Digital Social Hour #1841 — “I Posted a Prayer Photo… Then Got Death Threats”
Host: Sean Kelly
Guest: Joshua Sarmiento (aka Jordan Sarmo)
Release Date: February 27, 2026
Episode Overview
In this episode of Digital Social Hour, host Sean Kelly sits down with entrepreneur and America First Healthcare founder Jordan Sarmo. They explore the personal and political costs of speaking out in the social media age, with Jordan sharing raw stories about public backlash for his stances on faith and Israel, the polarizing nature of COVID-era politics, and what it means to pursue growth as an entrepreneur. The conversation covers everything from cancel culture and the pandemic's impact on careers, to the inside story of political infighting on the American right—and how a simple prayer photo led to shocking online abuse.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. The Backlash From a Simple Prayer Photo
- Jordan’s experience:
- Jordan recounts posting an Instagram story of himself praying at Shiloh in Israel and being met with intense backlash.
- He lost several hundred followers and received death threats and hate-filled messages for what he saw as an innocent expression of faith.
- Quote:
“I posted a picture of me praying at Shiloh...my DMs are filled: ‘effing traitor’, ‘You should be dead’. All I did was post an Instagram story of me praying at Shiloh.” — Jordan, [00:00]
2. Networking, Growth, and Entrepreneurial Lessons
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Discussion turns to the importance of mentorship, reading, and mindset in business:
- Both Sean and Jordan stress the impact of books like Alex Hormozi’s 100M Offers and Dan Martell’s Buy Back Your Time.
- Delegation, hiring the right assistants, and incentivizing employees are central to scaling rapidly.
- Quote (on buying back time):
“You don’t own your email, you don’t own your calendar. Your assistant owns that. That book has just changed my life, changed my company…” — Jordan, [02:09]
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On company growth:
- America First Healthcare scaled to 25,000 clients in 2 years, 100 agents, and a new 12,000 sq ft office.
- Importance of reinvesting profits vs. “pulling the gasoline from the engine” explained with a metaphor from 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
- Quote (on leadership):
“If you want to make crazy money, you got to be crazy.” — Jordan, [07:29]
3. Personal Financial Struggles and Lessons Learned
- Both host and guest share stories of financial ups and downs:
- Sean lost fortunes by betting too heavily on risky assets like crypto and sports cards.
- Jordan discusses the value of logical over emotional decisions and knowing when to sell.
- Quote:
“I was putting all my money in crypto. I was leading by emotion, not logic.” — Sean, [09:54]
4. The Pandemic as Political and Personal Turning Point
- COVID-19 and government mandates became a catalyst for Jordan’s public political stance.
- Music industry career evaporated overnight; unemployment for the first time.
- Viral moment: refused to fake vaccine status to enter a restaurant, videos blew up online.
- Introduction to the realities of cancel culture—lost gigs and income for political expression.
- Quote:
“If anyone knew I was a Trump supporter—God forbid in L.A., in the music industry—and my innocent self back in 2016 posted a picture in a MAGA hat...they called me and said, ‘Hey, you can’t play for us anymore.’ That was about 30 grand a year.” — Jordan, [16:25]
5. America First Healthcare: Mission and Origins
- Ties political identity directly to business philosophy.
- Company exploded in popularity by aligning openly conservative values with a market need for trust in healthcare.
- Quote:
“People want to work with people who align with their values... They probably trust more, have more chemistry. They’ll choose that person even if it’s the same price or more.” — Jordan, [28:15]
6. First-Hand Experience with U.S. Healthcare System
- Hospitalized with COVID-19 Delta, nearly died; miraculous overnight healing after a faith call.
- Stuck with a $100,000 bill, insurance loopholes, and the importance of understanding nonprofit hospital charity care.
