Trump’s dork philosopher

Today, Explained

Vox

Daily News, Politics, News

4.4 • 9.5K Ratings

🗓️ 15 July 2025

⏱️ 28 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Curtis Yarvin began as an anonymous blogger arguing esoteric ideas about how America would be better off as a monarchy. He’s now the Trump administration’s favorite philosopher. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Jolie Myers, fact checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Further reading: Curtis Yarvin's plot against America; Liberalism's enemies are having second thoughts. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	It's today explained what's going on, my boys and in some cases, gals.
0:04.1	Recently, one of you emailed us with this request.
0:07.0	You've got mail.
0:07.9	Hello, I'm an avid listener, and I strongly believe you should cover the story of Curtis
0:12.7	Yarvin.
0:13.6	It's important to explore who he is and how he has influenced the MAGA and the Tech Bros movement.
0:19.8	Curtis Jarvin is a very online, far-right philosopher
0:22.8	whose ideas include the fascinating,
0:25.2	the esoteric, the absurd, the racist, and so on.
0:28.6	Six months into the Trump administration,
0:30.3	there's evidence that he is influencing the MAGA movement
0:33.0	and even President Trump.
0:34.7	J.D. Vance knows him and likes him.
0:36.4	Elon consulted him about this third-party
0:38.9	idea. Yarvin can take some credit for inspiring Doge. And as you'll hear ahead, one of Trump's
0:45.3	most controversial doesn't even begin to cover it ideas may have come from Yarvin or someone
0:51.4	who reads his substack. I can almost guarantee you that Trump does not.
0:55.5	Everything's computer. That's coming up.
1:00.2	Avoiding your unfinished home projects because you're not sure where to start, Thumbtack knows homes,
1:06.0	so you don't have to. Don't know the difference between matte paint finish and satin,
1:10.8	or what that clunking sound from your dryer is. With Thumbtack, you don't have to. Don't know the difference between matte paint finish and satin, or what that clunking
1:11.8	sound from your dryer is. With Thumbtack, you don't have to be a home pro. You just have to
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Vox, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Vox and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.