Ep. 35 | China Backs Down on Tariffs? NPR Gets Defunded and National Security Advisor Drama

Welcome to another episode of Rivera & Reeves, where we're breaking down the news the mainstream media won't touch! This week, Meseidy and Rachel tackle the overlooked signs of de-escalation in the US-China tariff war that the media refuses to report on. Why isn't anyone talking about China exempting $40 billion in US imports from tariffs? We'll tell you why! Plus, we dive into the NPR and PBS defunding drama (bye Felicia!), the mysterious exit of National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and of course, the wild AI Pope and lightsaber memes that have everyone clutching their pearls. All this plus our signature earmarks covering the latest developments you need to know about. So grab your coffee and join us as we wade through the spin, because the media is trash and we have zero patience for their nonsense!

Episode Highlights:

• Tariff War Developments: China has quietly exempted $40 billion worth of US exports from tariffs and factory workers are protesting in China, but mainstream media remains suspiciously silent on these signs of de-escalation.
• NPR & PBS Defunding: Trump signed an executive order cutting $535 million from NPR and PBS budgets, while the hosts argue that government shouldn't be funding biased media that pushes progressive narratives under the guise of children's programming.
• White House Staffing Shuffle: National Security Advisor Mike Waltz was unexpectedly moved to UN Ambassador (requiring Senate confirmation) following "Signal Gate," with Marco Rubio temporarily adding this role to his growing collection of administration positions.
• AI Pope Controversy: The hosts debate the appropriateness of the White House sharing AI-generated images of Trump as the Pope, with Rachel arguing it undermines respect for the office while Meseidy sees it as potentially relatable but poorly executed.
• Earmark Roundup: The episode covers several developing stories including DHS paying migrants to self-deport, Trump's 100% tariff on foreign movies, plans to reopen Alcatraz prison, and Israel's potential plans for Gaza following Trump's visit to the region.

Listen Ad Free

Love what you’re hearing and want even more? Join us as a paid supporter on Substack! As a subscriber, you’ll unlock ad-free podcast episodes, full access to our archives, and exclusive subscriber-only perks like bonus content, behind-the-scenes updates, and our in-the-moment reaction videos. Plus, you’ll be directly supporting our mission to cut through the media spin and deliver sharp, honest analysis every week.

Subscribe now

Your subscription helps us stay independent and keep creating the content you love. So why wait? Support the show and subscribe today!

Get R&R Merch!

Our official merchandise store is NOW OPEN! 🛍️ We've launched with our first four items to get things started, including coffee mugs, oversize t-shirt and a tote bag. You can check out everything available right now.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Childhood Memories

00:16 Welcome to Rivera and Reeves Podcast

00:55 Rachel's Absence and Return

01:35 Slow News Weekend

02:37 Tariff War and Media Bias

03:18 NPR and PBS Defunding Debate

14:39 Media's Role in Business Planning

35:08 Waltz's Nomination for UN Ambassador

41:19 Political Maneuvering in Trump's Administration

41:30 Elise Nik's Nomination Saga

44:15 Marco Rubio's Expanding Roles

49:49 Trump's Use of AI-Generated Images

01:03:47 DHS's New Deportation Strategy

01:05:34 Trump's Tariff on Foreign Movies

01:07:34 Reopening Alcatraz: A Symbol of Law and Order

01:10:18 Israel's Plans for Gaza

01:11:09 Canada's Political Shifts and Potential U.S. Integration

01:14:48 Conclusion and Podcast Wrap-Up

Connect

Meseidy - Instagram | X | Email - [email protected]

Rachel - Instagram | X | Email - [email protected]

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy