Will Laura Loomer Save Ukraine?
Summary
Host Mary Harris interviews New York Times reporter Ken Bensinger about far-right influencer Laura Loomer’s surprising trip to Ukraine. They discuss how Loomer, despite her past anti-Ukraine rhetoric, secured a meeting with President Zelensky and gained Donald Trump’s attention by framing support as a commercial opportunity. The conversation explores Ukraine’s strategy to curry favor with the Trump administration and the precarious nature of securing U.S. aid in a transactional political climate.
Topics discussed
Intro: Manifesto podcast and Ground News sponsor
Laura Loomer's Ukraine junket and MAGA influence
Sponsors: Built and BetterHelp
Trump co-signing Loomer's content
Framing Ukraine support as a business deal
Trump's mixed signals on Ukraine aid
Courting Trump: Hong Kong and Cuba parallels
Targeting right-wing influencers like Tucker Carlson
Uncertainty of Trump's Ukraine policy
Outro and credits
Sponsors: Barefaced and McDonald's
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