It began with the echo of hooves and the sharp pop of rubber rounds against pavement. A city already frayed at the edges, its people aching from tension and despair, became a stage for power. Protesters had gathered—some with chants, some with tears, some with nothing but a silent presence—but they were met not with questions or compassion, but by mounted police who drove them back through the heart of Los Angeles, cracking the air with intimidation rather than law. On the surface, it looked like order being restored. Beneath, it was something else entirely. There was no room for nuance here. The president had made his move. And in that move, the line between federal oversight and outright occupation blurred into something far more dangerous.

The latest episode centers on the escalating absurdity of Donald Trump’s second-term administration. From incoherent economic explanations to chaotic education policy, from Elon Musk’s waning support to calls for mass arrests and crypto endorsements, the episode paints a picture of leadership that is loud, confused, and increasingly disconnected from the reality it claims to command. There’s a growing rift between stated goals and basic math, political theater and public service, all playing out in front of a press corps trying to maintain composure while the spectacle spirals.

The charts say it.

The borders say it.

The empty flights say it.

America says it’s winning — every week, every day, more than ever. But the world is starting to say something else.

This is what it looks like when a country talks about greatness long after people stop showing up to listen.

A production of the National Media Archive.