The Necessary Conversation

This week on The Necessary Conversation, it’s just Chad, Haley and Mary Lou. Bob's resting. But we break down another wild week in America under Trump’s second term. 🏛 Shutdown Day 12 The U.S. government shutdown hits day 12 with nearly 1.6 million federal workers either furloughed or working without pay. Trump is using the shutdown to push through Project 2025, firing thousands of government employees and dismantling departments like the CDC, Department of Education, and Cybersecurity and In...

This week’s episode of The Necessary Conversation gets heated after a brutal argument about Trump’s government shutdown and ICE’s military-style raids. 🏛 Shutdown Showdown It’s Day 5 of the government shutdown and Trump is blaming Democrats — even hijacking federal worker emails to say so. We break down who’s really at fault, what Project 2025 has to do with it, and how Russ Vought’s meeting with Trump could reshape America’s social safety net. 💬 Should every American have access to hea...

This week on The Necessary Conversation we dive into one of the wildest news cycles yet: ⚖️ Comey Indictment For the first time in U.S. history, a former FBI director has been indicted. James Comey faces two counts tied to his 2020 Senate testimony. Trump is celebrating the charges, calling Comey “a dirty cop” and “one of the worst human beings this country has ever been exposed to.” We break down what’s actually in the two-page indictment, whether it will hold up in court, and who Trump migh...

This week on The Necessary Conversation, Chad and Haley dive into a whirlwind of political chaos, corruption, and controversy with Mary Lou while Bob sleeps through most of the episode. Topics discussed: Jimmy Kimmel Suspended: After Trump threatened ABC and FCC Chair Brendan Carr piled on, Kimmel was yanked off the air indefinitely. We break down the timeline, the First Amendment questions, and why Fox News hosts like Brian Kilmeade still get airtime even after calling for violence.Tom Homan...

This week’s episode of The Necessary Conversation dives into one of the most chaotic weeks in American politics yet. 👉 Topics We Cover: Charlie Kirk Assassinated Charlie Kirk was shot and killed while speaking at Utah Valley University. We break down what happened, the shooter’s identity, Trump’s reaction, and how white supremacist groups are already trying to weaponize his death. We also compare it to other recent political assassinations, like the killing of Rep. Melissa Hortman, and debate...

This week’s episode of The Necessary Conversation is a little different. With our parents absent — after the loss of their beloved dog, Kitty Kat Sugar Bear, and Dad recovering from a fall — it’s just Chad and Haley behind the mics. We take this moment to reflect on what 3 years of doing this show has meant for us, our family, and our listeners. From fiery debates to unexpected breakthroughs, the journey has been as messy as it has been meaningful. 💬 Topics We Cover: The Show How 3 years of w...

This week on The Necessary Conversation we cover one of the heaviest news weeks yet. 👉 Here’s what we dive into: 🏫 School Shooting in Minneapolis A tragic shooting at Annunciation Catholic School left 2 children dead and 17 others injured. We discuss the shooter’s identity, manifesto, and why gun violence has now become the #1 cause of death for kids in America. ⛳️ Trump Rumors & Golfing Again Trump vanished from public view for 4 days, sparking #trumpdead trends online. JD Vance eve...

This week on The Necessary Conversation: 🗳 Texas vs. California Texas Republicans delayed flood relief to ram through a redistricting bill flipping up to 5 House seats. Gavin Newsom fired back with the Election Rigging Response Act. Is this tit-for-tat how democracy is supposed to work? 📺 Newsmax Lied After years of pushing election conspiracies, Newsmax will pay Dominion $67 million in a defamation settlement. First Fox, now this. Is conservative media finally paying for the Big Lie? 📬 No Mo...

This week on The Necessary Conversation, the Kultgen family breaks down a wild stretch of politics at home and abroad—while celebrating three years of arguing, laughing, and surviving together. 🇷🇺 Trump & Putin: Red Carpet in Alaska Donald Trump rolled out literal red carpet treatment for Vladimir Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage. The pageantry included flyovers, limo rides, and fawning photo ops—but no ceasefire deal for Ukraine. We discuss the ICC arrest warrant for...

This week on The Necessary Conversation, Chad and Haley face off with Mary Lou (Bob’s still out recovering from hip surgery!) in another fiery family debate that mixes breaking headlines with our signature cross-generational, cross-political banter. Topics include: Trump–Putin Alaska Summit: Why Zelenskyy’s not invited, the $300B deal on the table, and what happens if Ukraine refuses to sign.Texas Democrats Skip Town: The mass walkout to block GOP redistricting, Abbott’s legal threats, and wh...