- Quote (about healing):
“I played this song by an artist named Brandon Lake... I felt the most insane presence enter the room…Next morning, completely healed.” — Jordan, [24:22]
“The hospital was a nonprofit…because I was unemployed at the time, this nonprofit waived my entire $100,000 medical bill.” — Jordan, [26:15]
7. The Israel Controversy and Political Infighting
- Jordan shares how a trip to Israel profoundly shifted his perception of the region and how divisive the issue has become among U.S. conservatives.
- Describes criticism and accusations from right-wing circles; details Hamas vs. Israel complexities and American military aid.
- Shares Mike Huckabee’s points: U.S. invests in Israel partly for military technology and intelligence return, including testing the Iron Dome defense system.
- Lays out regional funding hypocrisies (U.S. billions to Egypt, Jordan) and the propaganda role of media, sports, and education, especially by Qatar.
- Quote (on right-wing infighting):
“The biggest critics of me going to Israel were not the left—it was the right. And friends...now this one issue is literally completely dividing the entire Republican MAGA base, and it’s over $3 billion.” — Jordan, [52:52]
8. Propaganda, Social Media, and Foreign Influence
- Deep dive into how foreign governments use propaganda:
- Qatar’s Al Jazeera, massive spending on U.S. universities, and their approach to supporting Hamas while keeping an ostensibly clean reputation.
- Influence of mega-commentators possibly being co-opted.
- Quote:
“Qatar spent over $500 million last year on lobbying schools and universities in the U.S.—that’s why every college campus is suddenly screaming pro-Palestine.” — Jordan, [49:09]
9. On “Third World America”
- After traveling to over 30 countries, Jordan rebuffs the notion that the U.S. is a third-world country.
- Cites extreme poverty, water scarcity, and real life-threatening racism abroad as context.
- Quote:
“People that say America is a third world country haven’t been to a third world country. Go to Rwanda.” — Jordan, [56:53]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)
- On cancel culture:
“My innocent self back in 2016... posted a picture in a MAGA hat...‘Hey, you can’t play for us anymore.’ That was about 30 grand a year.” — Jordan, [16:26]
- On leadership and growth:
“If you want to make crazy money, you got to be crazy.” — Jordan, [07:29]
- On propaganda:
“The U.S. is the capital of the world for propaganda.” — Jordan, [40:07]
- On the right’s internal conflict:
“The biggest critics of me going to Israel were not the left—it was the right... now this one issue is literally completely dividing the entire Republican MAGA base.” — Jordan, [52:52]
Important Timestamps
- 00:00 — Jordan recounts the aftermath of posting a prayer photo in Israel
- 13:04 — Losing his music career and discovering political activism during COVID
- 16:25 — First major experience with cancel culture—losing gigs for political posts
- 24:22 — Hospitalized with COVID; faith and healing narrative
- 26:15 — Learning about hospital billing and insurance; $100k bill waived by nonprofit status
- 34:49 — Mike Huckabee explains the U.S.-Israel aid arrangement and Iron Dome beta testing
- 40:07 — Discussion on U.S. propaganda and conservatives falling for media narratives
- 49:09 — The scale of Qatar's investment in influencing U.S. campuses; how it explains campus activism
- 52:52 — The new infighting on the political right over Israel; how outside actors exploit this division
- 56:53 — What real “third world” means after seeing places like Rwanda
Flow & Character
The conversation is candid, energetic, and at times vulnerable. Jordan Sarmo is open about mistakes, trauma, and his faith’s role in transforming both his life and business. The tone is authentic and raw, befitting the show’s mission to tackle topics other podcasts avoid.
For Listeners Who Missed the Episode
This episode offers an unfiltered look at what happens when private convictions become public in a hyper-polarized world. Jordan Sarmo illustrates how the personal is now deeply political—from being “cancelled” for a prayer photo, to weathering the infighting that is redefining America’s right wing, to hospital bills that reshape a career path. For entrepreneurs, politicos, and anyone navigating a “culture war” job market, there is plenty of food for thought: on loyalty, risk, faith, and finding voices—and customers—that resonate with your own.