In Episode 1872 of the No Agenda Show, hosts Adam Curry and John C. Dvorak dissect NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman's $20 billion pitch for a permanent moon base and the concept of a 'lunar economy.' Broadcasting from the Texas Hill Country and Refinery Row on May 28, 2026, the hosts challenge mainstream media's amplification of the plan, questioning its practicality amid pressing earthly concerns.
Curry expressed skepticism about Isaacman's vision, which includes helium-3 mining and quantum computing fuel sourced from the moon. 'Open the Straits, give me $3 gas, then we can talk about moon stuff,' Curry said, adding, 'It's gonna be all the lunar economy.' Dvorak offered a contrasting prediction: 'Nothing blows up, nothing happens. Yak yak yak. They're gonna talk talk talk. Send a couple of robots up there, and one of them will stop working.' This exchange encapsulates the show's media deconstruction approach, which examines how news outlets frame stories and what narratives they prioritize.
The episode also covers Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's awkward White House press briefing, President Trump's twelfth televised cabinet meeting, and the rollout of the Trump Account savings app. Other topics include the third Ebola media cycle in two years, with CDC acting director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya requesting airport screening volunteers ahead of the FIFA World Cup; teen takeover crackdowns in Polk County, Florida and Chicago, including proposals to charge parents; and Ferrari's all-electric Luce, co-designed with Jony Ive.
Beyond space policy, the hosts delve into Marco Rubio's report on 20 third-country deportation agreements, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin's clawback of $29 billion in late-Biden disbursements—including a contested $2 billion grant tied to Stacey Abrams—and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum's claim of $4 billion in new lease sale revenue from the Permian, Bakken, and Alaska's North Slope. Curry also reviews 'Young Washington' by Wonder Network, analyzes the Texas Senate runoff, and notes a Sydney drone-show glitch as a potential attack vector.
The hosts' skepticism about the lunar economy highlights a broader media narrative: while NASA promotes ambitious space projects, many Americans remain focused on immediate economic and security issues. The episode underscores the challenge of selling a high-cost, long-term vision to a public grappling with inflation, energy prices, and geopolitical tensions.
No Agenda is a listener-supported podcast known for its independent, skeptical analysis of media and politics. Episode 1872 is available now wherever podcasts are heard.
