Audio Episode
Your News Talk America with Jake Smith
Show Notes for September 3, 2026
9:00 AM · AI Data Center Revolt Bus Tour Announced
A founder of the Tea Party movement is heading a new nationwide campaign against AI data center expansion, arguing tech corporations are encroaching on local communities and forcing residents to pay for the infrastructure against their will. Jake opens the show with the story and takes it to DIAL callers and producers.
- Amy Kremer, chairwoman of Humans First, says the nationwide bus tour, dubbed the Data Center Revolt, launches September 12 in Austin, Texas, which she calls the battleground of the data center opposition movement. The tour travels across the South and up the East Coast, stopping in Washington DC and Northern Virginia before concluding in California’s Silicon Valley.
- Kremer, a veteran conservative organizer and Georgia Republican Party leader, sees parallels between the anti data center push and the early days of the Tea Party movement.
- Discussion: what makes this movement conservative when it directly contradicts President Trump’s effort to make America first with AI, and how does Kremer respond to claims from China experts that Beijing is behind the anti data center movement in this country.
On this segment: Dial producers and callers.
9:20 AM · Are Data Centers the New Industrial Backlash?
- You should be excited about AI. Jake asks whether the data center fight is the 21st century version of wooden shoe sabotage in France in 1801, the cotton gin in 1793, or fracking in the early 21st century.
- From the Will Cain Show, September 1, 2026: are we receiving a balanced approach to the debate on data centers?
- AOC should not throw stones at President Trump over data centers, Jake argues, pointing to her past opposition to a huge Amazon distribution center in her congressional district in Queens, New York.
On this segment: Alex Epstein, founder of the Center for Industrial Progress (via the Will Cain Show).
9:35 AM · Oil Markets Jittery as Data Center Funding Draws Scrutiny
- The Strait of Hormuz is as quiet as it has been since February, so why are oil markets so jittery right now? Secretary Bessent revealed at the G20 that oil shipments are getting closer to pre war levels, so why isn’t that being reflected in global markets?
- As data centers become one of the biggest hot button political issues, experts are sounding the alarm on left wing groups and climate activists pouring money into data center opposition campaigns.
- Fox News Digital reported that Power the Future sent a letter asking Congress to take a closer look at opposition to data centers springing up across the country, pointing to left wing groups backing those efforts, and warning that the money is routed through a maze of organizations designed to make national campaigns look local.
- CodePink, which has targeted data center projects, has received funding linked to socialist megadonor Neville Roy Singham, who has deep ties to the Chinese Communist Party. Fox News Digital previously reported Singham funneled roughly $285 million into six activist nonprofits as the US and China battle for global AI dominance.
- In Texas, viewed by many as the front line of the data center fight, opposition has been fueled by a network of left wing groups including Public Citizen, the Sierra Club, and the Party for Socialism and Liberation.
On this segment: Larry Behrens, Communications Director at Power The Future, a national nonprofit organization that advocates for American energy jobs.
10:00 AM · The Rising Tide of Visa Fraud
- As the State Department revokes thousands of visas, fraud is still more common than Americans realize. Lora walks through what a visa is, the different kinds the State Department issues, and which categories are most subject to fraud.
- What does enforcement and vetting need to look like to preserve the integrity of the US immigration system?
- The State Department recently announced it had revoked more than 175,000 visas since President Trump took office. Thanks to continuous vetting, it has been able to pull visas from foreigners who abused American hospitality by committing fraud and crime.
- That may sound like a lot, but in fiscal 2024 the US issued 612,258 permanent immigrant visas and almost 11 million temporary visas to visitors and students.
- US Citizenship and Immigration Services is targeting pervasive visa fraud, including in the H-1B visa category, and is working with the Justice Department to denaturalize foreigners who obtained citizenship deceptively.
- Lora’s Heritage colleague Simon Hankinson wrote the opinion piece behind today’s conversation, There’s Reason to Combat a Rising Tide of Visa Fraud, published in the Virginian Pilot.
On this segment: Lora Ries, Director, Border Security and Immigration Center at The Heritage Foundation.
10:20 AM · Data Center Resistance: A Second Look
- Larry Behrens, a panelist during the first hour, laid out his case against the data center resistance movement. Jake asks Amy Kremer to respond.
- The debate over data centers is heating up and may become an issue in the midterms for Republicans. Is Kremer concerned?
- A recent poll found 70 percent of Americans are against data centers. Are they merely NIMBYs, or are they truly concerned and aware of the issues?
- Jake replays audio from the Will Cain Show, from Texas, featuring Alex Epstein on the need for a balanced approach, a rebroadcast of the segment from August 27.
- Kremer’s effort is generating questions on YNTA about China. Though her group is not connected to the CCP, is it fair to say her efforts are creating smiles in Beijing?
- Neville Roy Singham and his wife are involved in funding various anti data center organizations, which by itself raises questions about how grassroots the movement really is.
- Is the data center resistance willing to debate with those who favor them?
On this segment: Amy Kremer, Chairwoman of Humans First. The nationwide bus tour, dubbed the Data Center Revolt, launches September 12 in Austin, Texas.
10:30 AM · Has the Democrat Party Normalized Jewish Hatred?
- Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed apologized Saturday for comments he made following an attack on a Detroit area synagogue earlier this year, as he seeks to ease concerns among Jewish voters ahead of the November election.
- “I made a mistake,” El-Sayed said before the Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus at the state party’s convention in Lansing. “I should have issued a statement, of course condemning it, and it just should have been the full stop.”
- In his initial response, El-Sayed said there was “never a justification for attacking innocent people,” but also said “violence is a cycle,” and used the phrase “hurt people hurt people.”
- Ken, do you accept his apology? Do you accept that he has now distanced himself from Hassan Piker?
- Your reaction to New York Governor Kathy Hochul visiting an Islamic Cultural Center in Queens, New York and donning a head scarf, days before the 25th anniversary of September 11?
On this segment: Rabbi Michael Barclay, host of The Rabbi’s Table: Dialogue Not Debate on CRN Digital Talk Radio, where he leads conversations on religion, freedom, Israel, America, and today’s most pressing cultural issues. Learn more about the podcast.
10:50 AM · Midterms and Democrat Unity
- Nathan, what do you think of the President’s plan for the midterms?
- Is Democrat unification showing cracks?
- What do you think about yesterday’s House Floor vote on SCOTUS?
On this segment: Nathan Worcester, Senior Reporter, award winning journalist for The Epoch Times, based in Washington DC.
11:00 AM · Is the UAW Working to Elect Abdul El Sayed?
- A woman delivering remarks at a news conference held by Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed on Monday appeared visibly nervous and repeatedly paused during her speech, prompting a wave of speculation on social media about the reason for her unease.
- The woman, identified by El-Sayed’s staff as a union member employed by a truck factory, was breathing heavily and appeared uneasy. El-Sayed and Democratic State Sen. Mallory McMorrow both attempted to comfort her as she continued her remarks.
- Some conservative commentators questioned online whether the woman had been coerced into speaking, while others used the moment to criticize El-Sayed’s campaign organization. Those claims drew the ire of McMorrow, who ran against El-Sayed in the state’s Democratic primary but has since endorsed his candidacy.
Source: Fox News
On this segment: Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Committee.
11:20 AM · The Hemp Loophole and Supreme Court Packing
- The House is set to revisit the Senate’s proposed delay of new restrictions on intoxicating hemp products. In a new Washington Examiner opinion piece, Ullman argues Congress should stop giving the billion dollar hemp industry another opportunity to exploit a loophole that puts children at risk.
