Weekly Roundup: MAGA Masculinity, the Iran War, and the DOGE Files: What Happens When Power Rejects Expertise

Straight White American Jesus

Axis Mundi Media: Bradley Onishi + Daniel Miller

News, Politics

4.7 • 2K Ratings

🗓️ 13 March 2026

⏱️ 63 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

On this episode of Straight White American Jesus, Brad Onishi and Dan Miller dive headfirst into the Trump administration’s approach to Iran—and the deeper worldview shaping it. They examine the escalating conflict, the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, and the administration’s apparent failure to anticipate Iran’s most obvious leverage point. But beyond the geopolitics, Brad and Dan argue that something larger is at play: a model of “MAGA masculinity” that prizes action over thought, rejects expertise, and treats diplomacy and long-term relationships as weakness. From Pete Hegseth’s press conferences to the firing of intelligence experts and counter-terrorism staff, they trace how a culture that glorifies brute force and disdain for knowledge can produce catastrophic decision-making—with real human costs. In the second half of the show, the conversation turns to newly released depositions from former DOGE officials tasked with slashing federal grants. The clips reveal young operatives with little expertise making sweeping cuts based largely on whether projects referenced feminism, LGBTQ people, or racial minorities—raising serious questions about the real meaning behind the administration’s war on “DEI.” Brad and Dan connect these revelations back to their broader theme: a governing philosophy rooted in domination, resentment, and the rejection of intellectual or moral accountability. They close by asking whether the Iran conflict could fracture the MAGA coalition ahead of the midterms—and by reflecting on what healthier forms of masculinity, leadership, and public responsibility might look like in contrast. Subscribe for $3.65: ⁠https://axismundi.supercast.com/⁠ Subscribe to our free newsletter: ⁠https://swaj.substack.com/⁠ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: ⁠https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/⁠ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Axis Moondy
0:08.3	What I've dedicated my life to is revenge.
0:18.8	A brand new drama based on the bestselling novel.
0:21.6	They think they're better than us.
0:22.6	Who do you think you are?
0:23.9	I'm going to prove to them that they're wrong.
0:25.6	She's punishing me.
0:27.1	You destroyed my family.
0:28.5	I will not rest until I've destroyed yours.
0:31.1	A woman of substance on Channel 4 starts tonight at 9.
0:34.6	Welcome to Straight White American Jesus.
0:36.6	I'm Brad Hineshi, author of American Caesar,
0:38.9	how Theocrats and Tech Lords are making America into a monarchy, founder of Access Moondy Media,
0:44.4	here today with my co-host. I'm Dan Miller, Professor of Religion and Social Thought at Landmark
0:49.0	College. Glad to be with you, Brad. I'm literally at, for those who watch at Landmark
0:53.4	College, and for those who want to know about the glorious existence that we have here in higher ed, they can note the hole in my ceiling. I'm aware that there's a hole, like, I'm waiting to get emails about the hole in the ceiling that has been there as long as I've ever been in this office. It's not a euphemism, people. He's not, there's nothing weird there. There's a literal hole in a ceiling behind him if you're not watching this on YouTube, okay? You're on audio. All right, folks, we're going to talk today about the stupidity at play in our administration's approach to Iran and the ways that it represents a model of masculinity that is based on what we would take to be really poor virtues.
1:32.2	And I know that sounds weird, and you're like,
1:34.2	is that really what we need to talk about Iran?
1:36.5	Maybe this will be Josh Hawley's next masculine virtue, right?
1:39.6	I'm reading Josh Hawley's book and it's in the code,
1:41.7	and if stupidity shows up as a masculine virtue, then we'll really know. We'll really know that we're where we need to be. We'll talk about intelligence. We'll talk about the straight of her views. We'll talk about the ways that the approach to manhood in the Trump orbit has led us to this point. We'll then talk about if there really is a split in Maga over Iran, and there are those out there that would say there is not.
2:03.1	I think I'm going to make the case that there is, and do so in a way that really leaves the future open in terms of whether or not this will help Trump and those aligned with him.
	...

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