Speaking With American Patriots

Speaking With American Patriots -

A special series featuring leading voices for truth, justice, and freedom.

Thaddeus McCotter

Thaddeus McCotter is a former member of Congress, a Republican who represented Michigan’s 11th congressional district between 2003-2012. He’s also a radio host, musician (George W. Bush once referred to him as “that rock-and-roll dude”) and a trenchant cultural critic and political analyst, whose writing appears frequently in American Greatness and Chronicles Magazine. We spoke with Thaddeus to get his insights on the upcoming election and corruption on Capitol Hill.

Do you think there are any more surprises in store leading to the 2024 election?

I believe the Democrats will replace the cognitively impaired and eminently beatable Mr. Biden for a stronger presidential nominee, likely at their national convention. I would never be happier to be mistaken.

Do you miss being in Congress?

Does one miss swimming in a cesspool? I had already told a few people close to me how, if reelected in 2012, it would have been my last term. Politics had become a destructive, toxic environment, which has further devolved into a dumpster fire of the vanities fueled by ungodly sums of money. At this point, Members of Congress should post Dante above their office door: “Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.”

Was the handling of the 2008 financial crisis the biggest disaster you saw while serving in the House, or was there something worse?

The worst disaster was the failed Iraq reconstruction, which unconscionably and unnecessarily claimed the lives of Americans, Iraqis, and our allies. Domestically, the Wall Street Bailout was not only an abject betrayal of hardworking American taxpayers by bailing out the culpable parties, it also promoted the corrosive lie within a republic of equally sovereign citizens that there are some Americans and entities that are “too big to fail.” This was the genesis of the populist movements in both parties, which continues into the present with the Sanders and the Trump supporters.

What would be your first step in draining the Washington, D.C. swamp?

In a perfect world, reduce the role of money; in the real world, require full transparency in political contributions. Right now, we have unlimited, anonymous amounts of “dark money” dominating the politics of the republic. The old adage holds that “money is the mother’s milk of politics;” ergo, if you can’t stem the flow, at least know which teat the politicians are suckling.

What is your prayer for America?

I offer an abridged version of Psalms 95 and 96, asking for atonement, redemption, and renewal: “Today, if you will hear His voice: Do not harden your hearts, so we may sing to the Lord a new song!”

Tony Badran

Tony Badran is America’s leading Middle East expert. His writing on American foreign policy in that part of the world, and the threat dangerous powers like Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah pose to our peace and prosperity, can be found at Tablet, where he is the News and Politics Editor. We spoke with him recently to get his insight on recent developments in the Middle East to see how that may affect us here at home.

Why is the White House describing Iran’s attack on Israel last week as “unprecedented”?

To be sure, Iran has been attacking Israel for decades. Only it has always done so from territories controlled by its various regional proxies, like Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza and the West Bank, the various Shiite militias in Syria and Iraq, and the Houthis in Yemen. Insofar as Iran launched this latest attack from its own soil, including launching ballistic missiles, it qualifies as unprecedented.

How will the US influence Israel’s response?

The White House has another motive in hyping up the attack, which is to underscore the role U.S. military assets and partner forces played in defending against it. The administration has used that role to then restrain Israel from retaliating. The Biden team, therefore, has injected itself as an arbiter between an ally and a terror state. It determines what counts as legitimate defense, which it oversees, and what it regards as unacceptable military action on the part of Israel. Israel therefore is made to accept certain attacks and surrender its sovereign decision making to the Biden administration, which has its own considerations with Iran.

Why has the White House hidden Iran’s role in the October 7 massacre?

The administration is implementing Barack Obama’s policy of alignment with Iran. To that end, it is enriching the Islamic Republic with sanctions relief and non-enforcement, subsidizing and protecting the various pseudo-states that it controls in the region, and shielding its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. So, when this policy resulted in one of Iran’s proxies, Hamas, savagely slaughtering 1,200 people, including dozens of U.S. citizens, the administration felt the need to distance Iran from the massacre if for nothing else than to hide its bloodstained policy, which made Washington complicit in the biggest single-day slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust. It now had become the lawyer of an obscurantist, murderous, antisemitic, terrorist state. Moreover, immediately after Oct. 7, there were multiple reports of Hamas fighters training in Iran and Lebanon, and of Iranian commanders holding high-level meetings in a joint operations room with Hamas and Hezbollah in Lebanon ahead of the attack, leading to questions about what U.S. intelligence was able to collect in the lead-up to the attack, especially in Lebanon, which the administration treats like an American protectorate.

Do Americans have an interest in Israel’s war on Palestinian terror?

As we’ve seen since Oct. 7, the grotesquery of Third World antisemitism and thuggery is now a feature of daily life in American cities—the legacy of an insane immigration policy, coupled with Barack Obama’s vision for America. The Democratic Party’s elevation of this ethos, and the protection it has afforded to its street gangs, make defeating it and everything it stands for important, if nothing else than for affirming civilization over barbarism. On the foreign policy level, having Israel destroy this savage cult of death and defeat its patron, Iran, the lead sponsor of worldwide terrorism, which, among other things, is holding global navigation hostage and threatening our peace and prosperity, is an obvious gain for Americans.

What is your prayer for America?

That America doesn’t abandon our forefathers’ covenant with God to go the way of the dead nations of the Third World.

Roger Kimball

Roger Kimball is Editor and Publisher of The New Criterion and President and Publisher of Encounter Books. He writes regular columns for The Epoch Times and The Spectator, U.S. edition. He’s the author of several books, including The Long March: How the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s Changed America and Tenured Radicals: How Politics Has Corrupted Our Higher Education.

We spoke with Roger recently to get his insight on books and literature, our founding fathers, the American present, and the future of our great nation.

Were art and literature important to the Founding Fathers?

Yes, but in a special sense. Primarily, they were interested in the art of forming nations, so their reading was heavily tilted toward the classics. The image of Hamilton reading Plutarch as he shivered at Valley Forge is paradigmatic. Jefferson of course was interested in architecture but I think John Adams’s observation speaks most pertinently to the question: “I must study politics and war,” he said, “that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. My sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history, naval architecture, navigation, commerce and agriculture in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry, and porcelain.”

What is the role of a conservative writer in today’s media?

Basically, the same role that Socrates played in Athens or Kierkegaard play in Copenhagen. Socrates was a “gadfly” painfully stinging people out of their complacency, ignorance, and hypocrisy. Kierkegaard slyly exposed the ways in which supposed Christians actually betrayed Christianity by only pretending to be what they were not. One task for the conservative writer today is to expose the manifold ways the people who shout most loudly about saving “our democracy” really act to undermine it.

What books should Americans read to understand our current circumstances?

Here are four. The Camp of the Saints, a novel by the French writer Jean Raspail, which imagines a future in which Western civilization is overrun and destroyed by untrammeled waves of migration from the third world. Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell’s great dystopian novel about how totalitarianism destroys society partly by brutality, partly by denying reality (2+2=5). The fact that many of the Left take the book as a how-to manual should give us pause. Brave New World, Aldous Huxley’s dystopian novel about a future society in which the populace in tranquilized into submission by a systematic erasing of the past, genetic engineering, and enforced promiscuity. Finally, Arthur Milikh’s Up from Conservatism: Revitalizing the Right After a Generation of Decay. This collection of essays by diverse hands looks deeply into the state of American society and offers a host of remedial strategies for recovery. (Full disclosure: not only did I publish the book but also I have an essay in it.)

What new Encounter books should we read to prepare for the 2024 election?

Let me mention two just-published books: Second Class: How The Elites Betrayed America’s Working Men and Women by Batya Ungar-Sargon and Arabella: The Dark Money Network of Leftist Billionaires Transforming America by Scott Walter. The subtitle of both underscores the important topics they treat.

What is your prayer for America?

That we bear in mind these wise words from Jefferson’s first inaugural address: “Every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle. We have called by different names brethren of the same principle. We are all republicans; we are all federalists. If there be any among us who would wish to dissolve this Union, or to change its republican form, let them stand undisturbed as monuments of the safety with which error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it.”

Amanda Milius

Amanda Milius was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of director/screenwriter John Milius (“Apocalypse Now,” “Jeremiah Johnson,” “Dirty Harry,” “Conan The Barbarian,” “Red Dawn,” etc.) and actress Celia Kaye. She studied filmmaking in New York City and Los Angeles — and then joined the Donald Trump 2016 Presidential campaign. She worked in the State Department before returning to her true calling, filmmaking. In 2020, she directed and produced the most-watched documentary of the year, “The Plot Against the President,” based on the book of the same name written by investigative journalist Lee Smith. With the operation targeting not only Trump, but also his aides, including America’s Future Chair Michael Flynn, and supporters, still ongoing, we spoke with Amanda recently.

What’s harder, working on a presidential campaign, working in the State Department, or making a film?

Definitely making a film, there are more moving parts and you’re in charge of it all. Working in the government is only as hard as you make it, and working on a campaign is too fun to be considered work!

What films and filmmakers have you learned most from?

My Dad mostly, and luckily his group of friends he came up with in the film world. I still really love Robert Altman, Terrence Malick, Vincent Gallo and Harmony Korine; and the paranoia trilogy by Alan Pakula.

What’s the greatest American movie ever made?

“Gone With the Wind”

What’s your next film project?

Maybe “Plot Against the President 2.” Maybe a project on John McAfee, the computer programmer and cybersecurity legend. Or another project that we’ve kept under wraps. There’s a lot on the table!

What’s your prayer for America?

That we get our country back within my lifetime!

Arthur Milikh

Arthur Milikh is the executive director of the Claremont Institute’s Center for the American Way of Life and editor of the recently published Up from Conservatism: Revitalizing The Right After a Generation of Decay. The book’s authors argue that conservatives have been unable to stop or even slow the Left’s rolling revolutions in nearly every sector of American society—from classrooms to boardrooms, from the military to the culture at large. For conservatism to have a serious future, it needs to think more deeply about the essential policy questions that will define the future of the country: race, men and women, sexuality, religion, the economy, and foreign policy.

We spoke with Arthur recently to get his insights and ideas about the future of our great nation.

What’s the most important thing that needs to be done to revitalize conservatism?

I know that nothing can happen without a changed self-understanding, which I think means adopting the view that we’re the rightful heirs to American civilization rather than a group whose moral worth and self-confidence are determined by the left. But that’s only the beginning. The next step is recapturing and properly governing real things—states, universities, parts of the press, businesses, etc. The right is sometimes good at talking but is almost never capable of properly governing. It has, however, perfected losing things. If the right today miraculously was given Harvard University to govern, it would lose it in less than a decade. It must learn to hold and manage properly.

Should we be worried about the future of free speech in America?

No doubt there is a powerful front assembled and prepared to restrict speech and even compel speech. That front once consisted of professional activists, universities, big tech, and NGOs, but it today, obviously, includes the government itself. This unified front has two kinds of speech in mind: the former wants to restrict so-called hate speech, which consists of stopping thoughts that protected groups deem harm their self-respect; the latter wants to stop certain kinds of political speech that the government thinks question its authority. Conservatives pray that the Supreme Court will protect this sacred right. And it probably will, for the time being. But times change quickly, and conservatives need to draw lines in the sand beyond which they will not permit the left to cross. Speech is one of those. Overcoming this threat will require wrestling away the institutions and platforms where political speech takes place.

Can public schools be revitalized?

Two things are needed for that to happen. First is the self-confidence to say our school and the curricula belong to us; that they must serve a republican way of life, not harm it. In this sense, education is political. There is no neutrality in education. The left understands this, and the right used to, until relatively recently. The second is to organize politically. School boards, curricula, superintendents, etc., should all be part of a state-wide party apparatus in red states. Public colleges and universities should also be properly altered using funding and other means in red states.

What is your prayer for America?

That Americans might look at each other as striving to live together with some lasting harmony, sharing common goals, while also realizing that if we lose the country neither side wins.

Steve Friend

Steve Friend worked as a patrolman and narcotics agent in Savannah, Georgia, before joining the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2014. He investigated violent crimes and major offenses occurring on Indian Reservations in northeast Nebraska for seven years and was also a member of the FBI Omaha SWAT team. He transferred to Daytona Beach, Florida to investigate child exploitation and human trafficking before being reassigned to investigate domestic terrorism. In 2022, Steve became an FBI whistleblower after making protected disclosures to Congress about the FBI’s questionable and manipulative investigations of January 6th protestors.

His memoir “True Blue: My Journey from Beat Cop to FBI Whistleblower” is the story of a man whose principles and patriotism left him with no other choice but to make the hard decision and risk losing the job he loved — and take a stand against a fabled American institution that has lost its way.

A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Steve is a married father of two sons. We spoke with him recently to get his insights on the FBI, free speech, and America’s future.

When did the FBI change its counterterrorism mission to focus on the ruling establishment’s political opponents?

The FBI established the National Security Branch, the original home of the Intelligence Branch division, in September 2005, as part of its mission to detect, deter, and disrupt national security threats in the wake of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The branch collects, analyzes, and shares intelligence to understand and defeat these threats while preserving civil liberties. Unfortunately, bureaucratic mission creep and arbitrary performance metrics lead the FBI’s National Security Branch to unjustifiably target groups of Americans disfavored by the regime.

In order to continue to justify its outsized budget and power, the FBI has increased its focus on “homegrown violent extremists” (HVEs). The FBI is incentivized by its quota system to target and ensnare Americans in the counterterrorism dragnet. For example, in the years after 9/11, Muslim Americans were routinely targeted for entrapment by the FBI as part of its focus on HVEs.

In recent years, the FBI’s counterterrorism mission shifted to “domestic violent extremists” (DVEs). Although the FBI publicly states that mere advocacy of political positions, activism, use of strong rhetoric, or even general philosophic embrace of violent tactics may be constitutionally protected, agency operations indicate otherwise.

In October 2023, Newsweek spotlighted the FBI’s latest label: “anti-government anti-authority violent extremism” (AGAAVE). The FBI profiles this threat to encompass “perceived government overreach, negligence, or illegitimacy.”

Were you aware that the FBI was working with Big Tech platforms to censor speech during the 2020 election cycle?

I was uninvolved with anything pertaining to the 2020 election cycle. However, when I was reassigned to domestic terrorism investigations in 2022, I became aware of an FBI confidential human source known as “Operation Bronze Griffon.” The CHS works for Facebook and provides the FBI private messages without court-authorized subpoenas or search warrants.

What was the most rewarding work you did as an FBI agent?

I had the opportunity to investigate violent crimes and major offenses occurring on Indian reservations for seven years. During that time, I opened over 200 criminal cases and arrested 150 violent criminals plaguing small communities. The crimes ranged from homicide and aggravated assault to domestic violence and sexual abuse of children. I really enjoyed the independent, hands-on work and the chance to use the federal government’s resources to truly help underserved communities.

Can the FBI be reformed?

I do not believe reform is possible. However, our elected officials lack the political will to entirely defund the FBI. I have proposed some potential reforms — disarm the FBI and return it to an unarmed investigative agency, cross-deputize state and local police with federal arrest powers, and force the bureau to partner with those agencies to arrest subjects. The sheriff is elected to reduce crime, whereas the FBI is improperly incentivized to increase crime statistics to justify its existence and budget. These reforms create a bulwark against FBI weaponization and empower local police to direct the bureau’s resources toward the criminal and national security threats impacting a community.

What is your prayer for America?

The Book of Esther teaches that we were all “born for such a time as this.” I pray that more Americans wake up to the reality that our country is engaged in a cold civil war. One side is willing to do whatever is necessary to win. The other side just wants to get along. That is an asymmetrical battle. Our citizenship cannot simply be outsourced at the ballot box. We need everyone to engage. Being American is not a leisure pursuit. For the country to survive, more citizens have to be uncomfortable and inconvenienced. There is enough work to do for everyone – go to a school board meeting, lobby your state representatives during legislative sessions, pressure your sheriff to divest from the FBI, etc. Gideon only needed 300, but the fight for America will require all hands on deck.

Hans Mahncke

Hans Mahncke holds LL.B., LL.M., and Ph.D. degrees in law. He is the author of numerous legal books, and his research has been published in a variety of top-tier journals. In addition to his role as in-house counsel, Hans has over 20 years of experience teaching at tertiary institutions across the globe. He’s also an accomplished investigative journalist whose reports on Russiagate and the Covid cover-up have brought the truth to the American public. He just finished a book on Russiagate, titled Swiftboating America. And he co-hosts “Truth Over News” on Epoch TV.

We spoke recently with Hans to get his thoughts on America, journalism, and accountability.

You’re a lawyer with a busy career that took you around the world, so what got you started writing journalism?

To be honest, I did not pay much attention to the media until around 2017. I knew the media lied about pretty much everything, so I took it all with a pinch of salt. In the end, it was the fact that the media completely lost its way under Trump and that no one was covering certain stories that got me started. I remember when Mueller charged Papadopoulos with something that did not align with the known facts, yet no one covered it. And then no one, not even the so-called conservative media, was covering the massive Covid origin cover-up, even though all the evidence was out there. It’s ironic that we now live in a world where there is more information available than ever before, yet the entire media is sticking to an extremely narrow narrative.

Why is it so important for Americans to understand Russiagate?

Russiagate has evolved from its origins as a Clinton campaign dirty trick to the criminalization of diplomacy with Russia under Trump and now serves as a versatile weapon against anyone who dares to criticize the Washington establishment and Western elites. All their failures are attributed to Russia, and anyone who highlights their failures is labeled as a Russian stooge. Russiagate has effectively insulated Western elites from accountability. Until the Russiagate hoax is destroyed once and for all, they will steer us ever further into the abyss.

Can you tell us about the book you’ve written about Russiagate?

My forthcoming book on Russiagate, titled “Swiftboating America,” tells the story of how an internal Clinton campaign plot, named the “Trump swift boat project,” evolved into a government-led effort to undermine Trump. The story is told through the eyes of online researchers, including Walkafyre, Fool Nelson, Steve McIntyre, and me, who uncovered a number of crucial parts of the plot. It also shows how a run-of-the-mill dirty trick turned into a global catastrophe. The book’s overarching thesis is that everything that has happened in recent years, from Biden becoming president to the Ukraine war, has its roots in the Russiagate hoax.

Will Anthony Fauci or Deborah Birx or any of the other public health bureaucrats who lied to the American public about Covid ever be held accountable?

