The gang discuss the short lived career of Press Sec Katie Zacharia, an anti-trans op in Texas, Trump’s new “Women’s Health Task Force,” the Alberta secession referendum, Elon Musk cutting Starlink speed in Ukraine, and protests in France, Albania, Indonesia, and Italy.

Sources:
https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/16/politics/katie-zacharia-press-secretary 
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/10/16/katie-zacharia-out-as-press-secretary-after-five-days-01123470
https://scholten.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-scholten-statement-threatening-letter-she-received-grand-rapids
https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/hillary-scholten-threatening-letter-grand-rapids-office/ 
https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/21/politics/heat-ray-weapon-dhs-pentagon 
https://x.com/PatrickWeaverPA/status/2112880738425065674?s=20
https://youtu.be/yy_QibrY_QQ?si=f7yzrPIN1SGbAqIe&t=380
https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanmar-regimes-sittwe-counteroffensive-hits-the-rocks-on-nga-pyi-island.html
https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/53d80bf144804de8a5e5138dd62cf873/view

https://www.texastribune.org/2026/10/20/texas-transgender-pamphlets-tent-student-union/

https://x.com/SarahisCensored/status/2112343101708611879?s=20
https://x.com/SarahisCensored/status/2112340434551013382?s=20
https://a856-cityrecord.nyc.gov/RequestDetail/20260929027 
https://gothamist.com/news/nyc-moves-to-spend-nearly-9m-of-gender-affirming-care-fund-for-minors
https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/102126zr_5i36.pdf
https://www.scotusblog.com/2026/10/justices-leave-in-place-lower-court-order-preventing-trump-administration-from-implementing-new-/
https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/bugs/2026/10/php2shell-why-websites-are-going-offline-for-emergency-security-updates

https://boereport.com/2025/03/24/albertas-massive-oil-and-gas-reserves-keep-growing-heres-why/

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2026-10-20/canada-awaits-alberta-referendum-results-after-carney-urges-voters-to-reject-separation

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c809jg1gj9yo

https://macleans.ca/politics/americans-are-meddling-in-the-alberta-referendum/
https://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/alberta-separatists-united-states-referendum-globe-and-mail

https://truthout.org/articles/police-violence-increases-as-800k-protesters-take-to-the-streets-in-france/
https://freedompress.org.uk/2026/10/19/clashes-in-france-as-uprising-swells-to-millions/
https://www.dw.com/en/clashes-erupt-at-argentine-student-protests-against-president-mileis-austerity-policies/a-79676861
https://freedompress.org.uk/2026/10/12/gen-z-on-the-barricades/
https://freedompress.org.uk/2026/10/09/la-revolte-panic-in-the-french-state/
https://apnews.com/article/albania-protests-edi-rama-jared-kushner-9f0ce30c446aa9f273068b98d9f40b14
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/seventh-day-of-violent-clashes-between-albanian-protesters-and-police/ar-AA2fCujr
https://euobserver.com/243622/the-forgotten-protests-empty-shelves-and-blocked-roads-in-southern-italy-ignored-by-the-media-reveal-neglect-by-meloni-and-eu/
https://www.arabnews.com/world/indonesias-wildfire-crisis-sparks-nationwide-anti-government-protests-3007510
https://apnews.com/article/albania-kushner-trump-development-protest-tourism-sazan-8d7d0e216c28d23fe1b2e51cbb05b926
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/other/our-land-our-albania-supreme-court-burns-as-anger-over-jared-kushner-linked-resort-fuels-revolt/ar-AA2fzHq6

https://x.com/cspan/status/2111608955847802991?s=20

https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2112268669312983214?s=20
https://x.com/nexta_tv/status/2110985354740125885?s=20
https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/2112265283318784192?s=20

https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2110445577184133456?s=20 
https://x.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/2110432031968542721?s=20 
https://www.ukmto.org/-/media/ukmto/products/20261016-ukmto_vra_overview_u.pdf

https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/04/24/nx-s1-5376473/hhs-restores-funding-for-womens-health-initiative

https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2026/attorney-general-james-leads-lawsuit-protect-title-x-family-planning-services

https://www.npr.org/2026/09/24/nx-s1-5931971/trump-nih-science-funding-disruptions-charts

https://www.medpagetoday.com/washington-watch/washington-watch/123167

https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/cost-trump-administrations-attacks-research-funding

https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2026/04/19/science-research-funding-cuts-trump/

https://irp.nih.gov/catalyst/32/3/president-biden-requests-12b-for-research-on-womens-health

https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-14120-advancing-womens-health-research-and-innovation

https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/memorandum-the-white-house-initiative-womens-health-research

