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It’s only been three months, and I’m done. I can’t just spend my life ranting about Donald Trump. Don’t get me wrong—I could do it, because God knows he gives us enough material. And I will continue to stay informed and help you stay informed too. But there’s more to life than this, and I think that’s the key to our reclamation as a society.
It’s all about balance, baby. And that’s what we’ve lost.
This country cannot hold together if we treat our fellow Americans like enemies. The hatred, the division, the refusal to even speak to one another—it’s tearing us apart. That’s why I’m traveling the country, having real conversations with real people, and sharing them with you. There’s a new video of one of these conversations in the Social Spotlight today (below). Please check it out. Much more to come!
Here’s the hard truth: Trumpism needs to be defeated, absolutely. But even once it is, our democracy won’t survive if the hate continues. The problem isn’t just Trump. It’s us. It’s the way we’ve come to despise anyone who disagrees with us. That’s why I’m doing this work.
The Social Contract with Joe Walsh is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
A big THANK YOU to all of you who’ve invited me to your communities or supported us with a paid subscription. We’ve received four more invites from all over the country in just the last couple days, and I’m psyched. These face-to-face conversations with Americans of all political stripes—the reddest MAGA supporters, the bluest progressives, and every shade of purple in between—can be truly life-changing. You can learn so much just by sitting down, listening, and trying to understand each other.
Americans are angry. They’re scared. They’re confused. Some are devastated that Trump won. But more than anything, they want this country to stay together. They want to understand one another—genuinely. At a recent conversation in LA, someone stated the problem plainly: “We the People have a job, and we’ve stopped doing it.”
They’re so right. Being a citizen requires work. Staying informed. Listening. Engaging. We’ve stopped doing that. Instead, we yell at each other from faceless, anonymous corners online or passively watch talking heads on TV or podcasts. Those are fine, but that can’t be all there is. That’s why we’re in such danger. We no longer understand each other, and we’re unwilling to even try to understand someone who votes differently than we do.
This is what The Social Contract is all about. Yes, we’ll still call out Trump’s lies and the threat he poses to the rule of law, because it’s important. But equally important, we’ll model and highlight what it takes to rebuild this country—not just politically, but socially, morally, and spiritually. Because we are at a crossroads. We can continue going the way of Donald Trump, epitomized by the “Easter message” he shared this weekend: a grievance-laced screed about judges, immigrants, and how he “won” the 2020 election. Or we can go another way.
Take Pope Francis, whom the world sadly lost this week. You don’t have to be a Catholic or even religious to appreciate his message of radical love and bridge-building, especially in contrast to Trump’s cruel and fearful rhetoric. Trump builds walls—both literal and figurative. Pope Francis urged the world not to give in to fear and contempt for the vulnerable. That’s a better way. That’s what a strong social contract looks like.
I can’t wait to share these conversations with you. Watch. Reflect. Share. And join this transformative movement.
HOST A CONVERSATION WITH JOE. If you want me to come to your town to have a conversation with a group of folks there, invite me! I’ll show up, and we’ll have that conversation. Email us [ mailto:[email protected] ] to let us know you’re interested, and we’ll be in touch to work out the details.
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Let’s do the work, my friends. Let’s rebuild the social contract. Let’s start talking to each other again—before it’s too late.
Be curious. Be kind. Be brave.
SUBSTACK LIVE — NEW SCHEDULE! We launched a whole new schedule this week! Open to all subscribers. Don’t miss it!
Monday, 8pm ET [ [link removed] ] (click if you missed it)
Tuesday, 4pm ET [ [link removed] ] (click if you missed it)
Thursday, 8pm ET
Friday, 1pm ET
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Writing prompt this week: What’s your biggest fear for America? Email me [ mailto:[email protected] ] and let me know. I read everything.
DUE PROCESS…OR DON’T. Freedom, free speech, free markets, free trade, and the leader of the free world. Oh, and defender of democracy and the rule of law at home and abroad. Oh, and THE destination for immigrants everywhere who want freedom and opportunity.
That’s what America should be, right? It’s what I’ve always believed (and still do). I’m sure you do too. But not this guy:
Don’t know Jesse Kelly? He has tens of thousands of followers on YouTube. Close to a million on Twitter/X. That’s what we’re up against, my friends. “Ignore the Supreme Court.” And ignore the consensus of 17 intelligence agencies [ [link removed] ] to boot. This is MAGA, and MAGA is the Republican Party. The Republican Party has become a direct threat to democracy and the rule of law.
