N.B. Due to a technical glitch, this episode is audio-only. Nevertheless, it’s well worth listening to even though you can’t watch the participants. So we’re releasing it now, in the hope of inviting Prof. Zenkus back soon for the full audio-visual experience of “DeProgram with Ted Rall and Jamarl Thomas.”
On the day after the 2026 midterms, hosts Ted Rall and Jamarl Thomas interviewed Professor Anthony Zenkus.
The pre-taped episode centers on the election results, JD Vance’s public statement distancing himself from Trump (blaming the Iran war for losses, calling for honesty about potentially losing the Senate, and advocating a different U.S. relationship with Israel), and what this signals for 2028 and a possible lame-duck or truncated Trump term. They discuss Trump’s psychology (narcissism, hedonism, laziness), speculation he may not finish his term, and the urgency of preventing resumed hostilities with Iran in the next 60 days.
A major thread is the shifting U.S.-Israel relationship: Trump’s election-day announcement about ending the longstanding ~$3.8 billion annual aid package (with Netanyahu’s claimed acquiescence), contrasted with continued weapons transfers via the Pentagon budget and NDAA provisions that could hide support.
Guest argues for a full arms embargo (citing the Leahy Act and ongoing operations in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, and elsewhere), note collapsing public support especially among younger Americans, and critique Hasbara narratives as failing. They cover Democratic priorities post-midterms (investigations into Epstein files, emoluments, crypto, war crimes such as the Manab Girls School bombing), the power of visual evidence from Gaza, and the potential for divestment campaigns modeled on the anti-apartheid movement.
Zenkus also addresses Columbia University’s crackdown on pro-Palestine encampments (suspensions, expulsions, banning Jewish Voice for Peace, treatment of Mahmoud Khalil), his own experiences with attempts to silence him, students feeling chilled from discussing Gaza/Palestine, and signs of gradual shifts on campus amid broader generational rejection of unconditional support for Israel.
Anthony Zenkus is a progressive activist, licensed social worker, and senior lecturer at the Columbia School of Social Work and Adelphi University. With over 30 years of clinical experience, he also serves as the Director of Education at The Safe Center LI, training professionals on trauma, domestic violence, and human trafficking. An organizer with roots in Occupy Wall Street, Zenkus frequently writes and speaks on the intersections of socioeconomic inequality, climate change, and childhood trauma.
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