In a conversation between Rick Rosner and Scott Douglas Jacobsen, the two explore concerns about America’s trajectory under Donald Trump’s second term, with J.D. Vance positioned as a potential successor. Jacobsen, reflecting on his recent trip to New York City for the UN Commission on the Status of Women, describes a shared unease among activists about traveling in the United States due to fears of detention, surveillance, and harassment. They discuss the influence of religious nationalism, anti-science sentiment, and foreign interference, alongside the generational divide fueling political extremism. Jacobsen warns of ideological entrenchment that could impact democracy for years.