Jon Ossoff: Trump's Son-in-Law Is On the Saudi Payroll (Plus: Luke Thomas) | Bulwark Podcast

Senator Ossoff characterizes the Supreme Court's decision to narrow Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act as a 'disaster,' part of a multi-year effort to dismantle Black political power. He links Trump's obsession with Fulton County, Georgia, to his inability to accept defeat by Black voters. Ossoff also asserts that the Department of Justice has been 'catastrophically politicized,' with the President directly managing politically sensitive law enforcement raids and targeting political adversaries, exemplified by the investigation into Jim Comey over a meme.

Ossoff states, 'this man who is a committed lifelong racist... cannot wrap his head around the fact that black voters and black political power in the American South was responsible for his defeat in the 2020 election.' He adds, 'the president of the United States is personally managing the staffing of politically sensitive law enforcement raids... while DOJ brazenly and blatantly goes after his political adversaries.'

Ossoff criticizes the Trump administration's Iran policy as 'strategic and geopolitical malpractice,' leading to a more hardline Iranian regime and diminished US leverage in nuclear negotiations. He argues that US security assistance to foreign governments, including close allies like Israel, should not be unconditional. Instead, the US should use its leverage to shape foreign governments' conduct when it is adverse to American interests or values, or inconsistent with the law of armed conflict.

Ossoff states, 'I don't think there has been a strategy. I think this is strategic and geopolitical malpractice and it's been a debacle for the national security and economic interests of the United States.' He emphasizes, 'there's no such thing as unconditional security assistance to a foreign government.'

Ossoff highlights 'grotesque conflicts of interest' involving the Trump family, citing Jared Kushner's private equity firm receiving billions from Saudi and Emirati investments while he engaged in sensitive American diplomacy. He argues that this sends a message globally that the first family's private business interests are linked to US foreign policy, opening avenues for foreign influence through commercial inducements. Ossoff views Trump's rise as a symptom of deeper systemic political corruption, exacerbated by unlimited, secret political spending post-Citizens United.

Ossoff notes, 'Jared Kushner who had already received through his private equity firm Affinity Partners billions of dollars of Saudi investment... has been reportedly going around the Middle East asking for billions more... while moonlighting as the special envoy... leading the most sensitive American diplomacy. It's grotesque.' He adds, 'Trump's rise is itself a symptom of the deeper systemic failure, especially since Citizens United.'

Luke Thomas explains that the UFC played a crucial role in rehabilitating Donald Trump's image after January 6th, 2021. By hosting him at major events and providing a public platform, the UFC 'laundered him completely' among its audience, offering a form of political coverage and legitimacy that was invaluable and 'not even available for purchase.' This transactional alliance provided Trump with a crucial avenue for public re-entry.

Thomas states, 'there is no private actor that I can think of... that did more to rehabilitate Donald Trump's image than the ultimate fighting championship. They laundered him completely.' He adds, 'You can't buy political coverage like that. You can't make a rally be anything like that. It is something that is literally not even available for purchase.'

Thomas argues that the relationship between Trump and the UFC is primarily transactional, driven by mutual benefits beyond pure ideology. The UFC has gained 'regulatory wind at its back,' including a lack of antitrust scrutiny and legislative efforts in Congress to hand monopolistic control to its parent company, TKO (which owns UFC and WWE). This transactionalism allows the UFC to expand its empire and enrich its leadership, despite populist rhetoric.

Thomas explains, 'my personal belief is there is some ideological symmetry between them but it's more about a willingness to get transactionalism through each party.' He mentions, 'The first piece of legislation this year that Congress has taken up in terms of the labor force is a piece of boxing legislation to essentially hand monopolistic control over to a single dominant firm.'

Middle Eastern regimes, particularly Saudi Arabia, exert significant financial influence over combat sports. While the UFC maintains control over its product when hosting events in places like Dubai, the boxing vertical of TKO (UFC's parent company) is 'bankrolled' by Saudi Arabia. This financial backing gives these regimes substantial control over the boxing industry and is tied to broader geopolitical 'sportswashing' efforts.

Thomas states, 'The boxing side is very very different. Zufa Boxing, which is that TKO boxing vertical... They are being bankrolled by them... who's footing the bill is Saudi Arabia on the other end.' He adds, 'you don't get modern boxing without the Saudis at this point. They have... pretty significant control of that industry.'