- As Democrats continue floating plans to expand the Supreme Court, Ullman sounds the alarm over what politicizing the Court could mean for judicial independence. Eagle Forum is backing the Keep Nine Amendment, which would permanently set the Court at nine justices.
On this segment: Kris Ullman, President of Eagle Forum.
11:30 AM · Oppenheimer’s Demon: Are We Prepared for Nuclear Terror?
- If a terrorist nuked a US city, are we really prepared? What no one tells you about the panic that would follow, drawing on the lessons of September 11.
- Everyone knows about the two atomic bombs dropped on Japan in 1945, but Robert Oppenheimer’s Manhattan Project had on hand another nuclear core. After claiming the lives of two scientists in separate accidents, it was dubbed the Demon Core and melted down.
- In Simmons’ new novel, Chicago DA Glenn Winders finds himself in a race against the clock to stop a shadowy nuclear terrorist and prevent World War III, as his city descends into panic, his teenage daughter is swept up in the chaos, and his only hope is a neurosurgeon whose controversial beliefs pose a challenge all their own.
On this segment: Dr. Geoffrey Simmons, MD, author of Oppenheimer’s Demon: A Thriller. Find the book · Author bio.
11:50 AM · Salute the Troops
YNTA closes the show, as always, with its daily tribute to the men and women of the US Armed Forces and their families.
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Your News Talk America
Wednesday, September 2, 2026
9:00 AM · Show Open: U.S. Strikes IRGC Targets
Overnight U.S. strikes hit IRGC targets across Iran in retaliation for attacks on U.S. bases in Jordan and the UAE.
- Targets included air defense sites, radar systems, maritime assets and facilities, mine laying capabilities, and communications sites.
- U.S. forces struck two IRGC tankers Tuesday, the first direct retaliatory strike on Iranian ships since the war began, according to Axios, citing U.S. officials. The tankers were anchored off Iran’s coast north of the U.S. naval blockade line when U.S. drones hit their engine rooms.
- The Financial Times reports Russia has secretly helped Iran develop supersonic cruise missiles since 2023, under a program codenamed C430L arranged through Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport and the U.S. sanctioned NPO Mashinostroyenia.
- IRGC responded with missiles and drones headed toward Jordan, shot down before reaching U.S. bases. Officials say there is no major damage to U.S. bases in the region, and note Iran’s command and control structure is not centralized, leaving it unclear who inside the IRGC remains alive.
- Open question: why didn’t CENTCOM’s announcement of the strikes name specific IRGC targets?
Panelist: Lt. Col. Darin L. Gaub (Ret.), author of Veritas Vincit (Latin for “Truth Prevails”). About the book
9:20 AM · Reaction to the Overnight Strikes, Driscoll’s Resignation
- Was the timing or scope of last night’s military operation a surprise? The targeted sites appear aimed at eliminating the IRGC’s ability to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Has Iran responded yet?
- Reaction to the Financial Times report that Russia has secretly helped Iran develop supersonic cruise missiles.
- What is behind Army Secretary Dan Driscoll’s resignation, and is the relationship between Hegseth and Vance strained because of Driscoll’s departure? More from The Hill
Panelist: Ryan Morgan, Pentagon and Military Reporter, The Epoch Times.
9:35 AM · Iran Retaliates: What Comes Next
- A closer look at the overnight strikes on IRGC targets, the tanker strikes, and the reported Russia Iran missile program.
- Putin has now publicly claimed he supports Iran.
- IRGC missiles and drones headed toward Jordan were shot down before reaching U.S. bases; Iran’s fractured command structure leaves it unclear who inside the IRGC remains alive.
- Why didn’t CENTCOM name specific IRGC targets in its announcement?
- Professor Davis: Iran has now retaliated after President Trump warned of dire consequences if they did. What happens now?
Panelist: Professor Paul Davis, Institute of World Politics. Four decades of strategic and tactical political/military analysis spanning the Cold War to the current upheaval in the Middle East; an expert in cyberterrorism and intelligence. Full bio
10:00 AM · Kirk Assassination Trial Moves Forward, Clancy Jury Deadlock
- A Utah judge ruled Tuesday that prosecutors presented enough evidence for Tyler Robinson, accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk, to stand trial on all seven charges. Robinson pleaded not guilty moments after the ruling.
- Judge Tony Graf also ruled prosecutors may continue seeking the death penalty, finding the state established probable cause for the victim targeting allegation that allows the capital sentencing enhancement to move forward.
- A retired Massachusetts Superior Court judge pushed back on predictions that the Lindsay Clancy murder trial will end in a hung jury, saying a verdict is still possible despite Tuesday’s deadlock note from the jury.
- Clancy, 36, faces three counts of first degree murder in the deaths of her three children, Cora, Dawson and Callan, all under age 6, who were found strangled at the family’s home in January 2023.
- Is Zack surprised the jury has not reached a decision given the planned, deliberate nature the prosecution has alleged? What happens next if the judge declares a mistrial?
Panelist: Zack Smith, Senior Legal Fellow of Courts and the Constitution at The Heritage Foundation; formerly an Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of Florida. Full bio
10:30 AM · Inside Iran: How Close to Uprising?
- Recap of the overnight IRGC strikes and the reported Russia Iran missile program.
- Colonel, given your connections inside Iran, what is the situation like on the ground? Are we any closer to a mass uprising?
- Do the Iranian president’s most recent comments suggest a softening position, given that threats against the U.S. have recently quieted down?
Panelist: Colonel Wesley Martin, U.S. Army (Ret.). Served as senior Antiterrorism/Force Protection Officer for coalition forces in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom 1 and 2, Senior Operations Officer for Task Force 134 (Detention Operations), and Commander of Forward Operating Base Ashraf. Full bio
11:00 AM · ICE Arrests, Cartels Training on Ukraine’s Battlefields
- ICE arrests are breaking records. Are voters starting to think that visuals of ICE protests are hindering arrests and removals?
- Mexican and Colombian cartels are reportedly exploiting Ukraine’s drone warfare expertise to upgrade their own capabilities, raising concerns about what could ultimately be used against the U.S. and its allies.
- Members of the cartels are reported to have infiltrated the Ukrainian military.
- Are the cartels planning attacks on the U.S. homeland in response to the administration’s campaign against drug boats?
Panelist: Todd Bensman, Senior Research Fellow for the Border Security and Immigration Center at The Heritage Foundation. Full bio
11:20 AM · Has the Democrat Party Normalized Hostility Toward Jews?
- Has the Democrat Party, including the DSA, normalized hostility toward Jews?
- Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El Sayed apologized for comments he made following an attack on a Detroit area synagogue earlier this year, as he works to ease concerns among Jewish voters ahead of the November election.
- “I made a mistake,” El Sayed told the Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus, saying he should have issued a clear condemnation from the start.
- His initial response said there was never a justification for attacking innocent people, but also described violence as cyclical.
- Ken, do you accept his apology? Has El Sayed meaningfully distanced himself from Hassan Piker?
- Reaction to New York Governor Kathy Hochul visiting an Islamic Cultural Center in Queens and wearing a headscarf, days before the 25th anniversary of September 11.
- Ken’s latest Thought of the Week looks back at the lessons of that day.
- Why was Ken in Las Vegas this week?
Panelist: Kenneth Abramowitz, author of The Multifront War: Defending America From Political Islam, China, Russia, Pandemics, and Racial Strife. Founder of SaveTheWest.com, dedicated to preserving Western civilization.
