In moments of national crisis, leadership is revealed—not by strength of ego, but by depth of empathy. In this episode of The Common Good Podcast, Doug Pagitt and Robb Ryerse discuss Donald Trump’s repeated inability to lead during moments of struggle and tragedy. From public disasters to personal suffering, we examine how a lack of empathy and a pattern of narcissistic behavior undermine the basic responsibilities of moral and civic leadership. We explore what real leadership requires in times of pain: the capacity to listen, to grieve with others, to take responsibility, and to place the common good above personal grievance or self-promotion. When leaders cannot see beyond themselves, tragedy becomes politicized, wounds deepen, and trust erodes. This conversation is not about partisanship—it’s about character, accountability, and the kind of leadership a healthy democracy depends on, especially when people are hurting. Topics include: • Why empathy is not optional in leadership • How narcissism distorts decision-making during crisis • The moral cost of self-centered leadership • What the common good demands in moments of tragedy

In this week’s episode, Doug and Robb dig into one of the most alarming stretches of the Trump presidency so far. From Trump’s dehumanizing attacks on Somali immigrants to a pair of lethal boat strikes in the Caribbean now raising war-crime concerns, the administration is leaning hard on fear and force while dodging accountability. We unpack Trump’s attempt to seize more control over immigration judges, America’s downgrade in global civic-freedom rankings, and a federal judge’s smackdown of Trump’s unlawful freeze on wind-energy permits. It’s a week that reveals a dangerous governing pattern: escalating fear, expanding executive power, shrinking democracy, and policies that undermine both human dignity and the common good. This is the state of America under Trump in December 2025—and why people of conscience need to stay awake, organized, and engaged.

What happens when a presidential administration treats law as optional and accountability as a threat? In this episode, we take a clear-eyed, fact-based look at the cascading legal, moral, and political crises emerging from the Trump Administration in 2025. Doug Pagitt and Robb Ryerse break down the three arenas where these dangers are most urgent: 🔹 State Crime – The misuse of government power, the erosion of checks and balances, and the normalization of authoritarian behavior. 🔹 Sex Crimes – The ongoing legal cases, civil findings, and the cultural impact of excusing or minimizing sexual misconduct by powerful leaders. 🔹 War Crimes – Reckless foreign policy moves, threats to international norms, and the destabilization that follows when presidential power goes unchecked. We explore how these patterns affect everyday Americans, the rule of law, vulnerable communities, and the future of democracy. And, as always, we talk about what people of conscience can do—how we can respond with courage, clarity, and a commitment to the common good.