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Trump wants $95 billion more for his Iran war while oil giants cash in — and DNI pick Jay Clayton confesses to victimizing Epstein's victims. In this episode: • Hegseth testifies war money runs dry by August 1 — demands $87 to $95 billion more on top of a nearly $1 trillion budget • Hegseth admits $37.7 billion already spent, then warns we're low on ammo on camera • US bombing hits civilian desalination systems — 10,000 Iranians without drinking water • Oil near $90 a barrel, gas near $4 — Chevron, Exxon, ConocoPhillips feast while Hormuz stays shut • Jay Clayton clears committee 9–8 for Director of National Intelligence after he spilled Epstein victims' names, addresses, and photos • Clayton won't say Biden won 2020 — and shrugs at Tulsi helping seize Fulton County ballots • Tillis and Cornyn freeze Todd Blanche's Attorney General path after Epstein survivor meeting left victims more traumatized • Cornyn holds Kari Lake and Mastriano ambassadorships hostage over PEPFAR AIDS funding — Lancet warns 14 million dead if cuts stand, one third children • Ed Martin's pardon office ignores nearly 6,000 pleas for clemency so he can free Trump donors and Clean Air Act polluters • Sunny Hostin's Harvard grad son handcuffed jogging in New Rochelle Key figures covered: Donald Trump, Pete Hegseth, Jay Clayton, Todd Blanche, Thom Tillis, Jon Cornyn, Kari Lake, Ed Martin, Kash Patel, Chelsi "Sunny" Hostin Subscribe for live shows Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday at 6:05 PM Eastern. Recorded live on the David Feldman Show July 21, 2026 #IranWar #EpsteinFiles #ToddBlanche #PeteHegseth #Trump #JayClayton #PEPFAR #WarSupplemental #OilPrices #DavidFeldmanShow
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche met with several Jeffrey Epstein survivors at the Justice Department as his confirmation vote remained uncertain in the Senate. Afterward, Annie Farmer said the meeting strengthened her belief that senators should reject his nomination, describing Blanche as abrasive, condescending and deliberately noncommittal. Farmer said Blanche would not promise to investigate why the FBI ignored her sister Maria Farmer's 1996 complaint, believed to be the first known federal report accusing Epstein of sexually exploiting minors. She also accused Blanche of refusing to accept responsibility for failures under his leadership, withholding documents related to charging decisions and providing an unsatisfactory explanation for his previous meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell.Blanche characterized the meeting as productive and said he encouraged survivors to provide any information that could support new prosecutions, although he acknowledged that they did not present new evidence during the discussion. The meeting occurred after Republican Sen. Thom Tillis said he would not support moving Blanche's nomination out of the Senate Judiciary Committee until Blanche personally met with Epstein's victims. Survivor Dani Bensky had testified that Blanche repeatedly failed to respond to her requests for a meeting, while Blanche initially gave conflicting answers about whether he could meet directly with represented survivors. Tillis said he was trying to support the nomination, but made clear that Blanche's treatment of the survivors would be an important factor in securing his vote.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Epstein survivor says acting AG Blanche was 'abrasive, condescending' during meeting - ABC News
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche met with several Jeffrey Epstein survivors at the Justice Department as his confirmation vote remained uncertain in the Senate. Afterward, Annie Farmer said the meeting strengthened her belief that senators should reject his nomination, describing Blanche as abrasive, condescending and deliberately noncommittal. Farmer said Blanche would not promise to investigate why the FBI ignored her sister Maria Farmer's 1996 complaint, believed to be the first known federal report accusing Epstein of sexually exploiting minors. She also accused Blanche of refusing to accept responsibility for failures under his leadership, withholding documents related to charging decisions and providing an unsatisfactory explanation for his previous meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell.Blanche characterized the meeting as productive and said he encouraged survivors to provide any information that could support new prosecutions, although he acknowledged that they did not present new evidence during the discussion. The meeting occurred after Republican Sen. Thom Tillis said he would not support moving Blanche's nomination out of the Senate Judiciary Committee until Blanche personally met with Epstein's victims. Survivor Dani Bensky had testified that Blanche repeatedly failed to respond to her requests for a meeting, while Blanche initially gave conflicting answers about whether he could meet directly with represented survivors. Tillis said he was trying to support the nomination, but made clear that Blanche's treatment of the survivors would be an important factor in securing his vote.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Epstein survivor says acting AG Blanche was 'abrasive, condescending' during meeting - ABC NewsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-moscow-murders-and-more--5852883/support.
July 18, 2026, 8 AM; Senators Thom Tillis and John Cornyn continue to question whether the DOJ's controversial $1.776 billion "anti-weaponization" initiative is truly "dead," as Blanche has claimed. Blanche also met with Jeffrey Epstein survivors after Sen. Tillis made it a condition for Blanche to get his vote. Glenn Thrush and Ankush Khardori join The Weekend to discuss the latest on Blanche's confirmation hearing. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Today's Headlines: Trump's Big Boy speech was overhyped, overproduced, and deeply disappointing — with NBC and ABC refusing to air it. In true Donald fashion, he threatened to shut down both networks and the content itself were his greatest hits of repeatedly disproven 2020 election claims delivered at an off-pace that makes more sense now that we know his teleprompter operator was placed on leave for making $100,000 on Kalshi bets predicting the content of Trump's speeches — a guy who has operated Trump's teleprompter since 2016, personally takes his last-minute edits, and was questioned about how the January 6th speech came together. The actual upshot of the speech is that the administration plans to release thousands of declassified 2020 election documents and send letters to states they suspect of malfeasance, giving themselves cover to deploy election monitors and potentially troops in November. Meanwhile, Todd Blanche reluctantly met with Epstein survivors after Republican Senator Thom Tillis threatened to withhold his confirmation vote unless he did — survivor Liz Stein called it a box-checking exercise that had "absolutely nothing to do with them," Tillis immediately tweeted his commendation, and Blanche's confirmation is now essentially assured, which is the least surprising outcome imaginable. In a surprising shift, a hundred House Democrats — a third of the caucus — voted to cut off military aid to Israel, up significantly from 37 last time, right after California congressman Ro Khanna was detained for over an hour by armed Israeli settlers and soldiers in the West Bank and released only after contacting the US embassy, with Ambassador Mike Huckabee calling it a stunt. In other news, the cyclosporiasis parasite outbreak has been traced to shredded iceberg lettuce at Taco Bell supplied by Taylor Farms across five states, with over 5,000 cases and 4,000 in Michigan alone. The Treasury's top tax policy official was pushed out after raising concerns that a White House request could violate IRS law carrying a five-year prison sentence — following the law cost him his job, which is exactly why the law exists. And eleven Republican lawmakers sent a formal letter to the WNBA demanding accountability for "racially motivated" attacks against Caitlin Clark, because weaponizing women's sports never goes out of style. Resources/Articles mentioned: CNN: Live updates: Trump delivers speech, claims declassified documents show US election vulnerabilities ABC News: White House teleprompter operator made more than $100K betting on Trump's speeches: Sources WSJ: Authorities Link Parasitic Outbreak to Taylor Farms Lettuce Supplied to Taco Bell CNN: Todd Blanche holds tense meeting with Epstein survivors after key GOP senator's ultimatum ESPN: In letter, lawmakers seek 'accountability' from WNBA on Clark Axios: Measure to cut Israel aid fails in bipartisan House vote The Hill: Khanna accuses Israeli military of ‘lying' about West Bank incident that led to detainment WSJ: Top Treasury Tax Official Ousted After Clashes With White House Over IRS Audits Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
North Carolina Republican Thom Tillis is now threatening to block the nomination unless Blanche meets personally with survivors within a day or two. The committee splits 11 Republicans to 10 Democrats, so a single Republican no vote stops it from reaching the floor, and Tillis says the earliest vote is roughly two weeks out. John Cornyn has separately voiced concerns over the settlement fund. Hawk is skeptical either will follow through. Bensky's testimony covers the January release of Epstein files in which, despite assurances about protecting identities, hundreds of victims were reportedly named and some addresses left unredacted. Hawk contrasts Blanche making time for two days with Ghislaine Maxwell, and her subsequent transfer to a minimum security facility, against never responding to a survivor. SUPPORT & CONNECT WITH HAWK- Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mdg650hawk - Hawk's Merch Store: https://hawkmerchstore.com - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mdg650hawk7thacct - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hawkeyewhackamole - Connect on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mdg650hawk.bsky.social - Connect on Substack: https://mdg650hawk.substack.com - Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hawkpodcasts - Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mdg650hawk - Connect on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mdg650hawk ALL HAWK PODCASTS INFO- Additional Content Available Here: https://www.hawkpodcasts.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@hawkpodcasts- Listen to Hawk Podcasts On Your Favorite Platform:Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3RWeJfyApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/422GDuLYouTube: https://youtube.com/@hawkpodcastsiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/47vVBdPPandora: https://bit.ly/48COaTB
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche met with several Jeffrey Epstein survivors at the Justice Department as his confirmation vote remained uncertain in the Senate. Afterward, Annie Farmer said the meeting strengthened her belief that senators should reject his nomination, describing Blanche as abrasive, condescending and deliberately noncommittal. Farmer said Blanche would not promise to investigate why the FBI ignored her sister Maria Farmer's 1996 complaint, believed to be the first known federal report accusing Epstein of sexually exploiting minors. She also accused Blanche of refusing to accept responsibility for failures under his leadership, withholding documents related to charging decisions and providing an unsatisfactory explanation for his previous meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell.Blanche characterized the meeting as productive and said he encouraged survivors to provide any information that could support new prosecutions, although he acknowledged that they did not present new evidence during the discussion. The meeting occurred after Republican Sen. Thom Tillis said he would not support moving Blanche's nomination out of the Senate Judiciary Committee until Blanche personally met with Epstein's victims. Survivor Dani Bensky had testified that Blanche repeatedly failed to respond to her requests for a meeting, while Blanche initially gave conflicting answers about whether he could meet directly with represented survivors. Tillis said he was trying to support the nomination, but made clear that Blanche's treatment of the survivors would be an important factor in securing his vote.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Epstein survivor says acting AG Blanche was 'abrasive, condescending' during meeting - ABC NewsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.
Host Charlie James reacts to The View co-host Sunny Hostin critiquing the appointment of Senator Darlene Graham to fill her late brother Lindsey Graham's vacant seat, with Hostin calling it a "DEI" move. James dismisses her comments, noting the upcoming heavily attended funeral services scheduled for Lindsey Graham across Washington D.C., Columbia, and Pickens County. Turning to the legislative battle over the Save America Act, James heavily criticizes North Carolina Senator Tom Tillis for opposing the bill under the pretense that it cannot be quickly implemented. A caller named Roger joins the show to discuss upcoming candidates for the South Carolina special primary, such as Mark Lynch and Ralph Norman, leading James to emphasize that the ultimate goal must be electing a candidate who can defeat the Democratic challenger, Dr. Annie Andrews.
Two men audition for permanent top level roles in the Trump administration. Could enough wavering Republicans deny the nominations? Plus, the mayor of Philadelphia accuses the Trump administration of trying to erase history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Chuck Todd opens with the news that Trump is planning a primetime address to push election denialism, and uses it as a lens to examine how thoroughly fealty to the 2020 fraud lie has become the price of admission in Trump's Washington. He argues Todd Blanche should have no place in the Department of Justice, that he failed his test under questioning from John Cornyn, and that the weaponization fund could become the red line that finally moves Collins, Tillis, and Cornyn — because an inability to confirm Blanche would be a clear sign of Trump's weakening grip on the GOP. He points to the surreal spectacle of Jay Clayton refusing to answer Jon Ossoff's simple question of who won the 2020 election, looking like a ridiculous sycophant in the process, and to Trump endorsing MyPillow's Mike Lindell — the single biggest election conspiracy theorist in the country, a man who's lost every court case and been forced to pay $5 million over his false claims. He reminds listeners that it was Trump's own appointees who ran election security in 2020, that every major election denier from Giuliani on down has been forced to retract in court, and that Georgia's full hand recount matched the machines exactly — the only real constant in Trumpworld is that any outcome Trump dislikes gets branded fraud. He then turns to the mounting deaths during ICE encounters, arguing the violence isn't an anomaly but an entirely predictable consequence of an agency whose culture has been deliberately reshaped: DHS recruited candidates with violent psychological profiles using white nationalist slogans, imposed quotas that put officers under enormous stress, and pushed them into vehicle stops that former officials admit ICE has no experience conducting. In two fatal shootings the men killed weren't even the targets, witnesses have disputed the DHS account, there's no body cam footage, and Chuck argues DHS has zero credibility, even as Trump clearly wants the theater and the violent confrontations. On Iran, Chuck is blunt that having less leverage than before the war started is simply what losing a war looks like: the administration badly underestimated Iran's willingness to close the Strait of Hormuz, Iran deliberately decentralized its regime to survive decapitation strikes, and after three failed military strategies in five months, Trump has spent the entire war negotiating against himself — meaning the best America can now hope for is a managed stalemate, because Iran can't beat the U.S. military, it just has to wait out an increasingly impatient Trump. He closes on a lighter note with the House passing a bill to make daylight saving time permanent, offering the contrarian reminder that the public always wants permanent DST until they actually get it — kids forced to go to school in pitch darkness, and the simple reality that what's good for you in the evening is bad for someone else in the morning. Finally, Chuck presents his ToddCast Top 5 list of professional athletes best positioned to run for political office and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. From the opening whistle to the final kick. Bet on a match and get bonus bets for every goal scored at Fanduel.com Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 03:00 Trump planning primetime address to push election denialism 04:15 Todd Blanche should have no place in the Department of Justice 05:00 Blanche failed the test when questioned by John Cornyn 05:30 Weaponization fund could be the red line for Collins, Tillis and Cornyn 07:00 Inability to confirm Blanche would show Trump’s weakening grip on GOP 08:15 John Ossoff asked simple question Jay Clayton wouldn’t answer 09:00 Clayton refused to answer “who won the 2020 election?” 09:30 You must agree with election denialism to work for Trump 10:30 Clayton looked like a ridiculous sycophant 12:00 Administration convinced deportations will help in midterms 12:30 Trump is completely misreading the situation, but nobody will tell him 13:15 Trump gives his endorsement to Mike Lindell from MyPillow 13:45 Trump supporting biggest election conspiracy theorist in the country* 14:30 Lindell was forced to pay $5 million due to his false claims 15:15 Lindell has lost every time his claims ended up in court 15:45 Lindell is a lunatic 16:45 The only constant for Trump is “it’s fraud” if he doesn’t get his way 17:30 It was Trump appointees who ran election security in 2020 18:15 The election fraud claims from Trumpworld kept changing 19:15 Guliani was forced to refute his election denial in court 20:00 Every election denier has had to retract in a court of law 21:15 Georgia conducted a full recount and it matched the machines 23:00 Multiple deaths have occurred during encounters with ICE 24:00 In the two shootings the men killed were not the targets of the operation 24:45 Witnesses have challenged DHS account & there’s no body cam footage 25:15 DHS has no credibility, can’t trust their account of events 26:00 ICE announced they have paused most vehicle stops nationwide 28:00 Trump wants the theater with ICE, he wants violent confrontations* 29:30 The violence isn’t an anomaly, it’s entirely predictable 30:00 DHS’s recruiting for ICE has changed the culture of the organization 31:00 ICE targeted candidates with a violent psychological profile 32:15 ICE used white nationalist slogans in recruitment ads 34:00 The culture of ICE promotes violent confrontation 34:45 Administration’s quotas has put officers under stress 36:45 Former ICE officials admit the agency doesn’t have experience for vehicle stops 37:30 Tragedy isn’t a risk under these circumstances… it’s a guarantee 38:15 Federal law enforcement has turned into a theater of dominance 39:00 ICE set itself up for a war… and we’re seeing the consequences 39:45 Iran has more leverage than before the war… that’s called losing 40:15 Houthis may close another chokepoint 41:15 The U.S. military always knew the Strait of Hormuz was the ballgame 41:45 Administration underestimated Iran’s willingness to close the Strait 42:30 Iran set up the regime to be decentralized in case of decapitation strikes 43:15 We’ve tried 3 major military strategies in 5 months & none worked 44:30 Trump has negotiated against himself for the entire war 46:00 This has now become a fight over leverage 47:00 Every week the war grinds on, the more unpopular it becomes 47:30 Iran can’t beat the U.S. military, they just need to wait out Trump 48:15 The best we can hope for is a managed stalemate 48:45 House passed a bill to make daylight savings time permanent 49:45 The public always wants permanent daylight savings, until they get it 50:15 Kids are forced to get to school in the dark, results in deaths 51:30 What’s good for you in the evening is bad for someone else in the morning 57:00 ToddCast Top 5 American athletes that could transition to politics 1:01:00 #5 Travis Kelce 1:02:15 #4 Paul Skenes 1:03:15 #3 Patrick Mahomes 1:04:00 #2 Steph Curry 1:05:00 #1 Caitlin Clark 1:08:15 Ask Chuck 1:08:30 Favorite old 40s and 50s films? 1:14:45 Your work made a real difference in my life 1:16:15 Are there any states where a congressperson could do what Farage did in UK? 1:19:45 Why don’t presidential campaigns create buzz around VP selection? 1:24:15 What signs would show us we’re turning the corner on this divisive era?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd opens with the news that Trump is planning a primetime address to push election denialism, and uses it as a lens to examine how thoroughly fealty to the 2020 fraud lie has become the price of admission in Trump's Washington. He argues Todd Blanche should have no place in the Department of Justice, that he failed his test under questioning from John Cornyn, and that the weaponization fund could become the red line that finally moves Collins, Tillis, and Cornyn — because an inability to confirm Blanche would be a clear sign of Trump's weakening grip on the GOP. He points to the surreal spectacle of Jay Clayton refusing to answer Jon Ossoff's simple question of who won the 2020 election, looking like a ridiculous sycophant in the process, and to Trump endorsing MyPillow's Mike Lindell — the single biggest election conspiracy theorist in the country, a man who's lost every court case and been forced to pay $5 million over his false claims. He reminds listeners that it was Trump's own appointees who ran election security in 2020, that every major election denier from Giuliani on down has been forced to retract in court, and that Georgia's full hand recount matched the machines exactly — the only real constant in Trumpworld is that any outcome Trump dislikes gets branded fraud. He then turns to the mounting deaths during ICE encounters, arguing the violence isn't an anomaly but an entirely predictable consequence of an agency whose culture has been deliberately reshaped: DHS recruited candidates with violent psychological profiles using white nationalist slogans, imposed quotas that put officers under enormous stress, and pushed them into vehicle stops that former officials admit ICE has no experience conducting. In two fatal shootings the men killed weren't even the targets, witnesses have disputed the DHS account, there's no body cam footage, and Chuck argues DHS has zero credibility, even as Trump clearly wants the theater and the violent confrontations. On Iran, Chuck is blunt that having less leverage than before the war started is simply what losing a war looks like: the administration badly underestimated Iran's willingness to close the Strait of Hormuz, Iran deliberately decentralized its regime to survive decapitation strikes, and after three failed military strategies in five months, Trump has spent the entire war negotiating against himself — meaning the best America can now hope for is a managed stalemate, because Iran can't beat the