The Oath and The Office cover art

The Oath and The Office

The Oath and The Office

By: Two Squared Media Productions
Listen for free

Mixing sharp wit and serious political fire, The Oath and The Office is where hard-hitting constitutional analysis meets razor-sharp comedy. Distinguished political science professor Corey Brettschneider teams up with comedian John Fugelsang to break down the most powerful 35 words in American democracy—the presidential oath of office. Every president swears to “preserve, protect, and defend” the Constitution, but what happens when one openly attacks democracy and the rule of law itself? Each week, Corey and John pull no punches, exposing the latest threats to the rule of law and demanding accountability. Smart, fearless, and wickedly funny—this is the civics lesson you can’t afford to miss.Corey Brettschneider Political Science Politics & Government
Episodes
  • Trump’s DOJ Is Hiding the Epstein Files. Katie Phang Is Suing.

    Trump’s DOJ Is Hiding the Epstein Files. Katie Phang Is Suing.
    Jun 25 2026
    Katie Phang joins The Oath and the Office to discuss her legal fight to force Trump’s DOJ to release the Epstein files. This is not about money. It is about whether Trump’s DOJ can defy the law and keep records from the public.

    Phang explains how she is using the Epstein Files Transparency Act, her role as a journalist, and statutory interpretation to challenge DOJ secrecy. We get into the harm Epstein caused, why transparency matters, and what it means when a citizen uses the law to fight for democracy.

    But first, Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang break down three alarming stories about presidential power: Trump tying FISA surveillance renewal and a national intelligence confirmation to his SAVE Act voter bill, Gavin Newsom’s claim that Trump’s DOJ is investigating him and his wife, and Pete Hegseth’s alleged loyalty tests in military promotions.

    This episode is about secrecy, retaliation, loyalty, and the fight to make law matter again.

    Subscribe to The Oath and the Office wherever you get your podcasts.

    The Presidents and the People: Five Leaders Who Threatened Democracy and the Citizens Who Fought to Defend It
    Show More Show Less
    57 mins
  • Trump’s War on Habeas Corpus and DOJ Independence — with Harry Litman

    Trump’s War on Habeas Corpus and DOJ Independence — with Harry Litman
    Jun 18 2026
    Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang open with explosive new reporting that Stephen Miller pushed a plan for President Trump to suspend habeas corpus — the fundamental constitutional safeguard that allows people detained by the government to challenge their imprisonment in court.

    They explain what habeas corpus is, why it has been central since the Founding, and why suspending it to speed mass deportations would mark an extraordinary expansion of presidential power.

    Then Harry Litman joins Corey and John to discuss the crisis at the Justice Department: the fight over Trump’s so-called “anti-weaponization” fund, the destruction of DOJ culture, the role of Todd Blanche, and what it would take to rebuild a Justice Department committed to law rather than personal loyalty.

    Plus: threats to mail ballots, the Epstein files, and whether courts and Congress can still constrain an increasingly unbound presidency.

    https://harrylitman.substack.com/p/its-the-fraud-stupid

    https://harrylitman.substack.com/p/playing-chicken-in-a-pinto
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr
  • Trump Melts Down as Congress Pushes Back

    Trump Melts Down as Congress Pushes Back
    Jun 11 2026
    Trump melts down in a chaotic Meet the Press interview, lashing out when pressed on his “anti-weaponization” fund and his false claims of rigged elections. Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang break down what the moment reveals about Trump’s larger project: turning government power into personal protection, personal revenge, and an attack on democratic legitimacy.

    Then: Congress pushes back. The House rebukes Trump over Iran war powers and passes new Ukraine aid over his objections, raising a central constitutional question: can Congress finally reclaim its role in foreign policy?

    Corey and John also look at the next front in the separation-of-powers fight: appointments. Todd Blanche may be headed for a permanent attorney general nomination, while William Pulte’s appointment as acting DNI avoids Senate confirmation despite serious concerns about experience and politicized investigations.

    Plus: the crisis at 60 Minutes, John Bolton’s guilty plea, selective prosecution worries, and a federal judge blocking Trump’s $100,000 H-1B visa fee.

    It’s a week of meltdown, weaponization, war powers, appointments, and resistance — with the constitutional stakes coming into sharper focus.
    Show More Show Less
    59 mins
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1
No reviews yet