October 2, 2025 - Kevin Nguyen

Ronny Chieng covers Day 2 of the government shutdown: Republicans and Democrats are dueling via sombrero and cat memes, Trump is going after blue cities with a vengeance, and his administration is surprisingly joyful. Plus, Michael Kosta joins with expert analysis of MAGA's unconventional shutdown strategy. White House advisor Thaddeus Mandible Crowley excavates America's ancient laws to justify whatever insane idea jumps into Trump's head, be it fornicating for national security or banning uggos. Author and features editor at The Verge, Kevin Nguyen, sits down with Ronny Chieng to talk about his new book, "Mỹ Documents: A Novel". They discuss the story's timely premise about "a far-fetched dystopian future where the government is detaining people for no reason", the title's nod to the Vietnamese language, the importance of learning your family's history, and how the book tackles nuanced ideas around Asian American identity.