Rick Gates is a former aide to the Trump campaign who is best known for being charged with money laundering as part of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into ties between the campaign and Russia. In 2018, Gates pled guilty to lying to investigators and became a cooperator by helping the investigation that led to the convictions of Paul Manafort, President Trump’s former campaign manager, and Roger Stone, his longtime advisor. In this episode of the Braver Angels Podcast, Ciaran presses Rick on his role in Manafort’s criminal financial schemes, his turn as star witness, and how he feels about President Trump now. They also discuss Rick’s lessons learned — and how the country might come together in the wake of the upcoming election.
‘Braver Angels really helped me to see the humanity in people from the other side’: One high schooler’s journey to better political conversations
06/18/2026
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A native of Boulder, Colorado, Mia didn’t know many Trump supporters—and she was nervous to engage with them. “I was like, ‘Don’t they hate women? Don’t they hate black people?’” she said. “That was my initial belief because that’s what I had heard about people who voted for Trump.” But she quickly realized she was wrong. During the first Braver Lens session, Mia was able to connect with conservatives in the group and recognize their points of commonality. “When we met, they showed their pictures, and explained their life stories, and I was able to see where our values overlap,” she said.