No one will ever be held accountable for Covid, neither for its creation nor for the response. The reason is that the establishment will protect its own until it is itself destroyed. But that is a long-term project with no guarantee of success. Everything will have to be rethought and renewed, including shrinking the permanent bureaucracy, redoing the entire academic system from scratch – especially grants and journals – eliminating credentialism, eradicating the corporate media, and much more. Fauci and Birx, along with many of us, will likely pass away before any of those things come to fruition.

What is your prayer for America?

Ronald Reagan said it best: “If we lose freedom here, there’s no place to escape to. This is the last stand on earth.” The current situation is significantly more challenging compared to the era when Reagan was in office. Consider the Censorship Industrial Complex or the increasing number of highly partisan judges. My prayer for America is that people heed Reagan’s warning. America is the last best place on earth. No other country even has a First Amendment. If the flame of liberty is extinguished in America, the entire world will descend into a prolonged period of darkness.

Kirk Cameron

Kirk Cameron is an actor and an award-winning television star. He’s also a children’s book author whose titles include As You Grow, Pride Comes Before the Fall, and most recently The Fox, the Fair and the Invention Scare, all published by Brave Books. Kirk’s story-hour readings at local libraries around the country have enchanted large and adoring family audiences — and drawn protests from “Woke” activists who see him, rightly, as a determined opponent of their destructive anti-family agenda.

He and Brave Books are also collaborating on a new children’s TV series, “Adventures with Iggy and Mr. Kirk” — a crowd-funded initiative launching a show he compares to one of his favorite shows as a kid, “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.” We recently spoke with Kirk about family, faith, America, and raising strong children in a culture often pointing them in the wrong direction.

Why did you decide to start writing children’s books?

My wife, Chelsea, and I have six kids that we love dearly, and since they were young, we understood it was our job as parents to instill good morals and values into them so that they would be ready to withstand the evil in our culture. Our kids are now older, and we recently found out we’re going to be grandparents, which is so exciting! I want to be someone who does everything in my power to pass along the values that give this country so many blessings. Writing children’s books gives me and other families the ability to pass on these values for generations to come.

Why do you think your books have caused so much controversy?

The books that I have written teach kids about the fruits of the spirit, like love, joy, humility, and loving your enemy. These are things that spread love and the light of Christ. One thing that I know to be true is that the darkness does not like the light. So, when I wanted to come to read my book about humility in public libraries, I received a ton of opposition.

What were your favorite books as a kid?

The books that I adored reading when I was growing up were Frog and Toad Are Friends, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Stuart Little, and Brown Bear Brown Bear!

Do you think mainstream children’s entertainment is intentionally harmful, or do the people who produce it just not know better?

There’s a reason children have become the target. Morals and values are instilled in kids by the age of ten. If you can shape the next generation’s ideologies, then you have a chance to control the nation’s future. This is why we have seen such a big increase in harmful content targeting our kids. There is a conscious effort to thwart the pro-God, pro-American values that make this country so great.

What is your prayer for America?

My prayer is that parents and grandparents will continue to wake up to what’s going on in our culture, and God will move them into action, creating a shift in our nation that will lead to the blessing and protection of our children and their futures.

David Azerrad

David Azerrad is an Assistant Professor at Hillsdale College’s Van Andel Graduate School of Government in Washington, D.C. His research and writing focuses on classical liberalism, conservative political thought and identity politics. He’s just published a new article stirring plenty of controversy in conservative circles, “Revitalizing the Right,” that calls for “bold men who will be spurred by the appropriate outrage at what has been taken from them and disgust at what the country has become to defund, humiliate, and marginalize the centers of power of the Left while building their own or reconquering lost ones.”

We spoke with David recently to get his insights on American politics past and present — and future.

What is the best book ever written about America?

Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America. Without a doubt. As Harvey Mansfield says in the introduction to his translation, it’s not just the best book ever written about America, but also the best book ever written about democracy. It never ceases to amaze my students how a 29-year-old Frenchman who had spent less than a year in America could write a book that not only gets us but that has proven to be so prescient. You’ll see more deeply into America by reading this almost 200-year-old book than you will by reading pretty much any work of American political science.

You’re originally from Canada but have lived and worked in the US for almost 20 years so you know as well as anyone else, what do foreigners typically get wrong about America?

How much time do you have? Because of the towering influence of America and, in particular, American culture, everyone thinks they know us. In truth what most know is America as it is depicted on American television or as they see it when they spend a week in New York City. And I don’t need to tell you how the elite, urban, coastal Americans who write and produce the shows and movies that the whole planet watches not only misunderstand the rest of the country, but in fact don’t like it. To quote a former President, they see a bunch of people who “cling to their guns and religion.” That comment reveals the two aspects of American life that elites and foreigners most dislike and really can’t wrap their minds around: the Second Amendment and Christianity. I’ve found it very, very hard to try to get them to see the virtue in having an armed and pious citizenry.

What parts of U.S. history are your students at Hillsdale most interested in?

When they arrive they tend to be most interested in the Founding and the Civil War, as I think is the case with most students who lean to the right. In the classes I teach on American Progressivism and Liberalism and Contemporary American Political Thought, I try to get them interested in the successive waves of progressivism, liberalism and leftism that fundamentally transformed America over the course of the 20th century—in particular the cultural revolution of the 1960s—and also to try to understand the post-Cold War era we live in and the nature of the contemporary American regime. It’s quite the intellectual challenge to make sense of the mess we are in today since the situation is unfolding and, in many crucial regards, without any historical precedent.

Is the biggest problem facing America right now political or cultural, or something else entirely?

I think the deepest problem is psychological, by which I don’t mean some disorder to be cured by seeing a therapist or taking medication. By psychological, I mean the rot in the mind of the ruling class. On the Left, it’s this conviction that America, the West and white people are the root of all evil and that women, people of color—African-Americans above all others—and other purportedly victimized groups are objects of collective worship. Hence the indifference to black crime, the pathologization of all healthy expressions of masculinity, the celebration of sexual degeneracy, and the jubilation before the flood of immigrants streaming across our border. Members of the ruling class who are on the right may disagree, but they rarely have the courage to forcefully denounce the lies and unabashedly defend what is left of the American way of life.

What is your prayer for America?

“Meet them undaunted, and they shall have no power to daunt thee” (Jeremiah 1:17).

Brian Costello

Brian Costello is the CEO of ShiftIQ, an AI company, and has more than 30 years of experience technology and cybersecurity industry. As an expert in foreign capital and investment, Brian’s insights have made him a leader in addressing our economic challenges with China, especially in emerging technology domains. Recently we spoke with him about the threats China poses to U.S. peace and prosperity, in particular its controversial social media app TikTok.

Why is TikTok a threat to US national security?

TikTok is an AI-driven social media platform that curates content through algorithms tailored to users’ previous interactions. Its ownership, via parent company ByteDance, falls under the rule of the Chinese Communist Party. Beyond mere content recommendation, TikTok possesses the capability to subtly manipulate and direct content, acting as a powerful propaganda tool. With the CCP’s documented history of using such platforms for these purposes, TikTok’s ability to shape the opinions of hundreds of millions of Americans poses a unique and dangerous risk, to manipulate, sow discord and even influence elections at all levels with microtargeting. We’ve already seen it disseminate content such as Bin Laden’s letter to America, provide instructions for illegal immigrants on crossing the border, and promote pro-Hamas positions, further fueling discord here in the U.S.

Is there anyone on Capitol Hill who understands the dangers of this instrument of Chinese information warfare?

I believe many on Capitol Hill now fully grasp that the TikTok issue extends far beyond mere data access, which was their initial concern. The problem lies in the fact that efforts to address this are limited to letters, tweets, and reports, as no one wishes to antagonize the powerful donors invested in ByteDance.

Why did U.S. political and corporate elites help China grow into a strategic threat to the United States?

The answer to this question is complex. Initially, it seemed to be a pure capitalist venture to tap into a new, vast market. The critical error made was assuming that, following our Cold War victory, China would westernize as its economy grew. The point at which it became clear this was not the case is debatable. However, any such debate definitively ended with Covid — and much earlier for those doing business in China who saw the growing influence of the CCP with economic success.

Is the Chinese economy in trouble?

Yes, and I hope the U.S. refrains from providing a bailout. Much of China’s success has been fueled by real estate and foreign direct investment, both of which are currently faltering. Relying on cheap labor, constructing ghost cities, and engaging in dubious, anti-competitive business tactics have proven to be less sustainable than anticipated. Despite this, China remains a significant market, boasting a highly educated consumer base and a culture known for its strong work ethic.

What is your prayer for America?

First, I pray for the Lord to guide the true power of America, its people, and that we discover the common ground that unites us. I pray that the ruling establishment — corporate, political, and cultural elites — return to their senses, and their mission, and serve the nation once again rather than their own special interests.

Trent Talbot

Trent Talbot is founder and CEO of children’s book publishing company BRAVE Books. As a new father, he was looking for wholesome books for his own family but was alarmed that so much of the current crop was driven by the progressive agenda — which is fundamentally anti-family. So Talbot left his career in ophthalmology and started BRAVE Books, which celebrates families and honors traditional values. The catalog lists dozens of great books for kids, with authors familiar to our America’s Future family, including Kash Patel, Sara Carter, John Solomon, RaeLynn, and America’s Future Chairman General Mike Flynn.

Recently, we spoke with Trent about kids, books, and America.

Why did Brave Books decide to focus on publishing children’s books?

When I began to notice the attack on children through books like Antiracist Baby, I couldn’t stop thinking about the ideas that were going to dominate the culture that my children grew up in. After being consumed with the topic for a few months, I decided to leave my career as an ophthalmologist and create a children’s publishing company to equip families with tools to teach their children. Stories are so impactful on children because stories stay with you forever.

What are parents saying about Brave Books?

Just about every parent we hear from is so thrilled to have classic bedtime stories for their children that instill biblical, foundational principles and they appreciate the universe and characters that we have created that keeps children looking forward to their monthly book arriving on their doorstep.

Which of your great authors has had the most success so far?

Kirk Cameron’s first book with us, As You Grow, took us to another level due to the controversy of libraries across the country not allowing him to come do story hours in their libraries.

What were your favorite books as a kid?

I loved the Berenstain Bears and Grimms’ Fairy Tales. Those stories have stuck with me till today.

What is your prayer for America?

My prayer for America is that the simplicity and innocence of being a kid is upheld in our nation again.

Philip Zodhiates

Philip Zodhiates is the author of Innocent: The Price One Man Paid for Doing What Is Right. It’s a harrowing account of how the justice system punished him for protecting a child.

For driving a distraught mother from Virginia to New York as she sought refuge for her young daughter, whom she had learned was being sexually abused by her former partner, Zodhiates was sentenced to a three-year prison term. Because the former partner was a lesbian and the mother was a former lesbian (now a converted Christian believer), the media portrayed Zodhiates’ actions as an anti-LGBTQ hate crime. The FBI hunted him down and convicted him of aiding and abetting an “international parental kidnapping.”

During his 30-month incarceration, Zodhiates wrote daily in a journal about life in prison. What began as a terrifying experience for this Christian husband, father, philanthropist, and businessman became a journey of faith—for Philip and the inmates whose lives he changed. Recently, we spoke with Philip for his insights on America, our corrupted justice system, and the light of faith.

Your new book, Innocent: The Price One Man Paid for Doing What Is Right, is about how you helped rescue a young girl and her mother from a sexual predator. How did you come to know the family?

I had never met them before. The mom was distressed, desperate, and was told to call me as I was the type of person who helps people.

You were sent to jail for helping an innocent child escape an abusive adult; has the predator been criminally or otherwise punished for her crimes?

No, as a matter of fact, her crime has been swept under the rug by the Vermont and federal courts in order to push the LBGTQ agenda, which now appears to be nothing less than the normalization of adult-child sex.

What did you find out about the justice system that you didn’t know before?

There no longer is true justice in the United States anymore. The system is totally rigged and politicized in order to get a conviction regardless of innocence or guilt.

How did your time in prison augment your faith?

God has a purpose for everything we must go through, and my book is a testament to that — something for which I have no regrets. We are told in Scripture all who love the Lord Jesus Christ WILL be persecuted. There are no exceptions. Yet He promises to be with us through every trial. This will be very evident to every reader of my book.

What is your prayer for America?

I pray that God’s people recognize that persecution of Christians is indeed coming big time to America and that they stand in the face of such opposition, even prison and death, without wavering.

RaeLynn

RaeLynn is a songwriter and country music recording star from Baytown, Texas, who has shared the stage with legends like Garth Brooks, Keith Urban, Maren Morris, Miranda Lambert, and Blake Shelton. Her singles have gone gold and platinum, and her new single, “Funny Girl,” will be released in March. RaeLynn has also just published a children’s book, Raisin’ Me a Country Girl, based on her song of the same name. We spoke with RaeLynn recently about music, children, and America — three of her favorite subjects.

Was writing a book harder than writing a song?

I think writing a song and writing a book have their own challenges. Writing songs has always been a therapeutic release for me, so though it can be difficult to write a song, it’s always so fun. With writing this book, the creative release was different, so with anything new, it came with its own challenges. But I have found I love doing both, writing songs and writing books, and I look forward to writing more of both in the future.

Can you tell us about the background story behind your great song “She Chose Me”?

This song is definitely one of my personal favorites and showcased my life story in a new light. “She Chose Me” is about my mom choosing to move forward with her pregnancy regardless of her circumstances at the time. I wanted to write this song as an anthem of support, an anthem of hope, and most of all, an anthem of love.

Which songwriters and recording artists have most inspired you?

There are so many it would be hard to list every single one of them. I have met some of the most genuine, talented, and artistic people throughout my life, but if I had to pick one, it’s Dolly Parton.

You’ve toured all around the country performing your music — what do you like best about being on tour?

The people I meet along the way are the best thing about touring. I love this country, I love and honor our veterans, and I love my fans —people who contribute in great ways to keep this country going, and for that, I’m thankful.

What is your prayer for America?

My prayer for America is that we will continue to fight for truth, fight for the family, and fight for unity.

Jeff Carlson

Jeff Carlson is an investigative journalist and co-host of “Truth Over News” on Epoch TV. We spoke with Jeff recently about the media, and how alternative media is giving Americans news and insights they won’t find in the mainstream press any longer.

You’ve broken lots of important stories on Russiagate and the Covid coverup. Why are these stories so important for Americans to understand?

Getting the truth in front of folks – facts that the corporate media refuses to report – is always extremely important. And like so many in the new media, we always strive for source documents as the basis of our information. But the larger, more important story is the rise of the citizen journalist – primarily because corporate media has abandoned their traditional role in favor of political activism. People are beginning to understand on a broad level that the media is biased and shouldn’t be trusted – and they are starting to search for better sources of news by looking for those who offer facts rather than narratives.

Do you think alternative media like Epoch Times has replaced the mainstream media with the information and insight it provides readers?

Absolutely. Epoch has always done a great job of reporting the facts and allowing the reader to decide. They’ve provided me with the journalistic freedom to pursue whatever stories or topics I find of interest. But my definition of alternative media is really quite broad. And with the increasing availability of great podcasters, YouTube and Rumble channels, along with X, there’s no shortage of amazing content to choose from. The exposure to diverse opinions and viewpoints from an array of smart people is unparalleled. And like many, I relish the longer formats where topics and details can be fully explored. I don’t know anyone who relies on corporate media anymore.

Has Elon Musk’s ownership of X, or Twitter, advanced free speech?

I’ll respond with a qualified Yes. In many respects, what Elon did with his purchase of Twitter, or X, was heroic. The ongoing publication of the Twitter Files by Matt Taibbi and others has exposed an astonishing level of government censorship and free speech violations. We’d long suspected – and in some cases had proof of this censorship – but the broad-based exposure is really something to behold. That story alone was worth the price of admission. That said, the algorithmic throttling and suppression of conservative accounts is still a very real thing. And, X’s new monetization policies often place a premium on spam and sometimes outright theft by large accounts at the expense of disseminating real information generated by research-based accounts.

What will be the most important stories this election year?

A tough question to answer. It’s always the stories you don’t see coming that prove the most important. Of course, we have the overarching story of the election – one that’s truly crucial to the future of our country. But I would also provide a distinction between Big Stories and Big Issues, which are usually more fundamentally important. And for me, the Big Issues are things like immigration, which has become a truly structural societal problem. The Left’s increasing reliance on Lawfare poses a real challenge for our society and reflects the hard left turn of our judicial system. I concurrently worry about our broken federal agencies, the implementation of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), and a two-tiered system of justice – which are all semi-related to the outbreak of lawfare.

Our $34 trillion in National Debt represents another structural problem for our country and has been ignored far too long – swept aside by a policy of easy money and the smug sense that the U.S. would never go broke – we could always just print more money. But now we’ve reached crisis proportions. And looming behind all of this is the pending issue of Artificial Intelligence. Most have not yet looked closely at this issue, but like it or not, they will be forced to do so shortly. I think that the changes will be profound.

What is your prayer for America?

Oh boy. Where do I start? My prayer for America would be for a return to faith and a return to our Constitution – the document that lifted America up and made us the envy of the world — a charter of negative rights that values the individual over the collective. A recognition that our Constitution is superior to international law. A move back towards a sense of loyalty to our nation and a shared communal identification with our fellow citizens.

J. Michael Waller

J. Michael Waller is Senior Analyst for Strategy at the Center for Security Policy. A former operative for the CIA, he received his military training as an insurgent with the Nicaraguan contras.

Waller is an expert in foreign propaganda, political warfare, psychological warfare, and subversion, and has been an instructor with the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, and at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg. He holds a Ph.D. in international security affairs from the University Professors Program at Boston University and is author of several books, including the just published Big Intel: How the CIA and FBI Went from Cold War Heroes to Deep State Villains.

Recently we spoke with Mike to get his insight into the US intelligence community and whether it’s still capable of serving our great country.

In Big Intel you tell the story of how the CIA and FBI went from serving the country to undermining it. How did that happen?

It was a long journey. One of the bedrock roles of the FBI was to defend America from Communist and anarchist subversion. The CIA was created specifically at the dawn of the Cold War to contain and defeat Communist expansion. Certain serious misdeeds aside, they began undermining the country when they absorbed critical theory, sometimes known as cultural Marxism, and adopted it as “mission-critical” to American intelligence and counterintelligence.

