This thing of Trump’s – Is the president a mob boss?

Oh God, What Now?

Podmasters

Politics, Government, News, Society & Culture

4.6 • 2.5K Ratings

🗓️ 23 April 2025

⏱️ 58 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

“Nice liberal democracy you got there, shame if something wuz to happen to it…” Trump behaves like a mob boss, complete with extortion and protection scams against universities, businesses and governments. But is he a real Godfather or just cosplaying as one? John Dickie, Professor of Italian Studies at UCL and expert on the Mafia, joins us to dismantle La MAGA Nostra. Plus – the IMF think we should work well into our seventies. Do we need longer working lives, or better ones? • Don’t miss our live Zoom on Thur 1 May – free to Patreon backers. Escape Routes • Seth’s London Clubland: A Companion for the Curious • Ros’s choice – A Life by Simone Veil. • John’s choices – The Red Brigades: The Terrorists who Brought Italy to its Knees by John Foot and Judgment At Tokyo by Gary J Bass. • Andrew’s choice – the Battle-Action mini-series. • Back us on Patreon for ad-free listening, bonus materials and more. Written and presented by Andrew Harrison, Ros Taylor and Seth Thévoz. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Theme music by Cornershop. Produced by Chris Jones. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	It can be a little annoying when adverts interrupt your podcast listening, but we do need them to pay the bills.
0:05.7	If you want to keep our pods hail unhealthy and enjoy a smooth ad-free listening experience,
0:11.4	why not sign up to support us on Patreon?
0:13.7	Follow the link in the show notes to find out more. Welcome back to Oh God What Now. My name is Andrew Harrison, and as far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a podcaster.
0:32.1	On today's show, from Harvard to Keeve to Wall Street, Donald Trump uses mafia-style extortion to get what he wants.
0:39.1	He values only loyalty and operates foreign and trade policy as protection rackets.
0:43.9	Where did he learn these mob-style tactics? Do they really work?
0:47.6	And what happens when they stop working?
0:49.7	We're joined by special guest John Dickie, Professor of Italian Studies at UCL and expert on mafia culture
0:55.1	and behaviour. He's going to join us for a sit down to straighten it all out. Plus, according to an
1:00.0	IMF report, today's 70-year-olds are as mentally and physically capable as the 53-year-olds of the year
1:05.9	2000. So should we all expect to work longer, or is it all just a big pension scam? Let's say hello to a couple of our regulars, journalist, commentator, author of the future of trust,
1:14.5	and creator of the more jam tomorrow podcast, Ros Taylor. Hello, Ros.
1:17.5	Hello, Andrew.
1:18.2	You've got your first edition about the channel tunnel out, haven't you, more jam tomorrow?
1:21.6	Yes, it's very exciting. We've got Malcolm Rifkind, who was there when they,
1:25.4	French and British tunnelers met underneath the channel.
1:28.3	Right, under, like, underneath the channel.
1:30.1	Underneath the channel.
1:31.1	Well, I had no idea that even happened.
1:33.2	I wanted to ask you about last week's Supreme Court ruling.
1:36.8	This has been a huge thing, obviously.
	...

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