US Strikes on Iran and Regime Change Talk, Anti ICE Attack at 26 Federal Plaza, SpaceX Starship Scrub | Your News Talk America
Your News Talk America
Daily Show Notes for Tuesday, July 21, 2026
Today's Guests
Asaf Romirowsky, PhD (9:00 and 9:20) is Executive Director of Scholars for Peace in the Middle East (SPME). Trained as a Middle East historian, he holds a PhD in Middle East and Mediterranean Studies from King's College London and has published widely on the Arab Israeli conflict, American foreign policy in the region, and Israeli and Zionist history. He is coauthor of October 7: The Wars Over Words and Deeds.
9:00 · Show Open: US Strikes on Iran and Talk of Regime Change
Jake opens on a widening US campaign against Iran, a Tehran backed ceasefire push, and a fresh Israeli strike on a senior Hamas commander.
- US Central Command completes a fresh round of strikes on Iran after explosions are heard across the country's south, marking its tenth day of strikes. Blasts were reported in Bandar Abbas, on Sirik Island, and on Qeshm.
- The Wall Street Journal reports Iran moved nuclear centrifuges into Pickaxe Mountain, deepening concern that Tehran is working to protect its uranium enrichment capacity.
- Houthi forces impose a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, and the Saudis reroute their oil through the Red Sea.
- The Jerusalem Post reports it was Tehran that initiated the proposal now advanced by mediators for a 10 day ceasefire between the United States and Iran. Two sources say the aim is to resolve the Strait of Hormuz dispute tied to last month's memorandum of understanding, which both sides now treat as void. The move underscores how urgently Tehran wants a pause as US strikes expand and President Trump weighs a return to a full scale campaign. Read more at The Jerusalem Post.
- President Trump is now said to be weighing regime change in Iran.
- The IDF and Shin Bet announced they killed Adham Ibrahim Sha'aban Nasman, operations head of Hamas's Gaza City Brigade. Nasman served as a battalion commander in the group's Nukhba force, led the brigade's October 7 infiltration into Israel, and held several former hostages, including Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, Ziv and Gali Berman, Eitan Mor, Matan Angrest, and Omri Miran.
On this segment: Asaf Romirowsky, PhD (see Today's Guests).
Sources: jpost.com ceasefire report · Shin Bet coverage · The Jerusalem Post
9:20 · Rising Antisemitism in New York
- A vandal hurled motor oil and feces at two Queens synagogues last week. Worshippers discovered the mess Friday morning, said Steven Saphirstein, community outreach coordinator for the neighborhood safety group Queens Shmira. New York Post.
- A 96 year old Auschwitz survivor, Jerry Wartski, says he now hides his Star of David chain amid spiraling antisemitism in the city. He gave Democrats a history lesson, warning that the party and the Democratic Socialists of America are being infiltrated by antisemites who leave Jews feeling unsafe in the streets. New York Post.
On this segment: Asaf Romirowsky, PhD (see Today's Guests).
Sources: Synagogue vandalism · Auschwitz survivor · NYPD hate crime data
9:35 · Monologue
Jake's monologue: Watch Your Language.
9:45 · Attack Targets ICE at 26 Federal Plaza
- An attack targeting ICE struck a New York federal building. FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Barnacle identified the suspect as Andrew Arrabaca, 43.
- The Department of Homeland Security described Arrabaca as an anti ICE "rioter." He was apprehended by officers, Barnacle said.
- Arrabaca is a former US Army soldier who served from 2001 to 2005 and worked as a mechanic on Patriot missile systems. Police noted he wore a military style helmet. He is in custody and has been interviewed.
- ICE has drawn weeks of bad press. Where do those problems come from? Last Friday, Washington Examiner homeland security reporter Anna Giartelli reported on this program that ICE agents cite poor working conditions and new recruits being rushed through academy training. (945 CUT 2)
On this segment: Todd Bensman, Senior Research Fellow for the Border Security and Immigration Center at The Heritage Foundation.
10:00 · The Constitution, the Courts, and Birthright Citizenship
According to Ilan Wurman, the Julius E. Davis Professor of Law at the University of Minnesota, the modern reading of the Constitution diverges sharply from its historical understanding. Five examples:
- Courts are out of control and do not grasp the original conception of the judicial role.
- Congress's regulatory power under the commerce clause far exceeds the original understanding, so much of the New Deal state is basically unconstitutional.
- The Constitution contains no power to spend for the general welfare, so most modern welfare spending is unconstitutional, which ties into welfare fraud.
- Congress has delegated excessively to the administrative state, helping create a "deep state" that governs Americans' daily lives.
- The original distribution of foreign affairs and war powers heavily favored Congress. Today the President exercises most of these powers.
Wurman is the only academic to file an amicus brief in the birthright citizenship case on behalf of the Trump Administration. His work was cited three times by the Justices and recently drew four votes at the Supreme Court. He argues for the original meaning and coherent structure of the Constitution as it was conceived, against how it has been misconstrued.
On this segment: Ilan Wurman, Julius E. Davis Professor of Law, University of Minnesota, author of The Constitution of 1789: A New Introduction.
Source: Ilan Wurman on Amazon
10:20 · A Tenth Night Over Iran and the Oil Markets
- A tenth night of bombing Iran. What targets were hit last night, and how do they differ from earlier strikes?
- Oil markets stay on edge as renewed attacks near the Strait of Hormuz and the threat of disruption at the Bab el-Mandeb Strait raise risks to global energy supplies.
- Houthi forces impose a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, and the Saudis reroute their oil through the Red Sea.
