Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In an era defined by deep institutional distrust, a new trend within populist conservatism has emerged. It’s a sense that the federal government is keeping secrets and protecting the powerful at our expense. My guest this week is Representative Anna Paulina Luna, a conservative Republican from Florida who has quickly established herself as a political troublemaker. She’s challenging fellow lawmakers — Republicans and Democrats — on issues like sexual harassment and ethics, but she doesn’t see her campaign to clean up Congress as in tension with her allegiance to President Trump. Luna has focused her first years in Congress on exposing what she views as coverups, from the Epstein files to the assassination of John F. Kennedy and longstanding government secrecy around U.F.O.s.
00:00 - Intro
01:31 - Luna's MAGA populism
08:07 - From military to conservative influencer and Turning Point USA
16:17 - Fighting sexual harassment in Congress, MeToo part two?
24:55 - A higher ethical standard for Congress than for Trump?
36:25 - The U.A.P. activity at Eglin Air Force Base
41:02 - Who killed JFK?
47:50 - Unpacking evidence of UFOs
54:30 - Are U.A.P whistleblowers telling the truth?
57:57 - What's preventing "catastropic disclosure?"
Thoughts? Email us at interestingtimes@nytimes.com.
Read the full transcript here: nytimes.com/2026/06/05/opinion/the-maga-representative-crusading-against-government-secrecy.html
Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
In an era defined by deep institutional distrust, a new trend within populist conservatism has emerged. It’s a sense that the federal government is keeping secrets and protecting the powerful at our expense. My guest this week is Representative Anna Paulina Luna, a conservative Republican from Florida who has quickly established herself as a political troublemaker. She’s challenging fellow lawmakers — Republicans and Democrats — on issues like sexual harassment and ethics, but she doesn’t see her campaign to clean up Congress as in tension with her allegiance to President Trump. Luna has focused her first years in Congress on exposing what she views as coverups, from the Epstein files to the assassination of John F. Kennedy and longstanding government secrecy around U.F.O.s.
00:00 - Intro
01:31 - Luna's MAGA populism
08:07 - From military to conservative influencer and Turning Point USA
16:17 - Fighting sexual harassment in Congress, MeToo part two?
24:55 - A higher ethical standard for Congress than for Trump?
36:25 - The U.A.P. activity at Eglin Air Force Base
41:02 - Who killed JFK?
47:50 - Unpacking evidence of UFOs
54:30 - Are U.A.P whistleblowers telling the truth?
57:57 - What's preventing "catastropic disclosure?"
Thoughts? Email us at interestingtimes@nytimes.com.
Read the full transcript here: nytimes.com/2026/06/05/opinion/the-maga-representative-crusading-against-government-secrecy.html
Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