Did foreign governments and intelligence services have a role in subverting U.S. agencies?

America is the Number One target of hostile foreign governments and their intelligence services around the world. It’s natural that our FBI, CIA, and the entire intelligence community would be among the primary targets for infiltration to undermine us from within. This has been true throughout our country’s history. George Washington warned about it in his Farewell Address.

Are there enough patriots at these agencies to reform them, or do they have to be shut down?

There are certainly enough patriotic Americans out there. But the FBI and CIA have suffered so much decay that they can’t be reformed. One cannot reform agencies whose malevolent personnel cannot be fired. Two generations of politically correct and woke fanatics have ensconced themselves in the bureaucracies. And there are not enough patriotic Americans with the necessary academic and political training and experience, with security clearances, to take their place.

So it makes sense to take the FBI and break it apart by function – counterintelligence, fighting interstate or federal criminals, fighting cybercrime and child-trafficking, world-class crime labs and technology and so forth, and transfer those functions to other agencies that have those same responsibilities. And also to remove certain powers from the central government that properly belong in the hands of the states.

Similarly, we need to re-envision our foreign intelligence. CIA is still stuck in its mid-Twentieth Century box. It does a lot of useless intelligence work like secret squirrel activities fighting climate change. We can do a lot better with a foreign intelligence service that’s leaner and more focused. And not run by woke fanatics.

What is the biggest foreign threat facing America today? What is the biggest domestic threat?

Our biggest foreign threat is Communist China. It’s rapid military expansion, strategic nuclear modernization, extraordinarily aggressive espionage, and endless subversion of our country and the entire world presents the greatest foreign threat.

Russia has thousands of nuclear warheads aimed at us, but we’ve managed to keep things stable for 70 years. It’s stuck in its old KGB ways, and that’s a huge problem, but it pales in comparison to the Chinese Communists.

Our biggest domestic threat is subversion. Not necessarily by foreign intelligence operations, but by the Soviet-incubated ideological rot that’s destroying our history, our commitment to America’s founding principles and the Western moral tradition, and the wokeness that is designed to destroy our values and turn us all against one another.

What is your prayer for America?

I pray that America stops destroying its soul. That Americans stop degrading themselves and one another. That they stop this ceaseless questioning of everything in order to destroy all that is good. That they believe in the principles that made our country great.

Sebastian Gorka

Sebastian Gorka is a former U.S. government official who served as Deputy Assistant to the President in the Donald Trump administration. The author of several books, Gorka is an expert on radical Islam who has worked with the U.S. and allied militaries on defense issues. He is the host of America First with Sebastian Gorka on the Salem Radio Network and a weekly television show on Newsmax, The Gorka Reality Check. We spoke with him recently to get his views on the state of our great nation.

With the recent pro-Hamas protests filling city streets and college campuses throughout America, are we seeing the rise of radical Islam here in the U.S.?

Worse than just the ever-present threat of Radical Islam, we are having revealed to us the erstwhile hidden pandemic of institutionalized Jew-hatred. With hundreds and thousands of pro-Hamas demonstrators screaming genocidal chants like “From the River to the Sea!” across the cities of America and a Harvard President incapable of denouncing it, we have seen the reality of extremism in America, and it’s not from anyone wearing a MAGA hat.

Which countries do you consider America’s most important allies and why?

Israel because it is on the frontline in the war with those who wish to destroy Judeo-Christian civilization. Japan, because it is on the frontline in the war with China, our greatest enemy. And Poland because of all European states, it understands the threat of resurgent Russia the best.

Your parents fought against a totalitarian regime in their native Hungary. Does that help you understand what is happening in America right now?

It is why I am who I am. The fact that my father bore the scars of the interrogations at the hands of the Communist Secret Police until his dying day, informs all I have done professionally, from my work on Jihadi authoritarians to the totalitarianism of the Biden regime and today’s Democrat party.

America is facing many threats right now, foreign and especially domestic, but what do you think is the single most important issue heading into the 2024 election?

Whether we will have a Republic at all if the Left is re-elected.

What is your prayer for America?

That Americans who love America wake up and stop those who hate America by getting politically engaged. NOW.

Braxton McCoy

In 2006, Sgt. Braxton McCoy (Ret.), while performing a security detail outside of Ramadi, Iraq, was severely wounded by a suicide bomber. Both his legs and arms were broken in multiple places, his spine was fractured, he had a number of fractured ribs, bleeding on the brain, and a severed medial nerve in his right hand. What followed was over two dozen surgeries and nearly a decade of physical therapy and rehabilitation.

His 2017 book The Glass Factory is an account of his physical and psychological recovery. Already recognized as a contemporary classic, The Glass Factory documents McCoy’s long journey and stands as a testament to the warriors he served with.

McCoy twice served as a National Advocate for the Army Wounded Warrior Program and twice as a Veterans’ Advocate for the Coalition of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans in the District of Columbia. His years as an advocate were focused on getting veterans back to work as a meaningful way to outflank Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. As a result of his service, he has been awarded several medals, including an Army Commendation Medal with V Device for exceptionally valorous achievement in combat and a Purple Heart.

He’s a rancher, horse trainer, and inspirational speaker who has engaged Fortune 500 executives, military members, rehabilitation centers, NBA, MLB, and NFL players and executives to impart the lessons he learned about what it takes to overcome the challenges that life inevitably sends our way.

We spoke with Braxton recently to get his insights on the character and strength of our great nation.

“The Glass Factory” is about a physical and psychological recovery and returning from war. What do you want to say to veterans who may be struggling with similar wounds?

Keep going. I know that sounds cliche, but it is true of physical injuries. Don’t believe the limitations surgeons and doctors are setting for you. Go further. As far as the mental side goes, we need help. Help from God, help from a loved one, or help from a therapist. My world view tends to think help should be sought in that order, but others are the opposite.

Your book has an important, transformative, scene at Arlington National Cemetery where you visit the gravesites of fallen warriors; what do you think about the recent removal of the Reconciliation Monument that stood for America’s post-Civil War peace?

I think petulant children tearing open old wounds and fiddling with the remains of greater men than they will ever be is a terrible thing but an all too American thing in 2023. Kids often enjoy the sowing more than the reaping. I suspect it will be the same in this case.

You’ve said before that the Great Plains is the spiritual core of America; why is that region so important to our history and past?

This place is responsible for our ethnogenesis. What could be more important to a nation than that? Americans became a distinct people on the frontier, from the Ohio River valley to the coast of California. Some explored and settled, others helped support and supply those who were settling, still more dreamed of one day seeking their fortune out west. To tie into your previous question about monuments, how might post-war reconciliation have gone had there not been the pressure relief valve of the American West? Obviously, it is impossible to say for certain, but we can’t ignore the role it played. I am sure to some extent this was true after the Revolution too.

I once met a bear hunting guide who, upon returning from the Vietnam war, left his life in Maine behind and headed off to live in the Idaho wilderness with nothing but a couple of mules and a couple of dogs. He eventually grew tired of wandering and found a job hunting bears for local and federal law enforcement. He was good enough at it that he was still doing the same job into his 70s which is when I met him. If America is a tapestry, as some like to claim it is, then the Frontier is the loom it was woven on.

What is your favorite American book?

My favorite American novel is tough. It’s probably Blood Meridian, by Cormac McCarthy. But another of his books, All the Pretty Horses (the book not the movie) put McCarthy’s hooks into me as a young man. Perhaps it is best just to say that McCarthy is my favorite American author.

What is your prayer for America?

My prayer for America is simple. I pray that we turn to God and repent for our wickedness before it is too late.

Gene D’Agostino

Gene D’Agostino is the producer of the Charleston Meeting, a monthly off-the-record gathering of elected officials, journalists, business leaders, and conservative authors from around the country. Recent guests of the Charleston Meeting have included Mollie Hemingway, James Lindsay, Miranda Devine, Nancy Mace, and Roger Simon. A longtime advocate of school choice, Gene is also chair of the South Carolina Charter School Alliance.

You play an active role in local politics in the Charleston area; can you give an example of how local actions have national effects?

When Moms For Liberty turned over the school board in Charleston County, it encouraged other parents all over the nation to get involved in their kids’ education.

Before moving south, you lived in Connecticut for many years; is there a difference between local politics in these two regions?

Connecticut is a one-party state, none of the candidates I supported ever won. People get discouraged and are not engaged like down here.

Who is the most inspiring speaker you’ve hosted at the Charleston Meeting?

There have been lots of inspirational speakers. The most recent is the one that comes to mind. FBI whistleblower Steve Friend inspired us all with his courage and fearlessness.

What will be the biggest issues heading into the 2024 election season?

Weaponization of the Federal Government and immigration.

What is your prayer for America?

I pray that America can develop a sense of the transcendence – an understanding that there is something greater than us and that there are eternal truths.

Richard Grenell

Richard Grenell served as U.S. Ambassador to Germany in the Donald Trump administration and was later named acting Director of National Intelligence. At that post, he declassified several important documents related to Russiagate, including a list of thirty-nine Barack Obama officials who spied on Trump’s incoming national security advisor, Gen. Michael Flynn. He was also President Trump’s special envoy for Serbia and Kosovo peace negotiations, where he crossed paths with Jack Smith, then a prosecutor who would become the special counsel the Joe Biden administration weaponized to interfere in the 2024 election through a lawfare campaign targeting the Republican frontrunner.

You were a major part of Donald Trump’s foreign policy successes. How does the current administration’s foreign policy compare to Trump’s?

The opposite of America First is consensus with the UN or Europeans. Joe Biden is more concerned about pleasing the Europeans and having the UN applaud him than he is with putting America first. In fact, he mocks those people who want to put America First. The Trump Administration had crippling economic sanctions on Vladimir Putin’s Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline into Europe. We were able to keep the Russian pipeline inoperable. But Joe Biden caved to German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s request to drop the sanctions. Biden wanted to please the German Chancellor so much that he put her interests ahead of what was best for Americans. I can argue that Joe Biden’s acquiescence to the Germans is the reason we have a war in Ukraine.

As Trump’s envoy for Serbia and Kosovo peace negotiations, you have excellent insight into the character of special counsel Jack Smith, who, as a prosecutor in the Hague, had the president of Kosovo arrested on spurious charges. What does this say about the man investigating a former U.S. president?

Jack Smith has demonstrated that he is willing to do anything, including manipulating the rule of law, to indict his political opponents and put them in jail. What Smith did to Kosovo President Hashim Thaci was purely political. It was designed to ruin President Trump’s negotiations to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia. Jack Smith was in charge of investigating war crimes from the Kosovo-Serbia war and he was not about to let President Trump solve many of the problems that he wanted to keep talking about.

Do you think the lawfare campaigns against the 2024 GOP frontrunner are failing?

The lawfare attacks against President Trump are so obviously political manipulations of the rule of law. Joe Biden and the Democrats have overreached. They’ve shown their true colors and have made clear they are willing to weaponize government against their political opponents in order to stay in power.

What are some of the projects you’re involved in now?

I work in the private sector now. But I am always willing to help President Trump with anything he needs.

What is your prayer for America?

I pray that people wake up to what is happening to the United States. I pray that eyes will be opened.

Rich Baris

Rich Baris is the director of Big Data Poll, “the new gold standard in survey research,” and the host of “Inside the Numbers.” We spoke with Rich recently to get his insight on polling, the 2024 election, and the future of our great nation.

When did you start you career as a pollster?

I suppose my career as a “public” pollster technically started in 2014, and I began releasing public polling in 2016. But anyone interested in this industry must learn from others, and that process started as far back as 2010, when a professor in college introduced me to the wide world of polling and election forecasting.

Americans have come to distrust polls almost as much as they distrust the media; are they wrong?

No, it’s healthy to be at least skeptical of political information in this era. People shouldn’t dismiss the polls, but they do need to educate themselves about how they’re conducted and remember pollsters are having a difficult time evolving in the information era.

What is the most surprising trend you’ve seen of late?

Whether it’s the shift we’re seeing to President Trump among younger or non-white voters, I honestly can say that I’m not all that surprised. The tell-tale signs were there all along.

What is the most important issue to Americans heading into the 2024 election cycle?

The economy is still the most important issue. But there is a growing sentiment that things are just out of control, and that will be something I’ll watch closely over the next 12 months.

What is your prayer for America?

I’m a father first, and I pray every single day for America to remember we are a nation with a tradition of solving our political problems at the ballot box, not inside a juror box. It’s all over for self-governance when the electoral process is corrupted, and loses credibility.

Jordan Schachtel

Jordan Schachtel is an independent journalist who writes on a wide variety of issues, foreign and domestic, for The Dossier. An avid critic of COVID regulations, Jordan warned early on that the federal and local response to the respiratory virus would lead to government abuses of our liberties. He also writes about Middle East affairs, with special attention to the blunders committed by U.S. policymakers that threaten our national security. Recently, we spoke with Jordan to get his thoughts on what’s going on in our great country.

Why are we seeing so much support for Hamas and other terror groups in U.S. cities and across U.S. college campuses?

The problem is twofold: red-green axis indoctrination and the physical import of individuals who are ideologically aligned with Hamas. The college campuses have further degraded, but they have an updated roster of students who step on campus on day one with an extremist worldview.

More than twenty years after 9/11, are we seeing the rise of radical Islam here in America?

Just as the rise of Al Qaeda and ISIS sparked a global radical movement, the October 7th Hamas massacre has emboldened militant Islamists within the United States. Let us hope that law enforcement is ready to tackle the threat.

Do you think that the politicians, public health officials, pharmaceutical executives, and media that pushed COVID regulations, from mandates to lockdowns, will ever be held accountable?

Sadly, no. The whole of D.C. was complicit, so they won’t hold themselves accountable.

What are the most important topics you’ll be covering heading into the 2024 election?

The activities of Big Tech and the administrative state and how they will inevitably once more attempt to tip the scales in favor of a regime-approved candidate.

What is your prayer for America?

That we can once more live up to the label of being the greatest nation-state force for good that the world has ever known.

John Rich

John Rich is a country music legend. Born in Amarillo, TX in 1974, Rich is an outspoken American patriot who’s not afraid to speak his mind – and put it to music. “Stick your progress where the sun don’t shine/ keep your big mess away from me and mine,” he sings in his 2022 hit “Progress.” “If you leave us alone we’d all be just fine/ stick your progress where the sun don’t shine.”

With the country music industry falling under the spell of “woke,” like many American institutions these days, he chose to launch “Progress” on America’s two most important free-speech platforms, Truth Social and Rumble — which made it the most downloaded song in the nation.

We spoke with John recently to get his insight on what ails our great country, what will heal it, and what he’s most grateful for this Thanksgiving.

Why do you think your music strikes such a deep chord in so many Americans?

The music I write and record these days is nothing fancy, there’s no trick to it. It’s just straight-ahead truth about the current state of affairs in our country. I try to write as simply as I can, and sing lyrics that people can identify with and hold onto. The truth is always a hit with people who are constantly lied to.

Lots of people see your great hit “Progress” as a protest song; are you writing more music that takes on our current political and cultural circumstances?

“Progress” is a song that calls out the hypocrisy of progressives, who by their policies have destroyed much of our nation. What they consider progressive, I consider regressive. The song just puts a simple yet fine point on the subject and relays my personal feelings about the situation. They can “stick it where the sun don’t shine” as the song says.

In your tours and other travels across our great country, what are Americans most worried about? And what are they happiest about?

Americans that I meet on the road are extremely disturbed about not knowing who has infiltrated our country. They look at America as a nation in distress and in harm’s way. People have their teeth gritted just waiting for something awful to happen due to the campaign of lies they’ve been fed from both parties for such a long time. They know that they don’t know the real story, and that has everyone on edge.

What are you most thankful for this Thanksgiving?

I’m thankful that the Lord has allowed my health to remain constant, and that He blesses my endeavors. What I’m most thankful for is that He has allowed me to have a family that I love more than life itself. Family is everything to me.

What is your prayer for America?

My prayer for America is that it will repent of its wickedness and turn back to God.

Xi Van Fleet

Xi Van Fleet says her newly published book Mao’s America: A Survivor’s Warning was written to wake up Americans to the encroaching danger of “woke culture” — it poses a threat to our liberties as serious as communism itself.

Xi was born in China, lived through the Cultural Revolution, and was sent to work in the countryside at the age of 16. After Mao’s death, she was able to go to college to study English and has lived in the United States since 1986.

In 2021, she delivered a school board speech in Loudoun County, Virginia against Critical Race Theory that went viral and ignited national conservative media attention. She now devotes her time and energy full time to warning about the parallels between Mao’s Cultural Revolution in China and what’s unfolding in America today. Since going public with her message, Xi Van Fleet has appeared on Fox News, Newsmax, and radio shows and podcasts across the country.

What was your first impression when you came to America?

I was amazed to find out that on any given issue there were various opinions in America. This was foreign to me because I was so used to one opinion and one voice, which was the line of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). But today free speech is dying, and America looks more and more like the CCP’s China.

When did you start to recognize similarities between the Cultural Revolution and what is happening in America today?

As early as the 1990’s, I started to notice that political correctness became very invasive. More and more people complied and began to censor themselves. It reminded me of living in Mao’s China.

What made you decide to take a public stand to defend the American way of life?

Although I had been seeing alarming signs of the infiltration of Marxist ideologies, the turning point for me was 2020 when the radical BLMers and Antifa took over our cities and streets. It was clear to me that the alarming signs have turned into a full-blown Marxist Cultural Revolution. That was when I decided to take a public stand to speak up by warning Americans that history is repeating.

How do you explain to people who don’t keep up with current events that we are living at a dangerous time in American history?

I tell American people that Wokeism is the American version of the Cultural Revolution. I know it because I lived through one in China. This revolution has one goal: to destroy America and our freedom.

What is your prayer for America?

Americans need to wake up and take action to defend our freedom before it is too late. That’s exactly why I wrote Mao’s America: A Survivor’s Warning.

Roger Stone

Roger Stone is a conservative political consultant who, since the 1970s, has worked with top Republican politicians, including presidents Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and Donald Trump. Roger is also host of a weekly radio show on WABC, and we spoke with him recently to get his insights on U.S. politics, history — and our great country’s future.

How is American politics different now than when you first entered the arena in the 1970s?

