In episode 1871 of the No Agenda podcast, titled 'Hatman,' hosts Adam Curry and John C. Dvorak provide a critical analysis of recent news events, focusing on President Donald Trump's claims regarding Iran, the ongoing Strait of Hormuz standoff, and the media's portrayal of these issues. The episode, released May 24, 2026, delves into a packed Memorial Day weekend news cycle, offering listeners a skeptical alternative to mainstream coverage.
Curry, broadcasting from the Gaylord Opryland 'biodome' in Nashville during the K-LOVE Music Awards, and Dvorak, in northern Silicon Valley's 'Refinery Row,' deconstruct President Trump's Truth Social assertion of a 'largely negotiated' deal with Iran. They contrast this with the ongoing CENTCOM blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Curry frames the situation as a financial war rather than a military one, driven by insurance pricing from Lloyd's of London. 'This is theater of the highest order,' Curry says of the Strait of Hormuz standoff, adding, 'It's a financial war. I've said this from the beginning. If Lloyd's of London won't insure, nobody — for whatever reason, no one wants to use the American reinsurers through DFC and Chubb.'
The episode also covers Secretary of State Marco Rubio's slip regarding enriched versus highly-enriched uranium, Pakistan's army chief brokering talks in Tehran, and reports that Iran is settling cargo-ship insurance payments in Bitcoin to dodge sanctions. These details highlight the complex interplay of diplomacy, finance, and media framing.
Other topics include the leaked DNC autopsy commissioned by Chair Ken Martin on Kamala Harris's 2024 loss, analyzed through commentators Victor Davis Hanson and Scott Jennings. The hosts also discuss Rep. Thomas Massie's primary defeat, NYC Mayor Mamdani's new Twitch livestream 'Talk with the People,' and a White House shooting involving Nasir Best. Dvorak weighs in on the viral 'Mask-Gate' clip of retired Vice Admiral Robert Harward on Fox News, concluding, 'This little anomaly here, it doesn't — it looks like bullcrap to me.'
Deeper segments examine declassified emails from former NSA Director Admiral Mike Rogers to DNI James Clapper, CIA's John Brennan, and FBI's James Comey over the 2017 Russia attribution report — referred by AG Pam Bondi to a Fort Pierce grand jury overseen by Joe diGenova and Judge Aileen Cannon. The hosts also cover Tulsi Gabbard's June 30 resignation amid her husband Abraham's bone cancer diagnosis, Dr. Deborah Birx's defense of U.S. Ebola funding in the DRC, a new USCIS green-card memo requiring applicants to return home, the SpaceX S-1 filing, and Jeff Bezos's optimistic AI-and-jobs forecast.
This episode underscores the value of independent media analysis in an era of complex geopolitical and domestic issues. By dissecting the framing of news by outlets like BBC and Fox News, the No Agenda podcast offers insights into how narratives are shaped and what implications they hold for the public's understanding of world events.
