? Trump announces that the U.S. is working to regain Bagram Air Base from the Taliban, describing it as one of the world's largest bases and strategically located an hour from China's nuclear facilities. Trump pushes national security officials for months to negotiate its return, leveraging Taliban needs amid their push for sanctions relief and recognition. Will we normalize relations?

• French Strikes and Protests: Hundreds of thousands join strikes against budget cuts, with unions estimating one million participants while officials report 500,000, deploying 80,000 police amid clashes in Paris, Lyon, and Nantes. Disruptions halt metro lines, block roads, and close 98% of pharmacies, as teachers and students protest reduced public services under new Prime Minister Lecornu. Over 140 arrests occur after protesters damage businesses.