While American politics was always extremely competitive, the recent criminalization of politics is unlike anything we have seen previously. Now, instead of just beating the opposition in a free, fair, honest, and transparent election; one party engages in obvious voter fraud, at the same time, they attempt to frame and jail their political opponents.

With all the presidential campaigns you worked on, which candidate did you learn most from?

From Richard Nixon I learned resilience; that a man is not finished when he is defeated—he is only finished when he quits. Despite seemingly overwhelming and insurmountable obstacles, including the possibility of personal destruction, a man must never quit fighting for what he believes in.

If Richard Nixon were alive today, what advice would he give Donald Trump?

Nixon’s greatest regret was his resignation. In retrospect, he believed he should have gone to trial in the U.S. Senate, where he would at least have had the opportunity to make the case for himself. Given what we now know about the CIA’s involvement in Watergate and many facts regarding Watergate that were hidden from the American people, Nixon was right. Were he alive today, Nixon would tell Trump to keep fighting and never give up.

What is the biggest threat facing Americans right now?

The combination of censorship and the illegitimate use of artificial intelligence is the greatest threat to our Republic. The people can never know the truth if it is never told to them, while, at the same time, ingenious use of AI can create narratives that are false but believed because they are so convincing in their appearance.

What is your prayer for America?

My prayer for America is that despite the tsunami of completely manufactured lawfare and obvious coming irregularities and fraud in the next presidential election, that divine intervention will allow for the election of Donald J. Trump so that he can thwart the globalists’ plan to erase our Constitution and turn us into serfs.

Rich Valdes

Rich Valdes is a syndicated radio host on Westwood One, with his talk show “This is America with Rich Valdes” lighting up the airwaves Monday through Friday nights. A self-motivated entrepreneur from a young age, he turned his hair-cutting hobby in his dad’s apartment into a barbershop business at 16. Rich is among the conservative movement’s most prominent Latino voices. We spoke with him recently to get his views on what’s happening in our great country.

What are the issues that most concern your radio listeners?

The economy and the breakdown of society as we know it seem to be the biggest issues facing most people I speak with. Whether it’s the relentless push based on the demonic teachings of Dr. Alfred Kinsey and Dr. Daniel Carleton Gajdusek to normalize pedophilia and hyper-sexualize the school curriculum for young children, or the disregard for human life that we see more and more on a daily basis (like open borders and crime), humanity is dissipating before our very eyes — and people are noticing.

You’re a New York City native and still work there; are New Yorkers changing their minds about open borders?

Whenever I walk through Times Square, I’m reminded of how safe, clean, and vibrant the City once was under a Republican mayor. Lamentably, NYC is now filthy, unsafe, and overloaded with illegal immigrants, local and out-of-state drug addicts living on the streets, and a largely unaddressed crisis of mentally ill homeless citizens. It’s heartbreaking.

The Latino community is very conservative socially, taking pride in family life and strong Christian values; is it becoming more conservative politically as well?

Culture plays a pivotal role in one’s worldview, and it’s worth noting that despite growing up in poverty in NYC with parents born in Puerto Rico, we were all born U.S. citizens and took pride in our country and patriotism. My mom would give us the death stare to remind us of the threat of getting whacked with a flying “chancleta” (flip-flop sandal) if we didn’t put our hand over our heart during the pledge of allegiance or the national anthem, the same way she would if we were talking or horsing around in church on Sunday morning. While the leftwing media would have most believe that Hispanics and Latinos are predominantly left-leaning, the reality is that my entire life, there was a strong emphasis on God, country, and family. I’d say that remains the same today for most of the people I knew growing up and know today. I feel it’s becoming more noticeable that Hispanics are saying adios to the liberal left now that there are so many choices for news and information. Univision and Telemundo have less of a stronghold on Hispanic households than they used to, and I think the number of Hispanics supporting conservative candidates is slowly proving that. I would expect to see greater increases in liberty-loving Latino amigos, like me, as we get closer to 2024 and beyond. One’s ethnicity and culture doesn’t make anyone immune to the disaster known as Bidenomics, the horrific human smuggling operation that the Democrats are overseeing at the southern border, or the destabilization of peace throughout the world as we’ve seen in Europe, and most recently in the Middle East. I think it’s safe to say that the Democrat party is losing its grip on the fastest-growing voting bloc in America — Hispanics. While this trend started with the election of George W. Bush, it was the presidency of Donald J. Trump and his America First policies that catalyzed this movement of liberty-loving Latino amigos who embrace their faith, culture and conservative values.

Growing up in the City, did you ever think that fellow New Yorker Donald Trump would become the leading figure in our country’s fight to restore peace and prosperity?

When I was a kid, Donald Trump was a superstar. I remember him saying, “If you think becoming a billionaire is tough, try doing it twice.” Trump is a larger-than-life personality, and I never thought he’d run for president, but I’m so glad he did. The establishment bureaucracy and leftists within the media have shown their hand in their treatment of him, and it’s made Americans more informed.

What is your prayer for America?

My prayer for America is for a renewed national spirit of patriotism. A love of country that knows no party and puts We the People above political power. And, of course, a restored sense of civility and respect for God that’s much needed.

Jesse Binnall

Jesse Binnall is one of our country’s great legal minds — and a battled-hardened patriot who fights not only for his clients, like Donald Trump, but for all of us who treasure the liberties granted us by God and protected by the Constitution. A partner at the Virginia-based law firm he founded, the Binnall Law Group, Jesse is representing the Chairman of America’s Future Gen. Michael Flynn in his suit against the U.S. government for wrongful prosecution. We spoke with Jesse recently to get his insight into the challenges our great nation is facing.

Can you update us on the case Gen Flynn has brought against the Justice Department and FBI?

In General Flynn’s case against the Department of Justice, the government has moved to dismiss the case and is trying to avoid having to face the merits. We are about to respond to that motion, and continue to believe that if we get a fair trial that we will be victorious.

When did you first recognize that progressives were using “lawfare” to target their political opponents?

Progressives have been using some form of lawfare for years. They’ve used the courts to advance their social agenda through things like abortion, for instance. But in recent years, they have gotten far more ambitious. Since during the Obama administration, I saw the Department of Justice engage in an overly political prosecution against members of Ron Paul’s 2012 campaign. It used to be that they used the court system to advance their policy objectives. Now, they use the courts to attempt to destroy their political opponents. It’s extremely dangerous.

Should conservatives use “lawfare” of their own?

Well, I believe that the rule of law must ultimately prevail, I also believe it’s essential that conservatives not unilaterally disarm. Our opponents will continue to use the court system to destroy their political opponents unless we prove to them that we are equally dedicated to victory. For instance, everyone involved in these political persecutions against President Trump and his supporters should be prosecuted and punished to the full extent of the law. We must be relentless.

How can we repair our justice system?

To repair our justice system, we must guard the guardians. We need a special counsel to investigate prosecutorial and FBI misconduct. Those who have violated the civil rights of Americans, through political prosecutions, must be brought to justice. We obviously must also free all political prisoners. It’s incredibly sad that we have to say that in America, but it’s true. Also, the Department of Justice should be instructed to settle with the victims of political persecution and justly compensate them.

What is your prayer for America?

My prayer for America is that we return to the nation that we inherited from our forefathers. That we demand that our leaders serve us, rather than represent special interests in Washington D.C. That we are allowed to throw off the shackles of the administrative state, the way that our Founders freed themselves from the tyranny of George III. I truly believe this is our last chance to ensure that this last best hope for liberty does not perish from the earth.

Glenn Ellmers

Glenn Ellmers is the author of a new book showing how political philosophy can help illuminate our current condition as a country and its citizens, The Narrow Passage: Plato, Foucault, and the Possibility of Political Philosophy. Drawing on the work of classical and modern philosophers, Ellmers argues that it’s a good moment for conservatives to question the validity of once trusted institutions, like the Justice Department, that progressive activists have weaponized against their political opponents — namely, traditional America. Today, the Salvatori Research Fellow in the American Founding at the Claremont Institute, Glenn has held positions in the federal, as well as California government. We spoke with him recently to get his thoughts on where our great country is heading.

You’ve said what we’re seeing now is a continuation of the fights that divided America in the 1960s and 70s, what does the outcome look like to you?

At the moment, the Left doesn’t see any need to compromise, or even dialogue, with anyone on the Right. I suspect that only a severe crisis—such as a financial collapse or a war—will force something to give.

After the recent student protests supporting Arab terror groups, a number of university donors have promised, or threatened, to cut off the cash flow unless things change. Will this have any effect on higher education?

If anything will work, hitting them financially is it; since they do love their comfort and security. The next step is to challenge their status and credibility as bastions of higher learning and intellectual excellence—which is, of course, a joke.

What subjects and ideas are your students interested in?

Most of the students I interact with right now are the ones in the Claremont Institute’s fellowship programs, where I do most of my teaching. They are still interested in history and politics, of course, which have a new urgency. But also art, music, and literature, since one of the worst things about our leftwing ruling class is that it hates beauty as much as truth. So my students are interested in the connection between the Beautiful and the Good—as the things that make human life worth living.

Is it possible to restore broken institutions like the FBI, or do we have to start with something new?

Start over. There is no need to tear down the building of course, but the culture is hopelessly corrupt.

What is your prayer for America?

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Jason Foster

With more than two decades of experience conducting oversight and investigations on Capitol Hill, Jason Foster represented four different congressional committees in hundreds of disputes with the Executive Branch over access to documents and witnesses in a broad array of contexts. After leaving the Senate Judiciary Committee staff in 2018, Foster advised the investigations and litigation support practice of a DC public affairs firm. In 2021, he founded Empower Oversight Whistleblowers and Research, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to enhancing independent oversight. Empower Oversight works to help insiders safely and legally report corruption to the proper authorities and to hold those authorities accountable to act on those reports.

Has the mainstream media ignored evidence of the Biden administration and Biden family corruption brought to light by the whistleblowers Empower Oversight represents?

It has absolutely downplayed key facts. The IRS whistleblowers gave Congress evidence that felony charges against the President’s son for evading tax on his income from corrupt Ukrainian energy company Burisma were blocked by Biden appointees, contrary to sworn assurances from the Attorney General. As of May 15, when Gary Shapley and his entire team were removed from the case in retaliation for his protected disclosures, Hunter Biden had still not declared or paid tax on his Burisma income, and the Delaware U.S. Attorney allowed the time limit on those charges to expire. If the same facts had been established involving the Bush or Trump family during those administrations, the mainstream media would no doubt have turned the volume up to eleven. No American could have escaped the breathless wall-to-wall coverage. Yet now, some in the press call our client a “so-called” whistleblower and amplify the Biden family attacks against him for telling the truth.

What did you learn about protecting whistleblowers and investigating corruption while you were Chief Investigative Counsel for Sen Charles Grassley?

I learned that whistleblowers can supercharge and empower oversight authorities to hold powerful institutions accountable. Protecting whistleblowers is essential to ensure that insiders will continue to provide information about wrongdoing that would otherwise remain hidden. Being a whistleblower is not easy. Their willingness to help uncover waste, fraud, and abuse is essential to our system of government. They should be applauded as the patriotic Americans that they are—regardless of the political implications of their protected disclosures.

First under Sen Grassley and now with Empower Oversight, you’ve helped uncover some of the biggest scandals in U.S. political history. What’s worse, Russiagate or the Bidens’ alleged financial arrangements with foreign officials and enterprises

That remains to be seen, but the common theme in these scandals—as well as in the Operation Fast & Furious gunrunning scandal—is the lack of transparency and accountability for prosecutors, law enforcement, and intelligence officials. When improper political motives or a desire to cover up government wrongdoing infect decisions that should be made objectively on the merits alone, it undermines public faith in the integrity of the system. These officials have only themselves to blame for the cratering of public trust in the objectivity of their institutions. Until they stop blaming Americans who call out the double standards and address the underlying problem, the situation will only deteriorate.

How can readers help your important mission at Empower Oversight?

Our team works every day to dig into allegations, but we have more and bigger requests than we can handle. In hopes of expanding our capacity on priority issues, we have established a special law enforcement whistleblower defense fund. This fund will help us represent people like IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley, who face retaliation from opposition forces funded by virtually limitless resources. Readers can go to www.DefendWhistleblowers.com to give or learn more.

What is your prayer for America?

I pray that America can rediscover and revive the best aspects of its founding principles to survive and flourish as one nation and a free republic under God.

Jacob Siegel

Jacob Siegel is a Senior Editor at Tablet and the co-host of the Manifesto! podcast with Phil Klay. He is a former Army intelligence officer who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. His article “A Guide to Understanding the Hoax of the Century” is a groundbreaking historical account of the censorship industry now targeting our First Amendment rights and thus the foundations of the republic. We spoke with him recently to get his insights on censorship, information warfare, and where our great country is going.

How did the internet change the nature of warfare, in particular information warfare?

Before the Internet, information operations were simply a tool that commanders used to accomplish larger operational goals. A famous example is Operation Bodyguard, the massive Allied disinformation campaign that succeeded in deceiving the Germans about the timing and location of the Normandy landings in WW2.

After the internet, the order flipped. These days, the U.S. would storm Normandy in order to launch an info op. Rather than being used as a tool to accomplish some other concrete objective, control over information — what CISA head Jen Easterly refers to as the “Cognitive infrastructure”— came to be seen as the ultimate end in itself. The power of the Internet as a communications and surveillance technology convinced U.S. officials that digital networks were the ultimate key terrain and that whoever controls the Internet, controls everything else as well: politics, elections, money, history, the meaning of words in the dictionary, the common sense of reality. Everything.

You served in Iraq and Afghanistan where you said the national security establishment was involved in a vast, and failed, social engineering program. Have you been surprised that a similar social engineering program is being implemented now here in the U.S.?

I was initially surprised, but that wore off quickly. The basic premise of social engineering is that people are programmable widgets whose behaviors can be modified and controlled according to a table of inputs and outputs. Dial-up positive incentives here and dial-down pain there, and it’s believed that people will respond in predictable and calculable ways. Of course, the theorists and advanced practitioners of U.S. counterinsurgency talked in much more sophisticated terms about cultural fluency and “understanding our Afghan partners,” but beneath that veneer, you will still find the technocratic foundation that I just described. If you see people essentially as variables in an advanced equation who can be mastered by people with sufficient technical expertise, then it follows that you will believe that they can be controlled by algorithmic manipulation and that an American – while perhaps somewhat more stubborn – is ultimately every bit as controllable as anyone else.

When you describe the networks that are behind the censorship industry, who or what are the driving forces? Are they from the political or corporate establishment, the intelligence services, or some other institution?

Network is the right term for it. The Intelligence services helped to build the current commercial Internet Leviathans like Google, and now they want control back. All of the players – corporate, political, security – believe that censorship is absolutely essential to maintaining the social order in which their own power is rooted.

You say the only way out of our current situation is through — how do we do that?

Take control over the technology that is used to control us. I recently co-authored an article for Tablet with John Robb, a special operations veteran, and strategist, in which we argue that the only effective defense against Artificial intelligence gutting whole industries is for individuals to own their data. All the court battles and congressional hearings about censorship are great but if you only fight censorship while leaving intact the infrastructure of the surveillance economy, these efforts are doomed to fail.

What is your prayer for America?

To make and keep peace among ourselves and with all nations.

Boys and girls should talk to each other and dance together.

We need each other.And I’d like a country where it’s fun to argue again.

Brandon Straka

Brandon Straka, the founder of the #WalkAway Campaign, is a former liberal and former Democratic Party supporter who has very publicly walked away from the political left and created a social movement encouraging others to do the same. His original YouTube video about his decision to leave the Democratic Party went viral in May of 2018, launching this explosive movement, uniting Americans across all demographics to leave the divisive left. From there, Brandon created the #WalkAway Foundation and the #WalkAway Campaign PAC, turning the #WalkAway movement into a thriving organization with employees and volunteers in all 50 states. The #WalkAway Campaign Video Testimonial group had grown to 510,000 when Facebook banned #WalkAway on January 8th, 2021.

President Trump publicly acknowledged Brandon’s success in organizing the first ever #WalkAway March in Washington DC, with over 5,000 attendees. Brandon’s charismatic leadership and the #WalkAway message of unity and standing up against the left’s attack on American ideals resonate with people around the globe. Born and raised in rural Nebraska and now a resident of New York City, Brandon travels the nation promoting the #WalkAway Campaign message and sharing his desire to bring a new awareness and understanding to the reality of politics in America today and his mission to unify America. We spoke with Brandon recently to get his insight on the challenges facing our great country today.

You first came onto the scene urging fellow Democrats to “Walk Away” from a party that had lost its way. Are you seeing more Democratic voters walking away as we head into the 2024 election?

Yes! We launched our own app called #WalkAway Social to get ourselves free from Big Tech platforms, and we’ve had 20,000 people join our app in the last few months! Every single day we’re getting new #WalkAway testimonials on our app. What’s really exciting is the number of testimonials we’re getting from black Americans now. There seems to be a huge awakening in the black community. We believe this has a lot to do with the weaponization of the justice system, and how this frightening issue is resonating with black Americans. We encourage EVERYONE to join and support the #WalkAway app by going to WalkAwaySocial.com to load it and join and to watch and read the amazing stories. Be sure to share them on all your social media accounts!

What’s your sense of the national mood, and how do you inspire people to stay optimistic about our future?

Overall, I think that people are feeling very demoralized and uncertain about our future and how we can turn things around. It’s been difficult to get people excited about getting involved. To make things even harder, people have not snapped out of the Covid brain fog. I know they might think they have, but most haven’t. People intuitively prefer to stay on their computers and devices now. They want to TALK about problems and the need for solutions but don’t actually want to leave their houses and participate in the real work to make it happen.

#WalkAway is continuing to do live events, rallies, and activism activities to get people off their butts and get them outside and involved. Interacting on social media is a good thing, but we’re not going to save the country on Facebook and Twitter. We need to be out and about helping candidates, knocking on doors, making phone calls, and having real conversations with real people about the importance of voting and the importance of NOT voting for Democrats!

Has your treatment as a January 6 defendant changed your views on America?

