Trump's Stalling Ukraine Policy Serves Russian Interests, Not Christian Protection

Countdown with Keith Olbermann · December 29, 2025 · Listen to Original Episode →

Original Title:

TL;DR

Trump's alleged pardon sales for $2 million apiece, split with Giuliani, indicate a pattern of corruption that could undermine the constitutionally protected presidential pardon power, creating new crimes for both the giver and receiver.
The Trump pardon industrial complex, allegedly operating since 2019, suggests a systemic approach to selling pardons, potentially leading to a new crime if bribery is proven, even if the pardon itself is valid.
Trump's lawsuit against the Pulitzer Prize Board for defamation, seeking damages, has backfired by opening him up to discovery demands for all financial, medical, and psychological records from 2015 to present.
The "protect the Christians" rationale for potential military action in Ukraine is a Trumpian tactic to exploit a voting block, not a genuine commitment to religious freedom, as evidenced by his shifting standards and focus on financial interests.
Rick Grenell's lawsuit against a jazz musician for refusing to perform at the "Trump Memorial Kennedy Center" highlights a pattern of intolerance and misapplied legal action, mirroring the administration's own perceived authoritarian tendencies.
Brian Krassenstein's trolling of MAGA supporters by quoting Stephen Colbert's criticism of Trump demonstrates how the base can be manipulated, missing the original context and reacting with uncritical rage to perceived threats.
Ted Turner's scheme to create a new 24-team NFL with half union ownership and exclusive TV rights, while ultimately unsuccessful, reveals a bold, albeit financially risky, business strategy and a surprisingly employee-friendly approach for the era.

Deep Dive

Keith Olbermann's "Countdown" episode from December 29, 2025, argues that Donald Trump's foreign policy, framed through a lens of protecting Christians, is hypocritical and serves only to stall Russian aggression. The program contends that Trump's rhetoric about bombing "terrorist scum" targeting Christians in Nigeria should logically extend to bombing Russian forces in Ukraine, an 85% Christian nation, yet he consistently delays decisive action, thereby benefiting Putin. This strategic stalling, Olbermann posits, is a consistent pattern of Trump's actions since regaining power, aimed at running out the clock for Russia's benefit rather than genuine peace initiatives.

The implications of this stalling extend beyond Ukraine. Olbermann suggests that Trump's shifting justifications for military action, now centered on religious protection, represent a cynical manipulation of voting blocks rather than a coherent foreign policy. This approach, he argues, could be leveraged by supporters of Ukraine to fracture the MAGA coalition, by reframing the conflict not as a distant war but as a fight against anti-Christian "terrorist scum" in Russia. Furthermore, the podcast highlights the alleged "Trump Pardon Industrial Complex," detailing claims of pardons being sold for millions, implicating both Trump and Rudy Giuliani. This alleged bribery, if proven, could potentially undermine the constitutionality of any pardons issued, creating new legal vulnerabilities for Trump and his associates. The program also satirizes the intellectual inconsistencies within MAGA, pointing to instances of misquoted statements and a failure to register vital website domains, suggesting a broader pattern of incompetence that could ultimately lead to their downfall. The episode concludes with a personal anecdote illustrating Ted Turner's demanding yet ultimately employee-friendly leadership style at CNN in 1982, contrasting it with the perceived chaos and self-interest surrounding Trump.

The core takeaway is that Trump's foreign policy is driven by personal financial and blackmail interests, not by a principled stance on protecting Christians or achieving peace. His consistent stalling tactics in Ukraine provide Russia with crucial time, while his rhetoric on religious protection is a tool for political gain. This exploitative approach, coupled with alleged corruption and strategic blunders, presents a significant vulnerability that could be exploited to counter Russian aggression and challenge Trump's political standing.

Action Items

Audit pardon process: Identify 3-5 potential bribery indicators and establish a 2-week review cadence.
Draft policy: Define criteria for evaluating political rhetoric against potential legal implications for 10 key figures.
Analyze communication patterns: Track 5-10 instances of shifting political stances to identify strategic manipulation tactics.
Measure impact of rhetoric: For 3-5 policy shifts, quantify correlation between public statements and financial/legal outcomes.

Key Quotes

"Why isn't Trump bombing Russian terrorist scum who have been targeting and viciously killing innocent Christians in Ukraine? Now that our white supremacist theocratic bandit government has gone into the Crusades business... shouldn't yesterday's meeting with Zelensky have been about how Trump is going to protect the Christians in Ukraine... by bombing the Russian terrorist scum who have been targeting and viciously killing innocent Christians IN Ukraine?"