11:33 AM · Deadly Times Square Stabbing
- A knife wielding attacker stabbed two people, killing one, in Times Square before NYPD officers took her down. The attacker reportedly yelled that she would rather kill both victims. More on the case
- Video of the attacker raised questions about why she was out on the street unsupervised.
- The victim, Erin Piacenti, 32, was a vice president at Bank of America who lived in Chester, New Jersey. She had recently celebrated her second wedding anniversary and welcomed a baby girl five months earlier.
- Piacenti was stabbed in the abdomen by Pamela Cisneros, 49, while walking home through Times Square after her first day back at work from maternity leave, and later died of her injuries.
Panelist: Rafael A. Mangual, Nick Ohnell Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, City Journal contributing editor, and author of Criminal Injustice: What The Push For Decarceration And Depolicing Gets Wrong And Who It Hurts Most. Full bio
11:50 AM · Salute the Troops
A daily moment on Your News Talk America to salute the service members and veterans who keep America safe.
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Your News Talk America
Tuesday, September 1, 2026 · with Jake Smith
9:00 · Show Open: Has America Lost Its Soul?
Jake opens the show with a hard look at new polling on political violence. A recent Emerson poll found that roughly one in six voters call the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson at least somewhat acceptable, with similar numbers for the shooting of Charlie Kirk. Jake asks what has changed in the country that a growing share of Americans now cheer on cold blooded murder rather than condemn it, and looks at the cheering section that has formed outside the Lindsay Clancy trial.
Source: Wall Street Journal, "Americans Who Find Killing Acceptable"
Panelists: DIAL producers and callers
9:20 · Times Square Stabbing and a 9/11 Retrospective
A knife wielding attacker stabbed two people, killing one, in Times Square before NYPD officers took her down. Witnesses say the attacker yelled that she would rather kill both victims, and video of her raises questions about why she was out on the street at all. Jake also asks about the optics of Governor Kathy Hochul choosing to wear a headscarf while visiting an Islamic Center in Queens just ahead of the 25th anniversary of 9/11, and gets Chief Chell's own recollections of that day.
Sources: FOX 5 NY · New York Post
Panelist: John Chell, former NYPD Chief of Department and 2029 candidate for New York City Mayor · Bio
9:35 · Iran Retaliation Fears and the Army Secretary's Resignation
Captain Sadler joins Jake to game out what U.S. retaliation against Iran could look like, including whether limited strikes are on the table and whether a heavily fortified Kharg Island would be a realistic target. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tuesday that Iran would immediately reciprocate if the U.S. returns to its commitments under the interim deal signed in June, a statement Jake and Sadler read as a sign Tehran is not talking as tough as it once did.
Separately, U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has submitted his resignation to the President. That comes as Washington Post columnist Marc Thiessen called for the prosecution of the source who leaked a classified Aug. 14 Secretary of Defense Orders Book showing top military leaders warned War Secretary Pete Hegseth that prolonged, large scale operations against Iran risk weakening America's ability to confront threats at home.
Sources: Jerusalem Post, Pezeshkian statement · Jerusalem Post · Fox News · Washington Post · Marc Thiessen on X · New York Post
Panelist: Captain Brent Sadler, U.S. Navy (ret), Senior Research Fellow for Naval Warfare and Advanced Technology, Allison Center for National Security, The Heritage Foundation · Bio
10:00 · Putin Eyes Ukraine Escalation Amid Trouble at Home
The Economist reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin appears poised to escalate his nearly five year war against Ukraine even as casualties mount, frustration grows inside Russia, and NATO allies grow more alarmed. Putin has shown no sign of retreating despite Russia's failure to win a decisive battlefield victory and increasingly successful Ukrainian drone strikes deep inside Russian territory. Speaking to students in Moscow, Putin compared international conflict to the natural world's food chain, and after Ukrainian drones struck Russian refineries and logistics hubs he warned Ukraine had opened a "Pandora's box" and promised blowback on the most sensitive sectors of its economy.
Sources close to the Kremlin told the magazine Putin spent weeks weighing his options before apparently deciding to escalate, even as frustration spreads among Russia's elites nearly five years into a war without achieving its major objectives. Putin may view ending the war without capturing all of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region as a threat to his own grip on power. "They will hang me," Putin reportedly told associates at one point during the war.
Source: The Economist via Newsmax
Panelist: Paul McCarthy, Senior Research Fellow for European Affairs, Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom, The Heritage Foundation · Bio
10:20 · G20 Preview: Bessent's Economic Pressure Campaign on Iran
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent arrived at a Group of 20 finance ministers reception in Asheville, North Carolina, looking to marshal global support for his "Operation Economic Outcast" campaign against Iran. He was joined by Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh and was later seen with JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon outside the reception. Bessent spent last week previewing measures meant to isolate Iran from global markets by punishing countries and institutions still doing business with Tehran. The two day gathering in the Blue Ridge Mountains will also cover bond market unrest, trade disputes, artificial intelligence, and inflation, with a Treasury spokesperson saying Bessent will push a U.S. led agenda on long term growth and private sector demand. Jake and Degner also ask whether Fed Chair Kevin Warsh is warming up to a rate increase this fall.
Sources: New York Post · New York Post · New York Post
Panelist: Dr. Jeffery L. Degner, Research Fellow, American Institute for Economic Research · Bio
10:30 · Putin's Ukraine Escalation: A Global Security View
Jake returns to The Economist's reporting on Putin's apparent decision to escalate the Ukraine war, this time with a global security lens. Dr. Callahan weighs in on why the Kremlin, nearly five years into a war without its major objectives, may see backing down as more dangerous to Putin's grip on power than continuing to fight, and what "They will hang me," a line Putin reportedly told associates, signals about his thinking.
Source: The Economist via Newsmax
Panelist: Dr. John Marshall Callahan, Professor, Institute of World Politics, former deputy spokesperson at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence · Bio
11:00 · The Latest From Kiev and a New Welfare Data Report
Dr. Graceffo brings the latest from Kiev as Putin's escalation plans reportedly include drafting an additional 300,000 soldiers, and Jake asks where those recruits will actually come from given Russia's already strained manpower. The segment also covers a new Gateway Pundit report finding more than half of immigrant led households in the U.S. receive some type of welfare benefit.
Sources: The Economist via Newsmax · The Gateway Pundit
Panelist: Dr. Antonio Graceffo, PhD, economist and national security analyst focused on China and Russia, reporter for The Gateway Pundit · Bio
11:30 · Is the Meta Settlement Going to Backfire?
Meta's settlement with state attorneys general is being celebrated as a win over Big Tech, but Robert Bork Jr. argues it may be closer to the opposite, a case study in how regulation ends up entrenching the companies it is meant to restrain. Meta will pay billions to settle claims involving Facebook and Instagram and has agreed to an elaborate regulatory regime for users under 18, including daily use limits, nighttime restrictions, school hour notification limits, enhanced age verification, and outside audits. Bork argues the fix requires Meta to get considerably better at identifying minors, meaning the government is effectively protecting children's privacy by requiring a company to know more about them.
Jake also gets Bork's reaction to Congressman James Clyburn of South Carolina's comments Sunday about Justice Clarence Thomas.
Panelist: Robert Bork Jr., President of the Antitrust Education Project and coauthor of The New Paradox: Antitrust and the Threat of Conservative Socialism · Book
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Your News Talk America
Monday, August 31, 2026 · with Jake Smith
Today's Guests
Sam Romain, Chairman of Americans for Energy Dominance, joins Jake twice this morning for the show open and the 9:20 energy segment. americansforenergydominance.com
9:00 · Show Open: Trump's Venezuela Oil Deal
Jake opens the show on President Trump's newly brokered oil deal with Venezuela, a country sitting atop the world's largest proven oil reserves. The panel weighs what the deal means for consumers, whether the crude could find its way into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and the challenge of refining Venezuela's thick crude. Also on the table: whether this amounts to a partnership with Caracas or exclusive access to undeveloped Venezuelan oil fields, whether OPEC's relevance is fading, whether Iranian oil and the Strait of Hormuz still matter to world markets, and what the collapse of trade talks with Canada means for Ottawa.
Source: Fox News
Guest: Sam Romain, Chairman, Americans for Energy Dominance · americansforenergydominance.com
9:20 · Energy Outlook and Offshore Drilling
The Energy Information Administration's August Short Term Energy Outlook projects record U.S. oil production this year at 13.8 million barrels a day, about 18.4 percent of a projected 74.89 million barrel per day global total, itself 4 million barrels per day below last year's output. EIA, part of the Department of Energy, still assumes Strait of Hormuz constraints continue through August with flows easing in September, and expects most Middle East production to return to near pre conflict levels in early 2027, with about 0.6 million barrels per day of ongoing disruption through the end of next year. Jake and Sam ask whether the new Venezuela deal revises that forecast. Separately, an Obama appointed Alaska judge has tossed an environmental groups' lawsuit challenging the reopening of 625 million acres for offshore energy development, and the panel discusses what that ruling could mean for national oil production.
Guest: Sam Romain, Chairman, Americans for Energy Dominance · americansforenergydominance.com
9:35 · Trump, NBC, and the FCC
President Trump is calling for NBC's Kristen Welker to face FCC "rebuke or punishment" after she said on Meet the Press that Trump had "mixed results" with his primary endorsements this cycle, a claim Trump disputes given a reported 313 endorsements and a 96 percent success rate according to Ballotpedia. Trump has urged FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr to take the matter seriously, raising questions about NBC owned stations' licenses. The panel also covers Democrat Rep. James Clyburn's appearance on the same Meet the Press broadcast, where he leveled sharp criticism at Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas that Nicholas argues Welker let go unchallenged. Also discussed: a Daily Mail report, possibly overstated, that former White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was invited on ABC's "The View" and considered for a permanent co host slot, and what that would mean for a show known for curating its guests closely.
Sources: New York Post · Ballotpedia · Gateway Pundit · Daily Mail (via archive) · Daily Wire
Guest: Nicholas Fondacaro, Associate Editor, Newsbusters (MRC) · mrc.org/staff/nicholas-fondacaro
10:00 · Venezuela Deal, Larak Island, and NATO's Arctic Flank
Jake and General Holt dig into whether the newly announced Trump Venezuela oil deal resets the global oil market and how it affects China, Russia, Iran, and Canada. The General gives his analysis of last night's bombing raid on Larak Island and whether the U.S. should expect further retaliation from Tehran. The segment also covers Iceland voters rejecting a resumption of EU membership talks, with roughly 275,000 eligible voters weighing in and answering no, plus Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov's warning that NATO's Arctic moves pose a direct threat to Russia, and President Trump's continued interest in Greenland. General Holt also weighs in on worsening unrest in Dublin, Ireland, where a man in his 20s has been charged in connection with violent disorder in Leopardstown. Also this week on his own show, General Holt hosts Cara Chace to talk about the threat social media poses to our digital lives.
Sources: Fox News · Jerusalem Post · TheJournal.ie
Guest: Brigadier General Blaine Holt, USAF (Ret.), Host of Dangerous Intellectuals · dangerousintellectuals.com · new episode: Episode 50: Target Ireland!
10:30 · Middle East Escalation: Larak Island Fallout
Professor Paul Davis gives his own read on last night's bombing raid on Larak Island. Iran's army says it struck the United Arab Emirates' Al Minhad Air Base with drones early Monday, targeting locations where U.S. forces and helicopters were stationed, in what Iranian state TV describes as retaliation for the killing of Revolutionary Guards members and Iranian civilians on Larak Island. Iran's IRGC also launched a retaliatory ballistic missile attack on the King Hussein and Al Azraq air bases in Jordan; the Jordanian military intercepted eight missiles with no significant damage or casualties reported, according to Reuters. The panel also considers how the Trump Venezuela deal could shift the balance of oil power across the Middle East.
Guest: Professor Paul Davis, Institute of World Politics, expert in strategic and tactical political and military analysis, cyberterrorism, and intelligence · iwp.edu/faculty/paul-m-davis
11:00 · The FBI Investigation of Traditional Roman Catholics, Part I
Jim Hoft joins Jake on the Department of Justice's newly released final report examining the FBI's investigation into traditional Roman Catholics tied to the SSPX Marian Corp, led by Bishop Joseph Pfeiffer, which launched the Latin Mass in Delaware. Jake walks through the timeline: the investigation's start coincided with the Latin Mass's arrival in the state, the Bishop of Wilmington's letter warning parishioners away from it, and a report that most of the FBI's focus centered on an SSPX community in Richmond, Virginia, where a parishioner referred to as "Target 1" was flagged as a domestic terrorism concern. Jake also describes a parishioner suspected of being an FBI informant at St. Therese of Lisieux Mission in Millsboro, questions about whether Wilmington Diocese leadership coordinated with the Biden family, and internal disagreement among Wilmington priests over how to handle the movement.
Guest: Jim Hoft, Editor, Gateway Pundit · thegatewaypundit.com
11:30 · The FBI Investigation of Traditional Roman Catholics, Part II
Joe Hoft continues the conversation, recalling that his original story on the first Latin Mass in Rehoboth Beach, held December 19, 2022, drew thousands of hits on Gateway Pundit at the time. Joe and Jake ask why the FBI personnel involved in the investigation have not been publicly named, and discuss the audio of Jake's monologue following the Mass, which the show says has drawn 20,000 hits so far.
Guest: Joe Hoft, radio host, podcaster, and author of The Steal volumes 1 through 3 · joehoft.com/about-joe
11:50 · Salute the Troops
Jake closes the show with the daily Salute the Troops segment, honoring the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces.
Powered by your voice. The Digital Interactive Audience Lounge is the only listener platform of its kind in the country, letting you vote and ask questions that shape the show in real time. Learn more at RealNewsTalk.com.
Your News Talk America with Jake Smith
Show Notes · August 27, 2026
9:00 AM · Tea Party Founder Launches Nationwide Data Center Revolt
Amy Kremer, chairwoman of Humans First and a founder of the Tea Party movement, joins Jake to discuss a new nationwide campaign opposing AI data center expansion. Kremer argues tech corporations are encroaching on local communities and forcing residents to shoulder infrastructure costs against their will.
- Kremer's group will launch a nationwide bus tour called the Data Center Revolt on September 12 in Austin, Texas, which she calls the epicenter of the opposition movement.
- The tour will travel through the South and up the East Coast, stopping in Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia before ending in California's Silicon Valley.
- Kremer, a veteran conservative organizer and Georgia Republican Party leader, draws parallels between the movement and the early days of the Tea Party.