Very much so. My J6 experience has given me an up-close preview of what American life looks like under Marxist rule; and with a tyrannical, corrupt government and justice department choking out the American people. I’ve never been more certain that our next general election is our very last chance to save our country from the destruction of Democrat socialists who’ve infiltrated our government and our courts. These people have no conscience, no heart, and no respect for truth and honest justice. However, the American people can and will prevail over these awful people if we continue to stand together and fight against them, and once again regain control of our election systems.

What are your current projects, and how can we help support your work?

#WalkAway has launched the #WalkAway Social app and we’re working daily to reach people to share their stories and grow the movement. We’re also hosting an EPIC three-day event weekend in West Palm Beach, Florida, November 10-12th called #Walk-A-Con, WalkAwayAnniversary.com. We’re calling all freedom-loving conservatives and American patriots to come to this weekend of inspiration, education, patriotism, and fellowship to learn more about the great work of the #WalkAway movement, and to support the mission as we get as many people on the left to leave the Democratic Party as possible. After all, we need to win in a landslide in 2024. We need #WalkAways to accomplish that! Our #Walk-A-Con Weekend features: Lara Trump, Kari Lake, Matt Schlapp, Tudor Dixon, David Harris Jr., Katie Hopkins, Shemeka Michelle, Rep. Mesha Mainor, Dan Ball, Gina Loudon, Patrick Byrne, and many more!! Please get tickets/info/discounted hotels at: WalkAwayAnniversary.com.

What is your prayer for America?

My prayer for America is this…

Never give up.
Never lose hope.
Never quit.
Never, ever lose heart.

The road is long. The battle is, at times, brutal. Far too often, it feels like the Devil is winning.
But you must never give in.

In the past two and a half years, I have been raided by the FBI, jailed, prosecuted, charged, convicted, falsely accused, maligned, banned, censored, suppressed, sued, targeted, slandered, abandoned, attacked, turned on, damaged, vilified, and betrayed.

But I’m still here. I’m still standing. And I live to fight another day. No matter what they do to me, I’ll never back down because freedom is worth fighting for. Our values and our children are worth fighting for. America is ALWAYS worth fighting for. Never forget that!

Boone Cutler

Boone Cutler is a combat veteran and an influential advocate for the Warfighter community. His experience serving in the heart of Sadr City as a Psychological Operations team sergeant became the cornerstone for his first book, “CallSign Voodoo,” written in the throes of battle and completed during his recovery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. It paints an intimate portrait of the Sadr City conflict and the issues faced by patients at Walter Reed during the neglect scandal of 2007, the dark tunnel of prescription drug addiction, and the beacon of alternative medical treatments. He also co-authored with (ret.) Gen Michael T. Flynn “The Citizen’s Guide to Fifth Generation Warfare,” a comprehensive series of military manuals that delve into modern warfare dynamics written specifically for civilians to easily understand. We spoke with Boone recently about Fifth Generation Warfare and other challenges our great country is facing.

Can you give us a brief definition of Fifth Generation Warfare?

All generations of war are based on technology. The first generation of war was pre-gunpowder, and now, in the fifth generation of war, it’s about controlling the population through the manipulation of the cognitive battle space. It’s also the merging of economic, political, legal, cyber, and psychological warfare, all aimed at the populace. By its nature, Fifth Generation Warfare is unrestricted.

What is the best way for us to fight Fifth Generation Warfare?

The best way to approach the subject is with enough humility to realize it requires real training that is much more than a single podcast or article can provide. If General Flynn and I could have explained the subject with less than a few books, we would have, but it can’t be done. Everyone is involved in this war. Your family and friends are deep in it, and it’s done with an unseen hand. There’s a way to fight and win, but the first objective is having the true desire to learn how with a comprehensive approach.

As a combat veteran, why do you think the armed services are having such a hard time meeting recruitment quotas?

For one, the recruiters are being held to a higher standard. In the past, new recruits could slide by with an issue or two, and for the good of the soldier, the recruiter helped where they could. Today, they’ve been hamstrung by military bureaucracy, so fewer people are able to make it through the process. Also, a lot of today’s youth can’t meet the basic physical fitness requirements. The lack of physical education in high school and the “online culture” has weakened the physical strength of young Americans.

Lastly – as a nation, we have a credibility problem. Our people don’t trust the political leadership of our country after being stuck in endless wars without America-first objectives. General Smedley Butler and President Eisenhower were both right. War is a racket that supports the military-industrial complex, and now everyone sees it. Sadly, our country’s political leadership has utterly failed us. Warfighting sure is a lot of fun, and I’m proud to have served with great people. It’s sad the fervor for it has reached such a low point because nobody wants to sacrifice for a war that we aren’t allowed to win.

Volodymyr Zelensky was at the UN this week asking for more aid after U.S. taxpayers have already sent hundreds of billions of dollars. Does the US have an interest in supporting Ukraine to this extent?

Politics aside, the ability to assess Russia’s fight capabilities against U.S. technology has been good. Our Special Operations Forces trained Ukrainians, and I’m sure we’ll see refinement in that area as well. I don’t want to go to war with Russia, but I feel like things are moving in that direction, so it’s best to get a good look at their cards now. From a political perspective, we need political leadership that Putin respects and can put an end to it. But the road to that conclusion gets longer every day. Whatever caused this whole thing needs to be brought to light, honestly. And lastly, war should never be a slush fund for globalists or a ruse to launder money. The lack of financial accountability needs to be resolved before any money is sent anywhere, ever.

What is your prayer for America?

People are waking up in droves and seeing the manipulation that’s causing the polarization. I pray Americans and all of humanity recognize the Chinese Communist Party and the UniParty for the evil they are and take action against them.

Jeffrey Clark

Jeffrey Clark served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Donald Trump administration from 2018-2021. In August, he was indicted along with former President Donald Trump and seventeen others in a phony conspiracy case cooked up by the Fulton County, GA district attorney to interfere in the 2024 election and punish Trump aides. Clark is a Senior Fellow and Director of Litigation at the Center for Renewing America, in Washington, DC. Recently, we spoke with Jeff to get his insight on how the justice system has been weaponized to target those like him who stand up to the corrupt ruling class.

How do you explain what’s happened to the U.S. justice system the last several years?

Rot. Spiritual rot, cultural rot, educational rot, professional rot. In the legal field, the rise of a school of thought called “legal realism,” which equates law to politics, is one of the main causes of the implosion of the justice system, as its perverse way of thinking is universally now thrust law students while they are getting their J.D.s. But there is also purposeful capture of leading institutions like the U.S. Department of Justice that’s to blame as well.

How would you repair the damage done to American institutions during this period?

There is no single panacea. The Nation needs to repent and turn from evil. We have to retake or build new educational and cultural institutions that support traditional values of the true and the beautiful and reject the pernicious influence of post-modernism. We also have to change legal culture. This is all embodied in our organization’s name — The Center for Renewing America.

Are you surprised that the media, once a check against political power, has joined forces with the political establishment?

No. The journalism schools are worse even than the law schools, and all of the countrywide spiritual and cultural rot factors equally affect journalists as well. Additionally, mainstream media sources are monopolized by a handful of corporations. Specifically, they are largely in the hands of an elite, now often internationalist class, that wants to loot America for their own tiny class’s benefit because they think “flyover country” citizens are their enemies and/or beneath contempt for their simplicity and decency.

How can Americans help you in your legal defense?

They can go to www.givesendgo.com/jeffclark. I’d really appreciate it. And that site is a special blessing because it allows those who go there not only to send funds but also to send prayers — or to send only prayers. The Biden economy is devastating, there are many competing causes, and people’s pocketbooks are shrinking, I know. But any contribution or prayer helps.

What is your prayer for America?

Dear Lord, please help our land to heal. Politics used to be something that could lead to heated conversations but never descended to today’s bloodsport level. Remind us of what we share in common and frustrate the schemes of America’s enemies — inside and out — and prevent them from dividing us from the ideals of the Declaration, the Constitution, as well as the Star-Spangled Banner, Pledge of Allegiance, and America the Beautiful!

Chanel Rion

Chanel Rion is the chief White House correspondent for One America News. Known for her fearless reporting, Rion went to Ukraine in late 2019 to get answers. President Donald Trump had asked Ukrainian officials for information regarding allegations of the Biden family’s corrupt financial arrangements there and was impeached for it. It was a cover-up run by Democratic operatives, rogue intelligence officers, and the media to shield the Bidens. But in her interviews with Ukrainian officials, Rion uncovered the truth. The former Vice President of the United States had extorted a foreign government in order to enrich himself and his family members. We spoke recently with Rion to get her ideas on the current state of our country.

You went to Ukraine in December 2019 to interview former Ukrainian general prosecutor Viktor Shokin about the Bidens’ corrupt practices. Do you feel vindicated now that some corporate media outlets, like Fox News, have finally come around to reporting the story?

indication comes only with justice. Did I or OAN or Rudy Giuliani get credit as Fox seemed to miraculously “discover” this story anew? No. I’m not surprised. Fox is the establishment’s puppet. Establishment puppets neither give credit where due nor are they brave enough to fight on the front lines of stories like this. I am glad Fox found their courage four years later. True vindication for me will be when the Bidens are confronted with unadulterated justice. That day will be vindication not for me but for the American taxpayer, the American people, and American history.

Do you believe there’s any connection between the Bidens’ corruption in Ukraine and the Biden administration’s financial, military, and political support for current Ukrainian leadership?

Absolutely there is. US AID to Ukraine has been handled largely through the hands of an incestuous web of NGOs operating under our U.S. State Department. Ukraine has been one of the easiest places to launder U.S. tax dollars because the corruption and the ease by which money can disappear there is unprecedented. It is the second most corrupt country in Europe after Russia for a reason.

There is a connection between Biden coverups in Ukraine and Biden’s financial support there now.

First, former Prosecutor General Victor Shokin told me he filed a lawsuit and called for an investigation into the circumstances around his firing in 2020 and 2021. The criminal suit Shokin filed was buried by Ukrainian officials because they refused to allow Shokin to even USE the name “Joe Biden” in his complaint – replacing it instead with “American citizen.” Shokin tells us further the Ukrainian government is actively covering for Joe Biden to this day because not only is it lucrative to do so, they’re also afraid. The “shielding” of Biden’s name from court records is just one example of this.

Second, in the fall of 2020, I procured from a source inside Ukrainian Secret Service copies of the audio recordings Victor Shokin had told us about. These audio recordings were of Joe Biden and then Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. Those recordings affirmed everything I had reported on to that date, affirmed Shokin’s story, and further showed how Biden pressured Ukraine to fire Shokin despite “no evidence of corruption against him,” which is a direct quote from Poroshenko to Biden. These audio recordings created such a firestorm, that even Ukraine’s now president Zelensky vowed to investigate these recordings and the allegations made within them. Fast forward to the Biden administration and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and suddenly, Zelensky’s desire to investigate these recordings vanished into the ether. Ukraine is not a land of coincidences.

What are the biggest challenges in the current media environment for independent journalists like yourself?

One America News’ biggest challenge as a network that is NOT part of the establishment is currently the “whole of government” assault on the First Amendment. The challenges faced by independent news sources NOT owned by Blackrock or China is the constant fight against censorship through NGOs that are currently trying to suffocate our ad revenue. Where normal censorship, like shadowy algorithms online were even failing to suppress the truth, now they’re going after us by attacking our advertisers. This a massive assault against the free flowing of information from sources like OAN. Now, Congress has been enlisted to add an official veneer to this censorship. Is it a coincidence that OAN was yanked off the cable airwaves after we released the Ukraine Biden Bribe Tapes? Is it a coincidence we were labeled by Democrats in Congress as purveyors of “disinformation” for having reported that COVID came from a lab in Wuhan, and I broke the news (with documentation) that the Wuhan lab had NIH funding to research COVID? Democrats in Congress wrote a threatening letter to our cable providers and took us off big cable providers like Verizon and AT&T. On over six million boxtop sets across America, OAN was the number 4 news outlet. In my agency under OAN, I face the same censorship and shadow-banning challenges that the network faces. The challenges we face are challenges America is facing, knowingly or not.

What do you think is the biggest scandal of the Biden years?

The Biden DOJ’s kid-glove handling of Hunter Biden in order to shield Joe Biden. The DOJ is compromised beyond repair. The Biden administration is ensuring that it stays compromised.

What is your prayer for America?

My prayer for America is that courage is the contagion that wins. Under that simple sentiment and prayer lays all other victories against evil – regardless of scale. I pray that the vectors of extraordinary courage also march on in the spirit of Micah 6:8 – “Oh mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

It only takes a few courageous insiders to take a stand and take it all down. We can enable those courageous insiders by promising an outsider is going to stand with them when they emerge.

Geri Perna

Matthew Perna was a 37-year-old American who went to Washington, DC January 6, 2021, to protest on behalf of President Donald Trump and also, more importantly, to exercise his constitutional rights. He was later charged by the Justice Department even though he hurt no one, never raised his hand in anger that day, nor did he steal or break anything. After Perna pled guilty to phony charges that would’ve put him in prison for up to a year, the DOJ threatened with a terrorism enhancement that would have kept him in jail for six years. Instead, on February 25, 2022, Matt took his own life.

In his memory, his Aunt Geri has organized the Annual Matthew Perna Freedom 5K Run, to be held this year on September 23, in Sharpsville, PA. We spoke with Geri about her beloved nephew.

Why did you choose a run to celebrate the life of your nephew, Matthew Perna?

Matt was an avid trail runner. He ran races all over the country, and after his death, we went inside his house to get his best suit for his funeral. As I was standing in his bedroom, I was looking at this wooden map of the USA that had a hook in each state with medals hanging from several states. The longest race he ran was 100K in Zion, Utah. His goal was to run a race in every state. We gave the map to his best friend Marcus, hoping that he will complete the map someday.

One thing that I find particularly offensive from the keyboard warriors on social media is that Matt is labeled a weak man who used suicide to avoid a prison sentence. Trail running is not easy. It is extremely strenuous, and Matt often ran these races barefoot, one race in particular was 14 miles long. His feet were bloody and raw afterward, but he always finished the run. So, he was very strong, and running was his passion. He ran with a group of trail runners, and at his funeral, they asked me about having a 5k run in his memory. So, we decided to make it our annual fundraiser for The Matthew Lawrence Perna Foundation.

What do you most want people to know about him?

Matt was the most kindhearted, generous person I’ve ever known. He helped countless people through the years, and we are still learning about the random acts of kindness he did for people he barely knew. Matt made an excellent living, but he did not have a large estate when he died. He gave to people in need, regardless of race, religion, or beliefs. Matt taught English in South Korea, and about three months ago, a friend he had made there learned of his death on Twitter. He messaged me in disbelief and told me that Matt had changed his view of life and significantly impacted him. I asked him how. He told me this story about how shopping for clothes in South Korea was complicated because Matt was well over 6 feet tall, and clothing that fit was challenging to find. So, they were walking through a market, and Matt bought clothing from this old Korean woman, knowing that the sleeves and pantlegs weren’t long enough. So his friend asked him why he didn’t buy his clothes at the mall with larger sizes. Matt responded: If I buy those clothes at the mall, who am I helping? The corporation that owns the stores? But, if I buy them from the old lady at the market, I can see her smile. I know that she will appreciate the sale, and she definitely needs it more than the stores in the mall. He told me that he now purchases his clothing at the local markets, and his view of life is kinder and more sympathetic, and he learned this from spending time with Matt.

How can Americans help other January 6 defendants?

January 6, and how the defendants have been treated has placed fear in the American public, which is clearly our government’s intention. The defendants desperately need financial help for their family’s everyday expenses, attorney fees, healthcare, etc. There are foundations such as Patriot Freedom Project that are assisting many families. Each defendant also has a givesendgo fundraiser, and many have received very few donations.

However, aside from helping them financially, Americans need to stand up and speak out! They should be enraged at the lack of concern from our Republicans AND DEMOCRATS in office! This is not the country we grew up in, and the longer people sit back and stay silent, the more our freedoms disappear. People have to make it their business to call their representatives EVERY DAY and express their total disgust that their Constitutional rights are being ignored. They must attend council and school board meetings and express their concerns vocally. They are sadly mistaken if they think this can never happen to them. When a former President of the United States can be arrested multiple times for bogus charges, everyone is open game.

What do you want Americans to understand about our justice system today?

We have a very corrupt Department of Justice. The people who run it and many judges are no longer interested in truth or justice. It is a two-tier system, and it works against the conservatives in our country. In the name of social injustice, people who have burned, looted, and destroyed entire cities went utterly unpunished. In contrast, others who express their freedom of speech are prosecuted and given excessive prison sentences. Our justice department needs a complete overhaul before we are completely living in a communist country.

What is your prayer for America?

If there is one thing that I have realized since the tragic suicide of my nephew is, the level of hatred in our society is beyond my comprehension. Matt hanged himself at 37 years old. He reached the point of hopelessness that was so great that life was not worth facing another day. The media and the keyboard warriors on social media made his life a living hell. I would have thought the hatred would subside after the news of him killing himself. I was mistaken. I still receive some of the most hateful messages via social media, my website, and email. They call me every name under the sun, and how they ridicule Matt even now tells me that evil runs through their veins and they are soulless. He is dead, yet in some way, they feel he cheated them out of watching him rot in prison.

So, my prayer for America is that Jesus returns. We have crossed a line in this country. As much as we need Donald Trump as our President, the United States of America will never return to the country we once knew. I am no longer proud of our country. My flag is torn right now, and in the past, I would immediately replace it when it showed signs of wear. I don’t care about it now, and as it flies with frayed edges and holes, it reminds me that we are a country in distress and are likely to remain so for quite some time.

Lou Dobbs

Lou Dobbs is one of the biggest names in American journalism. Political commentator, bestselling author, and broadcast superstar, he hosted “Lou Dobbs Tonight” on CNN from 2003 to 2009 and on Fox Business Channel from 2011 to 2021. For decades, he’s bravely spoken out against the corruption of America’s political, corporate, and media elites and continues to tell hard and necessary truths as host of The Great America Show, a podcast carried on loudobbs.com, iHeart radio, and other popular platforms. We spoke with Lou recently to see what he thinks is ailing our great country and what we need to do to restore America’s greatnessL

Has the corporaAte media always been this corrupt and dishonest, or has it gotten worse in the last decade?

Unquestionably worse—as wealth and corporate power have become concentrated in the hands of fewer owners, particularly American billionaire Oligarchs who are uniformly Leftists.