- Analysts expect the US to avoid a full scale conflict before the midterm elections, limiting oil and gasoline price spikes while continuing to negotiate with Iran. OilPrice.com.
- Fuel markets are even tighter than crude, with damaged refineries in the Middle East and Russia pushing gasoline and diesel prices higher despite weaker Chinese demand. Analysts warn higher fuel prices could persist.
- For Ryan Morgan: this war has shifted from ending Iran's nuclear ambitions to demilitarizing the Strait of Hormuz. How much further must the US go to clear the threats there, and why has Secretary of War Pete Hegseth stayed so quiet?
On this segment: Ryan Morgan, Pentagon and military reporter for The Epoch Times (ryan.morgan@epochtimes.us); and Sam Romain, Chairman of Americans for Energy Dominance.
Sources: OilPrice.com analysis · Americans for Energy Dominance
10:30 · Mission Aborted: SpaceX Scrubs Starship Flight 13
- SpaceX aborted the planned launch of Starship Flight 13 after an automated system detected a problem during engine ignition just before liftoff.
- Elon Musk said the issue involved two Raptor engines that will be replaced before another attempt, which he expects within a few days.
- The flight was set to test Starship's latest upgrades and deploy 20 next generation Starlink satellites, a key milestone for reusable spaceflight, lunar missions, and Mars exploration.
- The scrub weighed on SpaceX's newly public stock, which declined after the delay.
- Questions for the guest: the biggest challenges before humans can reach Mars; what SpaceX gets right and what still remains; whether the company moves too fast or is simply the only way to innovate; the Kessler effect and why space debris matters; balancing satellites with a healthy orbital environment; the opportunities and risks of becoming a multiplanetary civilization; and whether Starship could help deploy debris removal missions or SOAR's technology.
On this segment: Christopher Lee Jones, founder and president of Satellite Orbital Access and Removal (SOAR), a Florida startup developing technology to capture small pieces of orbital debris. A retired Miami Dade Fire Rescue firefighter and paramedic, Jones moved into the space sector after researching orbital debris and the Kessler syndrome. He is the author of Mars Mission I: Surviving the Kessler Effect and is working with the University of Texas at El Paso on a patented passive debris capture system.
Source: SOAR
10:50 · Did the Networks Have a Right to Hide Trump's Speech?
- The charge: the media had no right to hide Trump's Thursday night speech. Did the networks abandon their duty to inform the public by refusing to carry a presidential address?
- When does legitimate editorial judgment become information control? Why not carry the speech and challenge its claims afterward?
- Have journalists moved from reporting the news to deciding what Americans are permitted to hear?
- What the preemptive dismissal of the address reveals about political bias inside national newsrooms, and how media gatekeeping deepens the crisis of trust in journalism. (Publius)
- How did NBC News report the attack at 26 Federal Plaza? "Fireworks set off outside 26 Federal Plaza."
On this segment: Dennis Kneale, author of The Leadership Genius of Elon Musk, veteran business journalist and proud Florida resident. His latest book is Oregoners.
Source: Oregoners on Amazon
11:00 · What Has Happened to the Smithsonian?
- Has the Smithsonian replaced American history with restorative justice themes and a focus on slave reparations? Jake and the guest take stock of the institution's direction.
On this segment: Dr. Allen Mendenhall, Research Fellow at the Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies and Senior Advisor to the Free Enterprise Initiative at The Heritage Foundation.
11:20 · Epic Fury Returns: Iran, Hormuz, and the Midterms
- Epic Fury returns. The Wall Street Journal reports Iran moved nuclear centrifuges to Pickaxe Mountain, and Houthi forces impose a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia.
- The US issues a "worldwide caution" to citizens amid rising tensions with Iran.
- How degraded is Iran's ability to attack shipping in the Strait of Hormuz? Iran claims it targeted US missile systems in Kuwait, and the IRGC says it blew up two vessels in Hormuz.
- Are the American people prepared for regime change in Iran and what it would cost the nation? If boots on the ground are required, which nations take part? What are the political ramifications for Republicans and the midterms? Jeff Crouere says seniors, who usually support US military intervention, should not be taken for granted by Republicans.
- For Dr. Callahan: what do you make of FBI Director Patel traveling to Moscow?
On this segment: Dr. John Marshall Callahan, Professor at the Institute of World Politics and former deputy spokesperson at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence; and Jeff Crouere, talk show host and political analyst of Ringside Politics on Real America's Voice, columnist, and author of America's Last Chance!
Source: America's Last Chance on Amazon
11:30 · Medicaid Fraud and the Families It Hurts
- What is the status of the federal crackdown on Medicaid fraud, where benefits meant for American families raising an autistic child have been stolen?
- Fraudsters stole benefits, and now, because of that alleged criminal activity, families say they are being denied the benefits they need.
On this segment: Tayler Sanders, Family Advocate with the Autism Family Alliance.
Source: Autism Family Alliance
11:50 · Dearborn Signage, Your Calls, and Salute the Troops
- Facebook post: a Home Depot in Dearborn, Michigan has added Arabic to its in store signage.
- Many major retailers in Dearborn have added Arabic as well, at locations including Walmart, Home Depot, Costco, Kroger, and Albertsons. Is this capitulation, or simply a sound business decision?
- Are planned data centers being targeted by the CCP by way of TikTok and other social media in the United States? (The Honorable Steve Yates is a Senior Research Fellow for China and National Security Policy and Chung Ju Yung Fellow at The Heritage Foundation.)
- This slot is open for DIAL producers and callers.
Salute the Troops closes today's show.
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