U.S. military, it just has to wait out an increasingly impatient Trump. He closes on a lighter note with the House passing a bill to make daylight saving time permanent, offering the contrarian reminder that the public always wants permanent DST until they actually get it — kids forced to go to school in pitch darkness, and the simple reality that what's good for you in the evening is bad for someone else in the morning. Then, John Opdycke — founder and president of Open Primaries, one of the leading organizations pushing to end closed partisan primaries — joins the Chuck Toddcast to make the case that the exclusion of independent voters is one of the great overlooked scandals of American democracy. Opdycke walks through the byzantine patchwork of voter and party registration rules that vary wildly by state, explains why so many independents sit out partisan primaries entirely, and argues that after 30 years of closed primaries the cumulative effect has been a system where the parties function as both the umpires and the players — a structure that simply doesn't work. He makes the bipartisan argument that tax dollars shouldn't fund the private nominating contests of what are essentially private organizations, and is pointedly critical of Democrats for actively fighting open primary initiatives.He notes that policies with 80% public support routinely fail to pass because voters don't actually have a meaningful say. The conversation turns tactical and forward-looking, with Opdycke offering a sober assessment of the broader reform landscape and its persistent failures. He argues the ranked-choice voting movement has made serious tactical errors, that the party in power always fights ranked choice voting, and that the modern reform and independent movement suffers from a fundamental lack of a compelling public face — as well as from philanthropic funders who attach outcome expectations that distort the work. Opdycke is candid that third parties fare poorly in nearly every electoral system, that Ross Perot's Reform Party is now essentially a shell, and that the American people still don't trust the reform movement — but he sees real opportunity in specific fights, particularly mobilizing Florida's independents to change the law and pursuing top-two systems that would genuinely open the door to competition. He notes the striking statistic that 10,000 people per week are changing their voter registration, laments the general lack of curiosity (and polling) about who swing voters actually are, and argues there's meaningful left-right overlap among libertarians that reformers could tap. They explore whether the redistricting wars could create a backlash against the two-party system, why there are only about 25 competitive House districts left, and why several states are now actually moving back toward closed primaries. They close with a clear-eyed take on 2028: the reform movement needs a credible presidential candidate, and with 2028 shaping up to be a wild and unpredictable year, the opening for that kind of disruption may be wider than it's been in decades. Finally, Chuck presents his ToddCast Top 5 list of professional athletes best positioned to run for political office and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. From the opening whistle to the final kick. Bet on a match and get bonus bets for every goal scored at Fanduel.com Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 03:00 Trump planning primetime address to push election denialism 04:15 Todd Blanche should have no place in the Department of Justice 05:00 Blanche failed the test when questioned by John Cornyn 05:30 Weaponization fund could be the red line for Collins, Tillis and Cornyn 07:00 Inability to confirm Blanche would show Trump’s weakening grip on GOP 08:15 John Ossoff asked simple question Jay Clayton wouldn’t answer 09:00 Clayton refused to answer “who won the 2020 election?” 09:30 You must agree with election denialism to work for Trump 10:30 Clayton looked like a ridiculous sycophant 12:00 Administration convinced deportations will help in midterms 12:30 Trump is completely misreading the situation, but nobody will tell him 13:15 Trump gives his endorsement to Mike Lindell from MyPillow 13:45 Trump supporting biggest election conspiracy theorist in the country* 14:30 Lindell was forced to pay $5 million due to his false claims 15:15 Lindell has lost every time his claims ended up in court 15:45 Lindell is a lunatic 16:45 The only constant for Trump is “it’s fraud” if he doesn’t get his way 17:30 It was Trump appointees who ran election security in 2020 18:15 The election fraud claims from Trumpworld kept changing 19:15 Guliani was forced to refute his election denial in court 20:00 Every election denier has had to retract in a court of law 21:15 Georgia conducted a full recount and it matched the machines 23:00 Multiple deaths have occurred during encounters with ICE 24:00 In the two shootings the men killed were not the targets of the operation 24:45 Witnesses have challenged DHS account & there’s no body cam footage 25:15 DHS has no credibility, can’t trust their account of events 26:00 ICE announced they have paused most vehicle stops nationwide 28:00 Trump wants the theater with ICE, he wants violent confrontations* 29:30 The violence isn’t an anomaly, it’s entirely predictable 30:00 DHS’s recruiting for ICE has changed the culture of the organization 31:00 ICE targeted candidates with a violent psychological profile 32:15 ICE used white nationalist slogans in recruitment ads 34:00 The culture of ICE promotes violent confrontation 34:45 Administration’s quotas has put officers under stress 36:45 Former ICE officials admit the agency doesn’t have experience for vehicle stops 37:30 Tragedy isn’t a risk under these circumstances… it’s a guarantee 38:15 Federal law enforcement has turned into a theater of dominance 39:00 ICE set itself up for a war… and we’re seeing the consequences 39:45 Iran has more leverage than before the war… that’s called losing 40:15 Houthis may close another chokepoint 41:15 The U.S. military always knew the Strait of Hormuz was the ballgame 41:45 Administration underestimated Iran’s willingness to close the Strait 42:30 Iran set up the regime to be decentralized in case of decapitation strikes 43:15 We’ve tried 3 major military strategies in 5 months & none worked 44:30 Trump has negotiated against himself for the entire war 46:00 This has now become a fight over leverage 47:00 Every week the war grinds on, the more unpopular it becomes 47:30 Iran can’t beat the U.S. military, they just need to wait out Trump 48:15 The best we can hope for is a managed stalemate 48:45 House passed a bill to make daylight savings time permanent 49:45 The public always wants permanent daylight savings, until they get it 50:15 Kids are forced to get to school in the dark, results in deaths 51:30 What’s good for you in the evening is bad for someone else in the morning 00:00 John Opdycke joins the Chuck ToddCast 59:45 Voter & party registration rules vary greatly by state 1:01:00 Why do so many independents sit out partisan primaries? 1:03:30 NYC Democratic party actively fought open primary initiative 1:05:00 There have been cumulative effects of 30 years of closed primaries 1:06:15 Voter apathy across the board for voting in primaries 1:07:00 Independents showing strong support for Open Primaries 1:08:45 Parties have every right to choose their candidates 1:09:15 Parties now are both the umpires and the players, it doesn’t work 1:11:00 There’s bipartisan arguments for not using tax dollars for private orgs 1:12:15 Why are Democrats fighting against open primaries? 1:14:15 Ross Perot’s Reform Party is basically a shell at this point 1:17:00 Independent voters are incorrectly understood as in the middle 1:17:30 Independents are moderate in temperament, not ideology 1:19:15 Politics post-Clinton/Gingrich designed to keep independents down 1:20:15 The modern reform/independent movement lacks a face 1:21:15 Philanthropic funders come with expectations of outcomes 1:22:15 Ranked choice voting movement has made serious tactical errors 1:24:30 Party in power always fights ranked choice voting 1:26:00 Exclusion of independent voters is a Jim Crow level violation of rights 1:26:30 Policies with 80% support don’t pass, voters don’t have a say 1:28:00 Third parties don’t do well in almost any electoral system 1:29:15 Swing voters are ignored until October 1:29:45 Which states offer best opportunities for a third party? 1:30:30 Independents require the Democrat to drop out in senate races 1:34:00 Could the redistricting wars create backlash to the two party system? 1:34:45 There’s only 25 competitive house district 1:35:30 Leaders in several states now looking to go back to closed primaries 1:36:45 The American people don’t trust the Reform movement 1:38:45 Mobilizing independents in Florida to change the law 1:41:15 There’s left-right overlap amongst the libertarians 1:42:45 There’s a lack of curiosity about independent/swing voters 1:44:45 10,000 people per week change their voter registration 1:45:30 We need a flood of polling and research about independent voters 1:46:45 What does success look like for Open Primaries this year? 1:49:45 A top two system would open up the door to competition 1:51:15 There are fewer “generic” candidates, much more variance 1:53:45 The Reform movement needs a presidential candidate in ‘28 1:57:30 Perot had to scare both parties to get them to make reforms 1:59:00 Have to creative in ‘28, it will be a wild year in politics 2:00:00 Primaries should be open to all voters 2:00:15 ToddCast Top 5 American athletes that could transition to politics 2:04:15 #5 Travis Kelce 2:05:30 #4 Paul Skenes 2:06:30 #3 Patrick Mahomes 2:07:15 #2 Steph Curry 2:08:15 #1 Caitlin Clark 2:11:30 Ask Chuck 2:11:45 Favorite old 40s and 50s films? 2:18:00 Your work made a real difference in my life 2:19:30 Are there any states where a congressperson could do what Farage did in UK? 2:23:00 Why don’t presidential campaigns create buzz around VP selection? 2:27:30 What signs would show us we’re turning the corner on this divisive era?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Good Morning BT with Bo Thompson and Beth Troutman | Thursday, July 16th, 2026. 