Over your great and historic career, you’ve covered so many big stories and scandals — why have so many of our biggest scandals occurred during the Donald Trump era?

Donald Trump was what he promised to be—the Great Populist Disruptor. He took on the radical Islamist terrorists, the Ayatollahs, Russia and China-shut down illegal immigration and secured the border while building a better relationship with Mexico. Insisted the U.S. have balanced trade relationships with all countries, and didn’t hesitate to put tariffs on the Chinese for their mercantilist trade policies. Trump also reined in the military industrial complex, withdrawing our troops from global postings that make no sense and pursued a foreign policy that was modest, not senselessly aggressive. And didn’t kowtow to the Pentagon or the Intelligence Agencies. And perhaps in the eyes of the Establishment, his greatest affront was to embrace our working men and women, their families and small business, our middle class —not the One Per Cent. And he took on all those power centers and orthodoxies at once.

As someone who’s covered Washington, D.C. for decades, did you always know that Joe Biden, as Senator, then Vice President, and now President, was corrupt?

I didn’t pay much attention to Biden in his Senate years—to me, he was the affable, run-of-the-mill, slightly over-his-head Senator, and he left most of us, I’d guess, wondering why he was given the Chairmanship of the Judiciary Committee. Became the obsequious VP to the smooth President. He was a sympathetic figure and given a pass because of a series of family tragedies. And Joe exploited them all. We know now he’s a crook, has been for a very long time.

You’ve known Donald Trump for many years going back to his early days as a New York real estate magnate and celebrity — did you know that he had this enormous well of resilience, strength, and courage?

I never dreamed any President would have to face anything like what the Democrat Party and Deep State have thrown at him—the Dems, the FBI, and Obama’s intel agencies trying to smear him as a candidate, then frame him as President. He’s now in the eighth year of their political persecution—and I don’t know of any other American who could have withstood the savagery of the Marxist Dems and Deep State and the cowardice of the Republican leadership.

What is your prayer for America?

I pray we find the resolve as Americans to stand up for President Trump and defend him, the resolve to defend our great nation against the evil forces that are arrayed against us. To restore America’s values and destiny for our children and the next generations.

Sara Carter

Sara Carter joined the Fox News Channel as a contributor in 2017. She writes for her website, SaraACarter.com, and is the host of the Sara Carter Show podcast. Throughout her career, she has reported on a range of stories, including national security, terrorism, and immigration. She also delivered front-line coverage of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Her work along the U.S.-Mexico border paved a new path in national security-related stories in the region. Carter is fluent in Spanish — her mother is a Cuban immigrant, and her father was a Marine and veteran of two wars. She has six children and is married to a war hero who was blinded while on a mission in Afghanistan. We spoke with Sara recently to get her thoughts about our great country.

You’ve spent as much time as any reporter covering the crisis on our southern border — is that the biggest crisis we’re facing right now?

I believe the Biden Administration’s open border policy is endemic of the radical left’s push to destroy the fabric of our nation at the expense of not only the American people but those who have been trafficked in the most inhumane conditions. The takeover of radical leftist ideology in the DHS is purposeful, and I believe it’s a microcosm of what is happening in our bureaucracies across the board, and frankly, that is the most dangerous crisis we are facing right now.

You’ve written on virtually every scandal of the last several years, from Russiagate to Hunter Biden’s laptop; what do you think is the biggest scandal from this period?

The open knowledge that the Biden family has been taking money from U.S. adversaries and others, potentially exposing our nation and threatening our security, and the media – for the most part – has done little to expose it or inform the American public of this truth. Our weakness – the weakness of our leadership – is an open door for our enemies.

In addition to following your great work, what’s the best way for Americans to get real reporting and real news to understand what’s happening in our country today?

Americans must be willing to seek out the truth and educate one another on what is happening not only in the nation but even within their own communities. This is where it all starts. We must first be willing to stand up and speak out against those that are threatening the foundation of our nation, hold lawmakers accountable, and hold ourselves accountable.

What is your prayer for America?

I pray that America wakes up, stands up against injustice, and finds a way to repair the damage done by the leftist Marxists. I pray we no longer continue to fight one another but get back to the basics of what our founding fathers dreamed of and realize that this nation is the beacon of light for the rest of the world – without America, our world will be a very dark and dangerous place. I pray that we realize this before it’s too late and we put a president in office come 2024 who will help lead us there. D

John Solomon

John Solomon is an award-winning investigative journalist who has worked at the Associated Press, Washington Post, the Washington Times, and The Hill. In 2020, he founded Just the News, a print and broadcast media juggernaut that reflects his unbounded energy. Solomon’s hard-nosed reporting has broken numerous scandals, maybe most importantly, Joe and Hunter Biden’s secret financial and political arrangements with Ukrainian officials and businessmen. Attacked relentlessly by mainstream media organizations for digging into the Biden story, Solomon kept pushing for the truth. An old-school newsman, he is one of America’s greatest journalists, and we spoke with him recently to get his view on the current situation.

You were the first to report on the Bidens’ financial arrangements with Ukraine — and you were attacked for it. Do you feel vindicated now that others are starting to see the extent of the ties between the Bidens and Kyiv?

It’s funny because I never felt a need to be vindicated. I knew then that my sources were accurate because I provided the documentary proof embedded in my stories to back them up. I think the more important dynamic of what has happened in the last few months of revelations is that the American people have finally been able to get the unadulterated truth they were denied during the 2019 impeachment proceedings and the 2020 election. They were denied that truth by the legacy media, certain members of Congress, the State Department, the 51 intelligence analysts, and Joe Biden himself. And more truths are forthcoming that will expose just how the electorate was misled. All people ever wanted was the truth and facts so they could make an informed decision. For a while, those truths were obfuscated. Today they are sitting in plain view. And that is a good, however delayed, thing!

Just the News is one of the few media organizations reporting on the video taken of the events on Capitol Hill on January 6. Can we expect more big revelations?

Yes, thus far we have reviewed hundreds of hours of tapes and made public about a dozen newsworthy moments — all of them major security failures. They included the failure of the Secret Service to detect the bomb at the DNC before bringing Kamala Harris there, the failure of the cops to protect law enforcement gear that was then used against them, and a major mistake that unlocked a Capitol door that allowed hundreds of protesters to flow in unchallenged. All of these are from Capitol building security cams. I think the next round of revelations this fall may come from police bodycams. We are committed to exposing any newsworthy moments the footage reveals.

You founded Just the News in 2020 to deliver the kind of hard-hitting fact-based reporting frequently missing from the current media environment. How have your readers responded?

Just the News now has millions of consumers each month who read, watch, and listen to our content. We produce nearly 100 pieces of original news content a day, including a podcast and TV show. It has been rewarding because our audience isn’t just a group of consumers — they join us in the reporting. They daily use the DigIn tool on each story to do their own sleuthing and often led us to important things that become new stories. It is one of the many rewarding experiences from having started a new brand.

What are the challenges for a journalist and publisher in the current media environment?

Censorship and cancel culture — both overt and hidden. Big Tech and Madison Ave continue to throttle audience and ad revenues to many sites that dare to tell the truth. It is an existential question for many news organizations today.

What is your prayer for America?

That in this moment of great political tumult that American voters take a deep breath and put country before party, freedom ahead of intolerance, and truth before falsehoods.

Sean Davis

Sean Davis is CEO and co-founder of The Federalist, one of America’s most influential conservative news organizations. He previously worked as an economic policy adviser to Gov. Rick Perry, as CFO of Daily Caller, and as chief investigator for Sen. Tom Coburn. He was named by The Hill as one of the top congressional staffers under the age of 35 for his role in spearheading the enactment of the law that created USASpending.gov. Sean received a BBA in finance from Texas Tech University and an MBA in finance and entrepreneurial management from the Wharton School. We spoke with him recently to get his thoughts on our great country.

You’ve said that the battle Americans are engaged in right now is more spiritual than it is political. Can you explain?

Just look at the big fights we are having now. They’re not about the right tax rate for corporations or what the exact budget should be for this or that. The fights are existential. Can boys become girls? Is it okay to murder unborn babies? Is marriage between one man and one woman? Sin is now openly masquerading as virtue, while virtue is treated as evil. These are existential issues rooted not in politics but in one’s view of God and the order He created. Everything we are experiencing now is described in Romans 1 in the Bible: “And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.”

You’ve covered every scandal of the last several years starting with Russiagate through Biden family corruption. In your opinion, what’s the biggest scandal?

The utter corruption of the FBI and Department of Justice is the biggest scandal in American history. Russiagate, the ridiculous Ukraine impeachment, the J6 inquisitions, censorship of Americans, and of course, the cover-up of the Biden family foreign influence-peddling scheme — none of these are possible without DOJ and FBI using their power to crush the rule of law and the Constitution.

What are the challenges facing conservative media at present?

The biggest problem facing conservative media is the censorship-industrial complex: the unholy alliance between corrupt government and tech monopolies like Google and Facebook to shut down any speech they don’t like. As more and more of our daily life becomes digital — phones, social media, online banking, smart homes, and appliances — the ability of these corrupt companies to manipulate behavior by shutting off services to anyone whose views they don’t like grows. It’s a huge problem not just for conservative media, but for any individual who dissents from regime propaganda.

What did you learn as a Senate investigator that has informed your work as a journalist?

Tom Coburn taught me that documents are everything. They’re the gold standard of evidence, so don’t stop digging until you find documents that corroborate or disprove allegations.

What is your prayer for America?

I pray that America — its people and its leaders — would turn back to Jesus Christ, repent of our sins, and glorify Him in all that we do. We were founded as a Christian nation, we prospered and were blessed when we honored God, and our rapid decline began when we decided we no longer needed to honor or obey Him.

Roger Simon

Roger Simon is a novelist, screenwriter, the CEO emeritus of Pajamas Media, and now editor-at-large at the Epoch Times. His forthcoming book American Refugees chronicles the massive exodus from Blue cities to Red regions, a population shift re-shaping not only our political landscape but also our society as a whole, as millions of Americans re-organize themselves into communities based on the values and virtues on which the greatest nation in world history was founded. We spoke with Roger recently to get his thoughts on where America and Americans are headed.

You’ve just finished a book about Americans moving, as you did, from a Blue state to a Red one. What is the biggest difference between the two?

In the Red states, you are relieved to feel you have returned to the America in which you grew up, although it is precarious. The Blue states are another “woke” country now of their own making.

Do you think that Blue regions can regain their sanity?

They can, but it will take a long time and a monumental struggle. Media, academic, and entertainment figures will have to start being honest with themselves and admit they were wrong – not easy.

How has conservative media changed since you first moved to the right?

Conservative media has formalized and professionalized from the Wild West of the blogosphere. Some of this is a positive (example: The Epoch Times), some of this is fraught with betrayal (example: Fox News).

If you were writing a movie about the current moment in U.S. society, what story would you tell?

An adaptation of Witness by Whittaker Chambers. It’s from a long time ago (1952), but Chambers’ dramatic fight with the government has more to say about our current world than any literary work I can think of.

What is your prayer for America?

That Donald Trump will be our next president. That sounds corny, almost trite, but I don’t think we go forward without it.

Lee Smith

Lee Smith is a journalist and author of the bestselling book about Russiagate, The Plot Against the President: The True Story of How Congressman Devin Nunes Uncovered the Biggest Political Scandal in US History. With more evidence of Biden family corruption surfacing, we spoke with him about the current state of our great country.

Sen Charles Grassley just released the FBI report showing that Joe and Hunter Biden took bribes from a Ukrainian energy company to make an investigation go away. What do these documents tell us?

The documents describe the Bidens’ corrupt activities in Ukraine, but they are much more than that: They give us further insight into what appears to be the President’s long history of using his offices to enrich himself and his family. How did a man who only ever worked in the public sector make enough money to buy so many homes and other amenities befitting a multibillionaire? Given the amount of corruption around the President, it’s not surprising he’s using his current office to further corrupt government agencies and use them to target his political opponents.

Will the Bidens be held accountable?

The Bidens will not be held accountable by Joe Biden’s Justice Department. This fact underscores the significance of the coming election. If Americans want to be able to hold our elected officials accountable, we need to make our voice heard and vote.

If the Justice Department indicts Trump on charges related to January 6, will that hurt his chances to win the Republican primaries or the national election?

No. The people in the media and the federal bureaucracy who think it will push people away from Trump misunderstand the character of the men and women who are the heart and soul of America. When things get tough, these are the people who rally behind friends and family. We already see how people are rallying behind Trump.

With all the corruption, criminality, and insanity filling our public square, how do we stay optimistic about our country?

First, I’m not sure all that we know now about the Bidens, the FBI, and DOJ is evidence that Washington is more corrupt than ever. It probably means that we have more information and insight now so we can act on it. Second, I think we’re a lucky generation, called on to fight for our country: what a blessing!

What is your prayer for America?

I pray that God gives us the strength and courage and the wisdom and good cheer to live up to this meaningful time in our country’s history.

Miranda Devine

Miranda Devine is the author of Laptop From Hell: Hunter Biden, Big Tech, and the Dirty Secrets the President Tried to Hide, the bestselling chronicle of corruption at the highest levels of U.S. politics. A columnist for the New York Post and Fox News contributor, she also works for the Australian media as a Daily Telegraph columnist and a Sky News contributor. Born in Queens, New York, she grew up in Tokyo and Sydney, and attended Northwestern University in Chicago, and now makes her home in New York. We spoke with Miranda recently about her thoughts on what’s ailing our country right now and how to heal it.

Were you surprised that Hunter Biden only got a slap on the wrist from the Justice Department?

I was not shocked. He’s been protected by powerful people from the consequences of his action much of his life. However, I was surprised by the trail they left of blatant obstruction and political interference as catalogued by two IRS whistleblowers embedded in the investigation in Delaware, one as the supervisory special agent and the other as the case agent who had been there since its inception in 2018. A lot of people have risked their careers and reputations covering up for the Bidens. Clearly these resources are not being wasted on a middle-aged crackhead. They’re protecting the President and the people who have been covering up for him.

You’ve covered politics for a long time, in Australia as well as America, are you surprised by the level of political corruption, starting at the very top of the US government?

Yes. I think America is in denial about the serious corruption problem in Washington DC. It’s bipartisan, flagrant and long-running. There are not even adequate laws or mechanisms to curtail it.

A big problem is that the DOJ and FBI seem unaccountable, so if they go rogue nothing can be done to stop them abusing their enormous powers, including against an elected President. There is no effective way to punish prosecutorial wrongdoing. There is no way to protect FBI whistleblowers from retaliation. James Comer at the House Oversight Committee is talking about legislation and Chuck Grassley in the Senate has made it his life’s work to protect whistleblowers, but it’s hard going.

Of all the alleged crimes that Hunter’s laptop gives evidence of, which is the worst?

– Getting into bed with CEFC, the capitalist arm of Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative, using the Biden name in the last two years of his Vice Presidency to assure countries around the world that whatever overtures China was making was backed by the US government.

– Hunter and his uncle Jim were bumbling around trying to shake down CEFC while it was buying a $9 billion stake in Russia’s state-owned energy company Rosneft – a deal that collapsed when Hunter’s pal the CEFC chairman was arrested in China in 2018.

– Maybe not a crime, but the evidence on the laptop that shows Joe Biden meeting Hunter’s overseas business partners is damaging to the President.

Do you think the FBI will be trying to censor information damaging to the Democratic presidential candidate in the 2024 election, too?

Yes, and polls show the majority of Americans share those concerns. But maybe the July 4 injunction by Judge Terry Doughty in the landmark free speech lawsuit by Missouri and Louisiana, if it holds, could protect us from the worst censorship abuses.

What is your prayer for America?

That a good, brave, and strong man wins the 2024 election and sets the country back on track.

Mike Howell

Mike Howell is the Director of the Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project, utilizing world-class issue area experts to inform strategic records requests, targeted litigation, and innovative investigations. He worked previously in the Donald Trump administration’s Department of Homeland Security, where in the Office of the General Counsel, he was the Chief Legal Point of Contact for the department’s 3,000-lawyer office for all congressional oversight and investigations. Before that, he worked on Capitol Hill for five years as an attorney for both the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and the House Oversight Committee, leading national security investigations into various Obama administration controversies, including security failures at the U.S. Secret Service, corruption at the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General, and the handling of overseas terrorism incidents. We spoke with Mike recently to ask what Congress needs to do to protect our liberties and keep America strong and secure.

A federal judge recently prohibited government officials from contacting social media platforms to censor speech. With the 2024 elections upcoming, do you think this will stop the Biden administration from trying to shut down its opponents?

Absolutely not, they are already appealing and finding loopholes. Also, it’s not just the Biden Administration proper that wants to censor. The left occupies seats of power throughout all institutions. Tech and media don’t always need an order or request from the Biden Administration to censor, they are more than happy to do it themselves.

Since the Justice Department let Hunter Biden off the hook, is there a way for Congress to hold him accountable?

Congress doesn’t have handcuffs so they can’t arrest him, but they do have subpoena power and should be using it aggressively to demonstrate to the American people that this plea deal is garbage. The DOJ and FBI, particularly, should be the targets for deep reforms.

What oversight investigation(s) should Republicans focus on before 2024?

The goal of oversight should be de-weaponizing the government. A matter of top concern is making the environment as difficult as possible for them to continue to interfere in elections.

How can the House and Senate make their oversight investigations more effective?

They need to elevate it above other functions of Congress. There’s no reason to only have a few staff and a few Chairmen responsible for oversight of the entire federal government. They need to ramp up in a major way, like we saw with the Church Committee in the 1970s. I’m talking hundreds of investigators, seasoned attorneys, academics, etc.

What is your prayer for America?

Revitalization of our civic institutions and, most importantly, the family. Government will not fix the problems, and in large part, its shortcomings are the results of the deterioration of American values in the body politic.

Mike Benz

Mike Benz is Executive Director of the Foundation for Freedom Online, an organization championing digital freedom around the world in the public sector. He served in the State Department under the Donald Trump administration, where he worked on U.S. foreign policy, international communications, and information technology. Today he is one of the leading voices in the fight to defend freedom of speech, freedom of expression, and the free exchange of ideas online. His analysis and research continue to inform those fighting censorship, through congressional investigations, lawsuits, and press reports. We asked Mike recently about how censorship affects Americans.