This week on The Necessary Conversation, it’s just Mary Lou and Chad behind the mic—no Bob, no Haley—as we mark (almost!) three years of raw, honest political dialogue. We reflect on the very first episode of the show from August 17, 2022 and ask: has this podcast changed us? Has it brought us closer—or just made things even weirder? 📼 Then we dive into the biggest headlines of the week: Trump’s Name Redacted from the Epstein Files? Bloomberg reports the FBI removed Trump’s name from public ...

Bob is out of commission after a successful hip replacement surgery this week as Mary Lou, Chad and Haley discuss this week in American politics. 🔥 First up — Trump is freaking out over reports that his name appears multiple times in the Epstein files. After The Wall Street Journal broke the story, he allegedly told aides, “They’re going to f--- me,” fled to Scotland, and is now considering a pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell. Even Epstein’s brother came forward to say Trump and Epstein were “very...

📌 Bob is back this week to finally discuss the Epstein list among other things. 👀 Trump vs. the Epstein List Trump calls his own supporters “stupid” and “weaklings” for continuing to believe in the Epstein client list—a conspiracy he pushed for years. MAGA influencers are burning hats and turning on him. Then The Wall Street Journal drops a 2003 birthday letter from Trump to Epstein, allegedly including a naked woman doodle and lines like: “A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday — and ma...

📣 Bob is out this week prepping for hip surgery—but don’t worry, we’ve got backup. Joining us in his place is Rep. Gil Cisneros, Congressman from California’s 31st district, to help us unpack one of the most explosive weeks in politics yet. 🧨 Epstein List Doesn’t Exist?! After years of MAGA conspiracy theories, the FBI and DOJ announced this week that no Epstein client list exists. Trump loyalists are revolting. Bongino might resign. Pam Bondi flip-flopped. Kash Patel is backtracking. Steve...

This week on The Necessary Conversation, the Kultgen Family dives into the most chaotic week in American politics yet—featuring billion-dollar bills, flooded detention centers, and a potential UFC cage fight… on the White House lawn. 🔺 Big Beautiful Bill (BBB) Trump celebrates July 4th by signing the most aggressive bill of his presidency—permanently extending tax cuts for the rich, slashing Medicaid & SNAP, defunding Planned Parenthood, and making ICE the highest-budgeted federal agency...

In this week’s fiery episode of The Necessary Conversation, the Kultgen family tackles some of the biggest political stories shaping America—and the world. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Join Chad, Haley, and their MAGA parents, Mary Lou and Bob, as they debate: 🧨 Supreme Court Power Grab The Court ruled that lower courts can no longer block executive orders nationwide. Is this the end of checks and balances—or the start of a dictatorship? 🇮🇷 Iran Nuclear Strike: Success or Spin? Trump claims the U.S. bombing "ob...

This week on The Necessary Conversation, the Kultgen Family is back—and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Trump promised to be the “anti-war president,” but now the U.S. is bombing Iran, and even MAGA is starting to fracture. Is this the start of World War III? We dive deep into: 🇮🇷 Trump’s stunning military escalation against Iran using B-2 bombers and “bunker busters” 🪖 Pete Hegseth’s shocking refusal to rule out U.S. troops firing on civilians 🔥 ICE raids in Los Angeles scho...

This week on The Necessary Conversation, things get heated as the Kultgen family dives into one of the most volatile weeks in American politics. 🔴 A Minnesota lawmaker is assassinated in her home, and a hit list tied to the “No Kings” movement is discovered. 🔴 Trump sends thousands of National Guard troops and Marines into Los Angeles amid ICE raids, sparking nationwide protests and a legal battle over the limits of presidential power. 🔴 Senator Alex Padilla is handcuffed by feder...

This week on The Necessary Conversation, the Kultgen family unpacks one of the most explosive political episodes of the year. We cover the Musk vs. Trump meltdown, which began with a scathing Elon tweet about Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” and escalated to accusations of Epstein ties, threats to decommission space tech, and the possible creation of a third political party. Is this the end of MAGA tech bromance? Then we head to Los Angeles, where ICE raids sparked mass protests, Molotovs, and a ...

Happy Pride, Happy Graduation, and Happy 50th Anniversary to Mary Lou and Bob! This week we cover: 🌮 The Taco Tariff Trades Trump's tariff flip-flops hit the spotlight when CNBC's Megan Cassella asked him about “Taco Trade” – short for “Trump Always Chickens Out.” His furious response? “That’s the nastiest question.” We break down the impact on markets and global credibility. 👁️ Elon’s Black Eye Why did Elon Musk show up bruised before resigning from DOGE? Drug rumors, a rumored brawl with ...