6:05 Beth’s Song of the Day | Beth's car won't shut off 6:20 Follow up on Beth's car, WBT text line shares Volvo tech issues 6:35 Pres. Trump talks Thursday's address to the Nation 6:50 RAM Biz Update; Princess Bride event coming to Ovens Auditorium 7:05 World Cup Final set: Argentina vs Spain 7:20 Pres. Trump rehashing 2020 election interference claims 7:35 More on Pres. Trump's scheduled national speech | Sen. Tillis comments at AG Blanche confirmation 7:50 "I Play Rocky" Biopic trailer released 8:05 51% of adults read ZERO books a year 8:20 GMBTeam talks Bo's reading habits 8:35 WBT text line talks books 8:50 Guest: David Chadwick - Moments of Hope Church move to Ballantyne 9:05 Guests: Tariq Bokhari and Larken Egleston (R&D with BT) - Recapping Tariq and Larken filling in last week 9:20 Tariq Bokhari and Larken Egleston (R&D with BT) - R&D in for BT recap cont. 9:35 Tariq Bokhari and Larken Egleston (R&D with BT) - Teen takeovers spark new curfew 9:50 Tariq Bokhari and Larken Egleston (R&D with BT) - Pre. Trump's National addressSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tune in here to this Thursday edition of Breaking With Brett Jensen! Breaking Brett Jensen discusses U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis' response to the SAVE America Act. Jensen shares a clip from political commentator Dave Rubin that includes footage of journalist Sara Gonzales confronting Tillis at the U.S. Capitol. Gonzales questions Tillis about his campaign contributions and whether those contributions influenced his vote on the SAVE Act. Later, Jensen details Tillis' campaign contributions and strongly criticizes his response to questions about those contributions and his standing among Republicans in North Carolina. He also discusses the credibility of both Dave Rubin and Sara Gonzales. Listen here for all of this and more on Breaking With Brett Jensen. To be the first to hear about Breaking Brett Jensen's exclusives and more follow him on X @Brett_Jensen!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Aaron McIntire covers ICE's decision to pause most vehicle stops in immigration enforcement operations nationwide after fatal shootings in Texas and Maine, and questions whether it counts as backing down. He breaks down the rare congressional testimony of Supreme Court Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Elena Kagan, who are asking for more security funding after swatting and threat incidents. Senator Chuck Grassley reveals that former special counsel Jack Smith's team secretly accessed the private text messages of 44 lawmakers during the Trump investigations. Aaron also reacts to a viral confrontation between a journalist and Senator Thom Tillis over his vote against the SAVE America Act. He closes with lighter stories on a health investigation into a possible Taco Bell link to a parasite outbreak and a Canadian surrogacy lawsuit making headlines.
This Day in Legal History: The Housing Act of 1949On July 15, 1949, President Harry Truman signed the Housing Act of 1949, a centerpiece of his “Fair Deal” and one of the most ambitious housing laws in American history. Its stated goal was breathtaking in scope: “a decent home and a suitable living environment for every American family.” To get there, the Act poured federal money into public housing construction, expanded federal mortgage insurance, and created the urban renewal program to clear and redevelop so-called “slum” neighborhoods.The Act's legacy is genuinely double-edged, and it's worth telling honestly. On one hand, it expanded homeownership for millions and built hundreds of thousands of units of public housing. On the other, its implementation became one of the great engines of racial segregation in the twentieth century. Urban renewal too often meant bulldozing established Black neighborhoods—critics bitterly renamed it “Negro removal”—and the public housing built in their place was frequently segregated by design and concentrated in already-poor areas. Meanwhile the federal mortgage machinery it fed continued the practice of redlining, steering the benefits of homeownership toward white families and away from Black ones.That mixed legacy is why the Housing Act belongs in a legal-history conversation about civil rights. The same federal government that would, within a few years, order schools desegregated in Brown v. Board of Education was, through its housing policy, actively entrenching residential segregation—and residential segregation is what makes school segregation so durable, because in America where you live largely determines where you go to school. The story of July 15, 1949 is a reminder that the law's effects depend enormously on how it's carried out: a statute promising a decent home for every family became, in practice, a tool that shaped the segregated geography we're still litigating over today.Todd Blanche faced a high-stakes Senate Judiciary Committee hearing today in his bid to become attorney general on a permanent basis. Blanche has been acting attorney general since President Trump fired Pam Bondi in April, and before joining the Justice Department he served as Trump's personal criminal defense lawyer—a background that sits at the center of the concerns about him. The confirmation process exists because the Constitution's Appointments Clause requires the Senate to advise and consent on the nation's top law-enforcement officer, and the attorney general is supposed to serve the United States, not the president personally. That tension drove the questioning: senators pressed Blanche on the Department's $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund, its handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, and its prosecutions of figures perceived as Trump's political enemies, including former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. The significance is about the independence of the Justice Department. An attorney general who was recently the president's private defense attorney raises the question of whether federal prosecutorial power will be wielded neutrally or as an instrument of the president's interests. With a pair of undecided Republicans—Senators Cornyn and Tillis—holding real leverage, the hearing was Blanche's chance to reassure a narrowly divided Senate, and most observers still expect him to be confirmed by a slim margin.Blanche to face Senate grilling in bid to be Trump's attorney general | ReutersTwo U.S.-based advocacy groups have sued the Trump administration, arguing that its sanctions targeting the International Criminal Court violate the First Amendment. The groups—Democracy for the Arab World Now and the Taxpayer Alliance Against Genocide—are challenging the February 2025 executive order under which the administration has sanctioned ICC judges, prosecutors, and Palestinian human rights organizations, and which officials pledged this week to expand. The free-speech theory is the key. The plaintiffs say the sanctions regime is so broad that they have stopped doing constitutionally protected things—filing submissions with the ICC and coordinating advocacy with sanctioned people, like the U.N. special rapporteur for Palestine—out of fear that doing so could expose them to fines or even prison. In First Amendment law, that's a classic “chilling effect”: when a law is vague or sweeping enough that people self-censor protected speech to avoid the risk of penalty, the law itself can be unconstitutional even before anyone is actually punished. There's notable precedent here: a similar Trump order in 2020 was blocked by a judge who found it likely violated the First Amendment, before the Biden administration rescinded it in 2021. The significance is a direct clash between the executive's broad power over foreign affairs and sanctions on one side, and Americans' right to speak, associate, and petition on the other. Three ICC judges have separately sued over the same sanctions, so this order is now being attacked on multiple fronts.Trump's ICC order violates free speech, advocacy groups say in lawsuit | ReutersA federal appeals court has ended more than sixty years of federal oversight of the Concordia Parish School Board in Louisiana, lifting one of the desegregation orders that dates back to the Civil Rights era. The Fifth Circuit's decision hands a win to the Trump administration, which has pushed to wind down these long-running cases—a striking reversal for a Justice Department that spent decades on the other side, fighting to enforce them. Here's the legal framework. After Brown v. Board of Education, hundreds of Southern school districts were placed under federal court supervision and ordered to dismantle segregation. A district can be released from that oversight when a court finds it has achieved “unitary status”—meaning it has eliminated the vestiges of segregation, to the extent practicable, in areas like student assignment, faculty hiring, facilities, and discipline. The dispute in cases like this one is whether that's really been accomplished. Louisiana officials argue the orders are relics of a bygone era and no longer needed. Civil rights advocates and some parents counter that the vestiges persist—in racial disparities in student discipline, access to advanced academic programs, and teacher hiring—and that lifting oversight removes a crucial tool for addressing them. The significance is part of a broader push to close out Civil Rights-era decrees, and it raises a hard question: whether these districts have genuinely outgrown the need for supervision, or whether ending it prematurely risks letting old patterns quietly reassert themselves.Appeals court ends US oversight of Louisiana school system related to desegregation mandate | Reuters This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe
During the third hour of The Charlie James Show, host Charlie James addresses critical national and state political issues with an active call-in audience. The program highlights the House passing a bill to make daylight saving time permanent, leading to a vibrant phone discussion where a caller notes that changing the clocks does not physical alter the sun's movement. The focus then shifts to the ongoing South Carolina budget standoff, where the House's push for local earmarks conflicts with the Senate's fiscal conservatism. James and his callers heavily criticize establishment politicians, drawing attention to an intense confrontation where Senator Tom Tillis defended a corporate construction and labor lobby over the guidelines of the Save America Act. Finally, the program concludes with an enthusiastic proposal from South Carolina voters suggesting that the House should re-introduce and rename the Save America Act to honor the late Senator Lindsey Graham, dares local lawmakers to oppose it.
The segment opens with host Charlie James reviewing dynamic and complex procedural regulations tied to South Carolina's special election calendar. Moving to a national focus, a video clip from Fox News features Senator John Thune, the Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, discussing his previous work on several reconciliation and defense funding bills that successfully passed through the Senate. Transitioning to other national legislative efforts, James reports on the House of Representatives advancing the Save America Act, but strongly criticizes establishment politicians, including Senator Tom Tillis, for pushing back against the bill. James details a confrontation where Tillis defended corporate and specialized labor lobby groups over the bill's criteria, which James frames as an outright betrayal of voter interests.