Can the internet still be the public square designed to enhance our freedom and knowledge that we dreamed of decades ago?

Yes. The only thing stopping that dream is the censorship industry.

Can you recommend a few media sites that you trust to provide reliable information?

Foundation for Freedom Online, Reclaim The Net, Revolver News, The Grayzone.

How concerned should ordinary social media users be that they, too, are being censored?

Beyond concerned – they should be 100% assured it’s happening.

What evidence have you seen of censorship/interference in the upcoming 2024 election?

First, there’s $40 million in censorship funding from the National Science Foundation, with more than fifty universities now on board as election censorship mercenary groups.

Then let’s talk about what I refer to as the Transatlantic Flank Attack from Europe. It describes how the U.S. foreign policy shadow state works with transatlantic partners to have them censor social media users first so the U.S. can follow. It’s how U.S. officials get around the first amendment. They’re somewhat limited in their ability to force social media platforms to censor Americans, so this is the workaround. In 2017, for instance, U.S. State Department officials persuaded European regulators to be more brutal with their censorship regimes. If Europe did it, that would force changes in U.S. tech platforms, too, and make it look like the U.S. was just catching up.

Now we’re seeing new EU regulations starting to come into effect that are directed primarily at Twitter. The thinking is that they can contain Elon Musk in the U.S. by deploying these regulations in Europe. Twitter will comply rather than forfeit access to all of Europe, which Twitter sees as an existential threat to itself.

Then there’s the Election Integrity Partnership, with a whole-of-society approach to censorship, consisting of civil society organizations, the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab; academia, the Stanford Internet Observatory and the University of Washington Center for an Informed Public; and Graphika, a private Beltway outfit founded and staffed in part by retired CIA officials. EIP was really at the heart of the censorship campaign for the 2020 elections, but this time out, they have problems. Because of their past work, they’re under intense scrutiny from lawsuits and congressional investigations, so they’ll be involved again, but the censorship consortium will not depend on them specifically this election, as they did last time. Now they are just part of a large network, which is much bigger than it was in 2020.

What is your prayer for America?

The Internet was once our proudest beacon of freedom for the rest of the world. It can be once again. But it will take a unified front to accomplish that. My prayer is for that unified front.

June 29, 2023

Juanita Broaddrick

Juanita Broaddrick speaks her mind with wit and wisdom. She is straightforward in her politics, fearlessly candid, and approaches current affairs with clarity and common sense. A retired nurse, business owner, public speaker, and American patriot through and through, Juanita shares her truth at all times, just as she did in her book, “You’d Better Put Some Ice On That. How I Survived Being Raped By Bill Clinton.” We spoke with her recently about the rise of citizen journalism, leadership, the state of our nation, and her prayer for America.

What convinced you to tell the world that you were raped by Bill Clinton, and how did you overcome the vicious reaction you received for telling your truth?

I never came forward on my own. I saw how the other victims of Bill Clinton were being savaged by the media and Hillary. I wasn’t that brave. I was outed by the Paula Jones vs Bill Clinton suit. When I was informed my name was going to be leaked to the media, I decided to tell my story to Lisa Myers on NBC Dateline in January of 1999 before the media could spin it.

The rise of citizen journalism has made a difference in getting the truth out to Americans. Is this the solution to the information war that is happening in our country today?

MSM will never be as powerful as it once was, and that is due to citizen journalism on social media. I am especially partial to Twitter since Elon Musk took over. My early morning routine is to get a cup coffee and log onto Twitter for the news. Cable news is dead to me.

Recent boycotts of Bud Light and Target by conservatives have been effective in shedding light on trans mania. Are there other ways for Americans to consider that would cause corporate leaders to get out of politics?

You’ll have to admit, the call for boycotting on social media is extremely effective, and it is accomplished instantly. Just look at Bud Light and Target. Other actions could certainly include emails, phone calls, demonstrations, and legal actions.

Can you describe what it means to be an inspiring leader?

When it comes to leaders who inspire, Donald Trump and General Flynn immediately come to mind. They are both calm in stressful situations and have that unique ability to show their human side. Aspiring leaders are resilient and never give up. They make you feel safe, and I haven’t felt safe in over two years.

What is our country’s greatest challenge right now, and what is your prayer for America?

Election Integrity! We must realize that voter fraud is a very real problem. When someone commits voter fraud, all votes get diluted, and election results can be changed. Every state must require government voter ID. Election integrity can no longer be left to a simple honor system.

My prayer for America is for a moral, civil society. Without it…liberty is not possible.

June 15, 2023

Aaron Stevenson

Aaron Stevenson is a whistleblower who served his country for 17 years, eight in the Marine Corps and nine as a federal employee. He was fired from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for revealing that unaccountable DHS bureaucrats initiated a rule change that ensures the White House’s open border policy stays in effect, thereby threatening U.S. national security, undercutting legal immigration, harming working-class wages, and enabling the heinous child trafficking of vulnerable migrant children. He came forward to tell the truth to his fellow Americans, and we spoke with him recently to ask him why the government is no longer responsive to We the People.

Why did you decide to pull back the curtain on abuses and crimes committed by the U.S. government, in particular, DHS?

I had seen enough corruption and had also seen I am unable to correct any action, let alone steer the course unless I were to become any type of political appointee, which I am definitely not going to. Given the severity of what is going on in America, I felt I had exhausted all options.

Are there other DHS officials who want to come forward to tell the truth?

Yes, and no. Several have told me how much they respect me, how much they agree with me, etc. But they are unwilling to do so themselves; the culture creates a very comfortable condition to where stepping forward really is a scary idea.

What is the most dangerous thing that DHS is hiding from the U.S. public?

Three things:

a. The true nature of how many national security threats (transnational organized crime and terrorist) are in the country legally through the corrupt USCIS processes;
b. The level of aggression DHS will be accelerating regarding domestic intelligence operations;
c. The level of autonomy DHS operates via administrative law.

Why won’t the department come clean and just fix what’s been broken — or is it U.S. policy to allow terrorists and trafficking cartels to cross our borders illegally?

Because everybody is making money: the NGOs to operate for the government; the cartels to control the flow (which are probably sending a cut to the IC); the business leaders demanding cheap labor; and the American economy needing cheap goods. Plus, it artificially supports social security.

What is your prayer for America?

There is only one avenue: through Jesus Christ, Son and Logos of God, our Lord and Savior. As Western Rome fell, Eastern Rome blossomed for almost 1,000 years. Revelation 3:16

June 8, 2023

Julie Kelly

Julie Kelly is one of America’s great writers. She’s a hard-hitting political commentator and reporter who’s covered everything from Russiagate to the corrupt so-called conservative grifter movement that calls itself Never Trump. But she’s best known for her work investigating the January 6, 2021 protest and its aftermath — how the current administration used the demonstration to target its political opponents and lay waste to the constitution. Without Julie’s reporting shining light on federal law enforcement subversion and unlawful and unconstitutional actions, we wouldn’t know anything about how the government has abused its powers to destroy middle-class Americans who just wanted to have their say. In speaking the truth, Julie Kelly has become one of our leading dissident voices. We spoke with her recently to hear what she has to say about January 6 and the future of our country.

You’ve reported so many terrible and heart-breaking stories about January 6 defendants — what is the most important thing for Americans to know about these men and women and their families?

I am always amazed by their graciousness, deep faith, and continued love for this country despite what the Biden regime is doing to them. They truly are going through hell – careers and marriages destroyed, bankrupted, alienated by the neighbors and community, constantly harassed by national and local media–but they in many instances remain oddly optimistic. Even at their darkest moments, they will reach out to thank me for my reporting, which humbles me and keeps me going.

Can you tell us something about the U.S. Attorney leading the prosecution of the January 6 cases, Matthew Graves?

The poster child for a fully weaponized, partisan Department of Justice. Appointed by Biden to take over the office in November 2021, he wasted no time escalating the January 6 prosecution, which he rebranded the “Capitol Siege” investigation. He brought seditious conspiracy charges against American citizens who committed no violence in order to give the Biden regime, Democrats, and the media a legal basis to describe January 6 as an “insurrection.” After several individuals were convicted of seditious conspiracy, Graves sought terrorism sentencing enhancements, adding years to their prison time. At the same time he fixates on a four-hour disturbance nearly two and a half years ago, Graves has buried any investigation into BLM riots that lasted much longer and did far more damage than anything that happened on January 6.

You’ve said you think Donald Trump will be indicted by the Justice Department for January 6; now that he’s the near-certain Republican candidate, do you still think they’ll charge him?

I have no doubt Special Counsel Jack Smith, the prosecutor hand-picked by Attorney General Merrick Garland last year to give the phony impression the investigation into Donald Trump is “independent” of DOJ, will hand down a multi-count felony indictment against Trump within the next few months. The indictment might include a seditious conspiracy charge since members of the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys, two groups loyal to Trump, were convicted of that offense. This is about to get very ugly, and anyone who believes this vengeful DOJ won’t go that far is kidding themselves.

What are the ways that we can help January 6 defendants?

Most would say just pray for them and pray for justice to prevail. I urge people to contact Republican members of Congress and demand a separate J6 committee so the American people can learn the truth. The public needs to know what this DOJ is doing to their fellow countrymen. More videos from that day – now under protective orders – must be made available. Ditto for documents, especially records from the office of Nancy Pelosi, which were kept “off limits” by the January 6 committee. What happened on January 6 is one of the greatest scandals in history, and the coverup must end.

What is your prayer for America right now?

That the forces of evil lose. That those responsible for destroying so many lives are held accountable. That the victims can rebuild their lives and find peace. And that this dangerous slide toward a banana republic is somehow halted.

June 1, 2023

Derek Harvey

Derek Harvey is a retired U.S. Army colonel who worked on President Donald Trump’s National Security Council staff and worked with former House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes to investigate actions taken by U.S. intelligence service and federal law enforcement officials in their anti-Trump plot. Now Harvey is a newly elected county commissioner for Washington County in Western Maryland. We spoke with Derek recently to get his insight into our great country and its patriotic citizens.

As a former congressional investigator, what’s the most important thing for the GOP to investigate now?

The most important investigations must focus on the continued multifaceted, partisan, and weaponized actions by DOJ, FBI, CIA, and the SEC that on one hand target conservatives, whilae on the other hand protect the corrupt and criminal activities of Democrat politicians, their families, elite donor class, Wall Street and Venture Capital and associated political groups, NGOs and organizations such as Fusion GPS and the Southern Poverty Law Center. These investigations are critical for protecting civil liberties, restoring law and order, ensuring the freedoms and rights found in the Bill of Rights, and securing a fair and competitive political environment in which our federal constitutional system can flourish. The domestic threat is a far graver danger to the Republic than overseas threats.

Were you surprised by any of the revelations from the Durham report?

I was disappointed that Mr. Durham failed to subpoena the senior intelligence, FBI, DOJ, and Obama Administration officials who were deeply involved in fabricating, dissembling, and promoting the false narrative. I’m not surprised by his inability to get legal accountability in the courts due to the nature of the highly partisan jury pools in DC.

Why can’t the armed forces meet its recruitment quotas?

It is very simple to explain, but the reality is denied by the woke Pentagon civilian and military leadership. The traditional and reliable demographic for military recruitment — young white males from southern states and rural areas of other parts of the country as well as Hispanics with traditional values — are alienated by the woke agenda and hostility to religion and traditional values.

You served on Capitol Hill and on U.S. battlefields abroad and now in your hometown. Can you explain why the elected office you now hold as county commissioner is just as important?

I believe the battles must be won in Congress and in the Executive Branch because of the authorities, power, reach, and influence of the administrative state and the courts. Likewise, state executive power and legislatures can have the power and authority to impose intolerant and draconian measures that override hundreds of years of precedent, values, common sense, and constitutional safeguards of our liberty. As a county elected official, I have found significant constraints and requirements are imposed by state authorities with little regard for local conditions, needs, or desires of the population. I find that there are important opportunities to shape and influence many things that directly impact the lives of constituents while providing for today and shaping the conditions for tomorrow.

What is your prayer for America right now?

I pray that our good lord will bless America in restoring the belief in providence, and a commitment to rebuilding the foundations of our constitutional republic, federalism, real separation of powers, and a devotion to the Bill of Rights — and for leaders who believe in all of these things.

May 25, 2023

General Mike Flynn

General Mike Flynn has faith in America’s fighting spirit — it’s unstoppable. Despite the U.S. government’s years-long malicious persecution pressing down on him in the hope of burying him, the General sprang to the surface and came out stronger than ever. Because of his resilience and faith, he became a national hero, now known as “the People’s General,” and a man history will record as one who was willing to give his all for fellow Americans. He served his country on the battlefields of war as a U.S. Army officer for more than three decades and served again here at home as a warrior for truth and justice when he was called to the task. We spoke with General Flynn recently about the Durham Report, and how he weathered the storm of political persecution.

What was your first impression when you read the Durham Report, and what message do you have for Americans who want to see accountability?

I felt like a little bit more of America died once again. When we fail to hold to account any government official that abuses their position especially when it hurts those who they are supposed to protect and serve, it has devastating impacts. The lack of accountability is severe, and if no accountability comes out of this report, the rule of law in America will cease to exist.

The Deep State tried to destroy you, but you walked through the fire with your head up. What advice do you have for our fellow Americans about how to weather and defeat the demonic campaign targeting our country right now from the inside?

Pray and return to whatever faith you have and never allow others to define you. Only you can define yourself, and when you are able to overcome the fear of being verbally attacked, you’ve won.

You have long encouraged Americans to take action locally because, in your words, “local action has a national impact.” Many Americans have taken on the challenge. Do you have any further advice to share with Americans who want to lead their communities toward a brighter future?

Study your communities. Understand who the people are and what the local challenges are, and never be afraid to speak up about the things that are impacting the lives of those living in your community. And if possible, get involved politically and maybe even consider running for a local office.

You’re part of the ReAwaken America Tour, which just had a big event in Miami last weekend. Can you talk about the great patriots that came to hear you, Clay Clark, Devin Nunes, Kash Patel, and others speak?

Those who attend the Reawaken America events are people who want to learn more about how to get involved in the fabric of America. The Reawakening events are two days spent together, providing a master’s degree in constitutional issues and other issues that impact the daily lives of millions upon millions of Americans across the entire political spectrum.

Do you have a favorite passage from scripture that helped sustain your faith in a time of darkness? Are there any expressions or maxims that inspire you during dark days?

There are two: PSALM 23 and Fight Like A Flynn.

May 18, 2023

Tara Lee Rodas

When Tara Lee Rodas raised her voice as a whistleblower to speak out against the Department of Health and Human Services and its Unaccompanied Children Program, she did so to put an end to the injustices that violated the dignity and well-being of vulnerable children. Her faith in God guided her and gave her the courage to go public about tshe proliferation of child trafficking occurring at the hands of the U.S. government. Tara raised her voice for those who have no voice. We spoke with Tara recently about the details that compelled her to step forward and what has happened since, how her faith gave her the strength to cope with the evil she has witnessed, and her advice to others considering becoming a whistleblower.

You are a shining example of how one person can have an incredible impact on the world. Can you discuss the positive that has come from you blowing the whistle?

Thank you for your kind and generous words. And thank you for highlighting the issue of government-sponsored, taxpayer-funded child trafficking. As a whistleblower, my primary concern was the well-being of the children. I’m hopeful that my actions have helped to bring attention to the crisis and have led to the rescue of children from exploitative situations.

When I first blew the whistle in 2021, I alerted the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General that there was fraud in the Unaccompanied Children (UC) Program that was endangering children. I was able to provide valuable information to state Attorney Generals, state prosecutors, and state law enforcement that I hope led to children being rescued from abusive situations and given necessary medical care and other support.

I strongly believe that it is our collective responsibility to protect children from harm and exploitation. I believe that one voice can make a difference. Reporting child trafficking is essential to prevent future trafficking by bringing attention to the problem and encouraging law enforcement agencies to take action. I hope that my actions, along with the efforts of other whistleblowers and concerned citizens, will bring about lasting change and prevent future incidents of child trafficking. We must remain vigilant and work together to protect the most vulnerable members of our society.
My goal for coming forward was (and still is) to (1) rescue children; (2) prosecute criminals; and (3) abolish or reform the HHS Unaccompanied Children Program. The U.S. can’t be involved in child trafficking!

After speaking at the Congressional subcommittee hearing, do you have hope that Congress will take action? Has there been any follow-up from any elected official to your testimony?

Yes! After speaking at the Congressional subcommittee hearing, I have hope that Congress will take action to protect vulnerable children. Now they know 85,000 are missing. They know children are working overnight shifts at slaughterhouses, factories, and restaurants to pay their debts to smugglers, traffickers, and cartels. They know children are being sold for sex. And they know that hundreds of children are calling a hotline to report they are being abused, neglected, and trafficked. It’s tragic.

They also know children are being trafficked through a sophisticated network. I saw it firsthand when I was supporting HHS at the Pomona Fairplex Emergency Intake Site. I believe I demonstrated that the U.S. government has become the middleman in a large-scale, multi-billion-dollar, child trafficking operation run by bad actors seeking to profit off the lives of children. This should definitely spur action. HHS is a $2.7 trillion dollar agency that has spent more than $10 billion on a program that has lost 85,000 children. This is simply unacceptable to reasonable members of Congress.

Also, I’ve spoken with staffers, and there are more plans underway. Other whistleblowers are coming forward, and the press is starting to cover the story. I even did an interview with a Latino news organization called Americano Media. I hope people in Latin America see the injustice the U.S. government is involved in. It’s horrific.

Knowing what you know now about the disastrous U.S. government’s immigration policy, especially when it comes to children, what are your top recommendations to prevent the horrors of child trafficking? What can states do? What can local communities do?

As I shared in my testimony, the #1 priority for HHS is Oversight. HHS has lost control of the UC Program because they avoid oversight. HHS must commit to oversight, transparency, and accountability or be forced to submit to oversight, transparency, and accountability. Child and sponsor data from the UC Program should be examined by expert data analysts in the Inspector General community at the Pandemic Analytics Center of Excellence (PACE). Children could be rescued, and criminals could be prosecuted if the PACE had access to the data. The PACE is the gold standard of data analytics. (The PACE fact sheet can be accessed here.)

HHS must change its culture of “speed over safety.” Speed is the wrong performance measure when we are dealing with children. HHS must focus on the SAFE release of children not the speed of release. HHS must revamp the vetting process of “sponsors” and have case managers who are investigators, law enforcement, data analysts, etc. who can identify fraud. HHS is not an investigative agency or a law enforcement agency. It’s unacceptable that children are released to criminals, traffickers, and members of Transnational Criminal Organizations. Lastly, sponsors should be accountable for the children they sponsor. Period. If the child is being abused, the sponsor should be prosecuted.

In regard to what local communities and states can do. I encourage local communities to get educated about child trafficking and report any suspected child trafficking to local law enforcement. And, states should ask questions like “Who are the children and the sponsors in my state?” Find out if sponsors are enrolling children in school, caring for the children, and taking the children to their immigration hearings. Also, find out if the sponsors have criminal records or are forcing the children to work for necessities like food and shelter. States can follow the lead of Florida and Texas by investigating what is really happening to the children. Texas has human trafficking teams on the ground looking for children and legislators are getting involved. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis convened a statewide grand jury to investigate and has uncovered disturbing facts. (The Florida Grand Jury Presentment can be accessed here.)

To other people out there who are thinking of becoming a whistleblower like you, what encouragement would you give them?

If you’re thinking about blowing the whistle, know that one voice can make a difference…your voice can make a difference. Be brave! If you’re an HHS insider, your decision to speak up can change the life of a child. You do have the power to make a difference: By speaking up, you can help prevent future trafficking and save lives. Your actions could also inspire others to come forward, amplifying the impact of your efforts.

Also, you’re not alone. Whistleblowing can be a challenging and sometimes isolating experience. But there are people, organizations, and support networks available that can help you navigate the process and provide emotional support. I have amazing support from other whistleblowers like the Department of Homeland Security whistleblower, Aaron Stevenson; CNN whistleblower, Cary Poarch; FBI whistleblower, Kyle Seraphin; Google whistleblower, Zach Vorhies, and others. Remember, blowing the whistle is telling the truth to protect the public interest. Blowing the whistle on heinous crimes like child trafficking is an act of compassion. If you have information that could help protect children from harm, please speak up. Your actions could help save the lives of children.

You have seen the deepest, darkest evil in humanity. How did your faith impact your decision to speak out for the children?

I have never been so close to evil as I was working up close to child trafficking. Without my faith, I wouldn’t have been able to cope with the evil I saw. When James O’Keefe (when he was leading Project Veritas) asked me what made me come forward, I told him that these children were God’s children…that they are image bearers of the King and must be protected.

I was compelled to speak out against the injustices that violate the dignity and well-being of vulnerable children. It’s critical to note that every day I prayed Isaiah 41:10: “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” I remembered that God would help me do anything He was calling me to do. I had to trust that He was going to give me grace for every step, and He did. He gave me supernatural wisdom to see the fraud and gave me supernatural courage to stand up and sound the alarm. I said many times to my colleagues that the day I was walked off the Pomona Fairplex Emergency Intake Site it would be because of speaking out against HHS policies and speaking up for the children. God gave me the courage, day by day, to speak up for those who could not speak up for themselves. I never intended to be a voice for unaccompanied children. God has given me the privilege to testify before Congress and be the voice for His children. He also helped me through the suffering. I still suffer. I’ve heard children screaming for their parents, I’ve seen children have panic attacks, and I’ve sat with case managers as they cried and told me unspeakable things that happened to children on the journey to the border.

I’ve seen the depravity of man. And, I’ve seen the mercies of God that are new every morning. I know that one day, no injustice will remain when the rightful King is on the throne. Until then, I pray for the children, their wicked overlords, and for those in power who can speak up and make a difference for the children.

May 11, 2023

Mike Lindell

With boundless energy in the fight to save America, Mike Lindell’s patriotism and passion are unmatched. Best known as an inventor and owner of My Pillow and his autobiography, What Are the Odds? From Crack Addict…To CEO, he is also the founder of Mike Lindell TV, a free-speech online media powerhouse. We spoke with Mike recently about his refusal to be silenced, his faith, entrepreneurship, and the greatest challenge facing America.

Can you fill us in on your media venture, Mike Lindell TV?

The left media wanted to cancel my voice and tried everything to attack me. After February 4, 2021, when the voting machine company Smartmatic sued Fox, I couldn’t even go on conservative media to put out the truth. So I started up my own media company. I put money into Frankspeech.com to set up Mike Lindell TV. I put up $12 million for our own servers and back-end technology, so we can’t get canceled. We have two channels on twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and we’re adding a third channel. They tried to cancel my voice and the voices of many others like Gen. Mike Flynn, but 4 million people use it right now,

What will it take for the U.S. economy to recover?

Getting Donald Trump, our real President, back in office.

What’s your advice to young entrepreneurs on starting a business?

Three things: Learn from someone who’s been there; treat every customer like your only customer and every employee like your only employee; watch for deviations, bad or good. Find out why it happened and learn from them immediately, in real time. If it’s a good deviation, duplicate it. If it’s a bad one, don’t do it again. If you don’t follow up, bound to fail.

What is the greatest challenge facing our country right now?

Electronic voting machines. This stands above everything else. We have to get rid of them, or else we lose our country. Every problem comes from that. Once you have candidates who are selected and not elected, it’s over.

You’re known not only for your business success but your great faith. What is your prayer for America right now?

It’s a two-part prayer. First, I pray for as many people as possible to find the Lord. More people turn to Jesus Christ in bad times than in good ones, and we are going through a bad time. The second part of the prayer is for our country. We only have one shot to save the United States of America, there’s no tomorrow.

May 4, 2023

Floyd Brown

Floyd Brown is an author, political commentator, and founder of the Western Journal, an online publication whose motto is “equipping readers with the truth.” We spoke with him recently about his new book, “Counterpunch: An Unlikely Alliance of Americans Fighting Back for Faith and Freedom,” and where he sees the country going.

“Counterpunch” is called the Christian answer to Saul Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals. So what’s your strategy for challenging the left’s master strategist?

Americans have been assaulted by a series of false narratives. The narratives are intended to make each of us feel powerless and isolated. Alinsky teaches activists how to claim power.

I want conservatives to learn a lesson I was taught long ago: we all underestimate the power we have to influence others around us. But to influence others we must engage.

As General Flynn likes to say: “Local action has national impact.” We take back America by taking territory around our cities and towns and then uniting with others doing the same.

Why was Alinksy such a powerful influence on the American left?

Alinksy was a great tactical strategist. He helped the left maximize influence by teaching them how to ridicule and pillory others. His strategies are very divisive, this is likely why he dedicated his book to a divisive character, Lucifer.

I encourage conservatives to build community and use the tactic of protecting and loving those around you. It is the opposite of Alinsky tactics. To save America we must reengage with our neighbors. Alinsky wants you to hate your neighbors.

Western Journal has done great work covering Tucker Carlson’s departure from FOXNEWS. What does his exit from the top conservative media outlet mean for conservative media audiences?

Tucker is an amazing voice for conservative values. He has a devoted audience. His departure leaves a big hole in the FOXNEWS line up.

As I sit here now, we don’t know the whole story because Tucker is not commenting. FOXNEWS also isn’t commenting.

The future of conservative media is very bright. New technologies are allowing more voices than ever to find an audience. Social media suppression of conservatives is an issue, but our audiences want conservative content, and they will go out of their way to find it. Podcasting is growing, conservative news is growing, and our audiences are committed and engaged.

What do you see as the central issue facing our country today?

By far the most pervasive issue America faces is corruption. Corruption in our executive departments, agencies, courts, and law enforcement. Outside of government, we see corruption in the military industrial complex, the pharmaceutical industrial complex and the technology, media complex.

And what do conservatives need to do to be ready to fight it?

First, educate yourself and then educate others. Find other like-minded people in your neighborhood, church, and town. Then work together to capture the local institutions near you for our values. School boards, town councils, county sheriffs, state legislatures are all vitally important to stopping the woke culture in its tracks.

To purchase the book and learn more, visit Counterpunch by Floyd G. Brown.

April 27, 2023

Devin Nunes

As Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, former California Congressman Devin Nunes blew open the Russiagate scandal. His investigation into the FBI’s crimes and abuses committed during its probe of the Donald Trump campaign uncovered the biggest political scandal in U.S. history. Last year, he left congress to run Truth Social, a social media and centerpiece of the Trump Media and Technology Group. We spoke with him recently.

We know that social media has played a big part, good and bad, in U.S. elections. What role will Truth Social play in the 2024 election?

We expect Truth Social will be a primary hub for interaction for campaigns, candidates, and everyday Americans to discuss issues related to the election. Crucially, the platform’s users can be confident that Truth Social will not try to tilt the election by censoring discussion of any topics, as has previously occurred on other platforms.

Truth Social helped launch several top-rated songs, including two by country star John Rich. Any more big hits on the way?

We hope so—we’ve already shown that Truth Social is an excellent outlet for launching music and films, and artists are beginning to notice that.

Did your experience as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee help prepare you for your new job as head of a tech company?

Yes. I learned about the huge censorship problem while serving in that role, because I saw how people—including myself—who contradicted the establishment’s views on the Russia collusion hoax, impeachment, and scores of other issues were being suppressed and censored on social media.

Have you been surprised by what the Twitter Files has revealed about the intelligence community using social media to spy on Americans?

I wasn’t surprised by the fact that it’s happening, since it’s been clear for a long time that the Intelligence Community has been politicized and weaponized against American citizens. But I was surprised by the scale—there were apparently few restraints, if any, in their efforts to squelch entire narratives that they didn’t like.

If you were still on Capitol Hill, what issues would you be investigating?

I’d be looking at all issues related to the corruption of the Intelligence Community, especially the Department of Justice and FBI—the targeting of parents attending school board meetings, the role of intelligence officials in promoting censorship in general, and the suppression of the Hunter Biden laptop story in particular, the double standard in how they prosecute adherents of certain political views like January 6 defendants vs. how they handle Antifa, Black Lives Matters rioters, and those targeting abortion clinics, the list goes on. There is simply no bigger threat to democracy than a two-tiered justice system.

April 20, 2023

Mike Smith

Mike Smith put it all on the line to reveal the truth when he independently produced Out of Shadows, a documentary exposing how the mainstream media and Hollywood manipulates the public by spreading propaganda through their content. The courageous move for this former Hollywood stunt double was no easy endeavor and did not come without consequences. Despite being banned by Big Tech and several mainstream media platforms, the acclaimed documentary has surpassed over 100 million views since its release in 2020.

What was it like to work at the top level of the Hollywood film industry?

Most of my career I was living the dream – I was traveling around the world and working with A-list actors and films with the biggest budgets. It was a life that most people dream about and very few get to do. But in 2014, I was catastrophically injured and while that was one of the worst things that happened to me, it turned out to be the beginning of my salvation which was a huge blessing. My walk as a stunt man ended, and my walk with God began.

What inspired you to make Out of Shadows?

Once I found God, I realized if I was truly serving as a Christian, then I had to stand up and expose what I believe to be the truth. If I wasn’t going to stand up and say something – I thought, who’s going to do it? I know one day I’m going to stand in front of God and he’s going to say ‘I showed you all this stuff and what did you do?’ and I don’t want to be that guy who replies ‘nothing’. I want to be the man who tells God I did everything I could.

What kind of sacrifices did you make to put out this film and what kind of backlash did you receive?

I knew making Out of Shadows would more than likely be the end of my career in Hollywood but that was a sacrifice I was willing to make. It did get me kicked off Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and PayPal but I was willing to accept that. If I wasn’t telling the truth, then why did they kick me off all those platforms?

In your film, you also expose the prevalence of an elite pedophilia ring, can you expand on how your physical therapist helped you understand Satanic Ritualistic Abuse?

After I got injured, I was going to a pelvic floor therapist who treats victims of Satanic Ritualistic Abuse. That’s what really opened my eyes to this dark reality. I didn’t want to look into at first, but the more I did, and remembered situations and conversations over the years, I realized this was all real. I didn’t find God because I went to church — I found God because I realized Satan was real.

What’s next for you?

I’ve been working for the past three years on several projects, and I hope to have them completed in the near future.

Editor’s Note: The public is invited to watch Out of Shadows for free at www.OutofShadows.org. Mike is an advisor to America’s Future Project Defend & Protect Our Children (PDPC). Click Here to learn more.

April 13, 2023

Lara Logan

Lara Logan is an award-winning journalist and war correspondent. Born in South Africa, she’s reported from all over the world and has earned the admiration of her peers and the trust of news audiences. She’s also a board member of America’s Future, and we spoke with her about recent events.

You’re one of the best-informed people we know, with important insights into major issues here in America and abroad. What do you read, watch, and listen to in order to stay informed?

After so many years as a journalist, I have a lot of people seeking me out with information and stories. So, much of the information I deal with is first-hand or sent to me by my many contacts and sources. I rarely watch TV — cannot stomach it anymore and am usually occupied scanning the latest news in anything from Epoch Times to Substack to Rebel News, Revolver, and Tablet Magazine. Of course, I will also look at the mainstream media so that I have many different views — I never want to sink into a bubble, but it can be unbearable at times. I hardly ever have time to listen to anything — the exception to all that is when I learn about a specific project, and then I will watch or listen to that, like Mike Smith’s film “Out of Shadows” or Sean Stone’s documentary series “Best Kept Secrets.” I am a big fan of Corey’s Digs, Techno Fog, and Kanekoa the Great.

Are you surprised by the role the press has played in the campaign to destroy the opposition’s likely presidential candidate?

Not anymore. I would have been surprised 15 years ago when I was still at “60 Minutes” and had no clue that I was living in a bubble. Now I understand that we are in the midst of a type of warfare that is unfamiliar to most: it’s called 5th Generation warfare which is defined as a war of narratives, where false narratives are pushed over the truth. And journalists are critical to upholding these false narratives, from Russia collusion to Hunter Biden’s laptop to all the lies about Covid. So no, I am not surprised. Most journalists have demonstrated over and over that they hate Donald Trump — just look at the O’Keefe Media Group video from outside the courthouse in New York.

You were raised in South Africa and saw that country fall to chaos. Do you see similarities to the situation here in the US?

Not really, no. What I see is that growing up fighting against racism and apartheid, we had no idea that this noble effort was part of a broader global strategy orchestrated by truly evil people like George Soros and the Open Society Foundation and the puppet masters behind them. We fought hand-in-hand for justice and equality, and it was a noble fight, but we believed in the power of unity — ideas embodied by Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, that all of us, black and white, we are stronger together. Now critical race theory and all these other racist, hate-filled ideas are undoing Mandela’s legacy and spreading hate and division, and that fills me with sadness because the people who deserve better after suffering for so long are suffering again.

You have been a vocal advocate for children’s rights around the world, so why are so few doing anything to stop traffickers from dragging children across America’s open southern border?

It’s very simple: In this war of narratives, many people have chosen to blind themselves to the truth because of the cost of acknowledging it. They care more about self-preservation than what is happening to children, and we live in a world where the abuse of children is being normalized in many ways. And the second reason is that children are trafficked into a network of sexual abuse, rape, and exploitation that goes all the way to the top of our society and reaches across the very agencies set up to protect children, like Child Protection Services and family courts, which are often involved. These are powerful forces that will stop at nothing to suppress the truth.

Can you say, tell us what projects you are working on these days?

I am working with Sovren Media and we are doing a series of investigative reports on January 6th, culminating in a film about the death of Rosanne Boyland on the steps of the Capitol that day, an unarmed, unconscious woman who was brutally beaten and maced by a Capitol Police officer, and then the government lied about her death. I am also doing a series of three segments on the Brunson Brothers and the power of ordinary citizens to stand up and fight for this country when they feel their leaders have failed them. I am also raising money for my investigative show, “The Rest of the Story with Lara Logan” which will cover child trafficking in the first season. And at the same time, we are building Press Club USA, which is based on the principles of real journalism and hopefully will provide a home and a foundation for journalism in the age of unprecedented assaults on press freedom, the digital age where government seeks to control every word and every thought.

April 6, 2023

Kash Patel

Kash Patel was a senior figure in the Donald Trump administration, serving as former chief of staff for the department of defense and deputy director of national intelligence. Before that, the former federal terrorism prosecutor was lead investigator in the House Intelligence Committee’s Russiagate probe. Recently, we asked him a few questions about his current plans and where he thinks America is going.

Congratulations on your new book coming out in June, Government Gangsters. Can you tell us about it?

Government Gangsters is the roadmap on how we win in 2024 and return the agencies and departments to serve the American people. In Government Gangsters, I outline all those in leadership positions, Republicans and Democrats, who failed in their duty, violated their oath of office because they didn’t like the commander-in-chief. I discuss how personnel, coupled with congressional levers, can blow up the Deep State. And most importantly, how we restore our constitutional republic to serve the American people.

Can federal law enforcement be reformed?

Yes, the FBI and other agencies can be reformed, and it starts with personnel and shutting down government boondoggles like a new FBI headquarters. Let’s turn the current headquarters building into a free museum showcasing the Deep State and send all agents and staff into the 90-plus FBI field offices across the country to do actual law enforcement, rather than politics. A small contingent can remain in Washington, DC at an offsite location, everyone else should be chasing down criminals.

What most needs to be fixed in our government?

We must abolish the two-tier system of justice that has been glaringly on display during, among others, the Department of Justice’s investigation of Trump for holding classified documents vs its investigation of Biden for the same matter. To do so, we must suspend funding these politically oriented government gangsters, and replace them with America-first leaders who will return to a uniform system of justice. We must also take on the judges who are accomplices with those in the executive branch that seek to destroy due process. Just look at the January 6 cases. And congress must begin impeaching those on the bench that blatantly acted based on politics, and not the law.

Do you think the Department of Justice will indict Donald Trump?

I don’t think so. I believe they’ll produce a report, like Robert Mueller did, which will all but say Trump is a criminal, but that they just couldn’t find the proof. And that of course represents another violation of due process and standard DOJ practice.

After President, what is the most important job in federal government?

I may be biased, but the Secretary of Defense and intelligence community leadership positions are the most critical because they dictate national security. We now see what happens when America is sidelined: The Chinese Communist Party brokers deals between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin have taken over the world stage while Joe Biden is talking about ice cream.

March 30, 2023

Cookie	Duration	Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional	11 months	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy	11 months	The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.