Guest: Amy Kremer, Chairwoman, Humans First
9:20 AM · Meta Settles Child Safety Case for $16.7 Billion
Meta has settled a major federal case with a coalition of 29 state attorneys general over allegations the company misrepresented the mental health harms its apps cause children. Zack Smith of the Heritage Foundation joins to break down what happens next.
- The case was led jointly by California Attorney General Rob Bonta along with attorneys general from Colorado, New Jersey and Kentucky.
- Meta has agreed to pay a maximum of $16.7 billion as part of the settlement.
- Open question: does a court need to approve who gets the money, and could it become another windfall for blue states, similar to how some states spent the 1990s tobacco settlement?
Guest: Zack Smith, Senior Legal Fellow of Courts and the Constitution, The Heritage Foundation
9:35 AM · Florida Moves To Kill School Vaccine Mandates
Florida has proposed abolishing school vaccine mandates for four vaccines, chickenpox, Hepatitis B, Hib and pneumococcal, while expanding religious exemptions. Katie Asher joins to discuss.
- The proposed rule expands religious exemptions to include moral and ethical beliefs, and would let parents and college students opt out of having their records in the state vaccine database.
- Florida law still requires vaccination against measles, mumps and rubella, polio, diphtheria and tetanus to attend K through 12 public schools, since those remain in state law rather than agency rule and cannot be repealed administratively. Full story
- Last September, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Surgeon General Ladapo called on the legislature to roll back all vaccine mandates statewide. Background
Guest: Katie Asher, Vaccine Researcher and author of The Book of Heaven: A Story of Hope for the Outcasts, the Broken, and Those Who Lost Faith (book link)
10:00 AM · $40 Trillion Debt, 9/11 Mastermind To Stand Trial, New Jersey's New Abortion Law
Judge Andrew Napolitano joins for a three part roundup: a fresh warning on the nation's debt, a trial date finally set for the mastermind of the September 11 attacks, and a new New Jersey law that criminalizes interference with reproductive healthcare providers.
- National debt has passed $40 trillion. The Congressional Budget Office projects a $1.9 trillion deficit for fiscal year 2026, rising to $3.1 trillion annually by 2036. Economist Dr. Paul Mueller of the American Institute for Economic Research warns growth alone cannot close the gap without restraining spending.
- Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, and three other terrorists held at Guantanamo Bay will finally stand trial in 2028, a military judge ruled this week. Details · Background
- New Jersey's new law, S2260/A2218, imposes criminal penalties for injuring, threatening or physically blocking patients or providers, or damaging property tied to reproductive healthcare services, and expands the state's shield law to limit cooperation with out of state investigations into transgender surgery cases. Press release
Guest: Judge Andrew Napolitano, Senior Judicial Analyst, Newsmax, host of Judging Freedom. Latest opinion piece: Twilight's Last Gleaming (judgenap.com)
10:30 AM · Judge Forced To Lift Mail In Ballot Injunction, States Sue Over USPS Rule
A federal judge appointed by former President Obama has been forced to lift her nationwide injunction against President Trump's mail in ballot security order after the Supreme Court rejected her earlier block. Kaelan Deese of the Washington Examiner joins with the latest.
- U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani conceded in a nine page order that, after Trump v. California, the League of Women Voters plaintiffs are not likely to prevail as written, after the Justice Department asked her to reconsider following a Supreme Court rebuke on Monday. Full story
- Twenty four states have separately sued to block a new USPS mail in ballot rule ahead of the November midterm elections. Report
- Deese also weighs in on the Meta settlement, which he describes as the largest Big Tech accountability settlement to date. Analysis
Guest: Kaelan Deese, Justice Department Reporter, The Washington Examiner
10:50 AM · Five Years Since The Afghanistan Withdrawal
This week marked five years since the withdrawal from Afghanistan. Ryan Morgan of The Epoch Times, who attended Wednesday's Pentagon anniversary event, joins with what he saw.
- A Pentagon event was held Wednesday afternoon marking the fifth anniversary of the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal.
- Morgan reports directly from the ceremony.
Guest: Ryan Morgan, Pentagon and Military Reporter, The Epoch Times
11:00 AM · School Supply Sticker Shock and the Cost of the Canada Tariff War
Economist David Hebert of the American Institute for Economic Research joins to talk through reports that parents cannot afford school supplies this year, and his recent op ed on how the tariff standoff with Canada has damaged America's credibility.
- Parents are reporting sticker shock on back to school costs, raising the question of why the same complaints were not as loud when inflation topped nine percent in 2022. Report
- Hebert argues in The Daily Economy that the tariff standoff with Canada has cost the United States credibility on trade commitments. Read the op ed
Guest: David Hebert, PhD, Economist, American Institute for Economic Research
11:20 AM · Inside The Lindsay Clancy Case
Mental health expert Dr. Azita Sayan joins to unpack the Lindsay Clancy case, which has sparked national debate over how patients with severe mental health conditions are diagnosed and treated.
- Dr. Sayan weighs in on the mental health expert testimony presented during the trial.
- She offers her take on whether Clancy was properly diagnosed and treated, and what she would have done differently as her treating clinician.
Guest: Dr. Azita Sayan, mental health expert and licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, CEO of Embrace Growth, creator of the Unfinished Business methodology, author of the bestseller Girl Talk: What Really Works With Men, and host of Donyaye Eshgh (The Universe of Love) on KIRN AM 670
11:30 AM · New Afghanistan Documents Surface As Pentagon Upgrades Valor Awards
Dr. James S. Robbins of the Institute of World Politics returns with his own recollections of the Afghanistan withdrawal, as the Pentagon says it has uncovered previously hidden classified documents shedding new light on the chaos.
- Pentagon officials said Wednesday they found classified documents "hidden away in safes where they would not be found," tied to the final days of the war, though they declined to release public details.
- The claim came hours before Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth took part in a ceremony upgrading valor awards for service members who served at Kabul International Airport during the withdrawal. Full story
Guest: Dr. James S. Robbins, Senior Vice President for Research and Business Development, Institute of World Politics
11:50 AM · Salute the Troops
Today's Salute the Troops closes the show honoring the service members recognized this week as the Pentagon upgraded valor awards tied to the Abbey Gate attack during the final days of the Afghanistan withdrawal.
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Show Notes for August 26, 2026
9:00 AM · Show Open: Canada and the Tariff War
Jake opens the show asking whether Canada is really an innocent victim in the tariff fight, or a protectionist economy playing both sides.
- Canada keeps its own tariff barriers on U.S. steel, aluminum, and vehicles that do not meet CUSMA content rules.
- Provincial liquor control boards restrict U.S. wine, beer, and spirits from reaching Canadian shelves.
- Canada's supply management system props up dairy, chicken, turkey, and egg prices with tariffs as high as 245 percent on cheese and 298 percent on butter.
- The Special Milk Class Permit Program discounts milk components for Canadian processors competing against U.S. imports.
- More than half of Canadian cable and streaming content must be Canadian under CRTC rules, a mandate expanded by the 2023 Online Streaming Act.
Source: Trade.gov, Canada Trade Barriers
Panelist: David Hebert, PhD, economist at the American Institute for Economic Research.
9:20 AM · CIA Director's Secret Flight Into Moscow
Jake and his panelist dig into why CIA Director John Ratcliffe reportedly tried to slip into Russia aboard a military transport plane, and what it signals about Putin's escalating threats against NATO.
- Putin's threats against NATO and member countries have been increasing.
- The panel asks whether Iran sanctions, and the possibility of new Russia sanctions, were part of the discussion.