ECONOMY IN FREE FALL. It’s too easy to blame Donald Trump alone. Under our government, functioning as it should, a lone man cannot single-handedly give us the worst April since the Great Depression [ [link removed] ]. Even Tesla earnings [ [link removed] ] have plunged, leading Elon Musk [ [link removed] ] to “take a step back” from DOGE. Don’t let the door hit ya, Elon.
But here’s the deal: Trump didn’t do anything “single-handedly.” Congress could’ve stopped him at any time, but the Republican-majority Congress allowed him to wreck the economy. Don’t let them forget it. It’s up to We the People to ensure our government becomes functional again. That’s the work ahead of us.
PENTA-GONE. Here’s yet another damning indictment of Republicans. Every single Senate Republican who voted to confirm Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense—knowing damn well that he was never qualified for the role—owns his mind-blowing incompetence, which threatens our troops and national security. In a second Signal breach, Hegseth pulled info on an impending strike on Yemen from a secure military channel [ [link removed] ] and shared it on the app [ [link removed] ] with his wife, brother, and others. For his part, Hegseth is blaming the media and “deep state.” [ [link removed] ] This is what zero accountability looks like. And again, we have to fix this mess.
TRUMP’S STILL A RUSSIAN ASSET. The Trump Administration has weakened our country, our economy, our alliances, and our influence around the globe. In the process, it’s weakening the whole free world, and Vladimir Putin is smiling about it every single day. Meanwhile, the fate of Ukraine hangs in the balance, and it’s not looking good. Reportedly, the U.S. was planning to recognize Crimea as Russian [ [link removed] ] in Ukraine peace talks, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio opted to skip out [ [link removed] ] when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected the idea. What a scoundrel Rubio has turned out to be. But hey, at least Trump will get his Trump Tower Moscow [ [link removed] ]. Despicable.
THANK YOU, JUDGE. I enjoy when someone—anyone—tells Donald Trump ‘no.’ Today, it was U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth, who ordered the administration to reinstate employees and contractors [ [link removed] ] of the U.S. Agency for Global Media to the positions they lost in March and resume their broadcasts. USAGM includes the government-funded radio broadcasts Voice of America, Radio Free Asia, and Middle East Broadcasting Networks. Finally, some GOOD news!
So what can you do?
GET YOUR #NOKINGS MERCH! If you’re going to protest, you might as well have the right gear. Click here [ [link removed] ] for our new online store!
So let’s dive right in this week with one of the most difficult conversation topics these days: gender politics. Here’s a recent discussion I had with progressive voters in Los Angeles around this topic. What are your thoughts? Do you agree?
HEY, LOUDOUN COUNTY! Join me for this event next month, if you can!
THIS WEEK’S QUOTES…
Bill Maher Whines He Should Be Treated as ‘Hero’ for Cozying Up to Trump [ [link removed] ] —The Daily Beast
Larry David’s Brutal Takedown of Bill Maher for Dining with Trump [ [link removed] ] —NJ.com
Republican Rep Admits Fears of Speaking Against Trump [ [link removed] ] —BuzzFeed
‘Bull Crap’: MSNBC Panel Rages at Gavin Newsom for Calling Deportation of MS-13 Member a ‘Distraction’ [ [link removed] ] —The Daily Caller
Trump Following His Gut in Trade Turmoil [ [link removed] ] —Saving Advice
Ron Johnson Wants More 9/11 Hearings in Congress, Repeats Conspiracy [ [link removed] ] —Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
‘They Will Keep Losing’: Critics Cheer as Trump Told to Reverse Shutdown of News Service [ [link removed] ] —Raw Story
I want to hear from you!
What do you think of The Social Contract with Joe Walsh [ [link removed] ]? What are your thoughts about what’s happening this week? How can we fix the political mess we’ve created in our country? How do we mend our frayed social fabric and rebuild an America that works?
Tell us your story and share your ideas with us. Email our editor at [email protected] [ mailto:[email protected] ]. We look forward to hearing from you.
The Social Contract with Joe Walsh is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

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