I Was in a Cult. This Is How I Know Trump is One | The Daily Beast Podcast

Dr. Steven Hassan, world-renowned cult expert and author of The Cult of Trump, joins the Beast’s Hugh Dougherty to unravel how Trump’s movement mirrors the classic architecture of a political cult, from manufactured grievances to the online ecosystems that keep followers locked in. Then, with recent Epstein materials resurfacing, they explore the contradictions, alliances, and unexplored vulnerabilities that continue to haunt Trump and his inner circle. Together, they connect the domestic chaos to the global actors who have spent decades studying and exploiting Trump’s psychology. As the crises converge, Hugh asks the question hanging over 2025: how long can Trumpism survive when the truth keeps breaking through? 00:00 - Introduction 01:59 - How Dr. Steven Hassan's Got Indoctrinated Into A Right Wing Fascist Cult 03:38 - The Near Fatal Van Crash That Helped Spur Dr. Hassan's Deprogramming 06:10 - How MAGA Fandom Can Be Defined As A Cult 08:03 - Trump And Aligned Bad Actors Use Media To Influence Behavior 10:42 - How Trump Was Groomed To Be Become A Cult Type Leader 13:50 - How To Successfully Approach And Reconnect With Your MAGA Family Members 21:39 - The Epstein Files Threaten To Unravel The MAGA Cult Spell 25:11 - Why The Leaders Around Trump Are Trapped By The Cult As Well 27:20 - Why The Democrats Are Not Combatting The Trump Cult Correctly 28:13 - This Is The Playbook That Can Deprogram MAGA Cult Members 31:05 - What Happens To The MAGA Cult After Trump 31:56 - What Dr. Steven Hassan Would Say To Trump 34:53 - Click 'Join' Link Below, Get Perks Of Daily Beast YouTube Membership 👂 Podcast: The Daily Beast Podcast 📺 Episode: 606 🎧 Format: Full Podcast 📅 Date: November 2, 2025 👨‍💼 Guest: Dr. Steven Hassan 🎙️ Host: Joanna Coles #trump #podcast #dailybeast Click here to become an official member of the Daily Beast's YouTube community: https://youtube.com/@TheDailyBeast/join Have a question or comment for us? Send us an email: beastpod@thedailybeast.com Subscribe to Inside Trump's Head wherever you get your podcasts: https://pod.link/1767675909 Subscribe to The Last Laugh wherever you get your podcasts: https://pod.link/1456474041 Subscribe to The Daily Beast Podcast wherever you get your podcasts: https://pod.link/1508202790 The Daily Beast is committed to accurate, fair, independent, fast, and accountable journalism. We seek the truth and report it honestly, without fear or favor. We ground robust and provocative opinions in fact. Subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@TheDailyBeast?sub_confirmation=1 Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thedailybeast Share this video on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/thedailybeast.bsky.social Share this video on X: https://twitter.com/thedailybeast Share this video on Facebook: https://facebook.com/thedailybeast