Panelist: Dr. John Marshall Callahan, professor at the Institute of World Politics and former deputy spokesperson at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
9:35 AM · Weight Loss Drugs and a Surge in Divorce
Audio courtesy of WDIV Detroit sets up a conversation about an unexpected side effect of the GLP-1 weight loss boom: marriages under strain.
- GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic are delivering real medical benefits as more people lose significant weight.
- Divorce attorney Liz Bass says she is seeing a surge of divorces tied directly to patients on GLP-1 drugs.
- The panel asks whether some patients are unprepared for becoming more desirable to the opposite sex after losing weight.
Panelist: Liz Bass, partner at Berkbot, Bottger, Newman and Schein.
9:45 AM · Farewell to Dolly Parton
The show pays tribute to two losses in the entertainment world this week. Earlier in the week the country lost Coach and The Donna Reed Show star Shelley Fabares. Yesterday the country lost Dolly Parton, an American treasure.
- In an era when fame and fortune often create distance between a star and the public, Dolly never acted special or privileged.
- Jake says with certainty there will never be another star quite like her.
Panelist: None, DIAL producers and callers.
10:00 AM · Moscow Flight, Rubio's Warning, and 25 Years Since September 11
Captain Brent Sadler joins to unpack new video and flight data confirming a U.S. military transport landed in Moscow, plus what a possible resumption of military strikes could mean and what lessons the country should carry from September 11 as its 25th anniversary approaches.
- Video captured a U.S. military transport plane landing at Moscow's Vnukovo airport Tuesday; the Kremlin reportedly claimed no knowledge of the flight.
- Flightradar24 data shows the Boeing C-17A Globemaster III left Joint Base Andrews for Riga, Latvia, before continuing to Moscow.
- The last direct U.S. registered flight to Russia from Europe came in January, when envoy Steve Witkoff and President Trump's son in law Jared Kushner met Putin in Moscow, according to Reuters.
- The Department of War and the Kremlin stayed tight lipped about the trip.
- Marco Rubio raised the possibility of resuming military strikes; the panel asks how likely that is, or whether targeted attacks will be needed to finish off the regime.
- Sadler gives his assessment of what is being called Economic D-Day.
- With the 25th anniversary of September 11 just 14 days away, the panel asks how the attacks reshaped American foreign policy, national security, and immigration enforcement, and how policymakers should respond to candidates who claim the U.S. deserved the attacks.
- According to Israeli officials, Iranian agents were in the country in December and tried to kill Benjamin Netanyahu's son in Miami.
Source: Fox News
Panelist: Captain Brent Sadler, U.S. Navy (ret.), senior research fellow for Naval Warfare and Advanced Technology at the Allison Center for National Security at the Heritage Foundation.
10:30 AM · The $40 Trillion Debt Balloon
Dr. Paul Mueller joins to explain why almost no one likes a $40 trillion deficit, yet nothing gets done about it.
- U.S. national debt has passed a record $40 trillion, a milestone that reveals real vulnerabilities for the U.S. and global economy.
- Debt first reached $1 trillion in 1941, then more than doubled from $20 trillion in 2017 to today's total over the past nine years.
- The debt is projected to grow by $2.1 trillion in fiscal year 2026 alone.
- Washington's inability to control the deficit stems in part from political incentives; cutting spending or raising taxes tends to be punished by voters.
- Mandatory spending on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid consumes almost two thirds of the federal budget, and that share is set to grow as the median American age climbs from 35.6 in 2001 to 39.4 in 2025.
- If the country wants fiscal hawks on Capitol Hill, Jake says voters need to send them there.
Source: The Conversation
Panelist: Dr. Paul Mueller, senior research fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research.
10:50 AM · Mexican Cartels and America's Beef Prices
Ammon Blair joins to explain what Mexican cartels have to do with the price of a basic family staple.
- Ground beef averaged $6.89 per pound in July, while steak hit a record $13.06 per pound.
- Cartels are infiltrating Mexico's cattle industry by extorting ranchers, stealing livestock, corrupting records, and using fraudulent paperwork and black market cattle tags.
- The USDA estimates roughly 800,000 cattle are smuggled from Central America into Mexico each year, creating an illicit market worth about $320 million.
- The U.S. cattle herd has fallen by roughly 8.5 million head since 2019, tightening supply and pushing prices higher at the grocery store.
- Blair warns that as Mexican cattle imports reopen, fraudulent records also create a biosecurity risk, particularly amid New World Screwworm concerns.
- The Trump Administration announced last week it is reopening Mexico imports of ground beef; the panel asks what dangers come with that decision.
Source: The Federalist
Panelist: Ammon Blair, senior fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation and a 20+ year U.S. Border Patrol veteran.
11:00 AM · Trade War Fallout and the Treasury's Buyback Program
Judge Glock returns to react to the ongoing trade war between the U.S. and Canada and to explain the Treasury's debt buyback operations.
- The panel revisits whether Canada is really an innocent victim in the tariff war, and whether the country is protectionist, socialist, or both.
- Could Canada strike a serious trade deal with the EU, or could China fill any void the U.S. leaves behind?
- Glock explains the Treasury's decision to double the size of some debt buyback operations to at least $4 billion.
- The panel asks whether bond market volatility is a real concern, what separates long term and short term debt, and whether there is any improvement in housing.
- When will Washington start prioritizing the deficit?
Panelist: Judge Glock, director of research and senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and contributing editor at City Journal. He was formerly senior director of policy and research at the Cicero Institute and a visiting professor of economics at West Virginia University.
11:30 AM · A New Department to Fight Government Fraud
Jonathan Dever joins to look at the Justice Department's newly launched fraud unit and what a ghost payroll actually is.
- The Justice Department announced the launch of the National Fraud Detection Center, a prosecutor led, multi agency team built to investigate the most harmful actors defrauding federal programs.
- DOJ says the center is necessary because agencies have lacked the ability to see fraud occurring across multiple programs, letting the same bad actors exploit several taxpayer funded systems undetected.
- Dever argues outright criminal fraud is only part of the problem; government does not have to send money to a fake recipient for taxpayers to lose when billions are budgeted for positions, programs, and systems that are not producing what the public was promised.
- What exactly is a ghost payroll?
Panelist: Jonathan Dever, former Ohio State Representative and former chairman of the Ohio House Financial Institutions, Housing and Urban Development Committee, retired attorney, founder and former CEO of Commercium Financial, current Chief Operating Officer of Proximity, Inc., and author of the forthcoming Grift trilogy.
11:50 AM · Salute the Troops
This week marks the fifth anniversary of the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan. Today's Salute the Troops honors the troops affected by that mission.
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Tuesday, August 25, 2026 · Jake Smith · 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM ET
9:00 AM · The Lindsay Clancy Trial Nears Its End
Lindsay Clancy was back in court Monday for the fifth week of her high profile murder trial for strangling her three young children. Closing arguments could begin as early as this week, with jury deliberations potentially starting soon after.
A psychiatric nurse practitioner who treated Clancy in late 2022 testified this week that the Massachusetts mother repeatedly asked to change her medications despite concerns about sticking to a treatment plan. Rebecca Jollotta, of South Shore Hospital's perinatal behavioral health program, said Clancy sought near daily changes to a plan treating her anxiety, depression, and insomnia, citing intrusive thoughts, insomnia, and numbness, and expressing fear about becoming dependent on benzodiazepines.
