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Useful Idiots with Katie Halper and Aaron Maté

Useful Idiots, LLC
Israel
Gaza
Iran
United States
Palestine
Donald Trump
Trump Administration
Ukraine
Hamas
U.S. Foreign Policy
Hezbollah
Venezuela
Joe Biden
Kamala Harris
Russia
Israel-Palestine Conflict
Biden Administration
Syria
Middle East
Palestinian Rights

Useful Idiots is an informative and irreverent politics podcast with journalist Aaron Maté and podcaster/writer Katie Halper. Episodes feature analysis of the political news of the week and exclusive interviews, with humor, commentary and dissection of why both Republicans and Democrats suck. Join Aaron and Katie as they examine important stories that have slipped through the cracks and what the m... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes444Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsNewsNews Commentary

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Artwork for Useful Idiots

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Read Francesca's latest book: W... more

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Support our work and get the ad-free interviews with James Carden and Kylie Cheung (@kylietcheung): open.substack.com/pub/usefulidiots/p/ad-free-democrats-melt-down-over?r=je5va&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

Watch the Frida... more

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Recent Guests

Gabor Maté
Bestselling author focused on addiction, stress, trauma, and childhood development
Episode: Dr. Gabor Maté and Francesca Albanese on Israel, Naza & Hope for Humanity
Francesca Albanese
United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories and author
United Nations
Episode: Dr. Gabor Maté and Francesca Albanese on Israel, Naza & Hope for Humanity
James Carden
Author of The Great Betrayal and former advisor on U.S.-Russia relations
Episode: Democrats MELT DOWN Over Trump’s Deal with Putin, Become “War Party”
Kylie Cheung
Journalist and author whose work focuses on gender and power
Episode: Democrats MELT DOWN Over Trump’s Deal with Putin, Become “War Party”
Trita Parsi
Geopolitical analyst and executive vice president at the Quincy Institute
Quincy Institute
Episode: Netanyahu PANICS As Opposition Parties Rally Against Him Before Israeli Elections
Miko Peled
Israeli peace activist and founder and president of Palestine House of Freedom
Palestine House of Freedom
Episode: Netanyahu PANICS As Opposition Parties Rally Against Him Before Israeli Elections
Tom Emmer
House Majority Whip, Republican politician
U.S. House of Representatives
Episode: MAGA Splits in Two After Trump Makes Diesel Deal with Putin: “You’re Tarnishing Lindsey Graham’s Memory!”
Zoran Mamdani
Mayor of New York City
NYC Mayor's Office
Episode: MAGA Splits in Two After Trump Makes Diesel Deal with Putin: “You’re Tarnishing Lindsey Graham’s Memory!”
Scott Bessent
Chief investment officer at Palantir
Palantir
Episode: MAGA Splits in Two After Trump Makes Diesel Deal with Putin: “You’re Tarnishing Lindsey Graham’s Memory!”

Hosts

Katie Halper
Host of Useful Idiots; co-host with a focus on political commentary and interview integrity.
Aaron Maté
Co-host providing political analysis and investigative commentary, with a focus on anti-war perspectives.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 6.3k ratings
  • Idiots’ War

    Katie and Aaron gave us Trump and DOGE and ICE and Trump Meme coin scams and the Iran War. Then they blamed the democrats who they campaigned against.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    80'sVillager
    United States2 months ago
  • Iran

    Good show !

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Germa2
    Canada3 months ago
  • Settlers attack on US official

    Good show !

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Germa2
    Canada4 months ago
  • Controlled Op

    Maybe Katie and Aaron are the useful idiots here. Ever since this contrived Iran

    war, they seem to ignore Israel’s continued slaughter of its neighbors. There used to be such good reportage and insightful guests on this topic, unfortunately, our hosts are treating the whole Trump Theatre, as if it were real.

    All that is left now are two leftist podcasters pretending they are politically neutral and telling us how bad both Republicans and Democrats suck. Duh!

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    johnmoore4
    United States4 months ago
  • The anti establishment perspective and sharp criticism of politics as usual is both refreshing and appreciated

    Podcast Addict
    4
    RuminatingStoic
    6 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Fans note the show's emphasis on independent media and critical stance toward mainstream narratives.
Listeners praise the hosts for thoughtful, informed analysis and engaging interviews.
Listeners appreciate accessible, witty presentation coupled with substantive guest expertise.
Critiques often mention political biases or ad reads as downsides, but many still rate the content as valuable for context.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#178
Canada/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#238
United Kingdom/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#141
Australia/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#247
Italy/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#59
Colombia/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#88
Finland/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Dr. Gabor Maté and Francesca Albanese on Israel, Naza & Hope for Humanity
Q: So how did that fall onto your experience?
Albanese says sanctions followed her work exposing the governments, companies, banks, and other institutions she says are complicit in the violence in Gaza. She describes frozen finances, professional isolation, and relying on family and friends, while emphasizing the importance of solidarity and legal efforts to defend fundamental rights.
Dr. Gabor Maté and Francesca Albanese on Israel, Naza & Hope for Humanity
Q: Gabor, can you start off by elaborating on the right to narrative and why it's so important?
Maté says Palestinians have been deprived not only of rights, land, and life, but also the ability to tell their own story. Being unheard is deeply painful, and the harm is magnified when an entire people's suffering is denied or doubted.
Netanyahu PANICS As Opposition Parties Rally Against Him Before Israeli Elections
Q: A lot of people present Netanyahu as the unique cause of the genocide. Once they get rid of Netanyahu, it'll be okay. What are your thoughts on that claim?
Peled calls the claim unfounded, arguing that Netanyahu's political opponents share his opposition to Palestinian self-determination and support for settlement, and mainly want his position.
Netanyahu PANICS As Opposition Parties Rally Against Him Before Israeli Elections
Q: What are the most important stories coming out of the Middle East or West Asia that corporate media is ignoring or misrepresenting?
Parsi identifies the risk that conflict involving the Houthis and Saudi Arabia could escalate uncontrollably, and Israel's increasingly explicit security doctrine, which he says embraces preventive war and regional destabilization.
Democrats MELT DOWN Over Trump’s Deal with Putin, Become “War Party”
Q: Talk to us about the link between what Israel has done to the people of Gaza and how that mirrors the tactics of domestic abusers.
Kylie Cheung says DARVO, or deny, attack, and reverse victim and offender, can be used to portray perpetrators as victims and justify state violence.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Useful Idiots

What is Useful Idiots about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show provides sharp political analysis focused on U.S. foreign policy, media narratives, and internal party dynamics, with a willingness to challenge hawkish orthodoxy and examine the influence of money in politics. Episodes frequently feature in-depth interviews with journalists, scholars, and policy experts, alongside spirited hosts who blend skepticism with accessible humor. The format often pairs controversial guests and timely topic threads (Israel-Palestine, Iran, U.S. policy shifts, and media framing) with clear takes on current events, aiming to educate listeners who want context beyond traditional punditry. A notable strength is the commitment to independent media perspectives and a willingness to critique both major parties, ... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Useful Idiots?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Useful Idiots:

1. The Katie Halper Show
2. The Chris Hedges Report
3. Bad Faith
4. Drop Site Livestream
5. System Update with Glenn Greenwald

How many episodes of Useful Idiots are there?

Useful Idiots launched 7 years ago and published 444 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Useful Idiots?

Recent guests on Useful Idiots include:

1. Gabor Maté
2. Francesca Albanese
3. James Carden
4. Kylie Cheung
5. Trita Parsi
6. Miko Peled
7. Tom Emmer
8. Zoran Mamdani

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