TRIGGERnometry
Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster create honest conversations with fascinating people. New episodes every Sunday and Wednesday. Become a Premium Member to receive exclusive benefits https://www.triggerpod.co.uk/ bumper-verify-97e4ee86
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Recent Episodes
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A high school student from North London has become the first teenager ever sanctioned by Russia for exposing how hostile nations use cryptocurrency to launder money and evade Western sanctions. Alex Browder, son of Bill Browder, created the largest open-source database tracking cryptocurrency money laundering by state actors, criminals, and drug dealers. His work reveals how Russia's state-backed stablecoin A7A5 processed over $100 billion in 2025 alone, becoming a primary tool for sanctions evasion and funding military operations. Despite his youth, Alex has briefed UK government agencies and organized 26 MPs to pressure authorities into sanctioning enablers, leading to his own sanctioning by Russia.
- Alex's Background and Journey into Cryptocurrency Investigation
- Russia's A7A5 Stablecoin: A New Tool for Sanctions Evasion
Ed Sheeran Gaza Controversy, AI Fears and Piddington Immigration Protest - Off the Fence
Sep 18, 2026Summary Preview
Four commentators discuss three major cultural and political controversies: Ed Sheeran's tour disrupted by pro-Palestine activism from opening act Macklemore, warnings from AI industry insiders about existential risks from artificial general intelligence, and a British village voting to secede from the UK over a nearby migrant camp. The conversation explores free speech tensions, technological doom scenarios, and immigration policy failures.
- Ed Sheeran Tour Controversy and Free Palestine Activism
- The Ginger-Palestine Connection Theory
"Reform is Screwed"- Dan Hodges
Sep 16, 2026Summary Preview
Dan Hodges, political commentator and former Labour researcher, provides an in-depth analysis of Andy Burnham's premiership strategy, Reform UK's trajectory, and Britain's political and fiscal challenges. He argues that Burnham is positioning for a snap election to secure a personal mandate, while Reform faces existential threats from internal divisions and Nigel Farage's declining popularity. The conversation explores immigration policy failures, the country's precarious financial position, and why seemingly obvious political solutions remain elusive.
- Andy Burnham's Political Character and Strategy
- Britain's Financial Crisis and Political Constraints
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This episode examines the 9/11 terrorist attacks on their 25th anniversary, exploring the what, when, and why of that fateful day. Author Richard Miniter provides detailed analysis of the attacks themselves, the ideology and planning behind them, the heroism of ordinary Americans, and the profound ways the event changed America and the world. The discussion covers the hijackers' motivations, their operational planning, the immediate aftermath, and important lessons about radicalization and terrorism that remain relevant today.
- The Events of September 11, 2001
- The 1979 Origins: How Radical Islam Gained Political Momentum
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This episode features comedian and impressionist Tony Lapidus performing extended satirical impressions of various political and media figures, creating exaggerated parody interviews. The impressions cover personalities including Milo Yiannopoulos, Peter Hitchens, Gary Stevenson (Gary's Economics), James O'Brien, Piers Morgan, Russell Brand, Tucker Carlson, Patrick Bet-David, Douglas Murray, Elon Musk, and Donald Trump, among others. Each segment lampoons the distinctive speaking styles, mannerisms, and controversial positions of these figures, culminating in a genuine interview with Tony about his craft.
- Milo Yiannopoulos: The Not-Gay Provocateur
- Peter Hitchens: The Perpetual Pessimist
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This video examines the degradation of online political discourse, particularly on the right, from serious intellectual debates about culture and civilization to what the host terms 'sloppilism'—smart people saying dumb things to profit from an ignorant audience. Using examples like Milo Yiannopoulos's deportation and the Lindsay Clancy case, the video argues that modern commentators increasingly present complex issues as simple good-versus-evil battles, eliminating space for reasonable disagreement and nuanced discussion.
- The Decline of Online Political Discourse
- From Intellectual Giants to Conspiracy Theorists
How China Fakes Its Success with Frank Dikotter
Sep 05, 2026Summary Preview
Renowned historian Frank Dikötter provides a comprehensive analysis of Chinese communism from its origins through to the present day. He challenges romanticized Western perceptions of China, revealing how the Communist Party came to power not through popular support but through Soviet backing and brutal warfare. Dikötter exposes the devastating human cost of Mao's policies, particularly the Great Leap Forward which killed at least 45 million people, and explains how China's current economic model remains fundamentally communist despite its capitalist veneer. He argues that China's impressive infrastructure and trade surpluses mask a deeply dysfunctional economy built on massive debt, overcapacity, and the exploitation of its own population.
- The Fall of the Qing Empire and China's Brutal 19th Century
- The Republican Era: A Brief Period of Openness (1911-1949)
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Off the Fence hosts Constantine Kisin, Francis Foster, Winston Marshall, and Tom Slater discuss four major stories: Argentina's saber-rattling over the Falklands, Reform UK's donation scandal, the Lindsay Clancy murder trial, and Andy Burnham's economic challenges as Britain's new Prime Minister. The conversation explores Britain's military weakness, political corruption across parties, debates on mental illness and culpability, and the UK's deteriorating fiscal position with bond yields higher than Greece and Italy.
- Argentina Threatens UK Over the Falklands
- Reform UK Donation Scandal
Police Whistleblower: "I Quit to Share the Truth"
Sep 02, 2026Summary Preview
A former Metropolitan Police officer from Bulgaria shares his experience joining the force out of love for Britain, only to resign after facing a problematic university degree requirement, inadequate training, and ideologically-driven education that contradicted core policing principles. He provides an insider perspective on London's escalating crime crisis, deteriorating police standards, recruitment challenges, and the structural problems threatening the complete collapse of effective policing.