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-live-biden-and-first-lady-deliver-remarks-at-white-house-womens-health-research-conference
https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/trump-flotus-womens-health-executive-order-new-nih-division.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/19/us/politics/melania-trump-women-health.html

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/10/advancing-womens-health-to-improve-outcomes-in-all-phases-of-life/  

The gang discuss the short lived career of Press Sec Katie Zacharia, an anti-trans op in Texas, Trump&rsquo;s new &ldquo;Women&rsquo;s Health Task Force,&rdquo; the Alberta secession referendum, Elon Musk cutting Starlink speed in Ukraine, and protests in France, Albania, Indonesia, and Italy.
Sources:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/16/politics/katie-zacharia-press-secretary">https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/16/politics/katie-zacharia-press-secretary</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/10/16/katie-zacharia-out-as-press-secretary-after-five-days-01123470">https://www.politico.com/news/2026/10/16/katie-zacharia-out-as-press-secretary-after-five-days-01123470</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://scholten.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-scholten-statement-threatening-letter-she-received-grand-rapids">https://scholten.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-scholten-statement-threatening-letter-she-received-grand-rapids</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/hillary-scholten-threatening-letter-grand-rapids-office/">https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/hillary-scholten-threatening-letter-grand-rapids-office/</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/21/politics/heat-ray-weapon-dhs-pentagon">https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/21/politics/heat-ray-weapon-dhs-pentagon</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://x.com/PatrickWeaverPA/status/2112880738425065674?s=20">https://x.com/PatrickWeaverPA/status/2112880738425065674?s=20</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/yy_QibrY_QQ?si=f7yzrPIN1SGbAqIe&amp;t=380">https://youtu.be/yy_QibrY_QQ?si=f7yzrPIN1SGbAqIe&amp;t=380</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanmar-regimes-sittwe-counteroffensive-hits-the-rocks-on-nga-pyi-island.html">https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanmar-regimes-sittwe-counteroffensive-hits-the-rocks-on-nga-pyi-island.html</a></li>
<li><a href="https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/53d80bf144804de8a5e5138dd62cf873/view">https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/53d80bf144804de8a5e5138dd62cf873/view </a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2026/10/20/texas-transgender-pamphlets-tent-student-union/">https://www.texastribune.org/2026/10/20/texas-transgender-pamphlets-tent-student-union/ </a></li>
<li><a href="https://x.com/SarahisCensored/status/2112343101708611879?s=20">https://x.com/SarahisCensored/status/2112343101708611879?s=20</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://x.com/SarahisCensored/status/2112340434551013382?s=20">https://x.com/SarahisCensored/status/2112340434551013382?s=20</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://a856-cityrecord.nyc.gov/RequestDetail/20260929027">https://a856-cityrecord.nyc.gov/RequestDetail/20260929027</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://gothamist.com/news/nyc-moves-to-spend-nearly-9m-of-gender-affirming-care-fund-for-minors">https://gothamist.com/news/nyc-moves-to-spend-nearly-9m-of-gender-affirming-care-fund-for-minors</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/102126zr_5i36.pdf">https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/102126zr_5i36.pdf</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.scotusblog.com/2026/10/justices-leave-in-place-lower-court-order-preventing-trump-administration-from-implementing-new-/">https://www.scotusblog.com/2026/10/justices-leave-in-place-lower-court-order-preventing-trump-administration-from-implementing-new-/</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/bugs/2026/10/php2shell-why-websites-are-going-offline-for-emergency-security-updates">https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/bugs/2026/10/php2shell-why-websites-are-going-offline-for-emergency-security-updates </a></li>
<li><a href="https://boereport.com/2025/03/24/albertas-massive-oil-and-gas-reserves-keep-growing-heres-why/">https://boereport.com/2025/03/24/albertas-massive-oil-and-gas-reserves-keep-growing-heres-why/ </a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2026-10-20/canada-awaits-alberta-referendum-results-after-carney-urges-voters-to-reject-separation">https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2026-10-20/canada-awaits-alberta-referendum-results-after-carney-urges-voters-to-reject-separation </a><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c809jg1gj9yo"></a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c809jg1gj9yo">https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c809jg1gj9yo </a><a href="https://macleans.ca/politics/americans-are-meddling-in-the-alberta-referendum/"></a></li>