Keith Olbermann questions the selective application of a "protect the Christians" foreign policy. He argues that if the stated rationale for military action is to defend Christians, then Russia's actions in Ukraine, a predominantly Christian country, should warrant a similar response to actions in Nigeria. Olbermann highlights the perceived hypocrisy in targeting certain groups while ignoring others under the same stated principle.

"I'm not holding my breath. But since it's obvious that yesterday all Trump did was stall, just as all he's been doing since he again seized power is stalling on Putin's behalf (he even took a call from Putin 72 minutes before the Zelensky meeting began), isn't this tack supporters of Ukraine and Europe and world freedom who aren't morons like Trump or Rubio who think 'it's not our war because OCEANS' (a logical argument as long as this is the year 1909) should now take?"

Keith Olbermann suggests that Donald Trump's actions, including a call with Putin shortly before meeting with Zelensky, indicate a pattern of stalling that benefits Russia. He criticizes the "it's not our war because oceans" argument as outdated and advocates for a more engaged stance from supporters of Ukraine and global freedom. Olbermann implies that Trump's approach is detrimental to international stability.

"The Trump pardon industrial complex? It seems brand new. In fact there was a lawsuit alleging Rudy Giuliani told his girlfriend he and Trump were selling pardons for $2,000,000 apiece as long ago as 2019."

Keith Olbermann introduces the concept of a "Trump pardon industrial complex," suggesting it is a recent development. He immediately links this to a lawsuit that claims Rudy Giuliani offered pardons for a significant sum, implying a pattern of potential corruption and quid pro quo. Olbermann uses this to question the novelty and origins of such alleged practices.

"Trump is finally hoisted on his lawsuit petard. If we damaged you financially or emotionally, says the Pulitzer Prize Board, we're going to know by how much so we'll need all your financial and emotional health records."

Keith Olbermann points out that Donald Trump's lawsuit against the Pulitzer Prize Board has led to a discovery demand for his financial and emotional health records. He frames this as Trump being trapped by his own legal action, as the board requires proof of damages, which necessitates disclosure of personal information. Olbermann suggests this is a consequence of Trump's own legal strategy.

"Also you are suing a jazz musician for a million dollars. There's a jazz musician who has a million dollars."

Keith Olbermann expresses skepticism about Rick Grenell's lawsuit against a jazz musician for refusing to perform. He questions the premise by highlighting the apparent financial disparity, implying that a jazz musician is unlikely to possess the million dollars being sought. Olbermann uses this to underscore the perceived absurdity of Grenell's legal action.

"The saga of Ted, my first tv job, and what might have been my last tv job after he and I argued in public. But it ended happily - with baseball caps for Christmas."

Keith Olbermann recounts a personal anecdote involving Ted Turner, detailing a public argument that nearly ended his television career. He frames the resolution as positive, specifically mentioning receiving baseball caps as a Christmas gift. Olbermann uses this story to illustrate a past professional conflict and its unexpected, amiable conclusion.

Resources

External Resources

Books

"Casanova" by Fellini - Mentioned as a comparison for the lurid nature of a lawsuit.
"Satyricon" by Fellini - Mentioned as a comparison for the lurid nature of a lawsuit.

Articles & Papers

"Trump is a dead man walking" (Twitter/X) - Quoted as a statement made by Stephen Colbert, and later by Brian Krassenstein.
"Trump is a dead man walking America should put him to sleep now it is the humanitarian thing to do" (Twitter/X) - Quoted as a statement made by Brian Krassenstein.
"Voter fraud" - Mentioned as a claim Trump's team would make if he lost the 2020 election.
"The Trump Pardon Industrial Complex" - Mentioned as a topic of discussion.
"The Worst Persons in the World" - A segment of the podcast.
"Things I Promised Not to Tell" - A segment of the podcast.

People

Rudy Giuliani - Mentioned in relation to allegations of selling pardons and sexual abuse.
Noel Dunfy - Mentioned as the woman who sued Rudy Giuliani for sexual abuse.
Lev Parnas - Mentioned in relation to discussions with Giuliani about a plan for Trump's team to claim voter fraud.
Jack Smith - Mentioned in relation to his prosecution of Trump and the release of his final report.
James Trusty - Mentioned as Trump's first lawyer to defend him against Jack Smith, and as the author of an article attacking Jack Smith.
Toby Morton - Mentioned as a comedy writer who owns the website domains for the Trump Kennedy Center.
Rick Grenell - Mentioned as the interim president of the Trump Memorial Kennedy Center and for his various past roles.
Chuck Red - Mentioned as a jazz musician being sued by Rick Grenell for refusing to perform.
Brian Krassenstein - Mentioned for trolling Trump supporters by quoting a statement about Trump.
Gunther Eagleman - Mentioned as a Trump supporter who questioned Brian Krassenstein's tweet.
Kyle Rittenhouse - Mentioned in relation to a response to Brian Krassenstein's tweet.
Cash Patel - Mentioned in relation to responses to Brian Krassenstein's tweet.
Dom Lucre - Mentioned as a Trump supporter who reacted to Brian Krassenstein's tweet.
Benny Johnson - Mentioned as a Trump supporter who reacted to Brian Krassenstein's tweet.
Erica Kirk - Mentioned for appearing on Fox News and wearing sequined dresses.
Barry Weiss - Mentioned as an idiot with whom Erica Kirk did a town hall.
Katie Miller - Mentioned as Stephen Miller's wife and the originator of the term "sexual matador."
Stephen Miller - Mentioned in relation to the term "sexual matador" and his alleged hatred of people of color.
Tommy Shelby - Mentioned as a Harvard University philosophy professor.
Ted Turner - Mentioned in relation to his first TV job at CNN and a dispute over CBS Sports caps.
Bill McPhail - Mentioned as Ted Turner's sports guy who interviewed the narrator for a job at CNN.
Lou Dobbs - Mentioned in relation to his girlfriend and needing to leave town.
Mitch Warren Davis - Mentioned as the writer of the Olbermann theme from ESPN2.
Nancy Faust - Mentioned as the best baseball stadium organist.
Brian Ray - Mentioned for arranging, producing, and performing music.
John Philip Shenale - Mentioned for handling orchestration and keyboards for music.
Kenny Maine - Mentioned as the announcer.
Jeffrey Epstein - Mentioned in relation to his files and potential removal of Trump.
Susie Wiles - Mentioned in relation to potential removal of Trump.
T Pain - Mentioned as a participant in the gaming event.
Grizzlies - Mentioned as a team in the gaming event.
Neo - Mentioned as a participant in the gaming event.
Paige Bueckers - Mentioned as a player in Unrivaled Basketball.
Nneka Ogwumike - Mentioned as a player in Unrivaled Basketball.
Kelsi Plum - Mentioned as a player in Unrivaled Basketball.
Breanna Stewart - Mentioned as a player in Unrivaled Basketball.
Nafisa Collier - Mentioned as a player in Unrivaled Basketball.

Organizations & Institutions

NFL (National Football League) - Mentioned in relation to a strike and exhibition games.
ISIS - Mentioned as terrorist scum.
Russian Orthodox Church - Mentioned as Russia's privileged religion.
Trump Presidential Pardons - Mentioned in relation to allegations of being available for purchase.
Trump Kennedy Center - Mentioned in relation to website domains and Rick Grenell.
National Labor Relations Board - Mentioned in relation to a pitch about the NFL strike.
CNN - Mentioned in relation to the narrator's employment and Ted Turner's ownership.
CBS Sports - Mentioned in relation to caps given to the narrator's crew.
ESPN2 - Mentioned as the source of the Olbermann theme music.
The Pulitzer Prize Board - Mentioned in relation to Trump suing them for defamation.
The 19th - Mentioned as an organization co-founded by Emily Ramshaw.
The Atlantic - Mentioned as a publication.
Boston Globe - Mentioned as a publication.
USA Today - Mentioned as a publication.
Associated Press - Mentioned as an organization.
Philadelphia Inquirer - Mentioned as a publication.
UCLA - Mentioned as a university.
USC - Mentioned as a university.
New York Times - Mentioned as a publication.
The New Yorker - Mentioned as a publication.
Harvard University - Mentioned as a university.
Chubb Foundation - Mentioned as a sponsor.
Global Gaming League - Mentioned as a streaming platform.
iheartradio - Mentioned as the producer of the podcast.
Samsung Galaxy - Mentioned as a sponsor.
TNT - Mentioned as a broadcast channel.
True TV - Mentioned as a broadcast channel.
HBO Max - Mentioned as a broadcast channel.

Tools & Software

Odoo - Mentioned as an all-in-one business platform.

Websites & Online Resources

omnystudio.com/listener - Mentioned for privacy information.
mypolicyadvocate.com - Mentioned for insurance policy reviews.
trashy.io - Mentioned for clothing take-back bags.
odoo.com - Mentioned for trying Odoo for free.
trainergames.com - Mentioned for watching the trailer for Trainer Games.
globalgamingleague.com - Mentioned for information on the Global Gaming League.
thrasio.io - Mentioned for decluttering and earning shopping power.
thredup.io - Mentioned for decluttering and earning rewards points.

Podcasts & Audio

Countdown with Keith Olbermann - The name of the podcast.

Other Resources

The Trump Pardon Industrial Complex - Mentioned as a topic.
Epstein Files - Mentioned as a source of information that has split MAGA.
MAGA - Mentioned in relation to political supporters.
The Epstien Documents - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.
The Epstien Files - Mentioned as a source of information.