Chris Cillizza and Chuck Todd open on a jolting weekend in politics: the sudden death of Lindsey Graham and the frantic — and faintly unseemly — scramble to replace him. Rather than relitigate Graham through the usual partisan lens, the guys argue that his loss, alongside the coming departures of Cornyn, Tillis, Cassidy, Durbin and others, amounts to a gutting of the Senate's dealmaking center, and they lay out their favorite framework for understanding him: the difference between "ideologues" and "politicians," and why the politicians are the ones who actually get things passed. They break down the near-term fallout for Trump, who just lost his most effective back-channel to skeptical senators and to Ukraine, and handicap the wide-open South Carolina race — from Henry McMaster's likely caretaker appointment to a crowded August primary featuring Pamela Evette, Nancy Mace, and a possible Trey Gowdy compromise play. From there it's on to two health stories the news cycle nearly buried — the mystery around Mitch McConnell's fall, pneumonia and rehab stay, and Trump's latest Walter Reed cognitive test — before a deep dive into Maine, where Susan Collins suddenly has no opponent after Graham Platner's exit and seven Democrats will fight it out at a 600-person nominating convention. Chuck and Chris debate whether Collins is now more or less vulnerable, take a spirited detour through New England blue bloods and Platner's "oyster farmer" branding, and skewer the knives-out world of political consultants. Then they close personal and sporty: their National Journal origin story, and a nerdy back-and-forth on the reinvented Home Run Derby, All-Star nostalgia, a World Baseball Classic pitch, and the Nats' latest heartbreak. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Welcome to Super Tuesdays 01:29 Lindsey Graham dies Saturday night of an aortic rupture 02:01 When death hits mid-campaign, everything accelerates 03:59 The "humans vs. aliens" acting analogy, applied to politicians 04:43 Ideologues vs. politicians — and why Graham was the latter 05:42 Democratic senators genuinely liked working with Graham 06:21 The real story: the gutting of the Senate's dealmaking center 11:33 Graham would've been a Democrat if he'd grown up in Oregon 14:26 Near-term fallout — Graham was Thune & Trump's whisperer 14:59 Why Todd Blanche's confirmation just got harder 16:14 Zelensky lost his best Trump whisperer, too 17:30 Republicans have functionally lost control of the Senate 19:37 An open South Carolina Senate seat comes once a generation 22:09 South Carolina's factional GOP sets up a free-for-all 24:43 A full six-year term raises the stakes 29:06 Could Trey Gowdy be the compromise candidate? 31:02 What is going on with Mitch McConnell? 35:45 The buried health story: Trump's new Walter Reed cognitive test 36:36 Should cognitive tests be mandatory for presidents over 75? 38:26 On Graham, Trump can only make it about himself 39:32 The Butler anniversary crowd-size claim 40:32 To Maine: Collins is the most vulnerable Republican 41:02 Handicapping the seven-Democrat nominating convention 45:07 Is Susan Collins more or less vulnerable than a month ago? 47:13 Why the right Democratic nominee could actually beat her 51:15 Platner's privilege & the "oyster farmer" brand 51:39 The knives-out world of nepo-baby campaign consultants 51:56 Chuck & Chris's National Journal origin story 54:35 Why "he's a farmer, not a politician" branding is hypnotic nonsense 56:20 To sports: the reinvented, 20-swing Home Run Derby 56:41 The Nats blow three leads 58:04 Empty-nesting & the streaming shows worth your night 59:42 All-Star nostalgia in the age of the MLB app and interleague play 1:02:42 A pitch for a two-week WBC break every July 1:04:25 The Futures Game & Nats prospect Eli Willits 1:05:06 Wrap-up: subscribe to Super TuesdaysSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Now that the lion of the Senate, Lindsey Graham, and his arm-twisting and emotional defense of all things Trump are gone from the Senate Judiciary Committee, what does that mean for beleaguered AG nominee Todd Blanche's nomination? Popok looks at who will try to arm-twist Senators Cornyn and Tillis, Trump opponents for the Republicans, now that Graham is gone, on a committee where Blanche cannot lose even 1 vote! Veracity: For up to 65% off your order, head to https://VeracityHealth.co and use code LEGALAF. Subscribe: @LegalAFMTN Visit https://meidasplus.com for more! Remember to subscribe to ALL the MeidasTouch Network Podcasts: MeidasTouch: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/meidastouch-podcast Legal AF: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/legal-af MissTrial: https://meidasnews.com/tag/miss-trial The PoliticsGirl Podcast: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-politicsgirl-podcast Cult Conversations: The Influence Continuum with Dr. Steve Hassan: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-influence-continuum-with-dr-steven-hassan The Weekend Show: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-weekend-show The Ken Harbaugh Show: https://meidasnews.com/tag/the-ken-harbaugh-show Majority 54: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/majority-54 On Democracy with FP Wellman: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/on-democracy-with-fpwellman Uncovered: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/maga-uncovered Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Good Morning BT with Bo Thompson and Beth Troutman | Wednesday, July 8th, 2026. 6:05 R&D in for BT Part 2: Electric Boogaloo 6:20 Guest: Theresa Payton (Cyber Security Expert) - Tariq and Larken talk A.I. race 6:35 A.I. news round up with R&D 6:50 RAM Biz Update; Samsung | Android users | Business headlines 7:05 Davidson College rolls out new scholarship opportunities for 2027 7:20 I-77 toll project latest 7:35 Guest: Senator Vickie Sawyer - I-77 Toll project 7:50 R&D wrap I-77 talk 8:05 Sen. Tillis interview preview 8:20 Guest: Senator Thom Tillis - Thoughts on NC Senate race 8:35 Senator Thom Tillis cont. - Rapid fire questions 8:50 Sen. Tillis interview recap 9:05 Guest: Coach Trisha Stafford-Odom (Charlotte Crown Head Coach) - Upshot league latest 9:20 R&D preview interview with Senator Brad Overcash 9:35 Guest: NC State Senator Brad Overcash - NC Budget 9:50 Show wrapSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Vince Coakley Radio Program | Monday, June 29th, 2026. Hour 1 Segment 1 – Show rundown Segment 2 – Several SCOTUS rulings announced Segment 3 – SCOTUS rulings cont. Segment 4 – More schools getting rid of analog clocks Hour 2 Segment 1 – Meditation Monday Segment 2 – Sen. Tillis comments on possibility of passing the SAVE act Segment 3 – Caller Ralph comments on SCOTUS rulings Segment 4 – Show wrapSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
BREAKING - TOP NEWS STORIES OF THE WEEK:
On this Salcedo Storm Podcast:Amanda Hopper is a homeschool mom and battle-tested conservative activist. She brings a proven record of mobilizing voters, strengthening grassroots infrastructure, and building winning coalitions across the state.ANDDavid Covey is the Former Orange County Republican Party Chairman. If it weren't for democrats, he would have beaten Dade Phelan, sparing Texas the last two years of his noxious left-wing influence in the Texas House.
In Top of the News Stack, Greg Belfrage goes over the latest headlines including Trump and Israel, the downed U.S Military helicopter, Trump at the Knicks game, the Anti-Weaponization Fund and January Sixers, Todd Blanche and the DOJ's Zero Tolerance Policy, Trump and Senator Tillis, and more...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
CannCon and Chris Paul close out the week with a Friday that ranges from California vote counting to the Ukraine end game. Spencer Pratt's 25,000 vote lead over Karen Bass is evaporating in late mail-in counting, and Chris Paul maps the epistemological trap: the same people who watched this happen in 2022 are going to accept the outcome because by the time it is announced, attention has moved on. CannCon flags the 40% primary turnout surge in LA that cannot be explained by anyone running except Pratt, and notes that Los Angeles is the only county in the United States still using Smartmatic. The GOP civil war produces three separate betrayals in one week: Ukraine aid and Russia sanctions pass the House in defiance of Trump, six senators vote to block the White House ballroom, and Collins, Murkowski, Tillis, and McConnell block the SAVE Act. Chris Paul makes the case that none of it matters because Trump does not need congress for anything he is actually doing. CannCon walks through the June calendar: Section 702 lapsing June 12, SpaceX IPO, disclosure day, Trump UFC, G7, a DC rally on June 24, and Supreme Court decisions all overlapping with an active protest movement. The Hunter Biden cooperating witness theory gets its most complete treatment yet.