<li><a href="https://macleans.ca/politics/americans-are-meddling-in-the-alberta-referendum/">https://macleans.ca/politics/americans-are-meddling-in-the-alberta-referendum/</a></li>
<li><a href="https://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/alberta-separatists-united-states-referendum-globe-and-mail">https://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/alberta-separatists-united-states-referendum-globe-and-mail </a><a href="https://truthout.org/articles/police-violence-increases-as-800k-protesters-take-to-the-streets-in-france/"></a></li>
<li><a href="https://truthout.org/articles/police-violence-increases-as-800k-protesters-take-to-the-streets-in-france/">https://truthout.org/articles/police-violence-increases-as-800k-protesters-take-to-the-streets-in-france/</a></li>
<li><a href="https://freedompress.org.uk/2026/10/19/clashes-in-france-as-uprising-swells-to-millions/">https://freedompress.org.uk/2026/10/19/clashes-in-france-as-uprising-swells-to-millions/</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.dw.com/en/clashes-erupt-at-argentine-student-protests-against-president-mileis-austerity-policies/a-79676861">https://www.dw.com/en/clashes-erupt-at-argentine-student-protests-against-president-mileis-austerity-policies/a-79676861</a></li>
<li><a href="https://freedompress.org.uk/2026/10/12/gen-z-on-the-barricades/">https://freedompress.org.uk/2026/10/12/gen-z-on-the-barricades/</a></li>
<li><a href="https://freedompress.org.uk/2026/10/09/la-revolte-panic-in-the-french-state/">https://freedompress.org.uk/2026/10/09/la-revolte-panic-in-the-french-state/</a></li>
<li><a href="https://apnews.com/article/albania-protests-edi-rama-jared-kushner-9f0ce30c446aa9f273068b98d9f40b14">https://apnews.com/article/albania-protests-edi-rama-jared-kushner-9f0ce30c446aa9f273068b98d9f40b14</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/seventh-day-of-violent-clashes-between-albanian-protesters-and-police/ar-AA2fCujr">https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/seventh-day-of-violent-clashes-between-albanian-protesters-and-police/ar-AA2fCujr</a></li>
<li><a href="https://euobserver.com/243622/the-forgotten-protests-empty-shelves-and-blocked-roads-in-southern-italy-ignored-by-the-media-reveal-neglect-by-meloni-and-eu/">https://euobserver.com/243622/the-forgotten-protests-empty-shelves-and-blocked-roads-in-southern-italy-ignored-by-the-media-reveal-neglect-by-meloni-and-eu/</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.arabnews.com/world/indonesias-wildfire-crisis-sparks-nationwide-anti-government-protests-3007510">https://www.arabnews.com/world/indonesias-wildfire-crisis-sparks-nationwide-anti-government-protests-3007510</a></li>
<li><a href="https://apnews.com/article/albania-kushner-trump-development-protest-tourism-sazan-8d7d0e216c28d23fe1b2e51cbb05b926">https://apnews.com/article/albania-kushner-trump-development-protest-tourism-sazan-8d7d0e216c28d23fe1b2e51cbb05b926</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/other/our-land-our-albania-supreme-court-burns-as-anger-over-jared-kushner-linked-resort-fuels-revolt/ar-AA2fzHq6">https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/other/our-land-our-albania-supreme-court-burns-as-anger-over-jared-kushner-linked-resort-fuels-revolt/ar-AA2fzHq6 </a></li>
<li><a href="https://x.com/cspan/status/2111608955847802991?s=20">https://x.com/cspan/status/2111608955847802991?s=20 </a><a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2112268669312983214?s=20"></a></li>
<li><a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2112268669312983214?s=20">https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2112268669312983214?s=20</a></li>
<li><a href="https://x.com/nexta_tv/status/2110985354740125885?s=20">https://x.com/nexta_tv/status/2110985354740125885?s=20</a></li>
<li><a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/2112265283318784192?s=20">https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/2112265283318784192?s=20 </a><a href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2110445577184133456?s=20"></a></li>
<li><a href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2110445577184133456?s=20">https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2110445577184133456?s=20</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://x.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/2110432031968542721?s=20">https://x.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/2110432031968542721?s=20</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://www.ukmto.org/-/media/ukmto/products/20261016-ukmto_vra_overview_u.pdf">https://www.ukmto.org/-/media/ukmto/products/20261016-ukmto_vra_overview_u.pdf</a> <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/04/24/nx-s1-5376473/hhs-restores-funding-for-womens-health-initiative"></a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/04/24/nx-s1-5376473/hhs-restores-funding-for-womens-health-initiative">https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/04/24/nx-s1-5376473/hhs-restores-funding-for-womens-health-initiative</a> <a href="https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2026/attorney-general-james-leads-lawsuit-protect-title-x-family-planning-services"></a></li>