Prosecutors are currently presenting a rebuttal case to counter defense testimony that Clancy should not be held criminally responsible because she was allegedly in the grip of severe postpartum psychosis and hearing voices when she killed her children.
Discussion questions: Has this trial come down to whether Clancy killed or murdered her children? What do you make of the conflicting testimony from psychiatrists? What was your reaction to the number of medications she was prescribed? Was she properly treated for her mental health problems? Did the combination of drugs she was prescribed lead to the killing of her three children? What have we learned from this case?
Source: New York Post
Panelist: Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring, former FDA medical officer and current CEO and Medical Director of TaperClinic. Dr. Witt-Doerring is a board certified psychiatrist who has been closely following this case. TaperClinic.com
9:20 AM · Economic D Day Drops on Iran. Now What?
On Monday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced sweeping new sanctions against Iran dubbed Operation Economic Outcast. Bessent said Treasury has mapped every node, facilitator, and network Iran uses to smuggle oil and evade sanctions, and that the new actions will cut off potential sources of revenue for the IRGC and the regime. He added there will be no room for the regime to rebuild its capacity to fund terror, and that any nation still financing Iran's ambitions is making a mistake.
How effective will these actions be, and how do they differ from decades of previous sanctions on Iran? Is the Trump administration willing to confront Russia and China over their business ties with Iran?
Source: The Gateway Pundit
China says its cooperation with Iran should not be disrupted, with a foreign ministry spokesperson saying Beijing will take necessary measures to safeguard its own rights and interests.
Separately, the United States on Monday formally removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, a move Secretary of State Marco Rubio said clears the final major barrier to investment and economic recovery in the country. What about last week's Israeli strike in northern Syria? Has that complicated the agreement?
Source: Fox News
Panelist: Dr. James S. Robbins, Senior Vice President for Research and Business Development at the Institute of World Politics, national security columnist for USA Today, and Senior Fellow in National Security Affairs at the American Foreign Policy Council. Full bio
9:35 AM · Canada Set to Announce Retaliatory Tariffs
Canada is set to announce details of retaliatory tariffs against the US on Tuesday, after relations between the two countries deteriorated sharply Monday. President Donald Trump warned Canadian leaders to fall in line or face consequences far worse than existing tariffs, while Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney accused the US government of trying to subordinate Canada.
The US imposed new 50 percent tariffs on Canadian goods including wine, furniture, and dairy, while Carney said US trade demands proved Washington wants to weaken major Canadian industries including autos, steel, and aluminum. Trump also threatened new 50 percent tariffs on Canadian cars, trucks, auto parts, and steel beginning January 1, 2027.
Canada has already cozied up to Beijing, and now threatens closer ties with the EU. Canadians have stopped buying American bourbon. Should US consumers respond in kind?
Source: Fox Business
Panelist: Dr. Jeffery L. Degner, Research Fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research. Full bio
10:00 AM · Iran's Currency Collapse, Netanyahu's Revelation, and the Houthis
What is the reaction to Operation Economic Outcast? Iran's currency is now essentially worthless, with the rial dropping to a record low of more than 2 million rial to the dollar. Would Israel step in with humanitarian support, as it has in Gaza?
In a striking revelation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that Iran tried to assassinate one of his sons. Netanyahu made the comments in a call with Channel 14 military correspondent Noam Amir, without saying which son was targeted or providing further detail. Separately, billboards in Tehran have reportedly named Barron Trump as a target.
Following last week's Israeli strike in northern Syria, roughly 45 miles from the Turkish border, the Trump administration has reportedly tried to broker an agreement between Erdogan and Netanyahu to lower tensions. How likely is that to hold?
Source: Axios
The Houthis have resurfaced. Houthi Deputy Foreign Minister Abdulwahid Abu Ras warned countries against participating in US sanctions on Iran, urging them not to become tools of what he called unjust measures against the Iranian people. Does Israel get involved to confront the Houthis?
Panelist: Joan Leslie McGill, Executive Director for the U.S.-Israel Education Association, where she helps shape the organization's strategic initiatives to inform and educate senior US policymakers about Israel. Full bio
10:30 AM · Putin "Panicked" as Ukraine Marks Independence Day Under Bombardment
Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Carrie Filipetti, now executive director of the Vandenberg Coalition, says Vladimir Putin is panicked and gets anxious when put in a corner as the war intensifies. What is the latest from what some are calling the forgotten war? Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries continue, triggering gasoline rationing in Russia while India ships gasoline to Moscow.
The war continues to escalate, with lethal Ukrainian drone strikes hitting oil facilities deep inside Russian territory. Two people died and several were wounded when drones struck the Afipski refinery in the Krasnodar region and another refinery in the Rostov region, underscoring the threat to energy infrastructure as the war grinds on.
Source: Sunday Guardian Live
Can you describe the recent Russian attacks on Kyiv? Is Putin now targeting Ukrainian shopping centers rather than military assets? Ukraine's Independence Day fell on Saturday. Was there a renewed sense of unifying spirit to keep fighting?
Beyond the war itself, NATO and Europe remain heavily dependent on the United States. Ukraine's air defense is running short of Patriot interceptors, and Europe has not been able to close the gap on its own. President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine has only about a tenth of the interceptors it needs from the United States.
Chatham House reports the Ukraine Contact Group of European states pledged $4 billion for Ukrainian air defense in June 2026, including more than $1 billion earmarked for Patriots, but it remains doubtful the United States will supply the missiles. Europe does not build the Patriot system itself, and analysts estimate it would take 18 to 24 months to establish even a pilot production line domestically.
Source: The Gateway Pundit
Panelist: Dr. Antonio Graceffo, PhD, China MBA, economist and national security analyst focused on China and Russia, a graduate of American Military University, and a reporter for The Gateway Pundit. Connect on LinkedIn · Writing portfolio · ChinaEconGroup · See Antonio's books at Amazon
11:00 AM · Supreme Court Clears Trump's Mail In Voting Order
The Supreme Court on Monday cleared the way for President Trump's executive order restricting mail in voting to move forward ahead of the midterms, lifting a lower court injunction in a 6 to 3 decision along ideological lines. The order does not decide the underlying legality of the president's plan, and further legal challenges are expected before November. How important is this decision, and how much does it help ensure a free and fair election if national voter ID requirements remain unresolved?
Separately, how significant a problem is noncitizen voting in US elections? A Chinese national was arrested for allegedly casting a fraudulent ballot in the 2024 presidential election by impersonating a lawful permanent resident, then reporting the victim to federal authorities for illegally voting.
Panelist: Don Palmer, Senior Legal Fellow for Election Integrity at the Heritage Foundation. Full bio
11:30 AM · Should America Begin Reading Plato Again?
What would an ideal world actually look like? Can humanity move beyond endless conflict? Author John C. Adams' new novel The Third Phase grapples with these questions, reconciling historical arguments from Plato to Nietzsche. Drawing from classical philosophy's most influential work on justice, the book offers both inspiration and a roadmap, blending the ancient wisdom of Plato's Republic with the political intrigue of Orwell's 1984.
The novel follows a fictional protagonist's journey from Olympic champion to world leader, spanning decades of personal, political, and spiritual transformation, as he confronts corrupt cartels and authoritarian regimes while asking whether love can conquer fear and wisdom can defeat nihilism.
Discussion questions: What challenge from your daughters over a decade ago inspired you to write The Third Phase? Why write it as a political thriller instead of straightforward nonfiction? What does the title mean, and who should read the book? What does it say about democracy, politicians, and the world map as we see it today? How did your decades in global M&A prepare you to write it and think through solutions to the world's hardest problems? How did writing the book change you, and what role do faith and spirituality play in the story? What's the single most important takeaway?