You’re listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for June 4, 2026. We open with a conversation about Congress's seemingly unlimited capacity for symbolism and its equally limited appetite for actual governance — prompted by the bill to rename the street in front of the Chinese embassy Tiananmen Square Memorial Boulevard. We love the trolling, we love the underlying principle, and we think every Chinese diplomat should have to write that address on their stationery every day. But we also note that the SAVE Act — which 70% of Americans support, including 69% of independents and nearly half of rank-and-file Democrats — is still sitting unactioned. You cannot tell us you can walk and chew gum at the same time if you're only blowing bubbles. In our Top 3 Things You Need to Know, President Trump announced he wants Acting Attorney General Todd Blanch to become the permanent AG — and after overseeing the indictment of James Comey and launching the National Fraud Enforcement Division, we think he's earned it. Then the federal government cut off Hawaii from Medicaid funding after decertifying its Medicaid Fraud Control Unit — a unit that received millions of dollars to fight fraud, produced zero criminal indictments between 2022 and 2025, and watched Medicaid enrollment explode by 40% in the same period. And water began flowing again into the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool — restored for an estimated $13 to $20 million, which is less than half of what the Obama administration spent on a failed repair project that left the pool just as dirty six months later. Our American Mama Teri Netterville responds to the Black Crows concert in Florida where the lead singer told a crowd chanting USA that he didn't understand why they were cheering for this country. Thousands walked out. Teri says she would have been one of them — and explains why the cultural fatigue is real and permanent now. We talk about why woke entertainment keeps failing at the box office, why Snow White bombed, why the all-lesbian Star Trek didn't survive one season, and why Americans are done pretending they'll tolerate being told their country is awful by the people it made wealthy. We dig into the Austin Metcalf murder trial — which CBS News and most of the media are calling the Carmelo Anthony trial, burying the name of the murdered boy seven paragraphs down. We explain why the jury ended up without any Black members — and the answer, straight from CBS News itself, is not that prosecutors were racist. It's that several prospective Black jurors admitted under oath they could not vote to convict a defendant who looked like them, or who looked like a kid, regardless of the evidence. One said he would have a hard time putting a brother in jail. We ask the question nobody wants to ask — if jurors in the other direction had said the same thing in reverse, what would happen? And we ask how many juries have had people on them who felt the same way but didn't say so out loud? The Senate voted to strip the SAVE Act from the reconciliation package — with four Republicans joining Democrats to kill it: Murkowski, McConnell, Tillis, and Collins. We explain why each of them voted the way they did, and we note that 81% of Americans support requiring voter ID and 80% want states to purge non-citizens from voter rolls. This is not a radical idea. It is the will of the American people, and four Republican senators just overruled it. For our Bright Spot, Senator John Fetterman — standing alone again among Senate Democrats — went on record calling out Maine Democrat Senate candidate Graham Plattner over the new revelations about his explicit messaging to women on a platform known for sexual predators. Fetterman said if you've already lied about the Nazi tattoo situation, there are probably a lot more ranches you haven't seen yet. We make the comparison to Alexander Hamilton's endorsement of Thomas Jefferson — I may disagree with his principles, but at least he has them. We also cover the Israel-Lebanon-Hezbollah ceasefire framework — and explain why the big if in that deal is Hezbollah, which has never wanted peace with Israel and still doesn't. And we close with Sterling Nassa, who was sitting in the audience at a live orchestra performance of La La Land in Sydney when the pianist came down ill at intermission. The conductor walked out and asked if anyone in the house could play. Sterling was a trained pianist and an accomplished sight reader. He walked up, sight read the second half of the concert, including a complicated piano solo, and saved the show. May your pursuit of happiness bring you joy. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, visit AmericanGroundRadio.com, and join the conversation at 866-AGR-1776!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The U.S. Senate voted 48-50 against advancing the SAVE America Act, Trump's push to require birth certificates or passports for voter registration. Four Republicans — Collins, McConnell, Murkowski, and Tillis — joined Democrats in opposition, falling well short of the 60-vote threshold needed. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/us-senate-blocks-trumps-save-america-act/ #SAVEAmericaAct #VoterID #USSenate #TrumpLegislation #ElectionSecurity #VotingRights #Washington #Politics #Midterms ---
Good Morning BT with Bo Thompson and Beth Troutman | Thursday, June 4th, 2026. 6:05 Beth’s Song of the Day 6:20 Charlotte open Mayoral applications to the public | Google launches new Gemini Spark 6:35 GMBTeam and WBT text line talk everyday uses for A.I. 6:50 RAM Biz Update; Beth talks fear of flying 7:05 Beth asks: What is laughing? | GMBTeam sound bites 7:20 Sen. Tillis exchange with Sec. Scott Bessent | Netanyahu on CNBC 7:35 SC Governor race latest 7:50 Bo and Beth talk newest Michael Jackson documentary on Netflix 8:05 Knicks beat Spurs in Game 1 of NBA Finals 8:20 Sports with Beth! | Buzzfeed article: 35 trends that we are all tired of 8:35 Buzzfeed article: 35 trends that we are all tired of (cont.) 8:50 Guest: David Chadwick - A.I. And Religion 9:05 In-Studio: Tariq Bokhari and Larken Egleston (R & D with BT) - Charlotte Mayoral applications 9:20 Tariq Bokhari and Larken Egleston (R & D with BT) - CLT Mayor cont. 9:35 Tariq Bokhari and Larken Egleston (R & D with BT) - Data Centers 9:50 Tariq Bokhari and Larken Egleston (R & D with BT) - How do we "win" the A.I. race?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In the Senate Banking Committee room, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) weigh in on Todd Blanche as acting Attorney General and Bill Pulte's new appointment as acting Director of National Intelligence, and the concept of taxes on AI. Senator Warren does the math on wealth taxes, and Senator Tillis underscores his position with the President. Gearing up for retirement, Sen. Tillis is saying the quiet part out loud–directly to his own party. Plus, Cigna has dropped coverage of GLP-1s for its own employees, CBS has fired veteran correspondent Scott Pelley after a heated meeting about the direction of the network under Bari Weiss, and President Trump has signed an executive order on AI. Emily Wilkins - 12:42 Sen. Thom Tillis - 17:44 Sen. Elizabeth Warren - 32:23 In this episode: Sen. Elizabeth Warren, @SenWarren Sen. Thom Tillis, @SenThomTillis Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Cameron Costa, @CameronCostaNY Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Trump wants his face on the money. Not on a coin after he's gone. Not on a statue some future generation can decide to keep or tear down. On a live, circulating $250 bill — while he's still in office and while it's still illegal under federal law to put a living person on US currency. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent went on television and called it nothing untoward. The Angry Middle is calling it what it actually is: a strongman vanity project at a moment when most Americans can't scrape $250 together for groceries, gas, and rent. In this conversation, Paul and the crew break down the legacy push — the commemorative coin, the Trump-branded passports out of DC, the National Park Pass swap, the Kennedy Center rebrand, the arch on the White House lawn — and why this is all gas, no brakes executive ego dressed up as patriotism. They get into the Republican holdouts (Tillis, Cassidy, Cornyn) who Trump has already purged and who are about to hand him an embarrassing no vote, the ten-year design timeline that makes the whole thing a fantasy anyway, and the cabinet-meeting sycophancy culture that produces ideas this absurd. Then a hard left turn to the Knicks Finals — and a non-partisan plea to keep both Trump and Mamdani out of Madison Square Garden before they jinx the whole run. -WATCH full video of this episode here. -Join IVA and stand up to Trump's Forever Wars. -Learn more about Paul's work to elect a new generation of independent leaders with Independent Veterans of America. -Learn more about American Veterans for Ukraine here. -Remember Independent is an Attitude. -Learn more about The Headstrong Project for Veterans, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and Department of Veterans Affairs resources in your area. Seeking support is not a sign of weakness. It's a show of strength. If you or a loved one are in immediate crisis, dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255. Connect with Independent Americans: Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all podcast platforms Read more at Substack Support ad-free episodes at Patreon Connect: Instagram • X/Twitter • BlueSky • Facebook Follow on social: @PaulRieckhoff on X, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky -Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power. -And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch now in time for the new year. Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led Righteous Media. And now part of the BLEAV network! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
On this week's Substack LIVE conversation with Chris Cillizza, Matt and Chris discuss:— Ken Paxton's massive landslide victory over longtime Senator John Cornyn— Why even early vote numbers signaled a total rout for the incumbent— The power — and limits — of Trump's endorsement in delivering a BLOWOUT— Ken Paxton's long list of scandals, impeachment, affair allegations, and why none of it mattered to GOP voters— The death of Bush-era Texas Republicanism: from compassionate conservatism to full MAGA dominance— What this means for the expensive general election battle against Democrat James Talarico— Signs of a potential Republican rebellion in the Senate: Lame-duck senators (Cornyn, Tillis, Cassidy) plus skeptics like Murkowski and Collins are showing increased pushback, forcing leadership to cancel key votes on Trump's $1.8B slush fund and war powers amid growing internal dissent.— Plus, a preview of next week's California Governor's race + key Iowa Senate primary developments— And MUCH more!Subscribe to Matt Lewis on Substack: https://mattklewis.substack.com/Support Matt Lewis at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mattlewisFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/MattLewisDCTwitter: https://twitter.com/mattklewisInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattlewisreels/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVhSMpjOzydlnxm5TDcYn0A– Who is Matt Lewis? –Matt K. Lewis is a political commentator and the author of Filthy Rich Politicians.Buy Matt's books: FILTHY RICH POLITICIANS: https://www.amazon.com/Filthy-Rich-Politicians-Creatures-Ruling-Class/dp/1546004416TOO DUMB TO FAIL: https://www.amazon.com/Too-Dumb-Fail-Revolution-Conservative/dp/0316383937Copyright © 2026, BBL & BWL, LLC
One of the best voices of her generation delivers one of the best vocals you'll ever hear, in Pam Tillis's signature song: 1991's "Maybe It Was Memphis". We can't say enough about these spectacular vocals, but how do the vocals, lyrics, and music all work together to develop the thick, sensual tension of this southeastern summer evening? And whom did Melton mistakenly think the "Williams' play" line was about back in the day?Here's a link to the Tillis quote about the production that we referenced in this episode.