<li><a href="https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2026/attorney-general-james-leads-lawsuit-protect-title-x-family-planning-services">https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2026/attorney-general-james-leads-lawsuit-protect-title-x-family-planning-services</a> <a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/09/24/nx-s1-5931971/trump-nih-science-funding-disruptions-charts"></a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/09/24/nx-s1-5931971/trump-nih-science-funding-disruptions-charts">https://www.npr.org/2026/09/24/nx-s1-5931971/trump-nih-science-funding-disruptions-charts</a> <a href="https://www.medpagetoday.com/washington-watch/washington-watch/123167"></a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.medpagetoday.com/washington-watch/washington-watch/123167">https://www.medpagetoday.com/washington-watch/washington-watch/123167</a> <a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/cost-trump-administrations-attacks-research-funding"></a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/cost-trump-administrations-attacks-research-funding">https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/cost-trump-administrations-attacks-research-funding</a> <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2026/04/19/science-research-funding-cuts-trump/"></a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2026/04/19/science-research-funding-cuts-trump/">https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2026/04/19/science-research-funding-cuts-trump/</a> <a href="https://irp.nih.gov/catalyst/32/3/president-biden-requests-12b-for-research-on-womens-health"></a></li>
<li><a href="https://irp.nih.gov/catalyst/32/3/president-biden-requests-12b-for-research-on-womens-health">https://irp.nih.gov/catalyst/32/3/president-biden-requests-12b-for-research-on-womens-health</a> <a href="https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-14120-advancing-womens-health-research-and-innovation"></a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-14120-advancing-womens-health-research-and-innovation">https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-14120-advancing-womens-health-research-and-innovation </a><a href="https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/memorandum-the-white-house-initiative-womens-health-research"></a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/memorandum-the-white-house-initiative-womens-health-research">https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/memorandum-the-white-house-initiative-womens-health-research</a> <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-live-biden-and-first-lady-deliver-remarks-at-white-house-womens-health-research-conference"></a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-live-biden-and-first-lady-deliver-remarks-at-white-house-womens-health-research-conference">https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-live-biden-and-first-lady-deliver-remarks-at-white-house-womens-health-research-conference</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/trump-flotus-womens-health-executive-order-new-nih-division.html">https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/trump-flotus-womens-health-executive-order-new-nih-division.html</a> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/19/us/politics/melania-trump-women-health.html"></a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/19/us/politics/melania-trump-women-health.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/19/us/politics/melania-trump-women-health.html</a> <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/10/advancing-womens-health-to-improve-outcomes-in-all-phases-of-life/"></a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/10/advancing-womens-health-to-improve-outcomes-in-all-phases-of-life/">https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/10/advancing-womens-health-to-improve-outcomes-in-all-phases-of-life/</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

It Could Happen Here started as an exploration of the possibility of a new civil war. Now a daily show, it's evolved into a chronicle of collapse as it happens, and an exploration of how we might build a better future. Every day Robert Evans, Garrison Davis, Mia Wong, and James Stout take you on a jaunty walk through the burning ruins of the old world and towards a better one that lays just on the horizon.

It Could Happen Here started as an exploration of the possibility of a new civil war. Now a daily show, it's evolved into a chronicle of collapse as it happens, and an exploration of how we might build a better future. Every day Robert Evans, Garrison Davis, Mia Wong, and James Stout take you on a jaunty walk through the burning ruins of the old world and towards a better one that lays just on the horizon.

It Could Happen Here

Executive Disorder: Alberta Separatism, Ukraine's Starlink Predicament, Global Protests Continue

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/81556c8d-1381-487f-a00c-b4ec001df8f5/transcript