Shows / Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Politics has never been more chaotic, and most podcasts just add to the noise. Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes cuts through it.Grant is an AP Award-winning journalist with over a decade of on-the-ground reporting on the biggest political stories, scandals, and elections in America. Twice a week, he takes the stories dominating the headlines and breaks them down in plain English — no jargon, no spin, no shouting.If you care about what’s happening in this country but you’re exhausted by how…
Episodes
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Trump Ends A War Abroad... To Start A Fake One At Home
For days, President Donald Trump and his administration have been celebrating the bombing campaign against three Iranian nuclear sites, which effectively ended…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
A CeaseFire... For Now
Israel and Iran agree to a ceasefire after Trump announces it on social media. But the peace is uneasy as both sides exchange final missile strikes and accuse…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
The US Joins The War With Iran
After telling the American people and the world he was going to give it two more weeks before attacking, President Donald Trump bombed three major nuclear…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Silencing The Voice Of America w/ VOA White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara
During the second Trump administration, news organizations have been under threat and under attack. ABC and CBS have faced settlements. NBC and CNN have been…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Are We At War With Iran?
Over the last week, Israel and Iran have been bombing one another as global tensions rise over nuclear weapons and facilities being targeted by both sides…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
No Kings, No Crowds, And Our New Cycle Of Violence
After a weekend of history-making protests and a lackluster military/birthday parade, the occasions were really marked by a new set of political violence. An…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Troops in LA, A Senator In Handcuffs And A Nation On Edge w/ Mike Madrid
During a Department of Homeland Secuirty press conference on Thursday, California Senator Alex Padilla (D) attempted to interrupt to ask a question. DHS…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Marines In LA: Can Trump Do That?
The Trump administration has mobilized 700 Marines from Twenty-nine Pines military base in California to join 2100 National Guard troops in LA to do what?…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Is L.A. Trump's Test Balloon For Dictatorship?
As protests, violent clashes, and some property destruction break out in Los Angeles over federal raids of workplaces, schools, and courthouses, the White…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Disease and Death: Elon Musk's Real DOGE Legacy W/ Fmr. USAID Dep. Admin. Jim Kunder (Replay interview)
As Elon Musk exits the White House and has a very public falling out with Donald Trump, the consequences of his time there won't be fully realized for a while…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
A MAGA Meltdown
Back from a short hiatus! Grant talks all about how we're seeing the White House, which has been moving as fast as it can to break things, start to come apart…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
The Other Offshoring: Why Jobs Went South, Not Abroad w/ Prof. Gary Winslett
The idea that manufacturing jobs were shipped overseas or across borders to other countries is a frequent explanation from both Republicans and Democrats about…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
The Kids Aren't Alright
The Trump administration ramps up its attacks on higher education, specifically Harvard and foreign students. But what does it mean to lose the tens of…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Democrats FINALLY Get Their 2024 Report Card
The 2024 election report card, or autopsy, depending on how you want to talk about it, for Democrats is out, and it is a failing grade almost across the board…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Prescription For Failure: Why Trump’s Drug Plan Is Bad w/ Yale Economist Jason Abaluck
Two weeks after Donald Trump announced he was going to lower drug prices from anywhere from 30% to 90%, there still haven't been any deals made. But more than…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
A Big Beautiful Breakdown
House Republicans pass Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill," and there are some serious consequences hurtling toward Americans. Hundreds of billions of dollars in…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Un-Protected Status
The US Supreme Court hands the Trump Administration a big win by allowing it to end Temporary Protected status for 350,000 Venezuelans in the US. It's a…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Joe Biden Has Cancer
Former President Joe Biden announces he has advanced and aggressive prostate cancer. It's a devastating diagnosis, though one doctors say is treatable, despite…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Devastation at the DOJ w/ Stacey Young from The Justice Connection
Since the beginning of the second Trump administration, the Department of Justice has been equal parts reviled and remade by the White House. Much, if not…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Don't Trust Your Lying Eyes
Donald Trump takes his first state visit in his second term. Just like his first, the trip is to the Middle East. During the trip, the president is supposed to…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Drugs and Deals
The White House makes an agreement with China on trade and tariffs that is essentially having its bluff called on the cornerstone of Trump's economic agenda…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
What Is Habeas Corpus?
The White House says it's looking into suspending a bedrock legal principle that would mean speeding up its mass arrests and deportations of immigrants across…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Oh, Canada
President Trump hosts newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the Oval Office. The two men haven't had the coziest relationship since Trump began…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Make Corruption Great Again (W/ Public Citizen's Rick Claypool)
Over the last few months Donald Trump, his family and his administration have set out to make Trump wealthier. Grant talks about the crypto empire Trump is…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
100 Days Down
President Trump sits down for a one-on-one interview with ABC's Terry Moran for an Oval Office interview about his second, first 100 days. It comes as Trump…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
A Democratic Decision (W/ Abdul El-Sayed)
The Democratic Party is fighting. Since the election, the party hasn't had a clear leader. Grant breaks down the biggest fights right now, including party…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
"NO SCALPS"
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is in the middle of another scandal over using Signal, again, for the same sensitive or classified information he exposed last…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Who Rules The Law Anyway? (W/ Andrew Torrez)
It's been a busy week for the US Courts starting with the high profile case of Kilmar Abrego-Garcia, the man mistakenly sent to El Salvador and who the Trump…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Are Americans Really That Special?
It's been a whirlwind way to start the week in the world of immigration. A huge ruling was made by a judge in the case to stop deportations to El Salvador. The…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Your Life Will Never Be The Same
A triple-decker episode this week! Grant takes a look at what the fallout has been from President Donald Trump's tariff turnabout earlier this week because it…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Tariff On, Tariff Off
President Trump sends markets reeling as he increases tariffs on China again while also reversing his stance on his punishing new tariff plan for the rest of…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
The Great American Retreat (W/ Dr. Scott Greer)
On the show this week, Donald Trump lays out his "liberation day" tariff plan to put tariffs on pretty much everything coming into the US. Grant breaks down…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Cory Booker's Moral Moment For America
Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) sets the record for the longest floor speech or filibuster in US history in a 25-hour-long protest of the Trump Administration…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
It's Bigger Than Signal w/ Fmr. National Archives Lawyer Jason R Baron
Grant talks with Prof. Jason R Baron from the University of Maryland. Baron was the former litigator for the National Archives and spent more than 20 years…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
No One Likes A Group Chat
Grant breaks down the stunning story from the Atlantic this week, where a journalist was added to a private chat about US military strikes with some of the…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Order In The Courts?
It has been a busy week in the federal courts. Grant makes sense out of the dizzying case around Venezuelan migrants who were flown to a maximum security…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
What Is Going On With The Ukrainian Peace Deal?
There's been a lot of action when it comes to ending the war in Ukraine this week, and it's only Wednesday. Trump had two calls with Zelensky, a long call with…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Are Democrats in Disarray? (plus: Dept of Ed talk w/ Prof. Kevin Welner)
***This episode was recorded before the shutdown vote. Be on the lookout for a MIMS Mini in your feeds this weekend***The Senate is in the middle of a fight…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Does Elon Musk Want A Shutdown?
After making some big changes to their budget, House Republicans pass a resolution, without Democratic support. Grant breaks down what's in it and how a…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
The Ensh*tification of America? (w/ Cory Doctorow)
Donald Trump has spent the week dizzyingly going back and forth on everything from tariffs to Russia to supporting veterans to Elon Musk. It's been a week of…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Trump's Just Bear With Me Address
Donald Trump gave his first speech to Congress since being elected and it was filled with half-truths, lies and boasting about his first 43 days in office…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
MIMS MINI: Gambling with WW3
A MIMS mini today because a planned meeting for a done deal devolved into a shouting match in the Oval Office between President Trump and Ukrainian President…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Town Hall Hell (w/ Rep. Debbie Dingell)
Members of Congress are hearing from a lot of angry voters over what's being done by the Trump administration. Republicans are being criticized for going along…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Republicans A Have Budget and Elon Musk Crashes The Cabinet
A two-topic mid-week episode this week. The House GOP passes a new budget plan hoping to avoid a government shutdown in two weeks. Grant explains the plan and…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Long Live The King? (w/ Prof. Lucan Way)
Donald Trump calls himself a king on social media. Is it Trolling? Yes. Is it still serious? Also, yes. Grant talks about why Trump's joke is actually a sign…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Why Are Federal Employees Being Fired Like This?
Tens of thousands of federal employees have been fired from the US government seemingly arbitrarily and the effects from it are rippling through agencies…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Are We In A Constitutional Crisis? (with Dr. Erica Groshen)
There's been a lot of talk about whether the US is heading for or already is in a constitutional crisis, but what does that even mean anyway? And, how would we…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Elon Musk's First Presidential Press Conference
Elon Musk gives a presidential press conference from the Oval Office while Trump looks on. Musk talked about what's happening with the "Department" of…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Elon Musk Rages and Raids
Elon Musk and his crew of 20-something employees spent the week interrogating federal employees, accessing sensitive data and putting American information at…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Trump's In His Empire Era
President Donald Trump has been fixated on expanding the US to other countries and territories and it's an unusual move for him given he was there America…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Confirmation Nation (with Dr. Scott Greer from the University of Michigan)
Three of Donald Trump's most controversial nominees had hearings this week and they were the most explosive we've seen so far. Trump's nominee for Director of…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Trump's Purges Begin
It's been a long nine days. Donald Trump has started the work of purging the government of people he doesn't think are loyal including goverment watch dogs…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Trump 2.0 One Week In (with Liz Dye and Andrew Torrez from Law and Chaos)
In his first five days of being back in office, Donald Trump signed a flurry of executive orders that aim to reshape American immigration, justice and the…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
The Sights And Sounds of Trump's Inauguration (with Deepti Doshi from New Public)
Grant breaks down the big take aways from Donald Trump's speech. What he plans to do on immigration, that Trump thinks he's been chosen by God and that he has…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Jack Smith's Last Word/Hegseth In The Hotseat
Make It Make Sense is back and it's a packed midweek episode. Grant breaks down the findings from inside the Jack Smith January 6th case report and what…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Elon Musk Plays President
Republicans blow up their own deal to keep the government open after Elon Musk tells them to. Grant talks about what's really at stake and what really happens…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
AOC, Pelosi and the Future of the Democrats
In this week's midweek podcast, Nancy Pelosi fires the first shot in the coming fight between the Democrats' younger generation and the old guard in what will…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Trump On Defense
While Trump's pick to lead the Department of Defense, Pete Hegseth, may have righted the ship of his nomination, there's still a long way to go to get to the…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
Trump Meets The Press
Donald Trump does his first major Sunday show sit-down and it's a lot. Grant breaks down his answers on tariffs, maybe adding two new states, ending basic…
- Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes
MIMS MINI: Trump's Border Bonanza
This MIMS Mini is what was supposed to be last week's full episode all about the people Trump has ready to run the Department of Homeland Security and his…