Adel Nero and Zak Paine are back together on a Thursday with Frankie Val popping in before heading to a wedding. The guys open on a stunning primary night that saw Trump endorsements go 37 for 37, with Cornyn collapsing in Texas the moment Paxton picked up the nod and a long list of establishment names like Crenshaw, Cassidy, Tillis, McConnell, Raffensperger, and Gabe Sterling all on the way out. From there, Zak makes the case that the GOP machine has spent years planting its weakest senators in the reddest states, and that pattern is finally breaking. The bulk of the episode is a layered breakdown of Thomas Massey's fall from principled outsider to opportunistic grifter, his late conversion to the Epstein issue, and why Trump zeroed in on his seat rather than going after Thune. The conversation closes on a sharper take: that the loudest pro-Israel and anti-Israel voices may be feeding off the same outrage budget, designed to fracture MAGA from within. Lots of nuance, very little hand wringing.
Let's talk about Tillis opposing the budget reconciliation and the rest of the story....
On today's podcast, Chris Cillizza and Matt break down the biggest political stories of the week: the death of principled conservatism in the Republican Party, Trump's tightening grip, and another jaw-dropping self-dealing scandal that keeps flying under the radar.Topics Discussed:— Thomas Massie's decisive loss in Kentucky — Why Massie lost, and what one town hall exchange with a Trump voter revealed about blind loyalty (“Trump knows more than you”)— The Cult of Personality dominating the GOP — How deference to Trump has replaced principle, with voters demanding total obedience even when Trump contradicts himself— Bill Cassidy's fall — The Louisiana senator who voted to convict Trump, spent years appeasing him, and still lost badly — a cautionary tale— Trump endorses Ken Paxton over John Cornyn in the Texas Senate runoff, and what this signals for the party and Senate control— The list of Republican Senators who have been liberated grows — Cassidy, Cornyn, Tillis, and more!— The shocking $1.776 Billion IRS settlement — Trump drops a $10B lawsuit and gets a taxpayer-funded slush fund plus lifetime tax immunity for himself and his family— Broader corruption & numbness — Why these scandals barely register— And MUCH more!Subscribe to Matt Lewis on Substack: https://mattklewis.substack.com/Support Matt Lewis at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mattlewisFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/MattLewisDCTwitter: https://twitter.com/mattklewisInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattlewisreels/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVhSMpjOzydlnxm5TDcYn0A– Who is Matt Lewis? –Matt K. Lewis is a political commentator and the author of Filthy Rich Politicians.Buy Matt's books: FILTHY RICH POLITICIANS: https://www.amazon.com/Filthy-Rich-Politicians-Creatures-Ruling-Class/dp/1546004416TOO DUMB TO FAIL: https://www.amazon.com/Too-Dumb-Fail-Revolution-Conservative/dp/0316383937Copyright © 2026, BBL & BWL, LLC
De Amerikaanse Senaatscommissie voor Bankzaken heeft deze week de Clarity Act goedgekeurd. Met vijftien stemmen voor en negen tegen, inclusief twee Democraten, is dat een politiek signaal. Maar het echte werk begint nu pas: de Senaat heeft zestig stemmen nodig om de wet door te loodsen, en dat betekent dat de cryptobranche nog minstens zeven Democraten moet overtuigen. De discussie van de afgelopen maanden draaide om twee grote struikelblokken. Het eerste: stablecoin yield. Stablecoins zijn cryptomunten waarvan de waarde gekoppeld is aan een gewone valuta, doorgaans de dollar. Banken vreesden oneerlijke concurrentie met spaargeld, de cryptosector wilde gelijke behandeling. Het compromis dat senatoren Tillis en Alsobrooks uitwerkten: een stablecoin die stilstaat als spaarpot keert geen rente uit. Maar wie hem gebruikt voor handel, transacties of staking, mag wel beloond worden. De cryptolobby lijkt hier vrede mee te hebben. Het tweede knelpunt is politiek gevoeliger. De kwartaalrapportage van president Trump laat honderden miljoenen dollars en duizenden transacties zien. Daartussen zitten aankopen in Coinbase, Robinhood en Marathon, exact de bedrijven die het hardst lobbyen voor de Clarity Act. Een amendement om de president te verbieden zelf te handelen haalde het niet, en de Democraten houden dit punt scherp in de gaten. Voorspelmarkten als Polymarket en Kalshi geven een kans van 61 tot 67 procent dat de wet dit jaar wordt aangenomen. Een symbolische deadline van 4 juli drijft rond in Washington, maar realistischer is augustus. In Nederland heeft blockchainbedrijf Zerohash een EMI vergunning gekregen van De Nederlandsche Bank. Zerohash verzorgt de infrastructuur voor cryptodiensten van banken, fintechs en betaaldiensten, en had al een MiCAR vergunning. Maar om stablecoinoverdrachten te kunnen verwerken is ook een betaalvergunning nodig, zo verduidelijkte de Europese Bankautoriteit in juni 2025. Met beide vergunningen kan Zerohash nu volledige stablecoinbetalingen combineren met cryptodiensten voor zijn klanten in de EU. Mauro verwacht dat meer cryptobedrijven dit voorbeeld volgen, zeker naarmate 2027 dichterbij komt en de regels voor stablecoinbetalingen van kracht worden. Portfoliomanager Tim Stolte van Amdax bespreekt de koers, die na een week boven tachtigduizend dollar terugzakte naar zesenzeventigduizend. Co-host is Mauro Halve. Over de podcast Cryptocurrency are here to stay. In deze wekelijkse podcast gidst Daniel Mol je door het belangrijkste cryptonieuws, langs hypes en trends, voor- en tegenstanders en winst en verlies. In het A-deel bespreken we het laatste nieuws en in het B-deel gaan we in gesprek met een gast. Van cypherpunkpioneers tot grootbanken die aan de haal gaan met stablecoins, van Bitcoin tot Ethereum tot CBDC's. Alles passeert de revue. Reageren? Stuur dan een mail naar cryptocast@bnr.nl Gasten Mauro Lorenzo Halve is voorzitter van branchevereniging VBNL en co-host van de BNR Cryptocast. Tim Stolte is portfoliomanager bij Amdax en host van Een Nieuwe Koers. Links Overzicht van de ingediende amendementen op de Clarity Act Senaatscommissie stemt voor doorsturen van de Clarity Act Analisten: Clarity Act staat ondanks commissiestem voor grote hobbels Nomineer je favoriet voor de Dutch Blockchain Awards 2026 Zerohash ontvangt EMI vergunning van De Nederlandsche Bank Host Daniel Mol is presentator en redacteur van de Cryptocast. Hij is sinds 2017 met Bitcoin bezig en kwam in 2021 bij het team van de Cryptocast. Redactie Daniel Mol Matthijs Damsteeg See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Susan Tillis joins Bo and Beth to discuss this years Red, White and Bundled Baby Shower which provides active duty military families with supplies for newborns.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On this Salcedo Storm Podcast:Congressman Chip Roy is the effective conservative who represents the 21st congressional district in the great state of Texas. He serves on the House Judiciary, Rules, and Budget Committees and is the Policy Chair of the House Freedom Caucus. He's running in the may run-off election for the GOP nomination to the next Texas AG.
DC US Attorney Jeanine Pirro has announced she's closing the criminal investigation into Fed Chairman Jerome Powell. But she also announced that she can reopen it in the future.Given that Republican Senator Thom Tills has announced that he will not confirm Trump's replacement for Powell until the DOJ's investigation of Powell has concluded, this seems like a transparent and cynical ploy by Trump and Pirro to placate Sen. Tillis. Find Glenn on Substack: glennkirschner.substack.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
DC US Attorney Jeanine Pirro has announced she's closing the criminal investigation into Fed Chairman Jerome Powell. But she also announced that she can reopen it in the future.Given that Republican Senator Thom Tills has announced that he will not confirm Trump's replacement for Powell until the DOJ's investigation of Powell has concluded, this seems like a transparent and cynical ploy by Trump and Pirro to placate Sen. Tillis. Find Glenn on Substack: glennkirschner.substack.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Send us Fan MailWatch Full Episode on Rumble: https://rumble.com/v78y7q4-tillis-blocks-fed-pickdoj-suddenly-drops-powell-probe-tmp-1035.htmlThe Justice Department just dropped its criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell—and the timing is raising serious questions.After weeks of pressure, Sen. Thom Tillis tied his support for Trump's Fed nominee, Kevin Warsh, directly to the existence of the probe. Now the investigation is gone, the confirmation path is reopening, and the power struggle between Congress and the executive branch is suddenly front and center.According to Reuters and Axios, the DOJ shifted the case to the Fed's Inspector General, effectively ending the immediate threat of criminal charges. But a federal judge had already weakened the case, and Tillis had made it clear he would block movement until the situation changed.So was this routine legal timing—or political pressure working exactly as intended?In this breakdown, we connect the sequence, the leverage, and what it means for Federal Reserve independence, Article I vs Article II power, and the future of the Warsh nomination.
The sole Republican senator getting in the way of President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Federal Reserve says he's ready to vote “yes.” AP correspondent Donna Warder reports.