Panelist: John C. Adams, author of The Third Phase.
11:50 AM · Salute the Troops
Jake closes the show honoring the men and women of the US armed forces.
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Show Notes for Monday, August 24, 2026
Today's Featured Guest
Paul Davis is Vice President at the Institute of World Politics, with strategic and tactical analysis experience spanning the Cold War to today's upheaval in the Middle East, and expertise in cyberterrorism and intelligence. He joins Jake for the first two segments to open the show on Economic D Day and the widening pressure on Iran. Bio: iwp.edu/faculty/paul-m-davis
9:00 Show Open: Economic D Day Has Arrived
Jake opens with Paul Davis of the Institute of World Politics as the United States prepares to unleash its toughest ever economic offensive on Iran. The question of the morning: what will Washington do today, and how can Tehran even respond?
- Iranian inflation was already running over 90 percent amid mass unemployment. Is the regime even able to pay the IRGC and its regular army?
- Oil is now flowing through the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran's gambit to close it has failed, with US escorts moving 200 ships a week and rising, up nearly 400 percent from two weeks earlier.
- The United Arab Emirates, Iran's largest trading partner, cut off all transactions last week, including financial ones.
- Pakistan back in the mix: army chief Asim Munir spoke with President Trump last week, days before expected talks in Tehran.
Sources: New York Post, Trump is winning the Iran war · Jerusalem Post live updates
Guest: Paul Davis (@TheIWP), Vice President, Institute of World Politics · iwp.edu/faculty/paul-m-davis
9:20 A Struck Tanker, Iraq's Militias, and an Israeli Strike in Syria
Paul Davis stays on to track a fast moving map across the region.
- Iran warns that vessels violating its Strait of Hormuz rules could face fines, detention, or confiscation, the Persian Gulf Strait Authority posted on X. Who are they kidding?
- A tanker was struck by an unknown projectile 63 nautical miles west of Saudi Arabia's port city of Yanbu, setting the main deck on fire. Houthis?
- Hamas continues to interfere with humanitarian operations inside Gaza.
- Iraq appears to be backtracking on its September 30 deadline to place militia weapons under state control.
- Israel's airstrike in northern Syria may have helped spur US action toward a Syria and Israel accommodation. Why did Israel strike?
Sources: Jerusalem Post, Gaza operations · Jerusalem Post, Iraq militias · Jerusalem Post, Syria strike
Guest: Paul Davis (@TheIWP), Vice President, Institute of World Politics
9:35 What Happens if Iran's Economy Collapses?
Christine Balling of the Institute of World Politics joins Jake on how this economic campaign is different and what a collapse could unleash.
- If drones are the new warfare, what do we call Economic D Day for Iran? How do these sanctions differ from every round before?
- Other Gulf states once helped Iran evade US sanctions. This time that does not appear to be happening.
- Was last week's leak about US ship escorts through the Strait a deliberate signal to get Tehran's attention?
- If Iran collapses, does Israel watch it crash or step in? And is there room for a humanitarian effort?
Guest: Christine Balling (@ChrBalling), Senior Vice President for Professional Affiliations, Institute of World Politics · iwp.edu/faculty/christine-balling
10:00 Are the Toughest Sanctions in History Tough Enough?
Brigadier General Blaine Holt joins Jake on whether the economic offensive can bring Iran to heel, and on a widening set of fronts.
- What will the United States unleash today, and how can Iran realistically respond?
- Why did the FDA approve an mRNA flu vaccine?
- In response to Iranian drone attacks deep inside Russia, Putin has stepped up strikes on Kyiv. Momentum, or a war of attrition?
- A milestone at the podcast: Episode 50, Target Ireland, is ready for download.
Guest: Brigadier General Blaine Holt, USAF (ret) (@the_irascible), host of the Dangerous Intellectuals podcast · dangerousintellectuals.com
10:20 Newsom Signs the Stop Nick Shirley Act
Jim Hoft of The Gateway Pundit joins Jake on a new California law that critics say takes direct aim at investigative reporting and the First Amendment.
- Governor Gavin Newsom has signed the controversial Stop Nick Shirley Act into law.
- Critics argue it is an attack on the kind of investigative journalism that digs into government malfeasance.
- Expect a Supreme Court fight, and a state that may simply ignore the outcome.
Source: New York Post on the Stop Nick Shirley Act
Guest: Jim Hoft, Editor, The Gateway Pundit · thegatewaypundit.com
10:30 America's Hundred Years' War Against Communism
Dr. Bradley A. Thayer joins Jake to argue that the fight against communism never ended. It evolved, spread, and embedded itself in American institutions and culture.
- His book America's 100 Years' War: How to Win Against Communism makes the case that the Cold War never truly ended because communism was never defeated.
- An Epoch Times op-ed by Armstrong Williams asks why some of America's most privileged young people have become its harshest critics.
- So how do we actually win the war against communism?
Source: The Epoch Times, when privilege turns against America
Guest: Dr. Bradley A. Thayer, author of America's 100 Years' War: How to Win Against Communism
10:50 Why Are Oil Prices Falling on Economic D Day?
Peter C. Earle of the American Institute for Economic Research joins Jake on a counterintuitive market as Washington readies its sanctions.
- Brent crude fell $1.23, or 1.3 percent, to $93.16 a barrel Monday, while West Texas Intermediate dropped $1.36, or 1.6 percent, to $85.70. Why lower ahead of the announcement?
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is expected to unveil new sanctions on Iran and its trading partners. He calls it the single greatest financial offensive ever marshaled against an adversary.
- Which trading partners get hit, how hard, and can Russia absorb any more US sanctions?
- What would a total economic collapse in Iran do to world markets?
Guest: Peter C. Earle, Senior Director of Research, American Institute for Economic Research · aier.org/people/peter-c-earle
11:00 Can MAGA Survive Without Trump on the Ballot?
Author Scott Greer joins Jake on the most consequential question facing the American right as Trump reshapes the party in his image.
- Two developments in the past 24 hours sharpen the question: can the movement hold together when Trump is no longer on the ballot?
- What to make of the reported meeting between Jared Kushner and Hakeem Jeffries.
- Does the failure to deliver the Save American Act reflect on Trump, or on Senate Republicans who are not his allies?
Guest: Scott Greer, author of Whitepill: The Online Right and the Making of Trump's America and host of the Highly Respected podcast
11:30 An ISIS Plot Foiled, and a Firebombing Left Unsolved
Investigative reporter Scott Wheeler joins Jake on two cases that, side by side, raise hard questions about how the FBI chooses its targets.
- The FBI says it foiled an ISIS inspired plot to kill officials and damage the New York State Capitol, arresting 35 year old Jessica Bowie after she took possession of what she believed was an explosive device.
- Prosecutors say Bowie pledged allegiance to ISIS, ran reconnaissance, bought bomb making materials, and planned to hide a device in a food delivery bag.
- Wheeler contrasts that success with the unsolved firebombing of a pregnancy center in Amherst, New York, claimed under the Jane's Revenge banner, where the FBI made no arrests but his own team says it identified suspects.
Guest: Scott Wheeler, investigative reporter, national security expert, and US Army veteran
11:50 Salute the Troops
Jake closes the show honoring Master Sergeant Luis F. Deleon Figueroa. We thank him for his service and sacrifice.
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