- London's Deteriorating Safety and Crime Underreporting
- Disillusionment and Impossible Workload Driving Officers Away
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Renowned historians Nigel Biggar and Robert Tombs discuss the current state of history education in Britain, arguing that young people are being taught a fragmented, ideologically partisan narrative focused on Britain's failures while ignoring its achievements. They explore the British Empire's complex legacy, examining both its humanitarian accomplishments and moral failings, and make the case for teaching a more complete, balanced understanding of the past to foster patriotism and national cohesion.
- The Crisis in History Education: Fragmented Knowledge and Missing Context
- Postmodernism and Ideological Capture: History as Stories We Choose
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This episode of 'Off the Fence' covers several major stories: civil servants triggered by English and British flags leading to council injunctions against flag displays, Trump's Iran war becoming increasingly unpopular ahead of midterms, Cambridge University hiring a former Hizb ut-Tahrir member in their education department, and Meta settling for $18 billion over child safety concerns while potentially introducing digital ID requirements for internet access.
- Civil Servants Triggered by British Flags
- Trump's Iran War and Midterm Troubles
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Nathan Kofnas, a philosopher of biology specializing in evolutionary theory and human population differences, discusses his role in exposing Jason Arday's plagiarism and the broader implications of what he calls 'hereditarianism'—the view that genetic differences significantly contribute to IQ variations between racial groups. The conversation explores his controversial research, the media backlash he's faced, his views on DEI policies, and why he believes accepting group differences is necessary to combat wokeism.
- Nathan's Academic Background and Early Controversies
- The Jason Arday Affair: Plagiarism and Institutional Cover-Up
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Simon Sebag Montefiore discusses his comprehensive history of the modern Middle East, tracing 120 years of conflict, empire collapse, and nation-building. The conversation covers the Ottoman Empire's fall, British and French mandates, the creation of modern states including Turkey and Israel, the role of key figures like the Grand Mufti and various monarchs, and Iran's transformation from the Shah to the Islamic Republic. Montefiore emphasizes the importance of understanding this complex history objectively, highlighting how multiple identities, broken promises, and extremist radicalization have shaped the region's ongoing conflicts.
- The Ottoman Empire's Twilight and the Myth of Tolerance
- The Creation of Modern Turkey: A Forgotten Parallel to Israel
Woke is Back and It's Worse Than Before
Aug 21, 2026Summary Preview
A roundtable discussion featuring Constantine Kisin, Francis Foster, Winston Marshall, and Tom Slater covering three major stories: the tragic death of Cambridge academic Jason Ardy and the subsequent media fallout, the UK government's controversial leaflets on illegal immigration and foreign nationals accessing benefits, and the rise of conspiratorial thinking on the American right exemplified by Candace Owens.
- Jason Ardy: The Fallout from Fantasy
- The Home Office Rape Leaflet: Teaching the Obvious
The Warning Signs Britain Ignored - Colin Brazier
Aug 19, 2026Summary Preview
Colin Brazier, GB News presenter and former Sky News journalist, discusses his journey through British media, growing up in Bradford, and his deep concerns about Britain's future. The conversation covers segregation and Islamism in British cities, the decline of mainstream media, demographic challenges facing Britain, the changing political landscape, and the critical importance of family formation. Brazier offers an unflinching perspective shaped by personal tragedy, his Catholic faith, and his working-class Yorkshire roots.
- Growing Up in Bradford: A Warning Sign
- Personal Journey: Tragedy, Faith, and Voice
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Historian Dan Snow explores the rise and fall of the British Empire, examining why a small island off the coast of Europe became the world's largest empire between 1700-1922. The conversation covers geographical advantages, technological innovations, the Industrial Revolution, colonial expansion, the slave trade, the loss of America, the conquest of India, and the empire's enduring legacy on language, democracy, and global capitalism.
- Geography and the Seeds of Empire
- Early Colonial Competition and Ireland
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Royal biographer Robert Hardman joins Trigonometry to discuss Queen Elizabeth II's remarkable 70-year reign, the monarchy's essential role in British society, and the institution's future challenges. The conversation explores the royal family's soft power influence, the transition from empire to Commonwealth, recent controversies involving Prince Andrew and Prince Harry, and why constitutional monarchy continues to work despite its seemingly irrational nature.
- The Monarchy's Enduring Power and Stability
- Soft Power and the Royal Advantage
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Former British Army Colonel Hamish Bretton-Gordon discusses the critical state of Britain's military readiness, the transformation of modern warfare through drone technology in Ukraine, and emerging threats from biological weapons and Russian hybrid warfare. Drawing from his 23 years of military service and extensive experience in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan, he analyzes recruitment challenges, procurement issues, and the future of tank warfare while advocating for increased defense spending to match evolving threats.
- Britain's Military Decline and Funding Crisis
- Morale Crisis and Recruitment Failures
Special Message from the Office of Approved Opinions Regarding the Ceuta Incident - Konstantin Kisin
Aug 03, 2026Summary Preview
This satirical piece delivers a sharp critique of European immigration policy and media narratives through a mock 'Office of Approved Opinions' fact-check about the Ceuta incident, where over 60,000 migrants entered the Spanish city from Morocco. Using dark humor and irony, it dissects official responses to mass immigration, highlighting contradictions in progressive talking points and government policies while mocking the tendency to dismiss legitimate concerns as misinformation.
- Introduction to the Ceuta Incident
- False Claim One: Border Breach Technicality