It is a slow Friday, so Jon Herold opens the phones and the conversation gets real fast. Trump posted a middle-of-the-night Truth Social calling for the 2020 presidential election to be permanently wiped from the books with no further force or effect, and Jon unpacks why that kind of rhetoric matters even if nobody knows exactly what it means yet. Then the callers come in hot: a wide-ranging discussion on blackpilling, burnout, hopium addiction, and why Chris Paul keeps getting misrepresented by people who cannot sit still long enough to hear a full sentence. A special forces soldier just got arrested for betting on his own Maduro operation on Polymarket, and Jon finds it hard to be outraged when Congress has been doing the same thing forever and walking free. The DOJ also quietly dropped its criminal probe of Jerome Powell, which Jon finds very Tillis-shaped. Plus: the firing squad is officially back as a federal execution method, Todd Blanche made a significant speech at the NRA on embedding second amendment protections into regulatory infrastructure, and Wickoff is heading to Pakistan for Iran talks without Vance, which is apparently a thing now.
The economy and markets can feel dizzying and ever changing. That's where we can help. Fisher Investments' “This Week in Review” is a weekly segment designed to highlight a few things you may have missed this week, what they could mean for financial markets and why they matter to investors like you. This week, Fisher Investments reviews: • An update on the Iran-US conflict negotiations • Senate confirmation hearing for Fed chair nominee • Stocks recover from recent pullback to set new all-time highs Below are the sources for all data cited in today's show: 1.) Source: Macrobond and FactSet, as of 4/23/2026. US and global developed market GDP-weighted yield curves, 3/31/2025 – 3/31/2026. 2.) Source: CNBC, as of 4/23/2026. “Tillis maintains blockade on Fed pick Kevin Warsh over Powell probe”. 3.) Source: CNBC, as of 4/23/2026. “Powell says he will stay on as head of the Fed until Warsh is confirmed”. 4.) Source: FactSet, as of 4/23/2026. MSCI World Total Return Index, daily, from 1/1/2026 – 4/20/2026. 5.) Source: FactSet, as of 4/23/2026. MSCI World Energy returns with net dividends, 12/31/2025 – 4/15/2026. Want to dig deeper? • What ceasefire negotiations mean for markets: https://www.fisherinvestments.com/en-us/insights/market-commentary/how-investors-should-think-about-the-ceasefire • Why Fed chairs don't impact the markets as much as you might think: https://www.fisherinvestments.com/en-us/insights/market-commentary/setting-the-record-straight-new-fed-chairs-arent-autonegative • Looking back at the recent (near-)correction: https://www.fisherinvestments.com/en-us/insights/market-commentary/anatomy-of-a-near-correction • An update on where markets currently sit: https://www.fisherinvestments.com/en-us/insights/market-commentary/easing-hormuzs-grip-for-the-long-term Have feedback for this Fisher Investments video? Share your thoughts on this episode in just 1 minute by filling out this survey: https://fi.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6Vw1ezlogR044S2?VideoCode=WeekInReview24Apr2026 Connect with Fisher Investments on: • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/FisherInvestments • X - https://twitter.com/fisherinvest • LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/fisher-investments • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fisher.investments/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@fisher_investments You can also follow Ken Fisher here: • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/KenFisher.FisherInvestments • X - https://twitter.com/KennethLFisher • LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-fisher/ • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kenfisher_fisherinvestments/ Investing in securities involves a risk of loss. Past performance is never a guarantee of future returns. Investing in foreign stock markets involves additional risks, such as the risk of currency fluctuations. The foregoing constitutes the general views of Fisher Investments and should not be regarded as personalized investment advice. Nothing herein is intended to be a recommendation. The opinions expressed are subject to change without notice.
Since announcing his decision to retire last year, North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis has become a kind of thorn in MAGA's side, holding up appointments and voicing criticisms about legislation favored by President Trump. But his resistance raises a perennial question about Republicans in the Trump era: Why do lawmakers only push back when they're on the way out? Kara and Sen. Tillis talk about his concerns over the Trump administration's handling of the war in Iran; why he thinks newly confirmed Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin will be an improvement over his predecessor, Kristi Noem; and why Tillis aims his criticisms at Trump's advisers rather than Trump himself. They also talk about his worries about the upcoming midterms and where he thinks the party is headed after Trump leaves office. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Let's talk about Tillis blocking Trump's Fed plans....
In episode 2018, Jack and Miles are joined by comedian and host of Abolish Everything, Chandler Dean, to discuss… Noem’s TERRIBLE Week, RFK Jr vs Dunkin, You Can Blame Big Oil and Big Golf For Daylight Saving Time and more! Tillis to Noem: "Those are bad decisions made in the heat of the moment, not unlike what happened in Minneapolis." Rep. Kamlager-Dove enters articles in the congressional record with headlines like, "Lewandowski taking out trash at Noem's DC home" and "ICE Barbie's mile high private chamber with alleged lover exposed" Noem Gets Grilled Over Government Contracts RFK Jr vs Dunkin RFK Jr. took aim at Dunkin'. Mass. residents threatened revolts Your favorite iced summer coffee could contain 46 teaspoons of sugar — the same as drinking 5 cans of Coke British Columbia Will Change Clocks on Sunday for the Last Time 7 Things to Know About Daylight Saving Time The dark side of daylight saving time B.C.'s premier is celebrating the move to permanent daylight time. Others aren't so sure Bill To Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent Stalls In Congress Again What Happened the Last Time the U.S. Tried to Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent? The Real Reason Why Daylight Saving Time Is a Thing The stakeholders of daylight saving time Golf industry tees up fight to keep daylight saving time The business of Daylight Saving Time, from golf to oil 9 Things You Probably Don't Know About Daylight Saving Time The Reasoning Behind Changing Daylight-Saving Is permanent daylight saving time a good idea? Lobbyists, lawmakers and sleep experts are split. What would ‘half-daylight saving time’ look like? LISTEN: Mesa Mesa by YuufSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-- On the Show -- James Talarico wins the Texas Democratic Senate primary and will face the winner of the upcoming Republican runoff between John Cornyn and Ken Paxton in the general election -- Democrats flip seats in Arkansas, Texas, and Louisiana amid collapsing approval numbers for Donald Trump, signaling early signs of a potential 2026 midterm wave -- Donald Trump stumbles through comments about succession in Iran and makes erratic claims about Spain during tense public appearances -- Donald Trump acknowledges that escalating conflict with Iran could raise oil and consumer prices despite campaigning on lowering the cost of living -- Donald Trump and Marco Rubio give conflicting explanations about evacuation planning after strikes on Iran, raising questions about whether Americans were protected before military action -- Republican Senator Thom Tillis publicly rebukes Kristi Noem over her book remarks and challenges her responses about immigration enforcement -- Marco Rubio defends Donald Trump's strike on Iran with shifting explanations and denies prior statements as reporters confront him with contradictory video evidence -- Donald Trump posts on Truth Social blaming Barack Obama and Joe Biden for Iran policy while his administration scrambles to evacuate thousands of Americans after launching military strikes -- On the Bonus Show: Minnesota launches investigations into ICE officers, SCOTUS considers a law barring marijuana smokers from owning guns, Elon says Tesla robotaxis are coming to California despite doing nothing to get permits, and much more...
Today's Headlines: The first 2026 primaries are done. In North Carolina, Democrat Roy Cooper and Republican Michael Whatley advanced to face off for retiring Sen. Thom Tillis' seat. In Arkansas, Sen. Tom Cotton cruised to renomination, while Democrat Hallie Shoffner won with 77%. Texas was a little more dramatic. After historic turnout, a Dallas judge extended voting hours over polling confusion. Attorney General Ken Paxton — who's on the ballot — asked the Texas Supreme Court to block it, and the court agreed. Paxton now heads to a GOP runoff with Sen. John Cornyn after neither hit 50%. Abroad, the Iran war intensified after drones struck the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh. President Donald Trump said Iran's air defenses were “knocked out” and promised “big-scale” strikes. Sen. Richard Blumenthal warned of possible “boots on the ground.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested U.S. strikes were preemptive ahead of Israeli action — then tried to walk that back. Israel also hit a meeting of Iran's Council of Experts during its Supreme Leader selection. Stateside, reports say some commanders framed the war to troops as “God's divine plan.” FBI Director Kash Patel fired counterintelligence officials who had worked Trump-related cases, including Iran matters, and now faces whistleblower claims over handling of an ICE shooting investigation. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem endured a bruising hearing, with Sen. Tillis suggesting she resign. House Oversight is expanding its Epstein probe to include Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and former Goldman Sachs counsel Kathy Ruemmler. Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron announced plans to expand France's nuclear arsenal, and Melania Trump chaired a UN Security Council meeting during the U.S. presidency rotation. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: AP News: Primary election live updates: Texas GOP Senate headed to a runoff Axios: Iran targets U.S. allies, hits American Embassy in Riyadh The Guardian: Rubio tries to backtrack after Israel comments later contradicted by Trump trigger criticism – as it happened | US news Axios: Israel bombs council choosing Iran's next supreme leader, official says Substack: U.S. Troops Were Told Iran War Is for “Armageddon,” Return of Jesus NYT: Macron Expands French Nuclear Arsenal and Vows Protection for Neighbors CNN: Kash Patel gutted FBI counterintelligence team tasked with tracking Iranian threats days before US strikes, sources say The Daily Beast: Sinister Reason Keystone Kash Halted ICE Killing Probe Revealed NYT: Noem Defends Describing Minneapolis Protesters' Actions as Domestic Terrorism Politico: Canceled contracts, a failed polygraph and personal disputes: Inside the turbulent tenure of Noem's former cyber czar NYT: Lutnick Agrees to Testify in House Epstein Investigation BBC: Melania Trump chairs UN Security Council meeting on children in conflict amid Iran strikes Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices