On a special Friday episode of the PBD Podcast, Patrick Bet-David was joined by Glenn Greenwald, the journalist, constitutional lawyer, and bestselling author behind the Edward Snowden report.
Alongside Vincent Oshana and Adam Sosnik, PBD and Greenwald discussed the American surveillance state, Donald Trump’s latest arrest, the outcome of the Republican primary debate, and the impact of Snowden’s whistleblowing.
Here are some of the main takeaways from this episode:
1. “Surveillance Combined With Censorship” – Glenn Greenwald Reveals Government’s Invasion of Privacy
America’s intelligence apparatus has spent decades calling “domestic extremists”—also known as the American people—the biggest threat to national security. In the wake of 9/11, its resources were suddenly directed inward. But it was never supposed to be this way.
As Greenwald reminded the Team, the Patriot Act was only supposed to be a temporary measure after the 9/11 attacks, but it has remained in place unchallenged for more than 20 years. Even when overreach by groups like the NSA and FBI has come to light, politicians have intervened, cracking down on public dissent.
“If we lose the ability to dissent meaningfully…what other political cause is even possible?” Greenwald asked.
Patrick wanted to know the identity of the mysterious “They” that seems to be running the world around us. Are political powers really in control here, or are financial interests the real driving force behind the government?
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2. “This Will Last for Hundreds of Years!” – The Long-Term Impact of Donald Trump’s Mugshot
On Thursday night, Doland Trump made an explosive return to X to share his mugshot after his arrest in Fulton County, Georgia. But while the photo has become a viral sensation that seems to be making Trump more popular, it also raises a serious issue—and Trump’s expression says it all.
“This is not something to laugh at. This is not something that’s cute,” Greenwald said, assessing the former president’s expression. “This is not something to laugh at. This is a grave attack…and it requires defiance and rage.”
But despite the severity of the issue, PBD believes this will go down as one of most famous mugshots in history, giving Trump exactly what he wanted. Greenwald, however, had a slightly different take. “Democrats want blood” for 2016, he said. This isn’t about secretly making Trump more popular; censorship and imprisonment of opponents are now at the heart of Democratic politics.
3. “Rising In All the Ways That Matter” – The Republican Primary Debate
The prediction before Wednesday night’s Republican primary debate was that Governor Ron DeSantis would be the primary target for attack…but on stage, he ended up being largely ignored. Instead, Vivek Ramaswamy took the most incoming fire, and Patrick wanted to know why.
As Greenwald sees it, the distinction between Right and Left is becoming less important than the one between pro- and anti-establishment. Ramaswamy’s anti-establishment stance puts him directly at odds with most of his fellow candidates…and directly in line with Donald Trump.
4. “Why Is He Safe in Russia?” – Is Edward Snowden Working for Vladimir Putin???
As the journalist who broke the historic whistleblower report from Edward Snowden, Greenwald may be the person best suited for answering questions about the notorious leaker. Since his escape from the United States, Snowden has been living in relative peace and safety in Russia, and PBD wanted to know what this might mean about his loyalties.
“He’s operating with a different moral framework,” Greenwald said. “He was willing to go to prison for the rest of his life to defend his cause.” Russia has a longstanding history of giving refuge to people driven out by the West, and Greenwald sees Snowden as no exception.
But that’s not all Glenn Greenwald had to say. PBD and Greenwald also broke down corruption in Brazil, the threat of the ESG movement, and much more.
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