We’re not waiting for the next crisis.
We’re going on offense for democracy.
EP 1 Premiering Nov 19
On Offense is a weekly podcast and publication that equips people to fight authoritarianism in America—with the tools, stories, and strategies that break through propaganda and inspire action. Through deep, unflinching conversations, On Offense examines how we got here, what it will take to get out, and how history informs the fight for democracy today.
As a veteran, I refuse to stay silent or passive while the democracy and rights I fought for are attacked from within our own government.
What does it mean to go On Offense?
We’re equipping a multiracial, multi-generational, pro-democracy movement with the tools to fight for a better future, to take on authoritarians and fascists—from your local hate group, to out-of-control federal agents, governments to Congress and the White House.
On Offense brings together frontline organizers, veterans, academics, journalists, and everyday Americans who refuse to be passive observers.
We investigate threats to our democratic foundations and rules-based order, confront abuses of power, and impose legal, social, and economic costs on authoritarians—wherever existing systems fail to do so.
The 5 Alarm Fire
Under the Trump administration the rule of law is being systematically eroded, court orders are defied, judges delegitimized, and due process ignored. Immigration enforcement has intensified to the point where even U.S. citizens are being wrongly detained or deported, while legal residents and activists are targeted for their political views. Plainclothes agents in masks are snatching college students off the street and in a chilling escalation, the administration has invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport migrants, including innocent people mistakenly caught in enforcement sweeps, now held indefinitely in a notorious maximum-security prison in El Salvador.
Major law firms, universities and other institutions are capitulating to government pressure, striking deals under duress and silencing dissent to avoid financial retaliation. Cultural centers are being attacked for presenting evidence-based history deemed “divisive” by the White House. Meanwhile, the administration has cracked down on press freedoms, even ejecting the Associated Press for refusing to comply with propagandistic language.
Across the country, the warning signs are coming into sharper focus. We see the erosion of trust in democratic institutions, as courts, the press, and election systems are attacked as corrupt or illegitimate. We see political violence normalized as the language of enemies and traitors replaces the language of fellow citizens. There is an increasing use of state power to punish dissent: attempts to criminalize protest, ban books, silence journalists, and weaponize the machinery of government against political opponents.
The rise of authoritarianism doesn’t always look like marching boots or midnight raids.
On Offense is a Free Newsletter
Subscribe & Go On Offense
At On Offense, I don’t just report on extremism—I give you strategies to fight it. Subscribe on Substack to get investigative insights, political analysis, and calls to action in your inbox. You’ll also get invites to join the paid-subscriber community, where we workshop ideas and build power together.
Organize Locally
Whether you’re new to activism or a seasoned organizer, On Offense is your launchpad for local action. You’ll find practical guides for starting an antifascist book club, forming a street team to counter propaganda, and building a community response to organized hate.
These resources were developed by Task Force Butler Institute and Veterans Fighting Fascism—nonprofits I founded to support community-based organizing. While On Offense is an independent project, I encourage you to use and share these free tools. You don’t need to be a veteran to get involved—just ready to take action.
The Podcast: On Offense with Kris Goldsmith
This isn’t a politically neutral podcast. On Offense is where I break down the latest in American authoritarianism, interview the people fighting back, and bring in historians and scholars of fascist movements to help us understand what to expect—and what successful resistance looks like. I also share what I’ve learned after years of organizing, investigating, and countering extremism.
New episodes drop weekly on the VALOR Media Network YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your shows.
About Kristofer Goldsmith
I’m an Iraq War veteran, antifascist investigator, and the founder of Task Force Butler and Veterans Fighting Fascism. I’ve spent the last decade tracking and exposing disinformation, investigating fascist groups and public officials who enable them, and helping communities fight back.
My work has informed federal policy and appeared in major media outlets like The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and the Washington Post. You might’ve seen me in the documentary Against All Enemies, or heard me co-hosting the Find Out Podcast. I also hold a degree in Political Science with Honors from Columbia University, and run a consulting firm that helps governments and nonprofits counter extremism and protect democracy.
On Offense is where I take this work further than nonprofits can—sharing what I’ve learned, giving people tools to organize locally, and building a pro-democracy media platform for the long haul.
